Abstract image of a woman sitting on books and studying on a laptop

E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07

SPAV, profile picture
SPAV

This document is the staff listing and masthead for the July 2004 issue of Architectural Record magazine. It lists the editors, contributors, and various staff members involved in producing the magazine. The masthead provides contact information and outlines the publication's policies regarding submissions, subscriptions, and copyright.

1 of 149
Downloaded 270 times
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
Houses With Water Features RESIDENTIAL SECTION: JAZZES UP KOOLHAAS SEATTLE 07 2004 $ 9 .7 5 A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E M C G R A W - H I L L C O M PA N I E S w w w. a rc h it e ct u ra l re c o rd . c o m
EDITOR IN CHIEF Robert Ivy, FAIA, rivy@mcgraw-hill.com MANAGING EDITOR Beth Broome, elisabeth_broome@mcgraw-hill.com DESIGN DIRECTOR Anna Egger-Schlesinger, schlesin@mcgraw-hill.com SENIOR EDITORS Charles Linn, FAIA, linnc@mcgraw-hill.com Clifford Pearson, pearsonc@mcgraw-hill.com Sarah Amelar, sarah_ amelar@mcgraw-hill.com Sara Hart, sara_ hart@mcgraw-hill.com Deborah Snoonian, P.E., deborah_snoonian@mcgraw-hill.com William Weathersby, Jr., bill_weathersby@mcgraw-hill.com Jane F. Kolleeny, jane_kolleeny@mcgraw-hill.com PRODUCTS EDITOR Rita F. Catinella, rita_catinella@mcgraw-hill.com NEWS EDITOR Sam Lubell, sam_lubell@mcgraw-hill.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Juan Ramos, juan_ramos@mcgraw-hill.com DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Kristofer E. Rabasca, kris_rabasca@mcgraw-hill.com ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Clara Huang, clara_huang@mcgraw-hill.com WEB EDITOR Randi Greenberg, randi_greenberg@mcgraw-hill.com WEB DESIGN Susannah Shepherd, susannah_shepherd@mcgraw-hill.com WEB PRODUCTION Laurie Meisel, laurie_meisel@mcgraw-hill.com EDITORIAL SUPPORT Linda Ransey, linda_ransey@mcgraw-hill.com John Wilson, john_wilson@mcgraw-hill.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Audrey Beaton, audrey_beaton@mcgraw-hill.com EDITOR AT LARGE James S. Russell, AIA, jamesrussell_editor@earthlink.net SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Suzanne Stephens, suzanne_stephens@mcgraw-hill.com COPY EDITOR Leslie Yudell ILLUSTRATORS I-Ni Chen, Sophia Murer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Raul Barreneche, Robert Campbell, FAIA, Andrea Oppenheimer Dean, David Dillon, Francis Duffy, Lisa Findley, Blair Kamin, Elizabeth Harrison Kubany, Nancy Levinson, Thomas Mellins, Robert Murray, Sheri Olson, FAIA, Nancy Solomon, AIA, Michael Sorkin, Michael Speaks, Tom Vonier, FAIA SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Naomi R. Pollock, AIA INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS David Cohn, Claire Downey, Tracy Metz GROUP PUBLISHER James H. McGraw IV, jay_mcgraw@mcgraw-hill.com VP, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Laura Viscusi, laura_viscusi@mcgraw-hill.com VP, MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT David Johnson, dave_johnson@mcgraw-hill.com VP, GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Robert Ivy, FAIA, rivy@mcgraw-hill.com GROUP DESIGN DIRECTOR Anna Egger-Schlesinger, schlesin@mcgraw-hill.com MANAGER, RESEARCH Ellen Halfond, ellen_halfond@mcgraw-hill.com DIRECTOR, MARKETING COMMUNICATION Chris Meyer, chris_meyer@mcgraw-hill.com DIRECTOR, CIRCULATION Maurice Persiani, maurice_persiani@mcgraw-hill.com Brian McGann, brian_mcgann@mcgraw-hill.com DIRECTOR, MULTIMEDIA DESIGN & PRODUCTION Susan Valentini, susan_valentini@mcgraw-hill.com MANAGER, ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Stephen R. Weiss, stephen_weiss@mcgraw-hill.com DIRECTOR, FINANCE Ike Chong, ike_chong@mcgraw-hill.com DIRECTOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS Charles Pinyan, cpinyan@mcgraw-hill.com REPRINTS Wilda Fabelo, wilda_fabelo@mcgraw-hill.com EDITORIAL OFFICES: 212/904-2594. Editorial fax: 212/904-4256. E-mail: rivy@mcgraw-hill.com. Two Penn Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10121- 2298. WEB SITE: www.architecturalrecord.com. SUBSCRIBER SERVICE: 877/876-8093 (U.S. only). 609/426-7046 (outside the U.S.). Subscriber fax: 609/426-7087. E-mail: p64ords@mcgraw-hill.com. AIA members must contact the AIA for address changes on their sub- scriptions. 800/242-3837. E-mail: members@aia.org. INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSIONS: Letters, Robert Ivy; Practice, Charles Linn; Books, Clifford Pearson; Record Houses and Interiors, Sarah Amelar; Products, Rita Catinella; Lighting, William Weathersby, Jr.; Web Editorial, Randi Greenberg ARCHITECTURAL RECORD: (ISSN 0003-858X) July 2004. Vol. 192, No. 7. Published monthly by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. RCSC and additional mailing offices. Ride Along enclosed in edition 007. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40012501. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DPGM Ltd., 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3. Email: P64ords@mcgraw- hill.com. Registered for GST as The McGraw-Hill Companies. GST No. R123075673. Postmaster: Please send address changes to ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, Fulfillment Manager, P.O. Box 566, Hightstown, N.J. 08520. SUBSCRIPTION: Rates are as follows: U.S. and Possessions $64; Canada and Mexico $79 (payment in U.S. currency, GST included); outside North America $199 (air freight delivery). Single copy price $9.75; for foreign $11. Subscriber Services: 877/876-8093 (U.S. only); 609/426-7046 (outside the U.S.); fax: 609/426-7087. SUBMISSIONS: Every effort will be made to return material submitted for possible publication (if accompanied by stamped, self-addressed enve- lope), but the editors and the corporation will not be responsible for loss or damage. SUBSCRIPTION LIST USAGE: Advertisers may use our list to mail information to read- ers. To be excluded from such mailings, send a request to ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, Mailing List Manager, P.O. Box 555, Hightstown, N.J. 08520. OFFICERS OF THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer: Harold McGraw III. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer: Robert J. Bahash. Executive Vice President, Human Resources: David L. Murphy. Senior Vice President and General Counsel: Kenneth M. Vittor. Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and Assistant to the President and CEO: Glenn S. Goldberg. Principal Operating Executives: Kathleen A Corbet, President, Standard & Poors; Henry Hirschberg, President, McGraw-Hill Education; Scott C. Marden, President, McGraw-Hill Information and Media Services. MCGRAW-HILL CONSTRUCTION: Norbert W. Young, Jr., FAIA, President. Vice President and CFO: Louis J. Finocchiaro. COPYRIGHT AND REPRINTING: Title ® reg. in U.S. Patent Office. Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Where necessary, permission is granted by the copyright owner for libraries and others registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, Mass. 01923. To photocopy any article herein for personal or internal reference use only for the base fee of $1.80 per copy of the article plus ten cents per page, send payment to CCC, ISSN 0003-858X. Copying for other than personal use or internal reference is prohibited without prior written permission. Write or fax requests (no telephone requests) to Copyright Permission Desk, ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, Two Penn Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10121-2298; fax 212/904-4256. For reprints call 212/512-4170, e-mail wilda_fabelo@mcgraw-hill.com, or fax 212/512-6243. Information has been obtained by The McGraw-Hill Companies from sources believed to be reliable. However, because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by our sources, The McGraw-Hill Companies or ARCHITECTURAL RECORD does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions therein or for the results to be obtained from the use of such information of for any dam- ages resulting there from. THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS • OFFICERS: Eugene C. Hopkins, FAIA, President; Douglas L Steidl, FAIA, First Vice President; Paul Davis Boney, FAIA, Vice President; RK Stewart, FAIA, Vice President; David H. Watkins, FAIA, Vice President; Lawrence R. Livergood, AIA, Secretary; James A. Gatsch, FAIA, Treasurer; David Lancaster, Hon. AIA, CACE Representative to the Executive Committee; Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO • REGIONAL DIRECTORS: Douglas E. Ashe, AIA; Jamie Aycock, AIA; John H. Baker, AIA; Ronald J. Battaglia, FAIA; William D. Beyer, FAIA; Michael Broshar, AIA; Randy Byers, AIA; Tommy Neal Cowan, FAIA; Glenn H. Fellows, AIA; Robert D. Fincham, AIA; Betty Sue Flowers, PhD; A. James Gersich, AIA; Ana Guerra, Assoc. AIA; T. Gunny Harboe, AIA; The Hon. Jeremy Harris; John J. Hoffmann, FAIA; William E. Holloway, AIA; Michael M. Hricak Jr., FAIA; Orlando T. Maione, AIA; Thomas R. Mathison, AIA; Carl F. Meyer, AIA; Robert E. Middlebrooks, AIA; George H. Miller, FAIA; Wayne Mortensen; Hal P. Munger, AIA; Gordon N. Park, CDS, AIA; David Proffitt, AIA; Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA; Bruce A. Race, FAIA; Miguel A. Rodriguez, AIA; Jerry K. Roller, AIA; Jeffrey Rosenblum, AIA; Martin G. Santini, AIA; Robert I. Selby, FAIA; Saundra Stevens, Hon. AIA; Norman Strong, FAIA; Stephen T. Swicegood, FAIA; M. Hunter Ulf, AIA; J. Benjamin Vargas, AIA; Bryce A. Weigand, FAIA. • AIA MANAGEMENT COUNCIL: Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO; James Dinegar, Chief Operating Officer; Richard J. James, CPA, Chief Financial Officer; Jay A. Stephens, Esq., General Counsel; Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, Team Vice President, AIA Community; Ronald A. Faucheux, Team Vice President, AIA Government Advocacy; Barbara Sido, CAE, Team Vice President, AIA Knowledge; Elizabeth Stewart, Esq., Team Vice President, AIA Public Advocacy; Elizabeth Casqueiro, AIA, Managing Director, AIA Alliances; James W. Gaines Jr., Assoc. AIA, Managing Director, AIA Professional Practice; Suzanne Harness, AIA, Esq., Managing Director and Counsel, AIA Contract Documents; Richard L. Hayes, Ph.D., RAIC, AIA, Managing Director, AIA Knowledge Resources; Brenda Henderson, Hon. AIA, Managing Director, AIA Component Relations; Christine M. Klein, Managing Director, AIA Meetings; Carol Madden, Managing Director, AIA Membership Services; Philip D. O’Neal, Managing Director, AIA Technology; C.D. Pangallo, EdD, Managing Director, AIA Continuing Education; Terence J. Poltrack, Managing Director, AIA Communications; Phil Simon, Managing Director, AIA Marketing and Promotion; Laura Viehmyer, SPHR, CEBS, Managing Director, AIA Human Resources. PRINTED IN USA
07.2004 On the Cover: Seattle Central Library, by OMA and LMN. Photograph by Timothy Hursley Photos Right: Loisium, by Steven Holl. Photograph by Margherita Spiluttini News Building Types Study 835 21 Piano chosen for Whitney expansion 133 Introduction: Restaurants by Clifford A. Pearson 30 New York selects potential Olympic Village design 134 Megu, New York City by Clifford A. Pearson* Kajima Associates Departments 140 Chlösterli, Switzerland by Philip Jodidio* Patrick Jouin 15 Editorial: That’s my opinion 144 Jefferson, New York City by William Weathersby, Jr.* 17 Letters* Philip Wu Architect 43 Dates & Events* 148 Soba Restaurant, Japan by Clifford A. Pearson* 49 Archrecord2: For the emerging architect by Randi Greenberg Kengo Kuma & Associates 53 Correspondent’s File: Athens by Sam Lubell For additional restaurant projects, go to Building Types 61 Critique: Gehry’s Stata Center by Robert Campbell, FAIA Study at architecturalrecord.com. 67 Commentary: The American Embassy by Jane Loeffler 73 Exhibitions: Milan Furniture Fair by William Weathersby, Jr. Building Science & Technology 77 Snapshot: Camera Obscura by Sam Lubell 153 Defining Component-Based Design by Barbara Knecht* 240 Profile: Tord Boontje by Josephine Minutillo* Using the tools of mass production to rediscover true craftsmanship. 163 Tech Briefs: Charles de Gaulle Airport* Features Residential 80 Architecture Centers by Sam Lubell Bridging the divide between architects and the public. 167 Introduction 168 PIA and HUD Awards Projects 172 27, 27A, 27B Berrima by Robert Powell WOHA Designs 88 Seattle Central Library, Seattle by Sheri Olson* 178 Weathering Steel House by Raul A. Barreneche OMA joint venture with LMN Shim-Sutcliffe Architects Rem Koolhaas’s “information storehouse” redefines the library. 185 Texas Twister by David Dillon 102 Kendall Square, Massachusetts by Nancy Levinson* Building Studio Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner and Steven Ehrlich Architects America’s archetypal college town welcomes two signature buildings. 188 Villa C by Philip Jodidio Groep Delta Architectuur 114 Loisium Visitors’ Center, Austria by Liane Lefaivre* Steven Holl Architects 195 Kitchen & Bath Portfolio by Rita F. Catinella A visitors’ center makes a splash in Austrian wine country. 201 Residential Products by Rita F. Catinella and Josephine Minutillo 120 Royal and General Archives of Pamplona, Spain by Paula Deitz* Rafael Moneo Products A medieval palace is reinvented as an archives and study center. 207 Storage & Shelving 222 Product Literature 126 Brown Center, Baltimore by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.* 211 Milan Furniture Fair Review by Josephine Minutillo Ziger/Snead and Charles Brickbauer Dramatic contours signal a new era for an art college. 224 Reader Service* 226 AIA/CES Self-Report Form* The AIA/ARCHITECTURAL RECORD You can find these stories at www.architecturalrecord.com, Continuing-Education Opportunity is “Defining including expanded coverage of Projects, Building Types Studies, and Component-Based Design” (page 153). Web-only special features. 07.04 Architectural Record 13
That’s My Opinion Editorial By Robert Ivy, FAIA H ow could your otherwise fine magazine allow…” Thus begins a ments. Read them. “Editorial,” for example, announces the editor’s own lament, an actual complaint about a writer’s point of view. We get perspective, speaking for the magazine. “Critique” describes an essay, replete letters like this all the time from readers who want to tangle with a with Michael Sorkin’s or Robert Campbell’s personality, language, wit, and writer expressing a strong opinion in print. We exult in these arguments, individual worldview. “Commentary” contains the musings of a qualified even the hyperbolic ones, since few publications share such a committed, vital staff or outside writer. Those small tabs outside the projects act like road constituency as architectural record. You always tell us what you think, signs—important, but easy to miss. as if the future of the architectural profession depended on it. In a sense, it In addition to clarity, expect balance. If architectural record does, and we treat your opinions with that same concern. veers heavily toward one extreme, don’t panic. Read the accompanying arti- Ironically, the challenge to integrate more critical writing into these cle that tilts the argument from right to left, such as the twin stories we ran pages has come both from our editors and from you, who have continually about Chicago’s Soldier Field in May 2004, in which Joseph Giovannini and asked, like Oliver Twist with his porridge, for more. Your desire for a critical Stanley Tigerman took opposing corners. Or look during the following months voice reflects shared years of academic conditioning, where we regularly face for an answer to a question raised in an article, a response in a letter or occa- scrutiny (sometimes withering, sometimes cruel, sometimes enlightened) of sionally in another piece. When Michael Sorkin wrote a strongly worded essay professors, practitioners, and fellow students. In the design studio and jury, on Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance (which provoked a firestorm of contro- we learned to question and debate, to take nothing for granted. Then at versy), we agreed to publish a countervailing opinion from the client’s graduation, the clouds parted; suddenly, our clientele seemed too accepting of perspective that should air in August. Sorkin deserved ink, versed as he is as a our work, prompting us to yearn for those tougher early crits. Can’t a mag- professor who has studied the beleaguered city’s planning; but we are also azine provide the equivalent of a splash of cold water? making room for the museum’s client—a rare case, but an important one. Up to a point. Although you will encounter more of the writer’s voice Criticism can probe where the camera cannot, since ultimately real in our pages today, we mete out critical writing judiciously at record. While buildings (and unbuilt ones, too) are only as good as the ideas underlying the magazine began publication as a critical journal (as in offering evalua- them. We need critical writing to sift through the layers—social, environ- tion), over time it had broadened its point of view to become a literal record mental, psychological, tectonic, or aesthetic—piercing through the rhetoric, of the world’s most relevant ideas and structures. For years, a project’s mere exposing the emperor’s new clothes, balancing our praise with understanding, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N D R É S O U R O U J O N inclusion in the magazine implied a positive assessment. After strong inter- and offering the occasional, bracing splash. In the days to come, you will see nal debate, in recent years we have arrived at a consensus on our approach to more criticism; but remember, you asked for it, and we agreed: It’s critical. different types of reporting: Simply put, categories should be clear. Certainly, project stories now often combine straight reporting with points of view. But you, the reader, can expect to know what you are encountering elsewhere in the magazine, whether factual reporting (which characterizes the news, for example), descriptive text, or opinion. Your signals lie in the small, significant headings that precede each story in our depart- 07.04 Architectural Record 15
Letters Funds for university projects without an outcry is beyond me. However, I was disappointed when I ent-day design excess and mistakenly DEPARTMENTS Thank you for the very well-written —Allen Rubenstein came across the Correspondent’s confuses playful with delightful. and comprehensive article docu- Los Angeles File [page 79], which discussed Critical opinion, based on the classic menting the career of AIA Gold building in Toronto. Wooton/Scott triad, would frown on Medalist Sambo Mockbee [June Keep “her” out of it The article began by talking much that is presently published, 2004, page 184], including the work I applaud your point of view in the about the recent explosion in the con- where extreme design becomes a of Auburn University’s Rural Studio. May editorial [“Beyond Style,” page struction of public buildings, such as role model and spawns “playful” Regarding the Rural Studio, the 17] for recognizing the offending New the Royal Ontario Museum addition architecture worldwide, ad nauseam. impression was left that due to the York Times Magazine article on by Daniel Libeskind, the Art Gallery of —James A. Gresham, FAIA university’s very generous funding (an Pritzker Prize–winning architect Zaha Ontario addition by Frank Gehry, and Tucson, Ariz. annual commitment of $400,000) Hadid. Such gender-focused news the new Four Seasons Opera House and the fact that communities now coverage symbolizes a tenor in our by the firm Diamond and Schmitt. Corrections help with the cost of projects, that industry that may explain why barely Two thirds of Toronto’s major Due to a production error, the wrong the Studio’s financial future is secure. 20 percent of licensed architects in post-secondary institutions were image accompanied the description That is not the case. State laws do firms are women [News, May 2004, mentioned, including the new addi- of Centria’s Concept Series, a collec- not allow university funds to be used page 25], while in academia 42 tion to the Ontario College of Art tion of concealed-fastener exterior for project construction costs. Further, percent of graduate architectural and Design by Will Alsop. metal-wall-panel profiles, on page community contributions only cover students are women (according to The post-secondary institution 369 in the June issue. The correct about 20 percent of the actual project NAAB and the 2000–2002 AIA Firm that was overlooked, and which I image appears below. On the same costs. Approximately $250,000 Survey). As an architect and studio myself attended, was Ryerson page, the wrong measurement was must be raised annually from private leader with SmithGroup—in addition University, truly in the heart of down- sources in order to cover total con- to being a woman, a wife, and a town. Ryerson is currently undergoing struction costs. mother—I add value to the profes- its own great expansion equal to We are in the process of rais- sion, as any individual does. I feel the University of Toronto’s. At this ing an endowment to ensure that that I have accomplished a great deal moment, Ryerson is building six new there is adequate construction in the course of my 20-year career, buildings—worth approximately funding into perpetuity. Only then but I know that troubling perceptions $250 million—that will transform the will the future of Sambo’s remark- and stereotypes still exist. I chose campus. I greatly enjoyed my time in able legacy be secure. architecture because of the high Ryerson’s architecture program, and —Daniel D. Bennett, FAIA ideals of the architects that I studied; I encourage everyone to visit Ryerson Dean, College of Architecture I’ve dreamt of making a difference University online at www.ryerson.ca Design + Construction and feel I’ve done that. Hadid has and www.ryerson.ca/build/. Now, Auburn University realized her dream, and I thank you everyone can see that Toronto has for insisting that the “her” aspect not two world-class architectural univer- Why ruin a masterpiece? overshadow the reason why architect sities being designed by leading I have traveled to Barcelona twice, Zaha Hadid has risen to receive our architects. 30 years apart, to see Gaudí’s profession’s highest honor. —Andrew Robinson Sagrada Familia [Correspondent’s —Anne Belleau-Mills, AIA Toronto, Canada File, June 2004, page 109]. There is Detroit given for the Lafarge Ductal compo- unanimity that this is one of the The qualities of architecture nents used in the Shawnessy world’s great buildings. Its eight tow- Keep it coming Robert Campbell’s division of archi- Station project in Calgary, Canada. ers originally rose over a low-rise I would just like to thank you for help- tecture into the playful and the ethical The project used 24 precast curved neighborhood. A grand central spire, ing to create public awareness on the is curious [Critique, May 2004, page canopies, each measuring 3⁄4'' thick. as yet unfinished, was to grow out of rebuilding of the Twin Towers. I love 67]. Vitruvius chose not to divide In the May issue [page 123], the the center to soar over the existing Ken Gardner’s design for the new WTC architecture into camps, but instead name of Greg Grunloh, AIA, a project towers and the local community. Until [News, April 2004, page 32]. Please assigned three essential and interre- manager for Holabird & Root, the now. The setting of this masterpiece write more articles on the topic. lated qualities to it, namely: firmness, architect of record and structural is completely destroyed by the adja- —Mike Beggen commodity, and delight. engineer for the McCormick-Tribune cent Agbar Tower, as your photograph New York City “Ethical” strongly suggests both Campus Center, IIT, in Chicago, was on page 110 clearly shows. How any firmness (structure) and commodity misspelled. architectural commentator could dis- My Toronto has Ryerson U. (function or usefulness). Campbell’s cuss Barcelona regional planning I was impressed with the April issue. two-part thesis is permissive of pres- Send letters to rivy@mcgraw-hill.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 17
Record News Highlights Lower Manhattan news p. 22 Foster and OMA unveil designs in Dallas p. 24 Muschamp leaving the Times p. 30 New projects for Hadid, Herzog & DeMeuron, and Nouvel p. 34 AIA Convention draws record numbers to Chicago This year’s AIA Convention, held seminars, and continuing-education June 10–12 in Chicago, will be con- sessions were filled to capacity, as sidered a success for many reasons, were most sales booths. but perhaps the biggest—literally— On Friday, Samuel Mockbee and was its size. The event attracted a Lake Flato were designated AIA Gold record 22,159 registrants, topping Medalist and Firm of the Year, and the San Diego’s in 2003, which drew AIA inducted 81 new members into 20,025. The list of exhibiting compa- its College of Fellows. The next day, nies at cavernous McCormick Place Honor Award winners reviewed their also broke the record, reaching 850. projects, and Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, Before the crowd, architect was elected 2006 AIA president. In Helmut Jahn and authors Erik Larson other business, delegates adopted a and Virginia Postrel offered keynote $50 dues increase and a resolution addresses that captured, respectively,to support research efforts focusing on diversity in the profession. the scope of future projects in the city, the illustrious history of the metropo- An emotional highlight came on Participants check into the AIA Expo at Chicago’s McCormick Place. Thursday night with a screening of lis’s built environment, and the rise of aesthetic consciousness in the coun- Nathaniel Kahn’s Oscar-nominated winning the Academy Award,” Kahn plenary session. “Our buildings make try. Throughout the event, speeches, film, My Architect. Nearly 2,000 quipped. a statement about Chicago—they’re people braved a downpour Besides the AIA, the star of the bold, unconventional, and willing to gather at the splendidly show was Chicago itself. Convention to take risks.” He also discussed restored Auditorium goers could be spotted gawking at the city’s aggressive green-building Theater by Adler & skyscrapers on riverboat tours, visit- efforts. All new public buildings in the Sullivan for the event. ing Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and city are required to be LEED-certified, Kahn received a 90- studio in Oak Park, and viewing the more than 80 green roofs have been second standing ovation, upcoming Millennium Park. installed on tall buildings, and the city preceded that morning “This is a city that takes recently opened the Chicago Center by an AIA Presidential architecture seriously,” said Chicago for Green Technology, a resource for Citation. “This takes some Mayor Richard Daley as he wel- architects and the public. Sam Honorees at the AIA Fellows ceremony. of the sting out of not comed the crowd at the opening Lubell and Deborah Snoonian, P.E. P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A M E R I C A N I N S T I T U T E O F A R C H I T E CT S Renzo Piano chosen to design Whitney Museum expansion Reflecting a change in priorities, the Whitney Museum of Art on June 16 and he has a wonderful sense for details and materials.” Design and budget chose Italian architect Renzo Piano to design an expansion of its building on for the project have not yet been set, but museum officials say Piano will East 74th Street in Manhattan. Piano will replace Rem Koolhaas’s Office for work to improve and enlarge gallery spaces, and that he is interested in utiliz- Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), which had proposed a much more sizable ing (not destroying) nearby historic town houses, perhaps for museum offices. plan, abandoned last year. Weinberg says Piano’s project may rise above the museum’s current height. The Architecture Selection Committee of the Museum’s board picked Koolhaas’s proposal, developed more than two years ago, had a $200 Piano after a six-month search. The biggest factor, say Whitney officials, was million budget and would have virtually reshaped the building’s exterior. It a desire to put more emphasis on viewing art inside than on the view of the was abandoned about 18 months ago. “I think his plan was spectacular,” building from the street.“We already have a destination,” says museum director says Weinberg. “But I think this idea will be more doable in terms of Adam Weinberg, of the Whitney’s iconic 1966 Marcel Breuer edifice. “To my expense, program, and preserving historic landmarks.” Piano’s replacement mind, the spectacle should be as much or more about art than architecture.” of Koolhaas at the Whitney virtually repeats a scenario at the Los Angeles Weinberg adds, “Renzo is incredibly sensitive to the needs of contemporary County Museum of Art, which recently replaced a massive plan by Koolhaas/ art and artists. He loves natural light, his interiors have a very human scale, OMA with a more understated, and cost-effective, design by Piano. S.L. 07.04 Architectural Record 21
Record News oculus will be the above- ground face of the new center, much of the new design will be underground. The Fulton Street subway REBUILDING LOWER MANHATTAN platforms would connect to Santiago Calatrava’s OFF THE RECORD Design for Fulton proposed PATH station by ARCHITECTURAL RECORD is curating the Street Transit Hub underground passageway, and changes to the under- exhibition Transcending Type for the unveiled ground station will simplify U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Architecture New York City’s Metropolitan confusing ramps, add esca- Biennale, to be held September 12 to Transportation Authority (MTA) has lators, and increase access November 7. Participating firms released drawings for a new transit to subway platforms. include Kolatan/MacDonald, Reiser + hub in Lower Manhattan, to be Existing art in the Umemoto, Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, designed by Grimshaw’s New York station will be preserved, George Yu Architects, Studio/Gang office. The new building will link sta- A model of Grimshaw’s 50-foot-glass pavilion. though relocated, while Architects, and Predock_Frane. tions for nine subway lines, and will James Carpenter Design stand at the corner of Broadway and Wheeler, the MTA’s director of spe- Associates is developing new art The Museum of Modern Art in New Fulton Street, about a block from the cial project development and for the station. A team from the York will open its new facility in site of the World Trade Center. planning. “It’s very hard to find, and MTA stations department is work- Midtown Manhattan this November. The building itself is planned as it’s very hard to navigate once ing to incorporate new materials. a 50-foot-tall glass pavilion, with a you’re down there. And light was The architects also collaborated Daniel Libeskind has been named tapering steel-and-glass dome rising a big factor. So that directly trans- with Daniel Frankfurt, Lee Harris the United States Cultural Ambassador from the middle. The design, say its lated into the solution.” Pomeroy Associates, and staff from for Architecture by the U.S. State architects, is intended to make the The design incorporates two the MTA. Department. station a neighborhood landmark small stores at street level, and The building is expected to and bring light into the now-dark preserves the Corbin Building, an cost $750 million and will be com- Rafael Viñoly’s $875 million Boston subway platforms below ground. ornate office building from 1889 pleted in 2007. Funding will come Convention and Exhibition Center “We wanted to improve the ori- that sits adjacent to the new subway entirely through federal grants. opened in June. At 1.7 million square entation of the facility,” says William entrance. Though the pavilion and Kevin Lerner feet, it is the largest convention center I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY G R I M S H AW N E W YO R K / M E T R O P O L I TA N T R A N S P O R TAT I O N AU T H O R I T Y ( TO P ) ; in New England. Institutions chosen for WTC cultural sites Professor Peter Cook is stepping down TOWER 1: PERFORMING TOWER 2 FREEDOM as chairman of the Bartlett School of In a festive presentation on June 10 square feet apiece. No details TOWER ARTS CENTER Architecture, University College featuring musicians, dancers, about funding or designers WEDGE OF LIGHT PLAZA London. actors, and world luminaries, Lower have been worked out, said PATH TERMINAL PATH Manhattan officials named the insti- LMDC president Kevin Rampe. PLAZA CULTURAL New York’s High Line, which plans to tutions that will host cultural facilities One hundred twelve MEMORIAL BUILDING SITE TOWER 3 AND build a public space at the city’s old at the former World Trade Center site. institutions had expressed MEMORIAL CENTER west side rail lines, has named The winners included the Joyce interest in hosting space, and LO W E R M A N H AT TA N D E V E LO P M E N T C O R P O R AT I O N ( B OT TO M ) design finalists that include Diller, Theater Foundation, a dance organi- some may still find locales TOWER 4 Scofidio + Renfro; Skidmore, Owings & zation; the Signature Theater; the near the site, officials said. Merrill; Zaha Hadid Architects; Drawing Center, a visual arts gallery; Mayor Michael Bloomberg Steven Holl Architects; and Michael and the Freedom Center, a new noted: “Only in New York Van Valkenburgh Associates. institution dedicated to examining would we be able to look in TOWER 5 freedom worldwide. Each will be our own backyard and find Landscape architect Charles Jencks lodged in one of two cultural build- such a tremendous array of has won the $175,000 Gulbenkian ings at the northern end of the Trade cultural groups to choose The new spaces (in orange) will include Museum of the Year Prize for the Center site, measuring 250,000 from.” S.L. cultural and performing arts venues. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. Cultural Buildings munity meeting room, donor’s lounge. • Signature Theater Company: 499-seat auditorium, • The Drawing Center: Up to six gallery spaces, Mohsen Mostafavi, chairman of 299-seat auditorium, and a flexible 99–199-seat audito- spaces for public programs, education, and events. London’s Architectural Association, rium. Bookstore, café, lobby. • The Freedom Center: Exhibition spaces, a theater, was named dean of Cornell University’s • Joyce Theater Foundation: 900–1,000 seat prosce- presentation space, classrooms, reception space, grand College of Architecture, Art, and nium theater. Rehearsal studios, café, gift shop, com- entrance, café, bookstore, “Place of Contemplation.” Planning. 22 Architectural Record 07.04
Record News OMA’s Wylie Theater will be made mostly of glass. be surrounded by lobbies, promenades, and restaurants. The glass walls will open onto a grand plaza shaded by a floating sunscreen. “The last thing we want is a cultural ghetto,” says Spencer de Grey, lead designer of the Opera House. “We want the influence of both projects to Dallas unveils designs for extend through and beyond the entire arts dis- performing arts center trict.” Koolhaas and OMA presented an 11-story tower, with a glass-walled theater occupying the After a period in which only two major buildings lower floors, and offices, rehearsal studios, cos- were constructed in 20 years, the Dallas Arts tume shop, and other support spaces stacked on District is quickly making up for lost time. Following top. The project is another version of the “vertical Renzo Piano’s Nasher Sculpture Center, which city” idea that Koolhaas first introduced in his book opened last October, on June 8 Foster and Partners Delirious New York. and Rem Koolhaas’s Office of Metropolitan “Height allows a small building to hold its own Architecture (OMA) unveiled preliminary designs among larger neighbors,” explains project architect for an opera house and the- Joshua Ramus. “If it were quiet ater, centerpieces of the and modest, it wouldn't be the $275 million Dallas Center populist building we want.” for the Performing Arts. The stage will be recon- The pair of buildings figurable by means of lifts, represents a dramatic break pulleys, turntables, and other with the existing low-slung, mechanical devices. And as limestone aesthetic of the with the opera house, the Arts District. The Winspear glass walls will open directly Opera House will be the dis- Foster’s Winspear Opera House. onto a public plaza. Plazas, trict’s first primarily glass gardens, and a canopy of building, the Wyly Theater its first tower. Both trees will link the Foster and Koolhaas buildings, designs aim for visual prominence. plus a smaller, third theater by Skidmore Owings The Opera House, a red polished-concrete & Merrill, Chicago. egg in a curving glass box, will seat 2,200 and Construction on both projects will begin I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY DA L L A S C E N T E R FO R T H E P E R FO R M I N G A R T S FO U N DAT I O N cost an estimated $150 million. The main audito- in 2006, with the entire performing arts center rium will form a traditional horseshoe shape and scheduled to open in 2009. David Dillon OMA and Chinese authorities deny demise of CCTV project Speculation is raging over the future of Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)/Rem Koolhaas’s proposed headquarters and national broadcast center for China Central Television (CCTV). The much- publicized scheme calls for a 55-floor angular building on a large and valuable piece of land in the heart of Beijing’s new Central Business District at an estimated cost of $730 million. Many in China regard the project as unrealistic, given its hefty price tag, complex design, and location within the capital’s commercial and financial core. Some in China’s state council are said to be apprehensive about the scheme, though the council has still given its tacit approval to the project. The Chinese press has been mum on the subject, but Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported that the project had been stalled, hinting that it may have been suspended. Additionally, the Chinese central government recently issued a directive curbing expensive building projects, with the aim to cool down the country’s extensive building craze, adding fuel to the rumors about the building’s future. However, both CCTV and OMA insist the project is on track. “I know there’s been a lot of high-level political discussion about how China should spend its money, and the gap between rich and poor,” says Ole Schereen, OMA’s lead architect on the project, “but I can assure you, [CCTV Headquarters] is by no means dead.” Daniel Elsea
Record News KUSSER AICHA Graniteworks USA Design with Natural Stone Paris Opera completes renovation of its Grand Foyer Making the Few Paris buildings are as spectacular as the icism, but Garnier had saved money by using oil Impossible Opera Garnier. A virtual palace, it anchors one of paint, with nuances of gold applied only to visible Reality! Baron Haussmann’s famous radiating urban axes. surfaces. He also mass-produced some of the Surrounded on four sides by traffic-choked roads, decorative bronze elements, coating reusable the Opera has suffered for its location and had molds by electrolysis. While every inch of wall · Original KUGEL lost most of its patina. In the 1990s, the French appears carved in gold, the substructure is made Floating Ball · Floating Objects government launched an ambitious total restora- up of wood and plaster. · Monumental Works tion to be fazed over 12 years. In 1995, the The restoration, overseen by France’s Service of Art theater and stage were restored and modernized. National des Travaux with lead architect Alain · Granite Fountains, In 2000, the newly cleaned entry facade was Charles Perrot, returns the hall to its original Waterwalls unveiled, exposing a variety of colored marbles splendor, encompassing ceiling paintings, parquet, · Natural Stone and blinding gold statues. And in May, the Grand mirrors, 7-foot-high statues, marble, drapery, and Elements Foyer reopened after a $5 million face-lift. chandeliers. The job took the work of more than · Prestressed Granite Charles Garnier was 100 skilled craftsmen in 18 · Custom Design relatively unknown when different specialties, and a · Complete he won the competition in great deal of research. The Engineering Support 1861 to build the Opera, fabrics, for example, were which was inaugurated in reproduced by the factory 1875. As dictated by the that first made them and original program, the Opera that had kept samples, iden- included a foyer where peo- tified through old receipts. ple would not come to sit The final step in the but to stroll. It was therefore Opera’s restoration will focus designed to be “as long as on the building’s perimeter, possible.” Garnier went one including lampposts and step further in making his exterior stairs, as well as the 195-foot-long foyer accessi- two lateral facades and the ble to all floors and people cupola. The entire project of all classes. The grandeur will be completed by 2007. of the space drew some crit- The Opera’s renovated Grand Foyer. Claire Downey New Marcus Prize will honor emerging architects Inspired by the Pritzker Prize, Milwaukee’s arm of the Marcus Corporation, which owns and Marcus Corporation Foundation has announced operates movie theaters, resorts, and hotels, a new $50,000 Marcus Prize, to be awarded including Baymont Inns and Suites, throughout biannually to an emerging architect. Unlike the the United States. Stephen H. Marcus, chair and $100,000 Pritzker Prize, which recognizes an chief executive officer of the corporation, says, already well-known architect’s career or body of “Our long-term vision for the award is to attract P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J E A N - P I E R R E D E L A G A R D E work, the Marcus Prize will recognize individual international attention to Milwaukee.” architects earlier in their careers, when they are Applications for the initial Marcus Prize will just on the cusp of greatness. be available in January 2005, and a jury of archi- The Marcus Corporation Foundation will tects, critics, and members of the Milwaukee provide an additional $50,000 to the University community will select the winner in June 2005. Aicha vorm Wald, Germany of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture The winner is expected to be a guest lecturer Material: Tittlinger Granite and Urban Planning to administer the prize and and critic in a new graduate-level Marcus Design kusserUSA@kusser.com www.kusserUSA.com bring the recipient to the school as a guest critic. Studio that will focus on an urban design chal- Bob Greenstreet, dean of the school, orches- lenge in Milwaukee. 800-919-0080 trated the development of the award with the Visit the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Marcus Corporation Foundation and the City of Web site at www.uwm.edu/sarup for more Spiral staircase Milwaukee. information on the Marcus Prize. John E. The Marcus Foundation is the philanthropic Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA CIRCLE 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM Record News AT NBM Designers develop alternatives to Gehry’s Brooklyn plans When architect Joel Towers first saw developer Towers, a partner at SR + T Architects and lectures Bruce Ratner’s proposal for a $2.5 billion Nets director of Sustainable Design at Parsons School July 7 arena complex in Brooklyn, he saw one problem: of Design, then drew up another scheme, called Wolf D. Prix His home was within the site. “Swerve,” which reconfigures Atlantic Avenue, IMAGE BY FLORIAN HOLZHERR COURTESY SOM co-principal of Soon afterward, Ratner announced that he near the site, to provide more land for the project. Coop Himmelb(l)au, would remove buildings in the area through emi- He presented the plan at a city council meeting Vienna, Austria nent domain, a law that allows the city to condemn in April that was attended by Ratner. rescheduled from June property for urban renewal, Meanwhile, Brown and and Towers quickly began his team, after meeting with July 8 sketching his own plan—one residents in March, offered Sasaki: that would preserve his house. an option that calls for five- Designing the Civic Realm Towers is one of several to 10-story buildings, a winding Dennis Pieprz, president of local architects working on green space, and a reconnec- Sasaki Associates, Boston, MA counterproposals to Ratner’s tion of streets now severed by July 12 plan, designed largely by the rail yards. The plan does Sea Ranch Frank Gehry, FAIA, that aims not include an arena. Instead, Donlyn Lyndon, professor at University to construct a 15,000-seat it aims to move it to the of California, Berkeley arena and four soaring resi- Brooklyn Navy Yards, a 300- dential towers over the acre swath of land owned by July 22 Atlantic rail yards in downtown the city on the East River. Roger Duffy: SOM Brooklyn. The new plans vary Brown’s plan includes a winding park Congressman Major Owens partner of Skidmore, Owings & greatly, but all attempt to and a relocated stadium. also commissioned architect Merrill, New York, NY prevent the displacement of Jennifer Gelin to examine the residents and businesses. “We are working to site. Her proposal links the arena with the 2012 exhibitions create a menu of alternatives,” says architect Marshall Brown, who is working with district Olympic bid plan, which relies heavily on water- borne transportation. Liquid Stone: council member Letitia James and a team of As of now, Ratner has not made any further PHOTO BY ALAN KARCHMER FOR SANTIAGO CALATRAVA New Architecture neighborhood architects and urban designers. commitments to review the alternative proposals. in Concrete Towers’ first plan, called “Shift,” moves the However, James Stucky, vice president of Forest through January 23, 300,000-square-foot arena onto a platform above City Ratner (FCR), said the company is making 2005 the Atlantic Center, just north of the rail yards. New every effort not to displace residents. “We will residential buildings would remain in the plan but either have to buy the buildings or carve out a Affordable be horizontally scaled and densely packed to blend space for them,” he says. Beth Davidson, an FCR Housing: with surrounding buildings and preserve existing spokesperson, says the company has already Designing an structures. In January, Towers discussed his proposal gone through 36 sketches in order to minimize American Asset with Ratner and Gehry. Gehry liked the platform the need for condemnation. Still, such plans through August 8, 2004 idea but insisted the arena stay at ground level. remain vague at best. Christina Rogers Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio: Community Architecture Reed Kroloff named Tulane architecture dean through September 6, 2004 Reed Kroloff, former editor of Architecture Magazine, was recently appointed dean of Tulane I M A G E : C O U R T E SY M A R S H A L L B R O W N University’s School of Architecture in New Orleans. His appointment becomes effective October 1. national building museum Ron Filson, FAIA, has been serving as interim dean since January. 401 F Street, NW A recipient of the Rome Prize, Kroloff is completing his residency at the American Academy in Washington, DC 20001 Rome. He has held teaching positions at the University of Texas and Arizona State University. He also 202 / 272-2448 serves as principal of Reed Kroloff Design Services of New York, which in addition to its own work, www.NBM.org serves as consult on architectural competitions worldwide. “Given his national prominence, varied experiences, and remarkable accomplishments, we are For more information and to register confident Reed will help lead our school of architecture to a new level,” says Scott Cowen, Tulane’s for programs, call or visit our website. Discounts for members and students. president, in a statement. One of the nation’s oldest architectural programs, Tulane began offering courses in architecture in 1894. Tony Illia
Record News New York chooses design for potential Olympic Village If any architectural commission requires the typology of the continuous apartment block “juice,” that burst of breakaway energy on the by breaking free of the right angle both in plan athletic field, it’s Olympic architecture—and and section. Leaning backward and forward as juice is exactly what the New York City 2012 they curve across the site, and mixing in typology, Committee got when officials announced in May the buildings generate an energy field whose vec- that Thom Mayne’s Morphosis had won an tors lead north toward a dense urban nexus of invited competition to design the Olympic Village apartment towers surrounding an urban square. proposed by the city in its bid to capture the Alexander Garvin, NYC2012’s director of plan- 2012 Games. ning and design, asked the five competing architect The proposed village would be located just teams “for a new kind of plan,” he says, “and a new opposite the United Nations in Hunters Point, standard for housing.” Morphosis’s subsequent plan Queens, on a former industrial site bounded on inventively breaks free of precedents, using archi- two sides by the East River and Newton Creek. Mayne has made a 43-acre park, designed with landscape architect George Hargreaves, the central organizational feature of a 52-acre com- plex of mixed-use buildings, 4,500 apartments, and Olympic facilities that, after the games, would convert to market-rate apartments and community facilities. The park’s design includes wind-protective berms and creases, whose fluid spaces are shaped by what are effectively horizontal, undu- lating skyscrapers. Mayne carefully breaks and elevates the blocks to achieve view corridors to the East River and the Manhattan skyline, while Morphosis’s design breaks free of right angles. easing the park on a slope down to the Newton Creek, where the design team cultivate an inti- tecture as an urban design tool to create a highly mate relationship with the water via boardwalks active, people-centered urbanism. set among abundant vegetation. Along the East Garvin is sanguine that if the bid for the River, the design includes docking facilities and Olympics fails, the numbers—“If I do my job a recreational pier, which protects a welcoming properly”—will justify building an adapted ver- beachhead. sion of the plan that goes forward on a market The complex’s buildings, which strongly basis. Even without the Olympics, Queens West recall Corbusier’s Unités d’Habitation, reinvent will still have juice. Joseph Giovannini introducing au s t in™ by Muschamp leaving post as Times architecture critic New York Times architecture critic Herbert them, and some don’t.” robert chipman, ASLA Muschamp will be moving to a new beat, confirms Landman would not say when the move a source within the paper. will take place. He added that Muschamp had Culture Desk editor Jonathan Landman been thinking of changing assignments for told RECORD that Muschamp decided “he’s been some time, although he could not remember doing it long enough, and he wants to do some- when he and Muschamp had first discussed I M A G E : C O U R T E SY N YC 2 0 1 2 thing else.” Landman notes that Muschamp’s the topic. The last conversation came the week move will be of his own volition, and says that of June 7, he says. landscapeforms.com he was not at all displeased with the critic’s A source at the Times has confirmed performance. that Nicolai Ouroussoff, who is currently the 800.430.6208 “I thought he was a great critic who Los Angeles Times architecture critic, has engaged a lot of people in the subject who been named to take over the position. At press CIRCLE 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD never knew they were interested in it. The thing time, it had not been determined when he will OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML about critics is that some people agree with assume the new post. S.L.
Record News The plan features a circular boardwalk. and the port during several false starts at redeveloping the area over the past eight years. The Sasaki/Quigley team disre- garded competition rules by preserving a historic police headquarters building on the site slated for partial demolition, and by envisioning a grassy, 6.5-acre park that challenged expectations, pro- posing to dredge old landfill to create an iconic mini harbor encircled by a 3,600-foot-long Arc Walk. Proposed attractions within the arc include a San Diego approves designs to sandy beach, a floating stage, and boat revamp its waterfront slips. More study is needed to deter- mine if this wide, circular boardwalk will Following the June 8 approval by the San Diego float on pontoons or be designed to double as a Unified Port District commissioners, a prominent breakwater, and how boats will traverse the arc. 25-acre section of downtown San Diego’s Owen Lang, of Sasaki’s San Francisco waterfront will be redeveloped with a circular office, had previously led public waterfront plan- boardwalk, new parkland, and commercial ning workshops for the port; he was able to development to reunite a part of the city now contribute extensive knowledge to help attract blocked from San Diego Bay. The plan was residents and tourists to a zone now dominated developed by Sasaki Associates/Rob Wellington by high-rise hotels and a mile-long convention Quigley, FAIA, which also had the unanimous center. vote of a four-person competition jury and over- “Owen and I agreed to approach the com- whelming public support. petition as an academic enterprise, regardless The commissioners’ decision to endorse of the rules, regardless of the restraints, which the proposal marked a change in the port’s made it really fun,” says Quigley, who is based development strategy, which has been mostly in San Diego. Though the proposal will be piecemeal and revenue-driven. It also may have refined, the cost is estimated at $213 million. quelled contentiousness that developed among The port will soon issue a request for proposals residents, businesses, historic preservationists, from potential developers. Ann Jarmusch Planning under way for new Toronto waterfront door hardware It is a running joke in Toronto that the city has been trying to improve its waterfront as long as it has accessories • hinges had one. But the completion in May of urban design and land-use plans for two new downtown neigh- cabinet hardware borhoods has opened the door for construction to begin as early as 2005. The “precinct planning,” as it has been termed by the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization bath hardware Corporation, began last year with the selection of Boston-based Koetter Kim and Associates as design window & patio door I M A G E : C O U R T E SY S A S A K I A S S O C I AT E S lead for the 80-acre East Bayfront neighborhood, and Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates as classic series lead for the 90-acre West Donlands areas. Both areas are currently underutilized industrial locations designer series barely a mile from the heart of the city’s downtown and adjacent to Lake Ontario. Koetter Kim’s East Bayfront plan envisions the neighborhood as a significant public destination detail from the Fleur de Lis Collection year-round, with an aquarium or winter garden, and housing anchored by a commercial boulevard. The part of the designer series scheme includes varied parcel sizes meant to encourage the involvement of smaller developers. Meanwhile, Urban Design Associates’ plan for the West Donlands creates a neighborhood of 6- to 7,000 apartments and town houses organized around a 15-acre, elliptical park. The plan uses a system of laneways and includes innovations such as consolidated underground parking to allow for more StoneRiverBronze.com efficient infrastructure. High-rise towers will surround the park. Andrew Blum CIRCLE 23 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Record News On the Boards get Bilbao, and includes a seven-story office tower, the local train station, an underground leisure I need and commercial center, and a 15-acre park. The headquarters forms the centerpiece of a revital- ization effort for this historic town of 26,000 cabinetry inhabitants, made possible by burying train lines through the site. Hadid conceived the vault of the station and specs to the office tower as a single, continuously changing organic form, in which the tower acts as a “can- non” shooting natural light into the station platform create great Hadid’s vision extending 30 feet below grade. She describes the commercial center as a “tongue” extending from this form, designs. near Bilbao On May 10 it was announced that Zaha Hadid which is illuminated by openings in the park above it. Notes Álvaro Amann, counselor for Public Works and Transport of the Basque regional gov- at won a limited competition to build a new head- ernment: “The building resolves the necessities of kraftmaidspec .com quarters for EuskoTren, the regional public transit the new company and establishes a new dialogue authority of the Basque Region in Spain. The proj- between the medieval city and the 21st century.” ect is located in Durango, a town 20 miles east of David Cohn Herzog & de Meuron converting warehouse into philharmonic Swiss-based Herzog & de concert hall and a 500-seat chamber Meuron is designing a new phil- hall, will also house a 200-room lux- harmonic hall for Hamburg, ury hotel and 21 luxury apartments. Germany, burgeoning out of an The addition to the warehouse old factory building. will be clad with a grid-pattern of The brick warehouse, called three-dimensional square open- I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY Z A H A H A D I D A R C H I T E CT S ( TO P ) ; H E R ZO G & D E M E U R O N ( M I D D L E ) ; the Kaispeicher A, was built in ings, while the future hall’s musical the 1960s and chiefly stored vibrations inspire the rising forms cocoa beans until its close at the end of the 20th of its undulating roof, the firm says. century. The firm says it will make it the “point of The facility, along the warehouse docks on departure” for the new hall, which will be stacked the Elbe River, will occupy more than 700,000 Only KraftMaidspec.com lets you on top of it, and connected by a central lobby. square feet, and is a focal point of Hamburg’s download AutoCAD drawings of The complex, which will include a 2,400-seat effort to transform its central harbor. S.L. every single cabinet and gives detailed information on door styles, finishes, storage solutions and our quality construction. Nouvel designing marine Visit KraftMaidspec.com and see center in Le Havre, France why so many architects rely on it Jean Nouvel last month beat finalists as their design resource. MVRDV and Daniel Libeskind in an open competition to build Le Havre’s new Marine buildings, Nouvel’s designs, says project archi- AT E L I E R S J E A N N O U V E L ( B OT TO M ) . Center and swimming pool complex. tect Mirco Tardio, will be “more polished” and The $39 million project is part of a large- “adapted to the [cultural and leisure] program.” scale investment scheme to turn the city’s port The adjacent 63,507-square-foot swimming into a culture, leisure, and shopping quarter. pool complex will house two heated pools, a The surrounding industrial aesthetic of the area water therapy center, and saunas. The pool influenced Nouvel’s design, which includes a complex will be built in concrete, its facade www.kraftmaidspec.com 394-foot-high glass-and-steel tower. Two can- pierced with random openings. The pool complex tilevered platforms will house exhibitions on port and Marine Center are tentatively scheduled economy, history, and environment. for completion at the end of 2006 and the end Although inspired by the nearby harbor of 2007, respectively. Robert Such CIRCLE 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Record News P.S. 1’s winning design for a courtyard to help New Yorkers celebrate the summer The Museum of Modern Art and P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in New York have selected a winner for their fifth annual Young Architects Program, to design the summer courtyard installation at P.S. 1 in Long Island City, Queens, New York. Open to emerging nARCHITECTS’ plan includes several distinct areas. architects, the contest challenges participants to propose a These sections include a “rain- design within a $60,000 budget that forest” with overhead sprinklers, will serve as the backdrop for Warm a “sand hump” that provides alter- Up, the popular summer outdoor native seating, a “fog pad” that music series. utilizes a halo of fog nozzles, and a New York City–based “pool pad,” a wading pool with fresh nARCHITECTS’ design, Canopy, recycled water, and topography for was chosen in April, and will open to furniture that creates underwater the public on July 3. The firm, which seating. won the 2001 Architectural League During the planning stages and of New York’s Young Architects while building on-site, the architects plans have been ever-evolving. “We’ve found spaces for previously unplanned areas including the ‘meeting pad,’ a seating area for six people,” Bunge explains. The canopy is built with more than 30,000 linear feet of freshly cut green bamboo that will turn from green to tan by the end of the summer. The The bamboo structure of Canopy. architects have used bamboo in past residential projects and Forum Prize [RECORD, June 2001, have found they like the flexibility of page 62], was founded in 1999 by the material as well as its visual and architects Eric Bunge and Mimi tactile qualities. P.S. 1’s executive Hoang. director, Alanna Heiss, describes “In past years, Mimi and I have Canopy as an “extraordinary bam- I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY N A R C H I T E CT S hung out in the courtyard of P.S. 1 and boo wonderland.” imagined what we would do,” says A film crew has been on loca- Bunge. “We imagined a landscape tion documenting the building of the that would engage the full depth of outdoor space with the architects the courtyard. Our planning needed and the building team consisting to consider shade, seating, and the of architecture students and recent CIRCLE 27 ON READER SERVICE CARD definition of spaces. We developed graduates. nARCHITECTS’ progress OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML outdoor rooms with different effects can be followed on their Web that would promote various types of site, www.nARCHITECTS.com. ROCKY MOUNTAIN H A R D W A R E ® lounging,” explains the architect. Randi Greenberg 888.552.9497 w w w. r o c k y m o u n t a i n h a r d w a r e. c o m
News Briefs Proposed bills would give tax Influenced by Le Corbusier, breaks to architects working Niemeyer developed a fluid, sculp- abroad Separate bills recently tural style, using reinforced concrete passed in the House and Senate to create dramatic structures that would grant tax relief to architec- reflect the natural, flowing curves of tural and engineering firms working his native Rio de Janerio’s moun- abroad. Each plan is sharply differ- ent and the two measures must be reconciled. The provisions were sought by industry to offset repeal of the Extraterritorial Income (ETI) pro- gram, a tax break for companies that operate overseas. The ETI was deemed illegal in 2002 by the World Part of Niemeyer’s Brasilia project. Trade Organization. The House plan, approved 251 tains, beaches, and bay. His most to 178 on June 17, lowers the corpo- recent project, the Oscar Niemeyer rate tax rate for all U.S.-based A/E Museum in Curitaba, Brazil, opened firms that are set up as C corpora- to the public in late 2002. Tony Illia tions, from 35 percent to 32 percent. The Senate version, passed May 11 Noguchi Museum reopens on a 92 to 5 vote, uses a 10-year On June 12 the Noguchi Museum in phase-in of tax deductions to achieve Long Island City, Queens, New York, the same end for a broader range of reopened after two and a half years corporations. The negotiations of renovation. The museum houses between the House and Senate to the most wide-ranging collection of craft a final bill are expected to be Noguchi’s work, including sculptures, contentious and to last through the interior design projects, architectural summer. Some lobby- models, and his famed ists are optimistic a Akari Light Sculptures, resolution will be as well as his com- P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY O S C A R N I E M E Y E R ( TO P ) ; N O G U C H I M U S E U M ( B OT TO M ) reached by September, plete archives. but if compromises The $13.5 million are not attainable, renovation, by the measure could Sage and Coombe be shelved until after Architects, allowed for the election. Sherie the installation of a Winston permanent collection Noguchi gets a remake. within the museum, Niemeyer wins and the organization of Praemium Imperiale Brazilian circulating shows of Noguchi’s work. architect Oscar Niemeyer has A new space is devoted to public pro- received Japan’s Praemium gramming and educational events. Imperiale Award for his international The architects strove to main- impact on the arts. The prize carries tain Noguchi’s aesthetic vision while a hefty $135,000 honorarium. installing a heating and cooling sys- Niemeyer, still active at age 96, is tem throughout the building and the oldest recipient of the 16-year- renovating the 10 indoor galleries and old award, and the first from Latin sculpture garden, and relocating the America. He is best known for café and gift shop. The first exhibition, implementing Lucio Costa’s plans Isamu Noguchi: Sculptural Design, for Brazil’s new capital, Brasilia (top a comprehensive look at Noguchi’s photo), in 1958–60, designing most career, is on display through October of the city’s important buildings. 3, 2004. Audrey Beaton CIRCLE 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Dates & Events overview of the conceptual and experimental ten- New & Upcoming dencies that emerged in Vienna and Graz Exhibitions between 1958 and 1973. At Architekturzentrum Beyond the Box—The Architecture of Wien. Call 431/522-3115 or visit www.azw.at for William P. Bruder information. Los Angeles July 15–October 14, 2004 Material Trends in Modern Italian An exhibition of Will Bruder’s work will be on view Furnishings at A+D Museum. For more information, call New York City 310/659-2445 or visit www.AplusD.org. Through July 14, 2004 The region of Lombardy is the center of Italian design ingenuity, with unparalleled excellence Ongoing Exhibitions in creativity and manufacturing values. This Zaha Hadid exhibition features recent products in furniture, New York City textiles, consumer electronics, and fixtures. June–July, 2004 The show coincides with the 16th Annual Paintings, drawings, and indoor and outdoor International Contemporary Furniture Fair. At objects by the recent Pritzker Prize–winning archi- Material ConneXion. Call 212/842-2050 or visit tect will be featured at Max Protetch Gallery. Call www.MaterialConneXion.com. 212/633-6999 or visit www.maxprotetch.com. Modern Means: Continuity and Change Liquid Stone: New Architecture in in Art, 1880 to the Present Concrete Tokyo Washington, D.C. Through August 1, 2004 June 19, 2004–January 23, 2005 A landmark survey of more than 300 works of A survey of cutting-edge architecture in which the architecture, design, painting, sculpture, drawing, use of concrete is an essential aspect of the prints, photography, and electronic media selected design. The exhibition will demonstrate that archi- from the extensive collection of the Museum of tects are using concrete to achieve incredibly Modern Art in New York. The exhibition explores varied—sometimes even diametrically opposed the blurred relationship between “Modern” and —aesthetic objectives. At the National Building “Contemporary” to establish an effective narrative Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit between past and present. At the Mori Art www.nbm.org for further information. Museum. Visit www.mori.art.museum. Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec Affordable Housing: Designing an Los Angeles American Asset June 20–October 18, 2004 Washington, D.C. The first North American exhibition to focus on Through August 8, 2004 the work of French designers Ronan and Erwan This exhibition demonstrates that low-cost hous- Bouroullec. The brothers have burst on the inter- ing need not be of low quality and explores the national design scene in the past few years with potentially far-reaching benefits of good design their futuristic furniture, products, and interior for residents and their broader communities. At designs. At the Museum of Contemporary Art. For the National Building Museum. Call 202/272- information, call 213/621-2766 or visit 2448 or visit www.nbm.org. www.MOCA-LA.org. Jorn Utzon: The Architect’s Universe The Austrian Phenomenon: Concepts, Humlebaek, Denmark Experiments—Vienna Graz 1958–1973 Through August 29, 2004 Vienna This is a show illustrating Utzon’s working Through July 12, 2004 method—his process—focusing both on the work The exhibition examines the mid-20th-century and its sources of inspiration. At Louisiana. Call Austrian avant-garde and attempts to provide an 45/4919-0719 or visit www.louisiana.dk.
Dates &Events SouthwestNET: PHX/LA Scottsdale, Ariz. Lectures, Conferences, Through September 5, 2004 Symposia An exhibition of recent works by six emerging Mount Joy, Pennsylvania: Small Town artists from Phoenix and Los Angeles. Although Main Street with a Smart Growth Future separated geographically, these artists explore Washington, D.C. similar issues related to the Southwest’s July 8, 2004 unique version of urbanism, from its ubiquitous Terry Kauffman, Mount Joy’s borough manager, Postmodern architecture to the impact of will describe how a small town can reach eco- suburban sprawl on the desert environment. nomic development and community goals At the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary through smart growth strategies. At the National Art (SMoCA). Call 480/994-2787 or visit Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit www.smoca.org for information. www.nbm.org. Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio: Sasaki Associates: Designing the Civic Community Architecture Realm Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Through September 6, 2004 July 8, 2004 Both a practical program for educating future Over 50 years ago, Hideo Sasaki began his plan- architects and a vital force for improving living ning and landscape architecture practice with a conditions in one of the nation’s poorest regions, set of basic beliefs: respect for the larger context; Auburn University’s Rural Studio began with appreciation for simplicity, restraint, proportion the drive and vision of Samuel Mockbee and permanence; and a belief in collaborative (1944–2001), who was posthumously awarded practice. Dennis Pieprz, president of the firm, will the 2004 AIA Gold Medal. The exhibition includes present a range of international architectural, both models and photographs of the projects, urban, and landscape projects, including the as well as a number of Mockbee’s paintings design for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the and sketchbooks from the Rural Studio. At the Schuylkill Gateway district in Philadelphia, and National Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 the design expansion plan for Ho Chi Minh City, or visit www.nbm.org for further information. Vietnam. At the National Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Solos: Future Shack New York City Preston Condominiums and Townhouses Through October 10, 2004 Washington, D.C. Architecture for Humanity’s Future Shack is a July 10, 2004 shelter that can be constructed anywhere, very Kathryn Krum of the architecture firm Cooper quickly, to address the needs of refugees as well Carry and James Doll of Corinthian Contractors as of victims of natural disasters. Designed by will lead a tour of this 134,000-square-foot proj- Australian architect Sean Godsell, the prototype ect, scheduled for a two-phase completion in has been built in the Cooper Hewitt’s Arthur Ross 2004 and 2005. Call the National Building Terrace and Garden as part of the summer Solos Museum at 202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org series. At the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design for more information. Museum. For further information, call 212/849- 8400 or visit www.cooperhewitt.org. Sea Ranch: An Early Story of Ecology and Design Aerospace Design: The Art of Washington, D.C. Engineering from NASA’s Aeronautical July 12, 2004 Research The ecologically inspired planning and architecture Washington, D.C. of The Sea Ranch in northern California caused a Through December 5, 2004 quiet revolution in architecture. Donlyn Lyndon, a The exhibition features more than 65 artifacts founding partner of MLTW, which designed one of from NASA’s collection, including wind tunnel the first buildings at Sea Ranch, will speak about models and designs for conceptual airplanes. the importance of the development and impact on At the Octagon. Call 202/638-3221 or visit architecture. At the National Building Museum. www.theoctagon.org. Call 202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. CIRCLE 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Dates &Events ARMA 2004 Summer Meeting Kansas City, Mo. August 24–26, 2004 The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association Roger Duffy: SOM Call the National Building Museum at 202/272- (ARMA) is the North American trade association Washington, D.C. 2448 or visit www.nbm.org. representing the manufacturers and suppliers of July 22, 2004 bituminous-based residential and commercial Duffy, a design partner at Skidmore, Owings & 2004 SMPS/PSMA National Conference fiberglass and organic asphalt shingle roofing Merrill, will discuss his efforts to challenge the New York City products, roll roofing, built-up roofing systems, status quo of the well-established firm, the SOM August 11–14, 2004 and modified bitumen roofing systems. At the Journal, and encouragement of collaboration This conference is the leading forum for business Fairmont Hotel. Call 202/207-0917 or visit among the firm’s architects and planners, as well development, marketing, and firm management www.asphaltroofing.org. as his own design work. At the National Design for the A/E/C industry. This year’s conference Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit focuses on helping firms build business in tough www.nbm.org. economic times. At the New York Marriott Competitions Marquis. Visit www.buildbusiness.org. Excellence on the Waterfront Awards President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home Program National Monument Houston Mod: Leo Marmol Deadline: July 15, 2004 Washington, D.C. Houston The Waterfront Centers announces its 18th July 24, 2004 August 19, 2004 annual international awards program for projects, This monument is currently undergoing a $1.7 Leo Marmol, AIA, managing principal of Marmol plans, and grassroot’s citizen efforts. Visit million exterior restoration to return the Gothic Radziner + Associates of Los Angeles, will be the www.waterfrontcenter.org for more information. Revival–style cottage, centerpiece of the second annual speaker of the Houston Mod August Monument, to its appearance during the Civil War lecture. His firm is responsible for the restoration of Central Glass International era, when Lincoln used it as a summer retreat. Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs Architectural Design Competition 2004: National Trust for Historic Preservation project and has been recognized in many national publica- AsiaFront Village manager Sophia Lynn, preservation projects tions. At the MFAH Brown Auditorium. Visit Deadline: July 26 manager David Overholt, and Hillier Architecture’s www.marmol-radziner.com or The AsiaFront Village ought to be a place to fur- George Skarmeas will lead a tour of the project. www.houstonmod.org. ther promote the unique culture interspersed throughout Asia and the enjoyment of its benefits. C It can be located anywhere in the world, in the hoices city or in the suburbs. It can be consolidated into one facility, or it can be an international confer- ence facility or training center, a lodging facility or complex. For information and submission require- ments, visit www.japan-architect.co.jp. C2C Home Design and Construction Competition Early Registration: July 15, 2004 Deadline: December 15, 2004 Design will lead to actual construction. Judges will include William McDonough and Randall Stout. Homes will be built with a goal of achieving the new standards of sustainability set up in the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. For information regarding submis- sion guidelines visit www.c2c-home.org. Rumford fireplaces can be built in almost any size and style. And with new firebrick 2004 Texture Design Contest colors now available from Superior Clay, Chandler, Ariz. it’s easy to find the perfect combination for Deadline: July 30, 2004 any style of home. T find out more about clean o Meltdown Glass Art & Design is inviting creative burning, efficient Rumford fireplaces, visit us on professionals interested in decorative glass to the web at www.superiorclay.com. compete in the studio’s Texture Design Contest. For further information, call 800/845-6221 or 740.922.4122 • 800.848.6166 visit www.meltdownglass.com. P BOX 352 • Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683 .O. www.superiorclay.com Send events to ingrid_whitehead@mcgraw-hill.com. CIRCLE 34 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2 For and about the new generation of architects a r c h r e c o r d 2 FOR THE EMERG ING ARCHITECT What’s happening out West? This month, archrecord2 delves into the work of some designers on DEPARTMENTS the Pacific Coast. In Design, we examine Seattle’s PLACE Architects, whose work has led them into the realms of residential, retail, and community spaces. In Live, we invite you into the Los Angeles home of architect Fritz Haeg to find out how he brings people together to celebrate the arts. Learn more by visiting architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2. DESIGN Building spaces and making places “Place is what I do. Making places and valuing spaces is the whole idea,” says Heather Johnston as she explains the inception of her firm and its name, PLACE Architects. Founded in 1999 and based in Seattle, PLACE has established a reputation for itself by adopting what Johnston refers to as a high- tech-meets-industrial aesthetic. This notion goes hand in hand with the architect’s desire to create a diverse practice: “By taking on projects in commercial, residential, and industrial realms, we borrow detailing and materials from one project type and put them to use in another.” Johnston likes to give a name to each project during its plan- ning stage. “Since the spaces we collectively build with our clients will inevitably have emotional ties,” she says, “by naming the space, you give it its own identity and you automatically have a platform for more ideas.” Take, for instance, the live/work space, DIVA. Inspired by the 1983 French thriller of the same name, this residence consists of the elements the client liked best in the film. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © C O U R T E SY P L A C E A R C H I T E CT S “There are two primary locations in the movie—one is a space splashed with bright colors, the other is a sleek, stark Modern loft. The client DIVA, Seattle, 2002 liked both of these opposing images, so we combined them in the house while Divided into four components— also making a space that could change and adapt to the client’s needs.” The the vault, the bar, the stair tower, highly flexible design enables the owner to use the building not only as a and the roof—this live/work space home; components of the structure also provide space for car restorations, accommodates the varying needs of photo shoots, a gallery, and an intimate meeting area. the client. Considering the client’s Johnston’s credo as an architect is, she says, “Weave and knit the com- interest in car restoration, overhead munity while making people’s lives better piece by piece.” She enjoys working doors placed at both ends of the on projects that address not only how people live but also how they get house provide vehicular access, around. PLACE has been working closely with the Puget Sound Regional ventilation, and outdoor views. Council on projects involving design and transit. Following feasibility studies for the Council’s Bike + Ride Program, the firm was awarded the contract to design bike stations as well as the program’s graphic identity. The stations, 07.04 Architectural Record 49
architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2 already widely used in Europe and Asia, are facilities where those who commute by bike can park, clean up, and emerge ready for work. Johnston, an avid bike rider herself, sees these stations as the next step toward clean air and easy mobility, as well as a safe social space where riders can relax and intermingle. One look at PLACE’s client list and you cannot help but notice the diver- Soto Zen Temple, Seattle, for Japanese Buddhists. After sity of a project roster that includes the Seattle Monorail Project, a video pro- concept design, 2001 much research, PLACE created duction studio, senior homes, and a Zen temple. Given Johnston’s enthusiasm A practitioner of the faith cited a plans for a temple to “create an and energy, it comes as no surprise that so many of PLACE’s projects stem need for ritual and sacred space oasis in the city.” from her personal contacts. For instance, the client for DIVA was a blind date; the idea for the Zen temple came from a friend of her yoga teacher. When try- ing to account for PLACE’s growth and varied clientele Bike station prototype, Puget in the past two years, the architect credits simply fol- Sound Regional Council, lowing her passion: “I believe if you do what you love, concept designs, 2002 things are just going to work out. I’m enthusiastic PLACE evaluated sites along the about my work. I really think that I’m doing something existing commuter rail lines for important—so I talk about it with everyone. A lot.” bike stations. Simple to construct, Randi Greenberg the structures could be assembled with recycled and sustainable For more photos and projects by PLACE, go to materials. architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2 realm, Haeg became founder and L I VE host of Sundown Salon. Sparking creativity at Sundown This salon encompasses all types of art, including music, design, and dance. The theme changes for each gathering and is usually spawned by a regular attendee. Past themes have includ- I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY P L A C E A R C H I T E CT S ( TO P T W O ) ; F R I T Z H A E G S T U D I O ( B OT TO M T W O ) ed radical gardening, knitting, and “lights, music, magic.” The architect’s home, a 1980s- era geodesic dome, is a perfect venue for these events. The subter- At a recent salon, “knitknit” attendees showed items they made and brought projects to work on. ranean part of the house, “the cave,” caters to live performances; Fritz Haeg knew at a young age that and performance. there are art installations in the he would become an architect. He Five years ago, Haeg moved dome; and Haeg’s extensive garden believes this self-assurance is in part from New York City to Los Angeles. is also the setting for many of the the reason he is now involved in so “You can’t move to L.A. without evenings’ activities. many other artistic ventures. “I feel suddenly being aware of three This fall, Sundown Salon and my role has expanded, and I’m confi- major issues—community, art, and the MAK Center will present a three- dent enough to do other things,” ecology. These issues feed off each month program at the Schindler the architect explains. Haeg can other instead of competing with House exploring the life cycle of boast credentials as one another,” he states. garments. Artists and designers architect, environmen- With the purchase of will illustrate how fashion is tal designer, artist, his home three years designed, produced, and present- teacher, and now cura- ago and a desire to ed through workshops, lectures, tor of Sundown Salon, bring together like- and performances. R.G. a regular gathering of minded people who his friends, clients, could look at innovative For more information on Sundown Salon and and students for a free works being done out- other ventures by Fritz Haeg, go to exchange of ideas, art, The setting for Sundown Salon. side the commercial architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2. 50 Architectural Record 07.04
Despite some rough edges, Athens should (just about) be ready for the Olympics, as a city transformed Correspondent’s File By Sam Lubell At the upcoming Athens 2004 feet below the ground. Of any proj- DEPARTMENTS Olympics, which begin August 13, ect in the Olympics, this one may Marathon runners will trace the be the furthest from being ready. legendary route taken in 490 B.C. But it’s not the only one. Workers by a herald from the small town of around the country are laboring in Marathonas, in Northeast Attica, to droves at the last minute to finish Athens, where he announced the what has been referred to by many Athenian victory over the Persians. as the most down-to-the-wire In modern athletic competition, it Olympics in history. doesn’t get much more exciting While there is some embar- than this. rassment about the now-infamous But to one driving the circuitous rush job, most in Athens don’t really route in early June, it was evident seem to care. With a few notable that construction had not moved exceptions, and despite some rough along as smoothly as one might edges, it looks like they will pull it have expected. Miles of the road— off, and most people have an unwa- which authorities recently decided vering faith that they will. They also The roof wings of the Olympic Stadium (above) were moved into place in June. to widen—were in ruins, with pipes bask in the knowledge that the city The Parthenon (below right) is getting a face-lift, but maybe not in time. I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S A M L U B E L L , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; T H E K R E I S B E R G G R O U P ( TO P R I G H T ) ; projecting in all directions and piles will come away with a radically of dirt, rock, and concrete scattered revamped infrastructure, much of on the streets of the frenetic where streets and sidewalks should which had been planned earlier but metropolis. have been. Huge pits loomed 10 was accelerated for completion in Not to say the process has not time for the games. been trying. After the land of the first 3 Improvements include games was awarded the modern 2 impressive new stadi- Olympics in 1997, it responded by ums, but also a new doing next-to-nothing for the follow- airport, rehabilitated ing three years. This inaction, it buildings and squares, appears, resulted from an unwieldy 1 a new metro system, combination of disorganization, mis- new highways, and calculation, arrogance, political Acropolis Museum, at the foot of 7 dozens of renovated infighting, entrenched bureaucracy, the Parthenon. His project was 4 6 hotels and museums. the unearthing of ancient artifacts at supposed to be finished in time for Locals have venue sites, and, not least, the long- the Olympics, but thanks mostly to 5 absolutely no doubt established Greek tradition of political arguments over its threat that the work will get procrastination and last-minute to ancient landmarks, it is now just finished. This sentiment work. a giant hole in the ground next to AT H E N S 2 0 0 4 ( B OT TO M L E F T ) is echoed passionately “We’ve done everything last concrete bases. When asked when 1. Olympic Sports Complex by everyone from the minute for the past 2,000 years,” the museum would be completed, 2. Olympic Village city’s mayor, Dora one restaurant owner explained Tschumi refused to answer. “I know 3. Marathon start Bakoyannis, to every about his country, which is strug- how long it should take, but how 4. Panathinaiko Stadium waiter, store owner, gling to get over its old habits and long it’s going to take to get done 5. Helliniko Olympic Complex athlete, bus driver, con- fit into the new European order. here is a different story.” 6. Faliro Coastal Zone Complex 7. Parthenon/Acropolis struction worker, and “It’s a strange place,” notes Bernard After threats from the pedestrian approached Tschumi, who is designing the New International Olympic Committee, 07.04 Architectural Record 53
Correspondent’s File which in 2000 warned that it might piles of debris, concrete, wires, move the games if progress wasn’t and building materials still made quickly, the Athens 2004 littered most structures and Olympic Organizing Committee (IOC) sites. One pile, near the Sports and the Greek government, both Pavilion, a new stadium at the under new leadership, finally got Faliro Coastal Complex near things moving. the coast, to be used for taek- The good news is that most wondo and handball, seemed buildings have been or are close to to be about 50 feet high. being completed. The biggest sym- Unfinished projects bol of success came when the first included the stretch of highway The Olympic Velodrome (interior view, above) is nearly complete. roof wing of Santiago Calatrava’s linking the Olympic Village to Olympic Stadium, part of his the city, the tram intended to con- from all over the world. In covering its last-minute predecessors, still Athens Olympic Sports Complex nect areas along Athens’s western the roof of the next-door Olympic brings a cost. Several workers and long the primary concern of waterfront, and the converted Velodrome, Scheller says, authori- have been killed on the sped-up the Olympics officials, began its Karaiskaki Stadium, which will host ties employed 25 trucks and construction projects, although hydraulic-powered slide into place Women’s Soccer—it was braced with hundreds of workers laboring 24 Bakoyannis says the rate of injuries on massive steel tracks. Says massive supports and covered by an hours a day. The process was com- has not been any higher than the Simon Scheller, project manager incomplete canopy. Meanwhile, a pleted in one week. He likens such average for European construction planned roof for the techniques to a popular Greek projects. Late-work fees haven’t Olympic Aquatic dance, in which dancers start helped the budget, which has Center was recently extremely slowly, and then work soared $1 billion beyond projections. scrapped because of themselves into a fevered pitch. Meanwhile, the immense amount time issues, forcing “It’s different than in other places, of last-minute manpower makes spectators and ath- but you can’t change the way they tracking security threats at the sta- letes to bake in the work,” he says. “The system is in diums much more difficult. (Security legendary Hellenic place.” Adds Mayor Bakoyannis: is heavy at the sites, but not perfect. summer sun. “We start slow, but we finish well.” Despite some run-ins with police, I Still, Scheller While admitting that the gov- was able to get a good look at many explains, there is ernment lagged up-front on most sites where I didn’t have official order in the espe- projects, Olympic committee presi- access). Bakoyannis says that the cially messy chaos dent Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki stadiums will be “cleaned” by secu- of Greek building. argues that projects of this magni- rity crews upon completion, using Braces supported the Karaiskaki Stadium in June. “If someone were tude are almost invariably finished X-rays, metal detectors, and other to come to this site at the last possible minute. Scheller technology—meaning any threats for the Sports Complex, “We knew for the first time, they would have a adds that at the Barcelona Games will be neutralized. at that point we were over the heart attack,” he says of the Olympic in 1992 (to which Calatrava’s office Meanwhile, the timing has left P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY T H E K R E I S B E R G G R O U P ( TO P R I G H T ) hump. We saw it would work. It Sports Complex. “But when you also contributed) trees were being was a huge relief.” Besides the know what’s going on, it makes more planted the night before. Several main stadium, which at this writing sense,” he says. construction experts have con- still has one more wing to go and He describes Greek building curred that most Olympic projects no seats installed, most stadiums officials’ sense of timing as a matter have come down to the wire, while at least have their structures of waiting and waiting, and then a cab driver—racing to get to the intact and have been tested sending every possible resource airport on time—points out that with major sporting events. The until something gets done. In the Montreal’s stadium was never fin- Olympic Stadium held the Greek case of the Olympic complex, ished, but Athens’s will be. He National Championships from Calatrava’s firm wasn’t commis- laments that the world’s press pick June 10 to 12. sioned until summer 2001, followed on the Greeks because they need The bad news is that as of by a short design period and a something to write about. early June several venues were still longer period of waiting for contrac- “Why is everyone so worried?” not complete, with little time left for tors to be tendered offers by the says Mayor Bakoyannis. “We will be systems and security checks, while Greek government. Construction ready. Why should we be ready a most surrounding landscapes and didn’t start until March 2003. But year before?” infrastructure were still unfinished. when work began, the contractors Yet this work style, which has In early June, much of the Marathon Besides the mess at the Marathon, supplied more than 1,000 workers cut things close even compared to route still lay in ruins. 54 Architectural Record 07.04
Correspondent’s File splendor. Calatrava’s Olympic Sports Complex is likely to be one he built in Bilbao. Walking to the Velodrome, one of the most breathtaking large- sees a more compact version of a scale projects in recent memory. similar theme. Yet at this size, it The complex (which includes the packs perhaps an even more potent Olympic Stadium, the Olympic punch. The complex’s grand prome- Velodrome, the tennis and swim nades (many made of white marble), centers, an indoor arena for basket- meanwhile, are both well-propor- ball and rhythmic gymnastics, and tioned and graceful. Long avenues large pedestrian spaces) is massive stretch away from different sites, in every sense of the word, measur- while sleek landmarks along the way ing 10.7 million square feet. Each lend visual (and experiential) high- wing of the Olympic Stadium roof lights to a visit. The “Agora,” made of weighs 9,000 tons and spans bending white steel arches, is the 1,000 feet. Yet the schemes, domi- most important of these, and will nated by white exposed steel, function both as an elegant thor- have harmony, rhythm, grace, and oughfare and a much-needed cooling The new Athens subway displays ancient artifacts found during construction. most of all, lightness, enveloping center, surrounded by trees and visitors with a soaring sense of awe misting fountains. Meanwhile, the the IOC flustered, to say the least. were and the amount of work that (read Milwaukee Art Museum times Nations’ Wall will be a central enter- President Jacques Rogges told the needed to be done. In the future, we 50). Standing inside the stadium, tainment center. It features 1,000 Associated Press in March, “All our will be stricter toward cities bidding one is mesmerized by the gigantic, metal beams linked to motors that experts are saying now that there to host the games.” gently sloping roof wings, pointing move individually in cascading order, is still enough time to finish every- Regardless of the struggle, the eye to the nearby mountains creating a wavelike effect. thing for the opening ceremony.” what most of those outside of and echoing their shape. Calatrava Other projects are also impres- Later, however, Gilbert Felli, execu- Athens—who are obsessed by explains that they are literally sive, even by Olympic standards. tive director of the Olympic Games, Greek tardiness—have overlooked, designed as suspension bridges The steel-clad tennis stadium has a sounded bitter: “The Greeks didn’t but won’t be able to for long, is that over the expanse of the stadium. sleek circular design that looks from understand how big the Olympics many projects display elements of He modeled them after a bridge above not unlike a shiny compact © 2003 Unico, Inc. FLEXIBLE DESIGN COMFORTABLE SURROUNDINGS SUBTLE PRESENTATION AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HVAC SYSTEM FROM UNICO. As demonstrated in this beautiful Laguna Beach, California home, the Unico System’s flexible mini-ducts fit easily into the most complex designs where conventional systems can’t. Despite this home’s curved walls and vaulted ceilings, the Unico System provides even temperatures throughout each room. And the Unico System is the perfect complement to this home’s radiant floor heating. As shown below, outlets are small, subtle and blend into any décor. With the Unico System, you’ll enjoy the superior performance of quiet, draft-free heating and cooling all year long. For complete information on the high-performance Unico System, call 1 - 8 0 0 - 5 2 7 - 0 8 9 6 o r v i s i t u s o n t h e w e b a t www.unicosystem.com. CIRCLE 40 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Correspondent’s File disk. The Sports Pavilion echoes tarmac and asphalt looks at pres- the parabolic shape of the already ent fairly barren. It remains to iconic Peace and Friendship Stadium be seen whether this area can be (which will host volleyball), yet it is enhanced. covered with dark wood, giving it a Meanwhile, the city’s urban combination of contemporary design landscape is radically improved and organic warmth and accessibil- from just a few years ago, thanks The Olympic torch burns in front of the Classical-style Panathinaiko Stadium. ity. Many of the projects, like the to projects either instigated by the Beach Volleyball Stadium and the Olympics, or sped up significantly alternatives. The first-rate Athens games. In this case, timing is not on Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall, to be ready in time for the games. International Airport (Eleftherios the Greeks’ side: hundreds, perhaps echo the steel frame construction of A project begun in 1977, Venizelos) opened in 2001, replac- thousands, of friezes, marbles, and Calatrava’s work, a Modern aes- called the Unification of Historic ing the woefully inadequate Helliniko pieces of columns are scattered thetic that maintains a refreshing Monuments, has made progress Airport. The new metro, while not around the site. “This is something lightness. Mayor Bakoyannis notes linking the ancient sites of Athens complete, opened in 2000 and is we cannot rush,” says Mayor that these designs reflect a Greek with cobblestone walkways, restor- now serving 400,000 people a day, Bakoyannis. “It’s a very methodical, tradition of sleek, simple building. ing over 200 building facades in the with three lines sucking away some scientific process.” evident in most Greek temples. historic district, and redesigning of the city’s infamous traffic. The Meanwhile, at the Sports Not all projects are aesthetic several historic streetscapes and stations’ modern marble, granite, Pavilion, construction workers are gems. The sites at the former squares. Funds for the project came and steel designs even incorporate, singing along with a Greek song Helliniko Airport, which include in quickly from the usually snail- in some cases, the artifacts recov- blaring on the radio, while a number rowing, baseball, and softball, paced Greek government after the ered while digging the tunnels. of dogs lie nearby in the shade. are impressive, especially the Olympic bid was won. A recently Symbolically, the most impor- Sure, it’s a different world. But the incredible transformation of some completed major highway, the Attiki tant project is the renovation of the architectural results are—at first runway areas into a rowing center. Odos, now loops around the city, Acropolis, undertaken originally in slowly, then more quickly—making But the ubiquitous landscape of providing much-needed transit the 1980s but also sped up for the it one that’s worth looking at. ■ First Impressions Last. :KHQ RX SXW IRUWK WKH HIIRUW LW VKRZV RRUGLQDWLQJ WKH QHHGV RI IXQGDPHQWDO EDVLFV DORQJ ZLWK VDWLVILQJ DHVWKHWLF WKH )UHTXHQF70 HQVHPEOH GRHV LW ZLWK VWOH DQG JUDFH :LWK LWV XQLTXH ZDYH GHVLJQ WKH IL[WXUH VLPSOLILHV WKH WDVN RI PHHWLQJ $'$ KHLJKW UHTXLUHPHQWV E RIIHULQJ WZR KHLJKWV LQ RQH XQLW 7R YLHZ WKH HQWLUH )UHTXHQF SURGXFW OLQH ZLWK DOO LWV FRPSDQLRQ HOHPHQWV YLVLW EUDGOHFRUSFRP RU FDOO %5$'/( PLUMBING FIXTURES WA S H R O O M A C C E S S O R I E S L E N O X TM L O C K E R S M I L L S ® PA R T I T I O N S CIRCLE 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Why a duck? Why not an electronic billboard? A campus debate rages again. Critique By Robert Campbell, FAIA Should the architecture of a building completed. With Holl absent, the other two talked colors, many standing on roofs or DEPARTMENTS try to express what’s going on inside Before the audience heard entirely about Gehry’s Stata Center. terraces. The architects gave them it? If exciting stuff is happening from Gehry and Venturi, historian The Stata is a building for the names, inspired by their shapes: indoors, shouldn’t the outside be James Ackerman offered us a quick “computer, information, and intelli- the Star, the Kiva, Achilles, Buddha, exciting, too? history of campus architecture. He gence sciences.” It’s a vast pile of Pisa, the Heart, the Helmet, the If you think so, how do you deal noted that in the past it often labs, offices, classrooms, and meet- Giraffe, the Nose, the Twins. You’ll go with the fact that the activities inside embodied educational theory, as in ing rooms, clad in architecture that a long way before you find a building will probably change over time? the Princeton tradition of isolated, looks to most people like the freeze- where the exterior is trying this hard Shouldn’t the outside, instead, be self-enclosed Gothic quads, mod- frame of a Disney animation. Stata to be expressive of every particular like a house: a calm, iconic image of eled on the medieval cloisters of appears to be about to collapse. of its internal workings. And Stata is home, offering no clue to the fact England, as opposed to the more Columns tilt at scary angles and equally inventive inside, where its that last year it was occupied by the open Enlightenment Classicism of walls teeter, swerve, and collide. jazzy public spaces are meant to family of a Mormon elder, while this McKim Mead and White’s design for Everything looks improvised, as if bring students and researchers out year it houses a drunken brothel? Columbia University in New York. thrown up at the last moment. of their private worlds and into con- It’s not a new debate, this That’s the point. Stata’s architecture tact with one another. argument about the generic exterior Of patrons and feathers is a deliberate metaphor for the In the forum, Gehry and Venturi and the expressive one. But it’s still Signature architecture began, said freedom and daring of the research played opposite roles. Gehry talked alive, as a symposium last month at Ackerman, with H.H. Richardson’s that’s supposed to occur inside it. first. He spoke about an architecture MIT demonstrated. Frank Gehry and Sever Hall at Harvard, “The first The building is also sprinkled with of democracy, one that exhibits a Robert Venturi were on the stage in building that shows a conscious- small pavilions in odd shapes and pluralist collision of ideas. Just as a forum entitled “The University as ness of architecture.” It led to the Patron of Cutting Edge Architecture.” university of today, which grows not MIT was the right place for this as an integrated complex but “one topic. Urged on by William Mitchell, building at a time.” who recently stepped down as dean Ackerman suggested two rea- of MIT’s School of Architecture and sons for the rise of the signature Planning, the university has fully building. One is the private patron, bought the concept of the highly the donor, demanding the distinc- expressive, highly articulated, highly tion of a building that stands out, inventive “signature building.” The “abandoning the link between aca- occasion for the forum was the demic theory and its architectural opening of one such building there, embodiment.” Second is the fact Gehry’s new Stata Center. But that the signature building may be Gehry’s building is only one of sev- seen as a “feather in the cap” of P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E eral of its kind. Steven Holl’s recent, the university, for which it may highly controversial Simmons Hall draw useful publicity. Ackerman dormitory is just down the street. ended by noting that the univer- And Fumihiko Maki, Charles Correa, sity’s desire to purchase a signature and Kevin Roche all have MIT build- style can “bring costly and some- ings in construction or recently times unworkable results.” Ackerman’s talk was the perfect Contributing editor Robert Campbell, setup for Gehry and Venturi. Steven FAIA, is the Pulitzer Prize–winning Holl was supposed to be there, too, architecture critic of The Boston Globe. but he canceled for health reasons. Frank Gehry’s Stata Center at MIT isn’t shy about expressing itself. 07.04 Architectural Record 61
Critique parts of Stata collide, he suggested, from the top floor room of a hotel, so the scientists from different “it looked like a naval base. None disciplines will collide inside and of the buildings reflected the excite- generate collaborative sparks. He ment that was going on inside.” compared his architecture to MIT’s architecture, he decided, debates in the Talmud, the back- “should reflect boldness and confi- and-forth of dialogue, which he dence in our future.” said he learned from a grandfather. When it came his turn, Venturi He pointed out that when you walk assumed the part of the grumpy through the streets of Cambridge, guy who didn’t get the job; he was you don’t see whole buildings, you Yang to Gehry’s Yin. A building, he see parts of buildings, collaged said, should be a place where the against one another, just as parts “cutting edge” happens in the activ- of Stata are collaged. He admitted ities of the users, not one where it that because of the openness of has already happened in the archi- the interior, there have been com- tecture. The setting should not be plaints about acoustical privacy. distracting or intrusive. “The aca- But he said MIT guys are “rugged demic institution should see ‘cutting individualists” who will change edge’ as product, not place,” he things until the building becomes said, “the cutting edge in context, theirs. “It could be enclosed into not as context.” private offices of they want that.” Venturi also complained about Chuck Vest, MIT’s president, buildings that embody the Modernist took Gehry’s side. When he first love of industrial construction, as came to MIT, he said, and saw it Stata does. He called such architec- The architects designed the interiors of Stata to encourage encounters. CIRCLE 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Critique evolution, not revolution.” Gehry: “If I make 10 more buildings like this, it On the same site, Stata tries to accomplish with architecture what won’t destroy the fabric of America.” Building 20 accomplished by not Neither mentioned the building having any. Building 20 was Venturi’s ture a form of revivalist ornament. for architecture with an iconographic that previously stood on the Stata’s vernacular loft, his generic space, He said architecture should deal surface. Combined with his interest site, although it would have made although it lacked his iconic exterior. with the technology of our own day in the age of electronics, he seemed Venturi’s point. It was called Building Gehry says he hopes researchers will and that it should, therefore, be to be arguing, as he does in his 20, and it was thrown up with emer- treat the Stata as disrespectfully as electronic and postindustrial. book Iconography and Electronics gency haste in a few months during they treated Building 20—that they’ll Instead of “cutting-edge archi- Upon a Generic Architecture, for the World War II to develop radar. Building take it over, mess it up, and modify it tecture,” Venturi held up, as a digital facade. He talked about what 20 was a huge, ugly warehouse as they like. But will this very expen- counter example, what he called he called “the transvestite building”— of timber framing and asbestos sid- sive, highly particularized signature “the vernacular loft, the building dressy, iconic, even grandiose on ing. Scientists say it was the most architecture allow that to happen? that is iconic on the outside but the outside, but down-to-earth and productive building of its size, as Bill Mitchell summed up the loftlike and accommodating inside.” vernacular inside. measured by the quality of research, forum. “The MIT buildings are a He cited the Renaissance palazzo, Venturi was, of course, restat- in American history. When it came series of experiments,” he said. “You which, as times change, can be ing the argument of his whole life. time to demolish it, they held a wake. learn from bold experiments.” It was, recycled as a library or an embassy He was arguing for a Stata Center They called it the “Magical Incubator.” perhaps, a questionable metaphor. without losing its exterior dignity. that would be a billboard instead of Building 20’s greatness was its Something can indeed be learned And he cited the original MIT building, a duck—an iconic image with a absence of architecture. In a build- from a failed experiment in the lab. a domed monument of neo-Roman workaday loft behind it, rather than, ing so lacking in character, it was But then it is thrown out. A failed architecture that is, in fact, merely as in the Long Island Duck building impossible to establish academic or building hangs around for a while. a hollow shell, inside of which or the Stata Center, a work in which social hierarchies. Nobody was boss, There was one thing everyone there are endless changes and the whole of the architecture is everyone was equal, and science at the forum did seem to agree on. adaptations. shaped or distorted to communicate was democratic and freewheeling. Alvar Aalto’s Baker House dorm is “Architecture tweaks conven- its message. You could bang holes in the walls or still the best building at MIT. ■ tion rather than invents,” he said. Gehry rebutted. He turned to ceilings or invent crazy experiments, “Michelangelo and Palladio were Venturi and said, “You’re apologizing because nobody cared what hap- A full article on the Stata Center good rather than original.” He argued for talent.” Venturi: “Talent can be pened to Building 20. will appear in the August issue. As GREEN As You Can Get When Firestall® or Easy Ply® Roof Deck Tops Off Your Next LEED™ Project Call Us For Data and Installation Instructions Dial Tech Support at 800-257-9491 Ext. 1332 Structural Fire-Rated Assemblies UL® P500 Series: P-518, 535, 536 and Others Daylighting High-Performance for Open Plenums Reflective or Natural Finishes Commercial Roof Lines With Residential Looks Combine With Thermasote® R-30 and More Up to 98% Post-Consumer Recycled Content Specify Homasote® and Every Day is Earth Day™. America’s oldest manufacturer of building products from recycled materials More than 1,500 architects and specifiers have attended AIA-approved, CES, Rethinking Materials in the Context of LEED™. 932 Lower Ferry Road., P.O. Box 7240, West Trenton, N.J. 08628-0240 Call 800-257-9491 Ext. 1215 for a free presentation at your firm. 609-883-3300 • 800-257-9491 Sales Extension 1500 • Fax: 609-883-3497 • www.homasote.com CIRCLE 47 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
The American Embassy: Design Excellence vs. Security? Commentary By Jane Loeffler “Where is Daniel Patrick Moynihan sonable for an embassy to take DEPARTMENTS when we need him?” This is the five years (or more) to complete. lament of architects who wish the Several critical reports provide champion of public buildings would clues as to why architecture is suddenly reappear to decry the playing a diminished role in the standardized look of new embassies makeover. First, the 1985 Inman or denounce the fearful stance Report, compiled in the aftermath assumed by isolated walled com- of suicide bombings of U.S. facilities pounds that represent the United in Beirut, called for a seven-year States abroad. But wishing will not plan to replace 126 posts (out of make it happen. 262) with walled compounds, and The global landscape has it proposed stringent new security changed dramatically in recent standards, minimums for setbacks, years, and it bears little resem- maximums for windows, and other blance to the world the late Senator The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen—accessible and available to the public. rules that constrained architectural P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY R A L P H R A P S O N A N D A S S O C I AT E S ( TO P ) ; U.S . S TAT E D E PA R T M E N T ( B OT TO M ) Moynihan knew when he served as choice. Second, the Crowe Report U.S. ambassador to India in the and blew up the more accessible programs that reflected the idealis- of 1999 reiterated the largely early 1970s. The State Department’s British Consulate instead. tic mood of that era. That was unheeded Inman recommendations foreign building program, once cele- No, the design dilemma facing when prominent and soon-to-be 14 years later, after even more brated by him as an apt expression embassy architects today is no prominent architects won prized devastating terrorist attacks on of American democracy, can no longer how to create welcoming commissions from the FBO and U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar longer equate its architecture with buildings that proclaim U.S. identity created signature structures that es Salaam, neither of which met democratic openness, because through high-profile architecture, won them professional acclaim. Inman standards. embassies are no longer open and but how to add a noticeable design But that time has passed. Why didn’t the FBO implement need not pretend to be. Not after dimension to relatively low-profile America’s foreign presence is more of the Inman recommenda- Al Qaeda terrorists destroyed two design-build projects for which undergoing a profound makeover. tions during those 14 years? First, U.S. embassies in East Africa in security is the top priority. It no longer makes sense, if it ever and foremost, because memories of 1998 by driving up to each and For many architects, this is did, for designers to start each Beirut faded quickly, and Congress detonating suicide bombs that a bitter pill to swallow, because project from scratch, nor is it rea- not only reneged on promised killed more than 220 and injured for so long they headed the teams more than 4,000, most in adjacent that dotted the globe with U.S. structures. Not with the rising landmarks, including chanceries in threat of more such attacks, Copenhagen (Ralph Rapson, 1954) including the narrow escape from and New Delhi (Edward Durell disaster last November when ter- Stone, 1959). Between the end of rorists determined that they could World War II and the beginning of not penetrate America’s new 26- U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the acre hilltop compound in Istanbul United States wanted to amplify its (by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, 2003) foreign presence to check Soviet expansion. The State Department’s Jane C. Loeffler is the author of Office of Foreign Buildings The Architecture of Diplomacy Operations (FBO) built dozens of (1998) and teaches at the University new embassies, individualized of Maryland, College Park. statements with public spaces and The U.S. Consulate in Istanbul flanked by security walls and the Bosporus. 07.04 Architectural Record 67
Commentary OPAP panelists—again, no archi- tects—called for a reduced U.S. Industry Advisory Panel that mostly represents the corporate side of presence and questioned the State the construction industry. In doing Department’s capacity to handle so, he bypassed the existing funds, but even cut State The Crowe Report stressed that the enormous task of upgrading or Architectural Advisory Board, cre- Department appropriations. Also, safety had to outweigh considera- replacing its embassies and man- ated back in 1954 to buffer the because there was real ambiva- tions of convenience, history, or aging its vast real estate holdings. Department from unwanted out- lence, even at the highest levels symbolism. Architecture was not Instead of calling on Congress to side criticism—when Modern of the State Department, about even mentioned as a considera- commit funds to needed programs, architecture, not terrorism, was applying universal standards to tion—possibly because architects it recommended abolishing the provoking alarm. Also, with 89 buildings everywhere, a reluctance were not asked to assist in the FBO and urged the president to percent of all primary facilities fail- to abandon landmark buildings and report’s preparation. create a federally chartered gov- ing to meet the 100-foot setback R E N D E R I N G : C O U R T E SY O V E R S E A S B U I L D I N G S O P E R AT I O N S center-city locations, and some Later in 1999, the Overseas ernment corporation to replace it. requirement, only two of the 25 recognition of the added value that Presence Advisory Panel’s (OPAP) The State Department was not replacement projects funded after good design can bring to diplomacy. scathing overview of conditions at interested in that sort of makeover. the 1998 bombings completed, a But the bombings in East Africa U.S. posts also contributed to the Desperate to rebuild confidence in total of 160 replacement facilities effectively erased those options. eclipse of the architectural agenda. its operations, Secretary of State to build, and an estimated budget Colin Powell named a former mili- requirement of $16 billion, he tary man, retired Major General turned to URS Corporation for a Charles Williams, to head the FBO, standard embassy design (SED). approved a change in the name of Based on the recent RTKL scheme the office to Overseas Buildings for Kampala, the prototype comes Operations (OBO), and elevated its in three sizes (S, M, L), all consist- status within the Department, ing of two parallel building blocks effectively abolishing the former separated by an atrium. With a office and signaling a new agenda. core preapproved for security, Williams promptly adopted a new projects have a 24-month Rendering of the standardized embassy design by URS Corporation as man- business model, turned to design- timetable, start to finish. dated by the Overseas Buildings Operations. build production, and created an Even architects not interested in Great Ideas W p ign Des etition Com inner Wanted Offering a First Prize of $1000, an engraved trophy, and a royalty. Now in its 19th year, our design forum seeks innovative designs in furniture parts, hardware and accessories. Entries close September 1, 2004, so enter today! Call the contest administrator for additional details at (800) 523-1269 or email to info@mockett.com. Winner(s) will be announced about December 1, 2004. CIRCLE 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 51 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Commentary challenge an idea that is inextricably woven into design education and at home and abroad. If that con- versation has occurred at all, it has into the outlook of the profession. excluded many who can provide For that reason, architects designed useful input, and it has not yet “decorating the shed” are competing the client for embassy construction embassies as glass boxes in the addressed big questions, such as for these commissions because of is not OBO, or even the State ’50s even when they had to wrap how the makeover of the U.S. pres- the work they represent. None are yet Department, but members of those boxes with louvers, screens, ence supports or undermines the complete, but many are under way. Congress who authorize and appro- and fins to protect them from the long-term goal to expand public HOK and J.A. Jones Construction priate the money, and by extension sun. But there are other ways to diplomacy—a key weapon in a war are producing SEDs in Tashkent, those of us who elect them. What imagine architecture, and better of ideas. Admiral Crowe has said Uzbekistan, and in Tbilisi, Republic of Congress likes about Williams (and ways to provide shelter—when that our embassies are “already closed Georgia, for example. And INTEGRUS it is finding a lot to like), many is the challenge. to the public, so it does not matter Architecture and Caddell Construction architects find troubling. They Some point to the success if they look open or not.” That may have SEDs in production in the West object strenuously to the notion of story at GSA and the design quality be so, but we still need to prevent African towns of Conakry, Bamako, “a cookie-cutter embassy” that is of its recent courthouses, for exam- the security mandate from devour- and Freetown—all varying in size, symbolized by a logo and sells ple, but OBO and GSA are not really ing a significant public program but based on the “medium” model. sameness much as Marriott or comparable. According to former and turning our foreign buildings According to Jerry Winkler, designer McDonald’s does. But if, as one aide Public Buildings Service commis- into bastions that are all but use- for all three, architects can still add to the House International Relations sioner Bob Peck, “They face very less as diplomatic workplaces, let distinction to such projects through Committee puts it, Congress’s only different challenges,” because U.S. alone as symbols of democracy. site planning, landscape treatment, concern is “to keep embassies embassies depend on host govern- And we need to apply the lessons choice of cladding materials, and from being blown up,” it is unlikely ments for protection. Where there learned overseas to a domestic facade organization, including window that anyone will prod OBO to make is antipathy to the U.S. presence, landscape now ominously prolifer- spacing and size. As Winkler ruefully “design excellence” a higher priority. protection is unreliable, at best. ating with bollards, fences, and notes, “This is no time to be unique. These are particularly vexing When Senator Moynihan, jersey barriers. It’s time to widen The people who are paying the bills issues for architects, I think, Peck’s former boss, addressed that conversation. The home scene are driving the process.” because Modernism is fundamen- these issues in 1999, he called for is beginning to look a lot like the Winkler’s point is significant tally a quest for openness. To deny an ongoing “conversation” on how embassies in the ’80s—and look because it correctly suggests that the opportunity for openness is to to balance security and openness at them now. ■ © Steven Brooke Studios Rakks wall-mounted shelving at Christine Desirée Collection, Sarasota, FL Interior Design: Christine Desirée SUPPORTING SPATIAL EFFECTS We play a supporting role in interiors that create harmony between decor and architecture. With strong, innovative shelving systems that meet the Rakks Bracket Rakks on Pole demands of the world’s top designers. Rakks. The choice for new and exciting shelving solutions. Visit us at www.rakks.com or call for a free catalog. ® Universal Bracket Aria Bracket In supporting roles everywhere Rangine Corporation | 114 Union Street | Millis, MA 02054800-826-6006 | www.rakks.com CIRCLE 53 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 54 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Dining by design: At the Milan Furniture Fair, imaginative students trumped the professionals Exhibitions By William Weathersby, Jr. Dining Design. Curated by Adam D. restaurant nearby was outfitted by DEPARTMENTS Tihany. At Salone Internazionale del fashion designers Missoni and Paul Mobile, Milan, April 14 to 19, 2004. Smith as a trendy accompaniment. Street Dining Design. Curated by Sponsored by Cosmit, the organ- Interni magazine. At Triennale, izer of the trade fair, Dining Design Milan, April 19 to May 2, 2004. anchored the floor below the Salone Satellite trade exhibits (where young Special exhibitions are always the- designers of edgy furniture prototypes atrical highlights of the annual Milan seek backers and manufacturing Furniture Fair, more formally known as deals and typically fuel a hothouse, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile. circus atmosphere). In the time-tested Last April, two particularly savory tradition of the fair, art and design shows were the centerpieces of a mixed with commerce as each stu- movable feast of imaginative ideas dent-conceived restaurant concept focused on the theme of restaurant was furnished or partially executed interiors. Dining Design, a collection by a leading Italian manufacturer, of installations by students from 10 among whom this year were Kartell, universities and colleges around the Poliform, and Poltrona Frau. The col- world, was presented within the fair- laboration between students and The University of New grounds itself. Street Dining Design, manufacturers resulted in remarkably South Wales team’s meanwhile, was a memorable walka- polished (though mechanically inop- steak house (above); bout of splashy spaces by some of erable, since they lacked kitchens) RISD students’ ghostly Italy’s leading design professionals restaurant spaces and fittings, yet it projections for a bar held at the off-site Triennale di was the quality of the projects’ “big (right); and a sushi Milano museum. Though there were ideas” that beckoned attendees. café by students from striking images served up among the Often startling in their form, the Helsinki’s University of Street projects, it was more often student-designed restaurants each Art and Design (below) the out-of-the-box thinking behind depicted an assigned eatery type were stellar spaces. student work across town that prof- and locale—for example, a Viennese fered food for thought. coffee house in Brighton, England, or As he did two years ago with a French Bistro in Turin, Italy. While an exhibition centered around hotel every space seemed alive with form, design, New York–based architect finishes, and youthful energy, some Adam D. Tihany again played ring- venues were standouts. For a P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY C O S M I T master for the fair’s main special karaoke bar in Lausanne, Switzerland, exhibition. Tihany curated the stu- industrial design students from that dent projects and orchestrated a city’s Ecole Cantonale d’Art conceived roster of additional complementary Roll Away, an itinerant restaurant in installations, such as a survey of which sheets of fabric, paper, and notable dining chairs from the 19th carpet on massive rollers facilitated a and 20th centuries, representing literal meals-on-wheels dining space designs by innovators ranging from that could be reconfigured and multi- Charles Rennie Mackintosh to plied as needed. Philippe Starck. An invitation-only Students from the Rhode Island 07.04 Architectural Record 73
Exhibitions School of Design created “Trace,” a a museum of decorative arts and wine bar for Manhattan’s Tribeca, industrial design. The exhibition, where an envelope of screens framed curated by Interni magazine, the ghostly images of passersby cap- showcased 10 kiosks designed by tured by a network of sensors and architects or interior designers, cameras. Furnishings were straight- including Karim Azzabi, Future forward; the dance of abstract Systems, Studio Sigla, and the duo shadow and light was the draw. of Patricia Urquiola and Martino The showstopper of the stu- Berghinz. Within a U-shaped street dent work, however, was “White,” a format, the kiosks ranged from a Nordic sushi bar by the students of bamboo grove promenade to the A rendering of the R E N D E R I N G S : C O U R T E SY T R I E N N A L E D I M I L A N O the University of Art and Design in latter team’s risotto café with a 3M- “Biomorphic Café,” Helsinki. From its floor lined with lens-film structure that surrounded a designed by Karim white marble chips to translucent Y-shaped table and was billed as Azzabi (above), shows felt walls imprinted with the images “a magic tunnel.” Like many of the its sweeping aluminum of architectural structures, the projects on this boulevard of dining enclosure with green restaurant had a lighter-than-air dreams, it sounded good in over- resin tables. The ren- feeling that seemed to embody both reaching prose on the menu, but dering of the “Fine the refinement of Finnish design the final result was less than satisfy- Chocolate Glass and the Zen spirit of Japanese cul- ing to the design palate. We longed Garden,” by Studio ture. For more on the Dining Design for the student fare. For more on Sigla (left), illustrates exhibition, go to www.cosmit.it. the projects, go to www.triennale.it ■ its glass pergola struc- With a preview during the week ture for a dessert café. of the fair, Street Dining Design was For more on this year’s Milan Fair, presented at the Triennale di Milano, see pages 201 and 211–20. CIRCLE 58 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Snapshot By Sam Lubell Nestled atop a rocky bluff on the Greek isle of Aegina, overlooking the Aegean Sea, the Peloponnese, and several rugged islands, the Camera Obscura Building Camera Obscura: ancient has one of the most dramatic locations of any artwork in history. The light that technique, modern art P H OTO G R A P H Y : © G U S TAV D E U T S C H / F R A N Z B E R Z L floods this extraordinary site helps make the cylindrical structure, finished last year, appear in the waning sun as if it’s made of gold. It’s not. In fact, the edifice is made of plywood on an iron frame. Twenty-three feet in diameter, it has 12 tiny openings through which light enters the otherwise dark interior and produces a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding scenery. The panorama is split into 12 individual images, upside down and reversed, on a semitransparent screen. It takes about 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. The process, developed more than 2,000 years ago, gives the building its name and provides an eery, but wondrously surreal experience in a place known more for beachgoers, fishermen, and an ancient Greek temple than for contemporary art. The building was constructed over an old German cannon placement now controlled by the Greek Navy. It was designed by Austrian Architect Franz Berzl with filmmaker Gustav Deutsch, and was one of a group of art projects, called the Aegina Academy, brought to the island in 2003. The Camera Obscura’s purpose, Deutsch points out, is to explore the perception and interpretation of our world. “If you are able to decide if what you see is real or fiction, then you are in possession of your reality,” says Deutsch. “With today’s media and technology, this is often not the case.” The Aegina Academy project will pick up again in 2005, with a light installation inspired by the nearby Temple of Aphaia. ■ 07.04 Architectural Record 77
Visit us at July 2004 archrecord.construction.com Project Portfolio Products From Seattle’s bold new The newest in storage and library by Rem Koolhaas to an shelving is explored in this imaginative Austrian visitor’s month’s product focus. The center by Steven Holl to Milan Furniture Fair featured Rafael Moneo’s reinvented in our trade show review. Spanish castle — projects this You’ll also find the submission month run the gamut in size, form for the 2004 Product use, and location. Reports, updates to our Green Product Guide, and Product of the Month. Daily Headlines Get the latest scoop from the world of architecture. Sponsored by Brown Center, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore Photography: © Eduard Hueber Building Type Study: archrecord2 Restaurants We look to the West Coast A feast for the eyes as well for emerging architects with as the palette, we’ve got wide ranges in their portfolio the dish on the newest and and their routine. PLACE best designed spots to Architects discuss their eclec- dine. This month, find out tic project and client list and how architects are enhanc- Fritz Haeg talks about the ing your dining experience. alternate uses of his home. Sponsored by INDUSTRIES Megu, New York City DIVA, Seattle Photography: © Nacasa Partners Photography: © Courtesy PLACE Architects Residential Receive CES WebInsider Compelling and creative Credits Online Go to our Web site and sign uses of water in home Read Record’s building up for the WebInsider, your design are uncovered in science and continuing monthly guide to what’s new this quarterly residential education self-study courses and engaging on Architectural section. The sound, move- and file for CES credits. Record’s Web site. ment, and reflective proper- This month: Architects are ties of water connect these applying sophisticated manu- Sponsored by shelters to the outdoors. facturing technologies to build- ing design and construction. Adobe SCOFIELD Sponsored by Sponsored by Weathering Steel House, Toronto, Canada Photography: © Steven Evans Find us online at www.construction.com
Architecture Centers: Bridging the Divide Between Architects and the Public
By Sam Lubell T he crowd is cool. Many are wearing the FEATURES familiar square black glasses and stretchy black shirts reserved for Volkswagen ads and trendy art galleries. But the discussion isn’t ordinary. One can hear the words “public space,” “square footage,” “density,” and “axial symmetry” between bites of fancy hors d’oeuvres. Welcome to another night at the Center for Architecture, the AIA New York Chapter’s new space on La Guardia Place in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. When the center opened last fall, the chapter expected success but may not have anticipated that the facility would become a gathering place where young and old alike—those involved with architecture and those who are not—would gravitate day and night. Architecture centers like New York’s provide a variety of functions. They serve as hubs for architecture-related events and exhibitions and as meeting places for people interested in design. They offer resources to practicing architects and house charitable programs such as architectural education for young people. But most important, the spaces play matchmaker: introducing a traditionally isolated field to a once-ignorant or skeptical public, helping to establish a dialogue between them that is essential to promoting good design. As Ted Landsmark, president of the Boston Architectural Center (BAC), an architecture school that offers its community spaces to explore architecture, sums up: “It engages the public as a client for better design.” Many architecture centers in the United States, such as New York’s, Chicago’s, San Francisco’s, and the Boston Society of Architects, are managed by their local AIA affiliates. Architecture schools such as BAC and building design museums and nonprofits such as the Van Alen Institute, The Architectural League, and The Municipal Art Society in New York; the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.; and the Chicago Architecture Foundation also provide such spaces. Independent of industry ties, these latter organizations claim to develop a strong trust by being guided by public interest rather than what are often considered parochial P H OTO G R A P H Y : © E S TO / N E W YO R K C E N T E R FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E ( T H I S S P R E A D ) The Center For ing transparency, it is professional concerns. But most AIA chapter directors, like San Francisco’s Architecture was designed to attract visi- Margie O’Driscoll, point to improving dialogue between their chapters and opened by the AIA New tors and immerse them the outside world: “We just have a different perspective,” says O’Driscoll. York Chapter in fall in architecture and “We talk about architecture, not just to our members, but to the commu- 2003. With its elegant design. It hosts events nity. In the long run, a better-educated client helps our members.” galleries and welcom- virtually every night. Welcoming the public One of the first U.S. facilities was Seattle’s, a storefront space near the city’s Pike Place Market established by the AIA Seattle in 1991. Director Marga Rose Hancock notes that the center was incorporated into an AIA head- quarters that had essentially been a meeting place for architects, who held closed-door business meetings there. Public input was not a consideration. “We pretended the people weren’t out there,” says Hancock. “It was like, you’re not supposed to be here, kid. You, mortal, you don’t have anything to do with this.” The new center, which opens up onto the street and welcomes the public for events, lectures, and even portfolio sharing, has changed all that. “Instead of the former message, which was ‘mortal, you have no business here,’ it’s like architecture is accessible. You can come in and talk to an architect. They’re just like you and me.” Catering to architects, not “people,” seems to have been a com- mon theme among many AIA chapters before the advent of architecture centers. AIA New York Chapter executive director Rick Bell, FAIA, notes 07.04 Architectural Record 81
The Netherlands that the New York Chapter had been isolated by its old headquarters, on Architecture Institute the 6th floor of the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue, (1) appears to float. which houses mainly designer showrooms. (Chicago’s AIA headquarters Madrid’s Las Arquerias have similar offices, located on the 10th floor of the city’s Merchandise (2) is a daring exhibition Mart. The center has a large conference room, but no exhibition space.) space for architecture “We wanted to make it clear that this wasn’t just a clubhouse for managed by the Ministry architects,” says Bell of the chapter’s new space, built into the first floor and of Development’s two subfloors of a former industrial building. The 12,000-square-foot Department of building, designed by New York–based Andrew Berman Architect, com- Architecture. The bines aesthetic sophistication with a concerted effort to lure visitors. The Amsterdam Center for center features a 64-foot-wide glass facade that attracts attention and Architecture (3) and the allows onlookers to gaze into the structure’s subbasement floors, which are Architekturzentrum in open to the sky thanks to strategic removal of floor space above. Vienna (4) explore var- “I think people make decisions to enter spaces based on what ied dynamic designs. they can see,” says Bell. Such techniques also provide a flood of natural light and a sense of copious space. Moreover, the center offers abundant, 1 attractive gallery areas that exploit the industrial aesthetic of the existing building (exposed pipes, ducts, brick) and, with a dramatic lighting scheme, make the space an attractive new exhibition venue. Although not all located downtown or on the street, many centers are alluring spots whose architec- ture shows off some of the best design the profession P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A A R T E N L AU P M A N ( 1 ) ; R O L A N D H A L B E ( 2 ) ; L U U K K R A M E R ( 3 ) ; C O U R T E SY A R C H I T E K T U R Z E N T R U M W I E N ( 4 ) can offer. The Chicago ArchiCenter, in the Daniel Burnham–designed Santa Fe Office Building, opened in 1993. Designed by Jaime Vasquez of SOM Chicago, it resembles a top-flight art gallery bordering on a designer boutique, with striking contours and studio- quality lighting. One of the grandest spaces in America (although, some argue, not an architecture center, because its main function is as a museum) is the National Building Museum, adapted in 1985 from an 1880s Neoclassical structure by Montgomery Meigs. The building’s massive Corinthian columns and its 316-foot height make it among the most dramatic set- 2 tings for architecture in the country. After luring visitors inside, a center’s next goal 3 is to engage. Last fall, the Center for Architecture served as a theater for the staging of Private Jokes, Public Spaces, an insightful play about an architec- tural studio by Moshe Safdie’s son, Oren. The show drew good reviews and a varied audience, not just of architecture fans. Other events on the center’s seemingly inexhaustible calendar include Going Public, a display of hundreds of public projects in the city; the model of David Child’s proposed “Freedom Tower”; and lectures and symposia about topics ranging from skyscrapers, museums, and construction finance to the history of Puerto Rican archi- tects. Past speakers have included I.M. Pei, David Childs, Daniel Libeskind, and Zaha Hadid. Other centers organize tours, present design competitions, and explore important social and design issues in diverse exhibitions. Finally, the function that could be the most important of all— one that grows out of visitors’ initial interest—is encouraging good design through public input. “Having the general public weigh in and be educated about architecture makes for a population that can support positive changes. That’s how the profession evolves,” says O’Driscoll of the San Francisco AIA headquarters, which is located in the city’s Downtown Business 4 District and hosts regular public events, lectures, and charrettes, allowing people to respond to new developments, wage debates on the city’s hous- ing crunch, and become informed about other design issues. Residents who come in, she says, “care passionately,” and seem to be as familiar
with architectural terms as most architects and planners. Meanwhile, Alicia Pivaro, deputy director of The Architecture Foundation in London, says that thanks to its work involving the public in design decisions, incorporating public dialogue into construction projects is now par for the course in London. “Members of the profession are consulting with the public and involving them,” she notes. “There’s a much greater openness by architects and developers to try to work with the public, and I think we were one of the players in getting that sea change.” Challenges, challenges Of course, as Pivaro points out, interacting with the public isn’t always smooth sailing. Often people are uneasy with architecture, especially new architecture. “People are suspicious of change,” she says. Designs that are highly creative are often seen as inappropriate. Which is why archi- tecture centers work so hard to open people’s minds not just to architecture in general, but to more progressive work that might scare them at first. The other challenge, says Pivaro, is that architects must be heartfelt in their interaction with the community. “Just because you have community input doesn’t mean you’re going to get a good design. You have to work with a good design team. You have to involve the commu- nity in a real way, not just as a PR and marketing stunt.” Another acute challenge faced by centers is dealing with drains on funding. This problem is particularly keen in the United States, where archi- 5 tecture centers don’t have significant public patronage, as many European centers do (they do have more private funding, but the amounts pale in comparison). While the Center 6 for Architecture is one of the elite in the U.S., its oper- ating budget is around $1 million per year (about $600,000 from dues, the rest from private sources). The Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI), in contrast, receives $6 million euros (about $7.2 mil- lion) every year from the government, 80 percent of its operating budget.“Architectural issues are so cen- C O U R T E SY N AT I O N A L B U I L D I N G M U S E U M ( 6 ) ; C H I C A G O A R C H I T E CT U R E FO U N DAT I O N ( 7 ) tral to the country’s social, economic, and political P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M I C H A E L L E G E N D R E / C A N A D I A N C E N T R E FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E ( 5 ) ; discussions,” explains NAI’s director, Aaron Betsky. Here, on the other hand,“It’s certainly always a strug- gle,” says Lynn Osmond, president of the Chicago Architecture Foundation. “It’s hard for funders to understand what we are, and what our mission is. 7 The Canadian Centre for We’re really pioneers as far as promoting architecture as an art form.” Architecture (5) was European and Canadian centers (like the impressive Canadian built in 1989 and con- Centre for Architecture, built in 1989) have generally found acceptance and tains one of the largest developed favorable reputations, which, with greater amounts of funding, architecture archives has fostered splendid designs for their quarters, such as the NAI’s building in the world. It features in Rotterdam, designed by Jo Coenen and finished in 1993. This is a light- an impressive theater as-air glass, steel, and corrugated-metal space—a clear box that seems to be (top) and exhibitions, floating on water. Also in the Netherlands stands the new Amsterdam like the one of Cedric Center for Architecture (ARCAM), designed by René van Zuuk, a soaring, Price’s work (inset, top). twisting building that suggests it was shaped by wind and water [record, The National Building February 2004, page 65]. In 2005, Paris will open the Modern Cité de Museum (6) in l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, inside the Palais de Chaillot, near the Eiffel Washington, D.C., is one Tower. The center will merge the architectural collections of the Museum of of the city’s grandest French Monuments, the French Institute of Architecture, and the Center of spaces. The Chicago Higher Learning of Chaillot. Meanwhile, Madrid’s recently opened Las ArchiCenter (7) draws Arquerias, the main exhibition space for architecture in the city, could be people inside with its the most architecturally interesting of all. Designed by Jesús Aparicio and striking design, accord- Hectór Fernández and built into the 1930s Neoclassic loggia of Secundino ing to officials. Zuazo’s New Ministries, its main lecture and performance hall is cradled in
AIA San Francisco (8) a U-shaped concrete slab, forming a highly dramatic spatial experience. hosts regular public Few American architecture centers attain such design distinc- forums. Boston has tion. Likewise, few can stage the elaborate exhibitions that are common in two spaces working Europe. The NAI, which has 22,000 square feet of exhibition space, together: the BSA’s recently presented a show called Start, featuring 40 items documenting Architects Building (9), the early work of Rem Koolhaas. Another NAI installation, Content, held and the Boston simultaneously at the Kunsthaus Rotterdam, covered Koolhaas’s work Architectural Center’s from 1996 on. Besides lacking resources for such ambitious exhibition headquarters (10). programming, most American centers are unable to house as extensive Seattle’s AIA headquar- archives or undertake such high-profile meetings and debates, nor do ters (11) was one of they have such an effective means of coordination as the European archi- the first to be opened tecture network called GAUDI (www.gaudiprogramme.net). to the public. Like San Francisco’s offices, it The future will soon be redesigned. Despite their struggles, U.S. centers are becoming more popular, mirroring the field’s increasing cachet. Chicago’s tour attendance has doubled in the 8 past five years, while its budget has grown from $2.5 million to $7 million in the past seven years. Boston Society of Architects’ annual operating budget has ballooned from 9 10 $7,000 a year in 1985 to $3.3 million this year. San Francisco, meanwhile, has seen a growth in attendance from 100 people a month to 600 or 700 within the last year and a half. Several centers have begun to reshape their images in the manner of the New York center. The Seattle space is soon to be redesigned by a team of architects from the AIA Seattle’s Young Architects Forum. A design charrette in February produced updated, very modern sketches, says Peter David Greaves, AIA, Seattle president-elect. “Conceptually, it’s like a camera obscura; you go through a dark space into a light P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY S T U D I O S A R C H I T E CT U R E ( 8 ) ; B O S TO N S O C I E T Y O F A R C H I T E CT S ( 9 ) ; one with a tapered, plywood-clad tunnel at the front entry.” Construction is expected to begin this July and be completed by September. Meanwhile, the San Francisco center will soon undergo a redesign by local firm Quezada Architecture. As principal Fred Quezada, AIA, points out, the firm will gut the present 6,000- square-foot space and make it “extremely contemporary, at least in the functional sense.” The new center will include gallery, meeting, and 11 classroom space, audio/visual areas, and conferencing facilities. Design will B O S TO N A R C H I T E CT U R A L C E N T E R ( 10 ) ; A I A S E AT T L E ( 1 1 ) commence in a few months and be completed by the end of this year, Quezada adds. Meanwhile, officials in Philadelphia and Newark have expressed interest in centers of their own. Like New York’s, other U.S. centers have begun to place more emphasis on exhibitions, and on establishing better coordination among themselves. Osmond says that the Chicago Architecture Foundation is put- ting a Chicago spin on the National Building Museum’s massive, and well received, Big and Green show, dedicated to environmental building, for its own space. The Foundation is also passing on the torch: consulting with Australian architect Glenn Murcutt to form that country’s own Architecture Foundation, including an architecture center (www.architecture.org.au) that will introduce what Osmond calls a traditional public to newer ideas.“They want to make sure there’s a dialogue about architecture, and that people learn to embrace modern design,” says Osmond. “It’s fun. There’s all this interest in the world about architecture. But the real question is: How are we going to put this movement forward rather than letting it drop?” ■ 86 Architectural Record 07.04
The idea of floating, enclosed areas con- nected to wide-open public spaces by esca- lators sketched in the early model (opposite, bottom) is realized in the completed build- ing’s shifting forms (this page and oppo- site, top).
Thanks to OMA’s blending of cool information technology and warm public spaces, SEATTLE’S CENTRAL LIBRARY kindles book lust By Sheri Olson I n Seattle’s new Central Library, a taut skin of steel and glass PRO JECTS shrink-wraps a stack of shifting, precariously balanced volumes. Can you judge this book by its cover? “It looks like an arbitrary shape, but once you step inside, you get it,” promises Seattle’s City Librarian, Deborah L. Jacobs. According to the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Rotterdam (in joint venture with LMN, Seattle), the irregular form arises from an almost slavish devotion to a detailed pro- gram developed by the library board and staff. “A truly rational building does not look rational,” says Joshua Ramus, principal in charge for OMA. They began the commission with a three-month-long investi- gation into the future of the book, calling on local tycoons whose fortunes were built upon the very digital technologies that would seem to make printed matter obsolete. OMA director Rem Koolhaas believes the library as an institution has moralistically and unwisely positioned itself as the With its aggressive silhou- P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T I M OT H Y H U R S L E Y P H OTO S ; M O D E L A N D D R AW I N G S : C O U R T E SY O M A bastion of the book against the byte. “It’s not a matter of and/or,” says ette and the apparent scalelessness of Koolhaas. “The modern library, especially in a cybercity such as Seattle, its diamond-grid cladding, the 11- must transform itself into an information storehouse aggressively story library holds its own among orchestrating the coexistence of all available technologies.” office towers three times its height. Koolhaas sought to balance the explosion of information with “Its a machine that fragments and the library’s increasing role as a social center. There are five programmatic reconstitutes the city around it,” says “platforms,” blocks of floors designed for a unique purpose: parking, staff Koolhaas. Illuminated at night, it area, meeting rooms, books, and offices. “Flexibility can exist within each glows like a giant X-ray, exposing its compartment but not at the expense of another,” Koolhaas says. The plat- vital organs through its exoskeleton. forms alternate with four large, open floors: a childrens’ area, Living The public was involved Room, Mixing Chamber, and reading room—all places where people can from selection on. (Standing-room-only crowds turned out to see Steven meet, search the Web, or just sit and read. “OMA’s solution is simple and Holl and Koolhaas go head-to-head over the course of the three days of complex at the same time,” says Jacobs, a demanding client with a genius presentations [record, August 2000, page 120]). The library board came for building public consensus around the radical design. back from a whirlwind European tour impressed by OMA’s ability to live The architects pushed and pulled the platforms almost 50 feet out of vertical alignment with each other to capture light and views. As Project: Seattle Central Library, Matthews, Vern Cooley, Pragnesh much as OMA enjoys casting itself as technician not artist, there’s an aes- Washington Parikh, design/management team thetic at work, even when it verges on anti-aesthetic. “When we tried to Architect: OMA—Rem Koolhaas, Engineers: Arup, Magnusson tweak it too much, it just didn’t work,” says Ramus. “The form had an Joshua Ramus, Mark von Hof- Klemencic Associates (structural); integrity of its own.” The sky-blue, diamond-patterned steel grid that sup- Zogrotzki, Natasha Sandmeier, Meghan Arup (m/e/p) ports the glass cladding spans the distance between the offset platforms in Corwin, Bjarke Ingels, Carol Patterson, Consultants: Inside/Outside great, angled planes. design/management team; LMN (joint- (interiors); Bruce Mau Design venture partner)—John Nesholm, Sam (graphics); Dewhurst Macfarlane Sheri Olson, FAIA, is record’s Seattle-based contributing editor and the author Miller, Bob Zimmer, Tim Pfeiffer, Steve Partners and Front (facade) of Cutler Anderson Architects (Rockport Publishers, 2004). DelFraino, Mary Anne Smith, Dave Contractor: Hoffman Construction 07.04 Architectural Record 89
Projecting forms (sup- ported by enormous cantilevered trusses) reach for views. The steeply sloping site— two floors in a city block (opposite)—adds to the kinetic effect. The Fourth Avenue entrance (near left) opens to a childrens’ area. The gridded curtain wall peels away to form an arcade at the main, Fifth Avenue entrance (far left and below).
within a budget. (The library’s was relatively modest: $165 million, fourth-floor meeting rooms play to the public’s desire to be shocked by including $10 million for a temporary location during construction.) In the avant-garde. It’s the architectural equivalent of the prim librarian rip- the end, the board’s decision was not based on the bottom line. “Can you ping off her glasses and letting her hair down. Such touches may entice do beauty?” asked one board member. “Yes,” was Koolhaas’s immediate patrons who have come to associate books with Barnes Noble comfort response. or Amazon.com convenience. The library’s dilapidated, undersize old Koolhaas delivers as soon as patrons step through the Fifth Avenue entrance on the uphill side of the full-block site, into a dramatic “IT’S A MACHINE THAT FRAGMENTS AND three-story volume that appears larger than what seems possible from the RECONSTITUTES THE CITY AROUND IT.” outside. Appropriately dubbed the Living Room, it’s the library’s—and Seattle’s—largest and most inviting public space. Fiction collections, a —REM KOOLHAAS Teen Center, a café, a shop, and service-desk areas alternate with com- quarters, on the same site, had become de-facto housing for the homeless. puter desks and squishy rubber couches. Photomural carpets of grass and Now some who once lingered listlessly will run the latte cart in the Living leaves (by Petra Blaisse of Inside/Outside, Amsterdam) float on the wood Room (part of a jobs program organized by a nonprofit group). floors like giant throw rugs. Wood-clad terraces descend through an audi- Fluorescent-green escalators ascend from the Living Room to torium (which can be closed off), following the site’s steep slope and deliver patrons to a huge service desk at the center of the fifth-floor seamlessly linking the Living Room to the childrens’ area two levels below. mezzanine. This Mixing Chamber places librarians, reference materials, The outrageous hot-pink curved hallways threaded among the and public-access computers all in one place. Patrons need not wander 07.04 Architectural Record 91
The entire Living Room opens to view from the Fifth Avenue entrance (right). Escalators lead up to the Mixing Chamber (balcony visible at far right). The auditorium (view from below, top left) descends two floors. View through metal scrim from the fourth floor (bottom left). from one department to another. “Instead of the Internet replacing librarians, it has made them more valuable,” Jacobs says. “They help people sift through information.” At 363,000 square feet, the size of the library doubled but not the size of the staff. Instead, technology frees librarians from drudgery, helping to automate sorting and checkout, among other functions. From the Mixing Chamber, an express escalator leads to the center of the library’s most innovative and controversial feature, the Books Spiral. It’s less a spiral than a giant, continuous ramp that inches up across the city-block-size floors (it’s entirely wheelchair accessible) before switching back as it rises through four levels. Unlike most libraries forced to arbitrarily split collections between floors as they grow, Seattle’s continuous circuit unites most of the nonfiction collec- tion, allowing subjects to expand or contract without disrupting Dewey decimal order. The well-lit, generously sized levels invite browsing, but shortcuts through the stacks are available by stair or elevator for those who know exactly what they want. Tucked among the stacks are small 92 Architectural Record 07.04
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
Screened in red, the aorta-red meeting level (bottom left) is sand- wiched between the Living Room level (visible above) and the Mixing Chamber (bottom right).
An inventive fire-protec- tion scheme permitted 12 OPEN TO BELOW the library’s extraordi- 12 nary openness. A red stair links the meeting- 10 room level to the Mixing 11 OPEN TO Chamber (opposite, OPEN TO 8 BELOW BELOW bottom right). The char- treuse escalator carries patrons to the Book 10 Spiral (opposite, bottom right—visible as a 12 13 8 8 8 lighted strip at the top). READING ROOM–TENTH FLOOR MIXING CHAMBER–FIFTH FLOOR 1. Arcade 1 2. Reception 4 3 3. Coffee cart OPEN TO BELOW 2 4. Shop 5 5. Auditorium 9 6. Fiction 9 OPEN TO 7. Teen Center BELOW 8. Office 6 2 9 9. Meeting 8 10. Mixing Chamber 9 (reference) 9 11. Closed stacks 7 12. Reading terrace 13. Book Spiral 14. Children 15. Living Room 0 20 FT. N MEETING ROOMS–FOURTH FLOOR LIVING ROOM–THIRD FLOOR 6 M. 16. Headquarters 16 11 12 12 13 13 13 10 10 9 9 15 15 1 Fifth Avenue 5 5 Fourth Avenue 14 0 20 FT. EAST-WEST SECTION 6 M. 07.04 Architectural Record 95
In this view from the Mixing Chamber to the Teen Center in the Living Room, the I-beam curtain-wall supports are visible, as well as massive, tilted columns. The external facets focus views out.
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
The Book Spiral Architecture Without Artistry (below), cut through by an atrium (opposite), floats over the Living For more than 30 years, Rem Koolhaas has ness of Koolhaas’s intellect? Each breadloaf-size Room, braced by mas- been theorizing a great deal and building rather book seems to introduce a new Rem. Embracing sive, angled columns. little, so it comes as something of a surprise that instability is the theme of the firm’s latest pub- An escalator runs his most conceptually rich building so far isn’t in lishing opus, Content (Taschen, 2004). “We are between the opposed Europe, where daring buildings are more often interested in instability, but we don’t necessarily slopes of the Spiral’s erected, but in Seattle—no avant-garde hotbed. have a preference for it,” Koolhaas explained. gentle, ramplike lev- Having temporarily commandeered a yet- Still, he feels confined by how long it takes to els, culminating at the unoccupied office that overlooks the Seattle build projects, worrying that the ideas move top-floor reading room library’s dramatic atrium, the 59-year-old beyond the building by the time it’s done. “It’s (bottom). Koolhaas described his process in an inter- rare that an intention or an ambition or a [client] view. “Our initial impulse is to consider how to coalition survives that long,” he commented. make a particular program fresh, to consider Where does architecture fit as the firm what is redundant and what deserves to be moves into trend-gleaning endeavors like mag- reinvented,” he explained. There’s a perpetual azine publishing? Architecture remains the core effort, he added, to tease out “the seeds of effort, he asserts, and there will soon be, at newness” innate to the project. last, quite a lot of built work to show for the Such an intellectualized approach doesn’t years of effort. Along with the IIT Campus Center concern itself much with the expressive poten- [RECORD, May 2004, page 122] and Seattle’s tial of construction. From many vantages, the library, there’s the recently completed Dutch building looks gawky and provisional, its form Embassy in Berlin, an Epicenter store for Prada a resultant of ideas, rather than massaged for that opens this summer in Los Angeles, and a expressive elegance or crafted beauty. The convention-shattering concert hall in Porto, soaring spaces come with cheap finishes; for Portugal, finishing up. Still, Koolhaas seems example, the columns and beams are covered genuinely aggrieved at the projects that haven’t with lumpy fireproofing and dangling pipes (as gone ahead. Content is filled with justifications in the Mixing Chamber, below)—a bit disturb- for them and little-disguised anger at the proj- ing, even though they are painted out. This is ects that died in America. The cover alone will purposeful, says partner Ole Scheeren; ques- likely keep it off many bookstore shelves. It fea- tioning conventions of beauty and craft are tures a triumvirate of Saddam Hussein, North part of OMA’s process. Korea’s Kim Jong-Il, and George Bush. The These attitudes may account for why so president grasps a crucifix and is crowned by a many projects have withered as clients couldn’t package of McDonald’s french fries. Not the kind persuade themselves to go the distance: the of thing you’d FedEx to most prospective clients. Universal Studios headquarters, the Whitney I was once among those who feared that Museum (now revived, with Renzo Piano as archi- Seattle was building a city-block-size joke. It is to Deborah Jacobs’s credit that she harnessed a kind of genius other clients feared. She spearheaded approval of the bond issue that underwrote the building, championed the rais- ing of some $86 million in private money to fund acquisitions and operations throughout the system, and helped build and maintain support for this monumental civic effort. The building’s appeal goes beyond the spatial pyrotechnics evident in the photographs. Even the seemingly alien form of the exterior fits uncannily well, especially when the ubiqui- tous local mists swirl around it. Like a chunk of tect), a hotel for Ian Schrager in New York, the Los glacier that has somehow run aground in the Angeles County Museum of Art (a project, drasti- middle of downtown, it evokes the unconquer- cally reduced in scope, that has now gone to ably primordial nature of the Pacific Northwest’s Piano as well), Prada San Francisco, the landscape. But delivering a library that gen- Guggenheim in Las Vegas’s Venetian casino uinely extended the public realm is Koolhaas’s [RECORD, January 2002, page 100], which closed. most important contribution here. There’s little Or do clients worry about the very restless- like it anywhere. James S. Russell, AIA 98 Architectural Record 07.04
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
Public areas open onto the atrium as it rises (this page) from the Living Room to the topmost Headquarters level. The Book Spiral arrives at a gently terraced reading room (opposite) under a vast sloping skylight.
reading areas, special collections, and librarians at service desks over- grid of columns running through the enclosed platforms, which OMA looking an atrium that rises eight levels from the Living Room. painted black and flecked with mica for sparkle. The diamond-shaped As varied as the different spatial experiences within the library glass lites, each 4 by 7 feet, were sized to eliminate glass waste and ease may be, they all share spectacular views of the surrounding skyscrapers installation of the triple-glazed panels. Fine, expanded metal mesh, and the vistas between them to Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. For sandwiched between the glass layers, acts as a micro-louver to reduce Jacobs, the quality of the views is the biggest surprise and justification heat gain and glare. A floor-sourced displacement-air system conditions for building on the library’s old site, even though it meant relocating only the occupied layer of space. A performance-based approach to fire during construction. “The views are so much more gorgeous than what engineering permitted the openness and the seamless interconnected- we expected,” she says. It’s unusual for a library to invite this much of ness of the design. the world inside its cloistered walls, but that, says Koolhaas, is the point: The building opened with few glitches. “It works,” says Jacobs. “The glass goes beyond transparency to absorb every vibe of the city.” “People will either like it or not, but their opinions will be based on aes- The Books Spiral culminates in a light-filled reading room thetic preferences, not function,” she adds. “What does it say when the under a sloped, 40-foot-tall plane of steel and glass. A padded white library is the most exciting building in town?” she mused as she sur- ceiling (for sound absorption) floats above a series of wide terraces set veyed the crowd of 28,000 people streaming through during the with informal groupings of chairs and tables. library’s opening day celebration. In a word, everything. ■ To open the vast spaces under glass, Arup made the mesh of I beams supporting the curtain wall into the primary means of resisting Sources Wood floors: Worthwood the building’s wind and seismic loads. (The design development and Curtain wall: Seele; Okalux; Furnishings: Vitra; Quinze Milan detailing of the structure was done by Magnusson Klemencic Walter’s Wolf; Supersky (skylights) Conveyance: Schlindler (escalators); Associates, Seattle.) The unusual strategy also minimizes the number Glazing: Okalux; Viracon; TGP Thyssen (elevators) and size of the internal columns, since they aren’t doing double duty. Doors: Kawneer, Boon Edam The upper-floor projections are cantilevered, made rigid by external (entrance); Zesbaugh, Building For more information on this project, trusses, and supported on just a few massive columns. Because they Specialists (fire protection); Cascade go to Projects at handle gravity loads, these columns are fireproofed, as are a long-span (wood) www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 101
Behnisch, Behnisch Partner and Steven Ehrlich Architects contribute signature buildings to KENDALL SQUARE near MIT PRO JECTS By Nancy Levinson C P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E ambridge, Massachusetts, home to the academic powerhouses found not in the postcard-pretty precincts but in old industrial East of Harvard and MIT, is America’s ultimate college town, and it Cambridge, the zone of the city that declined in the postwar era as the has long attracted students and tourists alike with its leafy factories shut down and that in recent years has been reborn as one of streets and historic buildings, its pedestrian-friendly squares the country’s leading biotechnology centers. A 10-acre case in point is and tranquil courtyards. But these days, the most dynamic part of this Kendall Square, an ongoing project developed by New England–based centuries-old city is the part that attracts few out-of-towners. These days, Lyme Properties that will eventually encompass 1.3 million square feet (THIS SPREAD) the most enlightened development and progressive architecture are to be in six buildings, and that has already produced two excellent works of contemporary architecture. This feat is all the more remarkable for taking Contributing editor Nancy Levinson is an architect and writer based in place in a historicist town that lately has tended to reject any architectural Cambridge, Mass. expression newer than mid-Victorian. 102 Architectural Record 07.04
The 10-acre Kendall leading research cen- Square, a biotech cen- ters. An ongoing project ter in old industrial East developed by New Cambridge, rises in a England–based Lyme zone of the city that Properties, it will even- declined in the postwar tually encompass 1.3 years as factories shut million square feet in six down but in recent buildings. The buildings years has been reborn shown here (opposite, at as one of the country’s left) are the first two. 2 3 1. Genzyme center 4 2. 675West Kendall Street 1 3. Retail and parking garage The Kendall Square project is that city-planning rarity—a (proposed) private, for-profit initiative developed with a view toward long-range 4. Performing arts and film civic enhancement. David Clem, managing director of Lyme Properties, center (proposed) brought to the project not only experience in the business of real estate 5 6 7 5. Residential,hotel,health development but also deep engagement with the city—years ago he stud- club,and retail (proposed) ied urban planning at MIT and even served as a city councillor. After 6. Parking garage and purchasing the land in 1998, Lyme hired Toronto-based Urban Strategies pavilion (proposed) to create a master plan for the unprepossessing site, a brownfield once 7. Office,retail,and housing occupied by a manufactured-gas plant. Together the developer and SITEPLAN N 0 50 FT. (proposed) 15 M. urban designer generated a plan that called for a program of mixed uses, 07.04 Architectural Record 103
The Genzyme Building consists of 12 stories of sleek neo-Modernism, with a crisp glass-and- metal curtain wall. An energy-saving double facade sheathes almost 40 percent of the build- ing. Roof-mounted mirrors, or heliostats, track the sun and reflect light into the interior.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N TO N G R A S S I ( T H I S S P R E A D A N D T H E FO L LO W I N G S P R E A D ) and for the city grid to extend onto the site. Two classic urbanistic moves, saw an opportunity to integrate the site into the city, and to activate the of course, of the sort that elicit praise from critics and academics; but area with housing, entertainment, retail, and recreation.” To these ends, here, as is often the case, they were hardly the path of least resistance. In the program includes two life-science laboratory buildings, a biotech- fact, they ran counter to years of prevailing practice. In the past two nology headquarters, a performing arts center, an apartment tower with decades, much of East Cambridge has been developed as single-use adjoining hotel, an office/residential low-rise, a public square alongside superblocks, with assorted RD towers set back from the street, encir- an old canal, and a public park with a skating rink. The buildings incor- cled by well-tended lawns; it would have been easy to make Kendall Square an aloof biotechnology campus (an earlier development planned THE MOST ENLIGHTENED DEVELOPMENT for the area was simply called “Cambridge Research Park”). What Lyme AND PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE ARE and Urban Strategies sought to do instead is to make the site, in the words of Ken Greenberg, a partner of Urban Strategies when the project FOUND IN OLD INDUSTRIAL EAST CAMBRIDGE. started, “both a crossroads and a destination” for the district, which porate ground-level retail, and an underground garage accommodates includes MIT to the south, the Charles River waterfront to the east, and more than 2,000 cars. None of this is standard-issue real estate develop- a neighborhood of 19th-century row houses to the north. “We did not ment; nor was the process by which architects were chosen. Early on, want the place to signal itself as a project, something separate from the Lyme decided that the buildings would be designed by different archi- city, with its own sidewalks, curbs, signage, and so on,” says Clem. “We tects and that the architects would be selected through invited 07.04 Architectural Record 105
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
The architects organ- ized the building in an open, flexible manner around a grand central atrium, which connects all the floors and brings daylight deep into the core.
1 5 7 9 3 5 2 8 4 1. Atrium 3 2. Reading 3. Terrace 4. Reception 5. Workspace 5 6. Lecture theater 5 6 7. Loading 8 3 8. Conference 9. Cafeteria N 0 10 FT. 3 M. FIRST FLOOR TWELFTH FLOOR P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E ( O P P O S I T E , TO P ) ; A N TO N G R A S S I ( O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M T W O ) international competitions. In this way the developer hoped to achieve a high design standard and also to encourage nonrevivalist architecture. “We wanted something more than the usual Cambridge formula of red brick and punched windows,” says Clem. So far, the competitions have yielded refreshingly nonformulaic results. Designed by Behnisch, Behnisch Partner, of Stuttgart, the Genzyme Building, headquarters of the biotechnology giant, is 12 stories of sleek neo-Modernism, with its crisp glass-and-metal curtain wall and its uncluttered interiors filled with elegant midcentury furniture. What makes the building remarkable, though, is its thoroughgoing commitment to sus- tainable technology—a commitment shared by the developer and tenant as well as the architect, and enabled by an unusually collaborative design and construction process. Because Genyzme had signed on as tenant right from the start, building design and tenant fit-out occurred almost simultane- ously, with green design understood not as something added on or attached afterward, but instead as integral to the design concept. “We designed the building from the inside out,” says Stefan Behnisch,“not as an architectural 108 Architectural Record 07.04
Many offices are located on the perime- ter of the central atrium (above) to gain direct access to natural light. Interior cubicles are partially transparent to permit light to filter through (opposite). Interiors are uncluttered and filled with elegant midcentury furniture. Furniture and partitions can be used to create community areas, con- necting paths, and private offices (left two).
675 WEST KENDALL STREET 1. Entry 7 2. Atrium 3. Retail 6 4. Building services 5. Loading 6. Lab/office 7. Exterior balcony 7 6 7 SIXTH FLOOR 3 5 4 4 3 2 1 6 3 4 N 0 20 FT. FIRST FLOOR 6 M. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © PAU L WA R C H O L ( TO P A N D O P P O S I T E ) ; C H U C K C H O I ( B OT TO M ) icon but as a place to work.” This approach resonated with Genzyme C.E.O. Henri Termeer, who describes it as “consistent with our commitment to innovative life-science technology. We didn’t need a big sculptural state- ment, but a healthy workplace.” And Termeer sees the green building systems as having economic as well as environmental benefits. “The reduced operating costs are an excellent return on our investment,” he says. Some of the more impressive green features include a double facade that sheathes almost 40 percent of the building, the two skins separated by an accessible 4-foot loggia; a central atrium that organizes the building’s interior and brings daylight deep into the core; roof-mounted mirrors, or heliostats, that track the sun and reflect light into the interior; a multistory “light chandelier” made of hundreds of prismatic glass plates that shimmer down the length of the atrium; and automated, operable blinds pro- grammed to respond to light, weather, and orientation. Like Genzyme, 675 West Kendall Street is rigorously contempo- rary—another welcome addition to the local scene. But while Genzyme is glassy and reflective, 675 West Kendall, designed by Steven Ehrlich Architects, of Los Angeles, is weighty and solid. The 300,000-square-foot, six-story life-sciences laboratory building is an elegant and artful composi- tion, with the two-story mechanical penthouse—sized for chemistry and biology labs— not plopped on top but instead incorporated into the overall 110 Architectural Record 07.04
The facade features which discreetly evoke materials rarely used in the masonry-and-glass U.S. construction, industrial structures including channel-glass that once occupied and terra-cotta panels, the site.
Inside, the labs and offices are arranged around a 100-foot-tall atrium with skylights, as well as strategically placed heliostats (or roof-mounted mirrors) and reflective sur- faces, which flood light into all corners of the building. Stairs, bal- conies, lounges, and overlooks animate this interior space. Glass and metal are the dominant materials. The ordinary concrete floor is tinted a deep brown. The aesthetic is industrial and crisp. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © PAU L WA R C H O L ( T H I S PA G E A N D O P P O S I T E , TO P L E F T )
massing, and a large metal canopy, attached to the facade with mastlike Project: Genzyme Center, Project: 675 West Kendall Street, struts, signaling both the main entrance below and a roof terrace above. And Cambridge, Mass. Cambridge, Mass. the facade features materials rarely used in U.S. construction, including Architect: Behnisch, Behnisch Design architect: Steven Ehrlich channel glass and terra-cotta panels, which discreetly evoke the masonry- Partner—Stefan Behnisch, principal; Architects—Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, and-glass industrial structures that once occupied the site. “We didn’t want Christof Jantzen, principal; Günther principal; Thomas Zahlten, principal to make a brick building,” says Ehrlich,“but we did want to acknowledge the Schaller, partner (Venice, Calif.); in charge; Patricia Rhee, AIA, team masonry tradition of Cambridge.” Local culture is acknowledged in even Martin Werminghausen, partner; captain; George Elian, designer; Aaron subtler ways: The panels of the terra-cotta rain screen are imprinted with Maik Neumann, project architect Torrence, AIA, Carine Jaussaud, patterns derived from DNA molecules—a level of detail that will speak to (base building) (Stuttgart) Cedric Lombardo, Gregor Seeweg, the bioscientists who work in the building’s laboratories. And 675 West Executive architect: House Monika Russig, project team Kendall, like Genzyme, is organized around a central atrium, which brings Robertson (base building); Next Associate architect: Symmes Maini light into the core and creates zones for casual interaction.“As we go deeper Phase Studios (tenant fit-out) McKee Associates—Thomas A. into work on the screen, or in this case in the lab,” say Ehrlich,“it seems more Engineers: Buro Happold (environ- Coffman, AIA, Gordon Brewster, important than ever for architecture to create opportunities for the kind of mental consultancy, structural Henry S. Ricciuti, AIA, Eric A. chance, synergistic encounters that encourage creativity.” engineer, m/e/p); Laszlo Bodak Peterson, AIA, James E. Deitzer, AIA, Genzyme and 675 West Kendall have set a high standard for the (engineer of record, m/e/p); Roger H. Comee, project team P H OTO G R A P H Y : © P E T E R VA N D E R WA R K E R ( TO P R I G H T ) remaining projects, which are in various stages of development. Two are Bartenbach Lichtlabor GmbH Engineers: Arup (structural, m/e/p) scheduled to start construction this fall: A 23-story residential tower, by (lighting) Landscape architect: Michael Van CBT Architects of Boston, and a low-rise residential/office building, by General contractor/construction Valkenburgh Associates Architects Alliance of Toronto. Early next year another life-sciences labo- manager: Turner Construction ratory, by Anshen + Allen Los Angeles, will begin construction, along with Sources a hotel, also by CBT. A multistage performing arts center by Stubbins Sources Exterior masonry: E. Dillon Co. Associates, scheduled to begin construction in late 2005, will be the last Glass curtain wall: Sota Glazing Metal/glass curtain wall: Kawneer piece of Kendall Square. And here it should be pointed out that “Kendall Photovoltaic panels: Powerlight Glazing and skylights: Viracon; Square” is the name not only of this ambitious project but also of the sur- Skylights: Architectural Skylight LinEl rounding city district. Whether the developer is co-opting the place name Company Hardware and hinges: Sargent; for the benefit of the project or using municipal nomenclature in order to Of fice furniture: Steelcase Stanley make the project blend seamlessly into the city is a matter of judgment. Lobby finishes: Hanover Pavers Exterior terra-cotta: Christian Pohl But certainly one measure of the success of the Kendall Square project Interior gardens: Greenscape will be whether it is perceived not as a neat and tidy development, but Water feature: Carbone Metal For more information on this project, rather as a strong and vital addition to a district in transition. The two Fabricators go to Projects at buildings already completed have gotten it off to a happy start. ■ Carpet: Miliken www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 113
A reflecting pool (this page) extends over a tunnel connecting Holl’s visitors’ center with old wine vaults. His conceptual watercolor (opposite, left) and pho- tomontage (opposite, right) show his visitors’ center along with his future hotel (now under construction), the town, and the vineyards.
Steven Holl counters sprawl and pastiche with his LOISIUM, a tilting, aluminum-clad visitors’ center that holds its own in Austrian wine country By Liane Lefaivre T he small Austrian town of PRO JECTS Langenlois nestles near the northwest end of the Wachau Valley—one of the world’s only wine-growing regions offi- cially classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site. No wonder: Its hilly landscape, dotted with castles and blanketed with vineyards, makes this countryside exceptionally beautiful, stretching from the Baroque monastery of Melk—the setting for Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose—to the town of P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R G H E R I TA S P I L U T T I N I , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; R O B E R T H E R B S T ( O P P O S I T E ) ; Krems along the gently winding Danube. In springtime, Langenlois’s own Baroque buildings—stuccoed in powder blue, dusty rose, bright sienna, and pale green—stand amid a clients tend to opt for the latter, as in the city of Graz, which recently profusion of purple lilac bushes and century-old flowering chestnut trees, engaged architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier to insert a bit of 1960s as if this were nothing out of the ordinary. exuberance—their Kunsthaus [record, June 2004, page 92]—within that So would such a fairytale town welcome an industrial-looking, Baroque town. The owners of the Loisium—a 13,000-square-foot visitor’s aluminum-clad visitors’ center for a winery, with windows slashed into it center, named for the “lois” in Langenlois, with conference and wine- as if by the sword of Zorro and walls dented as if by a colossal hammer? tasting facilities, a restaurant, and a wine shop—are no exception. I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S T E V E N H O L L A R C H I T E CT S ( T H I S PA G E ) Clearly not a foregone conclusion. And now that Steven Holl’s building Barely an hour from Vienna yet so near to the Wachau Valley, stands on a hill overlooking the town—with his vineyard hotel under Langenlois offers a dream location, commercially speaking. The clients construction just a few yards up the slope—does it fit in? Well, in the view clearly saw Holl’s Modern, high-profile architecture as a potential spear- of a local taxi driver, “Of course it does.” head for their campaign to fill the world’s wineglasses with the region’s The taxi driver has a point. On approach to the Langenlois winery high-quality, though still slightly obscure, white wines from the unpre- from the surrounding areas, it becomes clear that the fairytale confection tentious, crisp Austrian Gruener Vetliner grape. Besides such global-scale doesn’t tell the whole story. In the exurban, once-bucolic peripheries, branding, they also held ambitions to turn back the wave of sprawl and sprawl has cut loose. Austria tends to hold truer to its postcard image than counter the loss of architectural quality. most countries do, keeping any sort of rampant overgrowth relatively rare. Faced with this double challenge, Holl carved out a world apart But once the reins on architectural quality go slack, things can go as awry from the kitsch vernacular, providing a strong, distinctive architecture, as here as anywhere else, even if the language happens to be Tyrolean pastiche. Such regionalist settings pose the inevitable dilemma: To hold on Project: Loisium Visitors’ Center, Brian Melcher, project team to tradition or let go and innovate? These days, more and more Austrian Langenlois, Austria Collaborator: Solange Fabião, artist Architect: Steven Holl Architects— Associate architect: Arge Architekten Liane Lefaivre is chair of architectural history and theory at the University of Steven Holl, design principal; Engineers: Retter Partner (civil); Applied Arts in Vienna and an associate of the Design Knowledge Systems Group Christian Wassmann, project archi- Altherm (mechanical) at the Technical University of Delft. tect; Martin Cox, Jason Frantzen, 07.04 Architectural Record 115
The faceted skin of “marine” aluminum changes appearance with the light, weather, and seasons, ranging from glimmering, sil- very blue (this page and opposite, bottom) to matte golden gray, almost resembling con- crete (opposite, top).
11 8 3 2 0 10 FT. SECTION A-A 3 M. 1. Souvenir shop 2. Event space 4 3. Storage 1 4. Mechanical 5. Tunnel (to old wine vaults) 6. Lobby 7. Wine shop 3 8. Café 2 5 BASEMENT 12 12 7 9. Outdoor tables A A 10. Reflecting pool 11. Seminar 6 8 12. Skylight The building tilts at a wine cellars, now con- 5-degree angle, giving nected by a tunnel 9 10 it an almost tipsy (section, below) with demeanor (above) and skylights along its bot- allowing for a smooth tom. A short distance transition from the new up the hill, Holl sited his N 0 10 FT. visitors’ spaces to the winery hotel, currently 3 M. existing subterranean under construction. FIRST FLOOR UNDER IN OVER Village Village Winery Visitors' Center (Future winery hotel (Existing wine vaults) by Steven Holl Architects) 0 30 F T. 10 M.
Daylight penetrates the irregular, slashlike windows, deeply recessed skylights, and swatches of green glass, animating the 82-foot-high interior and its exposed-con- crete stair (this page).
The slotted windows cast rays of sunlight across the ceiling and walls, creating abstract and evolving compositions (right). The visitors’ center includes a café (below) and a shop specializing in Langenlois wines (far right). well as a logo-ready image. Fortunately, the solution goes as far as one can expansive interior, the ceilings soar almost 82 feet, while an exposed- from the architectural equivalent of a yodel, offering instead a gleaming concrete staircase dominates the cube’s other half. metallic cube, measuring approximately 82 feet on each edge. From the Holl has used the narrow slashes of window quite ingeniously to exterior, this building appears inward-looking. Composed primarily of bathe the main space in light while concealing views of the nondescript reinforced concrete, its form stands beneath an insulating carapace of surroundings. The design further accentuates the sense of a world apart 0.16-inch-thick “marine” aluminum, an alloy that preserves its sheen. by placing the tunnel to the vaults and winemaking exhibition beneath a Along with the bold geometry and glimmering skin, a striking reflecting pool with watertight porthole windows on its bottom. playfulness distinguishes the structure from its architectural neighbors. Through water and glass, daylight penetrates the underground realm. The The building tilts at a 5-degree angle, as if it were tipsy, allowing Holl to one unsubtle touch, however, appears in the wine-bottle-green glass in sink approximately one third of the cube into the ground and link it via some of the apertures, reminding us that, yes, we are in a winery. tunnel, in an apparently effortless way, to a 900-year-old network of wine Linking old and new, Holl managed to insert a Modern and vaults, about 65 feet downhill from the cube. The tilt, giving the structure idiosyncratic structure into the periphery of a historic region. And per- a subtle thrust of potential energy, was the suggestion of artist Solange haps because of his refusal to yield to the pressure of ersatz surroundings, Fabião, Holl’s wife. his leaning, aluminum-clad cube seems right at home on the hillside, just As the architect’s earlier work has led us to expect—particu- above the lovely and quaint town of Langenlois. ■ larly his Ronchamp–inspired Chapel of St. Ignatius in Seattle [record, July 1996, page 40]—the Loisium’s interior contrasts markedly with life Sources Aluminum: Heinrich Renner (faceted beyond its perimeter. The architect placed most of the major loads on Lighting: Zumtobel Staff facade); Kamper Stahlbau (doors and the cube’s exterior walls, freeing much of the interior. Just as Le CAD system: Auto CAD Vector Works windows) Corbusier exploited open plans (plans-libres) with ramps and stairs Concrete: Steiner Strabag For more information on this project, placed at will to create architectural promenades, so too does Holl. (cast in place) go to Projects at Here, above the wine-tasting bar, which fills nearly half of the airy, Structural steel: Stahlbau Jordanits www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 119
The new archive addi- tion is clad with limestone similar to that used in the origi- nal royal palace (far left in photo), but dressed without mortared joints. The massive, fortresslike structure, dating to the 12th century, sits on a high promontory above the Argo River (opposite, top), where It is sur- rounded by the densely built city of Pamplona (aerial, opposite).
Rafael Moneo has elegantly refashioned a stolid medieval palace in Navarra, Spain, into the ROYAL AND GENERAL ARCHIVES OF PAMPLONA By Paula Deitz I n recent years, wanderers searching for the old royal palace in the PRO JECTS streets of Pamplona, the capital of Spain’s northern province of Navarra, could not have missed the stark remains of this original medieval structure. They would soon come upon its north and west buttressed walls joined by a corner tower keep with a gabled, chapel-like facade on the south. Out front, a large billboard announced the restoration and conversion of the palace into the Royal and General Archives of Navarra by the architect Rafael Moneo. As part of this process, careful demolition had removed additions dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, when the building was the palace of governing Viceroys and then a military head- quarters after Navarra was incorporated into Spain in 1833. Ultimately, the palace was abandoned as a ruin. Then in 1995, the Ministry of Culture decided to turn it into an P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E , E XC E P T C O U R T E SY T H E A R C H I T E CT ( T H I S PA G E , A E R I A L ) archives and study center for the province. Unlike more ornate Spanish castles of later periods, medieval architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly civil structures, possesses a robust simplicity of line. Its forms have inspired many contemporary architects, his support in a war against Castile. Thus began a particularly Moneo, who was born in the long tumultuous period when the kings often stayed Navarrois city of Tudela, south of Pamplona. in the same complex as the bishops of the Church. And with the original quarries nearby still pro- Since the medieval walls were already viding the same gold-beige and gray-mottled extensively weakened by centuries of repair, Moneo limestone used in the building’s original con- opted to maintain the integrity and contour of the struction (and which gives all of Pamplona its warm hues), Moneo had old building by wrapping the walls with masonry that would exactly pre- the opportunity to reimagine––and reinvent––a fortress. In this instance, serve the building’s silhouette. Using old limestone “bricks,” some from he judiciously grasped the chance to renew the life of the old palace with the 12th century, workmen employed string guides to establish exterior public spaces––reading rooms, an exhibition gallery, an assembly hall–– lines and then applied lime mortar as infill. The tower keep became a while designing a new tower for the storage and delivery of documents. stairwell plus lookout over the new copper roof and the narrow winding An open courtyard with a colonnaded cloister functions as a transitional space that brings the two time frames into a seamless unity. Project: Royal and General Archives Miralles, Juan Rodriguez-Villa, In many ways, the first impression of the palace from the far banks of Pamplona, Spain Borja Pena, Jacobo Garcia-German, of the Argo River remains the same as it was in the early 13th century: a mas- Owner: Historic Patrimony Service of Fernando Iznaola, project team; sive form perched on the city’s highest promontory above the city’s the Ministry of Culture of the Carla Bovio, Sebastián Guivernau, ramparts. The King of Navarra, Sancho VI, began construction of the royal Government of Navarra, Prince of construction team fortress in 1189, but by 1198, his son gave it to the Bishop of Pamplona for Viana Institute Engineer: NB35, Jesús Jiménez Architect: Rafael Moneo––Rafael (structural); I y S Iturralde y Sagüés Paula Deitz, editor of The Hudson Review, is writing a book about a 13th-century Moneo, principal; Francisco Gonzáles (mechanical) king of Navarra. Her last article for record appeared in February 2004. Peiró, Christoph Schmid, Eduardo General contractor: COPISA 07.04 Architectural Record 121
1. Lecture hall 2. Library 3. Archive 3 2 1 0 10 FT. SECTION A-A 3 M. 122 Architectural Record 07.04
The front entrance leads into a grassy courtyard (right and opposite). Here, Moneo enclosed a majestically proportioned and simply executed colonnaded cloister (below) with glass and steel curtain walls. It unites the restored old 33,480-square-foot palace, in which the academic research center is located, with the archive space in the new, 129,600-square- foot tower.
The library occupies ery vaults, is now the 8 the gabled portion of exhibition space. A 2 1 9 3 the restored palace stair down to the lower 7 (opposite). In the level (below) illus- basement, the early trates Moneo’s poetic 4 4 6 Gothic hall (bottom), handling of materials with its dramatic trac- and light. 4 4 10 4 4 5 BASEMENT LEVEL GROUND FLOOR 1. Vestibule 2. Early Gothic hall 13 3. Mechanical equipment 11 4. Archives 12 5. Entrance A 4 6. Court 7. Entrance hall 13 8. Reading room A 4 9. Conservation workshop 4 10. Lecture hall N 0 20 FT. 11. Parking FIRST FLOOR 6 M. 12. Support services 13. Void
streets of the city. In the entrance courtyard, the sleek glass-and-steel curtain-wall Inside, the medieval stonework has been maintained in the enclosure contrasts nicely with bulky stone columns tailored by chamfered door surrounds and in the partially visible tracery vault in the tower’s corners and simply decorated capitals: Medieval rusticity is enhanced by entrance room. A 12th-century water cistern and the “S” mark of a elegant, streamlined technology. A gilded ceiling above the cloister radiates mason of the period retains evidence of human hands. Fortunately, a hall a royal light over this symbolic space. The main entrance door into the in the Cistercian style, dating from the palace’s original period and sunk cloister, now reinstalled, was rebuilt in 1592 for a visit by Philip II. Mounted cryptlike below ground level in the north wing, remains totally intact. over its dropped arch is the escutcheon, not of the bishops, but of the Cited as the foremost example of early Gothic civil architecture in Emperor Charles V––representative of the kings who lived there. Navarra, the hall features six bays of square-section ribbed vaults that In a sense, designing the archives constitutes a second homecom- rise directly from the wall without supporting corbels or capitals. Lined ing for Moneo, who designed a winery, Bodegas Julián Chivite, outside of with freestanding exhibition cases displaying old manuscripts, some Estella in Navarra in 2001 [record, May 2003, page 256]. Like the archives, ornately illuminated, it further anchors the archive to the past. A sunken it represents a successful marriage of historic structures—a stone tower, a esplanade around the entire complex allows light to flow diffusely into church, and a manor house—plus state-of-the-art winemaking sheds. Yet the depths of the lower-level spaces. the Pamplona archives also provides another example of Moneo’s accep- On the ground floor, the lecture hall faces the south wall in a tance of fragmentation in an urban setting. As he noted in a Harvard lecture space thought to be formerly occupied by the chapel. The library-related in 1998, architecture serves “as a metaphor to describe the reality around us,” interiors are suffused with the warmth of the wood in the bookshelves, and therefore architects should be guided by the history and spirit of the beamed ceilings, staircases, as well as the soft hues of terra-cotta and beige place in their designs. The Pamplona archives meets the additional challenge stone. Typical of Moneo, the work reflects his unfailing good taste for of preserving within the old palace walls the documented history of an materials and textures that live well together. ancient kingdom that has been absorbed into a modern country. ■ In the new utilitarian sections of the building, mobile and com- pact bookcases in the stacks for the archival documents allow maximum Sources Plaster, partitions, and insulation: storage. Devising a solution that any new library could well emulate, Stone: Zubillaga Tabiven Moneo distanced the rooms from each other on eight levels to avoid Roofing: Montajes Rosaz; Zubillaga Floor and wall tile: Cerámicas extensive damage in case of fire. He arranged them around a central well Wood: Carpintería José Rutia Navagres; Revestimientos Vitoria 96 where a ramp spirals squarely from top to bottom under a massive V of a Steel: Carpintería Metálica JG; Floor covering: Suelos Sal; Stonecoat skylight. It is easy to roll the research materials from place to place, thus Carpintería Metálica Tamoser eliminating dependence on the elevators. Moneo differentiated the tex- Glazing: Decovidrio; Crisesa ture of the contemporary walls from the old masonry by cladding the Cabinetwork and custom wood: For more information on this project, exterior of this storage tower and other new structures in the cluster with Carpintería Paco Blasco go to Projects at smooth slabs of mottled limestone minus the mortar. Paints and stains: Decoraciones Olite www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 125
The Brown Center’s milky white (bottom). angular form sprang The cant of the volume from an odd-shaped, along Mount Royal tightly bound site Avenue (right in top (opposite). At night, photo) nods to MICA’s its fritted-glass skin last new structure, the cloaks the interior in 1907 Main Building.
The razor-sharp Modernism of Ziger/Snead and Charles Brickbauer befits a new program for the 21st century at the BROWN CENTER of the Maryland Institute College of Art By Deborah Snoonian, P.E. P lanners in the mid-Atlantic region like dimensions and constraints. For months, PRO JECTS to kick around a dreary term, “the Brickbauer walked the two blocks from his row Baltimore-Washington corridor,” that house to the site, a parallelogram-shaped lot robs each city of its unique character. hemmed in by Mount Royal Avenue, the Fox But architecturally speaking, there’s reason to Building (a former shoe factory converted to consider the two as one: They boast many galleries and classrooms), and Howard Street. revered buildings designed in traditional styles, These visits were the key that eventually and only a few Modern structures dot their unlocked a rational geometric solution. “The last cityscapes. Much of Baltimore’s better contem- thing I do is design,” says Brickbauer, an old- porary architecture was built by local firm school Modernist in the mold of Philip Johnson, Peterson and Brickbauer, which was dissolved in his former employer. “I need time to think first.” 1994 when the principals neared retirement age. He decided to echo the 62-degree angle of the A year later, loath to hang up his credentials, site’s parallelogram throughout the building, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © E D UA R D H U E B E R , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; C A M E R O N DAV I D S O N ( T H I S PA G E ) ; architect Charles Brickbauer, AIA, joined Baltimore firm Ziger/Snead as a where its faces meet each other or rise from the ground. MICA president design consultant. The team’s boldly angular Brown Center at the Maryland Lazarus, whom Brickbauer and partner Steve Ziger laud for his unflagging Institute College of Art (MICA), completed last January, is quite simply the support of the design, appreciates the rigor of the firm’s approach. “An finest Modern building erected in Baltimore or Washington since I.M. architect that flies in to do a signature project can’t possibly understand a Pei’s East Building of the National Gallery of Art made headlines in 1978. site the way a local firm can,” he says. This crystalline eye candy is no mere bauble for Charm City. A simple four-story loft supported by concrete columns, the Flexibility and functionality transcend, thankfully, the mere razzle-dazzle of Brown Center is sheathed in a taut, fritted-glass skin bearing a pattern of form. It’s the first newly built academic structure at the 178-year-old art tiny dots that evokes the pixels of computer screens. Its three angular vol- school in nearly a century, when the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 destroyed umes, comprising 61,000 square feet, read as a unified whole from inside. MICA’s downtown campus and forced a move north to Bolton Hill, a The southern volume, across from the Main Building, houses classrooms, brick-row-house neighborhood. With classrooms and production spaces production labs, offices, and small meeting rooms. The middle volume for MICA’s growing digital-arts program, along with a 550-seat auditorium, encloses a full-height atrium where students and faculty mingle. A narrow the building has both anchored a growing campus and become a promi- rectangular volume close to the Fox Building contains a fire stair and ele- nent civic destination for lectures and performances. vators. The auditorium is below them in the basement. MICA’s presence along Mount Royal Avenue was once so low-key The architects pulled classrooms and production spaces away A L A I N J A R A M I L LO ( O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M ) that visitors often drove past the campus before realizing they’d arrived. In from the glazed envelope and wrapped them in circulation corridors, a lay- 2000, as part of a master plan that calls for nearly doubling the size of the out that’s smart in two ways. First, it prevents glare, anathema to digital school’s physical plant, planners Ayers Saint Gross called for a signature building across from the 1907 Renaissance Revival Main Building. Fred Project: Brown Center, Maryland team; Glenn Shrum, lighting design Lazarus, MICA’s president, began discussing the project with Brickbauer, a Institute College of Art, Baltimore Engineers: Morabito Consultants longtime acquaintance and Bolton Hill resident. Brickbauer and the Architect: Ziger/Snead and Charles (structural); James Posey Associates Ziger/Snead team presented a study model to MICA’s board of directors in Brickbauer—Charles Brickbauer, (m/e/p) spring 2001. It was met with round applause, and the project was named design principal; Steve Ziger, partner Consultants: Enclos (curtain wall); for board member and prominent local banker Eddie Brown, who donated in charge; Hugh McCormick, project Higgins Lazarus (landscape); D3cg $6 million toward its $20 million price tag. architect; Craig Carbrey, Jeff Morgan, (digital graphics); The Lighting The result is a cleanly limned form conceived from the site’s David Naill, Mark Treon, design Practice (lighting) 07.04 Architectural Record 127
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L A I N J A R A M I L LO ( T H I S PA G E A N D O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M ) 1. Atrium 2. Auditorium 3. Classrooms, production, offices 3 3 3 A soaring atrium (above) digital art shows. On a 1 is the heart and soul sunny day, the facade 2 of MICA’s new flagship appears almost opaque building. Though hall- (opposite, bottom). 2 ways are often hung Dramatic contours with paintings (opposite, emerge from a vantage top right), the building point parallel to the boasts high-tech Howard Street Bridge SECTION A-A 0 20 FT. 6 M. accoutrements for (opposite, top left). 07.04 Architectural Record 129
The auditorium (left) has seen lots of activ- ity; its stair and small lobby (opposite, top left) are popular gath- ering spots before events. Exposed ceilings and simple materials and furnish- ings create an airiness in meeting rooms with campus views (opposite, top right). Students can peer down into the lobby from corridors that encircle classrooms (opposite, bottom). artists trying to preserve their eyesight. Second, it keeps students focused on their work while in class, yet lets them absorb information from their surroundings as they move through the building—the right balance for those learning to draw inspiration from external stimuli as well as the 11 6 quieter voices of their own creative impulses. A dynamic interplay of form and material seduces visitors into attempting to capture its kinetic qualities. Put simply, the Brown Center 4 plays tricks on the eyes. From some vantages, the raked angles appear either more or less steep than they actually are. The building’s facade changes dra- 3 matically depending on the weather, angle of the sun, and time of day, 1 2 morphing slowly from nearly opaque to transparent and ranging in color 5 from a milky-greenish-white to a chameleon’s palette of pink, green, gray, and blue. These pleasures are amplified by a level of workmanship that is uncommonly high for a project with a comparatively modest budget. 0 30 FT. With enthusiasm and exactitude, the MICA community has N 9 M. embraced the building by creating installations that celebrate its particulars. GROUND LEVEL One student tucked a chunky, brushed-metal sculpture into the handrail of the ceremonial stair that cascades down through the atrium. A spring exhi- bition made use of the facade’s mullions as display space for strip-collages 1. Green space of American and British pop-culture icons. And just a month after it 2. Fountain opened, faculty member Alexander Heilner fitted the interior lights with 3. Atrium red gels and projected digital displays on the facade to mark the centennial 11 4. Auditorium lobby of the Great Baltimore Fire. If the Brown Center—itself symbolic of a new 5. Auditorium era at MICA—can be so aptly used to commemorate the last big event that 8 A 6. Loading dock transformed this venerable art school, its staying power as a great building P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L A I N J A R A M I L LO 7 7. Gallery seems, well, indisputable. ■ 3 8. Lecture hall A 10 9 9. Classroom/ Sources Laminate: Wilsonart production Glazing, glass railings, glass Carpet: Monterey 10. Office entrances: Harmon Paint: Sherwin Williams 11. Fox Building Plaza lighting: Louis Poulsen TYPICAL FLOOR N 0 30 FT. (existing) Exterior lighting: Hydrel; Bega 9 M. Interior lighting: Zumbotel Staff For more information on this project, Lighting (general); Strand Lighting go to Projects at (performance) www.architecturalrecord.com. 130 Architectural Record 07.04
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
RESTAURANTS Form Follows Food CHEFS AND OWNERS ARE LEARNING THAT PART OF THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS LIES WITH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS THAT CAPTURE THE SPIRIT AND FLAVOR OF THEIR RESTAURANTS. By Clifford A. Pearson 1. F or most Americans, dining out means picking up something BU I LDING TYPES STUDY 835 New York City greasy and familiar and, quite often, eating it in the car. Yasumichi Morita used an innovative According to the market-research firm NPDFoodworld, three palette of traditional and new materi- fourths of all restaurant-prepared meals in the U.S. fall into the als to create the epitome of a stylish, take-out category, and 60 percent of these involve hamburgers or pizza. modern Japanese restaurant. So much for ambience. But at the same time, fine dining is flourishing, rebounding from a sluggish period after the 9/11 attacks and the recent 2. recession. According to a Zagat survey of New York restaurants (a bell- weather for the upper end of the market), 32 percent of diners say they ate Gstaad, Switzerland out more in 2003 than in 2001, and 53 percent say they spent more per P H OTO G R A P H Y : © N A C A S A PA R T N E R S ( 1 ) ; T H O M A S D U VA L ( 2 ) ; B J O R G P H OTO G R A P H Y ( 3 ) ; DA I C I A N O ( 4 ) Parisian designer Patrick Jouin trans- meal. Nationwide, Americans age 8 or older eat 4.2 commercially formed an 18th-century chalet into prepared meals each week, up from 3.7 meals a week two decades ago, an up-to-the-minute home for a pair according to a report by the National Restaurant Association. That trans- of restaurants, a bar, and a disco. lates into 53.5 billion meals a year for the country. As we eat out more often and spend more money on it, we are 3. getting more demanding in terms of the dining experience: the food, service, and setting. While top chefs have become stars with their own TV New York City shows, books, and food empires, all the attention has only made compe- A Greek diner gets an extreme tition more intense. To make a splash or stay on top in the business today, makeover from architect Philip Wu chefs and owners need establishments that look great. Thinking strategi- and starts a new life as a place chic cally more than they ever did before, they’re approaching restaurant enough for Sex and the City. design as an integral part of their businesses, something that must sup- port and enhance the cuisine and, indeed, the entire project’s identity. 4. The four restaurants in this Building Types Study range from a 16,000-square-foot dining and entertainment complex in a Swiss chalet to Nagano, Japan a 2,500-square-foot noodle place on the way to a Buddhist shrine in The clean lines and simple materials Japan. But all four demonstrate a keen sense of architecture working of this restaurant, by Kengo Kuma, seamlessly with the culinary arts to create a coherent personality and provide a proper setting for pilgrims image. Yasumichi Morita’s theatrical design for Megu in New York City, on their way to a Buddhist shrine. for example, would be all wrong for the Soba Restaurant at Togakushi Shrine, but jives perfectly with restaurateur Koji Imai’s concept of mod- ern, super-hip Japanese dining. Similarly, Patrick Jouin’s pulsating, witty design of Chlösterli expresses the sybaritic character of Alain Ducasse’s food, but would clash horribly with the understated charm of Simpson Wong’s Jefferson in Greenwich Village. Developing an architecture that captures the flavor of a dining venue requires translating a menu into three dimensions. It means under- standing the ambitions of chef and owner and knowing how to please the For more information on these projects, go to Projects at customer. In today’s super-competitive dining market, it can mean the www.architecturalrecord.com. difference between success and failure. ■ 07.04 Architectural Record 133
Megu New York City 1 YASUMICHI MORITA BRINGS HIS HIGH-ENERGY BRAND OF MODERN JAPANESE DESIGN TO AMERICA AND GIVES A SHOWSTOPPING PERFORMANCE. By Clifford A. Pearson Architect: Kajima Associates When Megu opened in Tribeca this story establishment. Call it Modern Interior designer: Glamorous March, it made a big splash on the Japanese Baroque. The design cer- Company—Yasumichi Morita, New York restaurant scene. The tainly matches the food, which Satomi Hatanaka, Seiji Sakagami, food, the service, the design, and includes such showy dishes as Kobe project team the prices are all larger-than-life, as beef cooked at the table on sizzling Owner: Koji Imai/Food Scope if made for the silver screen. Rocco hot rocks and salmon-and-toro New York DiSpirito’s one-year-old restaurant tartare with a mound of wasabi-soy Engineers: Hage Engineering on 22nd Street might be reality TV, mousse that’s melted in front of (structural); CY Mills (m/e/p) but Megu is a Technicolor fantasy. your eyes by a waiter holding a red- Design consultant: Hashimoto If your idea of Japanese hot iron poker. Partners—Osamu Hashimoto, restaurants was shaped by the The man behind Megu is Koji Sachiko M. Masaki, project team blond woods and graceful counters Imai, a 35-year-old entrepreneur Consultants: Kenji Ito (lighting); of small sushi bars, Megu will come who has 30 restaurants in Japan. Shoji Tahara, SKS Scott Kirk/Carlo as a shock. There’s nothing quiet With Megu, his first foray into the Fornerino (acoustical) about this place, from the waitstaff American market, Imai hopes to Construction supervisor: Toshi yelling “Irasshaimase!” (welcome) kick-start a run of restaurants in Enterprise as you arrive in the dining room to New York and perhaps other parts General contractor: Kudos the bold colors and unorthodox of the U.S. To lead the design team Construction mixing of materials all over the two- for his American flagship, Imai hired Size: 14,000 square feet Completion date: March 2004 Sources Cabinetwork and woodwork: Cmack Construction Wall and floor tiles: Seto Seikei Chairs: Lef Vinyl leather upholstery: Sincol For more information on this project, go to Projects at www.architecturalrecord.com. 134 Architectural Record 07.04
Rising sun: A Japanese flag made of porcelain sake bottles stacked on rice bowls grabs attention from the street (opposite, left) and separates the entry foyer from the stair leading down to the dining room (right). At the landing, a grid of sake labels works as art (far right). In the bar, the designer used kimono fabric in rolls on two walls and spread out on the over- head light (below).
Yasumichi Morita, a young Osaka- You rang? A 700-pound based designer who had worked bell copied from one with him on Maimon, a restaurant at a temple in Nara, that opened in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Japan, hangs from the district in 2002. ceiling of the 40-foot- high dining room. Program Part of a new generation of supersize restaurants opening in Manhattan, Megu sprawls over 14,000 square feet and includes a vermilion-colored “Kimono Bar,” an “Imperial Lounge” overlooking the dining room, a small VIP lounge originally conceived as a smoking room, a sushi bar, and a private dining room adjacent to the kitchen, in addition to the 200-seat main dining room. The restaurant occupies the ground floor of a 19th- century cast-iron building and flows into the basement level as well. Solution “Because Megu is so big, we designed it as a series of different scenes,” explains Morita. The action begins on the sidewalk, where guests can see a backlit, mosaiclike wall in the foyer emblazoned with a red Japanese sun in the center. Closer inspection reveals the wall to be made of porcelain sake bottles and rice bowls stacked one atop the other so they form columns. Like the first shot of a well-crafted movie, the entry wall provides important clues about what comes next. Reinterpreting icons of Japanese culture and using old materials in strikingly new ways turn out to be key themes tying together Megu’s conspicuous dis- plays of imagination. After the porcelain bottle-and- bowl wall, the first full dramatic scene happens in the bar, where rolls of kimono fabric line two walls, and squares of the same fabric P H OTO G R A P H Y : √ © N A C A S A PA R T N E R S form a kind of quilt stretched over a long light box above the bartenders. Morita used mirrors and the room’s vibrant Chinese red to crank up the impact of the luxurious kimono material, creating a dazzling, almost kaleidoscopic effect even before customers order their drinks. The designer skillfully alter- nated action scenes with quiet moments, such as the lounge just 136 Architectural Record 07.04
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
138 Architectural Record 07.04
beyond the bar, where beige mer- cedes leather and tall curving banquettes set a relaxed tone. He also choreographed the experience of moving through the restaurant; for example, directing customers down a paired set of narrow stone stairs, so the double-height dining room looks even bigger when they arrive at their tables. At almost every turn, Morita found yet another ingenious way of treating familiar materials. On the way to the restrooms, cus- tomers walk past a wall of Japanese matchbook covers set into glass. At the stair landing, they can admire a grid of sake labels attached to curving plastic mounts and lit from behind. In the dining room, the designer created a checkerboard of bamboo mats on one wall, and on the opposite side he glued thin rectangles of stone on glass so they seem to float in an old masonry pattern. Never-ending cycle: Every Holding center stage in the 3 day a new ice Buddha 2 dining room is a giant, 700-pound must be made (opposite, bell, a facsimile of a much heavier 4 top). The sushi bar fea- one at a temple in Nara, Japan. tures a colorful image Sitting below is a Buddha ice sculp- of Nara printed on glass ture, slowly melting into a pool 6 (opposite, bottom left). 1 5 decorated with floating hibiscus For the west wall of the leaves. Bordering on kitsch, the dining room, Morita bell and Buddha serve as a visual glued stone on glass anchor to the large dining hall. (opposite, bottom right). 7 On the east, he created Commentary a warmer surface using Moving beyond stereotyped images bamboo mats (above). of geishas and samurai, Morita and GROUND FLOOR his client have translated Japanese culture into an architectural lan- guage understood by New Yorkers. 1. Entry hall Tactile, bold, and inventive, their 2. Reception 9 restaurant engages diners in a 3. Coat check cinematic experience that unfolds 4. Bar as one moves from one space to 5. Lounge another. “Megu is not just for eating,” 6. Pantry 8 11 says Morita. “It is also entertain- 7. VIP lounge 10 ment.” That it is. 8. Dining At a time when people jet 9. Private dining around the globe and images 10. Sushi bar bounce instantly from one continent 11. Kitchen to another, Megu offers a high- energy interpretation of modern Japan by a Japanese artist for an American audience. Is it authentic? 0 10 FT. Does it make any difference? It’s LOWER FLOOR N 3 M. show biz. ■ 07.04 Architectural Record 139
Chlösterli Gstaad, Switzerland 2 PATRICK JOUIN TURNS AN ALPINE CHALET INTO A CHIC DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUE FOR EUROPE’S JET-SETTERS. By Philip Jodidio Designer: Patrick Jouin—Patrick Set in a 300-year-old chalet on the Jouin, Laurent Janvier, Tomoko main road into the Swiss mountain Anyoji, Sanjit Manku, Tania Cohen resort of Gstaad, Chlösterli blends Architect: Robert Stutz tradition, modernity, and a sense of Client: Michel Pastor, Delphine humor. The chalet, built by the monks Pastor of Rougemont Abbey, had been Consultants: Hervé Descottes converted into a restaurant and (lighting); Philippe David (graphics) pizzeria before the Monaco devel- General contractor: Michel and oper Michel Pastor bought it. Pastor Delphine Pastor and the chef Alain Ducasse called on Paris designer Patrick Jouin to Size: 16,000 square feet, including breathe new life into the dark wood two 1,100-square-foot dining areas, a structure. Jouin, who also worked 1,600-square-foot dining terrace, and with Ducasse on the Plaza Athenée an 850-square-foot discotheque Restaurant in Paris as well as Mix in Completion date: December 2003 New York City, is a 37-year-old who had been in charge of furniture and Sources product design for Philippe Starck Video fireplace: Souvenirs from the before starting his own firm in 1998. Neiges, one of seven Spoon loca- in the ground-floor restaurant see Earth Working within strict guidelines tions around the world. (Jouin relatively little of the project’s con- Wood terrace tables: Michel on what is the oldest wood building designed the Spoon Byblos in Saint temporary personality, entering the Poupion in the village, Jouin cleaned and Tropez, which opened in 2002.) dining room from discreet, streetside Terrace chairs: Fermob restored the chalet’s facades. The Ducasse also operates acclaimed doors and eating in a room where Armchairs in bar: Cassina Contract most visible intervention outside the restaurants in Paris, Monaco, and slate floors and oak paneling set the Spoon chairs: Cassina France building is a new, 1,600-square-foot New York, and châteaux and hotels tone. Jouin reworked traditional oak Lighting: SES Giraudon terrace for summer dining made of in France. Busy guy. chairs with saddlelike leather seats, Stone paving: Christian Messerli Iroko wood and concrete. Subtle Each of the restaurants at gently tweaking convention. (Jouin Wood flooring: Müller-Hirschi variations in the placement of slats Chlösterli has its own 2,250-square- designed all of the project’s furniture Wine wall: Chambrair in the wood enclosure surrounding foot kitchen serving a dining area and light fixtures.) Metal joinery: Metalbau Stoller the elevated terrace allow diners to of less than 1,100 square feet. The two-story-high disco is P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T H O M A S D U VA L take in the bucolic mountain setting. Targeted to a wealthy clientele, the most spectacular departure Chlösterli includes an 850-square- from the usual Alpine experience. Program foot discotheque on the ground floor. Scottish slate on the floor gives way Ducasse’s plan called for not one to resin blocks lit from below by a but two restaurants: a traditional Solution LED system that pumps vibrant and Swiss dining venue on the ground Using the chalet’s dark-wood inte- changing colors into the space. A floor and, above that, Spoon des rior as an aesthetic baseline, Jouin 17-foot-high glass wall divides the For more information on this project, applied an unexpected mixture of disco from the kitchen and serves as go to Projects at Philip Jodidio is a Paris-based jour- modernity and tongue-in-cheek a giant, transparent wine rack. Jouin www.architecturalrecord.com. nalist who writes about architecture. respect for Swiss tradition. Diners played on the incongruous presence 140 Architectural Record 07.04
A new dining terrace (opposite) is the only major change to the exterior of the old chalet. Inside, LEDs light up the disco floor and a glass wall dis- plays wines (this page).
of international sophistication in a traditional farming area by designing tables in the shape of old wine buck- ets and wood seats that are wry updates of vernacular prototypes. Two cramped stairways, recall- ing the chalet’s rural origins, take diners up to Spoon, where a sleek, Modern aesthetic asserts itself. In the bar, a “fireplace” made of plasma screens shows flickering images of the fire not allowed by local regulations. Metal-frame chairs slung with leather seats signal the more refined atmos- phere on this floor, while a private dining area, nicknamed “the aquar- ium,” offers views of the disco floor through a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. The second floor’s entirely Modern vocabulary completes Jouin’s sly transition from Switzerland’s past to Gstaad’s jet-setting present. Commentary Instead of denying or covering up the irony of a hip dining-and-partying venue in a house built by 18th-cen- tury monks, Jouin employed it as a design tool. Not wanting to erase the past but to play on it, he created a handsome and witty environment that takes diners on a spatial journey toward progressively more Modern settings and furnishings. Given the extremes involved, making this tran- sition work without causing aesthetic gears to screech was no small task. Patrick Jouin pulls off the trick with cool panache, in the process bridg- ing a gap of three centuries from timeworn wood to the pulsing beat of a discotheque. ■ 1. Bar 2. Discotheque 9 5 5 9 3. Entry 4. Traditional 10 restaurant 8 5. Kitchen 6. Lounge 4 7. Spoon restaurant 2 8. Private dining 7 1 6 9. Office 9 6 4 3 10. Tunnel to terrace SECOND FLOOR N 0 10 FT. GROUND FLOOR 3 M. 142 Architectural Record 07.04
Tables imitating wine buckets (above) and blocky wood chairs (far right and opposite, top right) in the tradi- tional restaurant are sly references to rural prototypes. A private dining room (right) over- looking the disco floor and Spoon restaurant (opposite, bottom) features sleeker, more Modern furnishings. A banquette in the traditional restaurant (opposite, top left) offers a cozy place to relax.
Jefferson New York City 3 PHILIP WU MINES A WEALTH OF INVENTION FROM A MODEST BUDGET FOR A MINIMALIST RESTAURANT IN MANHATTAN SHOWCASING AMERICAN CUISINE. By William Weathersby, Jr. Architect: Philip Wu Architect— There is more of a cultural melting Philip Wu, principal; Hitoshi pot behind Jefferson than its presi- Maehara dential-sounding name and New Client: Simpson Wong American cuisine would imply. Consultants: JKW Engineering Architect Philip Wu—Vietnamese- (engineer); James Wai (interior) born, Hong Kong–raised, and General contractor: Level Harvard-trained—has designed Construction the handsome, 70-seat Greenwich Village eatery for chef/entrepreneur Size: 1,500 square feet (dining, bar, Simpson Wong, a Malaysian of kitchen, and bathroom); 1,000 square Chinese ancestry who built his rep- feet (basement storage and office) utation with traditional Southeast Cost: $120 per square foot (including Asian cooking at Cafe Asean, his mechanical) other establishment, located sev- Completion date: January 2003 eral doors down the same block of West 10th Street. The site of Sources Jefferson, meanwhile, is a former and cooking styles of East and single doorway, leaving the brick Doors: Blumcraft no-frills Greek diner within a 1960s West. Though not a die-hard facade intact with scars from the Acoustical ceiling: Solaton storefront overlooking the colorful Modernist, Wong says he turned removal of the former horizontal Acoustical Tiles Jefferson Market Library designed to architect Wu to create a simpler, diner sign. Capitalizing on the three Wood flooring: Pianeta Legno by Calvert Vaux in 1877. Such a more refined backdrop than his large windows overlooking the gar- Lighting: Osram rich confluence of ingredients has earlier café, a colorful hodgepodge den of the library across the street, Bar top: Corian yielded a serene space that appeals of rustic furnishings the entrepre- Wu placed a lounge with banquette Bar stools: ICF to connoisseurs of both fine dining neur had orchestrated himself. seating flush with the facade to Chairs: Crassevig and design. The Minimalist, loftlike “Though we wanted a stream- “serve as the restaurant’s calling Upholstery: Knoll interior may at first glance appear lined look for Jefferson, many of my card, instead of major signage.” disarmingly simple, but on closer design choices were a result of the The interior of the restaurant inspection unfolds as a carefully existing conditions of the site and is divided into four main spaces: P H OTO G R A P H Y : © B J O R G P H OTO G R A P H Y constructed collage of light, texture, the conservative budget,” Wu says. vestibule, bar/lounge, dining, and and volume. “Minimalism and restraint became service/kitchen. Inserting vertical virtues because of constraints.” planes would have blocked views Program of the garden from the dining room When launching Jefferson, Wong, a Solution situated to the rear of the floor self-taught chef who learned his Although the pedigree of the store- plan, so Wu employed varied ceiling craft preparing meals for his father’s front brick-and-glass facade was of heights, ranging from 10 feet, 4 timber company in Malaysia, says little interest in itself, Wu says, the inches to 12 feet, 9 inches, to he wanted to reach beyond the sim- building resides in a landmarked demarcate discrete zones. The For more information on this project, pler fare of Cafe Asean to showcase historic district, so major architec- changing landscape of the ceiling go to Projects at a sophisticated vein of American tural changes were not allowed. Wu plane—which features two new www.architecturalrecord.com. cuisine that juxtaposes ingredients chose to extend the height of the skylights (plus a third within the 144 Architectural Record 07.04
The facade of Jefferson remains largely unchanged from its original storefront state, save for taller glass doors (opposite). A lounge area (below) is separated from the main dining space (far right) by a sculp- tural, stacked plywood bar topped by solid surfacing. The concrete flooring continues as a runway for patrons along an oak-paneled wall (near right).
1. Reception small bathroom), becomes a subtle 1 2. Bar/lounge yet effective visual canopy above 3. Dining the interplay of diners and waitstaff. 4. Kitchen Wu limited his palette to four 2 3 4 5. Wait station main materials: concrete, wood, glass, and acoustical tile. A ribbed acoustical surface called Solaton clads half of the wall and ceiling surfaces. Typically used for office 5 ceilings in Japan, its installation at Jefferson represents the product’s N 0 3 FT. debut in the U.S. “I searched for FLOOR PLAN 1 M. a material that could dampen The conceptual lighting noise but maintain a surface with REFLECTED LIGHTS diagram (left) shows sculptural interest,” Wu says. Wu’s layering of light The acoustical walls and ceiling from skylights and are punctuated by an array of inset linear fixtures recessed linear light fixtures that LINESTRA 20-INCH TUBE reflected by mirrored are arranged asymmetrically as and glass panels. an artful visual motif. FROSTED GLASS The light-colored acoustical walls are complemented by quarter- LINESTRA 40-INCH TUBE sawn French white-oak flooring that rises up as paneling along one wall. “Again, the budget precluded a fine wood paneling, so I specified fairly REFLECTED LIGHTS REFLECTED LIGHTS standard oak and tried to use it in a MIRROR different way.” Similarly, the front bar CLEAR TEMPERED GLASS is a sculptural rectangle of stacked layers of laminated plywood topped by solid surfacing in a demure taupe. Weathered concrete flooring rests underfoot in the lounge and along a “runway” leading from the entry, through the dining area, and back toward the kitchen. Contrasting with the textures of the wood and acoustical tile, glass surfaces—in mirrored, frosted, and clear treatments—deftly expand sight lines and the volumetric char- acter of the room. Commentary The blond interior palette may seem anemic until one discovers its enhancement by an arresting play of sunlight through skylights during the day, and ambient illumination in the evening. Furnishings—beige banquettes and cane-backed wood chairs—are quiet accompaniments. Wu says the restaurant is his response to “the noise and clutter” of many local eateries. Faced with Jefferson’s visual and aural calm, diners discover that, like food, architecture stripped of excess can still be a thrill to the senses. ■ 146 Architectural Record 07.04
A new skylight along the rear wall of the dining room casts light on the frosted-glass panels set behind a long banquette. Asymmetrically placed linear light fixtures are an artful element dot- ting oak-paneled walls. The bar (opposite) is a sculptural divider in the loftlike space.
Soba Restaurant at Togakushi Shrine Nagano, Japan 4 KENGO KUMA EXPLORES THE EXPRESSIVE POSSIBILITIES OF A SIMPLE STRUCTURE AND A RESTRAINED PALETTE OF MATERIALS. By Clifford A. Pearson Architect: Kengo Kuma The Togakushi Shrine in Japan’s Associates—Kengo Kuma, principal; snowy highlands near Nagano Shuji Achiha, design associate draws both Buddhist pilgrims and Client: Okusha Kaikan tourists with its temples and dra- Engineer: Oak Structural Design matic natural setting. A 1-hour Office—Masato Araya, director walk along a cedar-lined road leads Consultant: National Matsushita visitors to Oku-Sha, one of three Electrical Works (lighting) sanctuaries at the shrine. At the General contractor: Chihiro- start of this road, Tokyo-based Kensetsu Corporation architect Kengo Kuma has created a humble but poetic restaurant Size: 2,560 square feet serving a local specialty: the plain Completion: March 2003 buckwheat noodles called soba. Sources: Program Glazing: Asahi Glass Asked to replace an existing restau- manner that heightens its impact. diners look through the enclosed Entrances: Nabco System rant that was falling apart, Kuma Used in conjunction with a steel terrace and a wall of cedar louvers Chairs: Kagawa Mokkou designed a one-story structure that frame and glass curtain wall, the red- whose top and bottom edges are Hanging light shades: Inoue is as straightforward and satisfying cedar louvers form an abstracted obscured by the horizontal planes Takezaiku as the establishment’s featured forest surrounding diners inside the of the upper wall and floor. Kuma dish. The 2,560-square-foot building restaurant and connecting them to says he hid the edges of the lou- houses a one-room dining area, a the real forest outside. vers to blur the separation of the kitchen with a long opening to the “I didn’t want to make an architecture from its surroundings. dining room, a small soba-fabrica- object building that would spoil the “I wanted to create one easy flow,” tion room, and an enclosed terrace natural spirit of Oku-Sha,” says he explains, “to de-emphasize the running the length of the structure. Kuma. “Rather, I wanted the archi- end and the beginning.” tecture to become part of the The tables and chairs in the Solution approach to the shrine, to be a restaurant, all made of stained white Kuma has made a name for him- frame or path that exists between ash so they blend seamlessly with self with projects that explore the the subject and the object.” the floor and louvers, extend an aus- nature of the materials they use, Using a gable roof with eaves tere aesthetic of material and visual such as the Bamboo House outside that come low to the ground, the continuity throughout the interior. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © DA I C I A N O of Beijing, the Stone Museum in architect tried to make the building Hanging lamp shades wrapped Tochigi Prefecture, and the Hiroshige disappear in its wooded setting. around a row of plain light bulbs Ando Museum (also in Tochigi), Due to the large amount of snow provide glowing accents to the which mesmerizes visitors with that falls in this part of Japan every space and add a necessary touch rhythmic rows of Japanese-cedar winter, the joists are 10-inch-deep of visual warmth. For more information on this project, louvers. In the Soba Restaurant, he timbers that make a strong impres- go to Projects at again employs a simple material— sion overhead in the dining room. Commentary www.architecturalrecord.com. stained cedar—in a repetitive From inside the restaurant, Just as Zen masters teach the value 148 Architectural Record 07.04
Raised above the ground and tucked below a gabled roof, the small restaurant is carefully inserted into its wooded setting (opposite). Wood lou- vers (right) and an enclosed terrace (far right) help connect the dining room (below) with the outdoors.
1. Dining and beauty of repetition, Soba 2. Kitchen 2 Restaurant’s straightforward steel 3 3. Soba preparation frame and rhythmic spacing of wood 4. Terrace louvers and glass planes express the quiet power of simple things 1 done well, then done again and 2 3 again. Light and shadow help bring 4 the design alive, dancing among 1 0 10 FT. the tables and chairs and adding a N GROUND FLOOR sense of play within the rigid struc- 4 3 M. tural elements. In plan and section For visitors to the Togakushi (above and left), the Shrine, Kengo Kuma’s restaurant 2 1 4 design emphasizes a provides just the right amount of repetitive system of caloric and emotional sustenance, wood and steel mem- enough to engage and please the 0 3 FT. bers. The decor extends senses without weighing them down 1 M. SECTION this scheme (below). for the rest of the journey. ■ 150 Architectural Record 07.04
CIRCLE 66 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Defining Component-Based Design ARCHITECTS ARE APPLYING SOPHISTICATED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES TO BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND DISCOVERING THE LOST ART OF QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP By Barbara Knecht R ecent discussions about innovations in prefab- B U I LD ING SCI ENC E rication and modular or unitized construction methods generally focus on the aesthetics and economics of the final product. The process, or rather processes, of reaching the end tend to be described generically, as if all programs can be addressed the same way. For example, a growing number of adventurous young architects have embraced prefabrication as a segue into the middle-class housing market [record, December 2003, page 123]. Although they might be sim- ilarly motivated collectively, no two projects are realized using identical methods. Prefabrication and modular construction simply cover too many procedures. The terms also describe a range of building products, such as the production of structural insulated panels (SIPs) and exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), both of which are ubiquitous in commercial and residential building. And recently, prefabricated or unitized window units are emerging as an effective way to achieve high thermal performance with minimal tolerances in curtain walls [record, May 2003, page 267]. The Seattle Central Library has a sophisticated curtain wall, which was pre-engineered off-site. The real innovation these days can be found in the work of architects who have a great deal of knowledge about manu- lacks the preconceived notions associated with prefabrication and modular, facturing technologies as well as conventional construction methods and and one that describes the process that follows after the architect asks, How through experience have found the interface between the two worlds. The does this building want to be made? projects here can be described as component-based design, a term that The case for component-based design Barbara Knecht is an architect and writer based in New York and Boston. She “The pace of change in materials in the 20th century was not so rapid,” contributes to record frequently on technology issues. says Michael Stacey, principal of Manufacturing Architecture Practice in London. “There is nothing in contemporary polymer constructions that Charles and Ray Eames wouldn’t be able to understand. What has CON T I N U I N G E DU CAT I ON changed is the architect’s engagement with the process of making things.” Use the following learning objectives to focus your study Concerned that architects have become disengaged with the materials and while reading this month’s ARCHITECTURAL RECORD/ processes of architecture, Stacey has pushed the exploration of building AIA Continuing Education article. To receive credit, turn components through practice and teaching. to page 160 and follow the instructions. Components are, by one definition, units of something more P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R C S I M M O N S than the sum of a set of individual elements of construction. Stacey sees L E AR N I N G O B J ECT I VE S component design as a deliberate process of thinking through the rela- After reading this article, you should be able to: tionship between the overall intent of a project and the means for 1. Define component-based construction. achieving it. A working knowledge of materials and their manufacturing 2. Describe how components are used in buildings. process, combined with new tools for prototyping and modeling, is stan- 3. Explain why installing factory-built units is more efficient than dard practice for him. “At the end of the 19th century, architects were the building entirely on-site with raw materials. individuals expected to have the ‘rounded’ view of both structural and nonstructural materials, and they were the ones expected to make For this story and more continuing education, as well as links to sources, white material design decisions. But by the end of the 20th century, compart- papers, and products, go to www.architecturalrecord.com. mentalization of responsibilities was complete.” In his treatise Component 07.04 Architectural Record 153
Ballingdon Bridge of Waterloo, Ontario, by Brookes Stacey using 2D form delin- Randall has a complex eation and 3D modeling. geometry that required Precast-concrete units the architects to cut create the diagonal sections through the symmetry of the bridge. piers every 2 inches. Six timber molds were The final form was required to produce tested by rapid proto- 12 units of the bridge typing at the University superstructure. Seasoned English Horizontal SS flat Oak grooved-edge welded to vertical decking SS flat SS fixing plate Recessed cast with pignosed bolts balustrade arm Compression stud Cast stainless- steel balustrade arm (peened) Tension bars bolted with pignosed Halfen-type fixing feature nuts Extruded stainless- steel edge member fixed to balustrade arm SECTION THROUGH LONGEST BALUSTRADE ARM AT MIDSPAN S P R E A D ) , E XC E P T © K AT S U H I S A K I DA ( O P P O S I T E , TO P R I G H T ) Design (Architectural Press, 2001), Stacey attempts to renew the It is not the materials that are new. Aluminum has been around designer’s relationship with the art of building. “With the wealth of mate- since 1807, glass since 4,000 b.c. It is the understanding of these components I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY B R O O K E S S TA C E Y R A N DA L L ( T H I S rials at hand, and the vision of what they can do, the editing skills of an and the consideration of how they can be used together that opens up the architect in making material design decisions is very important.” design. In the East Croydon rail station in the south of England, Brookes “Engineered” materials—metal and plastic extrusions, castings, Stacey Randall (Stacey was a founding partner) developed a glazing system formed sheet metal, composites, and glass—are the kinds of components with aluminum extrusions, toughened glass, and steel castings. The glazing that architects have given over to the engineers and manufacturers, making them the designers of the final visual effect, according to Stacey. The archi- SELLERS HAVE CREATED A MYTHOLOGY tect draws the idea, the engineer or the manufacturer determines what THAT THE PROCESS OF MAKING A material it will be made of and how it will be put together. “The material sellers have created a kind of mythology that would have you believe the MATERIAL IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX. process of making a material is extremely complex, when it is almost system lies below the spanning structure. The aluminum extrusion was always quite simple,” Stacey observes. “It has to be simple or it can’t be designed with symmetrical grooves front and rear, identical but serving sep- delivered routinely and cost effectively. Otherwise, it remains a theoretical arate purposes: the front, to receive silicone gaskets that act as closures at wall material in the lab at MIT. We are able to sit down with the manufacturers junctions; the back, to hold signage, door tracks, and internal glazing. and have a meaningful conversation that leads to the selection of the right The use of stainless-steel castings at the head transforms the lin- materials with the right properties to make a better piece of architecture.” ear extrusions into a three-dimensional building component. Castings have 154 Architectural Record 07.04
The operable skylight of this London apart- ment by Brookes Stacey Randall (left) is made of aluminum to reduce the load on the hydraulic openers. The section was manu- factured off-site and lifted into place by a crane (far left). B U I LD ING SCI ENC E Brookes Stacey Randall’s East Croydon rail station’s glazing system is based on anodized-aluminum extrusions. Each pane of toughened glass is supported at only four points (right). The mul- lions (far right) have front grooves to receive silicone gaskets and rear grooves to carry door tracks, signage, and internal glazing. the advantage of making highly efficient use of materials with structural building team using 21st-century materials and methods. and geometrical requirements accommodated in a single component. In the future, the connection between architects and materials Glass, in Stacey’s words, “is perhaps the first building element to be self- manufacturing will lay in digital technology. Still in its infancy, it prom- evidently a component.” It is a predetermined element of fixed size, with ises to make the connection between design and fabrication rapid and predictable performance and quality. Component design is characterized direct, turning three-dimensional drawings into three-dimensional by a thorough thinking of the process of making and connecting materials products nearly instantly. The fundamental processes of making archi- for the best effect. A component is a single element or an assembly. tecture are not affected, but the ability to see, hold, and refine designs For the Art House, a private residence in London, Brookes before they are constructed on-site reopens the connections between Stacey Randall proposed using a glass stair for openness, light, and manufacturing and design. simple beauty. The London code has no provision for a glass stair. New material applications can be stymied by recalcitrant building officials, Relentless precision but the architects discussed the concept with the building control officer, “Every project is unique, and the architect unlocks how a particular building and together they worked out how to maintain the desired visual effect wants to be built,” explains Marc Simmons, principal of Front (www.front- and to give the officer confidence that it would achieve the intent of the inc.com), an architectural practice in New York specializing in curtain-wall code. A series of tests were performed to verify performance, and the design.“Without a lot of experience to draw on, an architect can go through contractor chose to witness the test to better understand what he was an investigative process and reject certain options because they appear to be being asked to build. The process emulated an integrated 19th-century problematic, but then unforeseen hiccups will arise that drive costs up.” 07.04 Architectural Record 155
B U I LD ING SCI ENC E Jeff Barrett applied 15 (DFM) and reliability years of experience in engineering to analyze manufacturing medical designs prior to factory devices to the produc- production. Reliability tion of modular or engineering assumes component-based van- that optimal perform- ities for the hospitality ance of a complex and education indus- component or system tries. He uses design can be determined at for manufacturability the outset. As facade consultants (with Dewhurst Macfarlane Partners) manner. This approach is then what Simmons calls “semi-unitized.” on the Seattle Central Library, designed by Rotterdam-based Rem He argues that those “fine tolerances” that are produced in the controlled Koolhaas/OMA (see page 88), experience was indeed crucial to the out- environment of a factory can be achieved using a hybrid system. come. “The library’s facade is among the most sophisticated curtain walls, and yet simple,” say Simmons. “It’s not a cavity wall; it’s very thin. The Design for manufacturability design intent was not conducive to the kind of component-based con- Jeff Barrett, president and C.E.O. of Eggrock (www.eggrock.com), a R E N D E R I N G S : C O U R T E SY J E F F B A R R E T T / E G G R O C K struction previously mentioned—prefabricated modules shipped to the Concord, Massachusetts–based company focused on manufacturing site and assembled.” It does, instead, fall into a subcategory of component architectural products, was trained in economics and industrial engi- neering and has an M.B.A. For 15 years, he worked in the medical-device “FINE TOLERANCES” THAT ARE PRODUCED industry, where he held senior operating positions focusing on develop- IN A FACTORY CAN BE ACHIEVED USING ing FDA-approved products for medical markets. As someone who had a personal interest in design and architec- A HYBRID SYSTEM. ture, he was struck by how behind the times construction seemed as building that Simmons calls a hybrid. It’s true that the envelope was 90 compared to other industries, such as automotive and medical-device percent site built, but all the pieces were pre-engineered, creating an elab- production. It occurred to him that the construction industry could be orate kit of parts (or components). Each element of the grid was perfectly improved by leveraging the same state-of-the-art manufacturing cut, then indexed and labeled. Every hole was drilled using computer and engineering principles used by others. Then he discovered the numerical control (CNC) technology. Every gasket was installed in the component-based designs of the Philadelphia-based architecture firm extrusions in the factory. In other words, everything that could be unitized KieranTimberlake and approached them about rigorously testing a design was, but assembly took place on-site in a relentlessly precise and repetitive as one would do prior to manufacturing a product—processes called 156 Architectural Record 07.04
The Seattle Central off-site to the extent Library is an example that they could, using of a hybrid approach CNC technology to to component-based create a kit of parts design. The curtain- for the facade. Then wall consultants, 90 percent of the Front, chose to pre- construction was per- engineer everything formed on the site. B U I LD ING SCI ENC E P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R C S I M M O N S ; D I A G R A M : C O U R T E SY O M A / L M N J O I N T V E N T U R E design for manufacturability (DFM) and reliability engineering. Using 3D commercial bathrooms typically requires that trades work sequentially, solid modeling software (in this case, SolidWorks), Barrett was able to which, of course lengthens the construction time. Plumbing, electric, tile, identify potential product problems from a product engineering and millwork, and glass trades must be orchestrated perfectly to produce a manufacturing point of view—for example, where countertops might two-bowl vanity in nine days. crack, access panels may weaken over time, and other reliability issues. As architects and builders know all too well, any delay cascades DFM and reliability engineering turn component-based design down the chain. Furthermore, each trade is working in cramped condi- tions and cannot match the efficiency of a well-tuned factory where all THE FACTORY HAS THE BENEFIT OF WORK- work can be done in parallel. In Barrett’s factory model, everything is ING UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING installed into the units in the factory—solid-surface counters, supply and waste pipes, sinks and faucets, shelving, mirrors, light fixtures, and RIGOROUS QUALITY-CONTROL PROCESSES. electrical outlets. The factory has the benefit of working under ideal con- into a highly engineered product suitable for factory production, thereby ditions, including rigorous quality-control processes. On-site, they need reducing costs and making architectural products more accessible to more only be set in place and connected to one electrical and plumbing con- people. Eggrock is designing and producing high-end vanities, and will nection. This can be achieved in less than one day, versus nine days using soon expand into entire bathrooms, and eventually kitchens, for the hos- the conventional method. pitality and education industries. Barrett understands the benefits of The applied knowledge that Stacey and Simmons argue for is off-site manufacturing over on-site construction. On-site construction of evident in the work of some forward-thinking design-build firms, which 158 Architectural Record 07.04
nonetheless adhere to a pragmatic approach. St. Paul, Minnesota–based architects Warner + Asmus, for instance, embrace the realities of manu- facturing rather than struggle against them. “We stress using existing processes and materials whenever pos- sible,” says principal Geoffrey Warner. “It is important to design in a way that takes full account of who is actually building the project, which is easier said than done when trying to push the envelope. Contractors [and manufacturers] who are willing to work with architects to achieve some- thing out of the ordinary deserve a lot of credit.” The firm is completing a IT IS IMPORTANT TO DESIGN IN A WAY THAT TAKES FULL ACCOUNT OF WHO IS ACTUALLY BUILDING THE PROJECT. B U I LD ING SCI ENC E house made from SIPs. Because Warner has such a thorough knowledge of the manufacturer’s system of fabrication, he claims that the working drawings for the shell could have been sketched on a napkin. As shown, component-based design can be applied to almost any scenario, from the conventional to the experimental, and for any budget or at any scale. Although acknowledging that design remains “a continuous and reiterative process of value judgments,” Stacey and a growing number of architects believe that the tools of mass production, which enabled the development of tools of mass customization, will now The gridded exterior of the Seattle Central Library covers 126,767 square feet. allow architects to rediscover genuine craftsmanship. ■ A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL RECOR D c. the contractor understood what he was being asked to build d. the architect replaced the building officials with engineers CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION 5. According to Stacey, the future of the connection between architects and materials manufacturers is which? INSTRUCTIONS a. putting architects in charge of manufacturing ◆ Read the article “Defining Component-Based Design” using the b. having architects design the materials or systems that connect the parts of learning objectives provided. a building ◆ Complete the questions below, then fill in your answers (page 226). c. design-build ◆ Fill out and submit the AIA/CES education reporting form (page d. digital technology 226) or download the form at www.architecturalrecord.com 6. Factory construction is faster than on-site construction for which reason? to receive one AIA learning unit. a. on-site trades work sequentially b. factories are remote from the site QUESTIONS c. raw products cannot be delivered to a site 1. A deliberate process of thinking through the relationship between intent of a d. factories operate 24 hours a day project and the means of achieving it is defined by Michael Stacey as which? 7. Why is factory production more efficient than on-site construction? a. component design a. the factory allows work to be done under ideal conditions b. elements of construction b. on-site construction requires more scheduling of subcontractors c. working knowledge c. factories have quality control d. units of something more complex d. all of the reasons above 2. Engineered materials involve which procedure? 8. The example of semi-unitized construction resulted in which? a. engineers draw the idea, select materials, and decide how they will be put a. assembly in a factory together b. fine tolerances b. architects draw the idea, select materials, and decide how they will be put c. holes drilled on-site together d. grids cut on-site c. architects draw the idea; engineers then select materials and decide how 9. New advances in unitized construction are seen in which building component? they will be put together a. structural insulated panels d. engineers draw the idea; architects then select materials and decide how P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R C S I M M O N S b. EIFS they will be put together c. curtain walls 3. Advances in component design are due to which factor? d. polymer construction a. new materials 10. Architects were once expected to have knowledge of structural and b. new engineering methods nonstructural materials to make design decisions. What happened in c. new understanding of components the 20th century? d. new joinery techniques a. detailing was invented 4. A glass stairway was allowed by building officials for which reason? b. responsibilities were compartmentalized a. it was open and light c. engineers governed materials b. the performance was verified d. the gap between architects’ knowledge of materials was exposed 160 Architectural Record 07.04
Tech Briefs A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY Investigation into collapse of Terminal 2E concourse continues At press time, preliminary findings of the French government’s technical investigation into the fatal collapse on May 23 of the year-old concourse building at Roissy Charles de Gaulle International Airport, just north of Paris, were due out in late June. Meanwhile, a parallel investigation into the circumstances surrounding the four deaths caused by the sud- den collapse is under way. The structural failure occurred at a section of the flattened tube- shaped concrete building designed by architects and engineers of the owner, Aéroports de Paris (AdP), a state company. The lead architect on the project, Paul Andreu (who retired from AdP last year), has declined to comment on the collapse until The collapsed area of the concourse is near an “isthmus” link to the main terminal building (seen in center background). investigations are completed, acting on the advice of his attorney. Sunday morning, when few passen- covered by a vaulted concrete roof. continuous but are, in fact, largely Only about 4 percent of the gers were in the airport—precluded The vault bulges to create a space of independent of each other, linked 2,130-foot-long concourse struc- more fatalities. Victims of the acci- about 100 feet at its widest, and structurally only at their bases by P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S ( TO P ) ; E U R O P E A N P R E S S P H OTO A G E N C Y, S I PA ( B OT TO M ) ture was directly affected by the dent were located in an “isthmus” curves back in by several feet at floor cast-in-place concrete girders. collapse, but the fate of the entire zone of the building, which connects level. Numerous punched windows These girders run along the outer building remains uncertain. While the concourse with the main arrivals within the structure provide natural edges of rows of columns that rise investigations continue, the Terminal and departures area. The collapsed lighting, and more light enters from piles installed in the clay-rich 2E complex has been closed; how- section abutted the isthmus, which through glazed gaps between the soil beneath the building. ever, AdP reports no faults with the was largely undamaged (see photo, 10 continuous concrete tubes that At the isthmus building, sev- linked 1.12-million-square-foot main above, and rendering, next page). form it. eral alternate side panels of the passenger building served by the Most of the mangled metalwork Each of the concourse roof’s vault were opened up to create concourse. evident after the collapse is the non- continuous sections is made of 17 three passenger entrances. At Terminal 2E is the most recent structural framing for the concourse precast-concrete vaults. Adjacent those locations, the remaining addition to the airport’s second vault’s 323,000-square-foot glazed sections of this vaulting appear intermediate vault sections were Aérogare, which has opened in covering. stages since 1981. Covering nearly The ill-fated concourse lies 50 acres east of the original com- parallel to the main terminal build- plex, it was built at a cost of about ing and is equipped to serve 17 $900 million and completed in aircraft. Because of the isthmus, June 2003. Less than a year after it the otherwise regularly repeating opened to traffic, operators must structural-shell configuration of the use other parts of the airport in an concourse is interrupted by open- effort to compensate for losing the ings. While this discontinuity is a terminal’s 10-million-a-year passen- potential weak point in the building’s ger capacity. fabric, investigators are also looking into alleged construction problems Understanding the design with some of the columns support- Though there was little warning of ing the concourse tube itself. the structural failure, the timing of its Structurally, the concourse is occurrence—just after dawn on a essentially a long, elevated platform Workers are collecting debris that may point to the cause of the accident. 07.04 Architectural Record 163
Tech Briefs A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY designed to be connected to each Primault, a senior engineer with other via the crown in order to the parent company Vinci Group. bridge the structural gaps formed The pieces, forming both the sides by the openings. and the crown of each section, were The vault’s base was con- then brought to the site, where, structed to rest on sliding bearings using large cranes, GTM installed to accommodate thermal expan- the three sections on temporary sion and other normal movements internal props. Workers then of the structure. As a result, they “stitched” the sections together behave more like beams than with cast-in-place-concrete and arches, according to one British steel reinforcing bars to form a con- engineer informed of the project’s tinuous enclosure. Substructures AdP had problems with the concourse’s supporting columns during construction. details. The bending resistance of of the concourse building were con- the shells is reinforced by a series structed by a different firm, Hervé Continuing the airport’s look near-vertical curved front of the ter- of curved trusses affixed to their of Paris. At least visually, the vault’s design minal, the contractor cast sections exterior (photo, right). During construction, AdP continues a theme applied a decade of the ceiling almost flat on a spe- Conceptually, the design of recorded problems with the con- earlier by Andreu, then AdP’s chief cial turning frame and later pivoted Terminal 2E “couldn’t get much struction of the columns supporting architect, in the adjacent Terminal them to the right orientation. The simpler,” says the U.K. structural the vaults. As a result, each of 2F (at right in rendering, below), more horizontal parts of the ceiling engineer, who requested to remain them was reinforced externally by which is almost a mirror image of its were cast on props first, and only anonymous. He further adds that, applying a layer of fiber-reinforced follower. At the older terminal, the then was the supporting steelwork spanning about 100 feet, the struc- concrete. While AdP declines to architect called for a blocky, vaulted erected. ture cannot be seen as a particularly For the recent Terminal 2E challenging or risky design. THE DESIGN OF TERMINAL 2E WAS NOT main building, the design was sim- AdP undertook all the outline PARTICULARLY DARING OR CHALLENGING, plified to ease construction and design and also managed construc- reduce costs, says Anne Brison, tion of Terminal 2E, mobilizing some SAYS A U.K. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. AdP’s project architect. Its ceiling is 150 architects and engineers discuss details while the investiga- concrete ceiling within the 1,300- made of African timber, which was from within its ranks. However, the tion continues, a close observer foot-long, curving main building. more easily installed and lighter builder of the vault is reported to of the project recalls a work stop- This ceiling, which serves no struc- than the 2F vault, she notes. But for have denied responsibility for detail page for several months during the tural purpose, is supported by Terminal 2E’s concourse roof, which P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY E I F F E L / L AU B E U F ( TO P ) ; R E N D E R I N G : A X Y Z / A D P ( B OT TO M ) design work, which would have concourse’s construction. “They more than 5,400 tons of steelwork has a span more modest than that been normal practice in France. had some serious cracks in the arches. The arches span nearly 200 of the main building, designers columns,” says the engineer, who feet between two lines of supports reverted to concrete, this time using Construction problems? worked on a nearby building. and project back another 30 feet or it structurally and eliminating the During construction, contractor Additionally, vault deflections “were so to a glazed rear wall. Erecting steelwork arches used in 2F. GTM Construction of Paris precast bigger than expected,” he adds. Terminal 2F’s ceiling was one of the Since retiring from AdP last each vault section in three pieces “They (AdP) recalculated completely toughest tasks, contractors said year, Andreu has run a small near the airport site, recalls Didier the full structure.” during the project. To achieve the practice near Montsouris Park in southern Paris. However, he continues to collaborate Collapsed area of with AdP on various proj- Terminal 2E ects. Among his most recent Isthmus structure innovations was the pro- Main concourse posal to use titanium for the long-span main girders of a new terminal for the airport at Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, his design for a new national theater are Terminal 2F (existing buidling) taking shape in Beijing, and his Oriental Art Centre PARTIAL PLAN VIEW OF in Shanghai is also well CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT advanced. Peter Reina 164 Architectural Record 07.04
Residential Both stimulating and calming, water in a residential landscape connects shelter to the outdoors T he sound, movement, and reflective BRIEFS properties of water make it a most Lincoln Cottage to be restored weapon in the war on germs: a concept home desirable element to augment the A generous gift from the National Trust for that not only resists fire and earthquakes, but landscape of a home. Water features, Historic Preservation, Comcast Cable, and termites and bacteria, as well. The home is once a hallmark only of aristocratic estates, are HGTV has enabled the restoration of President constructed of more than 200,000 pounds increasingly affordable and used imaginatively Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home, better know as of steel, much of it AK Coatings AgION antimi- in smaller-scale residential gardens. Water has the Lincoln Cottage. This Gothic Revival cot- crobial-coated steel. Several other companies, been added to the restoration of Richard tage was the summer residence of Lincoln and including Carrier, Dacor, Dupont, and Sargent, Neutra’s 1960 O’Hara House, by C.J. Bonura of his family from 1862 to ’64; besides the White contributed products to the home. Bonura Building (pictured below). The pool House, it is the only building in the U.S. linked Residents of the Netherlands go at once blends with the existing architecture, to Lincoln’s presidency. The first phase of the with the flow Tired of fighting sea tides, creates white noise to mask sound from the restoration, overseen by Hillier Architecture, inhabitants of Maasbommel, the Netherlands, street, and cools the afternoon air that blows will be completed in September 2004. have designed amphibious homes that are through the house. Working in tandem with the Realizing the American Dream built on solid ground but are able to float. environment, water displays both dynamic and At the start of June, National Home owner- The houses sit on land but are connected to static properties. ship month, HUD announced a $161.5 million 15-foot-long mooring posts by sliding rings The four houses featured on the fol- grant slated for first-time home buyers. that allow them to float with the tide. Their lowing pages are defined by water, its compelling The funding, allocated to 400 government water and sewage pipes and electrical focus serving as the organizing principle for their agencies, will be distributed to those wishing cables are encased within these posts. The design. These houses, finely crafted by their to purchase a home whose incomes do not houses are relatively expensive for the area, architects, gain even greater appeal through the exceed 80 percent of the area median but with an evident land shortage in the skillful use of this element. Jane F. Kolleeny income. More information on this federal Netherlands, amphibious homes could be program can be found at www.hud.gov. the wave of the future. Nation’s first antimicrobial home Roanoke, Va., cradles housing AK Steel has recently revealed the latest design and construction compe- tition The Roanoke Regional Housing CONTENTS Network, GreenBlue Institute, and the AIA 168 PIA and HUD Awards present the First International Cradle to 172 27, 27A, 27B Berrima Cradle Housing Design Construction Road Competition, inspired by the book Cradle to WOHA Designs Cradle by William McDonough and Michael P H OTO G R A P H Y : © FOTO W O R K S 178 Weathering Steel House Braungart. The competition aims to bring Shim-Sutcliffe Architects together architects and students with local 185 Texas Twister builders, developers, and community groups Building Studio to increase awareness about green building 188 Villa C and ultimately construct about 30 homes Groep Delta Architectuur selected by a jury. The entry deadline for 195 Kitchen Bath the competition is December 15, 2004. For Portfolio more information, visit www.c2c-home.org. 201 Residential Products Audrey Beaton 07.04 Architectural Record 167
Residential News RESI DENTIAL The American Institute of Architects Announces the Housing PIA and HUD Awards for Design Excellence S INGLE-FAM ILY CUSTOM Project: Russell Cottage galvanized metal, with hooks Location: Panama City Beach, for hanging wet bathing suits Fla. and towels, contrasts with the Architect: Looney Ricks Kiss rich antique “sinker” cyprus Client: Darrell Russell, AIA planked floor and rustic shell- and-crushed-limestone inset. This West Indies–inspired week- Porches on both floors at the end cottage uses color and front of the house overlook texture to combine traditional a main street, while a more charm and contemporary style. private screened porch opens A “drip wall” made of corrugated from the rear. Project: Blue Ridge Farmhouse living and entertaining space, Addition, Pleasant View Farm as well as a changing room and Location: Washington, Va. bathroom, to an existing 18th- Architect: Robert M. Gurney, century farmhouse. Conceived of FAIA as outbuildings, Gurney’s pavil- P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J E F F R E Y J A C O B S / A R C H I T E CT U R A L P H OTO G R A P H Y ( TO P T W O ) ; Client: Robert and Elizabeth ions, one clapboard and one Haskell steel and glass, join the exist- ing building via a new entrance Located in the rolling hills of spine, and complement the central Virginia, this graceful materials and geometries of addition adds a spacious new the old farmhouse. PAU L WA R C H O L ( M I D D L E ) ; S T E P H E N S I M P S O N ( B OT TO M T W O ) Project: The Prospect Location: La Jolla, Calif. Architect: Jonathan Segal, FAIA Client: Jonathan Segal, FAIA Segal’s residence/architecture studio mitigates the dividing line between residential and commercial property in down- town La Jolla. Despite its urban area is flanked by a reflecting below on the other. Segal location, the house is remark- pool on one side and a glass served as architect, owner, ably private. The main living floor looking into the studio and contractor. 168 Architectural Record 07.04
The diversity of housing and community development projects honored here testifies to the truth that good design need not be constrained by financial resources, geography, or environmental concerns. This is demonstrated by an educational/civic center that serves as a centralizing force for the community, single-family houses that draw inspi- ration from historic precedent, barracks and row-house designs that exploit the aesthetics of these distinct building types, and three residential projects that propose unusual mixed uses in tight urban settings. Indeed, good design- ers use limitations as opportunities that propel them toward unconventional solutions. Jane F. Kolleeny S INGLE-FAM ILY MARKET Project: Row Homes on F light and air in each of the Location: San Diego, Calif. 17 homes. Designed as Architect: Kevin deFreitas live/work units, the residences Architects interact with the street through Client: Sebastian + deFreitas their gracious overhangs, landscaping, and individual This adaptation of the typical stoops, as well as a ground- East Coast–style row house to level room that can accommo- urban San Diego maximizes date a home-based business. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © F R A N K D O M I N ( TO P L E F T ) ; C A R O L P E E R C E ( TO P R I G H T ) ; B E N J A M I N S E G A L ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; M A R V I N R A N D ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) Project: The State This project defines two new family residence that is influ- Location: San Diego, Calif. housing types for San Diego’s enced by Southern California’s Architect: Jonathan Segal, urban core. One combines a courtyard-style houses. Both FAIA smaller living space with a types consider the character Client: Jonathan Segal, FAIA rentable office/apartment. The of the neighborhood and the other is a mixed-use, single- scale of the streetscape. 07.04 Architectural Record 169
Residential News RESI DENTIAL MULT I FAM ILY HOUS ING Project: North Towers-on-the- glass facades to immerse the Court apartments in light, maximize Location: West Hollywood, internal and external views, Calif. and connect each floor within Architect: Michael B. Lehrer the residences. At night, the Client: 8223 Norton LLC. towers are illuminated bea- cons. Their adept use of a These tower units, a new type street “wall” and recessed of courtyard housing devel- mass allow the units to be built oped on West Hollywood’s repeatedly within an existing narrow lots, use four-story neighborhood. Project: Loyola Village the units, each with its own Location: San Francisco, Calif. entrance, supports the pedes- Architect: Seidel/Holzman trian traffic of the neighbor- Client: University of San hood, while the buildings’ color- Francisco ing and texture enhance the identity of the area. The build- Loyola Village skillfully adds ings’ mixture of studio, and 136 units of university housing one-, two-, and three-bedroom to an area flanked by an urban apartments for faculty and campus and a residential students maintains the diversi- neighborhood. The scale of ty of the community. COMMUN ITY DES IGN ST E V E H A L L / H E D R I C H B L E S S I N G ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; TO RT I G A L L A S A N D PA RT N E R S P H OTO G RA P H Y : © R U S S E L L A B RA H A M ( TO P L E F T ) ; TO M B O N N E R ( TO P R I G H T ) ; Project: City West This project simultaneously Revitalization revitalizes Cincinnati’s West Location: Cincinnati, Ohio End and provides quality hous- Architect: Torti Gallas and ing to families and individuals Partners with varying incomes. The Client: Community Builders houses are sensitive to propor- tion, mass, and scale. Historic precedent guided the design. Project: Belmont Heights This redevelopment of an existing Estates 860-unit public housing project Location: Tampa, Fla. transformed barrack-style housing Architect: Torti Gallas and into a residential neighborhood of Partners traditional houses with sociable ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) Client: Tampa Housing front porches. Tree-lined streets Authority break up the existing superblocks, creating a new, comfortable scale for the area. 170 Architectural Record 07.04
Project: The Titan By removing the elevator and Project: Chelsea Court Location: San Diego, Calif. interior corridors of the multi- Location: New York City Architect: Jonathan Segal, family dwelling, Segal was Architect: Louise Braverman FAIA able to add space and cost Client: Palladia Client: Jonathan Segal, FAIA savings to the building. Three entrances are accessible from Designed to show that everyone street level, where a deserves a bright, well-planned parking lot and court- home, 14 of Braverman’s studios yard circulation provide are reserved for the recently a safe, communal homeless, and the other 4 for atmosphere. Within low-income tenants. Symmetry the units, the two-story is created throughout by the living spaces have color coordination of public abundant glazing and hallways with kitchen and bath high ceilings. The exte- tiling. A shared lounge, confer- rior cladding of the ence room, laundry facility, and building is designed to terraces also blend with the recall the tuna boats studios’ aesthetic and enhance that docked in the area the sense of community. in the early 20th century. HUD AWARDS: COMMUN ITY BY DES IGN HUD AWARDS: M I XED USE/M I XED INCOME P H OTO G RA P H Y : © J I M M Y F L U K E R ( TO P L E F T ) ; S C OT T F RA N C E S ( TO P R I G H T ) K R I ST I N E FO L E Y ( LOW E R TO P R I G H T ) ; PAU L H E ST E R / H E ST E R + H A R DAWAY Project: The Carver Academy A new library building with and Cultural Civic Center a glass facade and inviting Location: San Antonio, Tex. overhang is central to a Architect: Lake/Flato Architects vibrant complex that includes Client: The Carver Academy an academy, a renovated civic center, and a cultural arts venue undergoing renovation. ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; R O B B M I L L E R ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) Project: Alegria, The Salvation vides short-term and perma- Army nent housing, a child-care Location: Los Angeles, Calif. facility, and a family develop- Architect: Birba Group ment center for families Client: Residential Communities coping with HIV/AIDS. All the buildings are wood-framed Located just off Sunset and complement the scale of Boulevard, this project pro- the existing neighborhood. 07.04 Architectural Record 171
Crowned by lap pools, R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S WOHA Designs’ three tropical residences find a home on Berrima Road By Robert Powell O n a steeply sloping site on Berrima Road in Singapore, archi- tects Wong Mun Summ and his Australian partner Richard Hassell, known together as WOHA Architects, designed a Modern paradise in the tropics. It’s hard to believe these three, highly refined, almost identical homes are rental units, rising like white oases in the city’s suburbs. The sloping site demanded that the houses span three levels. Placed parallel to one another, each house consists of 4,000 square feet on a 4,000-square-foot lot. The tight site areas chal- lenged the designers to convey spaciousness within limitations and find privacy for residents. The houses are staggered in relation to each other to create interest and reduce visibility to neighbors. The architects explained their design strategy as consisting of three cubic forms linked by circulation passageways. The living and din- ing rooms relate to the garden at the lowest level. The three bedrooms are located at the entrance level, with the master bedroom sited directly in front of the lobby, accessible only from a narrow timber bridge, separat- Robert Powell is an architect, educator, and writer based in Brighton, England. He is the author of a forthcoming monograph on the work of Soo Chan. Project: 3 Units of Detached Houses project team at Berrima Road, Singapore Engineers: Worley (structural); Architect: WOHA Designs—Richard AET Consultants (m/e/p); A. Peter Hassell, Wong Mun Summ, principal Tan Associates (quality surveyors) architects; Stephen Sargent, Philip General contractor: Jenal Chiang, Lee Li Leng, Toh Hua Jack, Enterprises 1. Living room 2. Dining room 3. Gallery 1 4. Kitchen 1 3 5. Storage 1 3 6. Utility 3 7. Asian kitchen P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T I M G R I F F I T H 8 2 8. Service yard 8 2 7 4 8 2 7 4 6 5 7 4 6 5 6 5 0 20 FT. SITE/FLOOR PLAN N 6 M. 172 Architectural Record 07.04
The top level of the houses offers views overlooking the garden. Here, lap pools and timber decks, shaded by a hovering roof, extend the length of the dwelling.
R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S ing it from the public areas of the house. The third and highest level, floating like a pavilion overlooking the gardens and shaded by a hovering roof, comprises another bedroom and family room, a lap pool, and a deck. Kitchen and utility areas occupy a semibasement at the front of the house. Each dwelling is entered from the north at the first-story level into an inviting lobby. The buildings display a composition of contrasts: gray granite works with warm oak timber, solid plaster walls facing east juxtapose transparent curtain walls facing west, and the relative enclosure of the semisubmerged basement spaces dramatically contrasts the expansive views from the rooftop pool decks. Bamboo-surrounded courtyards at the lower level provide intimate and quiet shelter, as opposed to the open- sky roof terraces at the second-story level. The third and highest These three homes The roofs host three parallel, 82-foot lap pools aligned alongside level of each house is rise like white oases identical sun decks. “Singapore’s skies are often overcast and gray, and we like a floating pavilion over the city’s suburbs wanted to transform this condition through the medium of water,” open to the sky (top). (above). explains Richard Hassell. “Water takes in light from its surroundings and saturates it with blues and greens. We used a crystalline-glazed ceramic tile from Indonesia in the pools, which adds to this effect, and then used 1 2 an aluminum-panel ceiling to reflect the effect again.” The narrow rec- 3 tangular pools span the length of the houses and provide a welcome respite from the humidity and hot temperatures. The mood of the 5 4 6 dwellings changes dramatically with the weather—on a wet, overcast day the gray granite elicits coolness, and on sunny days, the brightness of the 8 7 tropical light conveys transparency and warmth. The houses mediate the effects of the sun. “The climate in the tropics is hot and humid all year round,” says Wong. “These conditions SECTION 0 10 FT. require interventions that would not be appropriate in colder climates.” 3 M. Thus the architects employ overhanging flat umbrella roofs for shade, 1. Bedroom 4. Entry 7. Living room which extend more than 16 feet in front of each house and more than 6 2. Family room 5. Bridge to bedroom 8. Kitchen feet on the other three sides. The 4-foot-deep rooftop pools reduce heat 3. Swimming pool 6. Dressing gain; the external walls contain large windows to permit cross ventilation; 174 Architectural Record 07.04
R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S The garden serves as a planted staircase, which flows from exte- rior to interior. Inside, the stone stairs provide plinths for placing art and potted plants (right). Kitchen and utility areas occupy a semibase- ment at the front of the house (below). and the rotation of each living room provides shading of their external walls without the need for wide overhangs. A cantilevered glass overhang above the top-hung windows in the stainless-steel curtain wall is a con- temporary version of a traditional solution to combat the monsoon rain. Such details of construction result from rigorous investigation into the use of modern technology to mitigate tropical weather conditions. Both Hassell and Wong explore ideas on tropical architecture beyond the accepted vernacular of pitched roofs, overhanging eaves, and wide verandas. “We pursue architecture that is not simply romantic imagery,” says Hassell. However, who could resist the romance that water contributes to the building forms it accompanies? Here, the swimming pools set the theme for the silvery reflective palette of the houses. Hassell continues, “Water at the roof level powerfully connects the sky and earth, placing the swimmer in the center of an open expanse.” ■ Sources Gerda Water feature: Mastscape Paint: Nippon Weatherbond Landscaping; Perfect Electric Interior tiles: Sideral; Cosmo Glazed tiles in pool: Kuda Laud Mas Polished stone: Otta Phylitt Quartzite Flooring: Parquet Technologies Kitchen and bath fixtures: Duravit; For more information on this project, Karat; Cosmic; Burnham; San-ei; go to Projects at Caroma; Laufen; Pulieffe; Hangrohe www.architecturalrecord.com. 176 Architectural Record 07.04
178 Architectural Record 07.04
Water reflects and illuminates Shim-Sutcliffe R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S Architects’ Weathering Steel House By Raul A. Barreneche T oronto’s North York district, just a few miles from the CN Tower’s famous spire, is a world away from the genteel, tree- lined neighborhoods that drew Jane Jacobs north of the border after saving Greenwich Village and SoHo from the wrecking ball. In fact, North York, filled with tarted-up, oversize McMansions in fake Norman and Tudor garb, resembles almost any American suburb. The area does have at least one good feature: its setting at the crest of a wide wooded ravine, one of several that slice through Toronto’s eastern flank. This winding swath of nature in the middle of one of North A strong urban face while the south side America’s largest cities figures prominently in the design of a North York of Cor-Ten steel features glass and home by Brigitte Shim and Howard Sutcliffe. The house wraps itself addresses the street wood and opens to the around a small pond filled with lily pads and a lap pool oriented toward on the north side of pools, ravine, and yard the Toronto skyline, thinly veiled by a grove of birch trees and the woods the house (above), (opposite). beyond. The architects, partners in the Toronto-based firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, wanted to ensure visual permeability through the house as a play against a weathering steel exterior that suggests a much heavier struc- 9 10 ture. Windows along the front elevation align with those on the rear facade to open up views of the landscape from the street. 12 The clients initially imagined a stone exterior, but the architects 11 8 persuaded them to try Cor-Ten steel instead. The owners were nervous 10 9 10 when the skin first began to rust, but grew more confident with their 12 choice as the Cor-Ten mellowed to a leathery chocolate tone and texture. 11 Tawny Douglas fir board-and-batten siding on the garage and the play- room, gym, and service wing on the opposite end complements the steel’s SECOND FLOOR burnt-umber tones. Shim and Sutcliffe excavated the ground around the 1. Entrance P H OTO G R A P H Y : © S T E V E N E VA N S , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; J A M E S D O W ( TO P R I G H T ) front side of this partially bermed service volume to create a light court 2. Garage that brightens what would otherwise have remained a dark basement. 3. Living/dining room The move diminishes the monolithic quality of the Cor-Ten exterior, as 4. Reflecting pool do the recessed dining-room windows and a rain scupper notched into 5. Swimming pool the front facade. Rainwater cascading down the scupper leaves its mark 6. Kitchen on the rusty steel siding. 8 5 7. Family room Glass and wood, not steel, dominate the rear elevation. Many of 8. Terrace the floor-to-ceiling mahogany-framed windows open to connect the 9. Study house to the outdoors in good weather. During Toronto’s long, cold win- 10. Bedroom ters, the large expanses of south-facing glass let the sun warm up the 11. Bathroom interior. (Overhangs and built-in brise-soleils of wood and steel provide 12. Roof below 6 solar control in summer.) A pivoting glass door on axis with the pond and Raul A. Barreneche is a New York–based contributing editor for record. 7 4 3 3 2 Project: Weathering Steel House, and building envelope) Toronto, Canada Consultants: Neil Turnbull (landscape); Architect: Shim-Sutcliffe Dan Euser, Waterarchitecture (reflecting 1 Architects—Brigitte Shim, Howard pool, swimming pool); Tremonte Sutcliffe, principals Manufacturing (weathering steel 0 10 FT. 3 M. Engineers: Blackwell Engineering cladding) (structural); Ted Kesik (mechanical General contractor: Kamrus Construction FIRST FLOOR 07.04 Architectural Record 179
R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S A pivoting glass door opens and living room at the left. to the pools outside (above The entrance and stair (at right). Facing toward the the right, below) are across south side (above left), with from the reflecting pool, the reflecting pool below with the living room beyond. lap pool abuts the edge of the water, creating an intimate connection between indoors and out. Rainwater pours down in front of the glass door from a roof scupper into the pond, adding a third dimension to the interplay of water and architecture, a consistent thread throughout Shim- Sutcliffe’s oeuvre. When the owners were deciding on an architect, they visited Shim and Sutcliffe’s own home, overlooking a walled-in garden with an artificial pond, and nearby Ledbury Park, which centers on a 300- foot-long reflecting pool that turns into an ice-skating rink in winter. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J A M E S D O W ( TO P T W O ) Shim and Sutcliffe manipulated the floor plan to create up-and- down movement through the house, as if traversing a topographically varied landscape. The strategy creates a stronger connection to the site than simply opening the house up to the views. Stepping through the front door, one enters a foyer that doubles as a mudroom, a functional necessity given Toronto’s long spells of snowy, slushy weather. The architects built a wooden bench into a wall of storage closets paneled in Douglas fir with a strong vertical grain. A short run of steps leads up to the living room to the right and the dining room to the left; another short staircase leads down to the kitchen and a family room at the rear of the house. The master suite, guest room, and children’s rooms are located on the second floor. As in all of the firm’s projects, Shim-Sutcliffe carefully detailed the 180 Architectural Record 07.04
R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S The living room, with a has mahogany treads, wood-burning fireplace, weathering steel handrails, faces the garden at the and stainless-steel-mesh left (top). The elegant stair guards (below). material palette of concrete and painted steel that play against polished mahogany floors and Douglas fir ceilings. There’s a strong nautical air in the painted steel columns, curving handrails, and slatted-wood ceiling above the entry hall and the stepped walkway down to the lap pool. Inspiration also comes from Alvar Aalto, traditional Japanese wood con- struction, and the borderline-obsessive detailing of Carlo Scarpa, a favorite reference for Shim and Sutcliffe. Beyond formalism, the house reveals Shim-Sutcliffe’s desire to ground its architecture in the physical world and let day-to-day changes in weather and light animate its designs. Every room enjoys expansive views of the woods outside; sunlight on the pools, which remain heated through the winter so they don’t need unattractive pool covers, cast reflections on the ceilings. Steam billowing across the pool in cold weather creates a dramatic effect, especially when it contrasts with snow, while in summer the water very nearly flows into the house. The ultimate inspiration for this home for all seasons comes from the sky, the land- scape, and especially, water. ■ Sources and Wilson; Two Degrees North Exterior steel cladding: Tremonte Tile: Daltile Manufacturing Paint: Benjamin Moore Roofing: Soprema Wood windows: Sashmen For more information on this project, Glazing: Sunlite go to Projects at Cabinets and woodwork: Edwards www.architecturalrecord.com.
How a “trailer with a cowlick” was transformed R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S to Texas Twister proportions by the buildingstudio By David Dillon F rom a clump of cedar elms a carport swoops up and out, as if lenge of restoring something that had been abused,” she says. The couple caught by a sudden gust of wind. Architect Coleman Coker, who acquired the property in the late 1980s, as funding for the nearby with his late partner Sam Mockbee designed the carport and the Superconducting Supercollider was drying up. Having spent billions on house that goes with it, thought it looked like a funnel cloud, so bunkers, tunnels, and other infrastructure, the federal government con- he nicknamed it the “Texas Twister.” “It’s really just a sculptural device, a cluded that the project was a dud and pulled the plug. Land values kind of flag, that tells visitors they’ve arrived,” he explains. plummeted, development stopped, but for some, opportunity knocked. It is also the one bold formal gesture in an otherwise subdued After making do for several years, the new owners asked and straightforward design. No cattle graze this 8,500-acre spread an hour Mockbee/Coker to design a main house overlooking a lake, plus a smaller south of Dallas; but it is home to deer, coyotes, bobcats, wild turkey, feral residence for the ranch foreman. The big house was to be 12,000 square hogs, several kinds of rattlesnakes, and more than 100 species of birds. feet of concrete and glass, with grand spaces and dramatic views similar to The owners, a prominent Dallas businessman and his arts those in the couple’s Dallas house by Antoine Predock. “It just grew and patron wife, bought it to escape the city as well as to have a place for grew,” the wife recalls. “We never could seem to cut the volume back.” their children and grandchildren to gather on weekends and holidays. But the bids came in high, Mockbee died, and the entire proj- They had no interest in ranching—the sardonic “all hat and no cattle” ect was put on hold. Nine months later, the couple decided that the big tag was fine with them—but both are ardent birders and conservation- house was wrong for both them and the site, whereas the smaller ists who saw a chance to create a nature preserve out of a patch of fallow house, which was under construction and which the foreman referred blackland prairie. to as “a trailer with a cowlick,” seemed just right. So the little house, “My husband and I loved the landscape, the birds, and the chal- enlarged slightly with a guest wing, became the main house, and a new foreman’s house, designed by Dallas architect Russell Buchanan, was Contributing editor David Dillon is the architecture critic for The Dallas constructed elsewhere. Morning News. Except for the Texas Twister, the main house is almost subdivi- P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T I M OT H Y H U R S L E Y
sion simple. It forms a crisp L, with the long leg containing the kitchen, R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S living room, and three modest bedrooms, and the shorter one, a pair of guest rooms and a covered patio. The wings are joined by a wood and steel deck that terminates in a drawbridge and observation platform on the north end. The drawbridge is a smaller and simpler version of the dramatic cantilevered aerie at the couple’s Dallas residence. The exterior consists of iron-flecked gray brick and corrugated metal siding, with deep overhangs for protection against the scorching Texas sun. The interiors, by Emily Summers, are equally straightforward and unpretentious: polished concrete floors, raw 2-by-12 pine rafters, exposed conduit, Home Depot light fixtures. Only the custom rugs and a few pieces of designer furniture suggest that the owners are also con- noisseurs. A continuous 2-foot clerestory washes all rooms in natural light, giving them as many moods as the day. The one whimsical touch is the pair of large stainless-steel wheels that open and close the metal sun- screens—a pump house detail transplanted to the arid prairie. Over the years, the owners have restored grasslands, created Project: Texas Twister, ReyRosa Interior lighting: Lightolier numerous ponds and wetlands for migrating shore birds, and sponsored Ranch, Ellis County, Texas Bath fixtures: Kohler research by ornithologists from Cornell. Long concrete water troughs Architect: buildingstudio— Kitchen equipment: Thermador; extend outward from the kitchen and the patio, attracting both birds and Coleman Coker, principal; Jonathan Kitchen Aid; Sub-Zero grandchildren and, like the drawbridge and the observation deck, con- Tate, project architect; Carl Batton Furnishings: Edward Wormley; necting the house to the landscape. Compared to the original main Kennon, Matthias Maier, and Henry Guglielmo Ulrich; Greta Crossman house, it is almost invisible. Yamamoto, production Paints: Sherwin Williams “My husband goes down almost every day, but I’m a city girl who loves urban environments,” says the wife. “It’s taken me a while Sources For more information on this project, to understand the ranch thing and to appreciate the simple beauty of Metal windows/doors: Kawneer go to Projects at this place.” ■ Bathroom floors/tiles: Ann Sacks www.architecturalrecord.com.
7 1 2 1 3 3 6 5 4 3 3 7 10 8 0 20 FT. FLOOR PLAN 10 N 6 M. 3 1. Carport 2. Entry 3 3. Bedroom 4. Living room Except for the “Texas the long leg containing 5. Dining room Twister” (opposite, the kitchen, living room 6. Kitchen bottom), the main (above), and bedrooms; 7. Porch house is subdivision the shorter one, a pair 8. Outdoor dining porch simple, forming a crisp of guest rooms and a 9. Bird-watching L (opposite, top), with covered patio (below). 10. Water trough/birdbath 9
The dining area appears to float in the pond (opposite, top), where large Japanese coy swim (this page). A massive, 85-foot-long wall made of Waimes stone defines the front facade (opposite, bottom).
R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S Appearing to float in a coy-filled pond, Groep Delta’s Villa C harmonizes effortlessly with nature By Philip Jodidio T he Belgian architecture and urban design firm Groep Delta is based in Brussels and in Hasselt, near the Dutch border. One of its senior partners, Frederic Chaillet, decided to build his home on a tract of farmland in Zonhoven, just outside of Hasselt. Trained as an interior designer, he handles the group’s finances, adminis- tration, and clients, and here called on his own creative team, headed by design director and partner Juul Vanleysen. Chaillet had clear ideas about the living space he wanted for his family, and one of them was that the house was to be completely closed on the street side and entirely open to the garden. Vanleysen responded with a massive, 85-foot-long wall made of Waimes stone that defines the front facade, punctuated only by a steel door and a cantilevered carport. The rough finish of the stone wall is equally present in the long entrance hall, whose dark space opens into the P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R E N E E B O R Z E E generously lit living and dining area. Here, unframed floor-to-ceiling glass Philip Jodidio is a Paris-based journalist and the author of more than 20 books on contemporary architecture. Project: Villa C, Zonhoven, Belgium Landscape architect: Michel Architect: Groep Delta Architectuur Pauwels —Juul Vanleysen, architect General contractor: Dethier Interior design: Group Delta Lighting: Roger Toussaint Renovation Interior Engineer: SBC 07.04 Architectural Record 189
Seven stepping stones lead to R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S a concrete seating platform in the pond, a gesture conceived by Vanleysen in the context of a study of “ancient building, astrology, and numerology.” contrasts sharply with the opaque density of the entrance wall. “In all of my work,” says Vanleysen, “I look for a mixture of the old and the new— and a contrast between cold and warm materials. In the Villa C, the rough 1. Entrance stone of the entrance wall contrasts with the clean floor and ceiling. This 2. Hallway gives a kind of emotion to the house.” The architect and his partner did 3. Living room disagree over one unusual feature of the interior: a truncated, shingle-clad 4. Dining room cone that houses the fireplace and projects above the thin roof of the din- 5. Kitchen ing space. “I told him I wanted a square house, because that is the way I 6. Dressing room think,” says Chaillet. “I was against this intrusion, but now it has become 7. Bathroom one of my favorite spaces.” 8. Studio The architect worked closely with landscape designer Michel 9. Carport Pauwels to create exterior spaces in harmony with the architecture, in par- 10. Terrace 10 ticular the pond that faces the dining area. Seven stepping stones lead to a 5 4 10 11 11. Pond 7 8 7 6 concrete seating platform in the pond, a gesture conceived by Vanleysen 3 12. Parking 1 2 in the context of a study of “ancient building, astrology, and numerology.” 9 Pauwels selected grasses, bamboo, and other plants intended to move with the wind. 12 Though furniture, such as the Ron Arad designs in the space near the fireplace, were chosen by the owner, most of the interior design was the work of Groep Delta partner Luc Buelens. The custom-designed 0 20 FT. kitchen features surfaces of steel, glass, and wenge (a dense exotic wood N 6 M. with straight grain and coarse texture) that contribute to the overall SITE/FIRST FLOOR impression of a house that was at least partially inspired by 1960s 190 Architectural Record 07.04
R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S The rough finish of the stone wall is present in the long entrance hall (left). The custom-designed kitchen features steel, glass, and wenge wood surfaces (below). California Modernism. A constant theme on the garden side is the close connection of the interior to the exterior. There are no curtains, and even the master bathroom has a large door opening directly from the shower into the garden. Bedrooms for the owners and their two small children are located on the upper level and also look out into the spacious garden. Custom-designed furniture for the children’s area is echoed in the dress- ing rooms by a wenge-clad block containing drawers and cupboards for the adults. A Paolo Piva bed facing a double-height window dominates the master bedroom. A discreet steel spiral stairway allows access to the ground-level television room. The large plasma screen here is one of the few visible indications of the presence of modern technology in the house, though the residence is fully wired and computer controlled. The Villa C is indeed a study in contrasts, both in materials and in types of spaces, varying between the darkness of the entrance hall and the full light of the living spaces, between a Minimalist smoothness in some features and an intentional play on roughness. Upstairs living spaces are not cramped, nor are they generous, while the dining area and kitchen Sources Dining room: Vico Magistretti for seem to stretch directly into the ample garden. The basin that runs along Floors: Bolidt Fritz Hansen the back of the house on the garden side shows a certain Asian influence Bathroom furnishings: Philippe Master bedroom: Paolo Piva for on both the client and the architect. The presence of water, like that of Starck II B+B Italia plants that blow in the breeze, is intended to animate what Chaillet says Kitchen: Miele would otherwise be a very “static” view. Transparency, light, and reflec- Lighting: Delta Lighting For more information on this project, tions characterize this house and form a striking contrast to the rough, Furnishings: Ron Arad for Moroso go to Projects at closed entrance facade. ■ and Vitra www.architecturalrecord.com. 192 Architectural Record 07.04
Kitchen Bath The dramatic kitchen and bath projects featured in this R E S I D E N T I A L K I T C H E N B AT H year’s Portfolio take advantage of natural and artificial Portfolio light, an array of tactile finishes, and carefully chosen organic and geometric forms to create spaces that are ideal for entertaining, escaping, or both. Rita F. Catinella Gallerylike spaces in a Sydney home frame a couple of art lovers Built to house a collection of art and books for a work-at-home couple, the aptly named “House for Art Collectors” was designed by Marsh Cashman Koolloos Architects (previ- ously Marsh Cashman Architects) on the site of a former Sydney art gallery. The three-level home fea- tures rectangular building forms and a central outdoor private space that accommodates a lap pool. The husband-and-wife clients wanted the home to feature simple and modern finishes and to have a ground floor with an open, flowing connection to the courtyard and external living areas. To reinforce this seamless transition, the firm specified The zinc-clad box thin sections of steel-framed glazing that floats over the to reduce the separation between kitchen (above) con- inside and out. tains the master A box clad in zinc paneling and bathroom, where containing the master bath hovers materials such as over the kitchen, defining the space granite and polished below. For the master bath, which concrete tiles (far looks across the courtyard, the team left) create a clean, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © W I L L E M R E T H M E I E R ( H O U S E FO R A R T C O L L E CTO R S ) chose finishes with a tactile quality, tactile environment. such as polished colored concrete Abundant light tiles for the walls and heated floor, streams in from the and honed black granite for the van- window, which offers ity. A bath and shower for two is views of the court- located behind a sliding glass screen. yard and the city “The bathroom had to be a from the sunken tub pleasant space to relax in,” says (near left). Cashman. “When reclining in the sunken tub, you can open the window and gaze at the view to the city, listen the firm addressed through the feel of a Modernist art gallery but (stove, oven); Maytag (fridge); Miele to music, and set mood lighting.” addition of a screenlike extension. still functions as a home. R.F.C. (dishwasher); Erco (lights); PG The kitchen below has a large Another challenge, building the Grunsells (cabinets); Steel Framed concrete counter that defines the kitchen’s island bench on-site in Architect: Marsh Cashman Koolloos Windows Australia (windows, doors); room and mirrors the shape of the smooth-finished concrete, became Architects Master bath—Sadler Tiles (polished lap pool visible in the adjacent “a structure exercise,” according to Builders: Berg Brothers concrete tiles); Hydrotherm (towel courtyard. The clients, who entertain Cashman. Sources: Kitchen—Vola (tapware); rack); Vola, Hansgrohe (tapware); often, wanted the kitchen to have Despite the challenges, both Mirotone, Laminex, Pilkington (cup- Reflections Design (shower screen); an open plan but remain out of sight client and firm were happy with boards); Romano Concreting Carmoma (toilet); Mirotone (linen from the lounge area, a challenge the outcome—a space that has the (concrete); VM Zinc (ceiling); Ilve cupboards); Kreon (lights) 07.04 Architectural Record 195
Kitchen Bath Portfolio R E S I D E N T I A L K I T C H E N B ATH The centerpiece of the New Inn Square pent- house kitchen is a cantilevered wrapped- stainless-steel island (far left), while a blue, serpentine shower stall is the focus of the master bath (near left). Lighting sets the stage for dramatic bathing in the Clink Street apart- ment (below). Theatrical bathrooms are the stars of two modern London apartments Sources: Kayode Lipedé (concrete); Solaglas (glazing); Delta Light A “dramatic bathroom” might sound room. To allow natural light to filter Architect: DIVE Architects (recessed lights); EncapSulite (fluores- like an oxymoron, but how else could into the space, the architects con- Project: Clink Street Apartment cent lights); Vola (mixer taps); Devi one describe the master bathrooms structed two walls of the bathroom Contractor: Ashbuild Electroheat (warm floor system); in these two London apartments? from two layers of opaque glazing. Structural engineer: Harrison Kirkstone (Brazilian slate tiles); Hafele, Clinton Pritchard, a partner at zynk Dimmable fluorescent light fittings Roberts Allgood (ironmongery) Design Consultants of London, calls are housed within the cavity of the the bathroom of the New Inn Square glazed walls so the bathroom func- penthouse a “complete theater of tions as a light box, lighting both itself blueness.” Blue lens fiber-optic light- and the living space on the other ing illuminates the sculptural focus of side of the wall. the room: a blue, serpentine shower To accommodate the client’s P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J A M E S B A L S TO N FO R Z Y N K D E S I G N C O N S U LTA N T S O F LO N D O N ; stall. Skylights fitted with circular need for a bath large enough to hold openings bring in daylight and fea- three small children, the architects ture colored lighting for night bathing. designed a tub of pigmented con- The custom-built joinery is made of crete, cast in situ. An ideal insulating willow, an unusual timber whose material that gives the 71⁄2-foot-long J E F F E R S O N S M I T H , A R C B L U E . C O M ( C L I N K S T R E E T A PA R T M E N T ) veneer has a holographic effect and tub a seamless finish, the concrete gives the appearance of movement. was heavy enough to require the Theatricality continues as a architects to strengthen the floor motif throughout the apartment. underneath it. A bathtub falling The kitchen boasts a cantilevered, through the floor into the Starbuck’s wrapped-stainless-steel island and located beneath the apartment would professional-style cooking appliances. surely have been too much drama for Custom joinery in the kitchen and one bathroom to handle. Diana Lind flooring in the living and dining areas are finished in the client’s choice of Architect: zynk Design Consultants material, American black walnut. The of London—Clinton Pritchard, open-plan design allows the kitchen, project leader dining, and living areas to be intercon- Project: New Inn Square Penthouse nected for entertaining purposes and Main contractor: Absolute Shopfitters separated for privacy. Sources: Bath—Vola, Duravit (tap- At the Clink Street apartment, ware); Duravit (toilet); Agape (wash designed by DIVE architects, lighting bowls, tub) Kitchen—Gaggenau (vent is also a central element in the bath- hood, refrigerator, ovens, microwave) 196 Architectural Record 07.04
A glassy, faceted bathroom centers a rural N.Y. residence The Gipsy Trail residence, designed by Archi-Tectonics for a site in rural upstate New York, looks almost boxy from the outside, but running through the center spine of the house is an organic “armature,” a twisting collection of the house’s A view of the bathroom from inside infrastructure. Within the armature (left) and outside the home (above). are the kitchen, fireplace, heating and cooling mechanisms, and Beyond the sheer novelty perhaps most spectacularly, the of a shower that gives the feeling master bathroom. of being outside, housing the As the armature winds bathroom in the armature of the through the center of the house, building dictates not only the a skylight follows. The skylight is room’s shifting, tilting shapes, but formed of individual glass panes also the shapes of the rooms dividing the zinc roof. At the end around it—making it truly the core of the structure, the skylight folds of the house. Kevin Lerner over to form the back wall of a shower stall, which the architects Architect: Archi-Tectonics call “a transparent shower room General contractor: TL floating in the trees.” Construction The architects, led by principal Engineers: Buro Happold; Winka Dubbeldam, oriented the Stanislav Slutsky entire house to capture views of Sources: UAD (zinc roofing, the lake and as much natural light fenestration, railings); Duravit as possible, and deliberately chose (lavs, toilet); Dornbracht (faucets, shiny white and chrome fixtures to showerhead, valves); Kohler (tub); make the most of the light. Omnipanel (towel warmer) A renovation of a 1950s town house brings June Cleaver’s kitchen into the city P H OTO G R A P H Y : © C O U R T E SY W I N K A D U B B E L DA M ( G I P SY T R A I L H O U S E ) ; When Alexander Gorlin, principal The translucent cabinets hang of Alexander Gorlin Architects, from the ceiling, completely sepa- approached the design of a kitchen rate from the window frame behind. for the renovation of a Modernist The cabinet doors were manufac- 1958 uptown Manhattan town tured by Rudy Art Glass, and the house, he preserved something of sliding panels in the back are P E T E R A A R O N / E S TO ( 8 5 T H S T R E E T TO W N H O U S E ) the 1950s idea of a kitchen—even made of LUMAsite plastic. All of though the space wasn’t one to the other kitchen cabinetry is begin with. “The original kitchen made of polyester-coated MDF. was in the basement,” says Gorlin. “It’s like a ’50s suburban “This beautiful space with floor- kitchen brought into the city,” adds to-ceiling windows was actually Gorlin, “insofar as you can stand a mudroom.” in front of the sink and look out into Gorlin designed the new a garden.” K.L. kitchen to preserve the “luminous” nature of the room, and created Architect: Alexander Gorlin Architects translucent cabinetry to let the Sources: Rudy Art Glass (cabinet natural light through. “There really doors); American Acrylic Corporation The luminous quality of this kitchen designed for a renovated town house aren’t a lot of kitchens in Manhattan (LUMAsite plastic panels); original is enhanced by the use of translucent cabinetry suspended from the ceiling with windows,” says Gorlin. travertine (flooring) above the sink.
Kitchen Bath Portfolio R E S I D E N T I A L K I T C H E N B ATH The kitchen and master bath of this Tribeca loft showcase the original brick archways of the former factory space. A practical kitchen and bath for the quintessential New York City loft Victoria Blau drew on the “layering” In the master bath, a birch recycling bins. The result is “pure” GE (microwave, dishwasher); of styles of Manhattan’s streets for cabinet with double sinks nestles New York, a space where Minimalism Gaggenau (wall oven); Dornbracht the renovation of a former Tribeca underneath the uplit archway. rubs shoulders with the gritty tex- (sink faucet); Fisher Paykel (gas cheese factory into a home for a Streamlined fixtures adorn French tures of the past, with an eye toward cooktop); BEST (island range hood); growing family. To maintain the loft’s limestone walls and the sheer glass practicality. Claudia La Rocco In Sink Erator (garbage disposal); industrial history, Blau exposed its shower stall. A similar palette marks KitchenAid (trash compactor); brick walls, centering the kitchen the open kitchen, where a second Architect: Victoria Blau Architect Master Bath—Kohler (sink); AF and master bath around preexisting archway houses more cabinets and General contractor: Certified of NY Supplies (faucetry); Ultra (tub); archways. Against this backdrop, she a steel shelf. Mechanical equipment Sources: Kitchen—RSA Lighting Duravit (toilet); Dornbracht (acces- juxtaposed highly finished materials, snakes along the ceiling, while cabi- (lighting); Bulthaup (cabinets, sories); Weaver Ducre (lighting); including glass and stainless steel. nets house an urban necessity: recycling bins); Sub-Zero (fridge); Studium (limestone) C O U R T E SY I B A R R O R O S A N O D E S I G N A R C H I T E CT S ( D O W N I N G K I TC H E N ) An airy southwest kitchen blends nature and machinery P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L B E R T V E C E R K A / E S TO ( T R I B E C A LO F T ) ; When the Downing family retired offset by birch cabinets. The sink to Tucson, they wanted to embrace is tucked behind a long, low herb their new landscape. The couple planter, a practical flourish that turned to Ibarra Rosano Design enhances the room’s natural feel. A Architects, who created a home split taller island serves many purposes into three “pavilions” to accommo- and provides extra storage in birch date the property’s Saguaro cacti cabinets (with detachable backs for and catch the hilly site’s best views. ease of entry). The cabinets also The lower section of the home hide the building’s heating and contains the living/dining space, cooling duct system and a motor- built around an open kitchen—a ized appliance garage behind an rustic center housing complicated aluminum backsplash. Containing machinery behind diverse surfaces. these various mechanical systems Architect: Ibarra Rosano Design Grohe (faucet); Sub-Zero (fridge); Dacor Two unusually large sections of within the island allowed the archi- Architects (oven,cooktop,vent); Bosch (dishwasher); native mesquite, found by the cou- tects to maintain the butterfly Contractor: Repp Construction Granite Creations (granite counter); ple, form a boat-shaped center ceiling’s clean sweep, preserving Sources: Mark Perry (mesquite coun- Nevamar (cladding); Air Concepts (air island topped by black granite and the room’s uncluttered feel. C.L.R. tertop, custom work); Franke (sink); nozzles); Miele (coffeemaker) 198 Architectural Record 07.04
Residential Products R E S I D E N T I AL R E S O U R C E S Kitchens and appliances that adjust to a range of lifestyles were on display at the biennial Eurocucina exhibition, which took place last Eurocucina Review April during Design Week in Milan. Josephine Minutillo ǡ Staying single and Ĭ Futuristic filters unattached Elica, a manufacturer of kitchen hoods since 1970, has evolved from a small, artisan Designed by Alberto Colonello shop, whose products were intended exclusively for the Italian market, to an interna- for Boffi, Single is a freestand- tional leader with an innovative, modern collection. This year they introduced Om, an ing or wall-mounted unit with almost vertical, completely flat glass hood. The glass is silk-screen processed on the fixed dimensions that can back in plain colors but come equipped with a sink, can be customized with dishwasher, refrigerator, or patterns or decoration. cooking surface. The body is The processed glass is made from 4⁄5'' wood-particle also less sensitive to panels in several finishes with finger marks and easy an inside cover in stainless to clean, according to steel. The bottom portion is the manufacturer. Om’s available with a door or as a superior air and odor fil- drawer, and the cover closes tration was designed to to create a compact block achieve high efficiency ideal for offices or small levels with reduced aspi- apartments. Various options ration power, making it feature additional storage and less noisy than most worktop space. Boffi Soho, conventional hoods. New York City. Elica, Ancona, Italy. www. www.boffisoho.com CIRCLE 200 elica.com CIRCLE 201 Ǡ Personalized pantry Regula is a versatile kitchen system from Binova designed to adapt to a variety of spaces and cooking needs. Individual elements are made to be seen from all sides, allowing flexibility when arranging kitchen layouts. Autonomous elements come with castors for even greater versatility. The height of the work tops varies to adjust to specific ergonomic and functional requirements. Work tops come in aluminum, laminate, steel, marble, and Corian, with side panels in aluminum, matte lacquer, or laminate in a variety of colors for countless composi- tions. Bizhan Home, New York City. www.binova.com CIRCLE 202 ǡǠ Domestic sphere First introduced as a prototype in 2002, the Sheer kitchen, along with the new brand, was officially intro- duced at this year’s Eurocucina by parent company Gatto Cucine. Created by Drag Design, Sheer’s highly innovative design anticipates future trends in living at the same time that it reinterprets tradition. Its provocative, perfectly spherical form encloses all the conventional and advanced functions of a large kitchen as it invites users to gather around it in the manner of a family hearth. Suitable for all types of living arrangements, the Sheer kitchen becomes an object at the center of a room rather than a room itself. Gatto Cucine, Camerano, Italy. www.gattocucine.it CIRCLE 203 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 07.04 Architectural Record 201
Residential Products Kitchen Bath RES I DENT IAL RESOURCES Ǡ Saving water a flush at a time Not all flushes are alike. That’s why Sterling has introduced the Rockton toilet with Dual Force flushing technology to allow users the option of selecting one of two water levels each time the toilet is flushed. Operated by a two-button actuator integrated into the tank lid, the toilet will flush at either 1.6 or .8 gallons. Choosing the .8-gallon button can save an average family of four up to 6,000 gallons of water a year. Sterling, į Eggs-cellent collaboration Kohler, Wis. www.sterlingplumbing.com CIRCLE 204 Inspired by the simple oval shape of an egg, Aveo is the first collection of bathroom fix- tures designed by the British-based design firm Conran Partners for Villeroy Boch. Aveo includes a lavatory, bidet, toilet (not shown), and tub. A variety of lavatory styles is offered, including vessel, vanity, and pedestal models, and self-rimming designs. A solid bamboo vanity (at right) and a selection of other storage options are also part of the series. Villeroy Boch, Monroe Township, N.J. www.villeroy-boch.com CIRCLE 205 Ǡ No more tan lines People are busier these days, and the shower has become one more place to multitask. Designed for residences, spas, hotels, or gyms, Indrolux showers feature a built-in tanning system that gently tans and purifies the į Sinks fit for a diva skin as it cleanses. Sleek panels At last year’s Cersaie show in Bologna, Italy, Toscoquattro launched several new of patented tanning lamps offer products, including New Look (above), designed by Elena Bolis. Finished in bleached colored light in a range of stan- or cherry zebrano wood with lacquered or stainless-steel doors, the wall-mounted dard or custom color choices. system supports a shallow, angled basin. Another introduction was the Opera collec- All of the lamps are subjected tion of sinks designed in ebony, Dupont Corian, and stainless steel. AF New York, to stringent testing and can be New York City. www.afnewyork.com CIRCLE 206 adjusted by a remote control. Indrolux USA, Lexington, Ky. www.indroluxusa.com CIRCLE 207 Ǡ New hoods in the hood At this year’s K/BIS, Zephyr intro- tions include six kitchen duced the first signature hood pullout-spray faucets, line by designer and artist Fu- two prerinse/prep-area Tung Cheng of Cheng Design. The faucets, and a wall-mount three new hood designs include lavatory faucet. The Okeanito, based on one of faucets incorporate fea- Cheng’s original sweeping- tures such as a precise curved-hood designs; Shade pivot-and-locking spout, (right) a matchbook-inspired a smooth-pulling spray design with a hood shade that head that releases and tucks away when not in use; and retracts easily, and one- Trapeze, a hood with a floating į Faucet comeback touch operation that lets the user curved canopy. Zephyr Ventilation, At this year’s K/BIS, Elkay introduced switch effortlessly from spray to stream San Francisco. www.zephyron- the company’s first new major faucet water flow. Elkay, Oak Brook, Ill. line.com CIRCLE 208 line since the 1980s. The new collec- www.elkayusa.com CIRCLE 209 202 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
Residential Products Kitchen Bath Ǡ Gaga for cooking RES I DENT IAL RESOURCES Aga had a slew of new introductions at this year’s K/BIS, including a dual-fuel range that incorporates gas and electric; a three-oven Aga that features a fast- roasting oven, a slow-simmering oven, and a baking oven; an undercounter wine cellar; and an all-electric AGA (right), which looks similar to its gas- fired siblings. Aga Ranges, Cherry Hill, N.J. www.aga-ranges.com CIRCLE 210 new appreciation for the value of water. According to Wanders, the tub and wash basins of his new Gobi collection for Boffi can be seen as “treasure chests, fortresses for the most valuable material on earth.” Gobi includes į Self-cleaning shower head į A treasure chest for water a tub and two basins of different sizes. The Grohe Retro Rainshower delivers a wide shower spray that envelopes the body After traveling through the desert last Boffi, New York City. www.boffisoho.com in falling water. The oversize, 8''-diameter shower head features 120 spray nozzles year, designer Marcel Wanders earned a CIRCLE 213 arranged to leave no “dry” zones of water coverage. The all-brass shower head fea- tures the company’s patented SpeedClean anti-lime system. The conical shape of the silver-green nozzle forces lime scale to accumulate only at the tip of the nozzle, which can “bend” when lightly wiped with a cloth or sponge, forcing the lime scale to crumble away. Grohe America, Bloomingdale, Ill. www.groheamerica.com CIRCLE 211 į Mirror TV technologies At K/BIS, Séura introduced a line of LCD televisions that are incorporated into bathroom mirrors (right). When activated, the screen is visible as a window within the mirror—when off, the LCD is completely hidden from view. On the other side of the show floor, ad notam displayed a competing integrated-display screen that utilizes thin-film transistor technol- ogy (left). ad notam USA, New York City. www.ad-notam.com CIRCLE 212 Séura, Little Chute, Wis. www.seuratvmirror.com CIRCLE 253 ǡ Raining down the drain Introduced globally this year at the Milan į Towel-less Furniture Fair, the Rain sink collection is showering Adam D. Tihany’s first foray into bathroom To avoid that “moment product design. The vessel-style basin is of chill” that occurs after taking a hot shower, Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath has added a bordered in a halo of stainless steel or special option, Ambient Air Body Dry System, to their Summer Rain shower series bronze, suspended on a colored-glass that provides complete head-to-toe drying. The system features 12 heated air jets plane. Water cascades down a square-lip incorporated into a central shower column that dries bathers off quickly, without geometric spout that bisects the back of the need for a towel. The temperature and airflow of the jets can be moderated the basin’s rim. The faucet’s compact levers through a control panel. Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath, Walnut Creek, Calif. are flush-mounted into the spout, easing www.jacuzzi.com CIRCLE 214 right for cold water and left for hot water. Axolo, Ontario, Calif. www.axolo.it CIRCLE 215 204 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
Products Storage Shelving The storage and shelving products featured this month are not merely utilitarian pieces that contain belongings or files. Many serve double duty as sculptural wall pieces or freestanding screens that help divide or define a room. Flexibility remains key for changing work and lifestyles. Rita F. Catinella Iconic shelving system available throughout North America Described by New York’s influential based entirely in Britain. There to be used against a retailer Murray Moss as “one of are four “structure” types for the wall, but can be com- the great icons of 20th-century 606 system, which depend on pressed between the rational design,” the 606 Universal the type of wall, floor, and ceiling; ceiling and the floor. Shelving System has been pro- what will be stored or displayed; At last year’s duced by Vitsoe continuously since and the desired look of the sys- 100% Design show 1960, the year it was designed tem. Shelves, cabinets, and in London, Vitsoe by German industrial designer tables can then be repositioned displayed an original The 606 shelf system doubles as a screen at the Dieter Rams. Last October, Moss or added onto the appropriate Audio 1 gramophone offices of Countrywide Porter Novelli in London. expanded the distribution of the structure without tools by simply and loudspeaker system to all of North America slipping the aluminum pins out designed in 1962 by Rams—who 100% Design’s press office by through Moss dna, a division of of the system’s E-Tracks. Lengths intended the smaller bay width of supplying shelves to display his retail store in New York City. are possible in 26'' and 351⁄2'', Vitsoe’s 606 Universal Shelving the press packs. Moss dna, New Since 1995, both Vitsoe and and depths in 61⁄4'', 81⁄2'', 113⁄4'', and System to match the width of York City.www.mossonline.com its manufacturing have been 141⁄4''. The system does not need Audio 1. Vitsoe also supported CIRCLE 216 Flexible pole system creates shelving, and rooms, without walls Dave and Julie Scheu, the a pogo stick. The three origi- husband-and-wife partners in nal pogoHome rooms the St. Louis–based furniture design (pogoCloset, pogoLibrary, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © K E N K I R K W O O D FO R V I T S O E firm UrbanWorkshop, applied their and pogoGarden) consist of architectural training to devise stacking wood components rooms-on-poles that can define a loft that interlock with the arms or other open space by simply wedg- to form sturdy poles to sup- ing between the ceiling and floor. port belongings. The three PogoHome rooms are constructed of newest rooms (pogoGallery, maple, cherry, white oak, or walnut, pogoLounge, and pogoDen) with steel fittings. Made to order in use expanding inserts and heights up to 14', the poles adjust 5'' a series of holes to allow for up or down from the specified height. more design freedom. The handcrafted steel parts are given UrbanWorkshop, St. Louis. a black-oxide finish, and the white www.urbanworkshop.us rubber tip recalls the bottom end of CIRCLE 217 PogoHome rooms (left to right): pogoLibrary, pogoGallery, pogoLounge, and pogoDen. For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 07.04 Architectural Record 207
Products Storage Shelving ǡ Make space for stuff The Crux system (left), from the Brooklyn design team/manufacturer hivemindesign, is a walnut-veneered storage unit that encases a series of slotted aluminum components. The interchangeable components accom- modate clothing storage with a hanging rack, as well as book storage with built-in bookends. The firm also offers a low wooden case for LP and electronics storage called the Crux credenza. This unit is veneered in wal- nut and encases slotted aluminum components and gray glass sliding doors. hivemindesign, Brooklyn, N.Y. www.hivemindesign.com CIRCLE 219 Ĭ Freestanding configurable storage į Origami-inspired shelving MKS Designs introduces Modstor, a freestanding configurable storage system suit- The Bias Shelf system is constructed of a single piece of high-grade sheet aluminum able for commercial or residential use. Modules consist of a frame, drawer, and that is folded to provide shelf space and aesthetic flare. Each wall-mounted modular shelf; they come in wide or narrow, with short or tall drawers, and connect left to shelf is powder coated for durability and is available in nine colors, allowing for right as well as stack top to bottom. Frames, drawer baskets, and shelves are made countless design configurations. Nüf Design, New York City. www.nufdesign.com from powder-coated steel, while drawer fronts and backs are high-density polyethyl- CIRCLE 218 ene or solid hardwood. MKS, Cambridge, Mass. www.mksdesign.com CIRCLE 220 ǡ Protecting Asian treasures Spacesaver incorporated space-saving solutions into San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum’s lower level for collection storage and preservation. Included are compact art racks for framed pieces, stationary pallet racks for large sculptures, and more than 200 environmentally controlled cabinets on high-density mobile systems for a range of artifact storage. Spacesaver, Fort Atkinson, Wis. www.spacesaver.com CIRCLE 221 Ǡ Shelving support pole The latest addition to the Rakks product line is the Ǡ Mobile office storage PC4 support pole featuring Bretford and Formway Design intro- threaded compression duce the Traffic storage line featuring mounts for secure installa- the Boxstore and Mobile Pedestal. tion between floor and A range of interior accessories, ceiling. Suitable for a range including pullout shelving, flat shelves, of residential, commercial, or media drawers, can be employed and retail display applica- to customize Traffic for specific tions, this 11⁄2'' x 11⁄2'' storage issues. Boxstore is available extruded-aluminum support in more than 20 combinations of can accommodate ceiling height, width, and door options, heights up to 12'. The pole and the Mobile Pedestal can double is stocked in clear- or black-anodized-aluminum and white-powder-coated finishes. as cushion-top seating. Bretford, Rangine, Millis, Mass. www.rakks.com CIRCLE 222 Chicago. www.bretford.com CIRCLE 223 208 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
Product Briefs Milan Furniture Fair The following pages highlight introductions from this year’s Milan Furniture Fair, which took place from April 14 to 19 in venues throughout the city. In sharp contrast to many of the conceptual or extravagant designs on display in off-site exhibits, manufacturers this year offered products that represented a “back-to-basics” approach focusing on fundamental themes of structure, scale, transparency, and ornament. Seating furniture featured structures that were either completely exposed or nonexistent and were offered in a greater variety of sizes to accommodate a “larger” audience. In addition, forgotten classics were reintroduced alongside products from a talented new crop of designers. Josephine Minutillo Milan’s 43rd Annual Salone del Mobile: A weeklong celebration of design Milan’s Salone del Mobile is unlike and turned this fair into a very any other furniture fair you’re likely different kind of event.” Antonelli to attend. For an entire week notes the Italians’ “flair for scenog- every April, this energized city is raphy” as a main draw, but also transformed into a haven for design acknowledges that the event is an afficionados from across the globe— ideal opportunity to meet up with and it’s not just furniture lovers who colleagues and other professionals come to take part in the spectacle. passionate about design. From retailers and architects to Fairground displays and off- fashion designers and car makers, site exhibits ranged from minimal attendees come in growing num- to stunning. Swarovski’s Crystal bers (190,000 this year) to view Palace show was once again a Clockwise, from top the countless product offerings and highlight as it presented chande- to bottom left: Dutch exhibits. On this occasion, the event liers from a new roster of designers, Pieces, by Jurgen was redubbed Milan Design Week while Moroso’s Happy Ever After Bey; Architettura to reflect its far-reaching appeal. exhibit by Dutch designer Tord Romantica, by Ettore According to Paola Antonelli, Boontje (see this month’s Profile on Sottsass; Sky, by curator in the Department of page 240) drew lots of attention, as Matali Crasset for Architecture and Design at the well. Smaller displays dotted the Swarovski’s Crystal Museum of Modern Art in New York city, so walking the streets of Milan Palace; and Robert and veteran visitor of the Salone, during Design Week meant stum- Stadler’s three- “the fairgrounds are where it all bling upon an unexpected array of dimensional Pools. started, but the city has taken over objects and installations, including works by veritable masters of design like Ettore Sottsass and Andrea Branzi to contemporary luminaries, as in the Vanishing Point show featuring work by Robert Stadler, Konstantin Grcic, and Jurgen Bey. A host of student exhibitions were on display, as well. Galleries, stores, fashion houses, and even eateries through- out the city took part in the festivities this year. In addition to the major fur- niture showrooms like BB Italia and DePadova, such prestigious brands as Dolce Gabbana, Missoni, and Acqua di Parma staged presenta- tions of their own, making Design Week in Milan an event for the entire city to enjoy. J.M. 07.04 Architectural Record 211
Product Briefs Milan: Structure ǡ Cover story A company whose hallmark has always been upholstered furniture, Moroso presented a small chair this year whose upholstery had everyone talking. Designed by Konstantin Grcic, Dummy derives its form from a single sheet of polyurethane foam gently squashed over a supporting į Rock steady structure. The brightly colored, Specialists in solid-wood furnishings since 1920, Italian manufacturer Riva presented collapsible chair covers were a new collection by American architect Terry Dwan. Called Strong_Box, the collection part of a diverse presentation includes a table, stools, and a console (above). An homage to wood’s material quali- that included seating, tables, ties, the witty design combines a simple top with slanted legs that appear unsteady and shelving ranging from but in fact form a stable structure. Made entirely of reforested oak and completely minimal and traditional to hand-finished. Furnitalia, Los Angeles. www.riva1920.it CIRCLE 225 innovative and eclectic. Europrojects, Miami. www.moroso.it CIRCLE 224 Ĭ Airbrushed Humberto and Fernando Campana continue to push the envelope with their designs for Edra. This year, they presented Corallo, an armchair made from steel wire and fin- ished in epoxy paint in a coral color. Corallo was born from a sculpture Humberto made during a metal course in 1990, which he describes as an “investigation in draw- ing using only lines floating in space.” Its irregular weave is curved by hand and unique to each chair. Moss, New York City. www.mossonline.com CIRCLE 226 į Striptease Tom Dixon describes his recent work as an “experiment in reductionism.” His presenta- tion included the Soft Box series of simple box and cylindrical lights, the Tube series of leather-upholstered chairs and tables with a stainless-steel-tube structure, and the Wire series of indoor/outdoor stacking chairs (above). Built “from the inside out,” these products are stripped to their basic components, making structure and skeleton the design itself. Centro Modern Furnishings, St. Louis. www.centro-inc.com CIRCLE 227 ǡǠ Formfitting Rejecting the styling that has become so prevalent among the Milan offerings each year, Jasper Morrison created Oblong, a struc- tureless sofa composed of individual seaters connected by zippers. Much like a beanbag, Oblong molds itself to the sitter’s body. “The beanbag has always impressed me as a totally original piece, with regard to how we sit,” says Morrison. “I wanted to take it further and offer a more traditional function.” Limn, San Francisco. www.limn.com CIRCLE 228 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 07.04 Architectural Record 213
Product Briefs Milan: Scale Ĭ In layout Dominating Alias’s stand this year, the organically shaped Layout functions as a container system, room divider, or corner unit. Monolithic at first glance, the units contain curved doors that open to reveal interior shelving. Designed by Michele De Lucchi, the system was developed following an exploration into the expressive potential of extruded aluminum, a favorite material of Alias. Frametable, a table with an aluminum structure introduced by Alias last year, was also presented in stunning new finishes. Alias USA, Huntington Station, N.Y. www.aliasdesign.it CIRCLE 229 į Striped collection Having experimented in new materials like die-cast aluminum with great success, Magis is no longer just a plastics company. This new outdoor seating collection by French brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec includes armchairs, low chairs, stools, tables, chaise longues, and sun beds. Visually arresting, the widely spaced methacry- late slats are wrapped around thin, steel-tube frames. Available also with padded covers. The Terence Conran Shop, New York City. www.conran.com CIRCLE 230 ǡ Quick-change artist Part of a new collection by Alfredo Haberli for ClassiCon, Hypnos (left) is a chair, couch, and bed at the same time. Designed with flexibility in mind, Hypnos converts easily from a large chair to an uncomplicated bed for overnight guests, or a daybed for quick naps. The easy-to-clean footrest allows you to keep your shoes on while napping. Also part of the new collection is Skaia, a large table with a thick wooden tabletop that accommodates up to 12 people and is suitable for conferences or dining. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Nais, a small, lightweight wire chair in various colors. M2L, New York City. www.m2lcollection.com CIRCLE 231 Ǡ Super-sized Ǡ The big scoop A frequent designer for Poltrona Frau, The generously sized Marcus is a lounge chair with footstool, the Luca Scacchetti has updated the tradi- first pieces in a family of products designed by American Jeffrey tional armchair with Size. The first Bernett for Montina. The oakwood frame is padded and uphol- armchair to come in three versions stered in a variety of fabrics and leathers. Using the Eames made-to-measure for three different lounge chair as a reference, body sizes, Size also introduces minor Bernett designed the chair to deformations to the classic styling with be “large enough to evoke slanted seats and arms and dispropor- comfort and relaxation and tionately slender feet. Accessories in be appealing to a wide audi- the same or contrasting colors include ence.” Property, New York a headrest, cushion, and side and back City. www.propertyfurni- pockets. Poltrona Frau, New York City. ture.com CIRCLE 232 www.poltronafrau.it CIRCLE 233 214 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
Product Briefs Milan: Transparency ǡ Friendly apparition Young Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has collaborated frequently with Driade both as a product and exhibition designer, last Ĭ Clear-cut year staging the Clouds show in honor of Having perfected the technology used to create transparent polycarbonate furnish- the company’s 35th anniversary. This year, ings, Kartell showcased a range of products around the theme of transparency, he presents Kiss Me Goodbye, an armchair including new designs from longtime collaborators Philippe Starck and Ferruccio that combines his affinity for organic forms Laviani and a small table by the newest addition to their reputable roster of design- with his love for transparency. The chair is ers, Patricia Urquiola. Older designs were given a new look as well, with some constructed of transparent polycarbonate striking results. The Glossy series (right), by Antonio Citterio, features the same light- and is intended for indoor use only. Current, chromed-steel structure of the original but has been expanded to include tables with Seattle. www.driade.com CIRCLE 235 new dimensions, shapes, and functions, and new transparent surfaces. The folding top of Citterio’s Battista trolley (left) was also updated. Kartell US, New York City. www.kartell.it CIRCLE 234 Ǡ See-through sink PH is a freestanding, floor-mounted wash basin designed by Piero Lissoni. The column is made of 310-degree bended plates in .47''-thick transparent crystal. The bended transparent-crystal basin is attached to the column with a polyurethanic bonding agent. In the marble version that is also available, the column is extracted from a single block of Carrara marble with an exca- vated basin. Boffi Soho, New York City. www.boffi.com CIRCLE 236 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 87 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 88 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Product Briefs Milan: Ornament Ǡ Pleasing patterns Milan-based Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola’s products were ubiquitous this year—at the fairgrounds, in showrooms, and at off-site venues. Intended for indoor use only, her Flo series for Driade (top) features large and small tables, chairs, and stools whose painted steel struc- ture is covered with wicker in several decorative patterns or uniformly in a natural color with thin canes. Rosa and Asperala (bottom) are large floral- patterned rugs Urquiola designed with longtime friend and frequent collaborator į Metallic mood Eliana Gerotto for Paola Lenti. The sculp- With his new designs for Sawaya Moroni, tural quality of the rugs is enhanced by renowned French architect Dominique Perrault the alternating high and low relief used to uses elementary forms and basic materials to cre- reproduce the leaves, veins, petals, and ate objects with a curiously Baroque feel. Both the stems of the flower motif, resulting in a lamp and rug pictured here (above) are made from sophisticated and contemporary graphic metal netting. Metal links form pleats that shape effect. Current, Seattle. www.driade.com the sinuous volume of the lamp’s diffuser, to which CIRCLE 237 Paola Lenti USA, San Diego. cascades of Swarovski crystals have been added. www.paolalenti.com CIRCLE 238 Limn, San Francisco. www.limn.com CIRCLE 239 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 89 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 90 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Product Briefs Milan: Old Masters Ĭ Found object Among the lesser-known of Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni’s designs, the Splugen stool has been reintroduced by Zanotta. Named after the Milan beer hall for which it was designed in 1960, Splugen’s tubular steel frame incorporates a footrest and leather-upholstered cushion. It can be painted in black or aluminum. Centro Modern Furnishings, St. Louis. www.centro-inc.com CIRCLE 241 į Tracing tables through history In 2004, Cassina purchased the world- six decades. Ospite (left), from 1927, is Perriand’s design approach and lifestyle. wide exclusive reproduction rights for the earliest: an extendable, chromed-steel Created for her chalet, the unusual table- products designed by Charlotte Perriand. table reflecting the spirit of the time by top provides versatility in a less formal The new collection features a variety of offering practical solutions for everyday concept and is available in natural or furnishings, including seating, tables, and living. Ventaglio (right), designed almost black-stained oak. Cassina USA, New York storage units, created over the course of 50 years later, shows the evolution of City. www.cassina.it CIRCLE 240 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. it’s a wall. LIFTS EVERY DOCK NEEDS A LIFT An Advance dock lift is the AVOID BACK INJURIES only equipment that can service all trucks. Full line of dock lifts including: • Portable • Top Of Ground DOCK INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY • Pit Mounted Break the mold with complete design freedom using translucent, frosted and opaque panels. Countless colors,textures, patterns and gauges will impact any application. Solid thinking. Call 1-800-THE-DOCK or visit our web site TM www.advancelifts.com for a you can do that. FREE CATALOG. Call for samples: 8 0 0 . 7 2 6 . 0 1 2 6 or visit us at w w w. 3 - f o r m . c o m CIRCLE 91 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 92 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Product Briefs Milan: Emerging Talent ĬǠ New kids on the block Having received an enthusiastic response when it presented its collection for the first time at the Cologne furniture fair this past January, the new Danish label Hay was invited to show its stuff in Milan. The company’s sizable display—outside the fairgrounds but alongside such notables as Tom Dixon, SCP, and Moooi at SuperStudioPiù—included a colorful assortment of unusual seating. Other One, One, and Round One, a series of unique lounge chairs (below), were designed by Leif Jørgensen. Another lounge chair (above) with matching ottoman, whose upholstered cushions are supported by a cantilevered plastic frame, was shown for the first time in Milan. The collection also includes Minimal-style dining tables and į Turn over a new leaf chairs, beds, and accessories. Hay, Horsens, Denmark. www.hay.dk CIRCLE 243 The Swedish design partnership of Claesson Koivisto Rune was founded in 1995 as an architectural office. In recent years, its distinctive, Minimalist designs for international manufacturers, including leading Italian companies like Cappellini, Boffi, and Living Divani, have been making their mark in Milan. Their newest design for Living Divani is a series of seating elements called Leaf. Leaf’s lightweight, painted steel frame supports a fixed cushion folded over on itself to striking effect, particularly with two-tone upholstery (above). Current, Seattle. www.livingdivani.it CIRCLE 242 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 93 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 94 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
www.mcnichols.com/arr4 Product Literature Safety Gratings! Guide to raised floor systems NEW SITES FOR CYBERSURFING A comprehensive 48-page guide for Vote for your favorite designer or learn building a raised-floor-foundation system about their vital stats on cards available for purchase www.designstars.net is now available from the Southern Pine Council (SPC). Raised Floor Systems: Design and Construction Guide features GRIP STRUT® Grating Fiberglass Grating Aluminum Grating detailed illustrations, photographs, and cost comparisons, and addresses basic construction elements and a range of related topics, such as moisture-control, soils and site preparation, foundation types, termite-resistant framing, design Nora’s redesigned site reflects the com- pany’s new corporate-design and rubber- loads, span tables, and floor framing. flooring range www.norarubber.com Perf-O Grip® Grating Bar Grating Catwalk Grating Southern Pine Council, Kenner, La. Wilsonart’s new site provides a com- plete overview of its laminate-flooring Complete Hole Product We can custom fabricate www.southernpine.com CIRCLE 245 products www.wilsonartflooring.com inventories are available to meet your specifications. Online store features furniture incorporat- from Service Centers coast What you want–when you Mobile-storage guide ing discarded items www.reestore.com to coast in a variety of ® need it in 24 hours or less. A new 20-page guidebook on floor-loading styles, sizes and materials. Call “The Hole Story” today. ISO 9001;2000 Certified options from Spacesaver has been pre- and more than 75 new colors. 1-800-237-3820 pared as an introduction to floor loading Freudenberg Building Systems, Lawrence, e when high-density mobile storage systems Mass. www.norarubber.com CIRCLE 247 S I McNICHOLS CO. ® are being considered for new, existing, or e-mail: sales@mcnichols.com Member Metals Service adaptive-reuse construction projects. Roofing-tape brochure www.mcnichols.com/arr4 Center Institute Spacesaver Corporation, Fort Atkinson, Eternabond’s new roofing brochure pro- CIRCLE 95 ON READER SERVICE CARD Wis. www.spacesaver.com CIRCLE 246 vides information on the company’s full OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML line of tapes. A CD that accompanies the Floor-covering catalog brochure provides multimedia information A new product catalog from Freudenberg about roof and seam repair, cold-weather modern Building Systems offers a comprehensive guide to the company’s entire product installations, and flashing and coding repairs. Eternabond, Hawthorn Woods, Ill. A NTIQUITY UITY offering, including four new product lines www.eternabond.com CIRCLE 248 sinks basins fountains fonts vintage electrical plates classic patinas special platings Oregon Copper Bowl Company 888.952.OCBC (6222) www.OregonCopperBowl.com The Original – Handcrafted in America For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to Call for a dealer near you www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 96 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Seattle Stained Glass Product Literature Steel framing products recently updated both its Member and Dietrich Metal Framing now offers a Product Directory and Publication Index 230-page Metal Framing and Finishing for 2004. The Member and Product Catalog detailing the company’s various Directory lists all APA member manufac- products, systems, and services. The turers and sales offices, the engineered catalog is divided into 10 major product wood products each member produces, sections, including interior framing; exte- and a list of mill numbers. The 2004 rior framing; floor framing; roof framing; Publications Index provides a listing of fire-rated assemblies; metal beads and design and construction guides, product trims; vinyl beads and trims; paper-faced guides, case histories, builder tips, and beads and trims; veneer, stucco, and industrial publications. The publications plaster beads and trims; and metal lath. are available online at the APA’s Web Dietrich Metal Framing, Columbus, Ohio. site. The Engineered Wood Association, www.dietrichindustries.com CIRCLE 249 Tacoma, Wash. www.apawood.org CIRCLE 251 Sink specification CD Blanco America has introduced a new Green reference guide specification CD that features sink instal- Invista, manufacturer of Antron carpet lation instructions and submittal sheets fiber, in association with the International for Blanco sinks and faucets in PDF for- Facility Management Association, has mat for easy downloading and printing. developed the Green Glossary for High The CD also includes DXF files with elec- Performance Buildings. The Green 2510 North 45th Street • Seattle, Washington 98103 206-633-2040 • 800-524-3855 tronic sink cutout information for use Glossary, a lexicon containing 360 stan- www.SeattleStainedGlass.com with CAD-based software programs dardized environmental terms, is intended photo Ron Robin Steel and Cast Glass Railing and CNC routing machinery. All files are to serve as a reference guide for those CIRCLE 97 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML cross platform for use with PCs and involved in the construction, design, or MACs. Blanco America, Cinnaminson, management of high-performance green N.J. www.blancoamerica.com CIRCLE 250 buildings and is endorsed by leading industry associations, including the U.S. APA publications Green Building Council. Invista, Wilmington, The Engineered Wood Association Del. www.invista.com CIRCLE 252 ADA requires a COF of at least 0.6 wet. Slip Tech, since 1986, has exceeded these guidelines on ceramic tile and stone floors. Send us your sample and we'll test treat your material for free. For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 98 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
Profile Q: How did the Happy Ever After exhibit with Moroso come about? Moroso asked me to do it as a starting point for a new relationship designing furniture. For this show, the emphasis was on fabrics and upholstery. I’ve always been very interested in fashion. Fabric has been used on the body in amazing ways, but always very tradi- tionally with furniture, so I wanted to think about new ways of using it, which involved embroidery and beading. We also used wool that was cut by machine in intricate patterns. Your earlier work is very Minimal. Was it a conscious decision to switch to a more decorative style? It was a very conscious decision. My earlier projects were about recycling and making things out of nothing. These were objects that were simply-made, plain, and functional—making some- thing elegant using basic materials. In 2000, my daughter was born, and I began to think about the kind of environ- ment I wanted to live in for myself and my family. I do not want my own home to be a plain white box, but something more warm and loving. I began to do research and became enamored of decorative objects from the 18th century, especially English woodworking and embroidery. As design- ers, we’re taught to create things that are automated and neutral. I started to question this. In making that switch, your work has gone from very low-tech to very high-tech. Handcrafted items are labor- intensive, but with today’s technology, we can do things that weren’t possible even five years ago. It is easy to make a drawing on a computer and send it to a factory for produc- tion. For example, the Wednesday light [a stainless-steel garland that wraps around a bulb] is incredibly intricate and Tord Boontje: A modern detailed, yet machine-made. The whole light is ornament. You’ve designed expensive, one-off products and now, craftsman with a human touch mass-produced, affordable ones. I get equal satisfaction from both. What I hope to do is make affordable, demo- cratic things, not only things people can enjoy in magazines. On the other hand, the projects I did for Swarovski gave Interviewed by Josephine Minutillo me a lot of freedom to experiment, so you need both. There is a balance there. At a time when design seems to be dominated by sleek, ultra-modern products The word decoration often has a negative connotation in Modern architec- that rely more on gimmicks than thought, Tord Boontje has set himself apart by ture and design. What are your thoughts? Decoration is not a negative term for creating work that recalls a more Romantic age. The Dutch-born, London-based me. The original ideas behind Modernism got hijacked somehow and the term designer has been described as working on the cusp of design and craft, melding Modern has come to mean something that is very stylistic or minimal—some- up-to-date computer technology and manufacturing techniques with designs that thing devoid of the original, important emotional qualities of Modernism. I try with have the look and feel of handcrafted objects. In addition to his studio’s own pro- my work to bring back sensuality and human qualities in the spaces in which we duction, Boontje has collaborated with fashion designers including Alexander live and the objects with which we live. And to do it in intelligent, efficient, and McQueen, and has designed lighting for Swarovski. His Happy Ever After exhibit affordable ways. In a funny way, what I’m doing is very modern. for Moroso was a highlight of this year’s Milan Furniture Fair. Photograph by Riccardo Bianchi of Boontje inside his exhibit for Moroso 240 Architectural Record 07.04

More Related Content

PDF
Architectural record (2004.10)
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural.record 2006 april
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural.record.magazine.apr.2005
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural.record.magazine.february.2006
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural record magazine mar 2006
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural record [2005.02]
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural record magazine april 2006
SPAV
 
PDF
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
SPAV
 
Architectural record (2004.10)
SPAV
 
Architectural.record 2006 april
SPAV
 
Architectural.record.magazine.apr.2005
SPAV
 
Architectural.record.magazine.february.2006
SPAV
 
Architectural record magazine mar 2006
SPAV
 
Architectural record [2005.02]
SPAV
 
Architectural record magazine april 2006
SPAV
 
E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07
SPAV
 

Viewers also liked (9)

PDF
Envisage 2012 the yearbook_and_magazine_mba_e&fb_nmims
Khushboo Doshi
 
PDF
Spoorthi nov dec13_education_hq
Raghav Gautam
 
PDF
PeoplePost_12th Edition Final
Narayana Swamy
 
PDF
Design For All Institute Of India May 2009 Vol 4, No 5 Newsletter
Scott Rains
 
PDF
MagIMNUopus_Nov_ 2007
Vinaytosh Mishra
 
PDF
Principal
Glenn E. Malone, EdD
 
PDF
Queen Mary School Magazine 2014
Prudential Global Services
 
PDF
Architectural Record 2010
bunnawat
 
PDF
IOT Security - ICCT College of Engineering
Potato
 
Envisage 2012 the yearbook_and_magazine_mba_e&fb_nmims
Khushboo Doshi
 
Spoorthi nov dec13_education_hq
Raghav Gautam
 
PeoplePost_12th Edition Final
Narayana Swamy
 
Design For All Institute Of India May 2009 Vol 4, No 5 Newsletter
Scott Rains
 
MagIMNUopus_Nov_ 2007
Vinaytosh Mishra
 
Principal
Glenn E. Malone, EdD
 
Queen Mary School Magazine 2014
Prudential Global Services
 
Architectural Record 2010
bunnawat
 
IOT Security - ICCT College of Engineering
Potato
 
Ad

Similar to E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07 (20)

PDF
Architectural record 2005 05 santiago calatrava aia honor award
SPAV
 
PDF
05.05 -architectural_record_-_santiago_calatrava
GABRIELA Narvaez
 
PDF
[Architecture.ebook].architectural.record.magazine.february.2006 y ye-pg
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural record 2005 06 jun
SPAV
 
PDF
Architectural.record.magazine.august.2005
SPAV
 
PDF
Mhc prefabrication modularization_smr_2011
Clayton Homes ( A Berkshire - Hathaway Company)
 
PDF
Bll 01 exploring space
peacelawacademystudent
 
PDF
Business value of_bim_for_infrastructure_smartmarket_report__2012
Alexey Zotov
 
PDF
Bll 15 creatures of the waters
peacelawacademystudent
 
PDF
Bll 11 views of asia, australia and new zealand
peacelawacademystudent
 
PDF
EY Capital Insights Q3 2012
KarenDP
 
PDF
Bll 10 views of europe
peacelawacademystudent
 
PDF
Heritage Club Homefront February Magazine
Sibcy Cline Realtors
 
PDF
Executive Summary - Draft RiverFIRST Proposal
RiverFirst Initiative
 
PDF
High-Profile May 2012
High-Profile Monthly
 
PDF
2009 Fall Catalog
chelseagreen
 
PDF
Well linked 2012
kltan123
 
PDF
RiverFIRST: A Parks Design Proposal and Implementation Framework for the Min...
RiverFirst Initiative
 
PDF
Graduate academic programs
5831490
 
PDF
Proximity
nikkichi
 
Architectural record 2005 05 santiago calatrava aia honor award
SPAV
 
05.05 -architectural_record_-_santiago_calatrava
GABRIELA Narvaez
 
[Architecture.ebook].architectural.record.magazine.february.2006 y ye-pg
SPAV
 
Architectural record 2005 06 jun
SPAV
 
Architectural.record.magazine.august.2005
SPAV
 
Mhc prefabrication modularization_smr_2011
Clayton Homes ( A Berkshire - Hathaway Company)
 
Bll 01 exploring space
peacelawacademystudent
 
Business value of_bim_for_infrastructure_smartmarket_report__2012
Alexey Zotov
 
Bll 15 creatures of the waters
peacelawacademystudent
 
Bll 11 views of asia, australia and new zealand
peacelawacademystudent
 
EY Capital Insights Q3 2012
KarenDP
 
Bll 10 views of europe
peacelawacademystudent
 
Heritage Club Homefront February Magazine
Sibcy Cline Realtors
 
Executive Summary - Draft RiverFIRST Proposal
RiverFirst Initiative
 
High-Profile May 2012
High-Profile Monthly
 
2009 Fall Catalog
chelseagreen
 
Well linked 2012
kltan123
 
RiverFIRST: A Parks Design Proposal and Implementation Framework for the Min...
RiverFirst Initiative
 
Graduate academic programs
5831490
 
Proximity
nikkichi
 
Ad

E book architecture - architectural record - 2004-07

  • 1. Houses With Water Features RESIDENTIAL SECTION: JAZZES UP KOOLHAAS SEATTLE 07 2004 $ 9 .7 5 A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E M C G R A W - H I L L C O M PA N I E S w w w. a rc h it e ct u ra l re c o rd . c o m
  • 2. EDITOR IN CHIEF Robert Ivy, FAIA, [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR Beth Broome, [email protected] DESIGN DIRECTOR Anna Egger-Schlesinger, [email protected] SENIOR EDITORS Charles Linn, FAIA, [email protected] Clifford Pearson, [email protected] Sarah Amelar, sarah_ [email protected] Sara Hart, sara_ [email protected] Deborah Snoonian, P.E., [email protected] William Weathersby, Jr., [email protected] Jane F. Kolleeny, [email protected] PRODUCTS EDITOR Rita F. Catinella, [email protected] NEWS EDITOR Sam Lubell, [email protected] PRODUCTION MANAGER Juan Ramos, [email protected] DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Kristofer E. Rabasca, [email protected] ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Clara Huang, [email protected] WEB EDITOR Randi Greenberg, [email protected] WEB DESIGN Susannah Shepherd, [email protected] WEB PRODUCTION Laurie Meisel, [email protected] EDITORIAL SUPPORT Linda Ransey, [email protected] John Wilson, [email protected] EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Audrey Beaton, [email protected] EDITOR AT LARGE James S. Russell, AIA, [email protected] SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Suzanne Stephens, [email protected] COPY EDITOR Leslie Yudell ILLUSTRATORS I-Ni Chen, Sophia Murer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Raul Barreneche, Robert Campbell, FAIA, Andrea Oppenheimer Dean, David Dillon, Francis Duffy, Lisa Findley, Blair Kamin, Elizabeth Harrison Kubany, Nancy Levinson, Thomas Mellins, Robert Murray, Sheri Olson, FAIA, Nancy Solomon, AIA, Michael Sorkin, Michael Speaks, Tom Vonier, FAIA SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Naomi R. Pollock, AIA INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS David Cohn, Claire Downey, Tracy Metz GROUP PUBLISHER James H. McGraw IV, [email protected] VP, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Laura Viscusi, [email protected] VP, MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT David Johnson, [email protected] VP, GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Robert Ivy, FAIA, [email protected] GROUP DESIGN DIRECTOR Anna Egger-Schlesinger, [email protected] MANAGER, RESEARCH Ellen Halfond, [email protected] DIRECTOR, MARKETING COMMUNICATION Chris Meyer, [email protected] DIRECTOR, CIRCULATION Maurice Persiani, [email protected] Brian McGann, [email protected] DIRECTOR, MULTIMEDIA DESIGN & PRODUCTION Susan Valentini, [email protected] MANAGER, ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Stephen R. Weiss, [email protected] DIRECTOR, FINANCE Ike Chong, [email protected] DIRECTOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS Charles Pinyan, [email protected] REPRINTS Wilda Fabelo, [email protected] EDITORIAL OFFICES: 212/904-2594. Editorial fax: 212/904-4256. E-mail: [email protected]. Two Penn Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10121- 2298. WEB SITE: www.architecturalrecord.com. SUBSCRIBER SERVICE: 877/876-8093 (U.S. only). 609/426-7046 (outside the U.S.). Subscriber fax: 609/426-7087. E-mail: [email protected]. AIA members must contact the AIA for address changes on their sub- scriptions. 800/242-3837. E-mail: [email protected]. INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSIONS: Letters, Robert Ivy; Practice, Charles Linn; Books, Clifford Pearson; Record Houses and Interiors, Sarah Amelar; Products, Rita Catinella; Lighting, William Weathersby, Jr.; Web Editorial, Randi Greenberg ARCHITECTURAL RECORD: (ISSN 0003-858X) July 2004. Vol. 192, No. 7. Published monthly by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. RCSC and additional mailing offices. Ride Along enclosed in edition 007. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40012501. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DPGM Ltd., 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3. Email: P64ords@mcgraw- hill.com. Registered for GST as The McGraw-Hill Companies. GST No. R123075673. Postmaster: Please send address changes to ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, Fulfillment Manager, P.O. Box 566, Hightstown, N.J. 08520. SUBSCRIPTION: Rates are as follows: U.S. and Possessions $64; Canada and Mexico $79 (payment in U.S. currency, GST included); outside North America $199 (air freight delivery). Single copy price $9.75; for foreign $11. Subscriber Services: 877/876-8093 (U.S. only); 609/426-7046 (outside the U.S.); fax: 609/426-7087. SUBMISSIONS: Every effort will be made to return material submitted for possible publication (if accompanied by stamped, self-addressed enve- lope), but the editors and the corporation will not be responsible for loss or damage. SUBSCRIPTION LIST USAGE: Advertisers may use our list to mail information to read- ers. To be excluded from such mailings, send a request to ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, Mailing List Manager, P.O. Box 555, Hightstown, N.J. 08520. OFFICERS OF THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer: Harold McGraw III. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer: Robert J. Bahash. Executive Vice President, Human Resources: David L. Murphy. Senior Vice President and General Counsel: Kenneth M. Vittor. Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and Assistant to the President and CEO: Glenn S. Goldberg. Principal Operating Executives: Kathleen A Corbet, President, Standard & Poors; Henry Hirschberg, President, McGraw-Hill Education; Scott C. Marden, President, McGraw-Hill Information and Media Services. MCGRAW-HILL CONSTRUCTION: Norbert W. Young, Jr., FAIA, President. Vice President and CFO: Louis J. Finocchiaro. COPYRIGHT AND REPRINTING: Title ® reg. in U.S. Patent Office. Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Where necessary, permission is granted by the copyright owner for libraries and others registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, Mass. 01923. To photocopy any article herein for personal or internal reference use only for the base fee of $1.80 per copy of the article plus ten cents per page, send payment to CCC, ISSN 0003-858X. Copying for other than personal use or internal reference is prohibited without prior written permission. Write or fax requests (no telephone requests) to Copyright Permission Desk, ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, Two Penn Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10121-2298; fax 212/904-4256. For reprints call 212/512-4170, e-mail [email protected], or fax 212/512-6243. Information has been obtained by The McGraw-Hill Companies from sources believed to be reliable. However, because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by our sources, The McGraw-Hill Companies or ARCHITECTURAL RECORD does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions therein or for the results to be obtained from the use of such information of for any dam- ages resulting there from. THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS • OFFICERS: Eugene C. Hopkins, FAIA, President; Douglas L Steidl, FAIA, First Vice President; Paul Davis Boney, FAIA, Vice President; RK Stewart, FAIA, Vice President; David H. Watkins, FAIA, Vice President; Lawrence R. Livergood, AIA, Secretary; James A. Gatsch, FAIA, Treasurer; David Lancaster, Hon. AIA, CACE Representative to the Executive Committee; Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO • REGIONAL DIRECTORS: Douglas E. Ashe, AIA; Jamie Aycock, AIA; John H. Baker, AIA; Ronald J. Battaglia, FAIA; William D. Beyer, FAIA; Michael Broshar, AIA; Randy Byers, AIA; Tommy Neal Cowan, FAIA; Glenn H. Fellows, AIA; Robert D. Fincham, AIA; Betty Sue Flowers, PhD; A. James Gersich, AIA; Ana Guerra, Assoc. AIA; T. Gunny Harboe, AIA; The Hon. Jeremy Harris; John J. Hoffmann, FAIA; William E. Holloway, AIA; Michael M. Hricak Jr., FAIA; Orlando T. Maione, AIA; Thomas R. Mathison, AIA; Carl F. Meyer, AIA; Robert E. Middlebrooks, AIA; George H. Miller, FAIA; Wayne Mortensen; Hal P. Munger, AIA; Gordon N. Park, CDS, AIA; David Proffitt, AIA; Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA; Bruce A. Race, FAIA; Miguel A. Rodriguez, AIA; Jerry K. Roller, AIA; Jeffrey Rosenblum, AIA; Martin G. Santini, AIA; Robert I. Selby, FAIA; Saundra Stevens, Hon. AIA; Norman Strong, FAIA; Stephen T. Swicegood, FAIA; M. Hunter Ulf, AIA; J. Benjamin Vargas, AIA; Bryce A. Weigand, FAIA. • AIA MANAGEMENT COUNCIL: Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO; James Dinegar, Chief Operating Officer; Richard J. James, CPA, Chief Financial Officer; Jay A. Stephens, Esq., General Counsel; Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, Team Vice President, AIA Community; Ronald A. Faucheux, Team Vice President, AIA Government Advocacy; Barbara Sido, CAE, Team Vice President, AIA Knowledge; Elizabeth Stewart, Esq., Team Vice President, AIA Public Advocacy; Elizabeth Casqueiro, AIA, Managing Director, AIA Alliances; James W. Gaines Jr., Assoc. AIA, Managing Director, AIA Professional Practice; Suzanne Harness, AIA, Esq., Managing Director and Counsel, AIA Contract Documents; Richard L. Hayes, Ph.D., RAIC, AIA, Managing Director, AIA Knowledge Resources; Brenda Henderson, Hon. AIA, Managing Director, AIA Component Relations; Christine M. Klein, Managing Director, AIA Meetings; Carol Madden, Managing Director, AIA Membership Services; Philip D. O’Neal, Managing Director, AIA Technology; C.D. Pangallo, EdD, Managing Director, AIA Continuing Education; Terence J. Poltrack, Managing Director, AIA Communications; Phil Simon, Managing Director, AIA Marketing and Promotion; Laura Viehmyer, SPHR, CEBS, Managing Director, AIA Human Resources. PRINTED IN USA
  • 3. 07.2004 On the Cover: Seattle Central Library, by OMA and LMN. Photograph by Timothy Hursley Photos Right: Loisium, by Steven Holl. Photograph by Margherita Spiluttini News Building Types Study 835 21 Piano chosen for Whitney expansion 133 Introduction: Restaurants by Clifford A. Pearson 30 New York selects potential Olympic Village design 134 Megu, New York City by Clifford A. Pearson* Kajima Associates Departments 140 Chlösterli, Switzerland by Philip Jodidio* Patrick Jouin 15 Editorial: That’s my opinion 144 Jefferson, New York City by William Weathersby, Jr.* 17 Letters* Philip Wu Architect 43 Dates & Events* 148 Soba Restaurant, Japan by Clifford A. Pearson* 49 Archrecord2: For the emerging architect by Randi Greenberg Kengo Kuma & Associates 53 Correspondent’s File: Athens by Sam Lubell For additional restaurant projects, go to Building Types 61 Critique: Gehry’s Stata Center by Robert Campbell, FAIA Study at architecturalrecord.com. 67 Commentary: The American Embassy by Jane Loeffler 73 Exhibitions: Milan Furniture Fair by William Weathersby, Jr. Building Science & Technology 77 Snapshot: Camera Obscura by Sam Lubell 153 Defining Component-Based Design by Barbara Knecht* 240 Profile: Tord Boontje by Josephine Minutillo* Using the tools of mass production to rediscover true craftsmanship. 163 Tech Briefs: Charles de Gaulle Airport* Features Residential 80 Architecture Centers by Sam Lubell Bridging the divide between architects and the public. 167 Introduction 168 PIA and HUD Awards Projects 172 27, 27A, 27B Berrima by Robert Powell WOHA Designs 88 Seattle Central Library, Seattle by Sheri Olson* 178 Weathering Steel House by Raul A. Barreneche OMA joint venture with LMN Shim-Sutcliffe Architects Rem Koolhaas’s “information storehouse” redefines the library. 185 Texas Twister by David Dillon 102 Kendall Square, Massachusetts by Nancy Levinson* Building Studio Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner and Steven Ehrlich Architects America’s archetypal college town welcomes two signature buildings. 188 Villa C by Philip Jodidio Groep Delta Architectuur 114 Loisium Visitors’ Center, Austria by Liane Lefaivre* Steven Holl Architects 195 Kitchen & Bath Portfolio by Rita F. Catinella A visitors’ center makes a splash in Austrian wine country. 201 Residential Products by Rita F. Catinella and Josephine Minutillo 120 Royal and General Archives of Pamplona, Spain by Paula Deitz* Rafael Moneo Products A medieval palace is reinvented as an archives and study center. 207 Storage & Shelving 222 Product Literature 126 Brown Center, Baltimore by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.* 211 Milan Furniture Fair Review by Josephine Minutillo Ziger/Snead and Charles Brickbauer Dramatic contours signal a new era for an art college. 224 Reader Service* 226 AIA/CES Self-Report Form* The AIA/ARCHITECTURAL RECORD You can find these stories at www.architecturalrecord.com, Continuing-Education Opportunity is “Defining including expanded coverage of Projects, Building Types Studies, and Component-Based Design” (page 153). Web-only special features. 07.04 Architectural Record 13
  • 4. That’s My Opinion Editorial By Robert Ivy, FAIA H ow could your otherwise fine magazine allow…” Thus begins a ments. Read them. “Editorial,” for example, announces the editor’s own lament, an actual complaint about a writer’s point of view. We get perspective, speaking for the magazine. “Critique” describes an essay, replete letters like this all the time from readers who want to tangle with a with Michael Sorkin’s or Robert Campbell’s personality, language, wit, and writer expressing a strong opinion in print. We exult in these arguments, individual worldview. “Commentary” contains the musings of a qualified even the hyperbolic ones, since few publications share such a committed, vital staff or outside writer. Those small tabs outside the projects act like road constituency as architectural record. You always tell us what you think, signs—important, but easy to miss. as if the future of the architectural profession depended on it. In a sense, it In addition to clarity, expect balance. If architectural record does, and we treat your opinions with that same concern. veers heavily toward one extreme, don’t panic. Read the accompanying arti- Ironically, the challenge to integrate more critical writing into these cle that tilts the argument from right to left, such as the twin stories we ran pages has come both from our editors and from you, who have continually about Chicago’s Soldier Field in May 2004, in which Joseph Giovannini and asked, like Oliver Twist with his porridge, for more. Your desire for a critical Stanley Tigerman took opposing corners. Or look during the following months voice reflects shared years of academic conditioning, where we regularly face for an answer to a question raised in an article, a response in a letter or occa- scrutiny (sometimes withering, sometimes cruel, sometimes enlightened) of sionally in another piece. When Michael Sorkin wrote a strongly worded essay professors, practitioners, and fellow students. In the design studio and jury, on Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance (which provoked a firestorm of contro- we learned to question and debate, to take nothing for granted. Then at versy), we agreed to publish a countervailing opinion from the client’s graduation, the clouds parted; suddenly, our clientele seemed too accepting of perspective that should air in August. Sorkin deserved ink, versed as he is as a our work, prompting us to yearn for those tougher early crits. Can’t a mag- professor who has studied the beleaguered city’s planning; but we are also azine provide the equivalent of a splash of cold water? making room for the museum’s client—a rare case, but an important one. Up to a point. Although you will encounter more of the writer’s voice Criticism can probe where the camera cannot, since ultimately real in our pages today, we mete out critical writing judiciously at record. While buildings (and unbuilt ones, too) are only as good as the ideas underlying the magazine began publication as a critical journal (as in offering evalua- them. We need critical writing to sift through the layers—social, environ- tion), over time it had broadened its point of view to become a literal record mental, psychological, tectonic, or aesthetic—piercing through the rhetoric, of the world’s most relevant ideas and structures. For years, a project’s mere exposing the emperor’s new clothes, balancing our praise with understanding, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N D R É S O U R O U J O N inclusion in the magazine implied a positive assessment. After strong inter- and offering the occasional, bracing splash. In the days to come, you will see nal debate, in recent years we have arrived at a consensus on our approach to more criticism; but remember, you asked for it, and we agreed: It’s critical. different types of reporting: Simply put, categories should be clear. Certainly, project stories now often combine straight reporting with points of view. But you, the reader, can expect to know what you are encountering elsewhere in the magazine, whether factual reporting (which characterizes the news, for example), descriptive text, or opinion. Your signals lie in the small, significant headings that precede each story in our depart- 07.04 Architectural Record 15
  • 5. Letters Funds for university projects without an outcry is beyond me. However, I was disappointed when I ent-day design excess and mistakenly DEPARTMENTS Thank you for the very well-written —Allen Rubenstein came across the Correspondent’s confuses playful with delightful. and comprehensive article docu- Los Angeles File [page 79], which discussed Critical opinion, based on the classic menting the career of AIA Gold building in Toronto. Wooton/Scott triad, would frown on Medalist Sambo Mockbee [June Keep “her” out of it The article began by talking much that is presently published, 2004, page 184], including the work I applaud your point of view in the about the recent explosion in the con- where extreme design becomes a of Auburn University’s Rural Studio. May editorial [“Beyond Style,” page struction of public buildings, such as role model and spawns “playful” Regarding the Rural Studio, the 17] for recognizing the offending New the Royal Ontario Museum addition architecture worldwide, ad nauseam. impression was left that due to the York Times Magazine article on by Daniel Libeskind, the Art Gallery of —James A. Gresham, FAIA university’s very generous funding (an Pritzker Prize–winning architect Zaha Ontario addition by Frank Gehry, and Tucson, Ariz. annual commitment of $400,000) Hadid. Such gender-focused news the new Four Seasons Opera House and the fact that communities now coverage symbolizes a tenor in our by the firm Diamond and Schmitt. Corrections help with the cost of projects, that industry that may explain why barely Two thirds of Toronto’s major Due to a production error, the wrong the Studio’s financial future is secure. 20 percent of licensed architects in post-secondary institutions were image accompanied the description That is not the case. State laws do firms are women [News, May 2004, mentioned, including the new addi- of Centria’s Concept Series, a collec- not allow university funds to be used page 25], while in academia 42 tion to the Ontario College of Art tion of concealed-fastener exterior for project construction costs. Further, percent of graduate architectural and Design by Will Alsop. metal-wall-panel profiles, on page community contributions only cover students are women (according to The post-secondary institution 369 in the June issue. The correct about 20 percent of the actual project NAAB and the 2000–2002 AIA Firm that was overlooked, and which I image appears below. On the same costs. Approximately $250,000 Survey). As an architect and studio myself attended, was Ryerson page, the wrong measurement was must be raised annually from private leader with SmithGroup—in addition University, truly in the heart of down- sources in order to cover total con- to being a woman, a wife, and a town. Ryerson is currently undergoing struction costs. mother—I add value to the profes- its own great expansion equal to We are in the process of rais- sion, as any individual does. I feel the University of Toronto’s. At this ing an endowment to ensure that that I have accomplished a great deal moment, Ryerson is building six new there is adequate construction in the course of my 20-year career, buildings—worth approximately funding into perpetuity. Only then but I know that troubling perceptions $250 million—that will transform the will the future of Sambo’s remark- and stereotypes still exist. I chose campus. I greatly enjoyed my time in able legacy be secure. architecture because of the high Ryerson’s architecture program, and —Daniel D. Bennett, FAIA ideals of the architects that I studied; I encourage everyone to visit Ryerson Dean, College of Architecture I’ve dreamt of making a difference University online at www.ryerson.ca Design + Construction and feel I’ve done that. Hadid has and www.ryerson.ca/build/. Now, Auburn University realized her dream, and I thank you everyone can see that Toronto has for insisting that the “her” aspect not two world-class architectural univer- Why ruin a masterpiece? overshadow the reason why architect sities being designed by leading I have traveled to Barcelona twice, Zaha Hadid has risen to receive our architects. 30 years apart, to see Gaudí’s profession’s highest honor. —Andrew Robinson Sagrada Familia [Correspondent’s —Anne Belleau-Mills, AIA Toronto, Canada File, June 2004, page 109]. There is Detroit given for the Lafarge Ductal compo- unanimity that this is one of the The qualities of architecture nents used in the Shawnessy world’s great buildings. Its eight tow- Keep it coming Robert Campbell’s division of archi- Station project in Calgary, Canada. ers originally rose over a low-rise I would just like to thank you for help- tecture into the playful and the ethical The project used 24 precast curved neighborhood. A grand central spire, ing to create public awareness on the is curious [Critique, May 2004, page canopies, each measuring 3⁄4'' thick. as yet unfinished, was to grow out of rebuilding of the Twin Towers. I love 67]. Vitruvius chose not to divide In the May issue [page 123], the the center to soar over the existing Ken Gardner’s design for the new WTC architecture into camps, but instead name of Greg Grunloh, AIA, a project towers and the local community. Until [News, April 2004, page 32]. Please assigned three essential and interre- manager for Holabird & Root, the now. The setting of this masterpiece write more articles on the topic. lated qualities to it, namely: firmness, architect of record and structural is completely destroyed by the adja- —Mike Beggen commodity, and delight. engineer for the McCormick-Tribune cent Agbar Tower, as your photograph New York City “Ethical” strongly suggests both Campus Center, IIT, in Chicago, was on page 110 clearly shows. How any firmness (structure) and commodity misspelled. architectural commentator could dis- My Toronto has Ryerson U. (function or usefulness). Campbell’s cuss Barcelona regional planning I was impressed with the April issue. two-part thesis is permissive of pres- Send letters to [email protected]. 07.04 Architectural Record 17
  • 6. Record News Highlights Lower Manhattan news p. 22 Foster and OMA unveil designs in Dallas p. 24 Muschamp leaving the Times p. 30 New projects for Hadid, Herzog & DeMeuron, and Nouvel p. 34 AIA Convention draws record numbers to Chicago This year’s AIA Convention, held seminars, and continuing-education June 10–12 in Chicago, will be con- sessions were filled to capacity, as sidered a success for many reasons, were most sales booths. but perhaps the biggest—literally— On Friday, Samuel Mockbee and was its size. The event attracted a Lake Flato were designated AIA Gold record 22,159 registrants, topping Medalist and Firm of the Year, and the San Diego’s in 2003, which drew AIA inducted 81 new members into 20,025. The list of exhibiting compa- its College of Fellows. The next day, nies at cavernous McCormick Place Honor Award winners reviewed their also broke the record, reaching 850. projects, and Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, Before the crowd, architect was elected 2006 AIA president. In Helmut Jahn and authors Erik Larson other business, delegates adopted a and Virginia Postrel offered keynote $50 dues increase and a resolution addresses that captured, respectively,to support research efforts focusing on diversity in the profession. the scope of future projects in the city, the illustrious history of the metropo- An emotional highlight came on Participants check into the AIA Expo at Chicago’s McCormick Place. Thursday night with a screening of lis’s built environment, and the rise of aesthetic consciousness in the coun- Nathaniel Kahn’s Oscar-nominated winning the Academy Award,” Kahn plenary session. “Our buildings make try. Throughout the event, speeches, film, My Architect. Nearly 2,000 quipped. a statement about Chicago—they’re people braved a downpour Besides the AIA, the star of the bold, unconventional, and willing to gather at the splendidly show was Chicago itself. Convention to take risks.” He also discussed restored Auditorium goers could be spotted gawking at the city’s aggressive green-building Theater by Adler & skyscrapers on riverboat tours, visit- efforts. All new public buildings in the Sullivan for the event. ing Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and city are required to be LEED-certified, Kahn received a 90- studio in Oak Park, and viewing the more than 80 green roofs have been second standing ovation, upcoming Millennium Park. installed on tall buildings, and the city preceded that morning “This is a city that takes recently opened the Chicago Center by an AIA Presidential architecture seriously,” said Chicago for Green Technology, a resource for Citation. “This takes some Mayor Richard Daley as he wel- architects and the public. Sam Honorees at the AIA Fellows ceremony. of the sting out of not comed the crowd at the opening Lubell and Deborah Snoonian, P.E. P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A M E R I C A N I N S T I T U T E O F A R C H I T E CT S Renzo Piano chosen to design Whitney Museum expansion Reflecting a change in priorities, the Whitney Museum of Art on June 16 and he has a wonderful sense for details and materials.” Design and budget chose Italian architect Renzo Piano to design an expansion of its building on for the project have not yet been set, but museum officials say Piano will East 74th Street in Manhattan. Piano will replace Rem Koolhaas’s Office for work to improve and enlarge gallery spaces, and that he is interested in utiliz- Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), which had proposed a much more sizable ing (not destroying) nearby historic town houses, perhaps for museum offices. plan, abandoned last year. Weinberg says Piano’s project may rise above the museum’s current height. The Architecture Selection Committee of the Museum’s board picked Koolhaas’s proposal, developed more than two years ago, had a $200 Piano after a six-month search. The biggest factor, say Whitney officials, was million budget and would have virtually reshaped the building’s exterior. It a desire to put more emphasis on viewing art inside than on the view of the was abandoned about 18 months ago. “I think his plan was spectacular,” building from the street.“We already have a destination,” says museum director says Weinberg. “But I think this idea will be more doable in terms of Adam Weinberg, of the Whitney’s iconic 1966 Marcel Breuer edifice. “To my expense, program, and preserving historic landmarks.” Piano’s replacement mind, the spectacle should be as much or more about art than architecture.” of Koolhaas at the Whitney virtually repeats a scenario at the Los Angeles Weinberg adds, “Renzo is incredibly sensitive to the needs of contemporary County Museum of Art, which recently replaced a massive plan by Koolhaas/ art and artists. He loves natural light, his interiors have a very human scale, OMA with a more understated, and cost-effective, design by Piano. S.L. 07.04 Architectural Record 21
  • 7. Record News oculus will be the above- ground face of the new center, much of the new design will be underground. The Fulton Street subway REBUILDING LOWER MANHATTAN platforms would connect to Santiago Calatrava’s OFF THE RECORD Design for Fulton proposed PATH station by ARCHITECTURAL RECORD is curating the Street Transit Hub underground passageway, and changes to the under- exhibition Transcending Type for the unveiled ground station will simplify U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Architecture New York City’s Metropolitan confusing ramps, add esca- Biennale, to be held September 12 to Transportation Authority (MTA) has lators, and increase access November 7. Participating firms released drawings for a new transit to subway platforms. include Kolatan/MacDonald, Reiser + hub in Lower Manhattan, to be Existing art in the Umemoto, Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, designed by Grimshaw’s New York station will be preserved, George Yu Architects, Studio/Gang office. The new building will link sta- A model of Grimshaw’s 50-foot-glass pavilion. though relocated, while Architects, and Predock_Frane. tions for nine subway lines, and will James Carpenter Design stand at the corner of Broadway and Wheeler, the MTA’s director of spe- Associates is developing new art The Museum of Modern Art in New Fulton Street, about a block from the cial project development and for the station. A team from the York will open its new facility in site of the World Trade Center. planning. “It’s very hard to find, and MTA stations department is work- Midtown Manhattan this November. The building itself is planned as it’s very hard to navigate once ing to incorporate new materials. a 50-foot-tall glass pavilion, with a you’re down there. And light was The architects also collaborated Daniel Libeskind has been named tapering steel-and-glass dome rising a big factor. So that directly trans- with Daniel Frankfurt, Lee Harris the United States Cultural Ambassador from the middle. The design, say its lated into the solution.” Pomeroy Associates, and staff from for Architecture by the U.S. State architects, is intended to make the The design incorporates two the MTA. Department. station a neighborhood landmark small stores at street level, and The building is expected to and bring light into the now-dark preserves the Corbin Building, an cost $750 million and will be com- Rafael Viñoly’s $875 million Boston subway platforms below ground. ornate office building from 1889 pleted in 2007. Funding will come Convention and Exhibition Center “We wanted to improve the ori- that sits adjacent to the new subway entirely through federal grants. opened in June. At 1.7 million square entation of the facility,” says William entrance. Though the pavilion and Kevin Lerner feet, it is the largest convention center I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY G R I M S H AW N E W YO R K / M E T R O P O L I TA N T R A N S P O R TAT I O N AU T H O R I T Y ( TO P ) ; in New England. Institutions chosen for WTC cultural sites Professor Peter Cook is stepping down TOWER 1: PERFORMING TOWER 2 FREEDOM as chairman of the Bartlett School of In a festive presentation on June 10 square feet apiece. No details TOWER ARTS CENTER Architecture, University College featuring musicians, dancers, about funding or designers WEDGE OF LIGHT PLAZA London. actors, and world luminaries, Lower have been worked out, said PATH TERMINAL PATH Manhattan officials named the insti- LMDC president Kevin Rampe. PLAZA CULTURAL New York’s High Line, which plans to tutions that will host cultural facilities One hundred twelve MEMORIAL BUILDING SITE TOWER 3 AND build a public space at the city’s old at the former World Trade Center site. institutions had expressed MEMORIAL CENTER west side rail lines, has named The winners included the Joyce interest in hosting space, and LO W E R M A N H AT TA N D E V E LO P M E N T C O R P O R AT I O N ( B OT TO M ) design finalists that include Diller, Theater Foundation, a dance organi- some may still find locales TOWER 4 Scofidio + Renfro; Skidmore, Owings & zation; the Signature Theater; the near the site, officials said. Merrill; Zaha Hadid Architects; Drawing Center, a visual arts gallery; Mayor Michael Bloomberg Steven Holl Architects; and Michael and the Freedom Center, a new noted: “Only in New York Van Valkenburgh Associates. institution dedicated to examining would we be able to look in TOWER 5 freedom worldwide. Each will be our own backyard and find Landscape architect Charles Jencks lodged in one of two cultural build- such a tremendous array of has won the $175,000 Gulbenkian ings at the northern end of the Trade cultural groups to choose The new spaces (in orange) will include Museum of the Year Prize for the Center site, measuring 250,000 from.” S.L. cultural and performing arts venues. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. Cultural Buildings munity meeting room, donor’s lounge. • Signature Theater Company: 499-seat auditorium, • The Drawing Center: Up to six gallery spaces, Mohsen Mostafavi, chairman of 299-seat auditorium, and a flexible 99–199-seat audito- spaces for public programs, education, and events. London’s Architectural Association, rium. Bookstore, café, lobby. • The Freedom Center: Exhibition spaces, a theater, was named dean of Cornell University’s • Joyce Theater Foundation: 900–1,000 seat prosce- presentation space, classrooms, reception space, grand College of Architecture, Art, and nium theater. Rehearsal studios, café, gift shop, com- entrance, café, bookstore, “Place of Contemplation.” Planning. 22 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 8. Record News OMA’s Wylie Theater will be made mostly of glass. be surrounded by lobbies, promenades, and restaurants. The glass walls will open onto a grand plaza shaded by a floating sunscreen. “The last thing we want is a cultural ghetto,” says Spencer de Grey, lead designer of the Opera House. “We want the influence of both projects to Dallas unveils designs for extend through and beyond the entire arts dis- performing arts center trict.” Koolhaas and OMA presented an 11-story tower, with a glass-walled theater occupying the After a period in which only two major buildings lower floors, and offices, rehearsal studios, cos- were constructed in 20 years, the Dallas Arts tume shop, and other support spaces stacked on District is quickly making up for lost time. Following top. The project is another version of the “vertical Renzo Piano’s Nasher Sculpture Center, which city” idea that Koolhaas first introduced in his book opened last October, on June 8 Foster and Partners Delirious New York. and Rem Koolhaas’s Office of Metropolitan “Height allows a small building to hold its own Architecture (OMA) unveiled preliminary designs among larger neighbors,” explains project architect for an opera house and the- Joshua Ramus. “If it were quiet ater, centerpieces of the and modest, it wouldn't be the $275 million Dallas Center populist building we want.” for the Performing Arts. The stage will be recon- The pair of buildings figurable by means of lifts, represents a dramatic break pulleys, turntables, and other with the existing low-slung, mechanical devices. And as limestone aesthetic of the with the opera house, the Arts District. The Winspear glass walls will open directly Opera House will be the dis- Foster’s Winspear Opera House. onto a public plaza. Plazas, trict’s first primarily glass gardens, and a canopy of building, the Wyly Theater its first tower. Both trees will link the Foster and Koolhaas buildings, designs aim for visual prominence. plus a smaller, third theater by Skidmore Owings The Opera House, a red polished-concrete & Merrill, Chicago. egg in a curving glass box, will seat 2,200 and Construction on both projects will begin I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY DA L L A S C E N T E R FO R T H E P E R FO R M I N G A R T S FO U N DAT I O N cost an estimated $150 million. The main audito- in 2006, with the entire performing arts center rium will form a traditional horseshoe shape and scheduled to open in 2009. David Dillon OMA and Chinese authorities deny demise of CCTV project Speculation is raging over the future of Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)/Rem Koolhaas’s proposed headquarters and national broadcast center for China Central Television (CCTV). The much- publicized scheme calls for a 55-floor angular building on a large and valuable piece of land in the heart of Beijing’s new Central Business District at an estimated cost of $730 million. Many in China regard the project as unrealistic, given its hefty price tag, complex design, and location within the capital’s commercial and financial core. Some in China’s state council are said to be apprehensive about the scheme, though the council has still given its tacit approval to the project. The Chinese press has been mum on the subject, but Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported that the project had been stalled, hinting that it may have been suspended. Additionally, the Chinese central government recently issued a directive curbing expensive building projects, with the aim to cool down the country’s extensive building craze, adding fuel to the rumors about the building’s future. However, both CCTV and OMA insist the project is on track. “I know there’s been a lot of high-level political discussion about how China should spend its money, and the gap between rich and poor,” says Ole Schereen, OMA’s lead architect on the project, “but I can assure you, [CCTV Headquarters] is by no means dead.” Daniel Elsea
  • 9. Record News KUSSER AICHA Graniteworks USA Design with Natural Stone Paris Opera completes renovation of its Grand Foyer Making the Few Paris buildings are as spectacular as the icism, but Garnier had saved money by using oil Impossible Opera Garnier. A virtual palace, it anchors one of paint, with nuances of gold applied only to visible Reality! Baron Haussmann’s famous radiating urban axes. surfaces. He also mass-produced some of the Surrounded on four sides by traffic-choked roads, decorative bronze elements, coating reusable the Opera has suffered for its location and had molds by electrolysis. While every inch of wall · Original KUGEL lost most of its patina. In the 1990s, the French appears carved in gold, the substructure is made Floating Ball · Floating Objects government launched an ambitious total restora- up of wood and plaster. · Monumental Works tion to be fazed over 12 years. In 1995, the The restoration, overseen by France’s Service of Art theater and stage were restored and modernized. National des Travaux with lead architect Alain · Granite Fountains, In 2000, the newly cleaned entry facade was Charles Perrot, returns the hall to its original Waterwalls unveiled, exposing a variety of colored marbles splendor, encompassing ceiling paintings, parquet, · Natural Stone and blinding gold statues. And in May, the Grand mirrors, 7-foot-high statues, marble, drapery, and Elements Foyer reopened after a $5 million face-lift. chandeliers. The job took the work of more than · Prestressed Granite Charles Garnier was 100 skilled craftsmen in 18 · Custom Design relatively unknown when different specialties, and a · Complete he won the competition in great deal of research. The Engineering Support 1861 to build the Opera, fabrics, for example, were which was inaugurated in reproduced by the factory 1875. As dictated by the that first made them and original program, the Opera that had kept samples, iden- included a foyer where peo- tified through old receipts. ple would not come to sit The final step in the but to stroll. It was therefore Opera’s restoration will focus designed to be “as long as on the building’s perimeter, possible.” Garnier went one including lampposts and step further in making his exterior stairs, as well as the 195-foot-long foyer accessi- two lateral facades and the ble to all floors and people cupola. The entire project of all classes. The grandeur will be completed by 2007. of the space drew some crit- The Opera’s renovated Grand Foyer. Claire Downey New Marcus Prize will honor emerging architects Inspired by the Pritzker Prize, Milwaukee’s arm of the Marcus Corporation, which owns and Marcus Corporation Foundation has announced operates movie theaters, resorts, and hotels, a new $50,000 Marcus Prize, to be awarded including Baymont Inns and Suites, throughout biannually to an emerging architect. Unlike the the United States. Stephen H. Marcus, chair and $100,000 Pritzker Prize, which recognizes an chief executive officer of the corporation, says, already well-known architect’s career or body of “Our long-term vision for the award is to attract P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J E A N - P I E R R E D E L A G A R D E work, the Marcus Prize will recognize individual international attention to Milwaukee.” architects earlier in their careers, when they are Applications for the initial Marcus Prize will just on the cusp of greatness. be available in January 2005, and a jury of archi- The Marcus Corporation Foundation will tects, critics, and members of the Milwaukee provide an additional $50,000 to the University community will select the winner in June 2005. Aicha vorm Wald, Germany of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture The winner is expected to be a guest lecturer Material: Tittlinger Granite and Urban Planning to administer the prize and and critic in a new graduate-level Marcus Design [email protected] www.kusserUSA.com bring the recipient to the school as a guest critic. Studio that will focus on an urban design chal- Bob Greenstreet, dean of the school, orches- lenge in Milwaukee. 800-919-0080 trated the development of the award with the Visit the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Marcus Corporation Foundation and the City of Web site at www.uwm.edu/sarup for more Spiral staircase Milwaukee. information on the Marcus Prize. John E. The Marcus Foundation is the philanthropic Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA CIRCLE 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 10. NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM Record News AT NBM Designers develop alternatives to Gehry’s Brooklyn plans When architect Joel Towers first saw developer Towers, a partner at SR + T Architects and lectures Bruce Ratner’s proposal for a $2.5 billion Nets director of Sustainable Design at Parsons School July 7 arena complex in Brooklyn, he saw one problem: of Design, then drew up another scheme, called Wolf D. Prix His home was within the site. “Swerve,” which reconfigures Atlantic Avenue, IMAGE BY FLORIAN HOLZHERR COURTESY SOM co-principal of Soon afterward, Ratner announced that he near the site, to provide more land for the project. Coop Himmelb(l)au, would remove buildings in the area through emi- He presented the plan at a city council meeting Vienna, Austria nent domain, a law that allows the city to condemn in April that was attended by Ratner. rescheduled from June property for urban renewal, Meanwhile, Brown and and Towers quickly began his team, after meeting with July 8 sketching his own plan—one residents in March, offered Sasaki: that would preserve his house. an option that calls for five- Designing the Civic Realm Towers is one of several to 10-story buildings, a winding Dennis Pieprz, president of local architects working on green space, and a reconnec- Sasaki Associates, Boston, MA counterproposals to Ratner’s tion of streets now severed by July 12 plan, designed largely by the rail yards. The plan does Sea Ranch Frank Gehry, FAIA, that aims not include an arena. Instead, Donlyn Lyndon, professor at University to construct a 15,000-seat it aims to move it to the of California, Berkeley arena and four soaring resi- Brooklyn Navy Yards, a 300- dential towers over the acre swath of land owned by July 22 Atlantic rail yards in downtown the city on the East River. Roger Duffy: SOM Brooklyn. The new plans vary Brown’s plan includes a winding park Congressman Major Owens partner of Skidmore, Owings & greatly, but all attempt to and a relocated stadium. also commissioned architect Merrill, New York, NY prevent the displacement of Jennifer Gelin to examine the residents and businesses. “We are working to site. Her proposal links the arena with the 2012 exhibitions create a menu of alternatives,” says architect Marshall Brown, who is working with district Olympic bid plan, which relies heavily on water- borne transportation. Liquid Stone: council member Letitia James and a team of As of now, Ratner has not made any further PHOTO BY ALAN KARCHMER FOR SANTIAGO CALATRAVA New Architecture neighborhood architects and urban designers. commitments to review the alternative proposals. in Concrete Towers’ first plan, called “Shift,” moves the However, James Stucky, vice president of Forest through January 23, 300,000-square-foot arena onto a platform above City Ratner (FCR), said the company is making 2005 the Atlantic Center, just north of the rail yards. New every effort not to displace residents. “We will residential buildings would remain in the plan but either have to buy the buildings or carve out a Affordable be horizontally scaled and densely packed to blend space for them,” he says. Beth Davidson, an FCR Housing: with surrounding buildings and preserve existing spokesperson, says the company has already Designing an structures. In January, Towers discussed his proposal gone through 36 sketches in order to minimize American Asset with Ratner and Gehry. Gehry liked the platform the need for condemnation. Still, such plans through August 8, 2004 idea but insisted the arena stay at ground level. remain vague at best. Christina Rogers Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio: Community Architecture Reed Kroloff named Tulane architecture dean through September 6, 2004 Reed Kroloff, former editor of Architecture Magazine, was recently appointed dean of Tulane I M A G E : C O U R T E SY M A R S H A L L B R O W N University’s School of Architecture in New Orleans. His appointment becomes effective October 1. national building museum Ron Filson, FAIA, has been serving as interim dean since January. 401 F Street, NW A recipient of the Rome Prize, Kroloff is completing his residency at the American Academy in Washington, DC 20001 Rome. He has held teaching positions at the University of Texas and Arizona State University. He also 202 / 272-2448 serves as principal of Reed Kroloff Design Services of New York, which in addition to its own work, www.NBM.org serves as consult on architectural competitions worldwide. “Given his national prominence, varied experiences, and remarkable accomplishments, we are For more information and to register confident Reed will help lead our school of architecture to a new level,” says Scott Cowen, Tulane’s for programs, call or visit our website. Discounts for members and students. president, in a statement. One of the nation’s oldest architectural programs, Tulane began offering courses in architecture in 1894. Tony Illia
  • 11. Record News New York chooses design for potential Olympic Village If any architectural commission requires the typology of the continuous apartment block “juice,” that burst of breakaway energy on the by breaking free of the right angle both in plan athletic field, it’s Olympic architecture—and and section. Leaning backward and forward as juice is exactly what the New York City 2012 they curve across the site, and mixing in typology, Committee got when officials announced in May the buildings generate an energy field whose vec- that Thom Mayne’s Morphosis had won an tors lead north toward a dense urban nexus of invited competition to design the Olympic Village apartment towers surrounding an urban square. proposed by the city in its bid to capture the Alexander Garvin, NYC2012’s director of plan- 2012 Games. ning and design, asked the five competing architect The proposed village would be located just teams “for a new kind of plan,” he says, “and a new opposite the United Nations in Hunters Point, standard for housing.” Morphosis’s subsequent plan Queens, on a former industrial site bounded on inventively breaks free of precedents, using archi- two sides by the East River and Newton Creek. Mayne has made a 43-acre park, designed with landscape architect George Hargreaves, the central organizational feature of a 52-acre com- plex of mixed-use buildings, 4,500 apartments, and Olympic facilities that, after the games, would convert to market-rate apartments and community facilities. The park’s design includes wind-protective berms and creases, whose fluid spaces are shaped by what are effectively horizontal, undu- lating skyscrapers. Mayne carefully breaks and elevates the blocks to achieve view corridors to the East River and the Manhattan skyline, while Morphosis’s design breaks free of right angles. easing the park on a slope down to the Newton Creek, where the design team cultivate an inti- tecture as an urban design tool to create a highly mate relationship with the water via boardwalks active, people-centered urbanism. set among abundant vegetation. Along the East Garvin is sanguine that if the bid for the River, the design includes docking facilities and Olympics fails, the numbers—“If I do my job a recreational pier, which protects a welcoming properly”—will justify building an adapted ver- beachhead. sion of the plan that goes forward on a market The complex’s buildings, which strongly basis. Even without the Olympics, Queens West recall Corbusier’s Unités d’Habitation, reinvent will still have juice. Joseph Giovannini introducing au s t in™ by Muschamp leaving post as Times architecture critic New York Times architecture critic Herbert them, and some don’t.” robert chipman, ASLA Muschamp will be moving to a new beat, confirms Landman would not say when the move a source within the paper. will take place. He added that Muschamp had Culture Desk editor Jonathan Landman been thinking of changing assignments for told RECORD that Muschamp decided “he’s been some time, although he could not remember doing it long enough, and he wants to do some- when he and Muschamp had first discussed I M A G E : C O U R T E SY N YC 2 0 1 2 thing else.” Landman notes that Muschamp’s the topic. The last conversation came the week move will be of his own volition, and says that of June 7, he says. landscapeforms.com he was not at all displeased with the critic’s A source at the Times has confirmed performance. that Nicolai Ouroussoff, who is currently the 800.430.6208 “I thought he was a great critic who Los Angeles Times architecture critic, has engaged a lot of people in the subject who been named to take over the position. At press CIRCLE 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD never knew they were interested in it. The thing time, it had not been determined when he will OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML about critics is that some people agree with assume the new post. S.L.
  • 12. Record News The plan features a circular boardwalk. and the port during several false starts at redeveloping the area over the past eight years. The Sasaki/Quigley team disre- garded competition rules by preserving a historic police headquarters building on the site slated for partial demolition, and by envisioning a grassy, 6.5-acre park that challenged expectations, pro- posing to dredge old landfill to create an iconic mini harbor encircled by a 3,600-foot-long Arc Walk. Proposed attractions within the arc include a San Diego approves designs to sandy beach, a floating stage, and boat revamp its waterfront slips. More study is needed to deter- mine if this wide, circular boardwalk will Following the June 8 approval by the San Diego float on pontoons or be designed to double as a Unified Port District commissioners, a prominent breakwater, and how boats will traverse the arc. 25-acre section of downtown San Diego’s Owen Lang, of Sasaki’s San Francisco waterfront will be redeveloped with a circular office, had previously led public waterfront plan- boardwalk, new parkland, and commercial ning workshops for the port; he was able to development to reunite a part of the city now contribute extensive knowledge to help attract blocked from San Diego Bay. The plan was residents and tourists to a zone now dominated developed by Sasaki Associates/Rob Wellington by high-rise hotels and a mile-long convention Quigley, FAIA, which also had the unanimous center. vote of a four-person competition jury and over- “Owen and I agreed to approach the com- whelming public support. petition as an academic enterprise, regardless The commissioners’ decision to endorse of the rules, regardless of the restraints, which the proposal marked a change in the port’s made it really fun,” says Quigley, who is based development strategy, which has been mostly in San Diego. Though the proposal will be piecemeal and revenue-driven. It also may have refined, the cost is estimated at $213 million. quelled contentiousness that developed among The port will soon issue a request for proposals residents, businesses, historic preservationists, from potential developers. Ann Jarmusch Planning under way for new Toronto waterfront door hardware It is a running joke in Toronto that the city has been trying to improve its waterfront as long as it has accessories • hinges had one. But the completion in May of urban design and land-use plans for two new downtown neigh- cabinet hardware borhoods has opened the door for construction to begin as early as 2005. The “precinct planning,” as it has been termed by the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization bath hardware Corporation, began last year with the selection of Boston-based Koetter Kim and Associates as design window & patio door I M A G E : C O U R T E SY S A S A K I A S S O C I AT E S lead for the 80-acre East Bayfront neighborhood, and Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates as classic series lead for the 90-acre West Donlands areas. Both areas are currently underutilized industrial locations designer series barely a mile from the heart of the city’s downtown and adjacent to Lake Ontario. Koetter Kim’s East Bayfront plan envisions the neighborhood as a significant public destination detail from the Fleur de Lis Collection year-round, with an aquarium or winter garden, and housing anchored by a commercial boulevard. The part of the designer series scheme includes varied parcel sizes meant to encourage the involvement of smaller developers. Meanwhile, Urban Design Associates’ plan for the West Donlands creates a neighborhood of 6- to 7,000 apartments and town houses organized around a 15-acre, elliptical park. The plan uses a system of laneways and includes innovations such as consolidated underground parking to allow for more StoneRiverBronze.com efficient infrastructure. High-rise towers will surround the park. Andrew Blum CIRCLE 23 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 13. Record News On the Boards get Bilbao, and includes a seven-story office tower, the local train station, an underground leisure I need and commercial center, and a 15-acre park. The headquarters forms the centerpiece of a revital- ization effort for this historic town of 26,000 cabinetry inhabitants, made possible by burying train lines through the site. Hadid conceived the vault of the station and specs to the office tower as a single, continuously changing organic form, in which the tower acts as a “can- non” shooting natural light into the station platform create great Hadid’s vision extending 30 feet below grade. She describes the commercial center as a “tongue” extending from this form, designs. near Bilbao On May 10 it was announced that Zaha Hadid which is illuminated by openings in the park above it. Notes Álvaro Amann, counselor for Public Works and Transport of the Basque regional gov- at won a limited competition to build a new head- ernment: “The building resolves the necessities of kraftmaidspec .com quarters for EuskoTren, the regional public transit the new company and establishes a new dialogue authority of the Basque Region in Spain. The proj- between the medieval city and the 21st century.” ect is located in Durango, a town 20 miles east of David Cohn Herzog & de Meuron converting warehouse into philharmonic Swiss-based Herzog & de concert hall and a 500-seat chamber Meuron is designing a new phil- hall, will also house a 200-room lux- harmonic hall for Hamburg, ury hotel and 21 luxury apartments. Germany, burgeoning out of an The addition to the warehouse old factory building. will be clad with a grid-pattern of The brick warehouse, called three-dimensional square open- I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY Z A H A H A D I D A R C H I T E CT S ( TO P ) ; H E R ZO G & D E M E U R O N ( M I D D L E ) ; the Kaispeicher A, was built in ings, while the future hall’s musical the 1960s and chiefly stored vibrations inspire the rising forms cocoa beans until its close at the end of the 20th of its undulating roof, the firm says. century. The firm says it will make it the “point of The facility, along the warehouse docks on departure” for the new hall, which will be stacked the Elbe River, will occupy more than 700,000 Only KraftMaidspec.com lets you on top of it, and connected by a central lobby. square feet, and is a focal point of Hamburg’s download AutoCAD drawings of The complex, which will include a 2,400-seat effort to transform its central harbor. S.L. every single cabinet and gives detailed information on door styles, finishes, storage solutions and our quality construction. Nouvel designing marine Visit KraftMaidspec.com and see center in Le Havre, France why so many architects rely on it Jean Nouvel last month beat finalists as their design resource. MVRDV and Daniel Libeskind in an open competition to build Le Havre’s new Marine buildings, Nouvel’s designs, says project archi- AT E L I E R S J E A N N O U V E L ( B OT TO M ) . Center and swimming pool complex. tect Mirco Tardio, will be “more polished” and The $39 million project is part of a large- “adapted to the [cultural and leisure] program.” scale investment scheme to turn the city’s port The adjacent 63,507-square-foot swimming into a culture, leisure, and shopping quarter. pool complex will house two heated pools, a The surrounding industrial aesthetic of the area water therapy center, and saunas. The pool influenced Nouvel’s design, which includes a complex will be built in concrete, its facade www.kraftmaidspec.com 394-foot-high glass-and-steel tower. Two can- pierced with random openings. The pool complex tilevered platforms will house exhibitions on port and Marine Center are tentatively scheduled economy, history, and environment. for completion at the end of 2006 and the end Although inspired by the nearby harbor of 2007, respectively. Robert Such CIRCLE 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 14. Record News P.S. 1’s winning design for a courtyard to help New Yorkers celebrate the summer The Museum of Modern Art and P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in New York have selected a winner for their fifth annual Young Architects Program, to design the summer courtyard installation at P.S. 1 in Long Island City, Queens, New York. Open to emerging nARCHITECTS’ plan includes several distinct areas. architects, the contest challenges participants to propose a These sections include a “rain- design within a $60,000 budget that forest” with overhead sprinklers, will serve as the backdrop for Warm a “sand hump” that provides alter- Up, the popular summer outdoor native seating, a “fog pad” that music series. utilizes a halo of fog nozzles, and a New York City–based “pool pad,” a wading pool with fresh nARCHITECTS’ design, Canopy, recycled water, and topography for was chosen in April, and will open to furniture that creates underwater the public on July 3. The firm, which seating. won the 2001 Architectural League During the planning stages and of New York’s Young Architects while building on-site, the architects plans have been ever-evolving. “We’ve found spaces for previously unplanned areas including the ‘meeting pad,’ a seating area for six people,” Bunge explains. The canopy is built with more than 30,000 linear feet of freshly cut green bamboo that will turn from green to tan by the end of the summer. The The bamboo structure of Canopy. architects have used bamboo in past residential projects and Forum Prize [RECORD, June 2001, have found they like the flexibility of page 62], was founded in 1999 by the material as well as its visual and architects Eric Bunge and Mimi tactile qualities. P.S. 1’s executive Hoang. director, Alanna Heiss, describes “In past years, Mimi and I have Canopy as an “extraordinary bam- I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY N A R C H I T E CT S hung out in the courtyard of P.S. 1 and boo wonderland.” imagined what we would do,” says A film crew has been on loca- Bunge. “We imagined a landscape tion documenting the building of the that would engage the full depth of outdoor space with the architects the courtyard. Our planning needed and the building team consisting to consider shade, seating, and the of architecture students and recent CIRCLE 27 ON READER SERVICE CARD definition of spaces. We developed graduates. nARCHITECTS’ progress OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML outdoor rooms with different effects can be followed on their Web that would promote various types of site, www.nARCHITECTS.com. ROCKY MOUNTAIN H A R D W A R E ® lounging,” explains the architect. Randi Greenberg 888.552.9497 w w w. r o c k y m o u n t a i n h a r d w a r e. c o m
  • 15. News Briefs Proposed bills would give tax Influenced by Le Corbusier, breaks to architects working Niemeyer developed a fluid, sculp- abroad Separate bills recently tural style, using reinforced concrete passed in the House and Senate to create dramatic structures that would grant tax relief to architec- reflect the natural, flowing curves of tural and engineering firms working his native Rio de Janerio’s moun- abroad. Each plan is sharply differ- ent and the two measures must be reconciled. The provisions were sought by industry to offset repeal of the Extraterritorial Income (ETI) pro- gram, a tax break for companies that operate overseas. The ETI was deemed illegal in 2002 by the World Part of Niemeyer’s Brasilia project. Trade Organization. The House plan, approved 251 tains, beaches, and bay. His most to 178 on June 17, lowers the corpo- recent project, the Oscar Niemeyer rate tax rate for all U.S.-based A/E Museum in Curitaba, Brazil, opened firms that are set up as C corpora- to the public in late 2002. Tony Illia tions, from 35 percent to 32 percent. The Senate version, passed May 11 Noguchi Museum reopens on a 92 to 5 vote, uses a 10-year On June 12 the Noguchi Museum in phase-in of tax deductions to achieve Long Island City, Queens, New York, the same end for a broader range of reopened after two and a half years corporations. The negotiations of renovation. The museum houses between the House and Senate to the most wide-ranging collection of craft a final bill are expected to be Noguchi’s work, including sculptures, contentious and to last through the interior design projects, architectural summer. Some lobby- models, and his famed ists are optimistic a Akari Light Sculptures, resolution will be as well as his com- P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY O S C A R N I E M E Y E R ( TO P ) ; N O G U C H I M U S E U M ( B OT TO M ) reached by September, plete archives. but if compromises The $13.5 million are not attainable, renovation, by the measure could Sage and Coombe be shelved until after Architects, allowed for the election. Sherie the installation of a Winston permanent collection Noguchi gets a remake. within the museum, Niemeyer wins and the organization of Praemium Imperiale Brazilian circulating shows of Noguchi’s work. architect Oscar Niemeyer has A new space is devoted to public pro- received Japan’s Praemium gramming and educational events. Imperiale Award for his international The architects strove to main- impact on the arts. The prize carries tain Noguchi’s aesthetic vision while a hefty $135,000 honorarium. installing a heating and cooling sys- Niemeyer, still active at age 96, is tem throughout the building and the oldest recipient of the 16-year- renovating the 10 indoor galleries and old award, and the first from Latin sculpture garden, and relocating the America. He is best known for café and gift shop. The first exhibition, implementing Lucio Costa’s plans Isamu Noguchi: Sculptural Design, for Brazil’s new capital, Brasilia (top a comprehensive look at Noguchi’s photo), in 1958–60, designing most career, is on display through October of the city’s important buildings. 3, 2004. Audrey Beaton CIRCLE 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 16. Dates & Events overview of the conceptual and experimental ten- New & Upcoming dencies that emerged in Vienna and Graz Exhibitions between 1958 and 1973. At Architekturzentrum Beyond the Box—The Architecture of Wien. Call 431/522-3115 or visit www.azw.at for William P. Bruder information. Los Angeles July 15–October 14, 2004 Material Trends in Modern Italian An exhibition of Will Bruder’s work will be on view Furnishings at A+D Museum. For more information, call New York City 310/659-2445 or visit www.AplusD.org. Through July 14, 2004 The region of Lombardy is the center of Italian design ingenuity, with unparalleled excellence Ongoing Exhibitions in creativity and manufacturing values. This Zaha Hadid exhibition features recent products in furniture, New York City textiles, consumer electronics, and fixtures. June–July, 2004 The show coincides with the 16th Annual Paintings, drawings, and indoor and outdoor International Contemporary Furniture Fair. At objects by the recent Pritzker Prize–winning archi- Material ConneXion. Call 212/842-2050 or visit tect will be featured at Max Protetch Gallery. Call www.MaterialConneXion.com. 212/633-6999 or visit www.maxprotetch.com. Modern Means: Continuity and Change Liquid Stone: New Architecture in in Art, 1880 to the Present Concrete Tokyo Washington, D.C. Through August 1, 2004 June 19, 2004–January 23, 2005 A landmark survey of more than 300 works of A survey of cutting-edge architecture in which the architecture, design, painting, sculpture, drawing, use of concrete is an essential aspect of the prints, photography, and electronic media selected design. The exhibition will demonstrate that archi- from the extensive collection of the Museum of tects are using concrete to achieve incredibly Modern Art in New York. The exhibition explores varied—sometimes even diametrically opposed the blurred relationship between “Modern” and —aesthetic objectives. At the National Building “Contemporary” to establish an effective narrative Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit between past and present. At the Mori Art www.nbm.org for further information. Museum. Visit www.mori.art.museum. Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec Affordable Housing: Designing an Los Angeles American Asset June 20–October 18, 2004 Washington, D.C. The first North American exhibition to focus on Through August 8, 2004 the work of French designers Ronan and Erwan This exhibition demonstrates that low-cost hous- Bouroullec. The brothers have burst on the inter- ing need not be of low quality and explores the national design scene in the past few years with potentially far-reaching benefits of good design their futuristic furniture, products, and interior for residents and their broader communities. At designs. At the Museum of Contemporary Art. For the National Building Museum. Call 202/272- information, call 213/621-2766 or visit 2448 or visit www.nbm.org. www.MOCA-LA.org. Jorn Utzon: The Architect’s Universe The Austrian Phenomenon: Concepts, Humlebaek, Denmark Experiments—Vienna Graz 1958–1973 Through August 29, 2004 Vienna This is a show illustrating Utzon’s working Through July 12, 2004 method—his process—focusing both on the work The exhibition examines the mid-20th-century and its sources of inspiration. At Louisiana. Call Austrian avant-garde and attempts to provide an 45/4919-0719 or visit www.louisiana.dk.
  • 17. Dates &Events SouthwestNET: PHX/LA Scottsdale, Ariz. Lectures, Conferences, Through September 5, 2004 Symposia An exhibition of recent works by six emerging Mount Joy, Pennsylvania: Small Town artists from Phoenix and Los Angeles. Although Main Street with a Smart Growth Future separated geographically, these artists explore Washington, D.C. similar issues related to the Southwest’s July 8, 2004 unique version of urbanism, from its ubiquitous Terry Kauffman, Mount Joy’s borough manager, Postmodern architecture to the impact of will describe how a small town can reach eco- suburban sprawl on the desert environment. nomic development and community goals At the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary through smart growth strategies. At the National Art (SMoCA). Call 480/994-2787 or visit Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit www.smoca.org for information. www.nbm.org. Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio: Sasaki Associates: Designing the Civic Community Architecture Realm Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Through September 6, 2004 July 8, 2004 Both a practical program for educating future Over 50 years ago, Hideo Sasaki began his plan- architects and a vital force for improving living ning and landscape architecture practice with a conditions in one of the nation’s poorest regions, set of basic beliefs: respect for the larger context; Auburn University’s Rural Studio began with appreciation for simplicity, restraint, proportion the drive and vision of Samuel Mockbee and permanence; and a belief in collaborative (1944–2001), who was posthumously awarded practice. Dennis Pieprz, president of the firm, will the 2004 AIA Gold Medal. The exhibition includes present a range of international architectural, both models and photographs of the projects, urban, and landscape projects, including the as well as a number of Mockbee’s paintings design for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the and sketchbooks from the Rural Studio. At the Schuylkill Gateway district in Philadelphia, and National Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 the design expansion plan for Ho Chi Minh City, or visit www.nbm.org for further information. Vietnam. At the National Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Solos: Future Shack New York City Preston Condominiums and Townhouses Through October 10, 2004 Washington, D.C. Architecture for Humanity’s Future Shack is a July 10, 2004 shelter that can be constructed anywhere, very Kathryn Krum of the architecture firm Cooper quickly, to address the needs of refugees as well Carry and James Doll of Corinthian Contractors as of victims of natural disasters. Designed by will lead a tour of this 134,000-square-foot proj- Australian architect Sean Godsell, the prototype ect, scheduled for a two-phase completion in has been built in the Cooper Hewitt’s Arthur Ross 2004 and 2005. Call the National Building Terrace and Garden as part of the summer Solos Museum at 202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org series. At the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design for more information. Museum. For further information, call 212/849- 8400 or visit www.cooperhewitt.org. Sea Ranch: An Early Story of Ecology and Design Aerospace Design: The Art of Washington, D.C. Engineering from NASA’s Aeronautical July 12, 2004 Research The ecologically inspired planning and architecture Washington, D.C. of The Sea Ranch in northern California caused a Through December 5, 2004 quiet revolution in architecture. Donlyn Lyndon, a The exhibition features more than 65 artifacts founding partner of MLTW, which designed one of from NASA’s collection, including wind tunnel the first buildings at Sea Ranch, will speak about models and designs for conceptual airplanes. the importance of the development and impact on At the Octagon. Call 202/638-3221 or visit architecture. At the National Building Museum. www.theoctagon.org. Call 202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. CIRCLE 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 18. Dates &Events ARMA 2004 Summer Meeting Kansas City, Mo. August 24–26, 2004 The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association Roger Duffy: SOM Call the National Building Museum at 202/272- (ARMA) is the North American trade association Washington, D.C. 2448 or visit www.nbm.org. representing the manufacturers and suppliers of July 22, 2004 bituminous-based residential and commercial Duffy, a design partner at Skidmore, Owings & 2004 SMPS/PSMA National Conference fiberglass and organic asphalt shingle roofing Merrill, will discuss his efforts to challenge the New York City products, roll roofing, built-up roofing systems, status quo of the well-established firm, the SOM August 11–14, 2004 and modified bitumen roofing systems. At the Journal, and encouragement of collaboration This conference is the leading forum for business Fairmont Hotel. Call 202/207-0917 or visit among the firm’s architects and planners, as well development, marketing, and firm management www.asphaltroofing.org. as his own design work. At the National Design for the A/E/C industry. This year’s conference Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit focuses on helping firms build business in tough www.nbm.org. economic times. At the New York Marriott Competitions Marquis. Visit www.buildbusiness.org. Excellence on the Waterfront Awards President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home Program National Monument Houston Mod: Leo Marmol Deadline: July 15, 2004 Washington, D.C. Houston The Waterfront Centers announces its 18th July 24, 2004 August 19, 2004 annual international awards program for projects, This monument is currently undergoing a $1.7 Leo Marmol, AIA, managing principal of Marmol plans, and grassroot’s citizen efforts. Visit million exterior restoration to return the Gothic Radziner + Associates of Los Angeles, will be the www.waterfrontcenter.org for more information. Revival–style cottage, centerpiece of the second annual speaker of the Houston Mod August Monument, to its appearance during the Civil War lecture. His firm is responsible for the restoration of Central Glass International era, when Lincoln used it as a summer retreat. Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs Architectural Design Competition 2004: National Trust for Historic Preservation project and has been recognized in many national publica- AsiaFront Village manager Sophia Lynn, preservation projects tions. At the MFAH Brown Auditorium. Visit Deadline: July 26 manager David Overholt, and Hillier Architecture’s www.marmol-radziner.com or The AsiaFront Village ought to be a place to fur- George Skarmeas will lead a tour of the project. www.houstonmod.org. ther promote the unique culture interspersed throughout Asia and the enjoyment of its benefits. C It can be located anywhere in the world, in the hoices city or in the suburbs. It can be consolidated into one facility, or it can be an international confer- ence facility or training center, a lodging facility or complex. For information and submission require- ments, visit www.japan-architect.co.jp. C2C Home Design and Construction Competition Early Registration: July 15, 2004 Deadline: December 15, 2004 Design will lead to actual construction. Judges will include William McDonough and Randall Stout. Homes will be built with a goal of achieving the new standards of sustainability set up in the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. For information regarding submis- sion guidelines visit www.c2c-home.org. Rumford fireplaces can be built in almost any size and style. And with new firebrick 2004 Texture Design Contest colors now available from Superior Clay, Chandler, Ariz. it’s easy to find the perfect combination for Deadline: July 30, 2004 any style of home. T find out more about clean o Meltdown Glass Art & Design is inviting creative burning, efficient Rumford fireplaces, visit us on professionals interested in decorative glass to the web at www.superiorclay.com. compete in the studio’s Texture Design Contest. For further information, call 800/845-6221 or 740.922.4122 • 800.848.6166 visit www.meltdownglass.com. P BOX 352 • Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683 .O. www.superiorclay.com Send events to [email protected]. CIRCLE 34 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 19. architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2 For and about the new generation of architects a r c h r e c o r d 2 FOR THE EMERG ING ARCHITECT What’s happening out West? This month, archrecord2 delves into the work of some designers on DEPARTMENTS the Pacific Coast. In Design, we examine Seattle’s PLACE Architects, whose work has led them into the realms of residential, retail, and community spaces. In Live, we invite you into the Los Angeles home of architect Fritz Haeg to find out how he brings people together to celebrate the arts. Learn more by visiting architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2. DESIGN Building spaces and making places “Place is what I do. Making places and valuing spaces is the whole idea,” says Heather Johnston as she explains the inception of her firm and its name, PLACE Architects. Founded in 1999 and based in Seattle, PLACE has established a reputation for itself by adopting what Johnston refers to as a high- tech-meets-industrial aesthetic. This notion goes hand in hand with the architect’s desire to create a diverse practice: “By taking on projects in commercial, residential, and industrial realms, we borrow detailing and materials from one project type and put them to use in another.” Johnston likes to give a name to each project during its plan- ning stage. “Since the spaces we collectively build with our clients will inevitably have emotional ties,” she says, “by naming the space, you give it its own identity and you automatically have a platform for more ideas.” Take, for instance, the live/work space, DIVA. Inspired by the 1983 French thriller of the same name, this residence consists of the elements the client liked best in the film. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © C O U R T E SY P L A C E A R C H I T E CT S “There are two primary locations in the movie—one is a space splashed with bright colors, the other is a sleek, stark Modern loft. The client DIVA, Seattle, 2002 liked both of these opposing images, so we combined them in the house while Divided into four components— also making a space that could change and adapt to the client’s needs.” The the vault, the bar, the stair tower, highly flexible design enables the owner to use the building not only as a and the roof—this live/work space home; components of the structure also provide space for car restorations, accommodates the varying needs of photo shoots, a gallery, and an intimate meeting area. the client. Considering the client’s Johnston’s credo as an architect is, she says, “Weave and knit the com- interest in car restoration, overhead munity while making people’s lives better piece by piece.” She enjoys working doors placed at both ends of the on projects that address not only how people live but also how they get house provide vehicular access, around. PLACE has been working closely with the Puget Sound Regional ventilation, and outdoor views. Council on projects involving design and transit. Following feasibility studies for the Council’s Bike + Ride Program, the firm was awarded the contract to design bike stations as well as the program’s graphic identity. The stations, 07.04 Architectural Record 49
  • 20. architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2 already widely used in Europe and Asia, are facilities where those who commute by bike can park, clean up, and emerge ready for work. Johnston, an avid bike rider herself, sees these stations as the next step toward clean air and easy mobility, as well as a safe social space where riders can relax and intermingle. One look at PLACE’s client list and you cannot help but notice the diver- Soto Zen Temple, Seattle, for Japanese Buddhists. After sity of a project roster that includes the Seattle Monorail Project, a video pro- concept design, 2001 much research, PLACE created duction studio, senior homes, and a Zen temple. Given Johnston’s enthusiasm A practitioner of the faith cited a plans for a temple to “create an and energy, it comes as no surprise that so many of PLACE’s projects stem need for ritual and sacred space oasis in the city.” from her personal contacts. For instance, the client for DIVA was a blind date; the idea for the Zen temple came from a friend of her yoga teacher. When try- ing to account for PLACE’s growth and varied clientele Bike station prototype, Puget in the past two years, the architect credits simply fol- Sound Regional Council, lowing her passion: “I believe if you do what you love, concept designs, 2002 things are just going to work out. I’m enthusiastic PLACE evaluated sites along the about my work. I really think that I’m doing something existing commuter rail lines for important—so I talk about it with everyone. A lot.” bike stations. Simple to construct, Randi Greenberg the structures could be assembled with recycled and sustainable For more photos and projects by PLACE, go to materials. architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2 realm, Haeg became founder and L I VE host of Sundown Salon. Sparking creativity at Sundown This salon encompasses all types of art, including music, design, and dance. The theme changes for each gathering and is usually spawned by a regular attendee. Past themes have includ- I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY P L A C E A R C H I T E CT S ( TO P T W O ) ; F R I T Z H A E G S T U D I O ( B OT TO M T W O ) ed radical gardening, knitting, and “lights, music, magic.” The architect’s home, a 1980s- era geodesic dome, is a perfect venue for these events. The subter- At a recent salon, “knitknit” attendees showed items they made and brought projects to work on. ranean part of the house, “the cave,” caters to live performances; Fritz Haeg knew at a young age that and performance. there are art installations in the he would become an architect. He Five years ago, Haeg moved dome; and Haeg’s extensive garden believes this self-assurance is in part from New York City to Los Angeles. is also the setting for many of the the reason he is now involved in so “You can’t move to L.A. without evenings’ activities. many other artistic ventures. “I feel suddenly being aware of three This fall, Sundown Salon and my role has expanded, and I’m confi- major issues—community, art, and the MAK Center will present a three- dent enough to do other things,” ecology. These issues feed off each month program at the Schindler the architect explains. Haeg can other instead of competing with House exploring the life cycle of boast credentials as one another,” he states. garments. Artists and designers architect, environmen- With the purchase of will illustrate how fashion is tal designer, artist, his home three years designed, produced, and present- teacher, and now cura- ago and a desire to ed through workshops, lectures, tor of Sundown Salon, bring together like- and performances. R.G. a regular gathering of minded people who his friends, clients, could look at innovative For more information on Sundown Salon and and students for a free works being done out- other ventures by Fritz Haeg, go to exchange of ideas, art, The setting for Sundown Salon. side the commercial architecturalrecord.com/archrecord2. 50 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 21. Despite some rough edges, Athens should (just about) be ready for the Olympics, as a city transformed Correspondent’s File By Sam Lubell At the upcoming Athens 2004 feet below the ground. Of any proj- DEPARTMENTS Olympics, which begin August 13, ect in the Olympics, this one may Marathon runners will trace the be the furthest from being ready. legendary route taken in 490 B.C. But it’s not the only one. Workers by a herald from the small town of around the country are laboring in Marathonas, in Northeast Attica, to droves at the last minute to finish Athens, where he announced the what has been referred to by many Athenian victory over the Persians. as the most down-to-the-wire In modern athletic competition, it Olympics in history. doesn’t get much more exciting While there is some embar- than this. rassment about the now-infamous But to one driving the circuitous rush job, most in Athens don’t really route in early June, it was evident seem to care. With a few notable that construction had not moved exceptions, and despite some rough along as smoothly as one might edges, it looks like they will pull it have expected. Miles of the road— off, and most people have an unwa- which authorities recently decided vering faith that they will. They also The roof wings of the Olympic Stadium (above) were moved into place in June. to widen—were in ruins, with pipes bask in the knowledge that the city The Parthenon (below right) is getting a face-lift, but maybe not in time. I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S A M L U B E L L , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; T H E K R E I S B E R G G R O U P ( TO P R I G H T ) ; projecting in all directions and piles will come away with a radically of dirt, rock, and concrete scattered revamped infrastructure, much of on the streets of the frenetic where streets and sidewalks should which had been planned earlier but metropolis. have been. Huge pits loomed 10 was accelerated for completion in Not to say the process has not time for the games. been trying. After the land of the first 3 Improvements include games was awarded the modern 2 impressive new stadi- Olympics in 1997, it responded by ums, but also a new doing next-to-nothing for the follow- airport, rehabilitated ing three years. This inaction, it buildings and squares, appears, resulted from an unwieldy 1 a new metro system, combination of disorganization, mis- new highways, and calculation, arrogance, political Acropolis Museum, at the foot of 7 dozens of renovated infighting, entrenched bureaucracy, the Parthenon. His project was 4 6 hotels and museums. the unearthing of ancient artifacts at supposed to be finished in time for Locals have venue sites, and, not least, the long- the Olympics, but thanks mostly to 5 absolutely no doubt established Greek tradition of political arguments over its threat that the work will get procrastination and last-minute to ancient landmarks, it is now just finished. This sentiment work. a giant hole in the ground next to AT H E N S 2 0 0 4 ( B OT TO M L E F T ) is echoed passionately “We’ve done everything last concrete bases. When asked when 1. Olympic Sports Complex by everyone from the minute for the past 2,000 years,” the museum would be completed, 2. Olympic Village city’s mayor, Dora one restaurant owner explained Tschumi refused to answer. “I know 3. Marathon start Bakoyannis, to every about his country, which is strug- how long it should take, but how 4. Panathinaiko Stadium waiter, store owner, gling to get over its old habits and long it’s going to take to get done 5. Helliniko Olympic Complex athlete, bus driver, con- fit into the new European order. here is a different story.” 6. Faliro Coastal Zone Complex 7. Parthenon/Acropolis struction worker, and “It’s a strange place,” notes Bernard After threats from the pedestrian approached Tschumi, who is designing the New International Olympic Committee, 07.04 Architectural Record 53
  • 22. Correspondent’s File which in 2000 warned that it might piles of debris, concrete, wires, move the games if progress wasn’t and building materials still made quickly, the Athens 2004 littered most structures and Olympic Organizing Committee (IOC) sites. One pile, near the Sports and the Greek government, both Pavilion, a new stadium at the under new leadership, finally got Faliro Coastal Complex near things moving. the coast, to be used for taek- The good news is that most wondo and handball, seemed buildings have been or are close to to be about 50 feet high. being completed. The biggest sym- Unfinished projects bol of success came when the first included the stretch of highway The Olympic Velodrome (interior view, above) is nearly complete. roof wing of Santiago Calatrava’s linking the Olympic Village to Olympic Stadium, part of his the city, the tram intended to con- from all over the world. In covering its last-minute predecessors, still Athens Olympic Sports Complex nect areas along Athens’s western the roof of the next-door Olympic brings a cost. Several workers and long the primary concern of waterfront, and the converted Velodrome, Scheller says, authori- have been killed on the sped-up the Olympics officials, began its Karaiskaki Stadium, which will host ties employed 25 trucks and construction projects, although hydraulic-powered slide into place Women’s Soccer—it was braced with hundreds of workers laboring 24 Bakoyannis says the rate of injuries on massive steel tracks. Says massive supports and covered by an hours a day. The process was com- has not been any higher than the Simon Scheller, project manager incomplete canopy. Meanwhile, a pleted in one week. He likens such average for European construction planned roof for the techniques to a popular Greek projects. Late-work fees haven’t Olympic Aquatic dance, in which dancers start helped the budget, which has Center was recently extremely slowly, and then work soared $1 billion beyond projections. scrapped because of themselves into a fevered pitch. Meanwhile, the immense amount time issues, forcing “It’s different than in other places, of last-minute manpower makes spectators and ath- but you can’t change the way they tracking security threats at the sta- letes to bake in the work,” he says. “The system is in diums much more difficult. (Security legendary Hellenic place.” Adds Mayor Bakoyannis: is heavy at the sites, but not perfect. summer sun. “We start slow, but we finish well.” Despite some run-ins with police, I Still, Scheller While admitting that the gov- was able to get a good look at many explains, there is ernment lagged up-front on most sites where I didn’t have official order in the espe- projects, Olympic committee presi- access). Bakoyannis says that the cially messy chaos dent Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki stadiums will be “cleaned” by secu- of Greek building. argues that projects of this magni- rity crews upon completion, using Braces supported the Karaiskaki Stadium in June. “If someone were tude are almost invariably finished X-rays, metal detectors, and other to come to this site at the last possible minute. Scheller technology—meaning any threats for the Sports Complex, “We knew for the first time, they would have a adds that at the Barcelona Games will be neutralized. at that point we were over the heart attack,” he says of the Olympic in 1992 (to which Calatrava’s office Meanwhile, the timing has left P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY T H E K R E I S B E R G G R O U P ( TO P R I G H T ) hump. We saw it would work. It Sports Complex. “But when you also contributed) trees were being was a huge relief.” Besides the know what’s going on, it makes more planted the night before. Several main stadium, which at this writing sense,” he says. construction experts have con- still has one more wing to go and He describes Greek building curred that most Olympic projects no seats installed, most stadiums officials’ sense of timing as a matter have come down to the wire, while at least have their structures of waiting and waiting, and then a cab driver—racing to get to the intact and have been tested sending every possible resource airport on time—points out that with major sporting events. The until something gets done. In the Montreal’s stadium was never fin- Olympic Stadium held the Greek case of the Olympic complex, ished, but Athens’s will be. He National Championships from Calatrava’s firm wasn’t commis- laments that the world’s press pick June 10 to 12. sioned until summer 2001, followed on the Greeks because they need The bad news is that as of by a short design period and a something to write about. early June several venues were still longer period of waiting for contrac- “Why is everyone so worried?” not complete, with little time left for tors to be tendered offers by the says Mayor Bakoyannis. “We will be systems and security checks, while Greek government. Construction ready. Why should we be ready a most surrounding landscapes and didn’t start until March 2003. But year before?” infrastructure were still unfinished. when work began, the contractors Yet this work style, which has In early June, much of the Marathon Besides the mess at the Marathon, supplied more than 1,000 workers cut things close even compared to route still lay in ruins. 54 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 23. Correspondent’s File splendor. Calatrava’s Olympic Sports Complex is likely to be one he built in Bilbao. Walking to the Velodrome, one of the most breathtaking large- sees a more compact version of a scale projects in recent memory. similar theme. Yet at this size, it The complex (which includes the packs perhaps an even more potent Olympic Stadium, the Olympic punch. The complex’s grand prome- Velodrome, the tennis and swim nades (many made of white marble), centers, an indoor arena for basket- meanwhile, are both well-propor- ball and rhythmic gymnastics, and tioned and graceful. Long avenues large pedestrian spaces) is massive stretch away from different sites, in every sense of the word, measur- while sleek landmarks along the way ing 10.7 million square feet. Each lend visual (and experiential) high- wing of the Olympic Stadium roof lights to a visit. The “Agora,” made of weighs 9,000 tons and spans bending white steel arches, is the 1,000 feet. Yet the schemes, domi- most important of these, and will nated by white exposed steel, function both as an elegant thor- have harmony, rhythm, grace, and oughfare and a much-needed cooling The new Athens subway displays ancient artifacts found during construction. most of all, lightness, enveloping center, surrounded by trees and visitors with a soaring sense of awe misting fountains. Meanwhile, the the IOC flustered, to say the least. were and the amount of work that (read Milwaukee Art Museum times Nations’ Wall will be a central enter- President Jacques Rogges told the needed to be done. In the future, we 50). Standing inside the stadium, tainment center. It features 1,000 Associated Press in March, “All our will be stricter toward cities bidding one is mesmerized by the gigantic, metal beams linked to motors that experts are saying now that there to host the games.” gently sloping roof wings, pointing move individually in cascading order, is still enough time to finish every- Regardless of the struggle, the eye to the nearby mountains creating a wavelike effect. thing for the opening ceremony.” what most of those outside of and echoing their shape. Calatrava Other projects are also impres- Later, however, Gilbert Felli, execu- Athens—who are obsessed by explains that they are literally sive, even by Olympic standards. tive director of the Olympic Games, Greek tardiness—have overlooked, designed as suspension bridges The steel-clad tennis stadium has a sounded bitter: “The Greeks didn’t but won’t be able to for long, is that over the expanse of the stadium. sleek circular design that looks from understand how big the Olympics many projects display elements of He modeled them after a bridge above not unlike a shiny compact © 2003 Unico, Inc. FLEXIBLE DESIGN COMFORTABLE SURROUNDINGS SUBTLE PRESENTATION AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HVAC SYSTEM FROM UNICO. As demonstrated in this beautiful Laguna Beach, California home, the Unico System’s flexible mini-ducts fit easily into the most complex designs where conventional systems can’t. Despite this home’s curved walls and vaulted ceilings, the Unico System provides even temperatures throughout each room. And the Unico System is the perfect complement to this home’s radiant floor heating. As shown below, outlets are small, subtle and blend into any décor. With the Unico System, you’ll enjoy the superior performance of quiet, draft-free heating and cooling all year long. For complete information on the high-performance Unico System, call 1 - 8 0 0 - 5 2 7 - 0 8 9 6 o r v i s i t u s o n t h e w e b a t www.unicosystem.com. CIRCLE 40 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 24. Correspondent’s File disk. The Sports Pavilion echoes tarmac and asphalt looks at pres- the parabolic shape of the already ent fairly barren. It remains to iconic Peace and Friendship Stadium be seen whether this area can be (which will host volleyball), yet it is enhanced. covered with dark wood, giving it a Meanwhile, the city’s urban combination of contemporary design landscape is radically improved and organic warmth and accessibil- from just a few years ago, thanks The Olympic torch burns in front of the Classical-style Panathinaiko Stadium. ity. Many of the projects, like the to projects either instigated by the Beach Volleyball Stadium and the Olympics, or sped up significantly alternatives. The first-rate Athens games. In this case, timing is not on Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall, to be ready in time for the games. International Airport (Eleftherios the Greeks’ side: hundreds, perhaps echo the steel frame construction of A project begun in 1977, Venizelos) opened in 2001, replac- thousands, of friezes, marbles, and Calatrava’s work, a Modern aes- called the Unification of Historic ing the woefully inadequate Helliniko pieces of columns are scattered thetic that maintains a refreshing Monuments, has made progress Airport. The new metro, while not around the site. “This is something lightness. Mayor Bakoyannis notes linking the ancient sites of Athens complete, opened in 2000 and is we cannot rush,” says Mayor that these designs reflect a Greek with cobblestone walkways, restor- now serving 400,000 people a day, Bakoyannis. “It’s a very methodical, tradition of sleek, simple building. ing over 200 building facades in the with three lines sucking away some scientific process.” evident in most Greek temples. historic district, and redesigning of the city’s infamous traffic. The Meanwhile, at the Sports Not all projects are aesthetic several historic streetscapes and stations’ modern marble, granite, Pavilion, construction workers are gems. The sites at the former squares. Funds for the project came and steel designs even incorporate, singing along with a Greek song Helliniko Airport, which include in quickly from the usually snail- in some cases, the artifacts recov- blaring on the radio, while a number rowing, baseball, and softball, paced Greek government after the ered while digging the tunnels. of dogs lie nearby in the shade. are impressive, especially the Olympic bid was won. A recently Symbolically, the most impor- Sure, it’s a different world. But the incredible transformation of some completed major highway, the Attiki tant project is the renovation of the architectural results are—at first runway areas into a rowing center. Odos, now loops around the city, Acropolis, undertaken originally in slowly, then more quickly—making But the ubiquitous landscape of providing much-needed transit the 1980s but also sped up for the it one that’s worth looking at. ■ First Impressions Last. :KHQ RX SXW IRUWK WKH HIIRUW LW VKRZV RRUGLQDWLQJ WKH QHHGV RI IXQGDPHQWDO EDVLFV DORQJ ZLWK VDWLVILQJ DHVWKHWLF WKH )UHTXHQF70 HQVHPEOH GRHV LW ZLWK VWOH DQG JUDFH :LWK LWV XQLTXH ZDYH GHVLJQ WKH IL[WXUH VLPSOLILHV WKH WDVN RI PHHWLQJ $'$ KHLJKW UHTXLUHPHQWV E RIIHULQJ WZR KHLJKWV LQ RQH XQLW 7R YLHZ WKH HQWLUH )UHTXHQF SURGXFW OLQH ZLWK DOO LWV FRPSDQLRQ HOHPHQWV YLVLW EUDGOHFRUSFRP RU FDOO %5$'/( PLUMBING FIXTURES WA S H R O O M A C C E S S O R I E S L E N O X TM L O C K E R S M I L L S ® PA R T I T I O N S CIRCLE 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 25. Why a duck? Why not an electronic billboard? A campus debate rages again. Critique By Robert Campbell, FAIA Should the architecture of a building completed. With Holl absent, the other two talked colors, many standing on roofs or DEPARTMENTS try to express what’s going on inside Before the audience heard entirely about Gehry’s Stata Center. terraces. The architects gave them it? If exciting stuff is happening from Gehry and Venturi, historian The Stata is a building for the names, inspired by their shapes: indoors, shouldn’t the outside be James Ackerman offered us a quick “computer, information, and intelli- the Star, the Kiva, Achilles, Buddha, exciting, too? history of campus architecture. He gence sciences.” It’s a vast pile of Pisa, the Heart, the Helmet, the If you think so, how do you deal noted that in the past it often labs, offices, classrooms, and meet- Giraffe, the Nose, the Twins. You’ll go with the fact that the activities inside embodied educational theory, as in ing rooms, clad in architecture that a long way before you find a building will probably change over time? the Princeton tradition of isolated, looks to most people like the freeze- where the exterior is trying this hard Shouldn’t the outside, instead, be self-enclosed Gothic quads, mod- frame of a Disney animation. Stata to be expressive of every particular like a house: a calm, iconic image of eled on the medieval cloisters of appears to be about to collapse. of its internal workings. And Stata is home, offering no clue to the fact England, as opposed to the more Columns tilt at scary angles and equally inventive inside, where its that last year it was occupied by the open Enlightenment Classicism of walls teeter, swerve, and collide. jazzy public spaces are meant to family of a Mormon elder, while this McKim Mead and White’s design for Everything looks improvised, as if bring students and researchers out year it houses a drunken brothel? Columbia University in New York. thrown up at the last moment. of their private worlds and into con- It’s not a new debate, this That’s the point. Stata’s architecture tact with one another. argument about the generic exterior Of patrons and feathers is a deliberate metaphor for the In the forum, Gehry and Venturi and the expressive one. But it’s still Signature architecture began, said freedom and daring of the research played opposite roles. Gehry talked alive, as a symposium last month at Ackerman, with H.H. Richardson’s that’s supposed to occur inside it. first. He spoke about an architecture MIT demonstrated. Frank Gehry and Sever Hall at Harvard, “The first The building is also sprinkled with of democracy, one that exhibits a Robert Venturi were on the stage in building that shows a conscious- small pavilions in odd shapes and pluralist collision of ideas. Just as a forum entitled “The University as ness of architecture.” It led to the Patron of Cutting Edge Architecture.” university of today, which grows not MIT was the right place for this as an integrated complex but “one topic. Urged on by William Mitchell, building at a time.” who recently stepped down as dean Ackerman suggested two rea- of MIT’s School of Architecture and sons for the rise of the signature Planning, the university has fully building. One is the private patron, bought the concept of the highly the donor, demanding the distinc- expressive, highly articulated, highly tion of a building that stands out, inventive “signature building.” The “abandoning the link between aca- occasion for the forum was the demic theory and its architectural opening of one such building there, embodiment.” Second is the fact Gehry’s new Stata Center. But that the signature building may be Gehry’s building is only one of sev- seen as a “feather in the cap” of P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E eral of its kind. Steven Holl’s recent, the university, for which it may highly controversial Simmons Hall draw useful publicity. Ackerman dormitory is just down the street. ended by noting that the univer- And Fumihiko Maki, Charles Correa, sity’s desire to purchase a signature and Kevin Roche all have MIT build- style can “bring costly and some- ings in construction or recently times unworkable results.” Ackerman’s talk was the perfect Contributing editor Robert Campbell, setup for Gehry and Venturi. Steven FAIA, is the Pulitzer Prize–winning Holl was supposed to be there, too, architecture critic of The Boston Globe. but he canceled for health reasons. Frank Gehry’s Stata Center at MIT isn’t shy about expressing itself. 07.04 Architectural Record 61
  • 26. Critique parts of Stata collide, he suggested, from the top floor room of a hotel, so the scientists from different “it looked like a naval base. None disciplines will collide inside and of the buildings reflected the excite- generate collaborative sparks. He ment that was going on inside.” compared his architecture to MIT’s architecture, he decided, debates in the Talmud, the back- “should reflect boldness and confi- and-forth of dialogue, which he dence in our future.” said he learned from a grandfather. When it came his turn, Venturi He pointed out that when you walk assumed the part of the grumpy through the streets of Cambridge, guy who didn’t get the job; he was you don’t see whole buildings, you Yang to Gehry’s Yin. A building, he see parts of buildings, collaged said, should be a place where the against one another, just as parts “cutting edge” happens in the activ- of Stata are collaged. He admitted ities of the users, not one where it that because of the openness of has already happened in the archi- the interior, there have been com- tecture. The setting should not be plaints about acoustical privacy. distracting or intrusive. “The aca- But he said MIT guys are “rugged demic institution should see ‘cutting individualists” who will change edge’ as product, not place,” he things until the building becomes said, “the cutting edge in context, theirs. “It could be enclosed into not as context.” private offices of they want that.” Venturi also complained about Chuck Vest, MIT’s president, buildings that embody the Modernist took Gehry’s side. When he first love of industrial construction, as came to MIT, he said, and saw it Stata does. He called such architec- The architects designed the interiors of Stata to encourage encounters. CIRCLE 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 27. Critique evolution, not revolution.” Gehry: “If I make 10 more buildings like this, it On the same site, Stata tries to accomplish with architecture what won’t destroy the fabric of America.” Building 20 accomplished by not Neither mentioned the building having any. Building 20 was Venturi’s ture a form of revivalist ornament. for architecture with an iconographic that previously stood on the Stata’s vernacular loft, his generic space, He said architecture should deal surface. Combined with his interest site, although it would have made although it lacked his iconic exterior. with the technology of our own day in the age of electronics, he seemed Venturi’s point. It was called Building Gehry says he hopes researchers will and that it should, therefore, be to be arguing, as he does in his 20, and it was thrown up with emer- treat the Stata as disrespectfully as electronic and postindustrial. book Iconography and Electronics gency haste in a few months during they treated Building 20—that they’ll Instead of “cutting-edge archi- Upon a Generic Architecture, for the World War II to develop radar. Building take it over, mess it up, and modify it tecture,” Venturi held up, as a digital facade. He talked about what 20 was a huge, ugly warehouse as they like. But will this very expen- counter example, what he called he called “the transvestite building”— of timber framing and asbestos sid- sive, highly particularized signature “the vernacular loft, the building dressy, iconic, even grandiose on ing. Scientists say it was the most architecture allow that to happen? that is iconic on the outside but the outside, but down-to-earth and productive building of its size, as Bill Mitchell summed up the loftlike and accommodating inside.” vernacular inside. measured by the quality of research, forum. “The MIT buildings are a He cited the Renaissance palazzo, Venturi was, of course, restat- in American history. When it came series of experiments,” he said. “You which, as times change, can be ing the argument of his whole life. time to demolish it, they held a wake. learn from bold experiments.” It was, recycled as a library or an embassy He was arguing for a Stata Center They called it the “Magical Incubator.” perhaps, a questionable metaphor. without losing its exterior dignity. that would be a billboard instead of Building 20’s greatness was its Something can indeed be learned And he cited the original MIT building, a duck—an iconic image with a absence of architecture. In a build- from a failed experiment in the lab. a domed monument of neo-Roman workaday loft behind it, rather than, ing so lacking in character, it was But then it is thrown out. A failed architecture that is, in fact, merely as in the Long Island Duck building impossible to establish academic or building hangs around for a while. a hollow shell, inside of which or the Stata Center, a work in which social hierarchies. Nobody was boss, There was one thing everyone there are endless changes and the whole of the architecture is everyone was equal, and science at the forum did seem to agree on. adaptations. shaped or distorted to communicate was democratic and freewheeling. Alvar Aalto’s Baker House dorm is “Architecture tweaks conven- its message. You could bang holes in the walls or still the best building at MIT. ■ tion rather than invents,” he said. Gehry rebutted. He turned to ceilings or invent crazy experiments, “Michelangelo and Palladio were Venturi and said, “You’re apologizing because nobody cared what hap- A full article on the Stata Center good rather than original.” He argued for talent.” Venturi: “Talent can be pened to Building 20. will appear in the August issue. As GREEN As You Can Get When Firestall® or Easy Ply® Roof Deck Tops Off Your Next LEED™ Project Call Us For Data and Installation Instructions Dial Tech Support at 800-257-9491 Ext. 1332 Structural Fire-Rated Assemblies UL® P500 Series: P-518, 535, 536 and Others Daylighting High-Performance for Open Plenums Reflective or Natural Finishes Commercial Roof Lines With Residential Looks Combine With Thermasote® R-30 and More Up to 98% Post-Consumer Recycled Content Specify Homasote® and Every Day is Earth Day™. America’s oldest manufacturer of building products from recycled materials More than 1,500 architects and specifiers have attended AIA-approved, CES, Rethinking Materials in the Context of LEED™. 932 Lower Ferry Road., P.O. Box 7240, West Trenton, N.J. 08628-0240 Call 800-257-9491 Ext. 1215 for a free presentation at your firm. 609-883-3300 • 800-257-9491 Sales Extension 1500 • Fax: 609-883-3497 • www.homasote.com CIRCLE 47 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 28. The American Embassy: Design Excellence vs. Security? Commentary By Jane Loeffler “Where is Daniel Patrick Moynihan sonable for an embassy to take DEPARTMENTS when we need him?” This is the five years (or more) to complete. lament of architects who wish the Several critical reports provide champion of public buildings would clues as to why architecture is suddenly reappear to decry the playing a diminished role in the standardized look of new embassies makeover. First, the 1985 Inman or denounce the fearful stance Report, compiled in the aftermath assumed by isolated walled com- of suicide bombings of U.S. facilities pounds that represent the United in Beirut, called for a seven-year States abroad. But wishing will not plan to replace 126 posts (out of make it happen. 262) with walled compounds, and The global landscape has it proposed stringent new security changed dramatically in recent standards, minimums for setbacks, years, and it bears little resem- maximums for windows, and other blance to the world the late Senator The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen—accessible and available to the public. rules that constrained architectural P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY R A L P H R A P S O N A N D A S S O C I AT E S ( TO P ) ; U.S . S TAT E D E PA R T M E N T ( B OT TO M ) Moynihan knew when he served as choice. Second, the Crowe Report U.S. ambassador to India in the and blew up the more accessible programs that reflected the idealis- of 1999 reiterated the largely early 1970s. The State Department’s British Consulate instead. tic mood of that era. That was unheeded Inman recommendations foreign building program, once cele- No, the design dilemma facing when prominent and soon-to-be 14 years later, after even more brated by him as an apt expression embassy architects today is no prominent architects won prized devastating terrorist attacks on of American democracy, can no longer how to create welcoming commissions from the FBO and U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar longer equate its architecture with buildings that proclaim U.S. identity created signature structures that es Salaam, neither of which met democratic openness, because through high-profile architecture, won them professional acclaim. Inman standards. embassies are no longer open and but how to add a noticeable design But that time has passed. Why didn’t the FBO implement need not pretend to be. Not after dimension to relatively low-profile America’s foreign presence is more of the Inman recommenda- Al Qaeda terrorists destroyed two design-build projects for which undergoing a profound makeover. tions during those 14 years? First, U.S. embassies in East Africa in security is the top priority. It no longer makes sense, if it ever and foremost, because memories of 1998 by driving up to each and For many architects, this is did, for designers to start each Beirut faded quickly, and Congress detonating suicide bombs that a bitter pill to swallow, because project from scratch, nor is it rea- not only reneged on promised killed more than 220 and injured for so long they headed the teams more than 4,000, most in adjacent that dotted the globe with U.S. structures. Not with the rising landmarks, including chanceries in threat of more such attacks, Copenhagen (Ralph Rapson, 1954) including the narrow escape from and New Delhi (Edward Durell disaster last November when ter- Stone, 1959). Between the end of rorists determined that they could World War II and the beginning of not penetrate America’s new 26- U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the acre hilltop compound in Istanbul United States wanted to amplify its (by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, 2003) foreign presence to check Soviet expansion. The State Department’s Jane C. Loeffler is the author of Office of Foreign Buildings The Architecture of Diplomacy Operations (FBO) built dozens of (1998) and teaches at the University new embassies, individualized of Maryland, College Park. statements with public spaces and The U.S. Consulate in Istanbul flanked by security walls and the Bosporus. 07.04 Architectural Record 67
  • 29. Commentary OPAP panelists—again, no archi- tects—called for a reduced U.S. Industry Advisory Panel that mostly represents the corporate side of presence and questioned the State the construction industry. In doing Department’s capacity to handle so, he bypassed the existing funds, but even cut State The Crowe Report stressed that the enormous task of upgrading or Architectural Advisory Board, cre- Department appropriations. Also, safety had to outweigh considera- replacing its embassies and man- ated back in 1954 to buffer the because there was real ambiva- tions of convenience, history, or aging its vast real estate holdings. Department from unwanted out- lence, even at the highest levels symbolism. Architecture was not Instead of calling on Congress to side criticism—when Modern of the State Department, about even mentioned as a considera- commit funds to needed programs, architecture, not terrorism, was applying universal standards to tion—possibly because architects it recommended abolishing the provoking alarm. Also, with 89 buildings everywhere, a reluctance were not asked to assist in the FBO and urged the president to percent of all primary facilities fail- to abandon landmark buildings and report’s preparation. create a federally chartered gov- ing to meet the 100-foot setback R E N D E R I N G : C O U R T E SY O V E R S E A S B U I L D I N G S O P E R AT I O N S center-city locations, and some Later in 1999, the Overseas ernment corporation to replace it. requirement, only two of the 25 recognition of the added value that Presence Advisory Panel’s (OPAP) The State Department was not replacement projects funded after good design can bring to diplomacy. scathing overview of conditions at interested in that sort of makeover. the 1998 bombings completed, a But the bombings in East Africa U.S. posts also contributed to the Desperate to rebuild confidence in total of 160 replacement facilities effectively erased those options. eclipse of the architectural agenda. its operations, Secretary of State to build, and an estimated budget Colin Powell named a former mili- requirement of $16 billion, he tary man, retired Major General turned to URS Corporation for a Charles Williams, to head the FBO, standard embassy design (SED). approved a change in the name of Based on the recent RTKL scheme the office to Overseas Buildings for Kampala, the prototype comes Operations (OBO), and elevated its in three sizes (S, M, L), all consist- status within the Department, ing of two parallel building blocks effectively abolishing the former separated by an atrium. With a office and signaling a new agenda. core preapproved for security, Williams promptly adopted a new projects have a 24-month Rendering of the standardized embassy design by URS Corporation as man- business model, turned to design- timetable, start to finish. dated by the Overseas Buildings Operations. build production, and created an Even architects not interested in Great Ideas W p ign Des etition Com inner Wanted Offering a First Prize of $1000, an engraved trophy, and a royalty. Now in its 19th year, our design forum seeks innovative designs in furniture parts, hardware and accessories. Entries close September 1, 2004, so enter today! Call the contest administrator for additional details at (800) 523-1269 or email to [email protected]. Winner(s) will be announced about December 1, 2004. CIRCLE 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 51 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 30. Commentary challenge an idea that is inextricably woven into design education and at home and abroad. If that con- versation has occurred at all, it has into the outlook of the profession. excluded many who can provide For that reason, architects designed useful input, and it has not yet “decorating the shed” are competing the client for embassy construction embassies as glass boxes in the addressed big questions, such as for these commissions because of is not OBO, or even the State ’50s even when they had to wrap how the makeover of the U.S. pres- the work they represent. None are yet Department, but members of those boxes with louvers, screens, ence supports or undermines the complete, but many are under way. Congress who authorize and appro- and fins to protect them from the long-term goal to expand public HOK and J.A. Jones Construction priate the money, and by extension sun. But there are other ways to diplomacy—a key weapon in a war are producing SEDs in Tashkent, those of us who elect them. What imagine architecture, and better of ideas. Admiral Crowe has said Uzbekistan, and in Tbilisi, Republic of Congress likes about Williams (and ways to provide shelter—when that our embassies are “already closed Georgia, for example. And INTEGRUS it is finding a lot to like), many is the challenge. to the public, so it does not matter Architecture and Caddell Construction architects find troubling. They Some point to the success if they look open or not.” That may have SEDs in production in the West object strenuously to the notion of story at GSA and the design quality be so, but we still need to prevent African towns of Conakry, Bamako, “a cookie-cutter embassy” that is of its recent courthouses, for exam- the security mandate from devour- and Freetown—all varying in size, symbolized by a logo and sells ple, but OBO and GSA are not really ing a significant public program but based on the “medium” model. sameness much as Marriott or comparable. According to former and turning our foreign buildings According to Jerry Winkler, designer McDonald’s does. But if, as one aide Public Buildings Service commis- into bastions that are all but use- for all three, architects can still add to the House International Relations sioner Bob Peck, “They face very less as diplomatic workplaces, let distinction to such projects through Committee puts it, Congress’s only different challenges,” because U.S. alone as symbols of democracy. site planning, landscape treatment, concern is “to keep embassies embassies depend on host govern- And we need to apply the lessons choice of cladding materials, and from being blown up,” it is unlikely ments for protection. Where there learned overseas to a domestic facade organization, including window that anyone will prod OBO to make is antipathy to the U.S. presence, landscape now ominously prolifer- spacing and size. As Winkler ruefully “design excellence” a higher priority. protection is unreliable, at best. ating with bollards, fences, and notes, “This is no time to be unique. These are particularly vexing When Senator Moynihan, jersey barriers. It’s time to widen The people who are paying the bills issues for architects, I think, Peck’s former boss, addressed that conversation. The home scene are driving the process.” because Modernism is fundamen- these issues in 1999, he called for is beginning to look a lot like the Winkler’s point is significant tally a quest for openness. To deny an ongoing “conversation” on how embassies in the ’80s—and look because it correctly suggests that the opportunity for openness is to to balance security and openness at them now. ■ © Steven Brooke Studios Rakks wall-mounted shelving at Christine Desirée Collection, Sarasota, FL Interior Design: Christine Desirée SUPPORTING SPATIAL EFFECTS We play a supporting role in interiors that create harmony between decor and architecture. With strong, innovative shelving systems that meet the Rakks Bracket Rakks on Pole demands of the world’s top designers. Rakks. The choice for new and exciting shelving solutions. Visit us at www.rakks.com or call for a free catalog. ® Universal Bracket Aria Bracket In supporting roles everywhere Rangine Corporation | 114 Union Street | Millis, MA 02054800-826-6006 | www.rakks.com CIRCLE 53 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 54 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 31. Dining by design: At the Milan Furniture Fair, imaginative students trumped the professionals Exhibitions By William Weathersby, Jr. Dining Design. Curated by Adam D. restaurant nearby was outfitted by DEPARTMENTS Tihany. At Salone Internazionale del fashion designers Missoni and Paul Mobile, Milan, April 14 to 19, 2004. Smith as a trendy accompaniment. Street Dining Design. Curated by Sponsored by Cosmit, the organ- Interni magazine. At Triennale, izer of the trade fair, Dining Design Milan, April 19 to May 2, 2004. anchored the floor below the Salone Satellite trade exhibits (where young Special exhibitions are always the- designers of edgy furniture prototypes atrical highlights of the annual Milan seek backers and manufacturing Furniture Fair, more formally known as deals and typically fuel a hothouse, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile. circus atmosphere). In the time-tested Last April, two particularly savory tradition of the fair, art and design shows were the centerpieces of a mixed with commerce as each stu- movable feast of imaginative ideas dent-conceived restaurant concept focused on the theme of restaurant was furnished or partially executed interiors. Dining Design, a collection by a leading Italian manufacturer, of installations by students from 10 among whom this year were Kartell, universities and colleges around the Poliform, and Poltrona Frau. The col- world, was presented within the fair- laboration between students and The University of New grounds itself. Street Dining Design, manufacturers resulted in remarkably South Wales team’s meanwhile, was a memorable walka- polished (though mechanically inop- steak house (above); bout of splashy spaces by some of erable, since they lacked kitchens) RISD students’ ghostly Italy’s leading design professionals restaurant spaces and fittings, yet it projections for a bar held at the off-site Triennale di was the quality of the projects’ “big (right); and a sushi Milano museum. Though there were ideas” that beckoned attendees. café by students from striking images served up among the Often startling in their form, the Helsinki’s University of Street projects, it was more often student-designed restaurants each Art and Design (below) the out-of-the-box thinking behind depicted an assigned eatery type were stellar spaces. student work across town that prof- and locale—for example, a Viennese fered food for thought. coffee house in Brighton, England, or As he did two years ago with a French Bistro in Turin, Italy. While an exhibition centered around hotel every space seemed alive with form, design, New York–based architect finishes, and youthful energy, some Adam D. Tihany again played ring- venues were standouts. For a P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY C O S M I T master for the fair’s main special karaoke bar in Lausanne, Switzerland, exhibition. Tihany curated the stu- industrial design students from that dent projects and orchestrated a city’s Ecole Cantonale d’Art conceived roster of additional complementary Roll Away, an itinerant restaurant in installations, such as a survey of which sheets of fabric, paper, and notable dining chairs from the 19th carpet on massive rollers facilitated a and 20th centuries, representing literal meals-on-wheels dining space designs by innovators ranging from that could be reconfigured and multi- Charles Rennie Mackintosh to plied as needed. Philippe Starck. An invitation-only Students from the Rhode Island 07.04 Architectural Record 73
  • 32. Exhibitions School of Design created “Trace,” a a museum of decorative arts and wine bar for Manhattan’s Tribeca, industrial design. The exhibition, where an envelope of screens framed curated by Interni magazine, the ghostly images of passersby cap- showcased 10 kiosks designed by tured by a network of sensors and architects or interior designers, cameras. Furnishings were straight- including Karim Azzabi, Future forward; the dance of abstract Systems, Studio Sigla, and the duo shadow and light was the draw. of Patricia Urquiola and Martino The showstopper of the stu- Berghinz. Within a U-shaped street dent work, however, was “White,” a format, the kiosks ranged from a Nordic sushi bar by the students of bamboo grove promenade to the A rendering of the R E N D E R I N G S : C O U R T E SY T R I E N N A L E D I M I L A N O the University of Art and Design in latter team’s risotto café with a 3M- “Biomorphic Café,” Helsinki. From its floor lined with lens-film structure that surrounded a designed by Karim white marble chips to translucent Y-shaped table and was billed as Azzabi (above), shows felt walls imprinted with the images “a magic tunnel.” Like many of the its sweeping aluminum of architectural structures, the projects on this boulevard of dining enclosure with green restaurant had a lighter-than-air dreams, it sounded good in over- resin tables. The ren- feeling that seemed to embody both reaching prose on the menu, but dering of the “Fine the refinement of Finnish design the final result was less than satisfy- Chocolate Glass and the Zen spirit of Japanese cul- ing to the design palate. We longed Garden,” by Studio ture. For more on the Dining Design for the student fare. For more on Sigla (left), illustrates exhibition, go to www.cosmit.it. the projects, go to www.triennale.it ■ its glass pergola struc- With a preview during the week ture for a dessert café. of the fair, Street Dining Design was For more on this year’s Milan Fair, presented at the Triennale di Milano, see pages 201 and 211–20. CIRCLE 58 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 33. Snapshot By Sam Lubell Nestled atop a rocky bluff on the Greek isle of Aegina, overlooking the Aegean Sea, the Peloponnese, and several rugged islands, the Camera Obscura Building Camera Obscura: ancient has one of the most dramatic locations of any artwork in history. The light that technique, modern art P H OTO G R A P H Y : © G U S TAV D E U T S C H / F R A N Z B E R Z L floods this extraordinary site helps make the cylindrical structure, finished last year, appear in the waning sun as if it’s made of gold. It’s not. In fact, the edifice is made of plywood on an iron frame. Twenty-three feet in diameter, it has 12 tiny openings through which light enters the otherwise dark interior and produces a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding scenery. The panorama is split into 12 individual images, upside down and reversed, on a semitransparent screen. It takes about 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. The process, developed more than 2,000 years ago, gives the building its name and provides an eery, but wondrously surreal experience in a place known more for beachgoers, fishermen, and an ancient Greek temple than for contemporary art. The building was constructed over an old German cannon placement now controlled by the Greek Navy. It was designed by Austrian Architect Franz Berzl with filmmaker Gustav Deutsch, and was one of a group of art projects, called the Aegina Academy, brought to the island in 2003. The Camera Obscura’s purpose, Deutsch points out, is to explore the perception and interpretation of our world. “If you are able to decide if what you see is real or fiction, then you are in possession of your reality,” says Deutsch. “With today’s media and technology, this is often not the case.” The Aegina Academy project will pick up again in 2005, with a light installation inspired by the nearby Temple of Aphaia. ■ 07.04 Architectural Record 77
  • 34. Visit us at July 2004 archrecord.construction.com Project Portfolio Products From Seattle’s bold new The newest in storage and library by Rem Koolhaas to an shelving is explored in this imaginative Austrian visitor’s month’s product focus. The center by Steven Holl to Milan Furniture Fair featured Rafael Moneo’s reinvented in our trade show review. Spanish castle — projects this You’ll also find the submission month run the gamut in size, form for the 2004 Product use, and location. Reports, updates to our Green Product Guide, and Product of the Month. Daily Headlines Get the latest scoop from the world of architecture. Sponsored by Brown Center, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore Photography: © Eduard Hueber Building Type Study: archrecord2 Restaurants We look to the West Coast A feast for the eyes as well for emerging architects with as the palette, we’ve got wide ranges in their portfolio the dish on the newest and and their routine. PLACE best designed spots to Architects discuss their eclec- dine. This month, find out tic project and client list and how architects are enhanc- Fritz Haeg talks about the ing your dining experience. alternate uses of his home. Sponsored by INDUSTRIES Megu, New York City DIVA, Seattle Photography: © Nacasa Partners Photography: © Courtesy PLACE Architects Residential Receive CES WebInsider Compelling and creative Credits Online Go to our Web site and sign uses of water in home Read Record’s building up for the WebInsider, your design are uncovered in science and continuing monthly guide to what’s new this quarterly residential education self-study courses and engaging on Architectural section. The sound, move- and file for CES credits. Record’s Web site. ment, and reflective proper- This month: Architects are ties of water connect these applying sophisticated manu- Sponsored by shelters to the outdoors. facturing technologies to build- ing design and construction. Adobe SCOFIELD Sponsored by Sponsored by Weathering Steel House, Toronto, Canada Photography: © Steven Evans Find us online at www.construction.com
  • 35. Architecture Centers: Bridging the Divide Between Architects and the Public
  • 36. By Sam Lubell T he crowd is cool. Many are wearing the FEATURES familiar square black glasses and stretchy black shirts reserved for Volkswagen ads and trendy art galleries. But the discussion isn’t ordinary. One can hear the words “public space,” “square footage,” “density,” and “axial symmetry” between bites of fancy hors d’oeuvres. Welcome to another night at the Center for Architecture, the AIA New York Chapter’s new space on La Guardia Place in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. When the center opened last fall, the chapter expected success but may not have anticipated that the facility would become a gathering place where young and old alike—those involved with architecture and those who are not—would gravitate day and night. Architecture centers like New York’s provide a variety of functions. They serve as hubs for architecture-related events and exhibitions and as meeting places for people interested in design. They offer resources to practicing architects and house charitable programs such as architectural education for young people. But most important, the spaces play matchmaker: introducing a traditionally isolated field to a once-ignorant or skeptical public, helping to establish a dialogue between them that is essential to promoting good design. As Ted Landsmark, president of the Boston Architectural Center (BAC), an architecture school that offers its community spaces to explore architecture, sums up: “It engages the public as a client for better design.” Many architecture centers in the United States, such as New York’s, Chicago’s, San Francisco’s, and the Boston Society of Architects, are managed by their local AIA affiliates. Architecture schools such as BAC and building design museums and nonprofits such as the Van Alen Institute, The Architectural League, and The Municipal Art Society in New York; the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.; and the Chicago Architecture Foundation also provide such spaces. Independent of industry ties, these latter organizations claim to develop a strong trust by being guided by public interest rather than what are often considered parochial P H OTO G R A P H Y : © E S TO / N E W YO R K C E N T E R FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E ( T H I S S P R E A D ) The Center For ing transparency, it is professional concerns. But most AIA chapter directors, like San Francisco’s Architecture was designed to attract visi- Margie O’Driscoll, point to improving dialogue between their chapters and opened by the AIA New tors and immerse them the outside world: “We just have a different perspective,” says O’Driscoll. York Chapter in fall in architecture and “We talk about architecture, not just to our members, but to the commu- 2003. With its elegant design. It hosts events nity. In the long run, a better-educated client helps our members.” galleries and welcom- virtually every night. Welcoming the public One of the first U.S. facilities was Seattle’s, a storefront space near the city’s Pike Place Market established by the AIA Seattle in 1991. Director Marga Rose Hancock notes that the center was incorporated into an AIA head- quarters that had essentially been a meeting place for architects, who held closed-door business meetings there. Public input was not a consideration. “We pretended the people weren’t out there,” says Hancock. “It was like, you’re not supposed to be here, kid. You, mortal, you don’t have anything to do with this.” The new center, which opens up onto the street and welcomes the public for events, lectures, and even portfolio sharing, has changed all that. “Instead of the former message, which was ‘mortal, you have no business here,’ it’s like architecture is accessible. You can come in and talk to an architect. They’re just like you and me.” Catering to architects, not “people,” seems to have been a com- mon theme among many AIA chapters before the advent of architecture centers. AIA New York Chapter executive director Rick Bell, FAIA, notes 07.04 Architectural Record 81
  • 37. The Netherlands that the New York Chapter had been isolated by its old headquarters, on Architecture Institute the 6th floor of the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue, (1) appears to float. which houses mainly designer showrooms. (Chicago’s AIA headquarters Madrid’s Las Arquerias have similar offices, located on the 10th floor of the city’s Merchandise (2) is a daring exhibition Mart. The center has a large conference room, but no exhibition space.) space for architecture “We wanted to make it clear that this wasn’t just a clubhouse for managed by the Ministry architects,” says Bell of the chapter’s new space, built into the first floor and of Development’s two subfloors of a former industrial building. The 12,000-square-foot Department of building, designed by New York–based Andrew Berman Architect, com- Architecture. The bines aesthetic sophistication with a concerted effort to lure visitors. The Amsterdam Center for center features a 64-foot-wide glass facade that attracts attention and Architecture (3) and the allows onlookers to gaze into the structure’s subbasement floors, which are Architekturzentrum in open to the sky thanks to strategic removal of floor space above. Vienna (4) explore var- “I think people make decisions to enter spaces based on what ied dynamic designs. they can see,” says Bell. Such techniques also provide a flood of natural light and a sense of copious space. Moreover, the center offers abundant, 1 attractive gallery areas that exploit the industrial aesthetic of the existing building (exposed pipes, ducts, brick) and, with a dramatic lighting scheme, make the space an attractive new exhibition venue. Although not all located downtown or on the street, many centers are alluring spots whose architec- ture shows off some of the best design the profession P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A A R T E N L AU P M A N ( 1 ) ; R O L A N D H A L B E ( 2 ) ; L U U K K R A M E R ( 3 ) ; C O U R T E SY A R C H I T E K T U R Z E N T R U M W I E N ( 4 ) can offer. The Chicago ArchiCenter, in the Daniel Burnham–designed Santa Fe Office Building, opened in 1993. Designed by Jaime Vasquez of SOM Chicago, it resembles a top-flight art gallery bordering on a designer boutique, with striking contours and studio- quality lighting. One of the grandest spaces in America (although, some argue, not an architecture center, because its main function is as a museum) is the National Building Museum, adapted in 1985 from an 1880s Neoclassical structure by Montgomery Meigs. The building’s massive Corinthian columns and its 316-foot height make it among the most dramatic set- 2 tings for architecture in the country. After luring visitors inside, a center’s next goal 3 is to engage. Last fall, the Center for Architecture served as a theater for the staging of Private Jokes, Public Spaces, an insightful play about an architec- tural studio by Moshe Safdie’s son, Oren. The show drew good reviews and a varied audience, not just of architecture fans. Other events on the center’s seemingly inexhaustible calendar include Going Public, a display of hundreds of public projects in the city; the model of David Child’s proposed “Freedom Tower”; and lectures and symposia about topics ranging from skyscrapers, museums, and construction finance to the history of Puerto Rican archi- tects. Past speakers have included I.M. Pei, David Childs, Daniel Libeskind, and Zaha Hadid. Other centers organize tours, present design competitions, and explore important social and design issues in diverse exhibitions. Finally, the function that could be the most important of all— one that grows out of visitors’ initial interest—is encouraging good design through public input. “Having the general public weigh in and be educated about architecture makes for a population that can support positive changes. That’s how the profession evolves,” says O’Driscoll of the San Francisco AIA headquarters, which is located in the city’s Downtown Business 4 District and hosts regular public events, lectures, and charrettes, allowing people to respond to new developments, wage debates on the city’s hous- ing crunch, and become informed about other design issues. Residents who come in, she says, “care passionately,” and seem to be as familiar
  • 38. with architectural terms as most architects and planners. Meanwhile, Alicia Pivaro, deputy director of The Architecture Foundation in London, says that thanks to its work involving the public in design decisions, incorporating public dialogue into construction projects is now par for the course in London. “Members of the profession are consulting with the public and involving them,” she notes. “There’s a much greater openness by architects and developers to try to work with the public, and I think we were one of the players in getting that sea change.” Challenges, challenges Of course, as Pivaro points out, interacting with the public isn’t always smooth sailing. Often people are uneasy with architecture, especially new architecture. “People are suspicious of change,” she says. Designs that are highly creative are often seen as inappropriate. Which is why archi- tecture centers work so hard to open people’s minds not just to architecture in general, but to more progressive work that might scare them at first. The other challenge, says Pivaro, is that architects must be heartfelt in their interaction with the community. “Just because you have community input doesn’t mean you’re going to get a good design. You have to work with a good design team. You have to involve the commu- nity in a real way, not just as a PR and marketing stunt.” Another acute challenge faced by centers is dealing with drains on funding. This problem is particularly keen in the United States, where archi- 5 tecture centers don’t have significant public patronage, as many European centers do (they do have more private funding, but the amounts pale in comparison). While the Center 6 for Architecture is one of the elite in the U.S., its oper- ating budget is around $1 million per year (about $600,000 from dues, the rest from private sources). The Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI), in contrast, receives $6 million euros (about $7.2 mil- lion) every year from the government, 80 percent of its operating budget.“Architectural issues are so cen- C O U R T E SY N AT I O N A L B U I L D I N G M U S E U M ( 6 ) ; C H I C A G O A R C H I T E CT U R E FO U N DAT I O N ( 7 ) tral to the country’s social, economic, and political P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M I C H A E L L E G E N D R E / C A N A D I A N C E N T R E FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E ( 5 ) ; discussions,” explains NAI’s director, Aaron Betsky. Here, on the other hand,“It’s certainly always a strug- gle,” says Lynn Osmond, president of the Chicago Architecture Foundation. “It’s hard for funders to understand what we are, and what our mission is. 7 The Canadian Centre for We’re really pioneers as far as promoting architecture as an art form.” Architecture (5) was European and Canadian centers (like the impressive Canadian built in 1989 and con- Centre for Architecture, built in 1989) have generally found acceptance and tains one of the largest developed favorable reputations, which, with greater amounts of funding, architecture archives has fostered splendid designs for their quarters, such as the NAI’s building in the world. It features in Rotterdam, designed by Jo Coenen and finished in 1993. This is a light- an impressive theater as-air glass, steel, and corrugated-metal space—a clear box that seems to be (top) and exhibitions, floating on water. Also in the Netherlands stands the new Amsterdam like the one of Cedric Center for Architecture (ARCAM), designed by René van Zuuk, a soaring, Price’s work (inset, top). twisting building that suggests it was shaped by wind and water [record, The National Building February 2004, page 65]. In 2005, Paris will open the Modern Cité de Museum (6) in l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, inside the Palais de Chaillot, near the Eiffel Washington, D.C., is one Tower. The center will merge the architectural collections of the Museum of of the city’s grandest French Monuments, the French Institute of Architecture, and the Center of spaces. The Chicago Higher Learning of Chaillot. Meanwhile, Madrid’s recently opened Las ArchiCenter (7) draws Arquerias, the main exhibition space for architecture in the city, could be people inside with its the most architecturally interesting of all. Designed by Jesús Aparicio and striking design, accord- Hectór Fernández and built into the 1930s Neoclassic loggia of Secundino ing to officials. Zuazo’s New Ministries, its main lecture and performance hall is cradled in
  • 39. AIA San Francisco (8) a U-shaped concrete slab, forming a highly dramatic spatial experience. hosts regular public Few American architecture centers attain such design distinc- forums. Boston has tion. Likewise, few can stage the elaborate exhibitions that are common in two spaces working Europe. The NAI, which has 22,000 square feet of exhibition space, together: the BSA’s recently presented a show called Start, featuring 40 items documenting Architects Building (9), the early work of Rem Koolhaas. Another NAI installation, Content, held and the Boston simultaneously at the Kunsthaus Rotterdam, covered Koolhaas’s work Architectural Center’s from 1996 on. Besides lacking resources for such ambitious exhibition headquarters (10). programming, most American centers are unable to house as extensive Seattle’s AIA headquar- archives or undertake such high-profile meetings and debates, nor do ters (11) was one of they have such an effective means of coordination as the European archi- the first to be opened tecture network called GAUDI (www.gaudiprogramme.net). to the public. Like San Francisco’s offices, it The future will soon be redesigned. Despite their struggles, U.S. centers are becoming more popular, mirroring the field’s increasing cachet. Chicago’s tour attendance has doubled in the 8 past five years, while its budget has grown from $2.5 million to $7 million in the past seven years. Boston Society of Architects’ annual operating budget has ballooned from 9 10 $7,000 a year in 1985 to $3.3 million this year. San Francisco, meanwhile, has seen a growth in attendance from 100 people a month to 600 or 700 within the last year and a half. Several centers have begun to reshape their images in the manner of the New York center. The Seattle space is soon to be redesigned by a team of architects from the AIA Seattle’s Young Architects Forum. A design charrette in February produced updated, very modern sketches, says Peter David Greaves, AIA, Seattle president-elect. “Conceptually, it’s like a camera obscura; you go through a dark space into a light P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY S T U D I O S A R C H I T E CT U R E ( 8 ) ; B O S TO N S O C I E T Y O F A R C H I T E CT S ( 9 ) ; one with a tapered, plywood-clad tunnel at the front entry.” Construction is expected to begin this July and be completed by September. Meanwhile, the San Francisco center will soon undergo a redesign by local firm Quezada Architecture. As principal Fred Quezada, AIA, points out, the firm will gut the present 6,000- square-foot space and make it “extremely contemporary, at least in the functional sense.” The new center will include gallery, meeting, and 11 classroom space, audio/visual areas, and conferencing facilities. Design will B O S TO N A R C H I T E CT U R A L C E N T E R ( 10 ) ; A I A S E AT T L E ( 1 1 ) commence in a few months and be completed by the end of this year, Quezada adds. Meanwhile, officials in Philadelphia and Newark have expressed interest in centers of their own. Like New York’s, other U.S. centers have begun to place more emphasis on exhibitions, and on establishing better coordination among themselves. Osmond says that the Chicago Architecture Foundation is put- ting a Chicago spin on the National Building Museum’s massive, and well received, Big and Green show, dedicated to environmental building, for its own space. The Foundation is also passing on the torch: consulting with Australian architect Glenn Murcutt to form that country’s own Architecture Foundation, including an architecture center (www.architecture.org.au) that will introduce what Osmond calls a traditional public to newer ideas.“They want to make sure there’s a dialogue about architecture, and that people learn to embrace modern design,” says Osmond. “It’s fun. There’s all this interest in the world about architecture. But the real question is: How are we going to put this movement forward rather than letting it drop?” ■ 86 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 40. The idea of floating, enclosed areas con- nected to wide-open public spaces by esca- lators sketched in the early model (opposite, bottom) is realized in the completed build- ing’s shifting forms (this page and oppo- site, top).
  • 41. Thanks to OMA’s blending of cool information technology and warm public spaces, SEATTLE’S CENTRAL LIBRARY kindles book lust By Sheri Olson I n Seattle’s new Central Library, a taut skin of steel and glass PRO JECTS shrink-wraps a stack of shifting, precariously balanced volumes. Can you judge this book by its cover? “It looks like an arbitrary shape, but once you step inside, you get it,” promises Seattle’s City Librarian, Deborah L. Jacobs. According to the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Rotterdam (in joint venture with LMN, Seattle), the irregular form arises from an almost slavish devotion to a detailed pro- gram developed by the library board and staff. “A truly rational building does not look rational,” says Joshua Ramus, principal in charge for OMA. They began the commission with a three-month-long investi- gation into the future of the book, calling on local tycoons whose fortunes were built upon the very digital technologies that would seem to make printed matter obsolete. OMA director Rem Koolhaas believes the library as an institution has moralistically and unwisely positioned itself as the With its aggressive silhou- P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T I M OT H Y H U R S L E Y P H OTO S ; M O D E L A N D D R AW I N G S : C O U R T E SY O M A bastion of the book against the byte. “It’s not a matter of and/or,” says ette and the apparent scalelessness of Koolhaas. “The modern library, especially in a cybercity such as Seattle, its diamond-grid cladding, the 11- must transform itself into an information storehouse aggressively story library holds its own among orchestrating the coexistence of all available technologies.” office towers three times its height. Koolhaas sought to balance the explosion of information with “Its a machine that fragments and the library’s increasing role as a social center. There are five programmatic reconstitutes the city around it,” says “platforms,” blocks of floors designed for a unique purpose: parking, staff Koolhaas. Illuminated at night, it area, meeting rooms, books, and offices. “Flexibility can exist within each glows like a giant X-ray, exposing its compartment but not at the expense of another,” Koolhaas says. The plat- vital organs through its exoskeleton. forms alternate with four large, open floors: a childrens’ area, Living The public was involved Room, Mixing Chamber, and reading room—all places where people can from selection on. (Standing-room-only crowds turned out to see Steven meet, search the Web, or just sit and read. “OMA’s solution is simple and Holl and Koolhaas go head-to-head over the course of the three days of complex at the same time,” says Jacobs, a demanding client with a genius presentations [record, August 2000, page 120]). The library board came for building public consensus around the radical design. back from a whirlwind European tour impressed by OMA’s ability to live The architects pushed and pulled the platforms almost 50 feet out of vertical alignment with each other to capture light and views. As Project: Seattle Central Library, Matthews, Vern Cooley, Pragnesh much as OMA enjoys casting itself as technician not artist, there’s an aes- Washington Parikh, design/management team thetic at work, even when it verges on anti-aesthetic. “When we tried to Architect: OMA—Rem Koolhaas, Engineers: Arup, Magnusson tweak it too much, it just didn’t work,” says Ramus. “The form had an Joshua Ramus, Mark von Hof- Klemencic Associates (structural); integrity of its own.” The sky-blue, diamond-patterned steel grid that sup- Zogrotzki, Natasha Sandmeier, Meghan Arup (m/e/p) ports the glass cladding spans the distance between the offset platforms in Corwin, Bjarke Ingels, Carol Patterson, Consultants: Inside/Outside great, angled planes. design/management team; LMN (joint- (interiors); Bruce Mau Design venture partner)—John Nesholm, Sam (graphics); Dewhurst Macfarlane Sheri Olson, FAIA, is record’s Seattle-based contributing editor and the author Miller, Bob Zimmer, Tim Pfeiffer, Steve Partners and Front (facade) of Cutler Anderson Architects (Rockport Publishers, 2004). DelFraino, Mary Anne Smith, Dave Contractor: Hoffman Construction 07.04 Architectural Record 89
  • 42. Projecting forms (sup- ported by enormous cantilevered trusses) reach for views. The steeply sloping site— two floors in a city block (opposite)—adds to the kinetic effect. The Fourth Avenue entrance (near left) opens to a childrens’ area. The gridded curtain wall peels away to form an arcade at the main, Fifth Avenue entrance (far left and below).
  • 43. within a budget. (The library’s was relatively modest: $165 million, fourth-floor meeting rooms play to the public’s desire to be shocked by including $10 million for a temporary location during construction.) In the avant-garde. It’s the architectural equivalent of the prim librarian rip- the end, the board’s decision was not based on the bottom line. “Can you ping off her glasses and letting her hair down. Such touches may entice do beauty?” asked one board member. “Yes,” was Koolhaas’s immediate patrons who have come to associate books with Barnes Noble comfort response. or Amazon.com convenience. The library’s dilapidated, undersize old Koolhaas delivers as soon as patrons step through the Fifth Avenue entrance on the uphill side of the full-block site, into a dramatic “IT’S A MACHINE THAT FRAGMENTS AND three-story volume that appears larger than what seems possible from the RECONSTITUTES THE CITY AROUND IT.” outside. Appropriately dubbed the Living Room, it’s the library’s—and Seattle’s—largest and most inviting public space. Fiction collections, a —REM KOOLHAAS Teen Center, a café, a shop, and service-desk areas alternate with com- quarters, on the same site, had become de-facto housing for the homeless. puter desks and squishy rubber couches. Photomural carpets of grass and Now some who once lingered listlessly will run the latte cart in the Living leaves (by Petra Blaisse of Inside/Outside, Amsterdam) float on the wood Room (part of a jobs program organized by a nonprofit group). floors like giant throw rugs. Wood-clad terraces descend through an audi- Fluorescent-green escalators ascend from the Living Room to torium (which can be closed off), following the site’s steep slope and deliver patrons to a huge service desk at the center of the fifth-floor seamlessly linking the Living Room to the childrens’ area two levels below. mezzanine. This Mixing Chamber places librarians, reference materials, The outrageous hot-pink curved hallways threaded among the and public-access computers all in one place. Patrons need not wander 07.04 Architectural Record 91
  • 44. The entire Living Room opens to view from the Fifth Avenue entrance (right). Escalators lead up to the Mixing Chamber (balcony visible at far right). The auditorium (view from below, top left) descends two floors. View through metal scrim from the fourth floor (bottom left). from one department to another. “Instead of the Internet replacing librarians, it has made them more valuable,” Jacobs says. “They help people sift through information.” At 363,000 square feet, the size of the library doubled but not the size of the staff. Instead, technology frees librarians from drudgery, helping to automate sorting and checkout, among other functions. From the Mixing Chamber, an express escalator leads to the center of the library’s most innovative and controversial feature, the Books Spiral. It’s less a spiral than a giant, continuous ramp that inches up across the city-block-size floors (it’s entirely wheelchair accessible) before switching back as it rises through four levels. Unlike most libraries forced to arbitrarily split collections between floors as they grow, Seattle’s continuous circuit unites most of the nonfiction collec- tion, allowing subjects to expand or contract without disrupting Dewey decimal order. The well-lit, generously sized levels invite browsing, but shortcuts through the stacks are available by stair or elevator for those who know exactly what they want. Tucked among the stacks are small 92 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 46. Screened in red, the aorta-red meeting level (bottom left) is sand- wiched between the Living Room level (visible above) and the Mixing Chamber (bottom right).
  • 47. An inventive fire-protec- tion scheme permitted 12 OPEN TO BELOW the library’s extraordi- 12 nary openness. A red stair links the meeting- 10 room level to the Mixing 11 OPEN TO Chamber (opposite, OPEN TO 8 BELOW BELOW bottom right). The char- treuse escalator carries patrons to the Book 10 Spiral (opposite, bottom right—visible as a 12 13 8 8 8 lighted strip at the top). READING ROOM–TENTH FLOOR MIXING CHAMBER–FIFTH FLOOR 1. Arcade 1 2. Reception 4 3 3. Coffee cart OPEN TO BELOW 2 4. Shop 5 5. Auditorium 9 6. Fiction 9 OPEN TO 7. Teen Center BELOW 8. Office 6 2 9 9. Meeting 8 10. Mixing Chamber 9 (reference) 9 11. Closed stacks 7 12. Reading terrace 13. Book Spiral 14. Children 15. Living Room 0 20 FT. N MEETING ROOMS–FOURTH FLOOR LIVING ROOM–THIRD FLOOR 6 M. 16. Headquarters 16 11 12 12 13 13 13 10 10 9 9 15 15 1 Fifth Avenue 5 5 Fourth Avenue 14 0 20 FT. EAST-WEST SECTION 6 M. 07.04 Architectural Record 95
  • 48. In this view from the Mixing Chamber to the Teen Center in the Living Room, the I-beam curtain-wall supports are visible, as well as massive, tilted columns. The external facets focus views out.
  • 50. The Book Spiral Architecture Without Artistry (below), cut through by an atrium (opposite), floats over the Living For more than 30 years, Rem Koolhaas has ness of Koolhaas’s intellect? Each breadloaf-size Room, braced by mas- been theorizing a great deal and building rather book seems to introduce a new Rem. Embracing sive, angled columns. little, so it comes as something of a surprise that instability is the theme of the firm’s latest pub- An escalator runs his most conceptually rich building so far isn’t in lishing opus, Content (Taschen, 2004). “We are between the opposed Europe, where daring buildings are more often interested in instability, but we don’t necessarily slopes of the Spiral’s erected, but in Seattle—no avant-garde hotbed. have a preference for it,” Koolhaas explained. gentle, ramplike lev- Having temporarily commandeered a yet- Still, he feels confined by how long it takes to els, culminating at the unoccupied office that overlooks the Seattle build projects, worrying that the ideas move top-floor reading room library’s dramatic atrium, the 59-year-old beyond the building by the time it’s done. “It’s (bottom). Koolhaas described his process in an inter- rare that an intention or an ambition or a [client] view. “Our initial impulse is to consider how to coalition survives that long,” he commented. make a particular program fresh, to consider Where does architecture fit as the firm what is redundant and what deserves to be moves into trend-gleaning endeavors like mag- reinvented,” he explained. There’s a perpetual azine publishing? Architecture remains the core effort, he added, to tease out “the seeds of effort, he asserts, and there will soon be, at newness” innate to the project. last, quite a lot of built work to show for the Such an intellectualized approach doesn’t years of effort. Along with the IIT Campus Center concern itself much with the expressive poten- [RECORD, May 2004, page 122] and Seattle’s tial of construction. From many vantages, the library, there’s the recently completed Dutch building looks gawky and provisional, its form Embassy in Berlin, an Epicenter store for Prada a resultant of ideas, rather than massaged for that opens this summer in Los Angeles, and a expressive elegance or crafted beauty. The convention-shattering concert hall in Porto, soaring spaces come with cheap finishes; for Portugal, finishing up. Still, Koolhaas seems example, the columns and beams are covered genuinely aggrieved at the projects that haven’t with lumpy fireproofing and dangling pipes (as gone ahead. Content is filled with justifications in the Mixing Chamber, below)—a bit disturb- for them and little-disguised anger at the proj- ing, even though they are painted out. This is ects that died in America. The cover alone will purposeful, says partner Ole Scheeren; ques- likely keep it off many bookstore shelves. It fea- tioning conventions of beauty and craft are tures a triumvirate of Saddam Hussein, North part of OMA’s process. Korea’s Kim Jong-Il, and George Bush. The These attitudes may account for why so president grasps a crucifix and is crowned by a many projects have withered as clients couldn’t package of McDonald’s french fries. Not the kind persuade themselves to go the distance: the of thing you’d FedEx to most prospective clients. Universal Studios headquarters, the Whitney I was once among those who feared that Museum (now revived, with Renzo Piano as archi- Seattle was building a city-block-size joke. It is to Deborah Jacobs’s credit that she harnessed a kind of genius other clients feared. She spearheaded approval of the bond issue that underwrote the building, championed the rais- ing of some $86 million in private money to fund acquisitions and operations throughout the system, and helped build and maintain support for this monumental civic effort. The building’s appeal goes beyond the spatial pyrotechnics evident in the photographs. Even the seemingly alien form of the exterior fits uncannily well, especially when the ubiqui- tous local mists swirl around it. Like a chunk of tect), a hotel for Ian Schrager in New York, the Los glacier that has somehow run aground in the Angeles County Museum of Art (a project, drasti- middle of downtown, it evokes the unconquer- cally reduced in scope, that has now gone to ably primordial nature of the Pacific Northwest’s Piano as well), Prada San Francisco, the landscape. But delivering a library that gen- Guggenheim in Las Vegas’s Venetian casino uinely extended the public realm is Koolhaas’s [RECORD, January 2002, page 100], which closed. most important contribution here. There’s little Or do clients worry about the very restless- like it anywhere. James S. Russell, AIA 98 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 52. Public areas open onto the atrium as it rises (this page) from the Living Room to the topmost Headquarters level. The Book Spiral arrives at a gently terraced reading room (opposite) under a vast sloping skylight.
  • 53. reading areas, special collections, and librarians at service desks over- grid of columns running through the enclosed platforms, which OMA looking an atrium that rises eight levels from the Living Room. painted black and flecked with mica for sparkle. The diamond-shaped As varied as the different spatial experiences within the library glass lites, each 4 by 7 feet, were sized to eliminate glass waste and ease may be, they all share spectacular views of the surrounding skyscrapers installation of the triple-glazed panels. Fine, expanded metal mesh, and the vistas between them to Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. For sandwiched between the glass layers, acts as a micro-louver to reduce Jacobs, the quality of the views is the biggest surprise and justification heat gain and glare. A floor-sourced displacement-air system conditions for building on the library’s old site, even though it meant relocating only the occupied layer of space. A performance-based approach to fire during construction. “The views are so much more gorgeous than what engineering permitted the openness and the seamless interconnected- we expected,” she says. It’s unusual for a library to invite this much of ness of the design. the world inside its cloistered walls, but that, says Koolhaas, is the point: The building opened with few glitches. “It works,” says Jacobs. “The glass goes beyond transparency to absorb every vibe of the city.” “People will either like it or not, but their opinions will be based on aes- The Books Spiral culminates in a light-filled reading room thetic preferences, not function,” she adds. “What does it say when the under a sloped, 40-foot-tall plane of steel and glass. A padded white library is the most exciting building in town?” she mused as she sur- ceiling (for sound absorption) floats above a series of wide terraces set veyed the crowd of 28,000 people streaming through during the with informal groupings of chairs and tables. library’s opening day celebration. In a word, everything. ■ To open the vast spaces under glass, Arup made the mesh of I beams supporting the curtain wall into the primary means of resisting Sources Wood floors: Worthwood the building’s wind and seismic loads. (The design development and Curtain wall: Seele; Okalux; Furnishings: Vitra; Quinze Milan detailing of the structure was done by Magnusson Klemencic Walter’s Wolf; Supersky (skylights) Conveyance: Schlindler (escalators); Associates, Seattle.) The unusual strategy also minimizes the number Glazing: Okalux; Viracon; TGP Thyssen (elevators) and size of the internal columns, since they aren’t doing double duty. Doors: Kawneer, Boon Edam The upper-floor projections are cantilevered, made rigid by external (entrance); Zesbaugh, Building For more information on this project, trusses, and supported on just a few massive columns. Because they Specialists (fire protection); Cascade go to Projects at handle gravity loads, these columns are fireproofed, as are a long-span (wood) www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 101
  • 54. Behnisch, Behnisch Partner and Steven Ehrlich Architects contribute signature buildings to KENDALL SQUARE near MIT PRO JECTS By Nancy Levinson C P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E ambridge, Massachusetts, home to the academic powerhouses found not in the postcard-pretty precincts but in old industrial East of Harvard and MIT, is America’s ultimate college town, and it Cambridge, the zone of the city that declined in the postwar era as the has long attracted students and tourists alike with its leafy factories shut down and that in recent years has been reborn as one of streets and historic buildings, its pedestrian-friendly squares the country’s leading biotechnology centers. A 10-acre case in point is and tranquil courtyards. But these days, the most dynamic part of this Kendall Square, an ongoing project developed by New England–based centuries-old city is the part that attracts few out-of-towners. These days, Lyme Properties that will eventually encompass 1.3 million square feet (THIS SPREAD) the most enlightened development and progressive architecture are to be in six buildings, and that has already produced two excellent works of contemporary architecture. This feat is all the more remarkable for taking Contributing editor Nancy Levinson is an architect and writer based in place in a historicist town that lately has tended to reject any architectural Cambridge, Mass. expression newer than mid-Victorian. 102 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 55. The 10-acre Kendall leading research cen- Square, a biotech cen- ters. An ongoing project ter in old industrial East developed by New Cambridge, rises in a England–based Lyme zone of the city that Properties, it will even- declined in the postwar tually encompass 1.3 years as factories shut million square feet in six down but in recent buildings. The buildings years has been reborn shown here (opposite, at as one of the country’s left) are the first two. 2 3 1. Genzyme center 4 2. 675West Kendall Street 1 3. Retail and parking garage The Kendall Square project is that city-planning rarity—a (proposed) private, for-profit initiative developed with a view toward long-range 4. Performing arts and film civic enhancement. David Clem, managing director of Lyme Properties, center (proposed) brought to the project not only experience in the business of real estate 5 6 7 5. Residential,hotel,health development but also deep engagement with the city—years ago he stud- club,and retail (proposed) ied urban planning at MIT and even served as a city councillor. After 6. Parking garage and purchasing the land in 1998, Lyme hired Toronto-based Urban Strategies pavilion (proposed) to create a master plan for the unprepossessing site, a brownfield once 7. Office,retail,and housing occupied by a manufactured-gas plant. Together the developer and SITEPLAN N 0 50 FT. (proposed) 15 M. urban designer generated a plan that called for a program of mixed uses, 07.04 Architectural Record 103
  • 56. The Genzyme Building consists of 12 stories of sleek neo-Modernism, with a crisp glass-and- metal curtain wall. An energy-saving double facade sheathes almost 40 percent of the build- ing. Roof-mounted mirrors, or heliostats, track the sun and reflect light into the interior.
  • 57. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N TO N G R A S S I ( T H I S S P R E A D A N D T H E FO L LO W I N G S P R E A D ) and for the city grid to extend onto the site. Two classic urbanistic moves, saw an opportunity to integrate the site into the city, and to activate the of course, of the sort that elicit praise from critics and academics; but area with housing, entertainment, retail, and recreation.” To these ends, here, as is often the case, they were hardly the path of least resistance. In the program includes two life-science laboratory buildings, a biotech- fact, they ran counter to years of prevailing practice. In the past two nology headquarters, a performing arts center, an apartment tower with decades, much of East Cambridge has been developed as single-use adjoining hotel, an office/residential low-rise, a public square alongside superblocks, with assorted RD towers set back from the street, encir- an old canal, and a public park with a skating rink. The buildings incor- cled by well-tended lawns; it would have been easy to make Kendall Square an aloof biotechnology campus (an earlier development planned THE MOST ENLIGHTENED DEVELOPMENT for the area was simply called “Cambridge Research Park”). What Lyme AND PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE ARE and Urban Strategies sought to do instead is to make the site, in the words of Ken Greenberg, a partner of Urban Strategies when the project FOUND IN OLD INDUSTRIAL EAST CAMBRIDGE. started, “both a crossroads and a destination” for the district, which porate ground-level retail, and an underground garage accommodates includes MIT to the south, the Charles River waterfront to the east, and more than 2,000 cars. None of this is standard-issue real estate develop- a neighborhood of 19th-century row houses to the north. “We did not ment; nor was the process by which architects were chosen. Early on, want the place to signal itself as a project, something separate from the Lyme decided that the buildings would be designed by different archi- city, with its own sidewalks, curbs, signage, and so on,” says Clem. “We tects and that the architects would be selected through invited 07.04 Architectural Record 105
  • 59. The architects organ- ized the building in an open, flexible manner around a grand central atrium, which connects all the floors and brings daylight deep into the core.
  • 60. 1 5 7 9 3 5 2 8 4 1. Atrium 3 2. Reading 3. Terrace 4. Reception 5. Workspace 5 6. Lecture theater 5 6 7. Loading 8 3 8. Conference 9. Cafeteria N 0 10 FT. 3 M. FIRST FLOOR TWELFTH FLOOR P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E ( O P P O S I T E , TO P ) ; A N TO N G R A S S I ( O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M T W O ) international competitions. In this way the developer hoped to achieve a high design standard and also to encourage nonrevivalist architecture. “We wanted something more than the usual Cambridge formula of red brick and punched windows,” says Clem. So far, the competitions have yielded refreshingly nonformulaic results. Designed by Behnisch, Behnisch Partner, of Stuttgart, the Genzyme Building, headquarters of the biotechnology giant, is 12 stories of sleek neo-Modernism, with its crisp glass-and-metal curtain wall and its uncluttered interiors filled with elegant midcentury furniture. What makes the building remarkable, though, is its thoroughgoing commitment to sus- tainable technology—a commitment shared by the developer and tenant as well as the architect, and enabled by an unusually collaborative design and construction process. Because Genyzme had signed on as tenant right from the start, building design and tenant fit-out occurred almost simultane- ously, with green design understood not as something added on or attached afterward, but instead as integral to the design concept. “We designed the building from the inside out,” says Stefan Behnisch,“not as an architectural 108 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 61. Many offices are located on the perime- ter of the central atrium (above) to gain direct access to natural light. Interior cubicles are partially transparent to permit light to filter through (opposite). Interiors are uncluttered and filled with elegant midcentury furniture. Furniture and partitions can be used to create community areas, con- necting paths, and private offices (left two).
  • 62. 675 WEST KENDALL STREET 1. Entry 7 2. Atrium 3. Retail 6 4. Building services 5. Loading 6. Lab/office 7. Exterior balcony 7 6 7 SIXTH FLOOR 3 5 4 4 3 2 1 6 3 4 N 0 20 FT. FIRST FLOOR 6 M. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © PAU L WA R C H O L ( TO P A N D O P P O S I T E ) ; C H U C K C H O I ( B OT TO M ) icon but as a place to work.” This approach resonated with Genzyme C.E.O. Henri Termeer, who describes it as “consistent with our commitment to innovative life-science technology. We didn’t need a big sculptural state- ment, but a healthy workplace.” And Termeer sees the green building systems as having economic as well as environmental benefits. “The reduced operating costs are an excellent return on our investment,” he says. Some of the more impressive green features include a double facade that sheathes almost 40 percent of the building, the two skins separated by an accessible 4-foot loggia; a central atrium that organizes the building’s interior and brings daylight deep into the core; roof-mounted mirrors, or heliostats, that track the sun and reflect light into the interior; a multistory “light chandelier” made of hundreds of prismatic glass plates that shimmer down the length of the atrium; and automated, operable blinds pro- grammed to respond to light, weather, and orientation. Like Genzyme, 675 West Kendall Street is rigorously contempo- rary—another welcome addition to the local scene. But while Genzyme is glassy and reflective, 675 West Kendall, designed by Steven Ehrlich Architects, of Los Angeles, is weighty and solid. The 300,000-square-foot, six-story life-sciences laboratory building is an elegant and artful composi- tion, with the two-story mechanical penthouse—sized for chemistry and biology labs— not plopped on top but instead incorporated into the overall 110 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 63. The facade features which discreetly evoke materials rarely used in the masonry-and-glass U.S. construction, industrial structures including channel-glass that once occupied and terra-cotta panels, the site.
  • 64. Inside, the labs and offices are arranged around a 100-foot-tall atrium with skylights, as well as strategically placed heliostats (or roof-mounted mirrors) and reflective sur- faces, which flood light into all corners of the building. Stairs, bal- conies, lounges, and overlooks animate this interior space. Glass and metal are the dominant materials. The ordinary concrete floor is tinted a deep brown. The aesthetic is industrial and crisp. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © PAU L WA R C H O L ( T H I S PA G E A N D O P P O S I T E , TO P L E F T )
  • 65. massing, and a large metal canopy, attached to the facade with mastlike Project: Genzyme Center, Project: 675 West Kendall Street, struts, signaling both the main entrance below and a roof terrace above. And Cambridge, Mass. Cambridge, Mass. the facade features materials rarely used in U.S. construction, including Architect: Behnisch, Behnisch Design architect: Steven Ehrlich channel glass and terra-cotta panels, which discreetly evoke the masonry- Partner—Stefan Behnisch, principal; Architects—Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, and-glass industrial structures that once occupied the site. “We didn’t want Christof Jantzen, principal; Günther principal; Thomas Zahlten, principal to make a brick building,” says Ehrlich,“but we did want to acknowledge the Schaller, partner (Venice, Calif.); in charge; Patricia Rhee, AIA, team masonry tradition of Cambridge.” Local culture is acknowledged in even Martin Werminghausen, partner; captain; George Elian, designer; Aaron subtler ways: The panels of the terra-cotta rain screen are imprinted with Maik Neumann, project architect Torrence, AIA, Carine Jaussaud, patterns derived from DNA molecules—a level of detail that will speak to (base building) (Stuttgart) Cedric Lombardo, Gregor Seeweg, the bioscientists who work in the building’s laboratories. And 675 West Executive architect: House Monika Russig, project team Kendall, like Genzyme, is organized around a central atrium, which brings Robertson (base building); Next Associate architect: Symmes Maini light into the core and creates zones for casual interaction.“As we go deeper Phase Studios (tenant fit-out) McKee Associates—Thomas A. into work on the screen, or in this case in the lab,” say Ehrlich,“it seems more Engineers: Buro Happold (environ- Coffman, AIA, Gordon Brewster, important than ever for architecture to create opportunities for the kind of mental consultancy, structural Henry S. Ricciuti, AIA, Eric A. chance, synergistic encounters that encourage creativity.” engineer, m/e/p); Laszlo Bodak Peterson, AIA, James E. Deitzer, AIA, Genzyme and 675 West Kendall have set a high standard for the (engineer of record, m/e/p); Roger H. Comee, project team P H OTO G R A P H Y : © P E T E R VA N D E R WA R K E R ( TO P R I G H T ) remaining projects, which are in various stages of development. Two are Bartenbach Lichtlabor GmbH Engineers: Arup (structural, m/e/p) scheduled to start construction this fall: A 23-story residential tower, by (lighting) Landscape architect: Michael Van CBT Architects of Boston, and a low-rise residential/office building, by General contractor/construction Valkenburgh Associates Architects Alliance of Toronto. Early next year another life-sciences labo- manager: Turner Construction ratory, by Anshen + Allen Los Angeles, will begin construction, along with Sources a hotel, also by CBT. A multistage performing arts center by Stubbins Sources Exterior masonry: E. Dillon Co. Associates, scheduled to begin construction in late 2005, will be the last Glass curtain wall: Sota Glazing Metal/glass curtain wall: Kawneer piece of Kendall Square. And here it should be pointed out that “Kendall Photovoltaic panels: Powerlight Glazing and skylights: Viracon; Square” is the name not only of this ambitious project but also of the sur- Skylights: Architectural Skylight LinEl rounding city district. Whether the developer is co-opting the place name Company Hardware and hinges: Sargent; for the benefit of the project or using municipal nomenclature in order to Of fice furniture: Steelcase Stanley make the project blend seamlessly into the city is a matter of judgment. Lobby finishes: Hanover Pavers Exterior terra-cotta: Christian Pohl But certainly one measure of the success of the Kendall Square project Interior gardens: Greenscape will be whether it is perceived not as a neat and tidy development, but Water feature: Carbone Metal For more information on this project, rather as a strong and vital addition to a district in transition. The two Fabricators go to Projects at buildings already completed have gotten it off to a happy start. ■ Carpet: Miliken www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 113
  • 66. A reflecting pool (this page) extends over a tunnel connecting Holl’s visitors’ center with old wine vaults. His conceptual watercolor (opposite, left) and pho- tomontage (opposite, right) show his visitors’ center along with his future hotel (now under construction), the town, and the vineyards.
  • 67. Steven Holl counters sprawl and pastiche with his LOISIUM, a tilting, aluminum-clad visitors’ center that holds its own in Austrian wine country By Liane Lefaivre T he small Austrian town of PRO JECTS Langenlois nestles near the northwest end of the Wachau Valley—one of the world’s only wine-growing regions offi- cially classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site. No wonder: Its hilly landscape, dotted with castles and blanketed with vineyards, makes this countryside exceptionally beautiful, stretching from the Baroque monastery of Melk—the setting for Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose—to the town of P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R G H E R I TA S P I L U T T I N I , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; R O B E R T H E R B S T ( O P P O S I T E ) ; Krems along the gently winding Danube. In springtime, Langenlois’s own Baroque buildings—stuccoed in powder blue, dusty rose, bright sienna, and pale green—stand amid a clients tend to opt for the latter, as in the city of Graz, which recently profusion of purple lilac bushes and century-old flowering chestnut trees, engaged architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier to insert a bit of 1960s as if this were nothing out of the ordinary. exuberance—their Kunsthaus [record, June 2004, page 92]—within that So would such a fairytale town welcome an industrial-looking, Baroque town. The owners of the Loisium—a 13,000-square-foot visitor’s aluminum-clad visitors’ center for a winery, with windows slashed into it center, named for the “lois” in Langenlois, with conference and wine- as if by the sword of Zorro and walls dented as if by a colossal hammer? tasting facilities, a restaurant, and a wine shop—are no exception. I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S T E V E N H O L L A R C H I T E CT S ( T H I S PA G E ) Clearly not a foregone conclusion. And now that Steven Holl’s building Barely an hour from Vienna yet so near to the Wachau Valley, stands on a hill overlooking the town—with his vineyard hotel under Langenlois offers a dream location, commercially speaking. The clients construction just a few yards up the slope—does it fit in? Well, in the view clearly saw Holl’s Modern, high-profile architecture as a potential spear- of a local taxi driver, “Of course it does.” head for their campaign to fill the world’s wineglasses with the region’s The taxi driver has a point. On approach to the Langenlois winery high-quality, though still slightly obscure, white wines from the unpre- from the surrounding areas, it becomes clear that the fairytale confection tentious, crisp Austrian Gruener Vetliner grape. Besides such global-scale doesn’t tell the whole story. In the exurban, once-bucolic peripheries, branding, they also held ambitions to turn back the wave of sprawl and sprawl has cut loose. Austria tends to hold truer to its postcard image than counter the loss of architectural quality. most countries do, keeping any sort of rampant overgrowth relatively rare. Faced with this double challenge, Holl carved out a world apart But once the reins on architectural quality go slack, things can go as awry from the kitsch vernacular, providing a strong, distinctive architecture, as here as anywhere else, even if the language happens to be Tyrolean pastiche. Such regionalist settings pose the inevitable dilemma: To hold on Project: Loisium Visitors’ Center, Brian Melcher, project team to tradition or let go and innovate? These days, more and more Austrian Langenlois, Austria Collaborator: Solange Fabião, artist Architect: Steven Holl Architects— Associate architect: Arge Architekten Liane Lefaivre is chair of architectural history and theory at the University of Steven Holl, design principal; Engineers: Retter Partner (civil); Applied Arts in Vienna and an associate of the Design Knowledge Systems Group Christian Wassmann, project archi- Altherm (mechanical) at the Technical University of Delft. tect; Martin Cox, Jason Frantzen, 07.04 Architectural Record 115
  • 68. The faceted skin of “marine” aluminum changes appearance with the light, weather, and seasons, ranging from glimmering, sil- very blue (this page and opposite, bottom) to matte golden gray, almost resembling con- crete (opposite, top).
  • 69. 11 8 3 2 0 10 FT. SECTION A-A 3 M. 1. Souvenir shop 2. Event space 4 3. Storage 1 4. Mechanical 5. Tunnel (to old wine vaults) 6. Lobby 7. Wine shop 3 8. Café 2 5 BASEMENT 12 12 7 9. Outdoor tables A A 10. Reflecting pool 11. Seminar 6 8 12. Skylight The building tilts at a wine cellars, now con- 5-degree angle, giving nected by a tunnel 9 10 it an almost tipsy (section, below) with demeanor (above) and skylights along its bot- allowing for a smooth tom. A short distance transition from the new up the hill, Holl sited his N 0 10 FT. visitors’ spaces to the winery hotel, currently 3 M. existing subterranean under construction. FIRST FLOOR UNDER IN OVER Village Village Winery Visitors' Center (Future winery hotel (Existing wine vaults) by Steven Holl Architects) 0 30 F T. 10 M.
  • 70. Daylight penetrates the irregular, slashlike windows, deeply recessed skylights, and swatches of green glass, animating the 82-foot-high interior and its exposed-con- crete stair (this page).
  • 71. The slotted windows cast rays of sunlight across the ceiling and walls, creating abstract and evolving compositions (right). The visitors’ center includes a café (below) and a shop specializing in Langenlois wines (far right). well as a logo-ready image. Fortunately, the solution goes as far as one can expansive interior, the ceilings soar almost 82 feet, while an exposed- from the architectural equivalent of a yodel, offering instead a gleaming concrete staircase dominates the cube’s other half. metallic cube, measuring approximately 82 feet on each edge. From the Holl has used the narrow slashes of window quite ingeniously to exterior, this building appears inward-looking. Composed primarily of bathe the main space in light while concealing views of the nondescript reinforced concrete, its form stands beneath an insulating carapace of surroundings. The design further accentuates the sense of a world apart 0.16-inch-thick “marine” aluminum, an alloy that preserves its sheen. by placing the tunnel to the vaults and winemaking exhibition beneath a Along with the bold geometry and glimmering skin, a striking reflecting pool with watertight porthole windows on its bottom. playfulness distinguishes the structure from its architectural neighbors. Through water and glass, daylight penetrates the underground realm. The The building tilts at a 5-degree angle, as if it were tipsy, allowing Holl to one unsubtle touch, however, appears in the wine-bottle-green glass in sink approximately one third of the cube into the ground and link it via some of the apertures, reminding us that, yes, we are in a winery. tunnel, in an apparently effortless way, to a 900-year-old network of wine Linking old and new, Holl managed to insert a Modern and vaults, about 65 feet downhill from the cube. The tilt, giving the structure idiosyncratic structure into the periphery of a historic region. And per- a subtle thrust of potential energy, was the suggestion of artist Solange haps because of his refusal to yield to the pressure of ersatz surroundings, Fabião, Holl’s wife. his leaning, aluminum-clad cube seems right at home on the hillside, just As the architect’s earlier work has led us to expect—particu- above the lovely and quaint town of Langenlois. ■ larly his Ronchamp–inspired Chapel of St. Ignatius in Seattle [record, July 1996, page 40]—the Loisium’s interior contrasts markedly with life Sources Aluminum: Heinrich Renner (faceted beyond its perimeter. The architect placed most of the major loads on Lighting: Zumtobel Staff facade); Kamper Stahlbau (doors and the cube’s exterior walls, freeing much of the interior. Just as Le CAD system: Auto CAD Vector Works windows) Corbusier exploited open plans (plans-libres) with ramps and stairs Concrete: Steiner Strabag For more information on this project, placed at will to create architectural promenades, so too does Holl. (cast in place) go to Projects at Here, above the wine-tasting bar, which fills nearly half of the airy, Structural steel: Stahlbau Jordanits www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 119
  • 72. The new archive addi- tion is clad with limestone similar to that used in the origi- nal royal palace (far left in photo), but dressed without mortared joints. The massive, fortresslike structure, dating to the 12th century, sits on a high promontory above the Argo River (opposite, top), where It is sur- rounded by the densely built city of Pamplona (aerial, opposite).
  • 73. Rafael Moneo has elegantly refashioned a stolid medieval palace in Navarra, Spain, into the ROYAL AND GENERAL ARCHIVES OF PAMPLONA By Paula Deitz I n recent years, wanderers searching for the old royal palace in the PRO JECTS streets of Pamplona, the capital of Spain’s northern province of Navarra, could not have missed the stark remains of this original medieval structure. They would soon come upon its north and west buttressed walls joined by a corner tower keep with a gabled, chapel-like facade on the south. Out front, a large billboard announced the restoration and conversion of the palace into the Royal and General Archives of Navarra by the architect Rafael Moneo. As part of this process, careful demolition had removed additions dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, when the building was the palace of governing Viceroys and then a military head- quarters after Navarra was incorporated into Spain in 1833. Ultimately, the palace was abandoned as a ruin. Then in 1995, the Ministry of Culture decided to turn it into an P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E , E XC E P T C O U R T E SY T H E A R C H I T E CT ( T H I S PA G E , A E R I A L ) archives and study center for the province. Unlike more ornate Spanish castles of later periods, medieval architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly civil structures, possesses a robust simplicity of line. Its forms have inspired many contemporary architects, his support in a war against Castile. Thus began a particularly Moneo, who was born in the long tumultuous period when the kings often stayed Navarrois city of Tudela, south of Pamplona. in the same complex as the bishops of the Church. And with the original quarries nearby still pro- Since the medieval walls were already viding the same gold-beige and gray-mottled extensively weakened by centuries of repair, Moneo limestone used in the building’s original con- opted to maintain the integrity and contour of the struction (and which gives all of Pamplona its warm hues), Moneo had old building by wrapping the walls with masonry that would exactly pre- the opportunity to reimagine––and reinvent––a fortress. In this instance, serve the building’s silhouette. Using old limestone “bricks,” some from he judiciously grasped the chance to renew the life of the old palace with the 12th century, workmen employed string guides to establish exterior public spaces––reading rooms, an exhibition gallery, an assembly hall–– lines and then applied lime mortar as infill. The tower keep became a while designing a new tower for the storage and delivery of documents. stairwell plus lookout over the new copper roof and the narrow winding An open courtyard with a colonnaded cloister functions as a transitional space that brings the two time frames into a seamless unity. Project: Royal and General Archives Miralles, Juan Rodriguez-Villa, In many ways, the first impression of the palace from the far banks of Pamplona, Spain Borja Pena, Jacobo Garcia-German, of the Argo River remains the same as it was in the early 13th century: a mas- Owner: Historic Patrimony Service of Fernando Iznaola, project team; sive form perched on the city’s highest promontory above the city’s the Ministry of Culture of the Carla Bovio, Sebastián Guivernau, ramparts. The King of Navarra, Sancho VI, began construction of the royal Government of Navarra, Prince of construction team fortress in 1189, but by 1198, his son gave it to the Bishop of Pamplona for Viana Institute Engineer: NB35, Jesús Jiménez Architect: Rafael Moneo––Rafael (structural); I y S Iturralde y Sagüés Paula Deitz, editor of The Hudson Review, is writing a book about a 13th-century Moneo, principal; Francisco Gonzáles (mechanical) king of Navarra. Her last article for record appeared in February 2004. Peiró, Christoph Schmid, Eduardo General contractor: COPISA 07.04 Architectural Record 121
  • 74. 1. Lecture hall 2. Library 3. Archive 3 2 1 0 10 FT. SECTION A-A 3 M. 122 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 75. The front entrance leads into a grassy courtyard (right and opposite). Here, Moneo enclosed a majestically proportioned and simply executed colonnaded cloister (below) with glass and steel curtain walls. It unites the restored old 33,480-square-foot palace, in which the academic research center is located, with the archive space in the new, 129,600-square- foot tower.
  • 76. The library occupies ery vaults, is now the 8 the gabled portion of exhibition space. A 2 1 9 3 the restored palace stair down to the lower 7 (opposite). In the level (below) illus- basement, the early trates Moneo’s poetic 4 4 6 Gothic hall (bottom), handling of materials with its dramatic trac- and light. 4 4 10 4 4 5 BASEMENT LEVEL GROUND FLOOR 1. Vestibule 2. Early Gothic hall 13 3. Mechanical equipment 11 4. Archives 12 5. Entrance A 4 6. Court 7. Entrance hall 13 8. Reading room A 4 9. Conservation workshop 4 10. Lecture hall N 0 20 FT. 11. Parking FIRST FLOOR 6 M. 12. Support services 13. Void
  • 77. streets of the city. In the entrance courtyard, the sleek glass-and-steel curtain-wall Inside, the medieval stonework has been maintained in the enclosure contrasts nicely with bulky stone columns tailored by chamfered door surrounds and in the partially visible tracery vault in the tower’s corners and simply decorated capitals: Medieval rusticity is enhanced by entrance room. A 12th-century water cistern and the “S” mark of a elegant, streamlined technology. A gilded ceiling above the cloister radiates mason of the period retains evidence of human hands. Fortunately, a hall a royal light over this symbolic space. The main entrance door into the in the Cistercian style, dating from the palace’s original period and sunk cloister, now reinstalled, was rebuilt in 1592 for a visit by Philip II. Mounted cryptlike below ground level in the north wing, remains totally intact. over its dropped arch is the escutcheon, not of the bishops, but of the Cited as the foremost example of early Gothic civil architecture in Emperor Charles V––representative of the kings who lived there. Navarra, the hall features six bays of square-section ribbed vaults that In a sense, designing the archives constitutes a second homecom- rise directly from the wall without supporting corbels or capitals. Lined ing for Moneo, who designed a winery, Bodegas Julián Chivite, outside of with freestanding exhibition cases displaying old manuscripts, some Estella in Navarra in 2001 [record, May 2003, page 256]. Like the archives, ornately illuminated, it further anchors the archive to the past. A sunken it represents a successful marriage of historic structures—a stone tower, a esplanade around the entire complex allows light to flow diffusely into church, and a manor house—plus state-of-the-art winemaking sheds. Yet the depths of the lower-level spaces. the Pamplona archives also provides another example of Moneo’s accep- On the ground floor, the lecture hall faces the south wall in a tance of fragmentation in an urban setting. As he noted in a Harvard lecture space thought to be formerly occupied by the chapel. The library-related in 1998, architecture serves “as a metaphor to describe the reality around us,” interiors are suffused with the warmth of the wood in the bookshelves, and therefore architects should be guided by the history and spirit of the beamed ceilings, staircases, as well as the soft hues of terra-cotta and beige place in their designs. The Pamplona archives meets the additional challenge stone. Typical of Moneo, the work reflects his unfailing good taste for of preserving within the old palace walls the documented history of an materials and textures that live well together. ancient kingdom that has been absorbed into a modern country. ■ In the new utilitarian sections of the building, mobile and com- pact bookcases in the stacks for the archival documents allow maximum Sources Plaster, partitions, and insulation: storage. Devising a solution that any new library could well emulate, Stone: Zubillaga Tabiven Moneo distanced the rooms from each other on eight levels to avoid Roofing: Montajes Rosaz; Zubillaga Floor and wall tile: Cerámicas extensive damage in case of fire. He arranged them around a central well Wood: Carpintería José Rutia Navagres; Revestimientos Vitoria 96 where a ramp spirals squarely from top to bottom under a massive V of a Steel: Carpintería Metálica JG; Floor covering: Suelos Sal; Stonecoat skylight. It is easy to roll the research materials from place to place, thus Carpintería Metálica Tamoser eliminating dependence on the elevators. Moneo differentiated the tex- Glazing: Decovidrio; Crisesa ture of the contemporary walls from the old masonry by cladding the Cabinetwork and custom wood: For more information on this project, exterior of this storage tower and other new structures in the cluster with Carpintería Paco Blasco go to Projects at smooth slabs of mottled limestone minus the mortar. Paints and stains: Decoraciones Olite www.architecturalrecord.com. 07.04 Architectural Record 125
  • 78. The Brown Center’s milky white (bottom). angular form sprang The cant of the volume from an odd-shaped, along Mount Royal tightly bound site Avenue (right in top (opposite). At night, photo) nods to MICA’s its fritted-glass skin last new structure, the cloaks the interior in 1907 Main Building.
  • 79. The razor-sharp Modernism of Ziger/Snead and Charles Brickbauer befits a new program for the 21st century at the BROWN CENTER of the Maryland Institute College of Art By Deborah Snoonian, P.E. P lanners in the mid-Atlantic region like dimensions and constraints. For months, PRO JECTS to kick around a dreary term, “the Brickbauer walked the two blocks from his row Baltimore-Washington corridor,” that house to the site, a parallelogram-shaped lot robs each city of its unique character. hemmed in by Mount Royal Avenue, the Fox But architecturally speaking, there’s reason to Building (a former shoe factory converted to consider the two as one: They boast many galleries and classrooms), and Howard Street. revered buildings designed in traditional styles, These visits were the key that eventually and only a few Modern structures dot their unlocked a rational geometric solution. “The last cityscapes. Much of Baltimore’s better contem- thing I do is design,” says Brickbauer, an old- porary architecture was built by local firm school Modernist in the mold of Philip Johnson, Peterson and Brickbauer, which was dissolved in his former employer. “I need time to think first.” 1994 when the principals neared retirement age. He decided to echo the 62-degree angle of the A year later, loath to hang up his credentials, site’s parallelogram throughout the building, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © E D UA R D H U E B E R , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; C A M E R O N DAV I D S O N ( T H I S PA G E ) ; architect Charles Brickbauer, AIA, joined Baltimore firm Ziger/Snead as a where its faces meet each other or rise from the ground. MICA president design consultant. The team’s boldly angular Brown Center at the Maryland Lazarus, whom Brickbauer and partner Steve Ziger laud for his unflagging Institute College of Art (MICA), completed last January, is quite simply the support of the design, appreciates the rigor of the firm’s approach. “An finest Modern building erected in Baltimore or Washington since I.M. architect that flies in to do a signature project can’t possibly understand a Pei’s East Building of the National Gallery of Art made headlines in 1978. site the way a local firm can,” he says. This crystalline eye candy is no mere bauble for Charm City. A simple four-story loft supported by concrete columns, the Flexibility and functionality transcend, thankfully, the mere razzle-dazzle of Brown Center is sheathed in a taut, fritted-glass skin bearing a pattern of form. It’s the first newly built academic structure at the 178-year-old art tiny dots that evokes the pixels of computer screens. Its three angular vol- school in nearly a century, when the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 destroyed umes, comprising 61,000 square feet, read as a unified whole from inside. MICA’s downtown campus and forced a move north to Bolton Hill, a The southern volume, across from the Main Building, houses classrooms, brick-row-house neighborhood. With classrooms and production spaces production labs, offices, and small meeting rooms. The middle volume for MICA’s growing digital-arts program, along with a 550-seat auditorium, encloses a full-height atrium where students and faculty mingle. A narrow the building has both anchored a growing campus and become a promi- rectangular volume close to the Fox Building contains a fire stair and ele- nent civic destination for lectures and performances. vators. The auditorium is below them in the basement. MICA’s presence along Mount Royal Avenue was once so low-key The architects pulled classrooms and production spaces away A L A I N J A R A M I L LO ( O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M ) that visitors often drove past the campus before realizing they’d arrived. In from the glazed envelope and wrapped them in circulation corridors, a lay- 2000, as part of a master plan that calls for nearly doubling the size of the out that’s smart in two ways. First, it prevents glare, anathema to digital school’s physical plant, planners Ayers Saint Gross called for a signature building across from the 1907 Renaissance Revival Main Building. Fred Project: Brown Center, Maryland team; Glenn Shrum, lighting design Lazarus, MICA’s president, began discussing the project with Brickbauer, a Institute College of Art, Baltimore Engineers: Morabito Consultants longtime acquaintance and Bolton Hill resident. Brickbauer and the Architect: Ziger/Snead and Charles (structural); James Posey Associates Ziger/Snead team presented a study model to MICA’s board of directors in Brickbauer—Charles Brickbauer, (m/e/p) spring 2001. It was met with round applause, and the project was named design principal; Steve Ziger, partner Consultants: Enclos (curtain wall); for board member and prominent local banker Eddie Brown, who donated in charge; Hugh McCormick, project Higgins Lazarus (landscape); D3cg $6 million toward its $20 million price tag. architect; Craig Carbrey, Jeff Morgan, (digital graphics); The Lighting The result is a cleanly limned form conceived from the site’s David Naill, Mark Treon, design Practice (lighting) 07.04 Architectural Record 127
  • 81. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L A I N J A R A M I L LO ( T H I S PA G E A N D O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M ) 1. Atrium 2. Auditorium 3. Classrooms, production, offices 3 3 3 A soaring atrium (above) digital art shows. On a 1 is the heart and soul sunny day, the facade 2 of MICA’s new flagship appears almost opaque building. Though hall- (opposite, bottom). 2 ways are often hung Dramatic contours with paintings (opposite, emerge from a vantage top right), the building point parallel to the boasts high-tech Howard Street Bridge SECTION A-A 0 20 FT. 6 M. accoutrements for (opposite, top left). 07.04 Architectural Record 129
  • 82. The auditorium (left) has seen lots of activ- ity; its stair and small lobby (opposite, top left) are popular gath- ering spots before events. Exposed ceilings and simple materials and furnish- ings create an airiness in meeting rooms with campus views (opposite, top right). Students can peer down into the lobby from corridors that encircle classrooms (opposite, bottom). artists trying to preserve their eyesight. Second, it keeps students focused on their work while in class, yet lets them absorb information from their surroundings as they move through the building—the right balance for those learning to draw inspiration from external stimuli as well as the 11 6 quieter voices of their own creative impulses. A dynamic interplay of form and material seduces visitors into attempting to capture its kinetic qualities. Put simply, the Brown Center 4 plays tricks on the eyes. From some vantages, the raked angles appear either more or less steep than they actually are. The building’s facade changes dra- 3 matically depending on the weather, angle of the sun, and time of day, 1 2 morphing slowly from nearly opaque to transparent and ranging in color 5 from a milky-greenish-white to a chameleon’s palette of pink, green, gray, and blue. These pleasures are amplified by a level of workmanship that is uncommonly high for a project with a comparatively modest budget. 0 30 FT. With enthusiasm and exactitude, the MICA community has N 9 M. embraced the building by creating installations that celebrate its particulars. GROUND LEVEL One student tucked a chunky, brushed-metal sculpture into the handrail of the ceremonial stair that cascades down through the atrium. A spring exhi- bition made use of the facade’s mullions as display space for strip-collages 1. Green space of American and British pop-culture icons. And just a month after it 2. Fountain opened, faculty member Alexander Heilner fitted the interior lights with 3. Atrium red gels and projected digital displays on the facade to mark the centennial 11 4. Auditorium lobby of the Great Baltimore Fire. If the Brown Center—itself symbolic of a new 5. Auditorium era at MICA—can be so aptly used to commemorate the last big event that 8 A 6. Loading dock transformed this venerable art school, its staying power as a great building P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L A I N J A R A M I L LO 7 7. Gallery seems, well, indisputable. ■ 3 8. Lecture hall A 10 9 9. Classroom/ Sources Laminate: Wilsonart production Glazing, glass railings, glass Carpet: Monterey 10. Office entrances: Harmon Paint: Sherwin Williams 11. Fox Building Plaza lighting: Louis Poulsen TYPICAL FLOOR N 0 30 FT. (existing) Exterior lighting: Hydrel; Bega 9 M. Interior lighting: Zumbotel Staff For more information on this project, Lighting (general); Strand Lighting go to Projects at (performance) www.architecturalrecord.com. 130 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 84. RESTAURANTS Form Follows Food CHEFS AND OWNERS ARE LEARNING THAT PART OF THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS LIES WITH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS THAT CAPTURE THE SPIRIT AND FLAVOR OF THEIR RESTAURANTS. By Clifford A. Pearson 1. F or most Americans, dining out means picking up something BU I LDING TYPES STUDY 835 New York City greasy and familiar and, quite often, eating it in the car. Yasumichi Morita used an innovative According to the market-research firm NPDFoodworld, three palette of traditional and new materi- fourths of all restaurant-prepared meals in the U.S. fall into the als to create the epitome of a stylish, take-out category, and 60 percent of these involve hamburgers or pizza. modern Japanese restaurant. So much for ambience. But at the same time, fine dining is flourishing, rebounding from a sluggish period after the 9/11 attacks and the recent 2. recession. According to a Zagat survey of New York restaurants (a bell- weather for the upper end of the market), 32 percent of diners say they ate Gstaad, Switzerland out more in 2003 than in 2001, and 53 percent say they spent more per P H OTO G R A P H Y : © N A C A S A PA R T N E R S ( 1 ) ; T H O M A S D U VA L ( 2 ) ; B J O R G P H OTO G R A P H Y ( 3 ) ; DA I C I A N O ( 4 ) Parisian designer Patrick Jouin trans- meal. Nationwide, Americans age 8 or older eat 4.2 commercially formed an 18th-century chalet into prepared meals each week, up from 3.7 meals a week two decades ago, an up-to-the-minute home for a pair according to a report by the National Restaurant Association. That trans- of restaurants, a bar, and a disco. lates into 53.5 billion meals a year for the country. As we eat out more often and spend more money on it, we are 3. getting more demanding in terms of the dining experience: the food, service, and setting. While top chefs have become stars with their own TV New York City shows, books, and food empires, all the attention has only made compe- A Greek diner gets an extreme tition more intense. To make a splash or stay on top in the business today, makeover from architect Philip Wu chefs and owners need establishments that look great. Thinking strategi- and starts a new life as a place chic cally more than they ever did before, they’re approaching restaurant enough for Sex and the City. design as an integral part of their businesses, something that must sup- port and enhance the cuisine and, indeed, the entire project’s identity. 4. The four restaurants in this Building Types Study range from a 16,000-square-foot dining and entertainment complex in a Swiss chalet to Nagano, Japan a 2,500-square-foot noodle place on the way to a Buddhist shrine in The clean lines and simple materials Japan. But all four demonstrate a keen sense of architecture working of this restaurant, by Kengo Kuma, seamlessly with the culinary arts to create a coherent personality and provide a proper setting for pilgrims image. Yasumichi Morita’s theatrical design for Megu in New York City, on their way to a Buddhist shrine. for example, would be all wrong for the Soba Restaurant at Togakushi Shrine, but jives perfectly with restaurateur Koji Imai’s concept of mod- ern, super-hip Japanese dining. Similarly, Patrick Jouin’s pulsating, witty design of Chlösterli expresses the sybaritic character of Alain Ducasse’s food, but would clash horribly with the understated charm of Simpson Wong’s Jefferson in Greenwich Village. Developing an architecture that captures the flavor of a dining venue requires translating a menu into three dimensions. It means under- standing the ambitions of chef and owner and knowing how to please the For more information on these projects, go to Projects at customer. In today’s super-competitive dining market, it can mean the www.architecturalrecord.com. difference between success and failure. ■ 07.04 Architectural Record 133
  • 85. Megu New York City 1 YASUMICHI MORITA BRINGS HIS HIGH-ENERGY BRAND OF MODERN JAPANESE DESIGN TO AMERICA AND GIVES A SHOWSTOPPING PERFORMANCE. By Clifford A. Pearson Architect: Kajima Associates When Megu opened in Tribeca this story establishment. Call it Modern Interior designer: Glamorous March, it made a big splash on the Japanese Baroque. The design cer- Company—Yasumichi Morita, New York restaurant scene. The tainly matches the food, which Satomi Hatanaka, Seiji Sakagami, food, the service, the design, and includes such showy dishes as Kobe project team the prices are all larger-than-life, as beef cooked at the table on sizzling Owner: Koji Imai/Food Scope if made for the silver screen. Rocco hot rocks and salmon-and-toro New York DiSpirito’s one-year-old restaurant tartare with a mound of wasabi-soy Engineers: Hage Engineering on 22nd Street might be reality TV, mousse that’s melted in front of (structural); CY Mills (m/e/p) but Megu is a Technicolor fantasy. your eyes by a waiter holding a red- Design consultant: Hashimoto If your idea of Japanese hot iron poker. Partners—Osamu Hashimoto, restaurants was shaped by the The man behind Megu is Koji Sachiko M. Masaki, project team blond woods and graceful counters Imai, a 35-year-old entrepreneur Consultants: Kenji Ito (lighting); of small sushi bars, Megu will come who has 30 restaurants in Japan. Shoji Tahara, SKS Scott Kirk/Carlo as a shock. There’s nothing quiet With Megu, his first foray into the Fornerino (acoustical) about this place, from the waitstaff American market, Imai hopes to Construction supervisor: Toshi yelling “Irasshaimase!” (welcome) kick-start a run of restaurants in Enterprise as you arrive in the dining room to New York and perhaps other parts General contractor: Kudos the bold colors and unorthodox of the U.S. To lead the design team Construction mixing of materials all over the two- for his American flagship, Imai hired Size: 14,000 square feet Completion date: March 2004 Sources Cabinetwork and woodwork: Cmack Construction Wall and floor tiles: Seto Seikei Chairs: Lef Vinyl leather upholstery: Sincol For more information on this project, go to Projects at www.architecturalrecord.com. 134 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 86. Rising sun: A Japanese flag made of porcelain sake bottles stacked on rice bowls grabs attention from the street (opposite, left) and separates the entry foyer from the stair leading down to the dining room (right). At the landing, a grid of sake labels works as art (far right). In the bar, the designer used kimono fabric in rolls on two walls and spread out on the over- head light (below).
  • 87. Yasumichi Morita, a young Osaka- You rang? A 700-pound based designer who had worked bell copied from one with him on Maimon, a restaurant at a temple in Nara, that opened in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Japan, hangs from the district in 2002. ceiling of the 40-foot- high dining room. Program Part of a new generation of supersize restaurants opening in Manhattan, Megu sprawls over 14,000 square feet and includes a vermilion-colored “Kimono Bar,” an “Imperial Lounge” overlooking the dining room, a small VIP lounge originally conceived as a smoking room, a sushi bar, and a private dining room adjacent to the kitchen, in addition to the 200-seat main dining room. The restaurant occupies the ground floor of a 19th- century cast-iron building and flows into the basement level as well. Solution “Because Megu is so big, we designed it as a series of different scenes,” explains Morita. The action begins on the sidewalk, where guests can see a backlit, mosaiclike wall in the foyer emblazoned with a red Japanese sun in the center. Closer inspection reveals the wall to be made of porcelain sake bottles and rice bowls stacked one atop the other so they form columns. Like the first shot of a well-crafted movie, the entry wall provides important clues about what comes next. Reinterpreting icons of Japanese culture and using old materials in strikingly new ways turn out to be key themes tying together Megu’s conspicuous dis- plays of imagination. After the porcelain bottle-and- bowl wall, the first full dramatic scene happens in the bar, where rolls of kimono fabric line two walls, and squares of the same fabric P H OTO G R A P H Y : √ © N A C A S A PA R T N E R S form a kind of quilt stretched over a long light box above the bartenders. Morita used mirrors and the room’s vibrant Chinese red to crank up the impact of the luxurious kimono material, creating a dazzling, almost kaleidoscopic effect even before customers order their drinks. The designer skillfully alter- nated action scenes with quiet moments, such as the lounge just 136 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 89. 138 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 90. beyond the bar, where beige mer- cedes leather and tall curving banquettes set a relaxed tone. He also choreographed the experience of moving through the restaurant; for example, directing customers down a paired set of narrow stone stairs, so the double-height dining room looks even bigger when they arrive at their tables. At almost every turn, Morita found yet another ingenious way of treating familiar materials. On the way to the restrooms, cus- tomers walk past a wall of Japanese matchbook covers set into glass. At the stair landing, they can admire a grid of sake labels attached to curving plastic mounts and lit from behind. In the dining room, the designer created a checkerboard of bamboo mats on one wall, and on the opposite side he glued thin rectangles of stone on glass so they seem to float in an old masonry pattern. Never-ending cycle: Every Holding center stage in the 3 day a new ice Buddha 2 dining room is a giant, 700-pound must be made (opposite, bell, a facsimile of a much heavier 4 top). The sushi bar fea- one at a temple in Nara, Japan. tures a colorful image Sitting below is a Buddha ice sculp- of Nara printed on glass ture, slowly melting into a pool 6 (opposite, bottom left). 1 5 decorated with floating hibiscus For the west wall of the leaves. Bordering on kitsch, the dining room, Morita bell and Buddha serve as a visual glued stone on glass anchor to the large dining hall. (opposite, bottom right). 7 On the east, he created Commentary a warmer surface using Moving beyond stereotyped images bamboo mats (above). of geishas and samurai, Morita and GROUND FLOOR his client have translated Japanese culture into an architectural lan- guage understood by New Yorkers. 1. Entry hall Tactile, bold, and inventive, their 2. Reception 9 restaurant engages diners in a 3. Coat check cinematic experience that unfolds 4. Bar as one moves from one space to 5. Lounge another. “Megu is not just for eating,” 6. Pantry 8 11 says Morita. “It is also entertain- 7. VIP lounge 10 ment.” That it is. 8. Dining At a time when people jet 9. Private dining around the globe and images 10. Sushi bar bounce instantly from one continent 11. Kitchen to another, Megu offers a high- energy interpretation of modern Japan by a Japanese artist for an American audience. Is it authentic? 0 10 FT. Does it make any difference? It’s LOWER FLOOR N 3 M. show biz. ■ 07.04 Architectural Record 139
  • 91. Chlösterli Gstaad, Switzerland 2 PATRICK JOUIN TURNS AN ALPINE CHALET INTO A CHIC DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUE FOR EUROPE’S JET-SETTERS. By Philip Jodidio Designer: Patrick Jouin—Patrick Set in a 300-year-old chalet on the Jouin, Laurent Janvier, Tomoko main road into the Swiss mountain Anyoji, Sanjit Manku, Tania Cohen resort of Gstaad, Chlösterli blends Architect: Robert Stutz tradition, modernity, and a sense of Client: Michel Pastor, Delphine humor. The chalet, built by the monks Pastor of Rougemont Abbey, had been Consultants: Hervé Descottes converted into a restaurant and (lighting); Philippe David (graphics) pizzeria before the Monaco devel- General contractor: Michel and oper Michel Pastor bought it. Pastor Delphine Pastor and the chef Alain Ducasse called on Paris designer Patrick Jouin to Size: 16,000 square feet, including breathe new life into the dark wood two 1,100-square-foot dining areas, a structure. Jouin, who also worked 1,600-square-foot dining terrace, and with Ducasse on the Plaza Athenée an 850-square-foot discotheque Restaurant in Paris as well as Mix in Completion date: December 2003 New York City, is a 37-year-old who had been in charge of furniture and Sources product design for Philippe Starck Video fireplace: Souvenirs from the before starting his own firm in 1998. Neiges, one of seven Spoon loca- in the ground-floor restaurant see Earth Working within strict guidelines tions around the world. (Jouin relatively little of the project’s con- Wood terrace tables: Michel on what is the oldest wood building designed the Spoon Byblos in Saint temporary personality, entering the Poupion in the village, Jouin cleaned and Tropez, which opened in 2002.) dining room from discreet, streetside Terrace chairs: Fermob restored the chalet’s facades. The Ducasse also operates acclaimed doors and eating in a room where Armchairs in bar: Cassina Contract most visible intervention outside the restaurants in Paris, Monaco, and slate floors and oak paneling set the Spoon chairs: Cassina France building is a new, 1,600-square-foot New York, and châteaux and hotels tone. Jouin reworked traditional oak Lighting: SES Giraudon terrace for summer dining made of in France. Busy guy. chairs with saddlelike leather seats, Stone paving: Christian Messerli Iroko wood and concrete. Subtle Each of the restaurants at gently tweaking convention. (Jouin Wood flooring: Müller-Hirschi variations in the placement of slats Chlösterli has its own 2,250-square- designed all of the project’s furniture Wine wall: Chambrair in the wood enclosure surrounding foot kitchen serving a dining area and light fixtures.) Metal joinery: Metalbau Stoller the elevated terrace allow diners to of less than 1,100 square feet. The two-story-high disco is P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T H O M A S D U VA L take in the bucolic mountain setting. Targeted to a wealthy clientele, the most spectacular departure Chlösterli includes an 850-square- from the usual Alpine experience. Program foot discotheque on the ground floor. Scottish slate on the floor gives way Ducasse’s plan called for not one to resin blocks lit from below by a but two restaurants: a traditional Solution LED system that pumps vibrant and Swiss dining venue on the ground Using the chalet’s dark-wood inte- changing colors into the space. A floor and, above that, Spoon des rior as an aesthetic baseline, Jouin 17-foot-high glass wall divides the For more information on this project, applied an unexpected mixture of disco from the kitchen and serves as go to Projects at Philip Jodidio is a Paris-based jour- modernity and tongue-in-cheek a giant, transparent wine rack. Jouin www.architecturalrecord.com. nalist who writes about architecture. respect for Swiss tradition. Diners played on the incongruous presence 140 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 92. A new dining terrace (opposite) is the only major change to the exterior of the old chalet. Inside, LEDs light up the disco floor and a glass wall dis- plays wines (this page).
  • 93. of international sophistication in a traditional farming area by designing tables in the shape of old wine buck- ets and wood seats that are wry updates of vernacular prototypes. Two cramped stairways, recall- ing the chalet’s rural origins, take diners up to Spoon, where a sleek, Modern aesthetic asserts itself. In the bar, a “fireplace” made of plasma screens shows flickering images of the fire not allowed by local regulations. Metal-frame chairs slung with leather seats signal the more refined atmos- phere on this floor, while a private dining area, nicknamed “the aquar- ium,” offers views of the disco floor through a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. The second floor’s entirely Modern vocabulary completes Jouin’s sly transition from Switzerland’s past to Gstaad’s jet-setting present. Commentary Instead of denying or covering up the irony of a hip dining-and-partying venue in a house built by 18th-cen- tury monks, Jouin employed it as a design tool. Not wanting to erase the past but to play on it, he created a handsome and witty environment that takes diners on a spatial journey toward progressively more Modern settings and furnishings. Given the extremes involved, making this tran- sition work without causing aesthetic gears to screech was no small task. Patrick Jouin pulls off the trick with cool panache, in the process bridg- ing a gap of three centuries from timeworn wood to the pulsing beat of a discotheque. ■ 1. Bar 2. Discotheque 9 5 5 9 3. Entry 4. Traditional 10 restaurant 8 5. Kitchen 6. Lounge 4 7. Spoon restaurant 2 8. Private dining 7 1 6 9. Office 9 6 4 3 10. Tunnel to terrace SECOND FLOOR N 0 10 FT. GROUND FLOOR 3 M. 142 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 94. Tables imitating wine buckets (above) and blocky wood chairs (far right and opposite, top right) in the tradi- tional restaurant are sly references to rural prototypes. A private dining room (right) over- looking the disco floor and Spoon restaurant (opposite, bottom) features sleeker, more Modern furnishings. A banquette in the traditional restaurant (opposite, top left) offers a cozy place to relax.
  • 95. Jefferson New York City 3 PHILIP WU MINES A WEALTH OF INVENTION FROM A MODEST BUDGET FOR A MINIMALIST RESTAURANT IN MANHATTAN SHOWCASING AMERICAN CUISINE. By William Weathersby, Jr. Architect: Philip Wu Architect— There is more of a cultural melting Philip Wu, principal; Hitoshi pot behind Jefferson than its presi- Maehara dential-sounding name and New Client: Simpson Wong American cuisine would imply. Consultants: JKW Engineering Architect Philip Wu—Vietnamese- (engineer); James Wai (interior) born, Hong Kong–raised, and General contractor: Level Harvard-trained—has designed Construction the handsome, 70-seat Greenwich Village eatery for chef/entrepreneur Size: 1,500 square feet (dining, bar, Simpson Wong, a Malaysian of kitchen, and bathroom); 1,000 square Chinese ancestry who built his rep- feet (basement storage and office) utation with traditional Southeast Cost: $120 per square foot (including Asian cooking at Cafe Asean, his mechanical) other establishment, located sev- Completion date: January 2003 eral doors down the same block of West 10th Street. The site of Sources Jefferson, meanwhile, is a former and cooking styles of East and single doorway, leaving the brick Doors: Blumcraft no-frills Greek diner within a 1960s West. Though not a die-hard facade intact with scars from the Acoustical ceiling: Solaton storefront overlooking the colorful Modernist, Wong says he turned removal of the former horizontal Acoustical Tiles Jefferson Market Library designed to architect Wu to create a simpler, diner sign. Capitalizing on the three Wood flooring: Pianeta Legno by Calvert Vaux in 1877. Such a more refined backdrop than his large windows overlooking the gar- Lighting: Osram rich confluence of ingredients has earlier café, a colorful hodgepodge den of the library across the street, Bar top: Corian yielded a serene space that appeals of rustic furnishings the entrepre- Wu placed a lounge with banquette Bar stools: ICF to connoisseurs of both fine dining neur had orchestrated himself. seating flush with the facade to Chairs: Crassevig and design. The Minimalist, loftlike “Though we wanted a stream- “serve as the restaurant’s calling Upholstery: Knoll interior may at first glance appear lined look for Jefferson, many of my card, instead of major signage.” disarmingly simple, but on closer design choices were a result of the The interior of the restaurant inspection unfolds as a carefully existing conditions of the site and is divided into four main spaces: P H OTO G R A P H Y : © B J O R G P H OTO G R A P H Y constructed collage of light, texture, the conservative budget,” Wu says. vestibule, bar/lounge, dining, and and volume. “Minimalism and restraint became service/kitchen. Inserting vertical virtues because of constraints.” planes would have blocked views Program of the garden from the dining room When launching Jefferson, Wong, a Solution situated to the rear of the floor self-taught chef who learned his Although the pedigree of the store- plan, so Wu employed varied ceiling craft preparing meals for his father’s front brick-and-glass facade was of heights, ranging from 10 feet, 4 timber company in Malaysia, says little interest in itself, Wu says, the inches to 12 feet, 9 inches, to he wanted to reach beyond the sim- building resides in a landmarked demarcate discrete zones. The For more information on this project, pler fare of Cafe Asean to showcase historic district, so major architec- changing landscape of the ceiling go to Projects at a sophisticated vein of American tural changes were not allowed. Wu plane—which features two new www.architecturalrecord.com. cuisine that juxtaposes ingredients chose to extend the height of the skylights (plus a third within the 144 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 96. The facade of Jefferson remains largely unchanged from its original storefront state, save for taller glass doors (opposite). A lounge area (below) is separated from the main dining space (far right) by a sculp- tural, stacked plywood bar topped by solid surfacing. The concrete flooring continues as a runway for patrons along an oak-paneled wall (near right).
  • 97. 1. Reception small bathroom), becomes a subtle 1 2. Bar/lounge yet effective visual canopy above 3. Dining the interplay of diners and waitstaff. 4. Kitchen Wu limited his palette to four 2 3 4 5. Wait station main materials: concrete, wood, glass, and acoustical tile. A ribbed acoustical surface called Solaton clads half of the wall and ceiling surfaces. Typically used for office 5 ceilings in Japan, its installation at Jefferson represents the product’s N 0 3 FT. debut in the U.S. “I searched for FLOOR PLAN 1 M. a material that could dampen The conceptual lighting noise but maintain a surface with REFLECTED LIGHTS diagram (left) shows sculptural interest,” Wu says. Wu’s layering of light The acoustical walls and ceiling from skylights and are punctuated by an array of inset linear fixtures recessed linear light fixtures that LINESTRA 20-INCH TUBE reflected by mirrored are arranged asymmetrically as and glass panels. an artful visual motif. FROSTED GLASS The light-colored acoustical walls are complemented by quarter- LINESTRA 40-INCH TUBE sawn French white-oak flooring that rises up as paneling along one wall. “Again, the budget precluded a fine wood paneling, so I specified fairly REFLECTED LIGHTS REFLECTED LIGHTS standard oak and tried to use it in a MIRROR different way.” Similarly, the front bar CLEAR TEMPERED GLASS is a sculptural rectangle of stacked layers of laminated plywood topped by solid surfacing in a demure taupe. Weathered concrete flooring rests underfoot in the lounge and along a “runway” leading from the entry, through the dining area, and back toward the kitchen. Contrasting with the textures of the wood and acoustical tile, glass surfaces—in mirrored, frosted, and clear treatments—deftly expand sight lines and the volumetric char- acter of the room. Commentary The blond interior palette may seem anemic until one discovers its enhancement by an arresting play of sunlight through skylights during the day, and ambient illumination in the evening. Furnishings—beige banquettes and cane-backed wood chairs—are quiet accompaniments. Wu says the restaurant is his response to “the noise and clutter” of many local eateries. Faced with Jefferson’s visual and aural calm, diners discover that, like food, architecture stripped of excess can still be a thrill to the senses. ■ 146 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 98. A new skylight along the rear wall of the dining room casts light on the frosted-glass panels set behind a long banquette. Asymmetrically placed linear light fixtures are an artful element dot- ting oak-paneled walls. The bar (opposite) is a sculptural divider in the loftlike space.
  • 99. Soba Restaurant at Togakushi Shrine Nagano, Japan 4 KENGO KUMA EXPLORES THE EXPRESSIVE POSSIBILITIES OF A SIMPLE STRUCTURE AND A RESTRAINED PALETTE OF MATERIALS. By Clifford A. Pearson Architect: Kengo Kuma The Togakushi Shrine in Japan’s Associates—Kengo Kuma, principal; snowy highlands near Nagano Shuji Achiha, design associate draws both Buddhist pilgrims and Client: Okusha Kaikan tourists with its temples and dra- Engineer: Oak Structural Design matic natural setting. A 1-hour Office—Masato Araya, director walk along a cedar-lined road leads Consultant: National Matsushita visitors to Oku-Sha, one of three Electrical Works (lighting) sanctuaries at the shrine. At the General contractor: Chihiro- start of this road, Tokyo-based Kensetsu Corporation architect Kengo Kuma has created a humble but poetic restaurant Size: 2,560 square feet serving a local specialty: the plain Completion: March 2003 buckwheat noodles called soba. Sources: Program Glazing: Asahi Glass Asked to replace an existing restau- manner that heightens its impact. diners look through the enclosed Entrances: Nabco System rant that was falling apart, Kuma Used in conjunction with a steel terrace and a wall of cedar louvers Chairs: Kagawa Mokkou designed a one-story structure that frame and glass curtain wall, the red- whose top and bottom edges are Hanging light shades: Inoue is as straightforward and satisfying cedar louvers form an abstracted obscured by the horizontal planes Takezaiku as the establishment’s featured forest surrounding diners inside the of the upper wall and floor. Kuma dish. The 2,560-square-foot building restaurant and connecting them to says he hid the edges of the lou- houses a one-room dining area, a the real forest outside. vers to blur the separation of the kitchen with a long opening to the “I didn’t want to make an architecture from its surroundings. dining room, a small soba-fabrica- object building that would spoil the “I wanted to create one easy flow,” tion room, and an enclosed terrace natural spirit of Oku-Sha,” says he explains, “to de-emphasize the running the length of the structure. Kuma. “Rather, I wanted the archi- end and the beginning.” tecture to become part of the The tables and chairs in the Solution approach to the shrine, to be a restaurant, all made of stained white Kuma has made a name for him- frame or path that exists between ash so they blend seamlessly with self with projects that explore the the subject and the object.” the floor and louvers, extend an aus- nature of the materials they use, Using a gable roof with eaves tere aesthetic of material and visual such as the Bamboo House outside that come low to the ground, the continuity throughout the interior. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © DA I C I A N O of Beijing, the Stone Museum in architect tried to make the building Hanging lamp shades wrapped Tochigi Prefecture, and the Hiroshige disappear in its wooded setting. around a row of plain light bulbs Ando Museum (also in Tochigi), Due to the large amount of snow provide glowing accents to the which mesmerizes visitors with that falls in this part of Japan every space and add a necessary touch rhythmic rows of Japanese-cedar winter, the joists are 10-inch-deep of visual warmth. For more information on this project, louvers. In the Soba Restaurant, he timbers that make a strong impres- go to Projects at again employs a simple material— sion overhead in the dining room. Commentary www.architecturalrecord.com. stained cedar—in a repetitive From inside the restaurant, Just as Zen masters teach the value 148 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 100. Raised above the ground and tucked below a gabled roof, the small restaurant is carefully inserted into its wooded setting (opposite). Wood lou- vers (right) and an enclosed terrace (far right) help connect the dining room (below) with the outdoors.
  • 101. 1. Dining and beauty of repetition, Soba 2. Kitchen 2 Restaurant’s straightforward steel 3 3. Soba preparation frame and rhythmic spacing of wood 4. Terrace louvers and glass planes express the quiet power of simple things 1 done well, then done again and 2 3 again. Light and shadow help bring 4 the design alive, dancing among 1 0 10 FT. the tables and chairs and adding a N GROUND FLOOR sense of play within the rigid struc- 4 3 M. tural elements. In plan and section For visitors to the Togakushi (above and left), the Shrine, Kengo Kuma’s restaurant 2 1 4 design emphasizes a provides just the right amount of repetitive system of caloric and emotional sustenance, wood and steel mem- enough to engage and please the 0 3 FT. bers. The decor extends senses without weighing them down 1 M. SECTION this scheme (below). for the rest of the journey. ■ 150 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 102. CIRCLE 66 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 103. Defining Component-Based Design ARCHITECTS ARE APPLYING SOPHISTICATED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES TO BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND DISCOVERING THE LOST ART OF QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP By Barbara Knecht R ecent discussions about innovations in prefab- B U I LD ING SCI ENC E rication and modular or unitized construction methods generally focus on the aesthetics and economics of the final product. The process, or rather processes, of reaching the end tend to be described generically, as if all programs can be addressed the same way. For example, a growing number of adventurous young architects have embraced prefabrication as a segue into the middle-class housing market [record, December 2003, page 123]. Although they might be sim- ilarly motivated collectively, no two projects are realized using identical methods. Prefabrication and modular construction simply cover too many procedures. The terms also describe a range of building products, such as the production of structural insulated panels (SIPs) and exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), both of which are ubiquitous in commercial and residential building. And recently, prefabricated or unitized window units are emerging as an effective way to achieve high thermal performance with minimal tolerances in curtain walls [record, May 2003, page 267]. The Seattle Central Library has a sophisticated curtain wall, which was pre-engineered off-site. The real innovation these days can be found in the work of architects who have a great deal of knowledge about manu- lacks the preconceived notions associated with prefabrication and modular, facturing technologies as well as conventional construction methods and and one that describes the process that follows after the architect asks, How through experience have found the interface between the two worlds. The does this building want to be made? projects here can be described as component-based design, a term that The case for component-based design Barbara Knecht is an architect and writer based in New York and Boston. She “The pace of change in materials in the 20th century was not so rapid,” contributes to record frequently on technology issues. says Michael Stacey, principal of Manufacturing Architecture Practice in London. “There is nothing in contemporary polymer constructions that Charles and Ray Eames wouldn’t be able to understand. What has CON T I N U I N G E DU CAT I ON changed is the architect’s engagement with the process of making things.” Use the following learning objectives to focus your study Concerned that architects have become disengaged with the materials and while reading this month’s ARCHITECTURAL RECORD/ processes of architecture, Stacey has pushed the exploration of building AIA Continuing Education article. To receive credit, turn components through practice and teaching. to page 160 and follow the instructions. Components are, by one definition, units of something more P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R C S I M M O N S than the sum of a set of individual elements of construction. Stacey sees L E AR N I N G O B J ECT I VE S component design as a deliberate process of thinking through the rela- After reading this article, you should be able to: tionship between the overall intent of a project and the means for 1. Define component-based construction. achieving it. A working knowledge of materials and their manufacturing 2. Describe how components are used in buildings. process, combined with new tools for prototyping and modeling, is stan- 3. Explain why installing factory-built units is more efficient than dard practice for him. “At the end of the 19th century, architects were the building entirely on-site with raw materials. individuals expected to have the ‘rounded’ view of both structural and nonstructural materials, and they were the ones expected to make For this story and more continuing education, as well as links to sources, white material design decisions. But by the end of the 20th century, compart- papers, and products, go to www.architecturalrecord.com. mentalization of responsibilities was complete.” In his treatise Component 07.04 Architectural Record 153
  • 104. Ballingdon Bridge of Waterloo, Ontario, by Brookes Stacey using 2D form delin- Randall has a complex eation and 3D modeling. geometry that required Precast-concrete units the architects to cut create the diagonal sections through the symmetry of the bridge. piers every 2 inches. Six timber molds were The final form was required to produce tested by rapid proto- 12 units of the bridge typing at the University superstructure. Seasoned English Horizontal SS flat Oak grooved-edge welded to vertical decking SS flat SS fixing plate Recessed cast with pignosed bolts balustrade arm Compression stud Cast stainless- steel balustrade arm (peened) Tension bars bolted with pignosed Halfen-type fixing feature nuts Extruded stainless- steel edge member fixed to balustrade arm SECTION THROUGH LONGEST BALUSTRADE ARM AT MIDSPAN S P R E A D ) , E XC E P T © K AT S U H I S A K I DA ( O P P O S I T E , TO P R I G H T ) Design (Architectural Press, 2001), Stacey attempts to renew the It is not the materials that are new. Aluminum has been around designer’s relationship with the art of building. “With the wealth of mate- since 1807, glass since 4,000 b.c. It is the understanding of these components I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY B R O O K E S S TA C E Y R A N DA L L ( T H I S rials at hand, and the vision of what they can do, the editing skills of an and the consideration of how they can be used together that opens up the architect in making material design decisions is very important.” design. In the East Croydon rail station in the south of England, Brookes “Engineered” materials—metal and plastic extrusions, castings, Stacey Randall (Stacey was a founding partner) developed a glazing system formed sheet metal, composites, and glass—are the kinds of components with aluminum extrusions, toughened glass, and steel castings. The glazing that architects have given over to the engineers and manufacturers, making them the designers of the final visual effect, according to Stacey. The archi- SELLERS HAVE CREATED A MYTHOLOGY tect draws the idea, the engineer or the manufacturer determines what THAT THE PROCESS OF MAKING A material it will be made of and how it will be put together. “The material sellers have created a kind of mythology that would have you believe the MATERIAL IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX. process of making a material is extremely complex, when it is almost system lies below the spanning structure. The aluminum extrusion was always quite simple,” Stacey observes. “It has to be simple or it can’t be designed with symmetrical grooves front and rear, identical but serving sep- delivered routinely and cost effectively. Otherwise, it remains a theoretical arate purposes: the front, to receive silicone gaskets that act as closures at wall material in the lab at MIT. We are able to sit down with the manufacturers junctions; the back, to hold signage, door tracks, and internal glazing. and have a meaningful conversation that leads to the selection of the right The use of stainless-steel castings at the head transforms the lin- materials with the right properties to make a better piece of architecture.” ear extrusions into a three-dimensional building component. Castings have 154 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 105. The operable skylight of this London apart- ment by Brookes Stacey Randall (left) is made of aluminum to reduce the load on the hydraulic openers. The section was manu- factured off-site and lifted into place by a crane (far left). B U I LD ING SCI ENC E Brookes Stacey Randall’s East Croydon rail station’s glazing system is based on anodized-aluminum extrusions. Each pane of toughened glass is supported at only four points (right). The mul- lions (far right) have front grooves to receive silicone gaskets and rear grooves to carry door tracks, signage, and internal glazing. the advantage of making highly efficient use of materials with structural building team using 21st-century materials and methods. and geometrical requirements accommodated in a single component. In the future, the connection between architects and materials Glass, in Stacey’s words, “is perhaps the first building element to be self- manufacturing will lay in digital technology. Still in its infancy, it prom- evidently a component.” It is a predetermined element of fixed size, with ises to make the connection between design and fabrication rapid and predictable performance and quality. Component design is characterized direct, turning three-dimensional drawings into three-dimensional by a thorough thinking of the process of making and connecting materials products nearly instantly. The fundamental processes of making archi- for the best effect. A component is a single element or an assembly. tecture are not affected, but the ability to see, hold, and refine designs For the Art House, a private residence in London, Brookes before they are constructed on-site reopens the connections between Stacey Randall proposed using a glass stair for openness, light, and manufacturing and design. simple beauty. The London code has no provision for a glass stair. New material applications can be stymied by recalcitrant building officials, Relentless precision but the architects discussed the concept with the building control officer, “Every project is unique, and the architect unlocks how a particular building and together they worked out how to maintain the desired visual effect wants to be built,” explains Marc Simmons, principal of Front (www.front- and to give the officer confidence that it would achieve the intent of the inc.com), an architectural practice in New York specializing in curtain-wall code. A series of tests were performed to verify performance, and the design.“Without a lot of experience to draw on, an architect can go through contractor chose to witness the test to better understand what he was an investigative process and reject certain options because they appear to be being asked to build. The process emulated an integrated 19th-century problematic, but then unforeseen hiccups will arise that drive costs up.” 07.04 Architectural Record 155
  • 106. B U I LD ING SCI ENC E Jeff Barrett applied 15 (DFM) and reliability years of experience in engineering to analyze manufacturing medical designs prior to factory devices to the produc- production. Reliability tion of modular or engineering assumes component-based van- that optimal perform- ities for the hospitality ance of a complex and education indus- component or system tries. He uses design can be determined at for manufacturability the outset. As facade consultants (with Dewhurst Macfarlane Partners) manner. This approach is then what Simmons calls “semi-unitized.” on the Seattle Central Library, designed by Rotterdam-based Rem He argues that those “fine tolerances” that are produced in the controlled Koolhaas/OMA (see page 88), experience was indeed crucial to the out- environment of a factory can be achieved using a hybrid system. come. “The library’s facade is among the most sophisticated curtain walls, and yet simple,” say Simmons. “It’s not a cavity wall; it’s very thin. The Design for manufacturability design intent was not conducive to the kind of component-based con- Jeff Barrett, president and C.E.O. of Eggrock (www.eggrock.com), a R E N D E R I N G S : C O U R T E SY J E F F B A R R E T T / E G G R O C K struction previously mentioned—prefabricated modules shipped to the Concord, Massachusetts–based company focused on manufacturing site and assembled.” It does, instead, fall into a subcategory of component architectural products, was trained in economics and industrial engi- neering and has an M.B.A. For 15 years, he worked in the medical-device “FINE TOLERANCES” THAT ARE PRODUCED industry, where he held senior operating positions focusing on develop- IN A FACTORY CAN BE ACHIEVED USING ing FDA-approved products for medical markets. As someone who had a personal interest in design and architec- A HYBRID SYSTEM. ture, he was struck by how behind the times construction seemed as building that Simmons calls a hybrid. It’s true that the envelope was 90 compared to other industries, such as automotive and medical-device percent site built, but all the pieces were pre-engineered, creating an elab- production. It occurred to him that the construction industry could be orate kit of parts (or components). Each element of the grid was perfectly improved by leveraging the same state-of-the-art manufacturing cut, then indexed and labeled. Every hole was drilled using computer and engineering principles used by others. Then he discovered the numerical control (CNC) technology. Every gasket was installed in the component-based designs of the Philadelphia-based architecture firm extrusions in the factory. In other words, everything that could be unitized KieranTimberlake and approached them about rigorously testing a design was, but assembly took place on-site in a relentlessly precise and repetitive as one would do prior to manufacturing a product—processes called 156 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 107. The Seattle Central off-site to the extent Library is an example that they could, using of a hybrid approach CNC technology to to component-based create a kit of parts design. The curtain- for the facade. Then wall consultants, 90 percent of the Front, chose to pre- construction was per- engineer everything formed on the site. B U I LD ING SCI ENC E P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R C S I M M O N S ; D I A G R A M : C O U R T E SY O M A / L M N J O I N T V E N T U R E design for manufacturability (DFM) and reliability engineering. Using 3D commercial bathrooms typically requires that trades work sequentially, solid modeling software (in this case, SolidWorks), Barrett was able to which, of course lengthens the construction time. Plumbing, electric, tile, identify potential product problems from a product engineering and millwork, and glass trades must be orchestrated perfectly to produce a manufacturing point of view—for example, where countertops might two-bowl vanity in nine days. crack, access panels may weaken over time, and other reliability issues. As architects and builders know all too well, any delay cascades DFM and reliability engineering turn component-based design down the chain. Furthermore, each trade is working in cramped condi- tions and cannot match the efficiency of a well-tuned factory where all THE FACTORY HAS THE BENEFIT OF WORK- work can be done in parallel. In Barrett’s factory model, everything is ING UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING installed into the units in the factory—solid-surface counters, supply and waste pipes, sinks and faucets, shelving, mirrors, light fixtures, and RIGOROUS QUALITY-CONTROL PROCESSES. electrical outlets. The factory has the benefit of working under ideal con- into a highly engineered product suitable for factory production, thereby ditions, including rigorous quality-control processes. On-site, they need reducing costs and making architectural products more accessible to more only be set in place and connected to one electrical and plumbing con- people. Eggrock is designing and producing high-end vanities, and will nection. This can be achieved in less than one day, versus nine days using soon expand into entire bathrooms, and eventually kitchens, for the hos- the conventional method. pitality and education industries. Barrett understands the benefits of The applied knowledge that Stacey and Simmons argue for is off-site manufacturing over on-site construction. On-site construction of evident in the work of some forward-thinking design-build firms, which 158 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 108. nonetheless adhere to a pragmatic approach. St. Paul, Minnesota–based architects Warner + Asmus, for instance, embrace the realities of manu- facturing rather than struggle against them. “We stress using existing processes and materials whenever pos- sible,” says principal Geoffrey Warner. “It is important to design in a way that takes full account of who is actually building the project, which is easier said than done when trying to push the envelope. Contractors [and manufacturers] who are willing to work with architects to achieve some- thing out of the ordinary deserve a lot of credit.” The firm is completing a IT IS IMPORTANT TO DESIGN IN A WAY THAT TAKES FULL ACCOUNT OF WHO IS ACTUALLY BUILDING THE PROJECT. B U I LD ING SCI ENC E house made from SIPs. Because Warner has such a thorough knowledge of the manufacturer’s system of fabrication, he claims that the working drawings for the shell could have been sketched on a napkin. As shown, component-based design can be applied to almost any scenario, from the conventional to the experimental, and for any budget or at any scale. Although acknowledging that design remains “a continuous and reiterative process of value judgments,” Stacey and a growing number of architects believe that the tools of mass production, which enabled the development of tools of mass customization, will now The gridded exterior of the Seattle Central Library covers 126,767 square feet. allow architects to rediscover genuine craftsmanship. ■ A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL RECOR D c. the contractor understood what he was being asked to build d. the architect replaced the building officials with engineers CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION 5. According to Stacey, the future of the connection between architects and materials manufacturers is which? INSTRUCTIONS a. putting architects in charge of manufacturing ◆ Read the article “Defining Component-Based Design” using the b. having architects design the materials or systems that connect the parts of learning objectives provided. a building ◆ Complete the questions below, then fill in your answers (page 226). c. design-build ◆ Fill out and submit the AIA/CES education reporting form (page d. digital technology 226) or download the form at www.architecturalrecord.com 6. Factory construction is faster than on-site construction for which reason? to receive one AIA learning unit. a. on-site trades work sequentially b. factories are remote from the site QUESTIONS c. raw products cannot be delivered to a site 1. A deliberate process of thinking through the relationship between intent of a d. factories operate 24 hours a day project and the means of achieving it is defined by Michael Stacey as which? 7. Why is factory production more efficient than on-site construction? a. component design a. the factory allows work to be done under ideal conditions b. elements of construction b. on-site construction requires more scheduling of subcontractors c. working knowledge c. factories have quality control d. units of something more complex d. all of the reasons above 2. Engineered materials involve which procedure? 8. The example of semi-unitized construction resulted in which? a. engineers draw the idea, select materials, and decide how they will be put a. assembly in a factory together b. fine tolerances b. architects draw the idea, select materials, and decide how they will be put c. holes drilled on-site together d. grids cut on-site c. architects draw the idea; engineers then select materials and decide how 9. New advances in unitized construction are seen in which building component? they will be put together a. structural insulated panels d. engineers draw the idea; architects then select materials and decide how P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R C S I M M O N S b. EIFS they will be put together c. curtain walls 3. Advances in component design are due to which factor? d. polymer construction a. new materials 10. Architects were once expected to have knowledge of structural and b. new engineering methods nonstructural materials to make design decisions. What happened in c. new understanding of components the 20th century? d. new joinery techniques a. detailing was invented 4. A glass stairway was allowed by building officials for which reason? b. responsibilities were compartmentalized a. it was open and light c. engineers governed materials b. the performance was verified d. the gap between architects’ knowledge of materials was exposed 160 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 109. Tech Briefs A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY Investigation into collapse of Terminal 2E concourse continues At press time, preliminary findings of the French government’s technical investigation into the fatal collapse on May 23 of the year-old concourse building at Roissy Charles de Gaulle International Airport, just north of Paris, were due out in late June. Meanwhile, a parallel investigation into the circumstances surrounding the four deaths caused by the sud- den collapse is under way. The structural failure occurred at a section of the flattened tube- shaped concrete building designed by architects and engineers of the owner, Aéroports de Paris (AdP), a state company. The lead architect on the project, Paul Andreu (who retired from AdP last year), has declined to comment on the collapse until The collapsed area of the concourse is near an “isthmus” link to the main terminal building (seen in center background). investigations are completed, acting on the advice of his attorney. Sunday morning, when few passen- covered by a vaulted concrete roof. continuous but are, in fact, largely Only about 4 percent of the gers were in the airport—precluded The vault bulges to create a space of independent of each other, linked 2,130-foot-long concourse struc- more fatalities. Victims of the acci- about 100 feet at its widest, and structurally only at their bases by P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S ( TO P ) ; E U R O P E A N P R E S S P H OTO A G E N C Y, S I PA ( B OT TO M ) ture was directly affected by the dent were located in an “isthmus” curves back in by several feet at floor cast-in-place concrete girders. collapse, but the fate of the entire zone of the building, which connects level. Numerous punched windows These girders run along the outer building remains uncertain. While the concourse with the main arrivals within the structure provide natural edges of rows of columns that rise investigations continue, the Terminal and departures area. The collapsed lighting, and more light enters from piles installed in the clay-rich 2E complex has been closed; how- section abutted the isthmus, which through glazed gaps between the soil beneath the building. ever, AdP reports no faults with the was largely undamaged (see photo, 10 continuous concrete tubes that At the isthmus building, sev- linked 1.12-million-square-foot main above, and rendering, next page). form it. eral alternate side panels of the passenger building served by the Most of the mangled metalwork Each of the concourse roof’s vault were opened up to create concourse. evident after the collapse is the non- continuous sections is made of 17 three passenger entrances. At Terminal 2E is the most recent structural framing for the concourse precast-concrete vaults. Adjacent those locations, the remaining addition to the airport’s second vault’s 323,000-square-foot glazed sections of this vaulting appear intermediate vault sections were Aérogare, which has opened in covering. stages since 1981. Covering nearly The ill-fated concourse lies 50 acres east of the original com- parallel to the main terminal build- plex, it was built at a cost of about ing and is equipped to serve 17 $900 million and completed in aircraft. Because of the isthmus, June 2003. Less than a year after it the otherwise regularly repeating opened to traffic, operators must structural-shell configuration of the use other parts of the airport in an concourse is interrupted by open- effort to compensate for losing the ings. While this discontinuity is a terminal’s 10-million-a-year passen- potential weak point in the building’s ger capacity. fabric, investigators are also looking into alleged construction problems Understanding the design with some of the columns support- Though there was little warning of ing the concourse tube itself. the structural failure, the timing of its Structurally, the concourse is occurrence—just after dawn on a essentially a long, elevated platform Workers are collecting debris that may point to the cause of the accident. 07.04 Architectural Record 163
  • 110. Tech Briefs A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY designed to be connected to each Primault, a senior engineer with other via the crown in order to the parent company Vinci Group. bridge the structural gaps formed The pieces, forming both the sides by the openings. and the crown of each section, were The vault’s base was con- then brought to the site, where, structed to rest on sliding bearings using large cranes, GTM installed to accommodate thermal expan- the three sections on temporary sion and other normal movements internal props. Workers then of the structure. As a result, they “stitched” the sections together behave more like beams than with cast-in-place-concrete and arches, according to one British steel reinforcing bars to form a con- engineer informed of the project’s tinuous enclosure. Substructures AdP had problems with the concourse’s supporting columns during construction. details. The bending resistance of of the concourse building were con- the shells is reinforced by a series structed by a different firm, Hervé Continuing the airport’s look near-vertical curved front of the ter- of curved trusses affixed to their of Paris. At least visually, the vault’s design minal, the contractor cast sections exterior (photo, right). During construction, AdP continues a theme applied a decade of the ceiling almost flat on a spe- Conceptually, the design of recorded problems with the con- earlier by Andreu, then AdP’s chief cial turning frame and later pivoted Terminal 2E “couldn’t get much struction of the columns supporting architect, in the adjacent Terminal them to the right orientation. The simpler,” says the U.K. structural the vaults. As a result, each of 2F (at right in rendering, below), more horizontal parts of the ceiling engineer, who requested to remain them was reinforced externally by which is almost a mirror image of its were cast on props first, and only anonymous. He further adds that, applying a layer of fiber-reinforced follower. At the older terminal, the then was the supporting steelwork spanning about 100 feet, the struc- concrete. While AdP declines to architect called for a blocky, vaulted erected. ture cannot be seen as a particularly For the recent Terminal 2E challenging or risky design. THE DESIGN OF TERMINAL 2E WAS NOT main building, the design was sim- AdP undertook all the outline PARTICULARLY DARING OR CHALLENGING, plified to ease construction and design and also managed construc- reduce costs, says Anne Brison, tion of Terminal 2E, mobilizing some SAYS A U.K. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. AdP’s project architect. Its ceiling is 150 architects and engineers discuss details while the investiga- concrete ceiling within the 1,300- made of African timber, which was from within its ranks. However, the tion continues, a close observer foot-long, curving main building. more easily installed and lighter builder of the vault is reported to of the project recalls a work stop- This ceiling, which serves no struc- than the 2F vault, she notes. But for have denied responsibility for detail page for several months during the tural purpose, is supported by Terminal 2E’s concourse roof, which P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY E I F F E L / L AU B E U F ( TO P ) ; R E N D E R I N G : A X Y Z / A D P ( B OT TO M ) design work, which would have concourse’s construction. “They more than 5,400 tons of steelwork has a span more modest than that been normal practice in France. had some serious cracks in the arches. The arches span nearly 200 of the main building, designers columns,” says the engineer, who feet between two lines of supports reverted to concrete, this time using Construction problems? worked on a nearby building. and project back another 30 feet or it structurally and eliminating the During construction, contractor Additionally, vault deflections “were so to a glazed rear wall. Erecting steelwork arches used in 2F. GTM Construction of Paris precast bigger than expected,” he adds. Terminal 2F’s ceiling was one of the Since retiring from AdP last each vault section in three pieces “They (AdP) recalculated completely toughest tasks, contractors said year, Andreu has run a small near the airport site, recalls Didier the full structure.” during the project. To achieve the practice near Montsouris Park in southern Paris. However, he continues to collaborate Collapsed area of with AdP on various proj- Terminal 2E ects. Among his most recent Isthmus structure innovations was the pro- Main concourse posal to use titanium for the long-span main girders of a new terminal for the airport at Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, his design for a new national theater are Terminal 2F (existing buidling) taking shape in Beijing, and his Oriental Art Centre PARTIAL PLAN VIEW OF in Shanghai is also well CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT advanced. Peter Reina 164 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 111. Residential Both stimulating and calming, water in a residential landscape connects shelter to the outdoors T he sound, movement, and reflective BRIEFS properties of water make it a most Lincoln Cottage to be restored weapon in the war on germs: a concept home desirable element to augment the A generous gift from the National Trust for that not only resists fire and earthquakes, but landscape of a home. Water features, Historic Preservation, Comcast Cable, and termites and bacteria, as well. The home is once a hallmark only of aristocratic estates, are HGTV has enabled the restoration of President constructed of more than 200,000 pounds increasingly affordable and used imaginatively Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home, better know as of steel, much of it AK Coatings AgION antimi- in smaller-scale residential gardens. Water has the Lincoln Cottage. This Gothic Revival cot- crobial-coated steel. Several other companies, been added to the restoration of Richard tage was the summer residence of Lincoln and including Carrier, Dacor, Dupont, and Sargent, Neutra’s 1960 O’Hara House, by C.J. Bonura of his family from 1862 to ’64; besides the White contributed products to the home. Bonura Building (pictured below). The pool House, it is the only building in the U.S. linked Residents of the Netherlands go at once blends with the existing architecture, to Lincoln’s presidency. The first phase of the with the flow Tired of fighting sea tides, creates white noise to mask sound from the restoration, overseen by Hillier Architecture, inhabitants of Maasbommel, the Netherlands, street, and cools the afternoon air that blows will be completed in September 2004. have designed amphibious homes that are through the house. Working in tandem with the Realizing the American Dream built on solid ground but are able to float. environment, water displays both dynamic and At the start of June, National Home owner- The houses sit on land but are connected to static properties. ship month, HUD announced a $161.5 million 15-foot-long mooring posts by sliding rings The four houses featured on the fol- grant slated for first-time home buyers. that allow them to float with the tide. Their lowing pages are defined by water, its compelling The funding, allocated to 400 government water and sewage pipes and electrical focus serving as the organizing principle for their agencies, will be distributed to those wishing cables are encased within these posts. The design. These houses, finely crafted by their to purchase a home whose incomes do not houses are relatively expensive for the area, architects, gain even greater appeal through the exceed 80 percent of the area median but with an evident land shortage in the skillful use of this element. Jane F. Kolleeny income. More information on this federal Netherlands, amphibious homes could be program can be found at www.hud.gov. the wave of the future. Nation’s first antimicrobial home Roanoke, Va., cradles housing AK Steel has recently revealed the latest design and construction compe- tition The Roanoke Regional Housing CONTENTS Network, GreenBlue Institute, and the AIA 168 PIA and HUD Awards present the First International Cradle to 172 27, 27A, 27B Berrima Cradle Housing Design Construction Road Competition, inspired by the book Cradle to WOHA Designs Cradle by William McDonough and Michael P H OTO G R A P H Y : © FOTO W O R K S 178 Weathering Steel House Braungart. The competition aims to bring Shim-Sutcliffe Architects together architects and students with local 185 Texas Twister builders, developers, and community groups Building Studio to increase awareness about green building 188 Villa C and ultimately construct about 30 homes Groep Delta Architectuur selected by a jury. The entry deadline for 195 Kitchen Bath the competition is December 15, 2004. For Portfolio more information, visit www.c2c-home.org. 201 Residential Products Audrey Beaton 07.04 Architectural Record 167
  • 112. Residential News RESI DENTIAL The American Institute of Architects Announces the Housing PIA and HUD Awards for Design Excellence S INGLE-FAM ILY CUSTOM Project: Russell Cottage galvanized metal, with hooks Location: Panama City Beach, for hanging wet bathing suits Fla. and towels, contrasts with the Architect: Looney Ricks Kiss rich antique “sinker” cyprus Client: Darrell Russell, AIA planked floor and rustic shell- and-crushed-limestone inset. This West Indies–inspired week- Porches on both floors at the end cottage uses color and front of the house overlook texture to combine traditional a main street, while a more charm and contemporary style. private screened porch opens A “drip wall” made of corrugated from the rear. Project: Blue Ridge Farmhouse living and entertaining space, Addition, Pleasant View Farm as well as a changing room and Location: Washington, Va. bathroom, to an existing 18th- Architect: Robert M. Gurney, century farmhouse. Conceived of FAIA as outbuildings, Gurney’s pavil- P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J E F F R E Y J A C O B S / A R C H I T E CT U R A L P H OTO G R A P H Y ( TO P T W O ) ; Client: Robert and Elizabeth ions, one clapboard and one Haskell steel and glass, join the exist- ing building via a new entrance Located in the rolling hills of spine, and complement the central Virginia, this graceful materials and geometries of addition adds a spacious new the old farmhouse. PAU L WA R C H O L ( M I D D L E ) ; S T E P H E N S I M P S O N ( B OT TO M T W O ) Project: The Prospect Location: La Jolla, Calif. Architect: Jonathan Segal, FAIA Client: Jonathan Segal, FAIA Segal’s residence/architecture studio mitigates the dividing line between residential and commercial property in down- town La Jolla. Despite its urban area is flanked by a reflecting below on the other. Segal location, the house is remark- pool on one side and a glass served as architect, owner, ably private. The main living floor looking into the studio and contractor. 168 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 113. The diversity of housing and community development projects honored here testifies to the truth that good design need not be constrained by financial resources, geography, or environmental concerns. This is demonstrated by an educational/civic center that serves as a centralizing force for the community, single-family houses that draw inspi- ration from historic precedent, barracks and row-house designs that exploit the aesthetics of these distinct building types, and three residential projects that propose unusual mixed uses in tight urban settings. Indeed, good design- ers use limitations as opportunities that propel them toward unconventional solutions. Jane F. Kolleeny S INGLE-FAM ILY MARKET Project: Row Homes on F light and air in each of the Location: San Diego, Calif. 17 homes. Designed as Architect: Kevin deFreitas live/work units, the residences Architects interact with the street through Client: Sebastian + deFreitas their gracious overhangs, landscaping, and individual This adaptation of the typical stoops, as well as a ground- East Coast–style row house to level room that can accommo- urban San Diego maximizes date a home-based business. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © F R A N K D O M I N ( TO P L E F T ) ; C A R O L P E E R C E ( TO P R I G H T ) ; B E N J A M I N S E G A L ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; M A R V I N R A N D ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) Project: The State This project defines two new family residence that is influ- Location: San Diego, Calif. housing types for San Diego’s enced by Southern California’s Architect: Jonathan Segal, urban core. One combines a courtyard-style houses. Both FAIA smaller living space with a types consider the character Client: Jonathan Segal, FAIA rentable office/apartment. The of the neighborhood and the other is a mixed-use, single- scale of the streetscape. 07.04 Architectural Record 169
  • 114. Residential News RESI DENTIAL MULT I FAM ILY HOUS ING Project: North Towers-on-the- glass facades to immerse the Court apartments in light, maximize Location: West Hollywood, internal and external views, Calif. and connect each floor within Architect: Michael B. Lehrer the residences. At night, the Client: 8223 Norton LLC. towers are illuminated bea- cons. Their adept use of a These tower units, a new type street “wall” and recessed of courtyard housing devel- mass allow the units to be built oped on West Hollywood’s repeatedly within an existing narrow lots, use four-story neighborhood. Project: Loyola Village the units, each with its own Location: San Francisco, Calif. entrance, supports the pedes- Architect: Seidel/Holzman trian traffic of the neighbor- Client: University of San hood, while the buildings’ color- Francisco ing and texture enhance the identity of the area. The build- Loyola Village skillfully adds ings’ mixture of studio, and 136 units of university housing one-, two-, and three-bedroom to an area flanked by an urban apartments for faculty and campus and a residential students maintains the diversi- neighborhood. The scale of ty of the community. COMMUN ITY DES IGN ST E V E H A L L / H E D R I C H B L E S S I N G ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; TO RT I G A L L A S A N D PA RT N E R S P H OTO G RA P H Y : © R U S S E L L A B RA H A M ( TO P L E F T ) ; TO M B O N N E R ( TO P R I G H T ) ; Project: City West This project simultaneously Revitalization revitalizes Cincinnati’s West Location: Cincinnati, Ohio End and provides quality hous- Architect: Torti Gallas and ing to families and individuals Partners with varying incomes. The Client: Community Builders houses are sensitive to propor- tion, mass, and scale. Historic precedent guided the design. Project: Belmont Heights This redevelopment of an existing Estates 860-unit public housing project Location: Tampa, Fla. transformed barrack-style housing Architect: Torti Gallas and into a residential neighborhood of Partners traditional houses with sociable ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) Client: Tampa Housing front porches. Tree-lined streets Authority break up the existing superblocks, creating a new, comfortable scale for the area. 170 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 115. Project: The Titan By removing the elevator and Project: Chelsea Court Location: San Diego, Calif. interior corridors of the multi- Location: New York City Architect: Jonathan Segal, family dwelling, Segal was Architect: Louise Braverman FAIA able to add space and cost Client: Palladia Client: Jonathan Segal, FAIA savings to the building. Three entrances are accessible from Designed to show that everyone street level, where a deserves a bright, well-planned parking lot and court- home, 14 of Braverman’s studios yard circulation provide are reserved for the recently a safe, communal homeless, and the other 4 for atmosphere. Within low-income tenants. Symmetry the units, the two-story is created throughout by the living spaces have color coordination of public abundant glazing and hallways with kitchen and bath high ceilings. The exte- tiling. A shared lounge, confer- rior cladding of the ence room, laundry facility, and building is designed to terraces also blend with the recall the tuna boats studios’ aesthetic and enhance that docked in the area the sense of community. in the early 20th century. HUD AWARDS: COMMUN ITY BY DES IGN HUD AWARDS: M I XED USE/M I XED INCOME P H OTO G RA P H Y : © J I M M Y F L U K E R ( TO P L E F T ) ; S C OT T F RA N C E S ( TO P R I G H T ) K R I ST I N E FO L E Y ( LOW E R TO P R I G H T ) ; PAU L H E ST E R / H E ST E R + H A R DAWAY Project: The Carver Academy A new library building with and Cultural Civic Center a glass facade and inviting Location: San Antonio, Tex. overhang is central to a Architect: Lake/Flato Architects vibrant complex that includes Client: The Carver Academy an academy, a renovated civic center, and a cultural arts venue undergoing renovation. ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; R O B B M I L L E R ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) Project: Alegria, The Salvation vides short-term and perma- Army nent housing, a child-care Location: Los Angeles, Calif. facility, and a family develop- Architect: Birba Group ment center for families Client: Residential Communities coping with HIV/AIDS. All the buildings are wood-framed Located just off Sunset and complement the scale of Boulevard, this project pro- the existing neighborhood. 07.04 Architectural Record 171
  • 116. Crowned by lap pools, R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S WOHA Designs’ three tropical residences find a home on Berrima Road By Robert Powell O n a steeply sloping site on Berrima Road in Singapore, archi- tects Wong Mun Summ and his Australian partner Richard Hassell, known together as WOHA Architects, designed a Modern paradise in the tropics. It’s hard to believe these three, highly refined, almost identical homes are rental units, rising like white oases in the city’s suburbs. The sloping site demanded that the houses span three levels. Placed parallel to one another, each house consists of 4,000 square feet on a 4,000-square-foot lot. The tight site areas chal- lenged the designers to convey spaciousness within limitations and find privacy for residents. The houses are staggered in relation to each other to create interest and reduce visibility to neighbors. The architects explained their design strategy as consisting of three cubic forms linked by circulation passageways. The living and din- ing rooms relate to the garden at the lowest level. The three bedrooms are located at the entrance level, with the master bedroom sited directly in front of the lobby, accessible only from a narrow timber bridge, separat- Robert Powell is an architect, educator, and writer based in Brighton, England. He is the author of a forthcoming monograph on the work of Soo Chan. Project: 3 Units of Detached Houses project team at Berrima Road, Singapore Engineers: Worley (structural); Architect: WOHA Designs—Richard AET Consultants (m/e/p); A. Peter Hassell, Wong Mun Summ, principal Tan Associates (quality surveyors) architects; Stephen Sargent, Philip General contractor: Jenal Chiang, Lee Li Leng, Toh Hua Jack, Enterprises 1. Living room 2. Dining room 3. Gallery 1 4. Kitchen 1 3 5. Storage 1 3 6. Utility 3 7. Asian kitchen P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T I M G R I F F I T H 8 2 8. Service yard 8 2 7 4 8 2 7 4 6 5 7 4 6 5 6 5 0 20 FT. SITE/FLOOR PLAN N 6 M. 172 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 117. The top level of the houses offers views overlooking the garden. Here, lap pools and timber decks, shaded by a hovering roof, extend the length of the dwelling.
  • 118. R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S ing it from the public areas of the house. The third and highest level, floating like a pavilion overlooking the gardens and shaded by a hovering roof, comprises another bedroom and family room, a lap pool, and a deck. Kitchen and utility areas occupy a semibasement at the front of the house. Each dwelling is entered from the north at the first-story level into an inviting lobby. The buildings display a composition of contrasts: gray granite works with warm oak timber, solid plaster walls facing east juxtapose transparent curtain walls facing west, and the relative enclosure of the semisubmerged basement spaces dramatically contrasts the expansive views from the rooftop pool decks. Bamboo-surrounded courtyards at the lower level provide intimate and quiet shelter, as opposed to the open- sky roof terraces at the second-story level. The third and highest These three homes The roofs host three parallel, 82-foot lap pools aligned alongside level of each house is rise like white oases identical sun decks. “Singapore’s skies are often overcast and gray, and we like a floating pavilion over the city’s suburbs wanted to transform this condition through the medium of water,” open to the sky (top). (above). explains Richard Hassell. “Water takes in light from its surroundings and saturates it with blues and greens. We used a crystalline-glazed ceramic tile from Indonesia in the pools, which adds to this effect, and then used 1 2 an aluminum-panel ceiling to reflect the effect again.” The narrow rec- 3 tangular pools span the length of the houses and provide a welcome respite from the humidity and hot temperatures. The mood of the 5 4 6 dwellings changes dramatically with the weather—on a wet, overcast day the gray granite elicits coolness, and on sunny days, the brightness of the 8 7 tropical light conveys transparency and warmth. The houses mediate the effects of the sun. “The climate in the tropics is hot and humid all year round,” says Wong. “These conditions SECTION 0 10 FT. require interventions that would not be appropriate in colder climates.” 3 M. Thus the architects employ overhanging flat umbrella roofs for shade, 1. Bedroom 4. Entry 7. Living room which extend more than 16 feet in front of each house and more than 6 2. Family room 5. Bridge to bedroom 8. Kitchen feet on the other three sides. The 4-foot-deep rooftop pools reduce heat 3. Swimming pool 6. Dressing gain; the external walls contain large windows to permit cross ventilation; 174 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 119. R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S The garden serves as a planted staircase, which flows from exte- rior to interior. Inside, the stone stairs provide plinths for placing art and potted plants (right). Kitchen and utility areas occupy a semibase- ment at the front of the house (below). and the rotation of each living room provides shading of their external walls without the need for wide overhangs. A cantilevered glass overhang above the top-hung windows in the stainless-steel curtain wall is a con- temporary version of a traditional solution to combat the monsoon rain. Such details of construction result from rigorous investigation into the use of modern technology to mitigate tropical weather conditions. Both Hassell and Wong explore ideas on tropical architecture beyond the accepted vernacular of pitched roofs, overhanging eaves, and wide verandas. “We pursue architecture that is not simply romantic imagery,” says Hassell. However, who could resist the romance that water contributes to the building forms it accompanies? Here, the swimming pools set the theme for the silvery reflective palette of the houses. Hassell continues, “Water at the roof level powerfully connects the sky and earth, placing the swimmer in the center of an open expanse.” ■ Sources Gerda Water feature: Mastscape Paint: Nippon Weatherbond Landscaping; Perfect Electric Interior tiles: Sideral; Cosmo Glazed tiles in pool: Kuda Laud Mas Polished stone: Otta Phylitt Quartzite Flooring: Parquet Technologies Kitchen and bath fixtures: Duravit; For more information on this project, Karat; Cosmic; Burnham; San-ei; go to Projects at Caroma; Laufen; Pulieffe; Hangrohe www.architecturalrecord.com. 176 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 120. 178 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 121. Water reflects and illuminates Shim-Sutcliffe R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S Architects’ Weathering Steel House By Raul A. Barreneche T oronto’s North York district, just a few miles from the CN Tower’s famous spire, is a world away from the genteel, tree- lined neighborhoods that drew Jane Jacobs north of the border after saving Greenwich Village and SoHo from the wrecking ball. In fact, North York, filled with tarted-up, oversize McMansions in fake Norman and Tudor garb, resembles almost any American suburb. The area does have at least one good feature: its setting at the crest of a wide wooded ravine, one of several that slice through Toronto’s eastern flank. This winding swath of nature in the middle of one of North A strong urban face while the south side America’s largest cities figures prominently in the design of a North York of Cor-Ten steel features glass and home by Brigitte Shim and Howard Sutcliffe. The house wraps itself addresses the street wood and opens to the around a small pond filled with lily pads and a lap pool oriented toward on the north side of pools, ravine, and yard the Toronto skyline, thinly veiled by a grove of birch trees and the woods the house (above), (opposite). beyond. The architects, partners in the Toronto-based firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, wanted to ensure visual permeability through the house as a play against a weathering steel exterior that suggests a much heavier struc- 9 10 ture. Windows along the front elevation align with those on the rear facade to open up views of the landscape from the street. 12 The clients initially imagined a stone exterior, but the architects 11 8 persuaded them to try Cor-Ten steel instead. The owners were nervous 10 9 10 when the skin first began to rust, but grew more confident with their 12 choice as the Cor-Ten mellowed to a leathery chocolate tone and texture. 11 Tawny Douglas fir board-and-batten siding on the garage and the play- room, gym, and service wing on the opposite end complements the steel’s SECOND FLOOR burnt-umber tones. Shim and Sutcliffe excavated the ground around the 1. Entrance P H OTO G R A P H Y : © S T E V E N E VA N S , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; J A M E S D O W ( TO P R I G H T ) front side of this partially bermed service volume to create a light court 2. Garage that brightens what would otherwise have remained a dark basement. 3. Living/dining room The move diminishes the monolithic quality of the Cor-Ten exterior, as 4. Reflecting pool do the recessed dining-room windows and a rain scupper notched into 5. Swimming pool the front facade. Rainwater cascading down the scupper leaves its mark 6. Kitchen on the rusty steel siding. 8 5 7. Family room Glass and wood, not steel, dominate the rear elevation. Many of 8. Terrace the floor-to-ceiling mahogany-framed windows open to connect the 9. Study house to the outdoors in good weather. During Toronto’s long, cold win- 10. Bedroom ters, the large expanses of south-facing glass let the sun warm up the 11. Bathroom interior. (Overhangs and built-in brise-soleils of wood and steel provide 12. Roof below 6 solar control in summer.) A pivoting glass door on axis with the pond and Raul A. Barreneche is a New York–based contributing editor for record. 7 4 3 3 2 Project: Weathering Steel House, and building envelope) Toronto, Canada Consultants: Neil Turnbull (landscape); Architect: Shim-Sutcliffe Dan Euser, Waterarchitecture (reflecting 1 Architects—Brigitte Shim, Howard pool, swimming pool); Tremonte Sutcliffe, principals Manufacturing (weathering steel 0 10 FT. 3 M. Engineers: Blackwell Engineering cladding) (structural); Ted Kesik (mechanical General contractor: Kamrus Construction FIRST FLOOR 07.04 Architectural Record 179
  • 122. R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S A pivoting glass door opens and living room at the left. to the pools outside (above The entrance and stair (at right). Facing toward the the right, below) are across south side (above left), with from the reflecting pool, the reflecting pool below with the living room beyond. lap pool abuts the edge of the water, creating an intimate connection between indoors and out. Rainwater pours down in front of the glass door from a roof scupper into the pond, adding a third dimension to the interplay of water and architecture, a consistent thread throughout Shim- Sutcliffe’s oeuvre. When the owners were deciding on an architect, they visited Shim and Sutcliffe’s own home, overlooking a walled-in garden with an artificial pond, and nearby Ledbury Park, which centers on a 300- foot-long reflecting pool that turns into an ice-skating rink in winter. P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J A M E S D O W ( TO P T W O ) Shim and Sutcliffe manipulated the floor plan to create up-and- down movement through the house, as if traversing a topographically varied landscape. The strategy creates a stronger connection to the site than simply opening the house up to the views. Stepping through the front door, one enters a foyer that doubles as a mudroom, a functional necessity given Toronto’s long spells of snowy, slushy weather. The architects built a wooden bench into a wall of storage closets paneled in Douglas fir with a strong vertical grain. A short run of steps leads up to the living room to the right and the dining room to the left; another short staircase leads down to the kitchen and a family room at the rear of the house. The master suite, guest room, and children’s rooms are located on the second floor. As in all of the firm’s projects, Shim-Sutcliffe carefully detailed the 180 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 123. R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S The living room, with a has mahogany treads, wood-burning fireplace, weathering steel handrails, faces the garden at the and stainless-steel-mesh left (top). The elegant stair guards (below). material palette of concrete and painted steel that play against polished mahogany floors and Douglas fir ceilings. There’s a strong nautical air in the painted steel columns, curving handrails, and slatted-wood ceiling above the entry hall and the stepped walkway down to the lap pool. Inspiration also comes from Alvar Aalto, traditional Japanese wood con- struction, and the borderline-obsessive detailing of Carlo Scarpa, a favorite reference for Shim and Sutcliffe. Beyond formalism, the house reveals Shim-Sutcliffe’s desire to ground its architecture in the physical world and let day-to-day changes in weather and light animate its designs. Every room enjoys expansive views of the woods outside; sunlight on the pools, which remain heated through the winter so they don’t need unattractive pool covers, cast reflections on the ceilings. Steam billowing across the pool in cold weather creates a dramatic effect, especially when it contrasts with snow, while in summer the water very nearly flows into the house. The ultimate inspiration for this home for all seasons comes from the sky, the land- scape, and especially, water. ■ Sources and Wilson; Two Degrees North Exterior steel cladding: Tremonte Tile: Daltile Manufacturing Paint: Benjamin Moore Roofing: Soprema Wood windows: Sashmen For more information on this project, Glazing: Sunlite go to Projects at Cabinets and woodwork: Edwards www.architecturalrecord.com.
  • 124. How a “trailer with a cowlick” was transformed R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S to Texas Twister proportions by the buildingstudio By David Dillon F rom a clump of cedar elms a carport swoops up and out, as if lenge of restoring something that had been abused,” she says. The couple caught by a sudden gust of wind. Architect Coleman Coker, who acquired the property in the late 1980s, as funding for the nearby with his late partner Sam Mockbee designed the carport and the Superconducting Supercollider was drying up. Having spent billions on house that goes with it, thought it looked like a funnel cloud, so bunkers, tunnels, and other infrastructure, the federal government con- he nicknamed it the “Texas Twister.” “It’s really just a sculptural device, a cluded that the project was a dud and pulled the plug. Land values kind of flag, that tells visitors they’ve arrived,” he explains. plummeted, development stopped, but for some, opportunity knocked. It is also the one bold formal gesture in an otherwise subdued After making do for several years, the new owners asked and straightforward design. No cattle graze this 8,500-acre spread an hour Mockbee/Coker to design a main house overlooking a lake, plus a smaller south of Dallas; but it is home to deer, coyotes, bobcats, wild turkey, feral residence for the ranch foreman. The big house was to be 12,000 square hogs, several kinds of rattlesnakes, and more than 100 species of birds. feet of concrete and glass, with grand spaces and dramatic views similar to The owners, a prominent Dallas businessman and his arts those in the couple’s Dallas house by Antoine Predock. “It just grew and patron wife, bought it to escape the city as well as to have a place for grew,” the wife recalls. “We never could seem to cut the volume back.” their children and grandchildren to gather on weekends and holidays. But the bids came in high, Mockbee died, and the entire proj- They had no interest in ranching—the sardonic “all hat and no cattle” ect was put on hold. Nine months later, the couple decided that the big tag was fine with them—but both are ardent birders and conservation- house was wrong for both them and the site, whereas the smaller ists who saw a chance to create a nature preserve out of a patch of fallow house, which was under construction and which the foreman referred blackland prairie. to as “a trailer with a cowlick,” seemed just right. So the little house, “My husband and I loved the landscape, the birds, and the chal- enlarged slightly with a guest wing, became the main house, and a new foreman’s house, designed by Dallas architect Russell Buchanan, was Contributing editor David Dillon is the architecture critic for The Dallas constructed elsewhere. Morning News. Except for the Texas Twister, the main house is almost subdivi- P H OTO G R A P H Y : © T I M OT H Y H U R S L E Y
  • 125. sion simple. It forms a crisp L, with the long leg containing the kitchen, R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S living room, and three modest bedrooms, and the shorter one, a pair of guest rooms and a covered patio. The wings are joined by a wood and steel deck that terminates in a drawbridge and observation platform on the north end. The drawbridge is a smaller and simpler version of the dramatic cantilevered aerie at the couple’s Dallas residence. The exterior consists of iron-flecked gray brick and corrugated metal siding, with deep overhangs for protection against the scorching Texas sun. The interiors, by Emily Summers, are equally straightforward and unpretentious: polished concrete floors, raw 2-by-12 pine rafters, exposed conduit, Home Depot light fixtures. Only the custom rugs and a few pieces of designer furniture suggest that the owners are also con- noisseurs. A continuous 2-foot clerestory washes all rooms in natural light, giving them as many moods as the day. The one whimsical touch is the pair of large stainless-steel wheels that open and close the metal sun- screens—a pump house detail transplanted to the arid prairie. Over the years, the owners have restored grasslands, created Project: Texas Twister, ReyRosa Interior lighting: Lightolier numerous ponds and wetlands for migrating shore birds, and sponsored Ranch, Ellis County, Texas Bath fixtures: Kohler research by ornithologists from Cornell. Long concrete water troughs Architect: buildingstudio— Kitchen equipment: Thermador; extend outward from the kitchen and the patio, attracting both birds and Coleman Coker, principal; Jonathan Kitchen Aid; Sub-Zero grandchildren and, like the drawbridge and the observation deck, con- Tate, project architect; Carl Batton Furnishings: Edward Wormley; necting the house to the landscape. Compared to the original main Kennon, Matthias Maier, and Henry Guglielmo Ulrich; Greta Crossman house, it is almost invisible. Yamamoto, production Paints: Sherwin Williams “My husband goes down almost every day, but I’m a city girl who loves urban environments,” says the wife. “It’s taken me a while Sources For more information on this project, to understand the ranch thing and to appreciate the simple beauty of Metal windows/doors: Kawneer go to Projects at this place.” ■ Bathroom floors/tiles: Ann Sacks www.architecturalrecord.com.
  • 126. 7 1 2 1 3 3 6 5 4 3 3 7 10 8 0 20 FT. FLOOR PLAN 10 N 6 M. 3 1. Carport 2. Entry 3 3. Bedroom 4. Living room Except for the “Texas the long leg containing 5. Dining room Twister” (opposite, the kitchen, living room 6. Kitchen bottom), the main (above), and bedrooms; 7. Porch house is subdivision the shorter one, a pair 8. Outdoor dining porch simple, forming a crisp of guest rooms and a 9. Bird-watching L (opposite, top), with covered patio (below). 10. Water trough/birdbath 9
  • 127. The dining area appears to float in the pond (opposite, top), where large Japanese coy swim (this page). A massive, 85-foot-long wall made of Waimes stone defines the front facade (opposite, bottom).
  • 128. R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S Appearing to float in a coy-filled pond, Groep Delta’s Villa C harmonizes effortlessly with nature By Philip Jodidio T he Belgian architecture and urban design firm Groep Delta is based in Brussels and in Hasselt, near the Dutch border. One of its senior partners, Frederic Chaillet, decided to build his home on a tract of farmland in Zonhoven, just outside of Hasselt. Trained as an interior designer, he handles the group’s finances, adminis- tration, and clients, and here called on his own creative team, headed by design director and partner Juul Vanleysen. Chaillet had clear ideas about the living space he wanted for his family, and one of them was that the house was to be completely closed on the street side and entirely open to the garden. Vanleysen responded with a massive, 85-foot-long wall made of Waimes stone that defines the front facade, punctuated only by a steel door and a cantilevered carport. The rough finish of the stone wall is equally present in the long entrance hall, whose dark space opens into the P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R E N E E B O R Z E E generously lit living and dining area. Here, unframed floor-to-ceiling glass Philip Jodidio is a Paris-based journalist and the author of more than 20 books on contemporary architecture. Project: Villa C, Zonhoven, Belgium Landscape architect: Michel Architect: Groep Delta Architectuur Pauwels —Juul Vanleysen, architect General contractor: Dethier Interior design: Group Delta Lighting: Roger Toussaint Renovation Interior Engineer: SBC 07.04 Architectural Record 189
  • 129. Seven stepping stones lead to R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S a concrete seating platform in the pond, a gesture conceived by Vanleysen in the context of a study of “ancient building, astrology, and numerology.” contrasts sharply with the opaque density of the entrance wall. “In all of my work,” says Vanleysen, “I look for a mixture of the old and the new— and a contrast between cold and warm materials. In the Villa C, the rough 1. Entrance stone of the entrance wall contrasts with the clean floor and ceiling. This 2. Hallway gives a kind of emotion to the house.” The architect and his partner did 3. Living room disagree over one unusual feature of the interior: a truncated, shingle-clad 4. Dining room cone that houses the fireplace and projects above the thin roof of the din- 5. Kitchen ing space. “I told him I wanted a square house, because that is the way I 6. Dressing room think,” says Chaillet. “I was against this intrusion, but now it has become 7. Bathroom one of my favorite spaces.” 8. Studio The architect worked closely with landscape designer Michel 9. Carport Pauwels to create exterior spaces in harmony with the architecture, in par- 10. Terrace 10 ticular the pond that faces the dining area. Seven stepping stones lead to a 5 4 10 11 11. Pond 7 8 7 6 concrete seating platform in the pond, a gesture conceived by Vanleysen 3 12. Parking 1 2 in the context of a study of “ancient building, astrology, and numerology.” 9 Pauwels selected grasses, bamboo, and other plants intended to move with the wind. 12 Though furniture, such as the Ron Arad designs in the space near the fireplace, were chosen by the owner, most of the interior design was the work of Groep Delta partner Luc Buelens. The custom-designed 0 20 FT. kitchen features surfaces of steel, glass, and wenge (a dense exotic wood N 6 M. with straight grain and coarse texture) that contribute to the overall SITE/FIRST FLOOR impression of a house that was at least partially inspired by 1960s 190 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 130. R E S I D E N T I A L H O U S E S W I T H WAT E R E L E M E N T S The rough finish of the stone wall is present in the long entrance hall (left). The custom-designed kitchen features steel, glass, and wenge wood surfaces (below). California Modernism. A constant theme on the garden side is the close connection of the interior to the exterior. There are no curtains, and even the master bathroom has a large door opening directly from the shower into the garden. Bedrooms for the owners and their two small children are located on the upper level and also look out into the spacious garden. Custom-designed furniture for the children’s area is echoed in the dress- ing rooms by a wenge-clad block containing drawers and cupboards for the adults. A Paolo Piva bed facing a double-height window dominates the master bedroom. A discreet steel spiral stairway allows access to the ground-level television room. The large plasma screen here is one of the few visible indications of the presence of modern technology in the house, though the residence is fully wired and computer controlled. The Villa C is indeed a study in contrasts, both in materials and in types of spaces, varying between the darkness of the entrance hall and the full light of the living spaces, between a Minimalist smoothness in some features and an intentional play on roughness. Upstairs living spaces are not cramped, nor are they generous, while the dining area and kitchen Sources Dining room: Vico Magistretti for seem to stretch directly into the ample garden. The basin that runs along Floors: Bolidt Fritz Hansen the back of the house on the garden side shows a certain Asian influence Bathroom furnishings: Philippe Master bedroom: Paolo Piva for on both the client and the architect. The presence of water, like that of Starck II B+B Italia plants that blow in the breeze, is intended to animate what Chaillet says Kitchen: Miele would otherwise be a very “static” view. Transparency, light, and reflec- Lighting: Delta Lighting For more information on this project, tions characterize this house and form a striking contrast to the rough, Furnishings: Ron Arad for Moroso go to Projects at closed entrance facade. ■ and Vitra www.architecturalrecord.com. 192 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 131. Kitchen Bath The dramatic kitchen and bath projects featured in this R E S I D E N T I A L K I T C H E N B AT H year’s Portfolio take advantage of natural and artificial Portfolio light, an array of tactile finishes, and carefully chosen organic and geometric forms to create spaces that are ideal for entertaining, escaping, or both. Rita F. Catinella Gallerylike spaces in a Sydney home frame a couple of art lovers Built to house a collection of art and books for a work-at-home couple, the aptly named “House for Art Collectors” was designed by Marsh Cashman Koolloos Architects (previ- ously Marsh Cashman Architects) on the site of a former Sydney art gallery. The three-level home fea- tures rectangular building forms and a central outdoor private space that accommodates a lap pool. The husband-and-wife clients wanted the home to feature simple and modern finishes and to have a ground floor with an open, flowing connection to the courtyard and external living areas. To reinforce this seamless transition, the firm specified The zinc-clad box thin sections of steel-framed glazing that floats over the to reduce the separation between kitchen (above) con- inside and out. tains the master A box clad in zinc paneling and bathroom, where containing the master bath hovers materials such as over the kitchen, defining the space granite and polished below. For the master bath, which concrete tiles (far looks across the courtyard, the team left) create a clean, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © W I L L E M R E T H M E I E R ( H O U S E FO R A R T C O L L E CTO R S ) chose finishes with a tactile quality, tactile environment. such as polished colored concrete Abundant light tiles for the walls and heated floor, streams in from the and honed black granite for the van- window, which offers ity. A bath and shower for two is views of the court- located behind a sliding glass screen. yard and the city “The bathroom had to be a from the sunken tub pleasant space to relax in,” says (near left). Cashman. “When reclining in the sunken tub, you can open the window and gaze at the view to the city, listen the firm addressed through the feel of a Modernist art gallery but (stove, oven); Maytag (fridge); Miele to music, and set mood lighting.” addition of a screenlike extension. still functions as a home. R.F.C. (dishwasher); Erco (lights); PG The kitchen below has a large Another challenge, building the Grunsells (cabinets); Steel Framed concrete counter that defines the kitchen’s island bench on-site in Architect: Marsh Cashman Koolloos Windows Australia (windows, doors); room and mirrors the shape of the smooth-finished concrete, became Architects Master bath—Sadler Tiles (polished lap pool visible in the adjacent “a structure exercise,” according to Builders: Berg Brothers concrete tiles); Hydrotherm (towel courtyard. The clients, who entertain Cashman. Sources: Kitchen—Vola (tapware); rack); Vola, Hansgrohe (tapware); often, wanted the kitchen to have Despite the challenges, both Mirotone, Laminex, Pilkington (cup- Reflections Design (shower screen); an open plan but remain out of sight client and firm were happy with boards); Romano Concreting Carmoma (toilet); Mirotone (linen from the lounge area, a challenge the outcome—a space that has the (concrete); VM Zinc (ceiling); Ilve cupboards); Kreon (lights) 07.04 Architectural Record 195
  • 132. Kitchen Bath Portfolio R E S I D E N T I A L K I T C H E N B ATH The centerpiece of the New Inn Square pent- house kitchen is a cantilevered wrapped- stainless-steel island (far left), while a blue, serpentine shower stall is the focus of the master bath (near left). Lighting sets the stage for dramatic bathing in the Clink Street apart- ment (below). Theatrical bathrooms are the stars of two modern London apartments Sources: Kayode Lipedé (concrete); Solaglas (glazing); Delta Light A “dramatic bathroom” might sound room. To allow natural light to filter Architect: DIVE Architects (recessed lights); EncapSulite (fluores- like an oxymoron, but how else could into the space, the architects con- Project: Clink Street Apartment cent lights); Vola (mixer taps); Devi one describe the master bathrooms structed two walls of the bathroom Contractor: Ashbuild Electroheat (warm floor system); in these two London apartments? from two layers of opaque glazing. Structural engineer: Harrison Kirkstone (Brazilian slate tiles); Hafele, Clinton Pritchard, a partner at zynk Dimmable fluorescent light fittings Roberts Allgood (ironmongery) Design Consultants of London, calls are housed within the cavity of the the bathroom of the New Inn Square glazed walls so the bathroom func- penthouse a “complete theater of tions as a light box, lighting both itself blueness.” Blue lens fiber-optic light- and the living space on the other ing illuminates the sculptural focus of side of the wall. the room: a blue, serpentine shower To accommodate the client’s P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J A M E S B A L S TO N FO R Z Y N K D E S I G N C O N S U LTA N T S O F LO N D O N ; stall. Skylights fitted with circular need for a bath large enough to hold openings bring in daylight and fea- three small children, the architects ture colored lighting for night bathing. designed a tub of pigmented con- The custom-built joinery is made of crete, cast in situ. An ideal insulating willow, an unusual timber whose material that gives the 71⁄2-foot-long J E F F E R S O N S M I T H , A R C B L U E . C O M ( C L I N K S T R E E T A PA R T M E N T ) veneer has a holographic effect and tub a seamless finish, the concrete gives the appearance of movement. was heavy enough to require the Theatricality continues as a architects to strengthen the floor motif throughout the apartment. underneath it. A bathtub falling The kitchen boasts a cantilevered, through the floor into the Starbuck’s wrapped-stainless-steel island and located beneath the apartment would professional-style cooking appliances. surely have been too much drama for Custom joinery in the kitchen and one bathroom to handle. Diana Lind flooring in the living and dining areas are finished in the client’s choice of Architect: zynk Design Consultants material, American black walnut. The of London—Clinton Pritchard, open-plan design allows the kitchen, project leader dining, and living areas to be intercon- Project: New Inn Square Penthouse nected for entertaining purposes and Main contractor: Absolute Shopfitters separated for privacy. Sources: Bath—Vola, Duravit (tap- At the Clink Street apartment, ware); Duravit (toilet); Agape (wash designed by DIVE architects, lighting bowls, tub) Kitchen—Gaggenau (vent is also a central element in the bath- hood, refrigerator, ovens, microwave) 196 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 133. A glassy, faceted bathroom centers a rural N.Y. residence The Gipsy Trail residence, designed by Archi-Tectonics for a site in rural upstate New York, looks almost boxy from the outside, but running through the center spine of the house is an organic “armature,” a twisting collection of the house’s A view of the bathroom from inside infrastructure. Within the armature (left) and outside the home (above). are the kitchen, fireplace, heating and cooling mechanisms, and Beyond the sheer novelty perhaps most spectacularly, the of a shower that gives the feeling master bathroom. of being outside, housing the As the armature winds bathroom in the armature of the through the center of the house, building dictates not only the a skylight follows. The skylight is room’s shifting, tilting shapes, but formed of individual glass panes also the shapes of the rooms dividing the zinc roof. At the end around it—making it truly the core of the structure, the skylight folds of the house. Kevin Lerner over to form the back wall of a shower stall, which the architects Architect: Archi-Tectonics call “a transparent shower room General contractor: TL floating in the trees.” Construction The architects, led by principal Engineers: Buro Happold; Winka Dubbeldam, oriented the Stanislav Slutsky entire house to capture views of Sources: UAD (zinc roofing, the lake and as much natural light fenestration, railings); Duravit as possible, and deliberately chose (lavs, toilet); Dornbracht (faucets, shiny white and chrome fixtures to showerhead, valves); Kohler (tub); make the most of the light. Omnipanel (towel warmer) A renovation of a 1950s town house brings June Cleaver’s kitchen into the city P H OTO G R A P H Y : © C O U R T E SY W I N K A D U B B E L DA M ( G I P SY T R A I L H O U S E ) ; When Alexander Gorlin, principal The translucent cabinets hang of Alexander Gorlin Architects, from the ceiling, completely sepa- approached the design of a kitchen rate from the window frame behind. for the renovation of a Modernist The cabinet doors were manufac- 1958 uptown Manhattan town tured by Rudy Art Glass, and the house, he preserved something of sliding panels in the back are P E T E R A A R O N / E S TO ( 8 5 T H S T R E E T TO W N H O U S E ) the 1950s idea of a kitchen—even made of LUMAsite plastic. All of though the space wasn’t one to the other kitchen cabinetry is begin with. “The original kitchen made of polyester-coated MDF. was in the basement,” says Gorlin. “It’s like a ’50s suburban “This beautiful space with floor- kitchen brought into the city,” adds to-ceiling windows was actually Gorlin, “insofar as you can stand a mudroom.” in front of the sink and look out into Gorlin designed the new a garden.” K.L. kitchen to preserve the “luminous” nature of the room, and created Architect: Alexander Gorlin Architects translucent cabinetry to let the Sources: Rudy Art Glass (cabinet natural light through. “There really doors); American Acrylic Corporation The luminous quality of this kitchen designed for a renovated town house aren’t a lot of kitchens in Manhattan (LUMAsite plastic panels); original is enhanced by the use of translucent cabinetry suspended from the ceiling with windows,” says Gorlin. travertine (flooring) above the sink.
  • 134. Kitchen Bath Portfolio R E S I D E N T I A L K I T C H E N B ATH The kitchen and master bath of this Tribeca loft showcase the original brick archways of the former factory space. A practical kitchen and bath for the quintessential New York City loft Victoria Blau drew on the “layering” In the master bath, a birch recycling bins. The result is “pure” GE (microwave, dishwasher); of styles of Manhattan’s streets for cabinet with double sinks nestles New York, a space where Minimalism Gaggenau (wall oven); Dornbracht the renovation of a former Tribeca underneath the uplit archway. rubs shoulders with the gritty tex- (sink faucet); Fisher Paykel (gas cheese factory into a home for a Streamlined fixtures adorn French tures of the past, with an eye toward cooktop); BEST (island range hood); growing family. To maintain the loft’s limestone walls and the sheer glass practicality. Claudia La Rocco In Sink Erator (garbage disposal); industrial history, Blau exposed its shower stall. A similar palette marks KitchenAid (trash compactor); brick walls, centering the kitchen the open kitchen, where a second Architect: Victoria Blau Architect Master Bath—Kohler (sink); AF and master bath around preexisting archway houses more cabinets and General contractor: Certified of NY Supplies (faucetry); Ultra (tub); archways. Against this backdrop, she a steel shelf. Mechanical equipment Sources: Kitchen—RSA Lighting Duravit (toilet); Dornbracht (acces- juxtaposed highly finished materials, snakes along the ceiling, while cabi- (lighting); Bulthaup (cabinets, sories); Weaver Ducre (lighting); including glass and stainless steel. nets house an urban necessity: recycling bins); Sub-Zero (fridge); Studium (limestone) C O U R T E SY I B A R R O R O S A N O D E S I G N A R C H I T E CT S ( D O W N I N G K I TC H E N ) An airy southwest kitchen blends nature and machinery P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L B E R T V E C E R K A / E S TO ( T R I B E C A LO F T ) ; When the Downing family retired offset by birch cabinets. The sink to Tucson, they wanted to embrace is tucked behind a long, low herb their new landscape. The couple planter, a practical flourish that turned to Ibarra Rosano Design enhances the room’s natural feel. A Architects, who created a home split taller island serves many purposes into three “pavilions” to accommo- and provides extra storage in birch date the property’s Saguaro cacti cabinets (with detachable backs for and catch the hilly site’s best views. ease of entry). The cabinets also The lower section of the home hide the building’s heating and contains the living/dining space, cooling duct system and a motor- built around an open kitchen—a ized appliance garage behind an rustic center housing complicated aluminum backsplash. Containing machinery behind diverse surfaces. these various mechanical systems Architect: Ibarra Rosano Design Grohe (faucet); Sub-Zero (fridge); Dacor Two unusually large sections of within the island allowed the archi- Architects (oven,cooktop,vent); Bosch (dishwasher); native mesquite, found by the cou- tects to maintain the butterfly Contractor: Repp Construction Granite Creations (granite counter); ple, form a boat-shaped center ceiling’s clean sweep, preserving Sources: Mark Perry (mesquite coun- Nevamar (cladding); Air Concepts (air island topped by black granite and the room’s uncluttered feel. C.L.R. tertop, custom work); Franke (sink); nozzles); Miele (coffeemaker) 198 Architectural Record 07.04
  • 135. Residential Products R E S I D E N T I AL R E S O U R C E S Kitchens and appliances that adjust to a range of lifestyles were on display at the biennial Eurocucina exhibition, which took place last Eurocucina Review April during Design Week in Milan. Josephine Minutillo ǡ Staying single and Ĭ Futuristic filters unattached Elica, a manufacturer of kitchen hoods since 1970, has evolved from a small, artisan Designed by Alberto Colonello shop, whose products were intended exclusively for the Italian market, to an interna- for Boffi, Single is a freestand- tional leader with an innovative, modern collection. This year they introduced Om, an ing or wall-mounted unit with almost vertical, completely flat glass hood. The glass is silk-screen processed on the fixed dimensions that can back in plain colors but come equipped with a sink, can be customized with dishwasher, refrigerator, or patterns or decoration. cooking surface. The body is The processed glass is made from 4⁄5'' wood-particle also less sensitive to panels in several finishes with finger marks and easy an inside cover in stainless to clean, according to steel. The bottom portion is the manufacturer. Om’s available with a door or as a superior air and odor fil- drawer, and the cover closes tration was designed to to create a compact block achieve high efficiency ideal for offices or small levels with reduced aspi- apartments. Various options ration power, making it feature additional storage and less noisy than most worktop space. Boffi Soho, conventional hoods. New York City. Elica, Ancona, Italy. www. www.boffisoho.com CIRCLE 200 elica.com CIRCLE 201 Ǡ Personalized pantry Regula is a versatile kitchen system from Binova designed to adapt to a variety of spaces and cooking needs. Individual elements are made to be seen from all sides, allowing flexibility when arranging kitchen layouts. Autonomous elements come with castors for even greater versatility. The height of the work tops varies to adjust to specific ergonomic and functional requirements. Work tops come in aluminum, laminate, steel, marble, and Corian, with side panels in aluminum, matte lacquer, or laminate in a variety of colors for countless composi- tions. Bizhan Home, New York City. www.binova.com CIRCLE 202 ǡǠ Domestic sphere First introduced as a prototype in 2002, the Sheer kitchen, along with the new brand, was officially intro- duced at this year’s Eurocucina by parent company Gatto Cucine. Created by Drag Design, Sheer’s highly innovative design anticipates future trends in living at the same time that it reinterprets tradition. Its provocative, perfectly spherical form encloses all the conventional and advanced functions of a large kitchen as it invites users to gather around it in the manner of a family hearth. Suitable for all types of living arrangements, the Sheer kitchen becomes an object at the center of a room rather than a room itself. Gatto Cucine, Camerano, Italy. www.gattocucine.it CIRCLE 203 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 07.04 Architectural Record 201
  • 136. Residential Products Kitchen Bath RES I DENT IAL RESOURCES Ǡ Saving water a flush at a time Not all flushes are alike. That’s why Sterling has introduced the Rockton toilet with Dual Force flushing technology to allow users the option of selecting one of two water levels each time the toilet is flushed. Operated by a two-button actuator integrated into the tank lid, the toilet will flush at either 1.6 or .8 gallons. Choosing the .8-gallon button can save an average family of four up to 6,000 gallons of water a year. Sterling, į Eggs-cellent collaboration Kohler, Wis. www.sterlingplumbing.com CIRCLE 204 Inspired by the simple oval shape of an egg, Aveo is the first collection of bathroom fix- tures designed by the British-based design firm Conran Partners for Villeroy Boch. Aveo includes a lavatory, bidet, toilet (not shown), and tub. A variety of lavatory styles is offered, including vessel, vanity, and pedestal models, and self-rimming designs. A solid bamboo vanity (at right) and a selection of other storage options are also part of the series. Villeroy Boch, Monroe Township, N.J. www.villeroy-boch.com CIRCLE 205 Ǡ No more tan lines People are busier these days, and the shower has become one more place to multitask. Designed for residences, spas, hotels, or gyms, Indrolux showers feature a built-in tanning system that gently tans and purifies the į Sinks fit for a diva skin as it cleanses. Sleek panels At last year’s Cersaie show in Bologna, Italy, Toscoquattro launched several new of patented tanning lamps offer products, including New Look (above), designed by Elena Bolis. Finished in bleached colored light in a range of stan- or cherry zebrano wood with lacquered or stainless-steel doors, the wall-mounted dard or custom color choices. system supports a shallow, angled basin. Another introduction was the Opera collec- All of the lamps are subjected tion of sinks designed in ebony, Dupont Corian, and stainless steel. AF New York, to stringent testing and can be New York City. www.afnewyork.com CIRCLE 206 adjusted by a remote control. Indrolux USA, Lexington, Ky. www.indroluxusa.com CIRCLE 207 Ǡ New hoods in the hood At this year’s K/BIS, Zephyr intro- tions include six kitchen duced the first signature hood pullout-spray faucets, line by designer and artist Fu- two prerinse/prep-area Tung Cheng of Cheng Design. The faucets, and a wall-mount three new hood designs include lavatory faucet. The Okeanito, based on one of faucets incorporate fea- Cheng’s original sweeping- tures such as a precise curved-hood designs; Shade pivot-and-locking spout, (right) a matchbook-inspired a smooth-pulling spray design with a hood shade that head that releases and tucks away when not in use; and retracts easily, and one- Trapeze, a hood with a floating į Faucet comeback touch operation that lets the user curved canopy. Zephyr Ventilation, At this year’s K/BIS, Elkay introduced switch effortlessly from spray to stream San Francisco. www.zephyron- the company’s first new major faucet water flow. Elkay, Oak Brook, Ill. line.com CIRCLE 208 line since the 1980s. The new collec- www.elkayusa.com CIRCLE 209 202 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
  • 137. Residential Products Kitchen Bath Ǡ Gaga for cooking RES I DENT IAL RESOURCES Aga had a slew of new introductions at this year’s K/BIS, including a dual-fuel range that incorporates gas and electric; a three-oven Aga that features a fast- roasting oven, a slow-simmering oven, and a baking oven; an undercounter wine cellar; and an all-electric AGA (right), which looks similar to its gas- fired siblings. Aga Ranges, Cherry Hill, N.J. www.aga-ranges.com CIRCLE 210 new appreciation for the value of water. According to Wanders, the tub and wash basins of his new Gobi collection for Boffi can be seen as “treasure chests, fortresses for the most valuable material on earth.” Gobi includes į Self-cleaning shower head į A treasure chest for water a tub and two basins of different sizes. The Grohe Retro Rainshower delivers a wide shower spray that envelopes the body After traveling through the desert last Boffi, New York City. www.boffisoho.com in falling water. The oversize, 8''-diameter shower head features 120 spray nozzles year, designer Marcel Wanders earned a CIRCLE 213 arranged to leave no “dry” zones of water coverage. The all-brass shower head fea- tures the company’s patented SpeedClean anti-lime system. The conical shape of the silver-green nozzle forces lime scale to accumulate only at the tip of the nozzle, which can “bend” when lightly wiped with a cloth or sponge, forcing the lime scale to crumble away. Grohe America, Bloomingdale, Ill. www.groheamerica.com CIRCLE 211 į Mirror TV technologies At K/BIS, Séura introduced a line of LCD televisions that are incorporated into bathroom mirrors (right). When activated, the screen is visible as a window within the mirror—when off, the LCD is completely hidden from view. On the other side of the show floor, ad notam displayed a competing integrated-display screen that utilizes thin-film transistor technol- ogy (left). ad notam USA, New York City. www.ad-notam.com CIRCLE 212 Séura, Little Chute, Wis. www.seuratvmirror.com CIRCLE 253 ǡ Raining down the drain Introduced globally this year at the Milan į Towel-less Furniture Fair, the Rain sink collection is showering Adam D. Tihany’s first foray into bathroom To avoid that “moment product design. The vessel-style basin is of chill” that occurs after taking a hot shower, Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath has added a bordered in a halo of stainless steel or special option, Ambient Air Body Dry System, to their Summer Rain shower series bronze, suspended on a colored-glass that provides complete head-to-toe drying. The system features 12 heated air jets plane. Water cascades down a square-lip incorporated into a central shower column that dries bathers off quickly, without geometric spout that bisects the back of the need for a towel. The temperature and airflow of the jets can be moderated the basin’s rim. The faucet’s compact levers through a control panel. Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath, Walnut Creek, Calif. are flush-mounted into the spout, easing www.jacuzzi.com CIRCLE 214 right for cold water and left for hot water. Axolo, Ontario, Calif. www.axolo.it CIRCLE 215 204 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
  • 138. Products Storage Shelving The storage and shelving products featured this month are not merely utilitarian pieces that contain belongings or files. Many serve double duty as sculptural wall pieces or freestanding screens that help divide or define a room. Flexibility remains key for changing work and lifestyles. Rita F. Catinella Iconic shelving system available throughout North America Described by New York’s influential based entirely in Britain. There to be used against a retailer Murray Moss as “one of are four “structure” types for the wall, but can be com- the great icons of 20th-century 606 system, which depend on pressed between the rational design,” the 606 Universal the type of wall, floor, and ceiling; ceiling and the floor. Shelving System has been pro- what will be stored or displayed; At last year’s duced by Vitsoe continuously since and the desired look of the sys- 100% Design show 1960, the year it was designed tem. Shelves, cabinets, and in London, Vitsoe by German industrial designer tables can then be repositioned displayed an original The 606 shelf system doubles as a screen at the Dieter Rams. Last October, Moss or added onto the appropriate Audio 1 gramophone offices of Countrywide Porter Novelli in London. expanded the distribution of the structure without tools by simply and loudspeaker system to all of North America slipping the aluminum pins out designed in 1962 by Rams—who 100% Design’s press office by through Moss dna, a division of of the system’s E-Tracks. Lengths intended the smaller bay width of supplying shelves to display his retail store in New York City. are possible in 26'' and 351⁄2'', Vitsoe’s 606 Universal Shelving the press packs. Moss dna, New Since 1995, both Vitsoe and and depths in 61⁄4'', 81⁄2'', 113⁄4'', and System to match the width of York City.www.mossonline.com its manufacturing have been 141⁄4''. The system does not need Audio 1. Vitsoe also supported CIRCLE 216 Flexible pole system creates shelving, and rooms, without walls Dave and Julie Scheu, the a pogo stick. The three origi- husband-and-wife partners in nal pogoHome rooms the St. Louis–based furniture design (pogoCloset, pogoLibrary, P H OTO G R A P H Y : © K E N K I R K W O O D FO R V I T S O E firm UrbanWorkshop, applied their and pogoGarden) consist of architectural training to devise stacking wood components rooms-on-poles that can define a loft that interlock with the arms or other open space by simply wedg- to form sturdy poles to sup- ing between the ceiling and floor. port belongings. The three PogoHome rooms are constructed of newest rooms (pogoGallery, maple, cherry, white oak, or walnut, pogoLounge, and pogoDen) with steel fittings. Made to order in use expanding inserts and heights up to 14', the poles adjust 5'' a series of holes to allow for up or down from the specified height. more design freedom. The handcrafted steel parts are given UrbanWorkshop, St. Louis. a black-oxide finish, and the white www.urbanworkshop.us rubber tip recalls the bottom end of CIRCLE 217 PogoHome rooms (left to right): pogoLibrary, pogoGallery, pogoLounge, and pogoDen. For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 07.04 Architectural Record 207
  • 139. Products Storage Shelving ǡ Make space for stuff The Crux system (left), from the Brooklyn design team/manufacturer hivemindesign, is a walnut-veneered storage unit that encases a series of slotted aluminum components. The interchangeable components accom- modate clothing storage with a hanging rack, as well as book storage with built-in bookends. The firm also offers a low wooden case for LP and electronics storage called the Crux credenza. This unit is veneered in wal- nut and encases slotted aluminum components and gray glass sliding doors. hivemindesign, Brooklyn, N.Y. www.hivemindesign.com CIRCLE 219 Ĭ Freestanding configurable storage į Origami-inspired shelving MKS Designs introduces Modstor, a freestanding configurable storage system suit- The Bias Shelf system is constructed of a single piece of high-grade sheet aluminum able for commercial or residential use. Modules consist of a frame, drawer, and that is folded to provide shelf space and aesthetic flare. Each wall-mounted modular shelf; they come in wide or narrow, with short or tall drawers, and connect left to shelf is powder coated for durability and is available in nine colors, allowing for right as well as stack top to bottom. Frames, drawer baskets, and shelves are made countless design configurations. Nüf Design, New York City. www.nufdesign.com from powder-coated steel, while drawer fronts and backs are high-density polyethyl- CIRCLE 218 ene or solid hardwood. MKS, Cambridge, Mass. www.mksdesign.com CIRCLE 220 ǡ Protecting Asian treasures Spacesaver incorporated space-saving solutions into San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum’s lower level for collection storage and preservation. Included are compact art racks for framed pieces, stationary pallet racks for large sculptures, and more than 200 environmentally controlled cabinets on high-density mobile systems for a range of artifact storage. Spacesaver, Fort Atkinson, Wis. www.spacesaver.com CIRCLE 221 Ǡ Shelving support pole The latest addition to the Rakks product line is the Ǡ Mobile office storage PC4 support pole featuring Bretford and Formway Design intro- threaded compression duce the Traffic storage line featuring mounts for secure installa- the Boxstore and Mobile Pedestal. tion between floor and A range of interior accessories, ceiling. Suitable for a range including pullout shelving, flat shelves, of residential, commercial, or media drawers, can be employed and retail display applica- to customize Traffic for specific tions, this 11⁄2'' x 11⁄2'' storage issues. Boxstore is available extruded-aluminum support in more than 20 combinations of can accommodate ceiling height, width, and door options, heights up to 12'. The pole and the Mobile Pedestal can double is stocked in clear- or black-anodized-aluminum and white-powder-coated finishes. as cushion-top seating. Bretford, Rangine, Millis, Mass. www.rakks.com CIRCLE 222 Chicago. www.bretford.com CIRCLE 223 208 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
  • 140. Product Briefs Milan Furniture Fair The following pages highlight introductions from this year’s Milan Furniture Fair, which took place from April 14 to 19 in venues throughout the city. In sharp contrast to many of the conceptual or extravagant designs on display in off-site exhibits, manufacturers this year offered products that represented a “back-to-basics” approach focusing on fundamental themes of structure, scale, transparency, and ornament. Seating furniture featured structures that were either completely exposed or nonexistent and were offered in a greater variety of sizes to accommodate a “larger” audience. In addition, forgotten classics were reintroduced alongside products from a talented new crop of designers. Josephine Minutillo Milan’s 43rd Annual Salone del Mobile: A weeklong celebration of design Milan’s Salone del Mobile is unlike and turned this fair into a very any other furniture fair you’re likely different kind of event.” Antonelli to attend. For an entire week notes the Italians’ “flair for scenog- every April, this energized city is raphy” as a main draw, but also transformed into a haven for design acknowledges that the event is an afficionados from across the globe— ideal opportunity to meet up with and it’s not just furniture lovers who colleagues and other professionals come to take part in the spectacle. passionate about design. From retailers and architects to Fairground displays and off- fashion designers and car makers, site exhibits ranged from minimal attendees come in growing num- to stunning. Swarovski’s Crystal bers (190,000 this year) to view Palace show was once again a Clockwise, from top the countless product offerings and highlight as it presented chande- to bottom left: Dutch exhibits. On this occasion, the event liers from a new roster of designers, Pieces, by Jurgen was redubbed Milan Design Week while Moroso’s Happy Ever After Bey; Architettura to reflect its far-reaching appeal. exhibit by Dutch designer Tord Romantica, by Ettore According to Paola Antonelli, Boontje (see this month’s Profile on Sottsass; Sky, by curator in the Department of page 240) drew lots of attention, as Matali Crasset for Architecture and Design at the well. Smaller displays dotted the Swarovski’s Crystal Museum of Modern Art in New York city, so walking the streets of Milan Palace; and Robert and veteran visitor of the Salone, during Design Week meant stum- Stadler’s three- “the fairgrounds are where it all bling upon an unexpected array of dimensional Pools. started, but the city has taken over objects and installations, including works by veritable masters of design like Ettore Sottsass and Andrea Branzi to contemporary luminaries, as in the Vanishing Point show featuring work by Robert Stadler, Konstantin Grcic, and Jurgen Bey. A host of student exhibitions were on display, as well. Galleries, stores, fashion houses, and even eateries through- out the city took part in the festivities this year. In addition to the major fur- niture showrooms like BB Italia and DePadova, such prestigious brands as Dolce Gabbana, Missoni, and Acqua di Parma staged presenta- tions of their own, making Design Week in Milan an event for the entire city to enjoy. J.M. 07.04 Architectural Record 211
  • 141. Product Briefs Milan: Structure ǡ Cover story A company whose hallmark has always been upholstered furniture, Moroso presented a small chair this year whose upholstery had everyone talking. Designed by Konstantin Grcic, Dummy derives its form from a single sheet of polyurethane foam gently squashed over a supporting į Rock steady structure. The brightly colored, Specialists in solid-wood furnishings since 1920, Italian manufacturer Riva presented collapsible chair covers were a new collection by American architect Terry Dwan. Called Strong_Box, the collection part of a diverse presentation includes a table, stools, and a console (above). An homage to wood’s material quali- that included seating, tables, ties, the witty design combines a simple top with slanted legs that appear unsteady and shelving ranging from but in fact form a stable structure. Made entirely of reforested oak and completely minimal and traditional to hand-finished. Furnitalia, Los Angeles. www.riva1920.it CIRCLE 225 innovative and eclectic. Europrojects, Miami. www.moroso.it CIRCLE 224 Ĭ Airbrushed Humberto and Fernando Campana continue to push the envelope with their designs for Edra. This year, they presented Corallo, an armchair made from steel wire and fin- ished in epoxy paint in a coral color. Corallo was born from a sculpture Humberto made during a metal course in 1990, which he describes as an “investigation in draw- ing using only lines floating in space.” Its irregular weave is curved by hand and unique to each chair. Moss, New York City. www.mossonline.com CIRCLE 226 į Striptease Tom Dixon describes his recent work as an “experiment in reductionism.” His presenta- tion included the Soft Box series of simple box and cylindrical lights, the Tube series of leather-upholstered chairs and tables with a stainless-steel-tube structure, and the Wire series of indoor/outdoor stacking chairs (above). Built “from the inside out,” these products are stripped to their basic components, making structure and skeleton the design itself. Centro Modern Furnishings, St. Louis. www.centro-inc.com CIRCLE 227 ǡǠ Formfitting Rejecting the styling that has become so prevalent among the Milan offerings each year, Jasper Morrison created Oblong, a struc- tureless sofa composed of individual seaters connected by zippers. Much like a beanbag, Oblong molds itself to the sitter’s body. “The beanbag has always impressed me as a totally original piece, with regard to how we sit,” says Morrison. “I wanted to take it further and offer a more traditional function.” Limn, San Francisco. www.limn.com CIRCLE 228 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 07.04 Architectural Record 213
  • 142. Product Briefs Milan: Scale Ĭ In layout Dominating Alias’s stand this year, the organically shaped Layout functions as a container system, room divider, or corner unit. Monolithic at first glance, the units contain curved doors that open to reveal interior shelving. Designed by Michele De Lucchi, the system was developed following an exploration into the expressive potential of extruded aluminum, a favorite material of Alias. Frametable, a table with an aluminum structure introduced by Alias last year, was also presented in stunning new finishes. Alias USA, Huntington Station, N.Y. www.aliasdesign.it CIRCLE 229 į Striped collection Having experimented in new materials like die-cast aluminum with great success, Magis is no longer just a plastics company. This new outdoor seating collection by French brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec includes armchairs, low chairs, stools, tables, chaise longues, and sun beds. Visually arresting, the widely spaced methacry- late slats are wrapped around thin, steel-tube frames. Available also with padded covers. The Terence Conran Shop, New York City. www.conran.com CIRCLE 230 ǡ Quick-change artist Part of a new collection by Alfredo Haberli for ClassiCon, Hypnos (left) is a chair, couch, and bed at the same time. Designed with flexibility in mind, Hypnos converts easily from a large chair to an uncomplicated bed for overnight guests, or a daybed for quick naps. The easy-to-clean footrest allows you to keep your shoes on while napping. Also part of the new collection is Skaia, a large table with a thick wooden tabletop that accommodates up to 12 people and is suitable for conferences or dining. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Nais, a small, lightweight wire chair in various colors. M2L, New York City. www.m2lcollection.com CIRCLE 231 Ǡ Super-sized Ǡ The big scoop A frequent designer for Poltrona Frau, The generously sized Marcus is a lounge chair with footstool, the Luca Scacchetti has updated the tradi- first pieces in a family of products designed by American Jeffrey tional armchair with Size. The first Bernett for Montina. The oakwood frame is padded and uphol- armchair to come in three versions stered in a variety of fabrics and leathers. Using the Eames made-to-measure for three different lounge chair as a reference, body sizes, Size also introduces minor Bernett designed the chair to deformations to the classic styling with be “large enough to evoke slanted seats and arms and dispropor- comfort and relaxation and tionately slender feet. Accessories in be appealing to a wide audi- the same or contrasting colors include ence.” Property, New York a headrest, cushion, and side and back City. www.propertyfurni- pockets. Poltrona Frau, New York City. ture.com CIRCLE 232 www.poltronafrau.it CIRCLE 233 214 Architectural Record 07.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
  • 143. Product Briefs Milan: Transparency ǡ Friendly apparition Young Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has collaborated frequently with Driade both as a product and exhibition designer, last Ĭ Clear-cut year staging the Clouds show in honor of Having perfected the technology used to create transparent polycarbonate furnish- the company’s 35th anniversary. This year, ings, Kartell showcased a range of products around the theme of transparency, he presents Kiss Me Goodbye, an armchair including new designs from longtime collaborators Philippe Starck and Ferruccio that combines his affinity for organic forms Laviani and a small table by the newest addition to their reputable roster of design- with his love for transparency. The chair is ers, Patricia Urquiola. Older designs were given a new look as well, with some constructed of transparent polycarbonate striking results. The Glossy series (right), by Antonio Citterio, features the same light- and is intended for indoor use only. Current, chromed-steel structure of the original but has been expanded to include tables with Seattle. www.driade.com CIRCLE 235 new dimensions, shapes, and functions, and new transparent surfaces. The folding top of Citterio’s Battista trolley (left) was also updated. Kartell US, New York City. www.kartell.it CIRCLE 234 Ǡ See-through sink PH is a freestanding, floor-mounted wash basin designed by Piero Lissoni. The column is made of 310-degree bended plates in .47''-thick transparent crystal. The bended transparent-crystal basin is attached to the column with a polyurethanic bonding agent. In the marble version that is also available, the column is extracted from a single block of Carrara marble with an exca- vated basin. Boffi Soho, New York City. www.boffi.com CIRCLE 236 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 87 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 88 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 144. Product Briefs Milan: Ornament Ǡ Pleasing patterns Milan-based Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola’s products were ubiquitous this year—at the fairgrounds, in showrooms, and at off-site venues. Intended for indoor use only, her Flo series for Driade (top) features large and small tables, chairs, and stools whose painted steel struc- ture is covered with wicker in several decorative patterns or uniformly in a natural color with thin canes. Rosa and Asperala (bottom) are large floral- patterned rugs Urquiola designed with longtime friend and frequent collaborator į Metallic mood Eliana Gerotto for Paola Lenti. The sculp- With his new designs for Sawaya Moroni, tural quality of the rugs is enhanced by renowned French architect Dominique Perrault the alternating high and low relief used to uses elementary forms and basic materials to cre- reproduce the leaves, veins, petals, and ate objects with a curiously Baroque feel. Both the stems of the flower motif, resulting in a lamp and rug pictured here (above) are made from sophisticated and contemporary graphic metal netting. Metal links form pleats that shape effect. Current, Seattle. www.driade.com the sinuous volume of the lamp’s diffuser, to which CIRCLE 237 Paola Lenti USA, San Diego. cascades of Swarovski crystals have been added. www.paolalenti.com CIRCLE 238 Limn, San Francisco. www.limn.com CIRCLE 239 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 89 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 90 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 145. Product Briefs Milan: Old Masters Ĭ Found object Among the lesser-known of Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni’s designs, the Splugen stool has been reintroduced by Zanotta. Named after the Milan beer hall for which it was designed in 1960, Splugen’s tubular steel frame incorporates a footrest and leather-upholstered cushion. It can be painted in black or aluminum. Centro Modern Furnishings, St. Louis. www.centro-inc.com CIRCLE 241 į Tracing tables through history In 2004, Cassina purchased the world- six decades. Ospite (left), from 1927, is Perriand’s design approach and lifestyle. wide exclusive reproduction rights for the earliest: an extendable, chromed-steel Created for her chalet, the unusual table- products designed by Charlotte Perriand. table reflecting the spirit of the time by top provides versatility in a less formal The new collection features a variety of offering practical solutions for everyday concept and is available in natural or furnishings, including seating, tables, and living. Ventaglio (right), designed almost black-stained oak. Cassina USA, New York storage units, created over the course of 50 years later, shows the evolution of City. www.cassina.it CIRCLE 240 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. it’s a wall. LIFTS EVERY DOCK NEEDS A LIFT An Advance dock lift is the AVOID BACK INJURIES only equipment that can service all trucks. Full line of dock lifts including: • Portable • Top Of Ground DOCK INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY • Pit Mounted Break the mold with complete design freedom using translucent, frosted and opaque panels. Countless colors,textures, patterns and gauges will impact any application. Solid thinking. Call 1-800-THE-DOCK or visit our web site TM www.advancelifts.com for a you can do that. FREE CATALOG. Call for samples: 8 0 0 . 7 2 6 . 0 1 2 6 or visit us at w w w. 3 - f o r m . c o m CIRCLE 91 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 92 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 146. Product Briefs Milan: Emerging Talent ĬǠ New kids on the block Having received an enthusiastic response when it presented its collection for the first time at the Cologne furniture fair this past January, the new Danish label Hay was invited to show its stuff in Milan. The company’s sizable display—outside the fairgrounds but alongside such notables as Tom Dixon, SCP, and Moooi at SuperStudioPiù—included a colorful assortment of unusual seating. Other One, One, and Round One, a series of unique lounge chairs (below), were designed by Leif Jørgensen. Another lounge chair (above) with matching ottoman, whose upholstered cushions are supported by a cantilevered plastic frame, was shown for the first time in Milan. The collection also includes Minimal-style dining tables and į Turn over a new leaf chairs, beds, and accessories. Hay, Horsens, Denmark. www.hay.dk CIRCLE 243 The Swedish design partnership of Claesson Koivisto Rune was founded in 1995 as an architectural office. In recent years, its distinctive, Minimalist designs for international manufacturers, including leading Italian companies like Cappellini, Boffi, and Living Divani, have been making their mark in Milan. Their newest design for Living Divani is a series of seating elements called Leaf. Leaf’s lightweight, painted steel frame supports a fixed cushion folded over on itself to striking effect, particularly with two-tone upholstery (above). Current, Seattle. www.livingdivani.it CIRCLE 242 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 93 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 94 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 147. www.mcnichols.com/arr4 Product Literature Safety Gratings! Guide to raised floor systems NEW SITES FOR CYBERSURFING A comprehensive 48-page guide for Vote for your favorite designer or learn building a raised-floor-foundation system about their vital stats on cards available for purchase www.designstars.net is now available from the Southern Pine Council (SPC). Raised Floor Systems: Design and Construction Guide features GRIP STRUT® Grating Fiberglass Grating Aluminum Grating detailed illustrations, photographs, and cost comparisons, and addresses basic construction elements and a range of related topics, such as moisture-control, soils and site preparation, foundation types, termite-resistant framing, design Nora’s redesigned site reflects the com- pany’s new corporate-design and rubber- loads, span tables, and floor framing. flooring range www.norarubber.com Perf-O Grip® Grating Bar Grating Catwalk Grating Southern Pine Council, Kenner, La. Wilsonart’s new site provides a com- plete overview of its laminate-flooring Complete Hole Product We can custom fabricate www.southernpine.com CIRCLE 245 products www.wilsonartflooring.com inventories are available to meet your specifications. Online store features furniture incorporat- from Service Centers coast What you want–when you Mobile-storage guide ing discarded items www.reestore.com to coast in a variety of ® need it in 24 hours or less. A new 20-page guidebook on floor-loading styles, sizes and materials. Call “The Hole Story” today. ISO 9001;2000 Certified options from Spacesaver has been pre- and more than 75 new colors. 1-800-237-3820 pared as an introduction to floor loading Freudenberg Building Systems, Lawrence, e when high-density mobile storage systems Mass. www.norarubber.com CIRCLE 247 S I McNICHOLS CO. ® are being considered for new, existing, or e-mail: [email protected] Member Metals Service adaptive-reuse construction projects. Roofing-tape brochure www.mcnichols.com/arr4 Center Institute Spacesaver Corporation, Fort Atkinson, Eternabond’s new roofing brochure pro- CIRCLE 95 ON READER SERVICE CARD Wis. www.spacesaver.com CIRCLE 246 vides information on the company’s full OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML line of tapes. A CD that accompanies the Floor-covering catalog brochure provides multimedia information A new product catalog from Freudenberg about roof and seam repair, cold-weather modern Building Systems offers a comprehensive guide to the company’s entire product installations, and flashing and coding repairs. Eternabond, Hawthorn Woods, Ill. A NTIQUITY UITY offering, including four new product lines www.eternabond.com CIRCLE 248 sinks basins fountains fonts vintage electrical plates classic patinas special platings Oregon Copper Bowl Company 888.952.OCBC (6222) www.OregonCopperBowl.com The Original – Handcrafted in America For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to Call for a dealer near you www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 96 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 148. Seattle Stained Glass Product Literature Steel framing products recently updated both its Member and Dietrich Metal Framing now offers a Product Directory and Publication Index 230-page Metal Framing and Finishing for 2004. The Member and Product Catalog detailing the company’s various Directory lists all APA member manufac- products, systems, and services. The turers and sales offices, the engineered catalog is divided into 10 major product wood products each member produces, sections, including interior framing; exte- and a list of mill numbers. The 2004 rior framing; floor framing; roof framing; Publications Index provides a listing of fire-rated assemblies; metal beads and design and construction guides, product trims; vinyl beads and trims; paper-faced guides, case histories, builder tips, and beads and trims; veneer, stucco, and industrial publications. The publications plaster beads and trims; and metal lath. are available online at the APA’s Web Dietrich Metal Framing, Columbus, Ohio. site. The Engineered Wood Association, www.dietrichindustries.com CIRCLE 249 Tacoma, Wash. www.apawood.org CIRCLE 251 Sink specification CD Blanco America has introduced a new Green reference guide specification CD that features sink instal- Invista, manufacturer of Antron carpet lation instructions and submittal sheets fiber, in association with the International for Blanco sinks and faucets in PDF for- Facility Management Association, has mat for easy downloading and printing. developed the Green Glossary for High The CD also includes DXF files with elec- Performance Buildings. The Green 2510 North 45th Street • Seattle, Washington 98103 206-633-2040 • 800-524-3855 tronic sink cutout information for use Glossary, a lexicon containing 360 stan- www.SeattleStainedGlass.com with CAD-based software programs dardized environmental terms, is intended photo Ron Robin Steel and Cast Glass Railing and CNC routing machinery. All files are to serve as a reference guide for those CIRCLE 97 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML cross platform for use with PCs and involved in the construction, design, or MACs. Blanco America, Cinnaminson, management of high-performance green N.J. www.blancoamerica.com CIRCLE 250 buildings and is endorsed by leading industry associations, including the U.S. APA publications Green Building Council. Invista, Wilmington, The Engineered Wood Association Del. www.invista.com CIRCLE 252 ADA requires a COF of at least 0.6 wet. Slip Tech, since 1986, has exceeded these guidelines on ceramic tile and stone floors. Send us your sample and we'll test treat your material for free. For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. CIRCLE 98 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
  • 149. Profile Q: How did the Happy Ever After exhibit with Moroso come about? Moroso asked me to do it as a starting point for a new relationship designing furniture. For this show, the emphasis was on fabrics and upholstery. I’ve always been very interested in fashion. Fabric has been used on the body in amazing ways, but always very tradi- tionally with furniture, so I wanted to think about new ways of using it, which involved embroidery and beading. We also used wool that was cut by machine in intricate patterns. Your earlier work is very Minimal. Was it a conscious decision to switch to a more decorative style? It was a very conscious decision. My earlier projects were about recycling and making things out of nothing. These were objects that were simply-made, plain, and functional—making some- thing elegant using basic materials. In 2000, my daughter was born, and I began to think about the kind of environ- ment I wanted to live in for myself and my family. I do not want my own home to be a plain white box, but something more warm and loving. I began to do research and became enamored of decorative objects from the 18th century, especially English woodworking and embroidery. As design- ers, we’re taught to create things that are automated and neutral. I started to question this. In making that switch, your work has gone from very low-tech to very high-tech. Handcrafted items are labor- intensive, but with today’s technology, we can do things that weren’t possible even five years ago. It is easy to make a drawing on a computer and send it to a factory for produc- tion. For example, the Wednesday light [a stainless-steel garland that wraps around a bulb] is incredibly intricate and Tord Boontje: A modern detailed, yet machine-made. The whole light is ornament. You’ve designed expensive, one-off products and now, craftsman with a human touch mass-produced, affordable ones. I get equal satisfaction from both. What I hope to do is make affordable, demo- cratic things, not only things people can enjoy in magazines. On the other hand, the projects I did for Swarovski gave Interviewed by Josephine Minutillo me a lot of freedom to experiment, so you need both. There is a balance there. At a time when design seems to be dominated by sleek, ultra-modern products The word decoration often has a negative connotation in Modern architec- that rely more on gimmicks than thought, Tord Boontje has set himself apart by ture and design. What are your thoughts? Decoration is not a negative term for creating work that recalls a more Romantic age. The Dutch-born, London-based me. The original ideas behind Modernism got hijacked somehow and the term designer has been described as working on the cusp of design and craft, melding Modern has come to mean something that is very stylistic or minimal—some- up-to-date computer technology and manufacturing techniques with designs that thing devoid of the original, important emotional qualities of Modernism. I try with have the look and feel of handcrafted objects. In addition to his studio’s own pro- my work to bring back sensuality and human qualities in the spaces in which we duction, Boontje has collaborated with fashion designers including Alexander live and the objects with which we live. And to do it in intelligent, efficient, and McQueen, and has designed lighting for Swarovski. His Happy Ever After exhibit affordable ways. In a funny way, what I’m doing is very modern. for Moroso was a highlight of this year’s Milan Furniture Fair. Photograph by Riccardo Bianchi of Boontje inside his exhibit for Moroso 240 Architectural Record 07.04