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Secular Conversion: Historic Chapel Turned Modern Library

22 Nov

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

Historic Chapel Modern Library Renovation
A beautiful old chapel in the Italian town of Lonate Ceppino has been transformed into a modern library with a perforated aluminum tower that adds to the building without compromising its historic character. Italian architects DAP studio restored the traditional architectural features of the Oratory of San Michele before converting it for a new use with the sleek white extension.

Historic Chapel Modern Library Renovation 2

The new two-story volume stands off to one side of the original structure, connected via stairways. The top part tapers inward to allow for the preservation of the chapel’s overhang. The new volume contains bathrooms, archives and technical systems, while the bright open spaces of the church hold the books.

Historic Chapel Modern Library Renovation 5

Where one building is solid and opaque, the other is translucent, shimmering in the sunlight. The small volume connecting the chapel and the extension features a glazed roof to let in more sunlight without substantially altering the architecture of the historic structure.

Historic Chapel Modern Library Renovation 3

This library is hardly alone in making creative use of old churches, monasteries and temples. Check out the incredibly grand ‘Waanders In de Broeren’ 15th-century Dominican church-turned-library, and many other religious-to-secular conversions.

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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Night Graffiti: Shake-Powered LED Spray Paint Can Sleeve

22 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

led spray can light

The nature of graffiti tends to result in nocturnal excursions, but painting completely in the dark can be a be problem and sometimes you just need a little bit of light.

led graffiti can sketches

led can sleeve model

LASH is a light attachment for spray cans designed by Subinay Malhotra of New Delhi, India to provide low-level illumination on demand to artists on the street.

led spray can design

The device slots onto the can and charges via a motion familiar to anyone who has sprayed paint, illicitly or otherwise: the shaking action one has to repeat to keep on painting.

led spray paint functions

The LEDs are intentionally dim and easy to turn both on and off at the push of a button, all so artists can see what they are doing on an as-needed basis but blend back into the shadows with a simple click.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Living Staircase: Spiral Stairs Wrapped in Organic Greenery

21 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

living stairs viewing platform

Boldly curved and cantilevered into midair, these plant-wrapped stairs are designed to provide more than just a means of moving from one floor to another.

living steps atrium view

Stepping onto them takes occupants temporarily away from concrete floors and columns, then into and through a unique miniature ecosystem of warm and living materials.

living staircase concrete floors

This staircase by Paul Cocksedge for the Ampersand building in London is punctuated by platforms overlooking a central atrium.

living steps top floor

These circular areas act as impromptu self-contained break and gathering spaces removed from the bustle of each main office floor.

living hand rail supports

Standing out not just physically but also materially, the lively-grained wooden curves are bedecked with thin stem-like strands of white metal. In turn, these support planters that supplant the role of traditional hand rails while still providing physical and psychological safety and support.

living stairs axon drawing

Each set of stairs is supported by the floors themselves, thus rendered structurally independent of a more ordinary central-column approach.

living steps design diagram

living steps upper level

Further interactivity is woven into the biological side of the design in the form of herbs that employees can nurture, grow and ultimately pluck from the rails, facilitating a sort of in-office garden and adding a bit of mint to their tea or spice to their lunch.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

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Bounce House for Adults: Blow-Up Bubble Strung with Nets

21 Nov

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

Inflatable Bounce House for Adults 1

Admit it – you’re jealous of the little kids who get to romp in those inflatable bounce houses. Once we reach a certain age (or weight), we’re just not welcome in those primary-colored playgrounds any longer. But some lucky kids-at-heart got a chance to relive the fun of that experience with ‘Net Blow-Up,’ most recently installed near the waterfront in Yokohama by Croatian-Austrian design collective Numen/For Use.

Inflatable Bounce House for Adults 2

The inflatable play structure looks like a big white bubble in its spot beside the water, glowing like a lantern once the sun goes down. Inside, it’s strung with multiple levels black netting that’s just stretch enough to climb, jump and flip to your heart’s desire.

Inflatable Bounce House for Adults 3

Inflatable Bounce House for Adults 4

Watching it from the outside might be almost as fun as bouncing around within it, as the soft-sided structure deforms and mutates with each movement of those inside. “The outer membrane acts both like a ‘soft box’ diffuser of the outside light, or a projection screen in case of inner illumination of the installation,” say the designers.

Inflatable Bounce House for Adults 5

Inflatable Bounce House for Adults 6

Inflatables are popular as temporary installations, since they’re so easy to install and take down. Plus, they tend to have a lighthearted, comical look. Two recent examples include the Bridge in Paris and the world’s first inflatable concert hall, the Ark Nova.

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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14 Apps for Architects, Interior Designers & Homeowners

20 Nov

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

Architect Apps Main

Need to quickly calculate square footage, design a building digitally using its real-world setting, match an exact shade or sketch out an idea? There are apps for all of those things, whether you’re a casual homeowner looking to redecorate your living room or a professional architect. This collection of tools for iOS and Android mobile devices gives you easy access to all sorts of functions, wherever you may go.

Paper

Architect Apps Paper

The Paper app by FiftyThree, Inc. makes it easy to capture your ideas as sketches, diagrams, illustrations or notes and share them on the internet. It’s a simple and intuitive app built specifically for the iPad’s display. The company recently announced the introduction of a ‘pencil’ stylus that connects to the iPad via Bluetooth.

Graphisoft BIMx

Architect Apps BIMx

Available for both iOS and Android devices, BIMx is the ideal app for architects using the ArchiCAD program to present or share designs with clients and contractors.

MyPantone

Architect Apps MyPantone

Need mobile access to the entire Pantone catalog of colors? Check out myPANTONE, which includes over 13,000 Pantone colors and makes it easy to create and share color palettes.

Dream Home

Architect Apps Dream Home

Get inspired for interior design and home renovation projects with Dream Home HD, an app for iPHone and iPad that offers high-resolution photos in a wide range of design styles. Save your favorite images, share them with friends and upload your own.

Photosynth

Architect Apps PhotoSynth

The Photosynth app by Microsoft makes it easy to capture and share interactive panoramic images with not only left and right but also up and down, creating an entire sphere. That could be especially helpful when you’re assessing a building site or thinking about how to renovate or decorate an interior space.

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14 Apps For Architects Interior Designers Homeowners

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

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Nomadic Furniture: Backpack of Parts Creates Portable Seat

20 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

nomadic chair design

A wooden seat that needs to wood, glue or screws, but focusing on traditional construction techniques, this design is about the craft-oriented journeyman and not a comfort-driven destination.

nomadic backpack seat

nomadic kit of parts

nomadic furniture backpack

Jorge Penadés of Spain emphasizes the act of construction and deconstruction with his Nomadic Chair, which slots together and back apart in two minutes. It utilizes bright metal connectors and tucks away into a simple leather sling for travel.

nomadic chair joinery closeup

nomadic slotted furniture detail

nomadic metal joinery system

nomadic chair series

In both seating and backpack form it is built to stand out from the crowd. Critics will no doubt point out that it is not the most comfortable item to carry or even to sit in, but its assembly involves joinery methods that stress the process over the product. Someone looking for a camping chair is probably still best off buying one made of lightweight aluminum and seat-friendly fabric.

nomadic studio thesis project

nomadic home diagram prototypoes

nomadic housing system idea

nomadic home design system

The work is an extension of his Nomadic Studio, a student thesis project proposing larger-scale dwellings employing similar techniques to enable portable and modular home construction.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

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Boneyard Studios: Vacant Lot Hosts New Micro-Home Village

19 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

boneyard studios night view

In a bold bid to change urban landscapes, a series of tiny home builders and enthusiasts has come together to turn empty space into a microcosmic example of what small-space living can mean for dense and high-cost cities like Washington D.C.

boneyard corner lot approach

boneyard studios construction progress

Starting with a small, awkward and triangular alley lot the Boneyard Studios group proceeded to clear the debris build a series of four small homes. “The lot originally had overgrown grass, broken concrete, pooling water, garbage, illegal parking, and occasional criminal activity (e.g. a dumped stolen vehicle).”

boneyard jay exterior front

boneyard jay projector view

boneyard daytime solar panels

Brian’s Minim House is clean, refined and modern featuring minimalist details, wood siding with black metal trim and a metal roof with solar panels. It also has interior features like in-seat storage and a pull-down screen for a space-saving projector television and video player.

boneyard elaine wood interior

boneyard elaine exterior view

Elaine’s Tumbleweed Lusby is framed and filled with warm wood, feeling as much like a cabin in the woods as it does a cottage in the city. It comes complete with a bamboo ladder leading up to a cozy lofted sleeping space.

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Boneyard Studios Vacant Lot Hosts New Micro Home Village

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Flowing Forms: Curved New Cultural Center by Zaha Hadid

19 Nov

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

Zaha Hadid Heyar Aliyev 1

Architect Zaha Hadid’s designs are graceful and sinuous, imbued with dance-like movement, and the new Heydar Aliyev Center in Azerbaijan is no exception. This landmark structure, which will host the former soviet nation’s cultural programs, swoops over itself in glossy white ribbons, looking as if it were stretched and pulled into place by human hands.

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 2

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 3

This malleability and the organic forms that inspired it forms a stark contrast to the traditional, historical Soviet architecture of the city of Baku. While not so well-known in the United States, this city stands at the forefront of architectural innovation as the Azerbaijan government spends an estimated $ 6 billion per year on new buildings. Other notable works of modern architecture in the city include the Flame Towers.

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 4

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 6

Hadid’s design is a modern interpretation of Islamic architecture as a composition of rows, grids, or sequences of columns that collectively form a non-hierarchal space. An architectural skin flows from the plaza up onto the roof of the first floor, and then rises several stories to form a shell-like canopy.

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 5

The clean, curving lines of the roof structure are already inviting passersby to ascend the roof, and it’s probably only a matter of time before skateboarders turn it into one big exhilarating playground.

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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Art Aflame: 14 Pyro-Centric Sculptures & Installations

18 Nov

[ By Steph in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

Fire Art Main

The most mesmerizing of all the elements, fire is an intriguing and rewarding medium for artists who shape it, use it to transform their creations or create spectacular flaming visuals. These 14 works of art include fleeting ‘fire sculptures,’ charred human figures, portraits drawn in soot and even graffiti set ablaze.

Fire Sculptures by Rob Prideaux

Fire Art Rob Prideaux

Artist Rob Prideaux is on a “quest to shape one of the more uncontrollable phenomena [fire] in nature.” Bursts of flames, sometimes in specific shapes, are captured on camera against a stark white background in the series ‘Smoke & Fire.’

Burning Debt: P.I.G.S. by Claire Fontaine

Fire Art PIGS

Paris-based art collective Claire Fontaine makes a striking statement about the global economy with ‘P.I.G.S.,’ which refers to the acronym created by the media for Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain. A map of these nations made of matchsticks was set ablaze. The matchsticks allude to “the global socio-political instability that is the by-product of the recent financial downturn.’

Drawing with Fire: Steven Spazuk

Fire Art Spazuk 1

Fire Art Spazuk 2

These incredible photorealistic portraits are created in a highly unusual way: with soot. Artist Steven Spazuk exposes small squares of canvas to fire using a candle, gentle etching out details of a wall-sized drawing in the black markings left behind.

Graffiti on Fire by Ellis Gallagher

Fire Art Graffiti Ellis Gallagher

Not content to simply leave behind some paint on an urban surface, graffiti artist Ellis Gallagher sets his art on fire. The idea is to paint a tag and light it on fire quickly before it dries, taking advantage of the flammable nature of the paint.

Art with Water and Fire by Jeppe Hein

Fire Art Jeppe Hein

Fire and water come together in stunning sculptural installations by Danish artist Jeppe Hein. Two elements that are normally opposed form a beautiful juxtaposition in minimalist water fountains with flames burning at the top. Water dispersed with natural gas is pumped from a tank up to the top of the fountain, where the gas ignites.

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Art Aflame 14 Pyro Centric Sculptures Installations

[ By Steph in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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Sucking Smog: Electronic Vacuum Cleaner Clears City Skies

18 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

clean air smog vacuum

It sounds so preposterous and yet is sufficiently plausible that its designer is now talking to the mayor of Beijing about how to develop for urban use in this notoriously congested capital of China.

Daan Roosegaarde developed a system using buried coils of copper to create an ion electrostatic field that attracts smog particles, effectively magnetizing them and pulling them down. The result is sizable void of clean air above.

clean air beijing smog

While it cannot yet work on a city-wide basis, the idea is to begin by clearing hundreds of feet of air in key public spaces like parks, squares and other paths trafficked by pedestrians.

clean air beijing cctv

They have already prototyped a device that can suck a square meter of polluted air from a larger interior space, effectively punching a hole in a simulated cloud of smog and collecting the resulting particles safely below.

clean air city streets

The designer puts the problem and project in context: “We have created machines to enhance ourselves. We invented the wheel and cars to liberate ourselves and travel. But now these machines are striking back, making air polluted in high-density cities like Beijing.”

clean air process diagram

Their “young design firm based in the Netherlands and Shanghai, [which] has been working on intricate designs like a sustainable dance floor which generates electricity when you dance, and smart highways which produce their own light. Now [Daan Roosegaarde] and his team of engineers are creating a technology to clean the air of Asian cities.”

360Photography

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

Secular Conversion: Historic Chapel Turned Modern Library

Night Graffiti: Shake-Powered LED Spray Paint Can Sleeve

Living Staircase: Spiral Stairs Wrapped in Organic Greenery

Bounce House for Adults: Blow-Up Bubble Strung with Nets