Category Archives: Design
History: How Five Bridges Changed New York City
Once upon a time, ferries were the only way to travel between New York’s five boroughs but thanks to the construction of major bridges, like the Brooklyn Bridge and George Washington Bridge, the city became connected. Join Michael for a closer look at how five bridges helped shape NYC into the bustling city we know today.
Design/Culture: Monocle Magazine – September 2023
- TIME FOR CHANGE – It’s easy to become stuck in a groove, doing things the same old way. Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, throws down the challenge: make this the month that you step back out there and do something differently – even if it is just getting a sharp, new haircut.
- THE OPENER – Monocle has a network of correspondents in cities around the world. Our brief dispatches include good news for pedestrians in Bangkok, a smart hotel in Tokyo and transformed spaces in Los Angeles.
- FREEING VERSE – The US poet laureate believes that poetry can help us to live more fully. That’s why she is bringing it into America’s national parks.
- WINGS FOR HIRE – Meet the island hoppers training the next generation of pilots.
- THE WOOL PACK – It’s a tough, lonely job and your co-workers are always bleating. So why are students flocking to Andalusia’s shepherd school?
Design: Te Pae North Piha Surf Tower, New Zealand
The brief was for a robust, low-maintenance building that would withstand the severe North Piha coastal environment. It needed to provide accommodation for four lifeguards with excellent visibility along the beach – a building that was functional and responded to its context.
Piha is a part of the rohe (territory) of Te Kawerau ā Maki (the indigenous Māori tribe) who gifted the name Te Pae, meaning ‘to perch’ – a place to sit, look, and observe. It was a privilege to be able to incorporate this narrative into the concept for the tower.
The form offers a softness and quiet presence in this powerful coastal location. The site is remote, and so prefabricated concrete sections were factory-made and assembled on site. This minimised dune and planting disturbance on this fragile beach. North Piha is unusual in that the sand is black. The black oxidised concrete references this and the curved form reflects the undulating dunes that the building sits amongst. The tower is modest in scale and recessive, respecting its setting. At the same time, as a beacon for visitors to the beach, it requires easy recognition, and the distinctive form sits in contrast to the beautiful, rugged backdrop. This is a piece of coastal sculpture with a nod to traditional maritime observation structures around the New Zealand coast.
The tower is sustainable, utilising operable windows for ventilation, with high levels of insulation, sun protection, thermal mass, and natural light. It provides shelter and protection for the lifeguards. The placement of the windows was carefully determined with the club to provide optimum beach surveillance and a connection back to the clubhouse.
The new tower is a vital addition to safety at North Piha. It delivers a facility that supports the extraordinary volunteers who run it and meets the needs of its community now and into the future.
Design: Enki Magazine – September/October 2023
James Gorst Architects forms timber-framed temple | Fabric-first approach
James Gorst Architects has adopted a fabric-first and passive design approach to the build of a timber-framed temple complex in rural Hampshire.
Art & Design Essays: ‘Will AI Wipe Out Architects?’
It’s revolutionizing building – but could AI kill off an entire profession? Perhaps not, finds our writer, as he enters a world where Corbusier-style marvels and 500-room hotels are just a click away
Oliver Wainwright – The Guardian (August 7, 2023): A handful of little green blocks flashes up on the screen, filling a building site with a neat grid of uniform cubes. One second they form rows of towers, next they morph into low-rise courtyards, then they flip back into long slender slabs, before cycling through hundreds of other iterations, in a hypnotic high-speed ballet of bristling buildings.
I watch this while on a Zoom call with Wanyu He, an architect based in Shenzhen, China, and the founder of XKool, an artificial intelligence company determined to revolutionise the architecture industry. She freezes the dancing blocks and zooms in, revealing a layout of hotel rooms that fidget and reorder themselves as the building swells and contracts. Corridors switch sides, furniture dances to and fro. Another click and an invisible world of pipes and wires appears, a matrix of services bending and splicing in mesmerising unison, the location of lighting, plug sockets and switches automatically optimised. One further click and the construction drawings pop up, along with a cost breakdown and components list. The entire plan is ready to be sent to the factory to be built.
Futuristic Architecture: ‘Vista Villa’ – Rabani Design
Amazing Architecture (August 1, 2023) – As you step inside the villa, you are greeted with a breathtaking view of the river through the expansive glass windows. The interior design of the villa boasts tall ceilings, creating an airy and spacious atmosphere. The use of vegetation and stone in some parts of the interior, such as the master bedroom, kitchen, and living room, adds a touch of nature and tranquility to the space.
The villa’s interior design is a beautiful blend of modern and natural elements. The warm wood materials used throughout the space create a cozy and inviting atmosphere, while the tall ceilings give it a sense of grandeur. The use of vegetation and stone in some parts of the interior adds a touch of nature and serenity to the space.
In conclusion, this futuristic modern villa is a true architectural masterpiece. With its unique doublex design, round ceilings, and stunning use of materials, it stands out as a true work of art. The interior design is equally impressive, with its tall height and beautiful blend of modern and natural elements. This villa truly offers a one-of-a-kind living experience that is both luxurious and serene.
By Liliana Alvarez
HARVARD DESIGN MAGAZINE S/S 22 – SUMMER 2023 ISSUE
THE WORLD-CITIES OF THE GLOBAL AGE
By Diana L. Eck
Lewis Mumford in introducing his now-classic study The City in History wrote, “This book opens with a city that was, symbolically, a world: it closes with a world that has become, in many practical aspects, a city.”1 He saw among the chief functions of the city the conversion of energy into culture. Indeed, the city of old was the anchor of the surrounding culture and synonymous with it. However in the decades since he wrote, the energies of cities have been fueled by an increasingly diverse population with increasingly diverse cultures. Cities are the very places where we see the effects of global migration and face the questions of identity in a complex multicultural society. Today there are a multitude of cities that are, symbolically, the world with all its diversity. Not just New York and London, but Minneapolis and Leeds are today’s world-cities. And the globalization of people, communications, and transportation has created a world that is, in many ways, a city.
READING ARCHITECTURE IN AN ERA OF GLOBALIZATION
By Nicolai Ouroussoff
The architectural profession is in the midst of a long-overdue ethical reckoning. For years, it could ride the tidal wave of globalization to bigger and better commissions while still claiming that it was fighting the good fight. Nowadays, architects are more likely to be on the defensive. Our most celebrated architectural minds are routinely chastised in the media for placing personal vanity above the interests of the general public. And the fact that many of them have been far too willing to brush aside a client’s dubious ethics for the right commission has done little to dispel that perception.
O
Skyscraper Architecture: Tour Of Billionaire’s Row
West 57th Street has been attracting Manhattan’s wealthiest residents for centuries–a former amalgamation of brownstone and gothic mansions in the 1800s, the street has evolved into a hotspot for supertall luxury skyscrapers boasting the three tallest residential buildings in the world.
Join Nick as he deep-dives into the area’s rich history and explains why Billionaires’ Row could only be built on 57th Street.
Sailing Yachts: 131′ Nautor Swan ‘Aristarchos’ (2006)
She was built for and by an experienced yachtsman and has been lovingly maintained by the same Owner with a rigorous and well-documented maintenance program since her delivery, leaving her in exceptional condition.
Bringing together Frers Naval Architecture and Rhoades Young interior design, the result is a sleek sailing yacht that is both luxurious and very comfortable. She can accommodate 8 guests in 3 staterooms and features ample deck space to lounge and connect with the sun and sea.
