Richmond Place House / Boyd Cody Architects

Via @ArchDaily, The house is located in a conservation area close to Dublin’s city centre, on a small but prominent infill corner site at the junction between Mountpleasant Avenue and Richmond Place. The house is located in a conservation area close to Dublin’s city centre, on a small but prominent infill corner site at the junction between Mountpleasant Avenue and Richmond Place. A modest dwelling built to replace the existing cottage located on the site. The accommodation consists of 2no. bedrooms, 2no. bathrooms, kitchen, utility and living / dining area set over three separate levels. At two stories the house remains substantially in character with the nearby terrace of houses and forms a low book-end building to Richmond Place, while making a strong contextual response to both the unusual site configuration and the prevailing architectural context, in particular the gable end of the house immediately opposite on Mountpleasant Square. Approximately triangular in shape and with a pronounced curve along Richmond Place, the house adopts the site boundary line along its north and south elevations and aligns with the adjacent terrace to the east and west. The resultant form is carved twice to make two compressed entrance spaces one to the front and a smaller one at the rear. In order to maintain the low-lying nature of the block fronting to Richmond Place, the living room is sunk 750mm into the ground, following the natural fall across the site.

Pio Restaurant / Sebastian Marsical Studio

Via @archdaily the discovery of a finely crafted wooden box set into an existing building on 10th Ave. immediately defines the initial intentions of this design: mystery, discovery, and contradiction. The visitor enters this rustic wooden box and is removed from the noisy Manhattan streets. An exquisite marble host-table floats within the space enclosed in reclaimed wood. However, this is only a glimpse of what exists beyond. The limited view increases the tension and desire for exploration. In the following space, a sparkling brass vestibule glows within a second wooden box.

This stimulating entry leads to a 40-foot, monolithic marble bar resting on a distressed concrete floor. The bar also defines the long corridor towards another space at the end of the restaurant, set at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Here the lights dim and one finds oneself contained in a volume woven entirely in Ocotillo canes. A series of concrete forms simultaneously enclose this main dining hall and integrate it with the various res- taurant services. Once inside, the experience is no longer defined by the relationship of the restaurant with New York City; here the magic belongs to a fantastical experience that is characteristic of Latin America.

Altis Belem Hotel by Risco Architects

Via @Contemporist, Altis Belém Hotel by RISCO Architects

The Bom Sucesso Hotel is situated in Belém, on the waterfront to the east of the Bom Sucesso Dock and opposite the Belém Cultural Centre. It is a 5-star hotel with 50 rooms and a number of facilities intended to support water sports.

The main structure, which has two floors, lies perpendicular to the Tagus in such a way as to make best use of the views across the city and the estuary. It is also designed not to constitute a visual obstacle along the axis between the Belém Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries. The hotel is also composed of a rectangular platform, which incorporates the restaurant and creates a “pocket” designed to increase guest privacy. There is an open green space above the platform. A very narrow structure, which sits between the hotel and the restaurant and connects them, possesses a strong identity of its own that is related to the look of the nearby Museum of Popular Art.

BIT Bogstadveien - Scenario

BIT Bogstadveien - Scenario

BIT-chain has been well known for a long time in Oslo for their delicious sandwiches and calzone, as well as for a cool industrial open kitchen interior design that the owner did himself.

But during the past year, BIT decided that they want a new identity that would be more friendly and welcoming. Together with an advertisement company Dinamo we developed a modern version of the classic European bistro. We had a focus on English and French bistros and tried to make a new fusion version for Oslo’s inhabitants- Norwegian bistro. All items of graphical profiling, furniture and details are built under this concept.

Before BIT moved to Bogstadveien, a bookstore Norli had a cafe place at the same location. The existing ceiling and lighting were kept, but the lighting concept was upgraded with the ass lamps of British designer Tom Dixon. To create a homelike atmosphere, we designed two large couches – one with a high back so that people can sit for a long time, and another one without back – for people just waiting for the food they have ordered. This sofas were made by the local producer Buskerud Trevare AS.

To emphasize British influence we chose the textiles of the British designer Paul Smith for sofas. The employees, who work at BIT,are an important part of the new visual concept and for them we oredered the aprons of the same fabric as the sofas.

Paul Smith was a great inspiration for the interior, therefore colors that have been chosen for interior – red, dark gray, light green, black are selected by studying his fabrics.

In the kitchen we are using classic French bistro tiles, while the walls in the customer area is covered with photo wallpapers with a painting of a hunting picture.The original of the picture “Ruffnecked Grouse” ( Oil on canvas, size: 24×36 inches, 1971 ) by Peter Darro was bought by the BIT owner at RoGalleery NYC/ 2009. This painting is used for the packaging design as well.

Architects: AS Scenario Interiørarkitekter MNIL

Location: Bogstadveien 48, Oslo, Norway

Project Responsible: Linda Steen, Interior Architect MNIL

Project Lead Designer: Vesma Kontere McQuillan, Dipl. Architect/ Interior Architect MA

Project Assistant Designer: Nichlas Hoel, Interior Architect

Collaboration Partners: Dinamo AS, graphic designer Axel Hartvig-Larsen

Building company: Jos Eiendom AS

Customer: BIT Norge As

Project Area: 150 sqm

Project Year: 2009

Photographs: Gatis Rozenfelds, F64 SIA( Latvia)

House in Pozuelo de Alarcon by A-Cero Architects

Article @Contemporist. A-cero Architects designed the house in Pozuelo de Alarcón, in Madrid, Spain.

House in Pozuelo de Alarcón by A-cero Architects

The house is hided behind a harmonious sculptural set of curved walls made of stone dark granite and marble travertino that seem to emerge from a big water plate arranged in the house entry.

In addition to the beauty of this structure, it offers a high grade of privacy and tact between the exterior (street) and the house. Other more, this structure goes to the back part, as a front, where is a natural, clear and kind scenery.

This block disposition and the house plot (a descending slope towards a lake) are used to distribute the house in two plants: a high floor, with exterior access, and a low floor. Both of them are looking to a wide terrace with a pergola and to the garden house.

In the high plant, we find a very wide and luminous hall provided with natural light for top skylights, and with two plates of waters dominated by two bronze lions. In addition it is used to lead to the kitchen, wine vault, dining room, lounge, office – library, and to the most private area: the principal bedroom, dressing-room, bath, interior swimming pool and small gymnasium. Also we find the stairs that descend to the low floor where there are a games lounge and a movies room, kids and guests bedrooms and the service area with two bedrooms in suite and with a wide area for the housework. All the house rooms are provided with wide large windows in a dark safety glass. These windows (that also works as doors) and a lot of house elements are completely computerized and motorized: lighting, safety, blinds, air conditioning … everything is centralized.

The high floor communicates with a terrace. In the lounge the access to outside is made by a long large window that provides a continuity sensation from the interior space to outside.

This terrace is covered by a pergola made of an aluminium structure that supports the sculptural premeditation of the building. In one of the side parts of the garden, there is a relaxation area with a pond of Buddhist inspiration.

Photographer: Ferran Silva (A-cero)

The Black House by Andrés Remy Architects

Article @Archdaily. Andrés Remy Architects designed The Black House in a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Black House by Andrés Remy Architects

The black house was born by the request of a young couple, brought to us by another of our projects “The Waterfall House”, which gave us the challenge of improving what we had done at that moment, taking advantage of the freedom they gave us during the design.

This single house is located in a closed neighborhood, 30km. away from Buenos Aires. The lot, 20 meters wide and 50 meters length with 3 meter of lateral retreats, has amazing views to the lake we could not let aside.

The analysis of the lot showed us the advantages and disadvantages we should take into account along the entire design process. The best views to the lake were at the back of the lot, while the best orientation was at the front. The surrounding houses and the wide lot marked the visuals we should use.

The simple program, for a socially active couple without children, made relevant the resolution of the social areas. We decided to divide the social areas in two. In one side are located the common areas, such as the kitchen and the dinning room. On the other side is located the living room, closer to the lake.

The shallow pool that divides the house in two allows the indirect light to bathe the interiors, as the northern sun reflects it’s light on the water surface. This way, light is present in every corner of the house, but never in a direct way.

Both programs are connected by a glass bridge, with the water running under your feet.
The living room, 10 meters wide and 5 meters length, opens to the exterior using glass walls. It was thought in a lower level than the rest of the house, making it permeable and allowing the ambients a clean view to the lake.

The resolution of the first floor follows the same criteria of differencing areas. At the front are located the bedrooms for the future children, with views to the lake. As a bridge, joining the two volumes in the lower floor is the main bedroom with a giant overhang that conquers the best views to the lake, seeming to float over the water.

The Black House has an almost provocative sobriety, where the pure white in the inside provoques an emotive contrast with the absolute black in the outside, reminding the bite of an apple. A strong characteristic that names the house.

CREDITS:

PROJECT AND DIRECTION: ANDRES REMY ARQUITECTOS
DESIGN TEAM: ANDRES REMY, HERNAN PARDILLOS, JULIETA RAFEL, CARLOS ARELLANO, GISELA COLOMBO.
BUILDING DIRECTION: ANDRES REMY, ASOCIATED HERNAN PARDILLOS.
STRUCTURAL STUDY: CLAUDIO.
SURFACE: 330m

GAD (Global Architectural Development) and Dara Kirmizitoprak have completed the CastleRock residential development in Bodrum, Turkey.

Article @Contemporist. GAD (Global Architectural Development) and Dara Kirmizitoprak have completed the CastleRock residential development in Bodrum, Turkey.

CastleRock by GAD and Dara Kirmizitoprak

CastleRock is a 3800m2 residential development located on a 12,000m2 site in Bodrum, a city on the southern coast of Turkey. Bodrum is nestled against the sea, and is characterized largely by its Mediterranean climate. The site is located near the center of Bodrum, perched on a hillside overlooking the city some 65m above sea level. The site is defined by its natural surroundings, and unobstructed views of the sea. The area is also surrounded by a number of archeological sites, including an ancient amphitheater constructed around the fourth century BC, and the Bodrum Castle, which was constructed in the 15th century.

CastleRock is thus shaped by the forces that surround it, and attempts to blend harmoniously with the neighboring environment and respond sensitively to the nature slope. As a strategy, the buildings are organized by bending and curving them along the natural contours of the site, thus sculpting the landscape and maximizing unobstructed views of the castle. This process is similar to that of braiding, where an organizational grid is established on the site, and a process of threading is used to organize the structures on the site.

As a result, housing types evolve thru a similar strategy, and are organized on different levels to provide a maximum level of variety. There are 16 units on the site consisting of 3 unique typologies. There are both duplex & triplex units, each with their own pool and garden. While sweeping walls provide a level of privacy for the units and maximize views from the houses, openings are punched in the stone walls in order to take advantage of the panoramic views at many different angles.

CastleRock makes use of very few materials, in order to respond more sensitively to the local environment and to provide a sense of unity with the natural surroundings. The buildings are constructed from four primary materials: stone, concrete, glass and steel. The natural stone cladding is regional, and is supplied from local quarries.