Latest articles on Architecture by The Cool Hunter - for more checkout www.thecoolhunter.net http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:17:54 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz Latest articles on Architecture by The Cool Hunter - for more checkout www.thecoolhunter.net http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1429&Itemid=44 We love a fine wine, especially when it can be ingested in as thoughtful an environment as this one. Welcome to Merus, (http://www.meruswines.com/) a "designer" winery like no other. Located in the Napa Valley in California, Merus looks more like a Michelin-starred restaurant than your average cellar-door retail outlet. Exposed beams are the only nod to the past in this interior design strategy, which is thoroughly modern with a hint of Californian warmth. Amsterdam-based Uxus Design (http://www.uxusdesign.com/) is the architecture and design firm behind the winery. With more than a few inspiring, high profile projects under its belt, Uxus is one of the Netherlands' hottest design studios - with an office (http://www.thecoolhunter.net/offices/UXUS-Design-Offices/) to match, - which we got to experience first hand during our trip to Amsterdam last week. It's been a busy year for Uxus, who have unveiled a number of other great retail design projects recently including the new Heineken 'concept' bars which will open in airports across the globe and one of Europe's coolest McDonald's play areas in Amsterdam. They were also behind the Buccella Wines (http://www.buccellawines.com/) bottle design, which we featured (http://www.thecoolhunter.net/food/Buccella-Wines/)last week. - Bill TikosSee also Design Wine (http://www.thecoolhunter.net/design/DESIGN-WINE/) Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:16:27 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1398&Itemid=44 Dupli Casa, a private residence by the Neckar river, near the old town of Marbach in South- Western Germany, is a wonderfull example of connection and fluidity. It connects the inside with the outside, up with down, air with ground and — most cleverly — past with present and even future.From the outside, the three-storey concrete villa looks like a bit like some sort of a fiberglass motorboat job gone funny, yet it also manages to look immensely appealing and intriguing. From some angles, the structure appears to be standing upside down — the lower exterior rim spilling onto the lawn and forming a part of a roof structure, if the building were to stand the other way around. It could have been blown there by the wind; it could be a StarWarsian vehicle frozen in place; it could be just taking off to outer space.The outdoor swimming pool and the white surface surrounding it seem like a perfect reflection of the house, almost as if the house had been face down on the ground, and when it was lifted off the ground, the process had left an imprint of a swimming pool on the ground and the large window opening in the house.The views from the inside are amazing, especially from the vast ground-level openings that again, give the sensation of flying, being airborne, weightlessness. Everything is fluid, flowing and smooth. All of this is very much in keeping with the main inspiration for the house. The new residence follows the footprint of the previous dwelling and its numerous extensions. The idea was to let the “family archaeology” continue in the new building. It’s a house that remembers its beginnings in 1984 yet projects boldly into the future.Dupli Casa is the work of Jürgen Mayer H., founder and principal of his cross-disciplinary studio. J. Mayer H. Architekten (http://www.jmayerh.com/) in Berlin. Other team members include Georg Schmidthals, Thorsten Blatter and Simon Takasak, plus Uli Wiesler’s architecture studio based in Stuttgart. - Tuija Seipell Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:55:47 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1382&Itemid=44 Shuhei Endo's steel, timber and glass structure, Bubbletecture H, inflates ominously out of the Japanese landscape. The visitor centre, built in a valley between Osaka and Hiroshima, was planned in three sections housing a theatre/lecture hall, a bookshop/galley and a workshop. Endo’s design aesthetic throughout his career has focused on numerous experiments with steel and the seemingly limitless possibilities the material has in the built environment. He continually sets out to prove that architecture can possess diversity while simultaneously following the rules of geometry, and Bubbletecture H is certainly not an exception. Endo has a phenomenal ability to place anything he designs within nature. The visitor centre is a structural geometry of bubbles from afar. But close up, the surface appears to mimic the faceted planes on the surface of a diamond. Minimal glazing prevents this building from glimmering in its valley. Instead, Endo subdued his design with rusted steel and occasional moss surfaces to sit within the surrounding forest – additionally meeting his client’s desire to educate the people living in the Hyogo prefecture, as well as anyone else who visit on global environmental concerns. Drawn from concepts in traditional Japanese vernacular architecture, the superstructure was prefabricated from local Japanese cedar. Prefabrication minimises both economic and environmental impacts – less material to transport shorter distances instantly reduces carbon emissions released from the onset of the project. And like a cliff temple, the supporting structure clings to the earth only where necessary – the building, nearly 1000 square metres is carefully connected to only sixteen deeply buried 1.5 metres wide beams – and that’s all that goes in the ground.The concept for the design of Bubbletecture H thoroughly examines nature’s cyclical systems. Circulation through the three functional sections of the building is apparent in the rational built form connecting these spaces across the landscape. Another set of systems cycle and collect rainwater that falls on the building’s surface and reuse it for irrigation. And perhaps the most significant systemic process, the life cycle of the entire site, has been acknowledged, as green technology oozes from practically every surface. Endo’s exhibition dedicated to environmental studies hopes to heighten people’s awareness in their surroundings – and by raising awareness improved care is imminent for the valley and its environs. - Andrew J Wiener Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:09:55 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1349&Itemid=44 Munetsugu Hall (http://www.munetsuguhall.com/), completed in 2007 in Naka Ward, Nagoya, Japan. It is a privately-funded concert hall that continues the age-old but almost-dead tradition of wealthy arts patrons initiating and financing the creation of art spaces. Fluid, white wall shapes are the distinctive feature of Munetsugu Hall’s main performance space. The walls bring to mind artistic sweep marks left by a gigantic builder who in his boredom doodled in his mortar tray with a massive trowel and then let the shapes solidify.Norihiko Dan has won several architecture awards in Japan and Taiwan including the Distinguished Architect Award of the Japanese Institute of Architecture and the ARCADIA (http://www.aca-13.com/) Award Gold Medal in 2007. His work has been part of exhibitions in Japan, Taiwan, USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Italy and the UK. In addition to being a respected architect and educator, Norihiko Dan is also an architecture historian and writes novels and screenplays.Munetsugu Hall’s generous benefactor is Tokuji Munetsugu who with his wife Naomi made a fortune in the restaurants business. Their company Ichibanya Co. Ltd. (based in Aichi, Japan) operates more than 1,000 curry and pasta restaurants under the names Curry House CoCo Ichibanya and Pasta de Coco. Munetsugu spent two billion yen to build the 310-seat concert hall. He has also set up a nonprofit organization to support welfare, sports and arts activities. - Tuija Seipell Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:59:17 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1245&Itemid=44 We are on a hunt for supremely cool houses, from beach homes, country homes and city pads to holiday houses and ski retreats, we want to know where the coolest houses are for our upcoming book (http://www.thecoolhunter.net/books/Worlds-Coolest-Houses---Architects/Photographers-submit-your-designs/). We are looking for the most unique houses from Sao Paulo to Sydney. Slightly cool, standard-issue luxury won’t do it. The houses we want must think like Zaha Hadid who said “I like architecture to have someraw, vital, earthy quality.” So, if you are an architect of such a house, please submit your project for consideration or if you a photographer who has photographed such a house, please get in touch - (%20%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%20%3C%21--%20var%20prefix%20=%20%27ma%27%20+%20%27il%27%20+%20%27to%27;%20var%20path%20=%20%27hr%27%20+%20%27ef%27%20+%20%27=%27;%20var%20addy32279%20=%20%27bill%27%20+%20%27@%27;%20addy32279%20=%20addy32279%20+%20%27thecoolhunter%27%20+%20%27.%27%20+%20%27net%27;%20document.write%28%20%27%3Ca%20%27%20+%20path%20+%20%27%5C%27%27%20+%20prefix%20+%20%27:%27%20+%20addy32279%20+%20%27%5C%27%3E%27%20%29;%20document.write%28%20addy32279%20%29;%20document.write%28%20%27%3C%5C/a%3E%27%20%29;%20/--%3E%5Cn%20%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%20%3C%21--%20document.write%28%20%27%3Cspan%20style=%5C%27display:%20none;%5C%27%3E%27%20%29;%20/--%3E%20%3C/script%3EThis%20e-mail%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spam%20bots,%20you%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it%20%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%20%3C%21--%20document.write%28%20%27%3C/%27%20%29;%20document.write%28%20%27span%3E%27%20%29;%20/--%3E%20%3C/script%3E)bill@thecoolhunter.net (mailto:bill@thecoolhunter.net)This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:41:02 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1338&Itemid=44 Golf and drab are synonyms, right? And the mere mention of Golf andCountry Club makes you run. Away. Fast. Golf may indeed have a bit ofan image problem but that did not deter the Zürich-based Smolenicky Partner Architektur (http://www.smolenicky-architektur.com/) when they were retained to work on the expansion of the venerable Sempachersee Golf Club located near Lucerne in Switzerland.In addition to the new club house-restaurant building and the newmaintenance building, both of which Smolenicky designed, the expansionincluded a second 18-hole golf course. All of this has made Golf ClubSempachersee the largest golf club in Switzerland and, quite likely,the club with the coolest club house.In their approach to the club house, Smolenicky sought to manifesttwo things: what they call the “country character of the golfingculture of the Sempachersee course” and the course’s worldlysophistication. They took their design cues from “the rural warmth of atimber barn and the clear lines of a Maserati sports car.” Theresulting building, the sleek and minimalist interior, and themagnificent 180-degree panoramic views of the Sempachersee lake and theAlps might just be reasons enough to give golf another chance. Or, atthe very least, rethink what a golfing environment could look like. By Tuija Seipell Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:14:11 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1320&Itemid=44 Humlegård House is the stark-looking, year-round residence of a former Finnish TV documentary producer. He moved to this house, located in the town of Fiskars, 78 kilometers west of Helsinki, from a central-Helsinki heritage apartment. Many aspects of Humlegård, especially its placement to respond to the forces of nature, resemble the owner’s childhood home, a large country manor in central Finland.Designed by Kimmo Friman of Friman Laaksonen Architects (http://www.fl-a.fi) of Helsinki, Humlegård House is situated on a small, flat hill so that the north-south line runs diagonally through the building. This is the traditional way of placing a building so that it functions optimally as an energy efficient and comfortable dwelling in the harsh, Finnish climate. Protection from the wind and maximum use of sunlight are primary considerations, and the placement of rooms is as much dependent on how much the room needs heat and daylight as it is on how the residents use each space.The floor plan resembles the layout of a traditional peasant farmhouse, split lengthwise into two. The house consists of three multi-function areas: two large living rooms linked by a loft with a bathroom and walk-in closet below.In a typically Finnish fashion, the building appears simple, stark and utilitarian yet exudes a harmonious and stylish form function sensibility. The owner and architect selected each building material carefully, opting for traditional, natural materials. “I did not want materials of which we did not have decades of experience,” said the owner. Horizontal spruce board – left untreated for maximum structure breathability -- is the main feature of the interior.The spruce-clad outer facade weathers into a beautiful gray color that matches the stark surroundings. The east-facing facade is clad with galvanized corrugated-steel that protects the wall from rain and sun and also reflects excessive sun away in the summer. The placement of windows was determined by the requirements of the interior spaces. A separate, tiny log sauna, also designed by Friman, was built later east of the main building. By Tuija Seipell Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:10:30 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1305&Itemid=44 Antwerp, Belgium-based one-year-old sculp(IT) (http://users.telenet.be/sculpit/) is a partnership of two architects, Pieter Peerlings and Silvia Mertens. They have recently completed a clever office, residence and studio for themselves in what they call “Antwerp’s narrowest house” located in Anwerp’s former red-light district. They took a 2.4-meter (7 feet 10 inches) wide space between two buildings, erected a steel skeleton in it and installed four wooden floors, one each for work, dining, relaxing and sleeping, plus a bath tub on the roof. A one-piece staircase connects the floors. The walls are all glass, allowing light in and creating a feel of space. In a nod to the area’s “exhibitionist” past, each “window” to the street has a black frame emphasizing the showcase or display aspect. The multi-color lighting scheme completes the seedy notion. By Tuija Seipell Wed, 28 May 2008 01:04:08 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1300&Itemid=44 There’s a new planet in the solar system and it’s called Luxury. Actually, it is here on earth, on a little-known island called Nurai, (http://www.nurai.ae/site.aspx) located northeast of Abu Dhabi city. The 130,000-square-meter island is about to be transformed into an achingly glamorous and luxurious resort and exclusive private residential estate, comprised of one boutique luxury hotel resort with 60 suites, 31 beachfront estates and 36 water villas. The mammoth project is a collaboration between New York based Studio Dror (http://www.studiodror.com), led by Dror Benshetrit, that has designed the residences, and the Paris-based firm AW2 (http://www.aw2.net/) are responsible for the design of the hotel. The sheer scale of the project is awe-inspiring; the incredible multi-storey water villas alone will span 515 square metres each, comprising of three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a private rooftop garden with spa pool, private infinity pool, multiple decks, outdoor barbeque area, gourmet kitchen and concealed service quarters. No doubt Tom Katie are making their reservations already. As for the private “Seaside” residences (which are sure to be snapped up by Saudi Princes and oil shieks because they will probably be the only ones who can afford them), the five bedroom-six bathroom estates span across between 3,000 – 6,050 square metres. Each “Seaside” estate will include a private beach and garden, rooftop garden with spa pool, infinity swimming pool, indoor reflecting pools, concealed service quarters, entertainment patios, outdoor dining areas, chef and show kitchens and outdoor showers. The resort is due to open in 2010 and residences start at €20 million. By Lisa Evans Mon, 19 May 2008 06:55:33 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1298&Itemid=44 Some of us think that our far off ancestors lived in the trees – and during our childhood, when our thoughts and memories are most pure, we yearn to climb trees growing in our gardens, in our parks, in our cities. As we get older, the urge to climb trees subsides as we ride elevators up to our offices in the sky and look out across the cities where we live. Yet occasionally, as we’re sealed up tight in our artificially climatic spaces, we long for a breath of fresh air. At a German company called baumraum (http://www.baumraum.de/) an architect, a landscape architect, an arbologist, and a craftsman design modern, natural and solidly constructed treehouses. Each treehouse project is assessed individually. The team takes into consideration both the condition of the environment and of the tree, with the size and features the clients desire. baumraum offers a range of wood-types as well as options for insulated walls. Treespaces can be outfitted with sitting and sleeping benches, storage spaces, a mini-kitchen, heating, glass windows, lighting, as well as a sound system for multimedia. Every piece is pre-fabricated in a workshop, and then brought together on site. Sound like something you’ve been wanting? The baumraum team offers free consultation where they can talk you through every option available as you put together your dream treehouse. The treehouses can span multiple levels and sit among several trees. Treehouses are mostly secured with ropes, thereby minimising the impact of stress to the tree or trees on which the house is placed. And if a tree is particularly weak, or even if a treehouse is wanted where there is no suitable tree, stilts are used to guarantee people everywhere can once again climb trees. By Andrew J Wiener. Thu, 15 May 2008 20:23:24 +0100