Bollens | Looking Out Week 16

The conversation about sustainability is an ongoing one in the realm of architecture. That said new building materials and manufacturing processes are beginning to emerge... or are they? Some daring architects today are looking back to Wood as a primary building material for large scale buildings. When the shift to concrete and steel construction happened. Buildings could soar to new heights, literally, but now new technology is potentially allowing wood to do the same in a much more sustainable way. Architect Michael Green has designed wooden skyscrapers in Vancouver that he says can offset climate change. With increased interest from clients, this can potentially be the future of high rise construction for sustainability.

Carolina Tamayo | Looking Out Week 16

This is a wooden swing/ sculpture design was created by Veronica Martinez. It was crafted by Spanish sculptors and is made out of cerejeira wood and treated with Teka oil. The ergonomic curved shape makes this seat a comfortable and relaxing space to be in.  Additionally,  the leaf form was inspired by warm season of autumn.

Link: http://www.trendir.com/archives/006525.html

Alyssa Hamilton: Looking Out Week 16

The National Tourist Routes in Noway Project

The government in Norway worked on a 15 year plan to generate tourism. Many architects were asked to design travel routes and rest areas that emphasized the natural landscape. The routes showcase cliffs, farms, lakes, and valleys in unique, beautiful ways.

Liz Dolinar: Looking Out Week 16

This is the Senedd (National Assembly building) in Cardiff, Wales, by Richard Rogers (2006). It is constructed out of Welsh slate and oak wood. The wood allows the form of the building to be unique and organic, and creates visually engaging conditions. I really enjoy this project because of the different conditions of wood throughout the building. Most of the interior is clad with thin strips of wood, yet there are many different configurations of the wood and different conditions that those yield. In some places, like in the last photo, the wood is bent and creates a unique and dynamic space because of the swoop of the wooden ceiling. In other places, the wood strips are flat or tilted, which also creates different conditions.

Danielle Lehmann: Looking Out Week 16

The Trojan House in Melbourne, Australia is a large addition to an existing house by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects. The addition included a new facade, completed in wood. Part of the addition consisted of three bedrooms and a bathroom space which cantilevers itself over and one story above a garden to create as much back yard as possible. The wood facade has openings along the cantilevered space: rectangles with circular openings push out in order to let in a breeze or more light. The orientation of the wood emphasizes the horizontality of the addition.