Weekly architecture news 2009/12/11

Monday, the 07th of December 2009

COURTYARD HOUSE ON A STEEP SITE
Mercer Island, Washington
Hutchison & Maul Architecture

The program is for a residence of approximately 6,700 SF, with a detached 3-car garage. The site is very steep, long and narrow – it’s 50’ wide by 400’ long with an average slope of 35%. Located on the west side of Mercer Island, there are panoramic views west towards Seattle and the Olympic Mountains beyond. Zoning requirements allowed us to only occupy 35’ of the 50’ property width, and limited the height of the building to 30’ relative to the slope of the site ... read more

Tuesday, the 08th of December 2009

HOUSE Y.Z.R.
Tokyo, Japan
Junichi Sampei/ A.L.X.

This apartment, completed in 2006, was built on the site in the centre of a city. Four stories reinforced concrete structure by Junichi Sampei/ A.L.X. gives a lot of character into place where it has been built. This very interesting modern design idea shows a contrast between "closed" and "opened" spaces. From outside it is a strong and dens quadratic form however inside you can find a lot of spaces with big glazed openings ... read more

Wednesday, the 09th of December 2009

STERK BEDRIJF
Gorredijk, Netherlands
Architectuurbureau Sluijmer en van Leeuwen

In discussing the co-existence of commercial buildings and the countryside, the design of the Sterk Bedrijf makes an interesting stand against the ongoing spatial cluttering of these landscapes. By mixing business spaces with public functions, the Sterk Bedrijf provides an answer to the undesirable mono-culture of commercial areas ... read more

Thursday, the 10th of December 2009

YOUTH RECREATION & CULTURE CENTRE
Copenhagen, Denmark
Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter ApS, Cebra Arkitekter A/S

New architecture project by Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter ApS in collaboration with Cebra Arkitekter A/S is situated in a residential area in a northern suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark. The area predominately consists of large villas from the turn of the century. The site is long and narrow- on one side bordering the rail road and on the other a busy road-Gersonsvej - hence there was a noise problem to be solved ... read more

Friday, the 11th of December 2009

GOLD STREET HOUSE
Bunswick-Victoria, Australia
Kavellaris Urban Design

“The Gold Street House responds to the rear lane way like character which consists of garage doors, timber back yard fences and at times neglected left over spaces from the terrace houses that front the opposing street. We felt that these homes (like many terrace typologies) abandoned the rear of their Terraces fronting Gold Street and in doing so over the years cultivated a language of gable/hipped roof building forms and utilitarian lean to structures constructed of light weight material such as compressed sheet; a very low tech economically driven decision ... read more