Moesk Control Center by Arch-group + ABTB

This is project of the reconstruction of the network control centre of electricity- distribution company MOESK. The main space is the control room. There in a space of 320 m2 the we placed a two-level podium made of corian with workstations for six controllers and a wall of video screens. The wall consists of 36 Barco video cubes showing info on the condition of the electricity network.

Other space is decorated laconically. Such decision and dark floor have underlined the dynamical form of a snow-white podium. The wall finish Is perforated BILDEX. The luminescent lamps hidden behind the translucent ceiling – light up the space. Powerful projectors are turned to the workstations.

Architects: Arch-group + ABTB
Location: Moscow, Russia
Project team: Krymov M. D., Gorjainov A.V., Bashkaev T.I
Client: Moscow United electricity network company
Total area: 1,500 sqm
Design year: 2008
Construction year: 2008-2009
Photographs: Arch-group

Lightmos by Architectkidd

The building project began as a transformation of an existing shophouse into a showroom and office for lighting products. Converting this building type to provide new retail functions was a significant challenge that required extensive modifications to the interior planning. The resulting approach was to insert new spaces that could connect all the existing floors to provide a continuous circulation and movement. These new elements use steel as their primary structure and were designed to be supported and cantilevered from existing concrete structures, thereby creating a new space that combined old and new elements of the renovated shophouse interior.

The development of the exterior facade followed the interior modifications. The idea of creating an “accidental facade” was inspired by the resourcefulness of shophouse owners and the ways they adapted their buildings in a hot tropical climate. Owners would use low-cost and lightweight metal materials that are cut into panels to create ad-hoc facades. Despite these simple modifications, these shophouse facades can sometimes provide intriguing and surprising results.

While most building facades aim to project the function of their interior spaces towards the exterior surfaces, in this case the opposite approach was needed. However, we wondered whether it was possible to design a facade that can still possess some permeable qualities while mostly functioning as a solid layer to block direct transmission of heat and outside light. After experimenting with different materials and techniques, the resulting facade was developed that attempted to create an in-between condition were daylight would be filtered from the outside, reflected off the facade and “spill” into the interior spaces.

Architects: Architectkidd Co. Ltd.
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Principals in Charge: Udomsak Komonvilas, Jariyawadee Lekawatana, Luke Yeung
Project team: Luke Yeung, Jariyawadee Lekawatana, Udomsak Komonvilas, Pailin
Paijitsattaya, Tammarat Rodpul, Artith Chotitayangkoon, Pisit Jindapatanakul, Kanin Amboon
Client: Lightmos
Structural Engineer: Setcom Co. Ltd. – Boonsaeng Siriratchuwong
Lighting Designer: Accent Studio – Nopporn Sakulwigitsinthu
Facade Fabricator: Thaipat Group Co., Ltd. – Thaipat Ponkittiphan
Project area: 630 sqm

Residential Building In Slovenia by Ravnikar Potokar Arhitekturni

In line with the Decree on the Location Plan for the site along the railway station in Nova Gorica, Phase 2.a of the construction encompasses the construction of three 11-storey tower blocks, beneath which the construction of an underground garage is foreseen on the entire site of this phase. The site of residential building; Tower Block C is located in the future building complex of the residential area Majske Poljane along the railway station in Nova Gorica. Within this phase of construction, three tower blocks will be erected along Prvomajska Street.

Architectural Design

The architectural design of Tower Block C is derived from the competition design, as outlined in the study submitted to the competition in 2002 (which was subsequently awarded first prize in the competition) and in the adopted Decree on the Location Plan. The basic idea lies in the layering of two storeys by displacing their floor plan – the elementary square of the floor plan is moved around the vertical core thus creating overhangs on which terraces are placed. The vertical line of the residential tower is cut up and transformed into horizontal layering, providing the tower with the necessary dynamics.

The common vertical building height with a ground floor and ten storeys also includes a gallery on the ground floor, while the 10th floor houses duplex flats. The ground floor and gallery are intended for public use, for various service providers and office activities, and for grocery stores and other shops, while the upper floors are intended as flats (the tenth floor features two-storey duplex flats). The building has two basements intended for technical or maintenance facilities, storage rooms belonging to the flats and parking spaces for cars.

Architects: Ravnikar Potokar Arhitekturni
Location: Majske poljane, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Competition Designers: Vojteh Ravnikar, Matjaž Bolčina, Nika Grabar, Ernest Milčinovič, Teja Savelli, Jure Zavrtanik
Design Group: Vojteh Ravnikar, Robert Potokar, Marjan Starič, Petra Slukan
Structural Engineering: Primorje d.d.
Mechanical Installations: Pinss d.o.o.
Electrical Installations: Elita i.b. d.o.o.
Contractor: Primorje d.d.
Investor: Majske poljane d.o.o.
Project area: 8,200 sqm
Project year. 2007 – 2010

Wicklow Hills House by ODOS Architects

Designed by Irish studio ODOS architects, this house is located at the foot of a steep escarpment in the Wicklow hills in Ireland. The 3,089 square foot house, with it’s elevated living accommodation, allows “the fluidity of the surrounding landscape remain uninterrupted, whilst also giving the occupant a raised vantage point from which to engage with nature.”

Wicklow Hills House by ODOS Architects:

“This house is in essence a simple bold sculptural form which sits at the foot of a steep escarpment in the Wicklow hills. It is a two storey house with vehicular and pedestrian access from the Bray Road. Accommodation is comprised of a two car garage, boiler room, wc and utility at ground floor level and open plan living, kitchen, dining areas with 3 bedrooms (master ensuite), study and family bathroom at first floor level.

This house replaces a derelict 1940’s single storey cottage (with associated out houses) which previously existed on the site.

The building is entered on foot at first floor level via a long stepped processional route to the front of the building. The façade to this stepped approach has been purposely left blank to focus the entrant to the point of entry whilst also weighting the propped cantilever appropriately. At entry level a hallway guides you to the open plan living kitchen and dining areas. These areas are contained within a propped cantilevered volume, which hovers above the landscape below. A forest of red columns has been inserted below the cantilever, which conceptually grow out of the hillside.

These columns ‘guard’ a pedestrian route, which leads you under the cantilever to the rear garden and living room deck at first floor level. Along this route one truly experiences the sheerness of the escarpment above.

Internally the hallway at main entry level has been conceived as an “internal street” the dimensions of which widen to the more public aspects of the plan and diminish along the points of entry to private bedrooms and bathrooms. A study at main entry level offers a taste of the internal experience prior to entry.

The roofscape is peppered with rooflights in an attempt to engage the user with the steep escarpment to the rear of the house. This affords the occupant vertical views of sky and foliage from the most private spaces within the house.”