June 2010 Blog Posts (75)

This architectural project is the result of a winning competition bid by Shigeru Ban Architects for the centerpiece of a revitalization plan for a 50 hectare site that was converted from an old freight railway. The tensile roof structure is composed of laminated timber and covered by translucent fiberglass and teflon. The architecture contains several large galleries and an auditorium and a studio…

This structure designed by Woodhead Architects offers an excellent opportunity to soak in the beautiful desert landscape of Nambung National Park in Western Australia. The long horizontal lines in the design accentuate the far reaching expanse that this site provides while also offering some relief from the scorching desert sun. The architecture reflects a true understanding of context and place.…

If street artist and interventionist Filthy Luker strikes, it could make your skin crawl. From what I can gather, "octo-pied" buildings bulging with massive tentacles seems to be a favorite theme. The above installation was done in collaboration with Pedro Estrellas,…

Xavier Velalta Studio has won a competition for a mixed-use tower that is to be built in the city of Dota, Qatar. A very formally interesting architecture that is based on the pattern of ancient arabic tiles. This is also an interesting example of how modern architecture attempts to embody a geographic history in a contemporary context.…

We normally think of mixed-use architecture in terms of dense downtown buildings with many users. This San Francisco house designed by Craig Steely Architecture is what many of us in the architecture industry salivate over. Although it requires an immense amount of self-discipline, I don't think there's many people who wouldn't mind waking up and walking downstairs as a morning commute. Especially if…

The King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art is a very elegant structure by Zaha Hadid accentuating the relationship between positive and negative space. This is akin to the work of Eduardo Chillada where the distinction between interior and exterior space are more ambiguous. You get the feeling that the architecture is a result of many years of eroding that occurs in many of our natural…

This architecture responds to a very interesting environmental condition. In addition to having an amazingly interesting exoskeleton, the building's mesh reacts to the salinity of the nearby water, which changes the opacity of the skin as the salt builds up over time. This also creates a habitat for local wildlife agreeable to this environment.…

This amazing exhibition at the MCA exhibited works from the amazing career of Olafur Eliasson. Drawing inspiration from the Icelandic landscape, his works utilize material qualities in combination with diverse light conditions to produce a somewhat surreal architectural experience.…

The Ocean of Light project is a collaborative installation/research endeavor that explores the spatial implications of light in physical, permeable space. A closer inspection of the apparatus reveals an almost digital aspect to the design, as each light producing fixture is a micro circuit-board, giving a subtle nod the pervasiveness of this type of…

This house by HCHO Architects embraces an idea that is quite old, but would be almost unthought of in terms of contemporary architecture. While the house embedded in the earth provides plentiful benefits in terms of thermal comfort and decreased energy consumption, it ignores one seemingly indispensable quality - its role as a perceivable object in space. This quality is coveted by architects and…

G.Lab* by Gansam Architects & Partners is a proposal for the National Museum Of Korean Contemporary History. This project, which is composed of two structures tied together by an intriguing set of accessory structures and building programs, is an intriguing blend of architecture and landscape. These two structures also create the space required for the beautifully landscaped exterior…

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Soccer City Stadium is the largest soccer stadium in South Africa. It is situated near Nasrec in Johannesburg, in South Africa. The stadium is the main venue for the Fifa World Cup 2010 kick-off match. This stadium would also host the finals of Fifa World Cup 2010. There is one other smaller stadium known as Ellis…