December 31, 2012

Pipe Cottage | Barsav Concept & Construction

Barsav Concept & Construction recently has completed the Pipe Cottage in karaj, Iran. The aim of this project was to construct a villa which suits of characters and interest.

Considering the site situation, which is close to an aluminum pipeline factory. The villa was built using the pipelines as native material. Initially the building consists of a box which is built as a frame made of pipelines. The pipe walls were filled by soil. For the ceiling to avoid weight trapped air was used as thermal insulation. In order to make an attractive roof top and direct rain water, the roof consists of two angled planes in 2 different directions.


2 brick vault have been added to the design to construct the kitchen counter, fireplace and the library.

Considering the region is windy and there are farmlands around the villa special windows have been installed on the ground in order to direct wind from the ground into the villa.


These ground windows would be closed during winter and cold seasons.

Villa has been build on the southern part of the site to use southern light and to have the view of Takhte Rostam. This led to existence of a private yard behind the villa.


This yard was designed according to our needs and interests. (Fireplace, seat around it, BBQ and…)

Died tree which already existed in the yard was covered by textile to make a shaded area. Pathway to the building was designed by using barrels which were installed into the ground.



+ Project credits / data
Project: Pipe Cottage
Location: karaj, Iran
Architects: Barsav Concept & Construction
Designer: Alireza Assadpour
Design associates: Pegah Sheikh akbari, Vahid Afshar, Ashkan Ahmadi
Constructed area: 35 sqm
Project year: 2010

+ All images, drawings and description courtesy Barsav Concept & Construction




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December 30, 2012

Aquarium of San Sebastian | Hoz Fontan Arquitectos

The Aquarium of San Sebastian has been lodged for more than 100 years in a building on Mount Urgull’s feet, in one of the most visible zones of La Concha Bay. It is an institution for which its own building, while being at the same time its identity seal, had become an obstacle for its progress.



Divided in two parts, the built-in facilities in the last years were developed in contiguous spaces to the mount, whereas the exhibition area was located at a building in intense contact with the sea. Despite their inner connection, they were divided by the stairs which connect the two levels of one of the most important strolls of the city, the ‘Paseo Nuevo’, which lost integrity when arriving to the surrounding area of the Aquarium, turning into just simple stairs that connected with the port.



The facilities acquired in the last years would had to be redefined, the building that shelters the exhibition completely renewed, a public elevator should connect the two levels of the new stroll and a new restaurant would have to be constructed in the present building’s cover.

The applied strategy uses the program’s peripheral components to optimize the internal functioning of the museistical institution. The restaurant constructed in the present building’s cover, guarantees the operativity of the Aquarium during the construction, and at the same time defines a square where the new stroll acts as a viewing-point on La Concha Bay.


The public elevator will be part of the colonization of the lower parts that surround the Aquarium as spaces of transit management, which makes possible a total reframing of the internal circulations of the building, and thus, of the museistical experience.





+ Project credits / data
Project: Aquarium of San Sebastian
Location: San Sebastian, Spain
Program: Culture | Aquarium

Architecture: Hoz Fontan Arquitectos | http://www.hozfontanarquitectos.com/
Project directors: Angel de la Hoz, Cristina Fontan
Museistical Project: Sono. Joan Sibina Arquitectos asociados
Oceanographic Installation: Coutant Aquariums
Bokado Restaurant Interior Design: Txema García Amiano
Collaborators: Ángel Álvarez, Itziar Ugarde
M/E: Aitor Alcelay
Structure: Jose Antonio Gurruchaga
Systems: Inconor s.a.
Constructor: Construcciones Amenabar s.a.
Photography: José Hevia

+ All images, drawings and description courtesy Hoz Fontan Arquitectos | Photo by José Hevia








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December 29, 2012

The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools | Gonzalez Goodale Architects


Designed by Gonzalez Goodale Architects of Pasadena, the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools are on a 24-acre campus that sits on the former site of the famed Ambassador Hotel. It is home to six new pilot schools, delivering innovative K-12 education in a modern, integrated campus environment.

The campus includes a new public park, master planned by Gonzalez Goodale, that will bring much-needed green space to one of Los Angeles’ most dense urban neighborhoods.


According to firm president Armando L. Gonzalez, FAIA, the goal of Gonzalez Goodale was to integrate the school into the community.

We hope that this project will serve as an inspiration not only to the students and teachers that work and learn here, but also as a model of what is possible in terms of creating an institution that will enrich the entire neighborhood.

Gonzalez Goodale designed separate access to many facilities including the library, a theater, two gymnasiums, soccer fields and a 25-meter swimming pool to encourage public use after hours.


The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools is unabashedly dedicated to connecting its students with a more communal life, and connecting members of the community to each other… This is a milestone not only for us, but for Los Angeles as well. We’re proud to take part in upholding Robert F. Kennedy’s legacy.


+ Architect’s statement by Gonzalez Goodale Architects
The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools houses 4,200 students in an integrated K-12 of six pilot schools, on a 24-acre site. This site, in the Mid-Wilshire District, was formerly the Myron-Hunt designed Ambassador Hotel, where RFK was assassinated in 1968, following his victory speech in the California Primary.


The project marks a distinct shift in typology: California public schools have primarily been ‘one-off’ designs devoid of urban context. This campus aggressively embraces both urban history and urban fabric. By responding to the grids and axes of the surrounding city – and of the hotel that was once seated in it – the school provides cinematic viewpoints, both outside-in and inside-out, that reward the school’s inhabitants with a sense of urban connection and continuity.

The principal challenge of this project was to synthesize the aspirations of a vast range of stakeholders while still forging a work that retains coherence and integrity. The establishment of broad initial principles and values among the client-planning team – related to urbanism, joint use, urgency of school seats, and the pedagogical combination of both campus integration and campus decentralization – provided a framework around which project leadership could cohere and make sound decisions in the face of single-interest advocacies.


A second – physical – challenge was to overcome the divorce of the site’s original grading from the city street system, and to literally – re-ground the site’s perimeter. Bringing the southerly portion of the site (the K-5 Pilot Schools) down 30’ to the level of 8th Street required a substantial investment in re-grading. Through design, the resultant grade differences within the site became opportunities through which to introduce barrier-less and subtle separations between pilot schools– specifically a series of grand terraces descending from the main quad to the K-5 play area and its multi-purpose performance proscenium.

Similarly, bringing the westerly K-12 schools down to 7th Street, allowed both a reintegration with street life and a deferential stepping down of massing from the site’s high, center-point.


A third challenge, in collaboration with LAUSD’s project managers, was to move the District towards new models of sustainable architecture, including: super high-density site utilization; indoor-outdoor program and spaces; under-floor and displacement ventilation for more healthy air delivery; a central mechanical plant; single-ply high albedo roofing; triple-glazing at exposed street conditions; and rapidly renewable/cork, rubber, and linoleum flooring.

The RFK Community Schools marks the most comprehensive public art program in LAUSD’s history, with installation fully integrated into the history, purpose, and architecture of the site.







+ Project credits / data
Project: The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools
Architect: Gonzalez Goodale Architects | http://www.gonzalezgoodale.com
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Program: Education | School
Photography: © Magnus Stark

+ About Gonzalez Goodale Architects
Gonzalez Goodale Architects was established in 1979 to assist institutions in transforming their environments to reflect each organization’s community and goals. As a firm focused on designing for public, institutional and corporate clients, Gonzalez Goodale Architects is committed to an open and interactive design process. The work is inspired by local references that make a given place subtly different: historic, poetic, narrative, topographical, ethnic or spiritual.

Projects include: University of La Verne Campus Center; Monrovia Library; El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach; LAUSD Glassell Park Early Education Center and Housing; and El Monte Union High School District: Rosemead and Arroyo new classroom buildings and library expansions, and new administrative headquarters.

+ All images and drawings courtesy Gonzalez Goodale Architects | Photo by Magnus Stark













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December 28, 2012

Surabaya House | designstudio


Indonesia-based architectural firm designstudio has designed the Surabaya House in Indonesia.

Architectural expressions kept into minimal details and few colors. It is a composition between horizontal and vertical elements blend together, with the main roof detached from the body to let natural light enter and light the second storey.

Asa Darmatriaji, principle of designstudio


+ Project description courtesy designstudio
Located around Surabaya coastal side, hot wind, high humidity percentage, and all physical condition characteristics, locally, brought us to emphasize the micro climate processes by bringing less hard surface, water evaporation cooling system, and in term of planning as a courtyard house which offers often possibilities to reduce heat gain around the house by having a cross ventilation opening. By chance it is important to begin with this concept that strive us to arrange the space in negotiation with the owner who are intellectually capable to describe their space definitions.



Arriving on the stone grass patch car porch that adjacent with the lush garden in front and set of natural stone feature wall, it is an approached to establish a good environment for both purposes for private and public space.


While entering semi outdoor guest room with a glimpse of framed view toward reflective pool and courtyard beyond as the first experience. Living, dining, dry kitchen, arranged in a long span of open plan concept so by anytime, owner can rearrange it as their necessities. In consideration that the owner is not young anymore, they are above 50 years old, master bedroom comprised with study and master bathroom take place in 1st storey. While service area and utility are intact with the party wall so by having this we did is we add an opening on the concrete deck above to ventilate this space.


Ascending through staircase that has vertical wood louvers which featured with natural light, there are have two bedrooms for their daughter and son, one common bath, large and spacious entertainment room. Yet to enjoy the outdoor space we introduce a narrow space open to the nature beside the house included with a grill bar as an offer for the family to have an intimate dining above.

Architectural expressions kept into minimal details and few colors. It is a composition between horizontal and vertical elements blend together, with the main roof detached from the body to let natural light enter and light the second storey.


+ Project credits / data
Project: Surabaya House
Site area: 350 sqm
Built-up Area : 280 sqm
Status : Completed (concept design stage)
Program: Residential | House

Architect: designstudio
Principal : Asa Darmatriaji
Collaborator : Ronny Hutapea (hawilaarchitects, Jakarta)
Co-founder : Davi regines
Established : 17 February 2010
Active members: 3 persons | Asa Darmatriaji, Davi Regines, Heidy Amanda H.M.
Architect’s blog: http://www.designstudio-indonesia.blogspot.com/

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