Featured Project 302 32 minutes ago

Architect's Office at Kim Yam Road

by Park+Associates Architects

The site is a former school compound built in the 1960s. The school was vacated in 2001 and the building subsequently converted into a commercial development in 2013. The premise is located where the old library hall used to be. Situated at the highest part of the building, it contains an expanse of column-free space crowned by a series of barrel vaults. Louver windows that extend from floor to arch allow natural light and air to flow through in abundance. Even though the existing space was taken over in a derelict state, its immense potential was immediately recognized. Like Kahn’s brick, the space was articulate in what it wants to be, which provided the point of departure for the project. Seeking to celebrate and activate the intrinsic qualities of the existing space, the scheme is conceived as an orchestration of varied and contextually sensitive spatial experiences instead of the function-centric approach typical of office design. It dovetails with the design direction, which rejects the rigidity of the typical bureau in favor of a creative environment that challenges conventions and celebrates informal spaces — an anti-office. This approach creates seamless informal spaces where functional boundaries become ambiguous. The resultant plethora of ...

Opinion 219 1 hour ago

CHAPPiE and the Architecture of Artificial Intelligence

As a Johannesburg native, Neill Blomkamp knows the quirks of this complex, multi-layered city better than anyone. Not only was he born and raised in the “city of gold,” he also produced the critically acclaimed sci-fi fable District 9 there in 2009, and his familiarity with the nuances of Johannesburg’s urban fabric came to the fore once again in today’s big release, CHAPPiE. While District 9 was set primarily in a slum-style refugee camp for aliens unfortunate enough to be stranded on our socially divided and ethically corrupt planet , CHAPPiE brings us back within the walls of the city — a city rife with crime, populated by residents with so little faith in their fellow citizens that they have turned to robots for protection. Much to the chagrin of architects everywhere, the brains behind this brilliant new squad of police droids are those of an engineer — Deon Wilson, played by the excellent Dev Patel (of Slumdog Millionaire fame) — an employee at a company whose Robocop-like ‘Scouts’ are now patrolling Johannesburg and keeping the criminal underworld at bay. It is a wonder that such inspirational designs are possible given Deon’s work environment, which is ...

Featured Project 573 2 hours ago

The Black Cedar Box Two-Story Small House

by Baahouse + Baastudio

Set behind an existing house in a quiet suburb of Salisbury Brisbane is a recently completed second dwelling granny flat designed by local Bayside house designers Baahouse + Baastudio, who was recently voted Houzz of the Year 2015 for a house design built last year in Pullenvale (houzz.com/au/pro/baahouse/baahouse-baastudio). They have now designed another contemporary modern design that sets the trend for small backyard living. Gone are the days when we think of a granny flat as a simple shed or structure. With new creative styles constructed with raw, natural timbers, Baahouse + Baastudio have developed a style of granny flats that changes the way people perceive granny flats and opens up the options to choose a second dwelling that is suitable for the Australian climate, aesthetically pleasing, and functional. At only 180 square feet, this “Cotswold” design has a small footprint on site of only 21 by 18 feet, but with its second level, high ceiling spaces, open-plan living, and large sliding doors extending to a deck area, the house feels double the size. With a high-level ceiling and large void looking down from the first floor level, the design allows for airflow and light between the two levels. Externally, ...