Prefabricated concrete

These facilities, pre-school and primary school, cafeteria, workshops and multipurpose room, are part of a philosophy of a broader plan to create an eco-neighborhood on the outskirts of the city of Paris. LAURENT ARDHUIN The general volumetry defends an urban continuity surrounding the block, this idea of enclosure, reinforces the public character of the equipment, despite a sizing of the elements and a choice of materials that intend to refer to the pre-existence of the Ferme du Génitois, neighboring historic monument, as well as to a tree-scale. The facades are excavated and textured, to clearly identify the functions of the school group, to shelter the main peripheral access roads, to provide perspectives, to privatize the s... More

The fifth façadeOften, in past competitions, the question of materiality remained open unless it was fundamental to the architectural concept. This offered both the user and the architect the opportunity to envisage several possibilities with regard to the materials. For its school, the municipality of Saint-Gingolph wanted a materiality that was impact-resistant in view of the proximity of the yard. Prefabricated concrete was the material chosen. Today, it seems absurd to use tonnes of material to protect a few light-insulating panels. The conditions of resistance, of building on a slope, of the cost and of a building’s architectural image where the roof is just as visible as the façades were nevertheless of paramount importance in... More

The site is located at the top of Mala Poľana on the ridge of Spišská Magura. The area provides a variety of activities such as skiing, hiking, biking and a sightseeing route - The Treetop Walk. Up to 6,000 visitors a day come here on certain days.The aim of the proposal was to provide facilities for these activities.Access to the site is provided by the tourist route or by three cableways from adjacent villages, Bachledova dolina, Malá Franková and Jezersko. We tried to minimize the mass at the top of the hill, leaving only the necessary cableway control and the treetop walk exit object. The rest of the building is embedded into the hillside and the only visible facades are those glazed, providing light an... More

Located on a second floor, with a forward-facing façade and two interior courtyards, this apartment had many more walls than needed due to its size, light and ventilation capabilities. We understand the need for a smooth transition from interior to exterior, stretching the living area to the heart of the apartment to the fullest, in search of precious natural light. José Hevia To achieve this, in this project we return to use resources that we have applied in previous ventures. It does not always work, but when we managed to create a functional distribution, the result pleasantly surprised us. We started by eliminating all the partitions and created a single vertical plane that divided the apartment into two parts. This... More

Where We Are Now (Who Are We Anyway?), 1976 One of the typical challenges of any architectural project is dealing with a constraining site. When confronted to a particular space, difficult to deal with, one has to ring not one but a few bells to make it happen. Some of these are rational and need problem-solving operational thinking, but other need atmospheric approaches, bringing the imagination and the senses into the game in order to transform the beast into the beauty.   The rational design and architectural ”tricks” evolve with time and experience. The use of mirrors, using curved lines to expand the sensation of space, playing with perspective, colors that trigger perception are things that one sort of knows, as a... More

The building complex of the Croatian Transmission System Operator (HOPS) is located in Matulji, Croatia, within an existing electrical substation. The site is adjacent to a former Matulji railway station, which at the turn of the 19th century was connected with Opatija by a tram line, electrified in 1908. At the time, Opatija, besides Karlovy Vary, was the most visited tourist destination of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, when trains were the main means of transport. Passengers have not been coming to Opatija via the Matulji train station for a long time now — the attractive panoramic tram line was closed in 1933 — but the substation remains in operation on this peculiar location, at the very centre of the town, as a kind of memen... More

INFOPAVILIONMore than Concrete Hut   KontextThe pavilion serves as an information point and also as a meeting point for Botanical garden tours. The building was created at the crossroads between the institute building and the greenhouses, centrally in the entrance area of the garden. There it is the junction between the nature area and the building area and offers visitors a first orientation.   The surroundings, the existing neighbouring building, are relatively complex. Depending on their use and year of construction, the neighbouring buildings are made of different materials. The office building is timber-framed and was built in 1905. The steel and glass greenhouse is three times extended from 1945 to 2014. The laboratory b... More

1. Project OverviewThis project is located in the hometown of traditional calligraphy, Shuyang, Jiangsu province, and is positioned as the calligraphy art gallery to display and inherit Shuyang calligraphic style.  2. Design ConceptThe concept of architecture abstracts the most fundamental three colors, black, white and red of Chinese calligraphy from rice-paper, brush-pen, seal and creates a pure space experience with pure colors. The aesthetic interest of the calligraphy in the architectural layout referring to Zheng Banqiao's calligraphic style is to respond to the ideological and practical work, the light and heavy, and the opening and closing of the calligraphy through controlling the size of the building, the space, the contrast... More

Azpiegiturak SAMP, a company of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, wants to expand its “Elkartegis” network in Bizkaia.   It foresees the realization of a new Elkartegi (nest of companies) in the former facilities of Malta S.A (dedicated to manufacture of cutlery in Gernika).   The needs program proposes the realization of an office building and industrial activities pavilions.   This architectural solution proposes the realization of the office building in front of Ibarra Kalea, as the most representative element while the industrial development is kept in the background.   The office building raises the rental modules on its outer perimeter, creating inside a courtyard in th centre of the building t... More

A bridge facing a lake Six prefabricated concrete slabs rest on two concrete walls which are also built in factory. This set of components, simple in their construction, layout and assembly, define the spaces and character of Lagos House.   A single space is formed under these industrial pieces, which take on a new meaning in this domestic context. A series of light partitions are inserted togive identity to the service area.   The house is thus presented as an accurate and neutral infrastructure that enables the user to encounter and enjoy the everyday activities whilst maintaining a direct link with the lake.   Material used :1. Premolded Concrete: Astori 2. Construction company: Tractus3. Thermal conditioning:... More

Located at the western edge of Lausanne’s central Le Flon district, this hotel building presents a monolithic mineral block that blends with the site’s industrial heritage. Utilising the template provided by the district’s street plan to optimum effect, the design echoes the dense urban grid patterns characteristic of Le Flon’s traditional warehouses and completes the square from which it is accessed. The four façades are uniform in appearance, their repeat motifs created by prefabricated concrete units. The design reflects the individual room modules, creating a continuous pattern of facets and folds across the building’s four sides. At ground level, geometric pillars tapering towards the base balance t... More