The last major project of Philip Johnson's career is a mega hit

Is a modernist residence the latest luxury accessory of the rich and famous? Judging from the brisk sales of units at The Urban Glass House, a new, luxury condominium project located in Soho New York designed by Philip Johnson and Alan Ritchie, one would think so. The 11 storey 40-unit project, which is ready for occupancy in 2007, is 80% presold. And the penthouse unit set a record for the neighbourhood. No small feat given that real estate market has cooled and that the units here are pricey, ranging from 1.6 to 12.5 million dollars. Part of the project’s success is that it has been cleverly marketed as the urban version of an iconic building, Johnson’s Glass House in New Caanan, Connecticut, which the architect completed in 1949 and occupied until his death in 2005. Ritchie says in scale and context, the Urban Glass House echoes the Seagram building. But the details are drawn from the Glass House. The building’s palette is limited and restrained, with steel and glass as primary materials. Inside, Annabelle Seldorf has designed rich, warm yet spare interiors. White oak floors are laid in a chevron pattern like the brick floors in the original Glass House, and large expanses of glass are used throughout.

Rogers slams Olympic design and build contracts

Reports in the UK trade and national press that award winning architect Lord Rogers has threatened to boycott the 2012 Olympic Games now appear exaggerated. His office has told WAN that the word ‘boycott’ was not used in this context, however he is heavily critical of the design and build process that led to the award of the £280 million stadium to a consortium led by contractors McAlpine and HOK architects. Rogers position is important not only because of his international standing but because he an advisor to London Mayor, Ken Livingstone. Rogers was cited in the press as saying “Every major Olympic stadium that I am aware of went though a design led procurement process.” The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has responded that each venue was considered separately and argued that design and build contracts can produce fantastic venues. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told WAN that: “Everyone involved in preparations for the London 2012 Games is committed to achieving high standards of design for the venues and the Olympic Park as a whole. That has to be reconciled with the demands of a tight construction programme and deliverability. Richard Rogers is working closely with the ODA team to achieve these aims.”

Hamiltons Architects granted planning for mixed residential development

The skin of the building is a profiled perforated brass with flush windows, this continues the approach to materiality in the London based Hamiltons Architects who produced the award winning Brewery Square with its copper and zinc skin. Flush sliding windows and recessed balconies compliment the seamless facade with frameless glazed shop fronts and penthouse top floor. The facade insulation and shading system obviates the need for air conditioning. The proposal includes insulation and cladding made from recycled material and an integrated ventilation system to reduce the energy requirement for the development. The building will consist of 26 flats.

Coop Himmelb(l)au Architects unveil new Lyon museum

The opening of the visitor’s pavilion at the construction site of the Musée des Confluences took place on October 8 at Quai Perrache, Lyon. The Musée des Confluences does not consider itself as an exclusive temple for the intellectual bourgeoisie but as a public place providing access to the knowledge of our age. Stimulating a direct and active use, it is not only a museum site but also a venue in town. The architecture hybridises the typology of a museum with the typology of an urban leisure space. The concept of two complexly connected architectural units are a result of the striking interface-like situation of the building site. The crystal rising towards the side of the town is conceived as an urban forum and entrance hall for visitors. Its shape that can be read clearly stands for the everyday world. In contrast to this the cloud hides the knowledge about the future; it is a soft space of hidden streams and countless transitions.

Zaha Hadid's first built project in UK is unveiled

The design is Zaha's response to a brief set by Maggie's, which challenged her to create a relaxed and aesthetically uplifting environment. It is located on the edge of a hollow adjacent to the hospital. The hollow has a dramatic topography, which in combination with the natural foliage and trees creates a very distinctive protected environment in stark contrast to the other facilities of Victoria Hospital. The centre has been designed as a transition between the two different types of spaces - the natural landscape and the hospital. Externally the form of the Centre derives from a folding surface and a connecting ground slab. The folding surface articulates a directional emphasis of moving the visitor into a different space from the rest of the hospital grounds. By cladding the visible roof and two opposing walls with the same material and making the remaining elevations a mix of translucent and clear glass, the directional nature of this form is reinforced. The opening of the Fife centre brings the number of Maggie's Centre to five, other architects who have given their services for free include Richard Murphy, Page & Park and Frank Gehry. Currently under construction is Richard Rogers Maggie's Centre in London, which is due to complete in October 2007. Further project designs from architects for other Maggie's Centres nationally include Reiach & Hall, Richard MacCormac, Wilkinson Eyre, Daniel Libeskind, Piers Gough and Kisho Kurokawa.

Biscoe Architects unveil new plans for retirement village in Queensland

The new community clubhouse at Hervey Bay will provide the residents with a high quality multifunction facility designed for the subtropical climate. The clubhouse facility contains a range of functions that will allow residents to socialise, exercise in the gym or pool, study in the internet library or relax around the twenty-five metre swimming pool or lounge bar. The indoor and outdoor spaces have been designed to integrate seamlessly by incorporating expansive areas of glass and stacking doors. Extensive lush landscape areas surround and floor into the central courtyard space. This subtropical spa/resort style facility will become a community hub and meeting place. This innovative new building will encourage a wide variety of activities and social interaction.

Clean lines create powerful statement for VOLA

The VOLA showroom initially appears very fragmented and incoherent as they stretch over three different interconnected building structures. In an attempt to continue and complement Arne Jacobsen’s and thereby VOLA’s minimalist and aesthetic expression, Aarhus Arkitekterne have tried to unite the fragmented room and the many surfaces with simple elements, making the space appear homogenous and clear. The super graphics featuring two of VOLA’s classics on the back wall add depth to the central room. In addition, a meeting/open room elevated above floor level has been established at the back wall. This adds dynamism to the showroom by having the folded wood surface extending from the back wall in steps towards the showroom floor.

Piercy Conner Architects wins highly acclaimed Living Steel competition

The challenge was to create an economically viable alternative that would be expressive, joyful and responsive to the environment. The SymHouse Mk.1 conceptualises the symbiotic relationship of a sealed, conditioned contemporary living space enveloped by a permeable responsive outer skin. As the two "natures" permeate each other, the in-between spaces become an outdoor room and the internal spaces engage with the landscape. The permeable outer skin is created from a series of perforated steel panels that are positioned according to layered data from sun path studies, key views and privacy. The resulting facade is reminiscent of many screens and freezes found in Indo-Islamic architecture. Construction of the prototype Symhouse Mk.1 will commence early 2006.

Architecture for aviation industry in Austria

Project A01 architects from Vienna have completed the new headquarters for "Schiebel" who are the leading producers of autonomous helicopters. The building reflects the ambition of the Austrian firm to be a global player in the aviation industry. The production facility opened in September 2006 at the airport in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The monolithic office block is clad with black basalt concrete elements that sit on a mirrored base and seems to float above the ground. The production area, using the latest processes, is directly connected to the airfield providing the necessary space for air shows. The interior design is also relating to this ambitious environment.

3xn scoops MIPIM Future Project Award for Offices 2006

3XN's visionary and empathetic wining proposal unites the Middelfart Savings Bank's high ambitions for their new head office. The new bank premises will ensure an open, transparent, and comfortable environment for employees and clients. Being one of the first new developments along the harbour front, it will also prompt demands for a high architectural quality in future developments. One large roof covers all functions in the building. It's a wide wooden structure with numerous openings that let in abundant daylight from the North, and allow for the employee's direct view of the sea from everywhere in the building. In this way, the light and friendly atmosphere, as envisaged by the bank, is achieved. The new building is carefully fitted into the context. On one side, the village street is respected by adhering to existent dimensions, scale and roof shapes. Towards the harbour, the building retracts and makes way for a new, triangular space embracing the view. From the square, one enters a big indoor 'market place', the heart of the building. With its central position, the building will become a natural meeting point for clients, staff and visitors.

Guy Battle, one the UK’s leading environmental consultants talks to WAN in London about the Stern Review

"In the arena of architecture and building today, we are ready for this. As an industry, we have been getting fit. However we have been talking about this for some time now and are often frustrated by clients not taking the carbon problem seriously. This is now a real issue and the review will make a big difference. Suddenly the sceptics will wake up and realise that this is not just a possible issue for our grandchildren but will affect all companies within 30-40 years. Stern has moved this issue from a 'lets do this because it’s green' mentality and placed it firmly in the centre of the city with a 'do this or your business will fail' edge."
Shown here is the Madrid headquarters of Endesa, Spain’s largest power generator. The building designed by Kohn Pederson Fox with Battle McCarthy is an ultra low energy building powered by a complex combination of green energy sources including earth tubes and daylight with the result that the building is actually a net power generator heralding a new direction in building design.

Michael Jantzen designs the Wind Shaped Pavilion

The design proposal for the Wind Shaped Pavilion was to create a large fabric structure that can be used as a public or private pavilion. As a lightweight fabric structure, the wind slowly and randomly rotates each of the six segments around a central open support frame. This continually alters the shape of the pavilion, while at the same time generating electrical power for its nighttime illumination. The shape of the structure starts out as a relatively symmetrical form. Then the wind begins to alter that shape randomly, with only a slim chance of ever returning to its original symmetry. If the structures scale and the materials were to change, it could become an apartment complex, and or some other commercial building. In this case, the occupants could take control and rotate the segments to adjust to changing desires or needs, such as weather conditions, best views, etc. For more information on the Wind Shaped Pavilion and other amazing designs take a look on www.humanshelter.org.

City history museum at world heritage site by the Mersey River

3XN’s winning proposal for a new British national museum; the Museum of Liverpool, will establish a dynamic, open and accessible structure that grows out of its riverside site. The site falls within the Liverpool World Heritage site and it is conceived as inclined or elevated platforms, gradually forming a sculptural structure. It is estimated that the new museum will attract at least 750.000 visitors on a yearly basis, and that Liverpool, with the Museum as a symbol of the Liverpool’s ongoing regeneration, will be elevatated into the front rank of European tourist destinations. The museum will be a focal point of 2008 when Liverpool becomes European Capital of Culture. With this impetus the first phase of the museum must be complete in October of the celebration year. After the Capital of Culture Year, phase two, the exhibition fit out will begin with the museum completion scheduled for April 2010.

Collett & Farmer unveil the new child and parent centre for the Coram family

The 3,700 sq m building designed by architects Collett & Farmer replaces a number of dilapidated buildings including a late 19th C swimming pool and small mortuary building. The new building will provide much needed childcare facilities, including a new health centre focused on children’s needs, crèches and parents centre promoting good parenting and serving 600 local families as well as a training and arts centre for the excellent work the charity does in promoting and actively demonstrating child welfare both at a local and national level. The building will be one of a new generation of highly sustainable projects now being built in London and is naturally ventilated throughout and will include rainwater recycling, passive solar control, passive cooling and is designed to accommodate solar panels on the roof to achieve renewable energy requirements on site and to obtain the highest possible rating under the BRE assessment method for sustainability.