Shaped largely by the site, the Glenbrook Residence is conceptually a courtyard inserted between two heavy walls. Threading the walls through the treescape to create distinct yet connected structures allows the house to be divided spatially into the most public, most private and a living pavilion that can become either or both. The residual in-between spaces create outdoor rooms that engage the building. More..
Australian studio, Circa Architecture, has designed ‘Saffire’, a twenty-suite resort located in Great Oyster Bay, Tasmania, Australia. Situated on a scarred and damaged site, the design looked to both repair and reinterpret the unique characteristics of the terrain. With a form reminiscent of waves and dunes, the structure appears to rise from the land, framing the natural landscape and providing a connection to the nearby sea. (via Designboom)
Located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida’s St. Petersburg – a city that has earned the nickname “God’s waiting room” for its popularity as a place of retirement – is perhaps not the first place you’d imagine much in the way of culture, let alone ground-breaking architecture. Yet, housing the largest collection of Salvador Dalí’s work outside of Europe, the newly opened Dalí Museum replaces the original 1982 museum with a breath-taking 68,000-square-foot structure that accommodates a priceless, 2,140-piece permanent collection of the Catalan surrealist’s work. Inspired by both his art and by a need to shelter the works from the severe hurricanes that so frequently threaten Florida’s west coast, architects HOK have created a stunning concrete block, from which an astonishing glass “Enigma” emanates, bulging with 1.5inch thick, triangulated glass panels. Surreal, innovative and utterly-compelling, HOK’s dramatic architectural delight is a fitting tribute to the eccentric works it houses… (via Weheart)
‘ One of the most striking features of downtown Kansas City, MO, is the facade of the parking garage for the Central Branch of the public library. Covered in signboard mylar, the garage appears to be a row of books lined up on a shelf except in this case the “books” are 25 feet high and nine feet wide. The garage behind the “books” was constructed in 2006 in response to the need for additional downtown parking. Community input was requested on ways to beautify the new structure and ultimately the idea of a bookshelf evolved. Community members and patrons were asked to vote on the titles to be displayed and the ones chosen reflect a wide range of famous literature. Titles of the 22 volumes represented include “The Lord of the Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien and “Fahrenheit 451″ by Ray Bradbury among many others. ‘ Link here.
The Orange Cube located in Quai Rambaud, Lyon, France by Jakob + Macfarlane Architects. Photos by Nicolas Borel, Roland Halbe. Click here for more info.
Axis Viana Hotel by VHM in Viana do Castelo. Photos by Architectural photographer Nelson Garrido. Link here.
‘ The new built airport is part of Georgia’s ambitious plans to develop tourism in Mestia. The beautiful medieval town with its stone defensive towers is part of UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites and also famous as ski-resort. With the unveiling of the airport on December 24th the building was designed and constructed in 3 months. ‘ (via Abitare)
Marina Bay Sands, located on the Marina Bay waterfront, is a 16-hectare (38-acre) mixed-use integrated resort. The complex is organized around principal axes that extend into the surrounding urban fabric. Both the north-south promenade and the grand arcade traverse the entire project and are crossed by two east-west spines (view corridors), which connect the planned Gardens by the Bay, the local metro station, Bayfront Avenue and the waterfront. Link here.
Miapolis, the proposed world’s tallest building at 3,200 FT high, is an iconic building re-defining Miami as a cosmopolitan city, a worldwide tourist destination and an international financial center. Miapolis is a metropolis in the sky, self-sufficient, “platinum green” sustainable, environmentally friendly and with a remarkable economic impact leaving no one behind.
