SOFA 141126

In the hull of a boat beached a stork builds its haven of rest.

Materials: Oak wood, Flexible Polyurethane foam and Fabric

Residence in the Snowies

Residence for a family of three. The child sometimes have a friend visiting and staying over, sleeping in the same room. They are amateur photographers and have a small collection of paintings and sculptures that want to place at their residence located in the Snowies of Australia.

The land is located on a north-facing slope and is surrounded by greenery. The most interesting sights are located to the east. The access to the lot is from the east, following a path going  east to west along the rise of the slope.

The building is divided into four levels. The basement level, where we place the garage, studio photography, a toilet and a store, all communicated through the art gallery with staircases that give access to the ground floor. From this level, to which we can also access as a pedestrian by an outside staircase attached to the building or to the ground floor level with direct access to the house. There are a porch, a gallery and staircase replica located on the lower floor, warehouse, bedrooms and bathrooms. The kitchen/ dining room and access to the sculpture terrace are located on the first level. From here we can go to the second level, where we place the solarium. These spaces are arranged spirally like the shell of a snail.

Construction will be made primarily of wood except the foundation, basement and some pavements, that will be built with local stone. With the use of wood and stone as main materials, we got to make the construction integrated and merged with the natural surroundings, while reducing their environmental footprint.

Special importance is given to the visual impact of the integrated whole building energy device. This device consists of photovoltaic cells, solar panels and solar gazebo. It is developed first attached to the building, then supported him and then are integral part thereof. With the use of solar systems assets and liabilities-uptake we reduce the need for energy from fossil fuels.

SEASHELL-PlayHouse

Changbai Mountain - XARMA HOTEL

The Xarma Hotel is designed as a modular, transportable and inmediate construction site.

The whole construction takes place around a courtyard, in coexistence and respect, to guide private outdoor space (terrace room) to nature.

The service unit is located on the north side of the courtyard, guiding the lounge- bar - restaurant to the plaza and with a extension to it by a porch or terrace. In the other three sides we put as many other communitarian rooms to which to can enter through the porch-runner. The rooms are grouped in twos allowing internal communication between them. Each room has a private outdoor terrace-porch.

The entire assembly is formed by modules of 3.50 x 7.00 m base and 3.65 m high modules in the service unit and 3.15 m high in the room modules. The modules of the porch terrace lounge-bar-restaurant are 3.50 x 3.50 x 3.20 m, and the runner porch and porch - terrace rooms are 3.50 x 3.50 x 2.90 m.

The modules are constructed by a hollow structure, supporting an outer coating formed from chipboard wood chip cement, forming a ventilated façade thermal insulating and metal sections inside the walls of pints or plasterboard panels coated and wooden modular ceilings wood fiber and wood or ceramic.

The module covers are conceived as a flat green roof with roof drainage through hollow metal sections of the structure of the vertical structure of each module

The inspiring design principles for this proposal have been:

1. Contribution to sustainability through a modular, prefabricated and transportable construction.

2. Minimal impact on the environment. Only holes in the ground for foundation insulated ducts and facilities are needed. The building is separated from the floor for a stilts. The vegetation covered we compensate with the green roofs. We integrate the existing vegetation within the set.

3. Orientation, lighting and ventilation. All living areas and relationship are facing east, south or west. All rooms have cross ventilation and natural lighting. Proper orientation allows direct input of energy from the sun.

4. Using alternative energy using photovoltaic cells and solar panels to produce electricity and hot water. Completing modules porch-terrace lounge- bar-restaurant and porch-terrace room with glass enclosures we could create greenhouse enclosures.

THE TETRIS TOWER

 

 

 

 

The first images that came to my mind were: a corn cob, the classical Greek columns, the Neue Vahr tower houses in Bremen designed by Alvar Aalto, the Price Tower in Bartlesville designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the arrangement of its segments of an orange and, finally, the Tetris game.

I thought it should be a simple object in its perception, but complex itself, as it is analogous to a person. It should also be economical in its construction, so its main constituent elements should be repetitive, modular and industrializable, as I believe that this is an important variable in the concept of sustainability.

Housing and leisure time functions must be close enough, located in the same building or nearby, especially for children, so allow the social relations of its inhabitants.

From the building trafficking networks and footpaths and open spaces could be accessed, without interference between them. Both relate the building to its surroundings and network equipment.

The proposal aims to facilitate the choice of the housing units for each unit of living according to their composition, desires and possibilities. In addition, if you choose to live in a tall building, the natural aspiration is to live as high as possible, so it is believed that housing units should be located at, at least, a fifth level.

I think it is important to provide common living spaces within the building (social club) and give it space for the location of public facilities (child care, laundry, etc.).

At street level, giving the building premises for the installation of small business (café, newspapers, etc.) strengthens its relationship with the environment.

Another important provision is the parking for vehicles, no less than 1,5 parking spots per housing units overall, with direct access from the residential units. In our case, the forecast is for 400 parking spots.

The proposal aims to facilitate the choice of the housing units for each unit of living according to their composition, desires and possibilities. In addition, if you choose to live in a tall building, the natural aspiration is to live as high as possible, so it is believed that housing units should be located at, at least, a fifth level.

I think it is important to provide common living spaces within the building (social club) and give it space for the location of public facilities (child care, laundry, etc.).

At street level, giving the building premises for the installation of small business (café, newspapers, etc.) strengthens its relationship with the environment.

Another important provision is the parking for vehicles, no less than 1,5 parking spots per housing units overall, with direct access from the residential units. In our case, the forecast is for 400 parking spots.

I locate my proposal in a particular plot of New York, knowing that you cannot build on it, but that is an example of its ideal location.

The building volume is a cylinder (maximum volume content with a minimum area of enclosure), which communicates on one side with the access to the traffic network, leaving the rest free for footpaths and open spaces networks. Both will give us access to the local facilities system.

One of the aspirations of the proposal is the better use of sunlight, and it will reach all residential units (direct input and greenhouse effect). Cross ventilation is guaranteed by the vertical vents.

Another challenge was that the building was integrated into the surrounding vegetation, so that has become a hanging garden in its first’s levels.

On the upper floors is located the social relationship area (gym-social club) and by incorporating a green area we could create an almost tropical setting with direct solar input and the greenhouse effect.