ULTRA MODERN DECOR

Eco-Architecture in the Italian Alps by Lovegrove Studio - Living in a Futuristic Sustainable Bubble

London-based Lovegrove Studio has redefined the term, “living in a bubble” with a futuristic take on the mountain chalet. Geared to stand at an altitude of 2,100 meters in Piz la Ila, Alta Badia, Italy, the ultra-modern Alpine Capsule will not only rival the spectacular views of its surroundings, it will actually reflect them in its unique mirror-finish facade. Resembling the reflective fluidity of mercury, Alpine Capsule is intended to “de-materialize” its appearance from the outside, while from the inside the one-way mirror coating allows overnight guests to enjoy unobstructed 360-degree views of the Italian Alps. The interior is a blend of modern, minimalist and soft three-dimensional style designed for relaxation. Apart from its contemporary concept and look, Alpine Bubble is also a sustainable design, entirely off-the-grid and powered by alternative energy sources such as photovoltaic technology integrated with vertical wind turbines. Construction will begin in 2010. Lovegrove Studio
via Dezeen

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2 Dec 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Modern German Design Goes for the Gold - Library by architecture firm FF Architekten

In a country where history is ever-present in modern art, architecture and life, German architecture firm FF Architekten has combined the old and the new in their striking design for the unique Luckenwalde Library. Located in the town of Luckenwalde, this cool, contemporary structure incorporates the town’s original rail station, which is found alongside the new, most-modern addition – a golden rhomboid. The rail station’s classic walls and ceilings have been preserved, and the space updated with new furnishings. Abutting the traditional structure, the whimsical, contemporary cube houses a youth center and a children’s library, offering a quirky location for learning and lounging with a good book. FF Architekten
via Judit Bellostes
photo credit: Andreas Meichsner

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26 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Futuristic Bridge Design Overarches the Copenhagen Harbor – CPH Arch by 3XN

Stretching across Copenhagen Harbor, a spectacular specimen of modern architecture takes shape. This proposed bridge and urban center, developed by the architects at 3XN, not only bridges the geographical gap between Marmormolen and Langeliniekaj; the futuristic CPH Arch moves from architecture, to innovation, to modern art in leaps and bounds. Consisting of two distinct towers and a bridge bowed between then, this modern design is notable for its sleek, singular silhouette and an all-encompassing curve that flows as freely overhead as do the waters that run beneath it. But the uber-modern appeal also a function. “Establishing a connection across the harbor radically improves public access and creates brand new opportunities for life and growth in the area,” according to the architects. 3XN.

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25 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Italian Architect Riccardo Giovanetti designs Futuristic Plasticamente Pavilion for Disney movie Trilli

Plasticamente Pavilion borders on art, architecture and technology alike in its futuristic design. Italian architect Riccardo Giovanetti has created this contemporary, hi-tech-inspired pavilion to play host to the premiere screening of Disney’s new film, Trilli – an eco-friendly children’s film. As a reflection of the cartoon’s content, Plasticamente Pavilion itself explores recyclables and plastics in a 130m2 structure. As reported by Contemporist, “The design of the Pavilion was an exercise in balance that comprises the transparency of the architecture, the visibility of the exhibition from far away and the sense of intimacy required for this kind of interior,” says Milan-based Giovanetti. The pavilion is enclosed in hundreds of white, plastic discs, giving this large structure a sense of weightlessness, and lending the design its unique, ultra-modern appeal. Riccardo Giovanetti
via Contemporist
Photo credit: Studio Morosetti

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24 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Modern Architecture in the UK - East Beach Cafe

With seating for 60 and an unlimited creativity, this ultra-contemporary, ultra-creative design by London-based architect Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio attracts crowds as much for its architecture as it does for its fares. The East Beach Cafe sits in a serene, seaside setting in Littlehampton, UK, where its become a local landwark thanks to Heatherwick’s innovative approach to design. “The studio saw its challenge as being to produce a long, thin building without flat, two-dimensional facades,” according to the architect. The result is a series of layers, “sliced diagonally into ribbons” that fold over the structure and open to the sea beyond. Glass doors and windows, which can be closed off with rolling shades, offer an unobstructed view while flooding the space with natural light. Heatherwick Studio.

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21 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Modern Architecture in France - Concert Hall Design by Foster and Partners

The Zenith, newly located in Saint-Etienne, France, has recently opened its doors to rave reviews. It’s no wonder this sleek, contemporary design is a hit with modern architecture and art buffs, considering its origins in a 2004 international design competition. Needless to say that architects Foster + Partners won with their plans for the state-of-the-art performance center. “The project has two aims: to raise Saint-Etienne’s profile as a regional venue for arts events and to help drive the regeneration of this formerly industrial city,” according to the architects. The new building is geared to do just that with its distinctive, aerodynamic roof and flexible performance space. Apart from looking cool, the cantilevered roof is actually designed to “scoop” air and create a flow for passive interior ventilation. The modern concert hall is designed to accommodate anywhere from 1,100 to 7,200 culture connoisseurs. Foster + Partners
via Contemporist

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20 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Treehouse Restaurant in New Zealand - Yellow Treetop Restaurant

The architects down under have come up with an ultra-modern design that lifts design to new heights – 10 meter heights, to be exact. Designed by Pacific Environments Architects, the curious, contemporary design for Yellow Treehouse Restaurant is a 10-by-12-meter split-level structure, constructed mainly of timber trusses. Set on the trunk of a majestic, 40-meter high Redwood on the outskirts of Aukland, New Zealand, the cafe resembles a glowing, floating lantern by night. Apart from its unconventional placement, the design of the actual cafe is an organic, tear-drop shape accessible via a 60-meter “treetop walkway.” Inside, seating for 18 awaits, where the gorgeous surrounding views are visible through the openings between the slats. “It’s inspired through many forms found in nature – the chrysalis/cocoon protecting the emerging butterfly/moth, perhaps an onion/garlic clove form hung out to dry,” according to the architects. This contemporary design is currently being built as part of a design competition hosted by the New Zealand Yellow Pages, which requires that participants source all products and services from listings in the Yellow Pages. Pacific Environments Architects
via Contemporist

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19 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

London Vauxhall Sky Garden by Amin Taha Architects - £72M Modern Greenspace in the Sky

London based Amin Taha Architects set their sights high for their innovative new eco-friendly skyscraper design. Not only does this modern structure incorporate a series of interior gardens, but it also puts the gardens among the clouds within this 130m-high structure. Geared to rise in London’s new Nine Elms Opportunity Area, the Vauxhall Sky Garden building was designed to encourage social interaction and to cultivate micro communities. Within the building, 178 residential units will mingle with two three-storey interior greenspaces covering 2,500m2. The project will be developed by Fraser Properties at a cost of £72 million, with an anticipated completion date of 2012. Amin Taha Architects
via World Architecture News

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18 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Eco-Friendly Skyscraper in Singapore – Modern Tower by T.R.Hamzah and Yeang

Joining the ranks of the world’s top architectural centers like Dubai, Singapore’s EDITT Tower is a modern marvel of eco-friendly, aesthetically appealing and truly amazing building designs. Created by architects T.R.Hamzah & Yeang, EDITT – the acronym for “Ecological Design in the Tropics" – is a 26-storey structure that embraces sustainable features like 855 m2 of photovoltaic panels delivering 39.7 per cent of the building’s energy supply; passive ventilation methods; a biogas generation plant to convert sewage into alternate energy and fertilizer; all wrapped in an organic envelope of local vegetation that acts as an insulator. The contemporary design also features a grey-water recycling system to irrigate its living, leafy facade. T.R.Hamzah & Yeang
via Inhabitat

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17 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Seashell House in Espoo, Finland - Contemporary Creativity at its Best

Kotilo – also aptly dubbed the Seashell House – has had architecture enthusiasts spinning in their seats with its wonderful, whimsical, winding design. Scottish architect Lewis Martin has revealed this wonderful house design on his website, Lewism, where he offers a tour of the work of modern Finnish architect Olavi Koponen. Designed by Koponen as his own private home, this unique house in Espoo, Finland, is contemporary creativity at its best. With the hearth at its heart, the entire home literally twists its way around this main focal point. Surrounding the impressive fireplace, a staircase meanders its way from bottom to top, open to the home’s various rooms. The unique design boasts a grass roof and is clad in timber shingles – Larch on the exterior and Aspen on the interior – which adds to the home’s organic appeal. Olavi Koponen.
via Lewism

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13 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Contemporary Amalgamation of Natural and Artificial - Interior and Exterior

Located in the busy urban center of Gangnam in Seoul, Korea, this ultra-modern structure by Mass Studies Architecture is one of those spots worthy of a visit if you find yourself in town. Set amid the rapidly rising and utterly upscale retail, commercial and entertainment establishments of the area, the building stands out for its contemporary and innovative green facade, winding its way around clean, contemporary windows that offer a peek at what’s inside. The living mossy exterior, which is composed of a geotextile planting with herbaceous perennial, makes its way inside and spills along the walls of a downward staircase leading to the subterranean Multi-Shop. On the main floor, enter the Ann Demeulemeester through the western courtyard. Topping the structure is a restaurant, accessible via a staircase spanning the entire eastern face of the building. “This building is not meant to be just another ‘object’ to be experienced externally, but rather as a synthetic organism of nature and artifice,” according to Mass Studies. “This proposal is an attempt to incorporate as much nature as possible into the building within the constraints of a low-elevation, high-density urban environment of limited space (378㎡). The building defines its relationship between natural/artificial and interior/exterior as an amalgamation, rather than a confrontation.” Mass Studies Architecture.

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12 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Polish Architects Winning Ultra-Modern Design at Expo 2010 in Shanghai

Polish architects Wojciech Kakowski, Natalia Paszkowska and Marcin Mostafa have won the bid to design the Polish Pavilion at Shanghai’s Expo 2010. Inspired by traditional Polish arts and crafts, the innovative facade is the soul of this avant-garde structure. “Given the nature of the exposition, the exhibition facility has to denote, by its esthetic distinctiveness, the country of origin, [and] has to constitute, by the strength of its stylistic connotations, an evocative, recognizable and memorable cultural ideogram,” according to the architects. “In our design, the cultural idiom is primarily conveyed through the theme, the motif of folk-art paper cut-out. Or, more precisely, through a rendering of the motif, a transcription of an elementary esthetic code into the contemporary language of architectural decor.” The result is an ultra-modern, architecturally interesting and intricate design by day, which transforms into an illuminated, multi-colored art installation by night. The building’s form boasts obtuse angles and slanting planes reminiscent of folded paper, complemented by the perforations. Polish Pavilion.

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6 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Sustainable Architecture in Norfolk, England by LSI Architects

The eco-friendly, sustainable architecture for the Cley Marshes Visitor Centre in Norfolk, England, has been awarded the Best Sustainable Development at the 2008 Emirates Glass LEAF Awards. This contemporary, sustainable design by LSI Architects boasts an exterior inspired by the landscape, and taking its muse a step beyond simple inspiration, the structure is actually topped by the landscape as well. A sedum moss roof arches over a frameless glazed window, which offers unobstructed views of the nature reserve while flooring interiors with natural light. The Centre features other eco-friendly technologies and materials, and it is powered renewable energy sources including wind and solar power. LSI Architects.

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5 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Contemporary Architecture in Zurich, Switzerland

Architects EM2N made an odd pairing of community and contemporary industrial architecture at the Aussersihl Community Center in Zurich, Switzerland. The architects based their design on the notion that “Not the building alone is the Community Center, but the entire park.” With this in mind, EM2N started on a contemporary structure that would make a statement on its own, while also speaking to its surroundings. According to the architects, “It was clear to us, that there was only one possible way to build in the park: preserving all the trees, minimal footprint, [and] stacking the program.” The original idea for the design included mirror facades. But in order to stick to the prescribed budget, the architects clad a majority of the building in dark green wood panels, and the remainder in mirrors, creating a loosely camouflage effect among the trees. The modern community center strays from traditional horizontal construction with its strongly vertical silhouette. This “stacking” method also allowed for unobstructed, open-concept interiors free from columns and interior walls. EM2N.

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4 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

Ultra-Modern Interpretation of the Leaning Tower Rising in Abu Dhabi

Leaning Tower of Pisa, make way for the Capital Gate Tower. With a modern slant on the traditional high-rise, this shapely structure in Abu Dhabi – one of the world’s major architectural centers – is making waves for its curvaceous lines and steep 18-degree westward incline. The gravity-defying slope is the characteristic that has this design vying for the Guinness World Book of Records’ title as the “most inclined in the world.” The project’s architects – RMJM – have created this contemporary design of 35 storeys to lean an unprecedented four times farther than Italy’s Leaning Tower. The lofty goals called for a foundation of dense, reinforced steel and 490 piles buried 100 ft. into the earth to accommodate the gravitational, wind and seismic pressures created by the tower’s tilt. Capital Gate house a 5-star Hyatt hotel and exclusive office space. RMJM
via World Architecture News

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3 Nov 2008 | Architecture | Comments (0)

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