Pritzker Prize winner Wang Shu: The work of Amateur Architecture Studio

Wang Shu of the Hangzhou-based firm amateur architecture studio has been announced by Thomas J. Pritzker, Chairman of the Hyatt foundation, as the 2012 Pritzker Prize architecture laureate. Born on November 4, 1963 in the city of Urumqi in the Xinjiang province of China, the 49 year old is the first architect to receive the award from his nation. 

He acquired his Bachelor of Science and then Masters Degree from the Nanjing institute of technology in 1988 and a Ph.D. from Tongji University in 2000. From 1990 to 1998, Wang Shu worked for Craftsman to gain experience by learning everything involved in the construction of buildings through the renovations of old structures. Along with his wife Lu Wenyu, they co-founded the Amateur Architecture Studio in 1997, bringing forward their personal critique of the architecture profession in their country. His disapproval of the destruction of urban areas and therefore history as well as rapid developing of rural areas became central to his design approach. An executed example of this mindset is the Ningbo historic museum, where he used recycled materials found near the site to fuse memories of the past into the modern day construct. 

Library of Wenzheng College, 1999-2000, Suzhou, China

image © lu wenyu

Library of Wenzheng College, 1999-2000, Suzhou, China

image © lu wenyu

His work process experiences three phases, initial encounters with clients, construction detailing of the project and then the introduction and acceptance of the finished product by users. The forms emerge first from introspective thought, then drawings and follows with discussion to reach final stages. Maintaining a handcrafted aesthetic is of great importance, adding soul and humanizing his structures.

Ningbo Contemporary Art Museum, 2001-2005, Ningbo, China

image © lu wenyu

Ningbo Contemporary Art Museum, 2001-2005, Ningbo, China

image © lu wenyu

Vertical Courtyard Apartments, 2002-2007, Hangzhou, China

image © lu wenyu

Summer Retreat in Fuglevik

'Summer Retreat' is a residence in Fuglevik, Norway by Oslo-based practice Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter. Clad with wooden planks, a solid entry facade creates a mono-view, directing attention towards the landscape in one direction to produce a heightened connection with the ocean. Minimal penetrations and windows allow healthy circulation through the interior while the rear of the home opens into a continuous glass facade. The uniform wooden interior unfolds with a partially screened veranda which frames an outdoor seating area with views towards the water.

'Summer Retreat' by Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, Fuglevik, Norway

All images courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter

Villa A

 Slovakian practice Architektonicke Studio atrium has recently completed 'Villa A' in Kostolany, Slovakia. Overlooking the village below from a site once considered inaccessible, this residence is steeped into the hillside with direct access to the landscape from each storey. With views to the church, the dwelling rests upon the north-facing side of the hill at 5 meters above street level. The basement and ground floor are embedded into the earth, projecting over a parking area as the land slopes away. The lifted building volume then conforms to a 10 degree roof pitch which spans the length of the home and connects each of the rooms. Concrete walls emerge to form the shell and are then concealed with wood or tin cladding.

'Villa A' by architektonicke studio atrium, Kostolany, Slovakia.

All images courtesy of architektonicke studio atrium.

Stereoscopic House

Singapore-based architects pencil office has shared images of the 'stereoscopic house', a multi-storey private dwelling on the flat reclaimed landscape of Sentosa Island, Singapore. Taking advantage of the plot's ideal vantage point, the design extends and distorts a tube-like volume to frame views of the ocean and adjacent golf course while remaining conscious of sustainable living. 

Flanked on both sides by neighbouring structures, the house opens up towards the front and the back with continuous spans of floor-to-ceiling glass. A series of perforated shutters on the street facade enable the inhabitants to control both privacy and level of sunlight entering the interior. Wrapped in a dynamic wooden skin finished in a herringbone pattern, the roof and upper volume is rendered as a monolithic form that hovers above a translucent base. 

Taking note of the tropical climate, the design integrates a number of outdoor zones into the organization of the layout: a large third storey terrace generated by an excision in the pitched roof secure views of the neighbouring islands, while a poolside veranda under the cantilevered volume benefits from shading. The language of the perforated screens is continued throughout the house to facilitate natural cross ventilation and daylighting. A series of angular skylights and organically-shaped openings in the ceiling create an ever-changing play of light and shadow. In order to reduce energy demands, the house is equipped with rain harvesting systems, solar hot-water heating, and low-e glazing to prevent overheating for the interior.

'Stereoscopic house' by pencil office in Singapore

All images courtesy pencil office

Six Flood-Proof Buildings That Can Survive Rising Tides (Part 1)

When it rains, it pours -- the past few months have seen a slew of floods around the world, and it's not even hurricane season yet. With increasingly unpredictable environmental conditions and the prevalence of flash floods and catastrophic storms, building safe and secure flood-proof structures is becoming even more vital. Not only do we have to worry about natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, but we will have to battle with rising sea levels, so designs for aqueous living should definitely be on the minds of architects world-wide. Read on for six innovative flood-proof designs that are able to weather the worst of the rising tides.

Flood Harvesting for New York City

Using the surging forces of the world's oceans and rivers to our advantage may be one way to beat back rising water levels. GRO Architects has envisioned a series of energy-generating floating houses that link together in modular docking stations. The aquatic houses would soak up the energy of tides and currents around New York City to generate power. Since the homes are placed directly on the water, they are automatically prepared for rising water levels and take advantage of the free renewable energy they supply. + Flood Harvesting for NYC

Make It Right Foundation Floating Houses

Celebrity super-star Brad Pitt and his Make It Right Foundation are doing good work to rebuild New Orleans after the hurricane -- their floating home in Lower Ninth Ward is ready just in case the city floods again. Designed by Morphosis Architects, the Float House has the ability to rise up on posts, disconnect itself from utilities and be self-sufficient for three days until the water recedes. + Make it Right Floating House.

NOAH: New Orleans Arcology Habitat

Designed for New Orleans, NOAH is a pyramid-shaped mixed-use complex for 40,000 people that is meant to survive all sorts of severe weather, including a flood. Designed to float in the event of rising water levels, NOAH, also includes a host of other sustainable features, including renewable energy, organic gardens, transportation and waste and water recycling.

UK’s First Amphibious House Approved for the River Thames, Floats on Rising Tides

Baca Architects was recently granted approval to build the UK’s first amphibious house on the banks of the Thames River in England! The test home will respond to the issue of rising floodwaters – a pressing world-wide problem caused by climate change. When faced with rising tides, the modern home will rise and float, keeping its occupants safely out of harm’s way.

The comfortable 738 square foot home will be built adjacent to the river’s shoreline, with only 32 feet of clearance should the waters rise over their normal levels. The Baca team conducted years of research to come up with a model home that would respond to flooding conditions and work with the flood to protect the home. The firm is a leader in waterfront architecture, and this an ideal site upon which to develop a flood-resistant home.

During dry times, the home will rest on fixed foundations that will keep it in place. But if flooding should occur, the entire structure will rise up in its dock, and buoy along with the flood waters. The house will be built in a flood-prone area called Flood Zone 3b, which is located on a tiny island in the Thames in Buckinghamshire.

Like other homes in Buckinghamshire, the home will be designed with a traditional pitched roof and other characteristics found in homes in the region. Although it will blend in our the outside, the home will be highly energy efficient thanks to lots of insulation and high-performance glazed windows. A surrounding garden will be planted as the first line of defense against flooding, and the home will react when the water reaches a threatening level, after providing a warning message to the residents.

The lightweight timber façade will rest between four vertical guideposts that will keep the structure in place and protected. The house is  planned for construction later this year, and it will provide a great model for dealing with flooding problems around the world.

Beautiful Modern Water Villa Sets Sail in Amsterdam

There are hundreds of canals criss-crossing through Amsterdam which make the city uniquely suited for living on the water. This new modern houseboat at De Omval makes houseboats on Lake Powell in the USA look like redneck McMansions. Designed by Dutch firm +31 Architects, the Watervilla de Omval is a compact 2-bedroom houseboat with modern lines that can ride the rise and fall of the tides.

The 200 square meter split-level houseboat on De Omval keeps a low profile to respect local building ordinances. Part of the home is submerged underwater, but +31 Architects made sure to provide daylighting down below by creating a large void from the top floor down to the bottom floor. A ‘cuckoo window’ under the fireplace on the top level lets light into the bedroom below.

A staircase on one side of the house leads up to the rooftop deck, then down half a floor to one of the bedrooms. The staircase continues down another half floor to the bottom level, which features a study, a master bedroom and bathroom and space for technical equipment. The top floor holds the the kitchen, dining and living areas and features large floor-to-ceiling windows on the canal side.

The water villa was recently completed and launched at De Omval, and it offers sweeping views of the nearby Amstel River. A wood planked jetty leads up to the site, and a deck on the opposite side of the house allows the owners to moor a boat alongside it. While the river and canal levels are kept pretty constant in the city, the home could easily adapt to rising sea levels and a changing climate.