The Hacienda chaise is one of the most recent pieces to be developed for the Esrawe Studio furniture line.

As the name suggests, the piece takes inspiration from the furniture found in buildings constructed during the colonial period in Mexico, most commonly in rural areas. The design and spirit of this kind of furniture forms part of Mexican character and cultural identity, evoking with reminiscences of country life and customs.

One clear historical reference for the Hacienda chaise is the butaca or Miguelito: a style of comfortable chair that was common in colonial homes throughout Latin America. The archetypal form of this chair provided inspiration for pieces by different designers and architects both in Mexico (such as Clara Porset, William Spratling, Luis Barragán and Michael van Beuren) and in Europe (Josef Albers, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Hans Wegner).

The design of the Hacienda chaise is enriched with some of the features of the traditional butaca, albeit with a contemporary approach and language. The piece is solid and robust in character, yet its design has been freed from ornamental detail. This defines the expressiveness of the piece and informs its construction.

+ Project facts

Design: Héctor Esrawe
Year: 2012
Materials: Solid wood and leather
Photography: Jaime Navarro

 

This is the renovation project of a residence room near Osaka city where is close to airports and railway hub stations. It is used as the multi use space as an accomodation, a stay, a guest space,and also an incubation office of taiwanese bussiness partners who works in Japan.

Here, we performed various designs based on the clear plan composition having the element of excursion / flexibility, the lighting plan with rationality / diversity, and the operation of the light which changes every moment.

That is because I wished to find out rich space composition which is equal also to a city, and its complexity in the interior space of the limited size.

Firstly, the existing space currently divided into the fragment was integrated rationally and articulated clearly. The state and capacity of required equipments and storage space was reexamined again and refined. Excessive walls of three rooms was removed and one continuous space was produced.

It functions as a hall / living / dining / Japanese style room, sets a central core for a part of equipment and walk-in closet , and has amphidromous and flexibility.

The space of the shape of a rectangular doughnut can respond also to a private use flexibly by sliding doors, though it has sufficient depth and width as an incubation office.

By digging a superthin slit in these doors, the sunlight from the west side opening is effectively taken even into all the corners of the space which has the depth of 10 m in east and west.

Moreover, several lighting with various illuminations, colors and shapes differ from form is arranged. By using this in different way properly and rationally, residents can use space variously. The semi open type kitchen can follow the demand from a living – dining, Tatami room, and a guest space continuously by the hall and two openings.

I proposed a flexible space which can be adapted for various unexpected demands and scenes by a minimum intervention.

+ Project facts

Project : Amphidromous Rectangle / CSM 402 – renovation
Architect / Designer : Jun Murata / JAM
Constructor : Kataoka Koumuten Corporation
Model : NINI, SHASHA
Photo : Jun Murata
Location : Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan
Completion : 2012
Function : Guest House, Incubation Office
Total Floor Area : 51 sqm
Design : Mar.-Apr., 2012
Construction : May. – Jun. 2012

+ All images and drawings courtesy JAM

'La Ville de Pins' is a French Restaurant Remodeling project in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, which is the hottest district at metropolitan area in the city of Seoul, Korea.

'La Ville de Pins' means a pine village in French. A pine village is situated in the heart of Gangnam in Seoul. This building boasts of its white figure among the surrounding monotone buildings. It looks like an isolate island and also looks remarkable through the inter-space of alley. The space composition of this building reflects the client's wish to make customers experience French dinner easily without any burdens. Its space concept also reflects the new food culture named 'Le Fooding' on its center. Fooding is a compound word of 'Food' and 'Feeling', and tells the whole feeling produced by the combination of food, style and atmosphere. La Ville de Pins provides Le Fooding in order that the customers can enjoy French food in the more casual and popular atmosphere.

This two-story brick building had built in 1980s. The most important thing in remodeling this old building was to create a space harmonious with the surroundings and to attract the eyes. I thought that the conciseness might tell the message more strongly in the age when the extraordinary designs are rampant formatively and visually. Therefore, I designed this space only with white color and shapes of extremely moderated straight line on the whole.

I also wanted to express the spatial harmony of East and West. I think Eastern spaces follow the world of harmony and have the more delicate components, while the Western spaces follow that of control and order. I wanted Korea and France with the concepts different from each other to strike the balance between them and to be one as another world. I created a story of this space by making the sequence of spatial components and expressing the concept with design. In particular, I arranged pine garden, cafe and restaurant in shape of 'L', through which people inside can look out, and people outside can look in. New scenery becomes to flow successively in the interior space.

It is said that spaces of Korea are the culture of 'room'. Korean intend to form the intimacy in the closed space rather than the wide open space. I attempted to create such a space of Korea at this project. I divided the spaces naturally by differentiating their levels even on the same floor. Outside garden, white cafe on the first floor, orange&purple area, and restaurant for small meeting on the second floor are divided by the differentiated levels. The differentiation of levels produced the sequence of space.

White color to dominate the whole space is moderate and concise, and makes some emptiness. The emptiness of this space becomes the background filled with people's figures and behaviors. The golden, orange and purple mosaic tiles symbolize the programs of this space against the white color. Golden area more public than other areas becomes a cafe for diverse uses and accesses. Orange area is the neutral semi-public space, and purple area is the most private space. On the second floor, natural wood and black chandelier show the programs different from those of the first floor.

+ Project facts

‘La Ville de Pins’
606-3 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea

Design : Oh, Sae Min / BANG by MIN emerging design group  | http://blog.naver.com/bangbymin
Design Team : Kwak, Changwook, Yoo, Hyunduck / BANG by MIN emerging design group
Program : French Restaurant
Built area : 305.67m2
Completion : December 2011

Finishing materials
Exterior : White stucco finish on CRC board
Interior : Floor-Epoxy coating / Wall-Urethane Paint, Mosaic tile / Ceiling-Urethane Paint, Mosaic tile

Photographer : Choi, Jungwoo

+ About BANG by MIN emerging design group

This is the information of Sae Min Oh, the Principal of 'BANG by MIN emerging design group' located in Seoul, Korea..

'Sae Min Oh' graduated from the School of Architecture at Pratt Institute(New York, USA) and the Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design, GSAPP at Columbia University(New York, USA). He built his career at 'the Leonard Parker associates', 'PDI', and 'Durrant', and is currently working as the principal of 'BANG by MIN emerging design group'. Also he is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Architecture, Korea University.

He works many diverse projects with novel attempts and experimental approaches at architectural, urban, environmental and interior design, space & contents developing. His representative works are 'H-House', 'Urban Boutique Hotel', french restaurant 'La Ville de Pins', 'Miega', boutique hair salon, first prize for the 'The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul Exterior Design Competition' and design proposal of 'Ho Chi Minh City Meteorological Administration mixed-use building project'.

+ All images and drawings courtesy BANG by MIN emerging design group

The client's brief was to design a home which played an active role in their everyday life, rather than a static shell. Our aim was to develop a design which engages with the rituals and the growth of this young family; blending the external and internal spaces to create movement and life in the environment.

Located on the elbow of the street, the site is sandwiched between two suburban houses and common practice when it comes to locating a suburban house on a site, is to start at the centre of the plot and enlarge the footprint until the space required is met.

Typically remaining on the side of the site is a two narrow strips of unusable landscape and a standard suburban backyard. The backyard's intention is to give the occupants a sense of connectivity to the outside, however because of poor orientation and spatial planning, the garden is often under valued, resulting in a passive relationship with the interior, In HANS-house, instead of standing next to the backyard, the form cradles and pulls the landscape in and to the centre of the house. Giving the landscape a stronger presence in the overall design of this home.

The backyard shares the rear of the site with the living room, the two spaces are divided by a large glass sliding door and a deep timber clad reveal. The depth of the timber reveal formally articulates and stretches out the hidden gap between the internal and external. The edge of the reveal also creates a handy seat for large family gatherings. By activating the edge, the spaces are encourage to flow in and out of each other Orientated north, the reveal also create an eave to allow for passive solar gain. Also a thick heavy curtain can be pulled across to separate the living room and lock in all the captured heat.

As the backyard moves further to the east it is compressed by the underside of the cantilever box to create a small courtyard. Different to the rear, the courtyard is a more intimate exterior space, the deck is also raised to suggested two distinct zones. As the courtyard digs into the centre of the house, it surrounds and connects itself with the internal spaces. The cool masonry wall to the north and the cantilever of the upper floors shelters the courtyard from the summer sun, while in winter the courtyard remains dry and tucked underneath the upper floors.

The brick wall to the street front, folds down and slides into the house to formalize the entrance. In the kitchen this concrete brick is adopted again to construct the island bench, moving to the kids retreat area, the timber lined ceiling is the underside of the cantilever box, which is articulate as it flows over the window and out into the courtyard. By using common exterior material internally, the house attempts to invite that exterior in and obscure the transition between interior and exterior. Creating a more dynamic relationship internally and its surroundings.

Sitting above the ground floor is the timber box, stretching westwards to the street to greet the large peppercorn tree. The west facing windows is carefully located to capture the views of the tree and at the same time hides behind the foliage to shade itself from the hot setting sun. The opposing façade frames a view of Melbourne's skyline. Internally the box is carefully divided, with spaces of a slower and relaxed nature (i.e. bathrooms and study) facing the tree, and the more active spaces pointed towards the city.

+ Project facts

HANS House
Aberfeldie, Victoria, Australia

Architect: M.O.D.O (Michael Ong Design Office) | www.mo-do.net
Project team: Michael Ong
Project area: 350 sq meter
Project year: 2012
Photographs: Courtesy of M.O.D.O and Ricky Fung

+ About M.O.D.O (Michael Ong Design Office) + Michael Ong

M.O.D.O (Michael Ong Design Office) is a multi-disciplinary design office in Melbourne inspired by simple and considered designs.

We are excited about the rituals and qualities found and lost in everyday spaces, and explore themes of transformation; turning the ordinary and banal into rich and expressive.

Our work forms a foundation for narratives to develop and grow within our constructed spaces and objects. While we are fascinated by the intangible, our work is grounded by solid design strategies, experience, rigor, direction and skill.

From large private houses to tiny jewelry pieces, we greet each project with an open mind and innate sense of curiosity. We always collaborate with our client's brief and budget to realize a thoughtful, unique and complete project.

Michael Ong
bachelor of planning and design | masters of architecture | ARBV/AIA

Born in Melbourne to a young Chinese painter, Michael was exposed to the field of art at an ealry age. Though his passion for art stems strongly from his father, his interest in construction drew him into the discipline of design.

After successfully completing a nomadio house concept for his final visual communication project, Michael enrolled in Architecture at The University of Melbourne. His nomadic house was later selected for the TOP DESIGN 2003 exhibition, held at the Melbourne Museum.

In 2006, after receiving multiple high commendations Michael graduated from Bachelor of Planning and Design (Architecture). Michael went on to complete an internship year at Sean Godsell Architects, BC Architects and Andrew Maynard Architects; and still continues to work with Andrew Maynard Architects today.

He has also studied one semester at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm as part of his masters program.

In 2009, Michael graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Masters of Architecture. His thesis project, which explored the revival and conversion of an old silo into a housing solution was published in the architectural magazine MARK (issue 27).

Continuing his position at Andrew Maynard Architects, Michael responsibilities have grown steadily as the firm developed, from predominantly design, modeling and documentation to delving into most aspects of the architectural process.

Over the years, he has had significant involvement in projects such as the KLCC towers, MOOKS store, HouseHouse, Domino House, Monash P.A.C, Sense Office, Portable Parks and others. During the time, Michael also returned to the University of Melbourne as a design tutor.

In 2011, Michael became a registered Architect, shortly after, MODO was established, with the ambition to create thoughtful, playful and distinctive projects.

+ All images and drawings courtesy M.O.D.O

A central patio divides the house into two parts and organizes the interior spaces: on the west side, an open horizontal space to the garden receives the dining room and the kitchen; on the east side, a vertical space, located at a lower level in relation to the public route to ensure domestic privacy, receives the living room.

Large apertures establish the contact between interior and exterior. In the horizontal space the relationship is made by the continuity with the garden while in the vertical space is the blue sky that dominates the entire landscape.

The private areas, one suite and two bedrooms, are located in the upper level as well as the access to the roof terrace. The simplicity of the facades contrasts with the complexity of the different spaces of the house. The white wall surfaces and the gray shades of the floors give a unit character to the entire construction.

+ Project facts

Architecture: [i]da Arquitectos – Ivan de Sousa + Inês Antunes – www.i-da.eu
Location: Carcavelos, Portugal
Area: 283.81 sqm
Project date: 2009
Finished: 04.2012
Photography: Joao Morgado – Architectural Photography – www.photo.joaomorgado.com

+ All images courtesy Joao Morgado