Courtesy Matteo Cainer Architects

The construction of the Afghan museum celebrates the richness of Afghanistan's cultural heritage and the spirit of its peoples. In a nation devastated by war, the wealth of its cultural background and the spirit of its peoples are embodied here. In spite of the years of conflict and turmoil, the underlying strengths of the country remain intact, embedded in the earth and rising from it.

The new National Museum of Afghanistan awakens the nation's cultural heritage through powerful symbolic references, where physical fragments and traces inform us of its past. This concept is well illustrated in the 'negative spaces' of the artist and sculptor Rachel Whiteread that highlight the memory of an object, rendering the invisible visible through a reversal of solid and void. Here this 'absent presence' is found in the day-lit foyer, a tranquil and serene space filled with water and greenery. Entering the main hall, each visitor defines their own experience of the museum, ascending the monumental stairs from the foyer at its heart, aware of the depth of knowledge expressed in the deep recesses of its masonry walls.

Courtesy Matteo Cainer Architects

If the façade acts as a reflection of our society today, then the monolithic walls embody our history and culture. As if hewn from solid stone, the galleries bring to mind the very origins of space and knowledge. Each of the country's eight significant historic periods is represented in a dedicated space designed to house representative artefacts. A perambulation through this sequence of spaces unfolds a voyage of learning and discovery. Carved ramps and stairs overlook the foyer with the sequence of galleries unfolding in an intriguing and complex geometry.

The new museum's 56 metre square cube represents the significance of 7 and 8 in Islamic culture. There are seven verses in the Koran, here representing rebirth, and eight principal galleries in the program, the indeterminate open sky acting as a metaphor for the future.

The site geometries and composition define the garden setting with a series of water features designed to refresh the air during the summer months. The orientation and planning of the museum introduces cool, shady areas for outdoor promenades, and the landscaping strategy enhances on-site bio-diversity and shaded meeting areas. The museum’s gardens respond to the intense climate of Kabul and include native grasses and indigenous plants. Landscaping includes a stepped garden with covered seating areas and additional dedicated spaces for the museum’s educational programs, including tours, garden lectures and outdoor performances.

Courtesy Matteo Cainer Architects

A sustainable environmental concept determined the orientation, layout and design of the building envelope. The exposed concrete envelope introduces the required thermal mass, and the natural/displacement ventilation and highly efficient lighting systems reduces the overall energy consumption and provides a passive internal environment. Above the main foyer, digitally controlled external sunshades respond to protect the interior from the intense solar gain, reducing cooling loads internally. The orientation and inclination of the building allows controlled daylight internally with the potential for solar harvesting technology and a renewable energy supply. Internal heating and cooling is achieved through boreholes/earth tubes or crypt cooling, allowing air to circulate through large diameter underground pipes that discharge internal heat build-up via a stack. Materials are generally specified to be sourced and fabricated locally.

Courtesy Matteo Cainer Architects

Efficient use is made of the rainfall and humidity in the winter months. The soft landscape acts as a filter to collect and store rainwater for irrigation and grey water use and the fragmented form of the envelope acts as a natural purifier that provides potable water for the complex.

A future extension to the museum is considered in the concept design and planning, so that additional storage areas and communicating spaces can be successfully added. An twinned volume extension to the existing building is envisaged, with visitors following a mirrored circulation route, descending through the galleries from above.

Courtesy Matteo Cainer Architects

The Timeless Cube embodies the strength, pride and traditions of the Afghan people, providing visitors with better understanding of the country. The new landmark will be a stage for debate and reconciliation through an educational program that creatively engages people of all ages in traditional and non-traditional learning. The history, identity and traditions of its peoples will provide the bedrock for future generations to understand the culture of their forefathers and a unity in the region.

+ Project facts

Timeless Cube
National Museum of Afghanistan

Matteo Cainer Architects Ltd
Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Client: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan/Ministry of Information and Culture
Program: Master planning, National Museum Complex
Area: 4,25 hectars/ 17,126 sqm Museum complex
Status of Project: Competition Entry

+ All images and drawings courtesy Matteo Cainer Architects

Jonathan Dorthe recently designed the Picture-Clock for Atelier-D. These clocks capture time and place with images of urban landscape from Montreal. They are silkscreened with a silver metallic pigment, with backgrounds in black for night images, and white for daylight.

8h28 pm : Cityscape of Montreal seen from the old city at night.
4h47 pm : Silo no.5 in daylight is part of Old Montreal’s urban landscape.

Image courtesy Jonathan Dorthe

Image courtesy Jonathan Dorthe

Image courtesy Jonathan Dorthe

Image courtesy Jonathan Dorthe

Image courtesy AS Design

Image courtesy AS Design

HK-based design studio AS Design has completed this Aristocrat Deluxe Suite Room for Empire Hotels.

Using black as the sole color, designers integrated seven elements including wooden surface made with special techniques, velvet wallpaper, crystalline marble, fabric, glass, steel, wardrobes, and floor mat, to create "a sense of Black Elegance" for a 1,022 square foot deluxe suite room of Empire Hotels. Using exquisite texture layering in visual language to create a deluxe hotel design label, designers Four Lau and Sam Sum were seeking to represent a new interpretation of aristocracy.

Image courtesy AS Design

Image courtesy AS Design

The design is a breakthrough from the traditional hotel room; the design is inspired by people's constant demand to new innovations. The room represents the aristocratic style and poise of the "Empire", customers could indulge in the extravaganza "in the dark". The suite is furnished with sophisticated materials; every single wall is decorated with materials of different textures, creating a metropolitan atmosphere that brings not only visual, but also tactile sensation. A tailor-made waterbed is placed in the bathroom along with the "Rain Forest" shower, enhancing the sensual experience for the body and soul.

Image courtesy AS Design

Image courtesy AS Design

Image courtesy AS Design

kräf•te recently has completed the Hair Make C’ESTLAVIE in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan.

Image courtesy kräf•te

The owner's request was to make a space functional, neutral and minimum. The space was very small, approximately 36.30 square meters, and this was the challenge part on how to keep all necessary functions as a hair salon. As a solution, I have decided to change the ceiling to the skeleton in order to make the space look more spacious than it actually was. I also attached one mirror on the wall for visual effect. By placing closets between the shampoo space and the cutting area, I offered privacy as well as comfort for customers.

Image courtesy kräf•te

The hair salon is for customers to change their styles. There are several stages to go through and the staff has a responsibility to care about every detail. For this reason, I located the reception in the area where the staff can monitor everything. The mirror on the wall also helps the staff to understand every progress. As for key colours I chose white and grey in order to show up customers in space on top of the owner's request of making it neutral. In this space, customers will change their styles in a grey colourless scale, wear a new colour and go back to the world where millions of colours exist.

Image courtesy kräf•te

Image courtesy kräf•te

The name of the salon “C`EST LA VIE” is a French word meaning “That's life”. I understood this word as being philosophical about life and also having a strong belief towards goals. I expressed “C`EST LA VIE” – “a high tidemark after getting over good times and hard times” with “soaring development” by the multilevel closets which I set in the centre of the salon.

Image courtesy kräf•te

+ Project facts

Hair Make C’ESTLAVIE (Hair salon / Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan)

Design: kräf•te, Yukio Kimura
Sign Graphics: kräf•te, Yukiko Yamamoto
Collaboration / Lighting: Fukunishi Electric Corporation, Yoshino Higashi
Construction: Up Life
Photo: Kiyotoshi Takashima

+ All images courtesy kräf•te