courtesy SPARK

Ikon Connaught is located at the heart of Cheras where the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur begins to merge with the lush green hills of Kajang and Ampang. Ikon seeks to create a lifestyle destination on an intimate neighborhood scale with the level of quality, impact and vibrancy of a city centre destination. In addition to its human scale the project enjoys a highly visible and prominent location at the crossing point of the middle ring road and the east west link which connects the centre of KL to the Silk Highway and beyond.

courtesy SPARK

The design of the building will announce the scheme to the millions of people who pass the site on a regular basis whilst serving the community and its immediate neighbors; UCIS University and Connaught Hill gardens. To address these very different scales Ikon will be a twin speed building creating an iconic landmark to the motorist passing at 100kph whilst providing a rich and intimate experience for the slower paced pedestrian.

This twin layered approach is reflected in the façade design. Inspired by the owners clothing and luxury goods business the facade explores the idea of an outer layer concealing a contrasting inner skin like a demure leather bag or woolen suit which opens up to reveal a vibrant inner lining. The inner skin is conceived as a simple graphic box whilst the fluid outer skin appears to open up and flow with the passing traffic.

courtesy SPARK

Ikon will provide space for more than100 boutique shops and restaurants over five storeys with five levels of office above. The dynamic skin flows into the landscape wrapping the project with a veneer of outdoor dining terraces screened by layered planting.

courtesy SPARK

+ Project data

Location: Cheras Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Client: Pasti Anggun
Completion: Q4 2013
Status: Topping out Q4 2012

+ About SPARK

SPARK (www.sparkarchitects.com) is an award-winning international architectural and design consultancy with proven expertise in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and interior design. Founded in 2008, SPARK creates distinctive projects across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Boasting a dynamic team of over 100 employees spanning 16 nationalities and three continents, SPARK combines the best experience of international and local talent. Driven by a philosophical approach to create architecture that is pragmatic, social and convivial, SPARK works closely with clients to create sustainable architecture that is underpinned by financial viability and the desire to improve the quality of life for all. With a presence in Beijing, London, Shanghai and Singapore, SPARK's award winning projects include the rejuvenated Clarke Quay in Singapore, the Shanghai International Cruise Terminal, Starhill Gallery Kuala Lumpur and the Raffles City projects in Ningbo and Beijing.

Starcrossed, image courtesy 3form

3form has recently created the Varia Ecoresin Collection.

Starcrossed

Introduce a geometric aesthetic to your space with an embroidered interlayer pattern available in three colorways. Like a collection of constellations, Starcrossed gives the striking appearance of stars in the sky, joined by a series of intersecting straight lines – the result is mesmerizing. This new Varia Ecoresin panel brings a linear, yet whimsical feeling to any space.

Borderline, image courtesy 3form

Borderline

The Borderline panels echo the linear motion of the Edge ceiling feature, combining to create a flow from one plane to the next. Perfect for a linear look with its sliced-and-diced appearance, Borderline is available in four interlayer selections. Its striated effect puts some of your favorite 3form organic interlayers into a whole new light – opening up new possibilities to tell the design story of your space.

Leaf, image courtesy 3form

Leaf

Leaf Grand offers a large-scale foliage graphic that feels modern while retaining the freshness of the outdoors. Leaf expands the organic vision of a design with massive graphic print leaves in Varia Ecoresin with two available layup options. Zoom in to experience the delicate details of the leaf motif – either one giant leaf per panel, or with several smaller leaves gently overlapping for a cascade effect.

Mix, image courtesy 3form

Mix

Delve deep into the intricacies of linear patterns with Mix, a collection of Varia Ecoresin panels that add a new dimension to the standard stripe by combining interlayer types in an attractive amalgam.

Image courtesy WRNS studio | Photo by Tim Griffith

In San Francisco, WRNS Studio has recently completed a new 10-story parking structure for the UC San Francisco Mission Bay Medical Center.

Image courtesy WRNS studio | Photo by Tim Griffith

The UCSF Medical Center parking structure is a 10-story, 627-vehicle capacity garage located on the western edge of the new UCSF Mission Bay Medical Center site. Designed for hospital visitors, the parking structure creates an efficient and comfortable experience for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles, and blends well with the look and feel of the medical center buildings. As called for in the Mission Bay master plan, the structure will eventually be surrounded by other, taller buildings, but until then, it will be highly visible for years from the freeway and from residences on nearby Potrero Hill. As a result, the design needed to address both current and future conditions.

Image courtesy WRNS studio | Photo by Tim Griffith

The upper levels of the structure are shrouded with a custom anodized aluminum louver system in warm earth tones. The vertical louvers change orientation from panel to panel, creating a quilted pattern through play with light and shadow.  The varied spacing and orientation facilitate natural ventilation and control light spill from the garage at night in order to reduce the visual impact on neighbors. The louvers are also shaped to bounce daylight into the structure. Vertical fins define two-story view apertures and modulate between the pedestrian scale and the garage's large volume.

Image courtesy WRNS studio | Photo by Tim Griffith

Elevator waiting areas are strategically placed to frame views of the outdoors, and the elevator shafts are clad in white ceramic tile. At the base of the building, a secure and open pedestrian zone is enhanced with cement plaster soffits, a painted white concrete frame, extensive lighting, white perforated metal panels, street trees, and plantings.

Image courtesy WRNS studio | Photo by Tim Griffith

+ Project fact

Architect: WRNS Studio
Project Team: Sam Nunes, Kyle Elliott, Claire Axley, Ed Kim, Li Kuo, Mette Shenker, Drew Hastings
Location: Mission Bay District, San Francisco, California
Client: University of California, San Francisco
Date of occupancy: July 2012
Gross square footage: 223,602 sf
Site area: 35,000 sf
Construction cost: $15.52m (total), 14.62 m (construction)
Contractor: Rudolph and Sletten Inc
Consultants:
Richard C. Hubble (Specifications), Sherwood Engineers (Civil Engineering),
Merrill Morris Partners (Landscape Architecture), Walker Parking
Consultants (Structural Engineering), KEMA Services, Inc. (Commissioning)
Key materials (type/brand):
Cast in place concrete
Champagne anodized bronze aluminum louver blades (Zahner)
Painted perforated panels (Zahner)
Software used:  Autocad
Photographer credit:  Tim Griffith

+ All images courtesy WRNS studio | Photo by Tim Griffith

courtesy OODA

courtesy OODA

courtesy OODA

courtesy OODA

In Benguela, the second large metropolis of Angola, on the scope of the new masterplan in development, OODA designed a 26 story high building for different types of housing units in just one piece.

+ Project facts

BENGUELA 88
Benguela, Angola

Team: Diogo Brito, Rodrigo Vilas-Boas, Francisco Lencastre, Duarte Fontes, Francisca Santos
Type: Proposal
Client: Undisclosed
Size: 38.500 sqm total (19.500 residential)
Status: in progress

+ All images courtesy OODA

The most important thing you can do to prepare your home for all the friends, family, presents, food and general festivities that come as part and parcel of Christmas is to make space for them! If you are looking to revamp your home, here are some top tips to help you let the seasonal cheer into each room.

Living room

Storage space should be first on the list in your living room, especially when you know it's soon to be filled with excited kids, snoring grandparents and chattering friends. Why not create a sleek wall which hides your shelves and draws full of clutter? Or simply buy pieces of furniture that have storage space too – a trunk that hides away all your books and magazines for example, can also be a great traditional home-inspired coffee table.

Bedroom

You are likely to need an extra bed over the Christmas period, and even if you've only got a tiny box room aside from the master bedroom, you can achieve this. Just turn your tiny room into a cosy space for your guests. Don't bother trying to fit too much furniture in there – a fabric-covered clothes rail is enough – and just focus on making the bed the main feature of the room with plenty of cushions, a blackout blind and some luxurious throws. Wasted room no more!

Kitchen

You don't want lots of clutter out on your worktops – you'll need that space for preparing the food and mixing the festive drinks! Therefore, a kitchen with masses of cupboards and clever storage solutions is essential, but you don't want to sacrifice entertaining space. Instead of dedicating a large chunk of your kitchen to a dinner table, why not go for a kitchen island that can accommodate seating too, like many of the examples here.

Imagining the ideal kitchen can be difficult, so be sure to do your research online and find out which designs appeal to you, but also which will create enough space to seat and entertain the number of guests you are expecting this Christmas. You may find the 3D planner from Wren Kitchens useful, as these kitchen specialists have a large range of materials and finishes to choose from. It's also a great idea to create a mood board which you can use to try out colour schemes together, and to inspire you throughout the redecorating process.