courtesy PRAUD

PRAUD has completed the Casa Periscopio.

+ Architect’s statement by PRAUD

Although it has already been almost 20 years since El Salvador suffered from a civil war, the understanding of the urban space and architecture has been strongly molded by the concept of security and enclosure that is so engraved in the psyche of its citizens, be it in the city as much as in rural areas. With this in mind we work in shaping the idea of the MODERNIST FORTRESS. This term, the modernist fortress is not only literal in the sense of creating an enclosed environment but also in the sense of trying to escape from the fortitude of modernism. Our strategy is to treat the typology of the project as three independent masses that would enclose the required program while creating a third space and an open connection towards the nature. The aim of the project is to allow open events to occur between the inside and the outside by creating different builtscapes without segregating the possibilities of program. The interior living area is opened as a linear connection to dinning and kitchen within a double height. Similarly, the exterior has the linear connection of cooking, eating and lounging by the pool that connects back to the interior. This generates the possibility of a looping action and interaction between the inside activities and outdoor ones. Although the horizontal windows and columns of the south facade reminisce a modernist logic, the counter facades reminds us of a battle between conteporanism and modernism being fought through the massing and not a plan strategy. Local methods of construction, CMU and concrete are also utilized in order to create a monumental permanence of the mass within nature.

courtesy PRAUD

courtesy PRAUD

+ Project facts

Project: Casa Periscopio
Architect: PRAUD
Budget: $180,000
Built: 2012
Location: Costa del Sol, El Salvador
Program: Weekend House

+ All images and drawings courtesy PRAUD

These contemporary crates and trays are made from thin laser-cut plywood which are assembled with finger joints, exposing a geometric detail on the edges. The series is designed with a lozenge or rhombus pattern, with cut-outs that vary in size to create a gradient of opacity. The cut-outs allow the contents to peek through, adding colour contrast against the natural wood. The crates are designed in two heights: one full-cube and one half-cube. The shape of the handles is cut out at the bottom of the crate, allowing both sizes to stack together for maximum storage. The tray is also stackable, and is available in both a wood and acrylic version.

+ Designer: Jonathan DORTHE

courtesy Jonathan DORTHE

courtesy Jonathan DORTHE

courtesy BIG

BIG + Raymond Jungles + Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates + Esrawe + Desimone + HNGS, transform the Coconut Grove Waterfront with twisting towers in South Florida, USA.

The Grove at Grand Bay residences, located on the former site of the Grand Bay Hotel and just minutes from key areas including the airport, downtown Miami and Coral Gables shall leave an imprint on the South Bayshore Drive community, redefining luxury and breathing new life into Coconut Grove for decades to come. Developed by Terra Group, Miami's leading real-estate development company, the construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2012, completing end of 2014. Upon completion, the project seeks LEED Certification Silver designation, the first such structure in Coconut Grove.

courtesy BIG

Grove at Grand Bay's impressive aesthetic and unparalleled service are tantamount to the evolution of Coconut Grove and raises the bar to Olympic heights.

Pedro Martin, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Terra Group.

courtesy BIG

Rising 20 stories over the bay-front, Grove at Grand Bay will showcase 96 expansive residences with panoramic views from every angle as the two towers take off from the ground and clear the surrounding buildings, readjusting their orientation to capture the full breadth of panoramic views from sailboat bays and the marina to the Miami skyline. The interactive movement of the two towers creates a new dancing silhouette on the Grove's skyline.

courtesy BIG

Miami has developed a contemporary condominium vernacular that combines brise soleil style balcony shading with floor-to-ceiling windows in order to best enjoy the panoramic water views of the area. We propose to elaborate on these indigenous elements and continue the evolution of the local condominium architecture.

Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner, BIG.

courtesy BIG

Whether in the shade of the buildings' twisting facades or inside, residents of the Grove at Grand Bay will fully experience and relish living amid the open air. The gardens and architecture will fuse seamlessly at the amenity levels, maximizing indoor outdoor living experiences that are unique to the South Florida climate. Views down into the gardens, towards the surrounding canopied neighborhoods, and beyond Sailboat Bay will offer peaceful, verdant backdrops to elegant residential interiors and vast balconies. The interior design of the individual units are refined towards minimalism and luxury. With an open flow-through floor plan, each residence will showcase 12' ceilings and 12' floor-to-ceiling windows, first among Florida developments, and spacious outdoor terraces with wraparound balconies that create a continuous indoor/outdoor living environment.

Raymond Jungles, the landscape architect renowned for his creative and ecologically sensitive landscape architecture, captures the natural beauty of the neighborhood and magnifies it with ample green spaces. The two glass towers in a pas de deux appear to float over Raymond Jungles' lush, canopied oasis, beckoning to Biscayne Bay and beyond.

+ Project facts

Partner-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Thomas Christoffersen
Project Leaders: Leon Rost, Ziad Shebab
Team: Tiago Barros, Jitendra Jain, Brian Foster, Ed Yung, Terrence Chew, Ji-Young Joon, Kasper Hansen, Chris Malcolm, Alana Goldweit, Martin Voelkle, Greg Knobloch, Ho Kyung Lee, Mina Rafiee, Cat Huang, Maureen McGee, Chris Falla, Valerie Lechene

+ All images and drawings courtesy BIG