Recipient of the 2010-11 Rome Prize, Sarah Oppenheimer is known for her aesthetically sleek and perceptually startling installations that alter existing gallery and museum spaces to reveal seemingly impossible views. Her site-specific installation at Rice University Art Gallery, D-17, is a wing-like form that soars upward and out of the building, appearing to pierce the gallery's glass wall.

+ Project credits / data

Project: D-17
Designer: Sarah Oppenheimer
Commission: Rice University Art Gallery, Houston, Texas
Photo: Nash Baker © nashbaker.com

+ For more information about the installation, visit D-17 Exhibition Page on Rice Gallery website:
http://www.ricegallery.org/new/exhibition/oppenheimer.html

+ All images courtesy © Nash Baker

D-17 by Sarah Oppenheimer, image © Nash Baker

D-17 by Sarah Oppenheimer, image © Nash Baker

D-17 by Sarah Oppenheimer, image © Nash Baker

D-17 by Sarah Oppenheimer, image © Nash Baker

D-17 by Sarah Oppenheimer, image © Nash Baker

Switzerland-based architectural firm HHF architects, in collaboration with ARchos Architektur designed the Parking Sonvida Basel. The project is located on the outskirts of Basel and is part of a new housing project with different sized villas and small apartment buildings.

The underground parking is designed as an underground street (approximately 150m long) which allows to access all of the above houses directly through the parking. As a result of the wave like curvature of the concrete ceiling, there are three large skylights which make the space bright and friendly and which create a direct visual connection to the new street above ground.

These skylights serve at the same time as small hills in the apartment houses open garden. With that the houses are embeded in between small hills, which create a certain privacy in the dense setting of the new buildings.

Parking Sonvida Basel, image courtesy HHF architects | Photo by Tom Bisig

Parking Sonvida Basel, image courtesy HHF architects | Photo by Tom Bisig

Parking Sonvida Basel, image courtesy HHF architects | Photo by Tom Bisig

Parking Sonvida Basel, image courtesy HHF architects | Photo by Tom Bisig

Parking Sonvida Basel, image courtesy HHF architects | Photo by Tom Bisig

Parking Sonvida Basel, image courtesy HHF architects | Photo by Tom Bisig

+ Project credits / data

Project: Parking Sonvida Basel
Architect: HHF architects (http://www.hhf.ch/) in collaboration with ARchos Architektur (http://www.archos-architektur.ch)
Location: Bottmingen, Basel-Land, Switzerland
Programme: Transportation | Underground Parking for a housing Development with 32 Units
Team: HERLACH HARTMANN FROMMENWILER and Kurt Frommenwiler with André Burkhardt, Walter Gloor, Silke Gilbert, Uta Kamps
Underground Parking: 57 Parking Spaces
Construction: 2005 – 2010
Client: Gribi Theurillat AG, Basel
Photos: Tom Bisig, Basel – tombisig@bluewin.ch

Portuguese-based architectural design office OODA & OOIIO win Merit Award in Taiwan Conceptual Tower International Competition.

The competition intention was to create a pioneering and innovative design concept which will stand as a new-age landmark and a symbolic voice to the world of Taiwan’s new spirit. The Tower was planned to be at least 300-meter high freestanding tower including offices for Taichung City Government, leisure and recreational functions, retail and educational centers and the new Museum of Taichung City Development.

Taiwan Tower competition proposal, render courtesy OODA+OOIIO

Taiwan Tower competition proposal, render courtesy OODA+OOIIO

The concept form proposed links a Taiwan’s significant cutting industry (diamonds) with the required program and some inspirational features such as the Eiffel Tower (structure and icon), the Origami (folding process and symbol generation) and Taiwan’s star-look flag (identity).

Taiwan Tower competition proposal - Conceptual diagram, drawing courtesy OODA+OOIIO

The massing development had in consideration the need to become the most visual focus and the new gateway image for Taichung area, so the building perception is different from every corner and establish renewable relations with the city from within the building and from the outside context.

Taiwan Tower competition proposal - Vertical transportation, drawing courtesy OODA+OOIIO

The building has three distinct entrances (Museum, Tower and Offices) that are defined by three separated volumetric pieces that get unified in the first common sky Lobby above and create a public sheltered space below. On the central area is positioned the main functions (such as the Museum, Conference Centre, Fitness, Sky lobbies, Retail, Food and Beverage, etc) and on the peaks and the between areas is where we can find the offices, the sightseeing zones and the complementary functions.

Evalution Method: Architecture: 50%

Structure, Green Solutions and Office Portfolio: 50%

Taiwan Tower competition proposal - Section, drawing courtesy OODA+OOIIO

+ Project credits / data

Project: Taiwan Conceptual Tower International Competition
Location: Taichung, Taiwan 2010
Team: OODA (http://www.OOD-A.com) + OOIIO (http://www.ooiio.com/)
Diogo Brito, Rodrigo Vilas-Boas, Francisco Rugeroni, Joaquin Millan VIllamuelas, Alfredo Munoz Herrero, Juan Jose Ortega Lopez, Sandra Sainz Vicente
Result: Merit Award

Architect’s blog: http://oodarchitecture.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/its-taiwan-tower-design/

+ All images, drawings and description courtesy OODA