Designed by Gudmundur Jonsson Architects, Norveg is situated in the Community Rørvik which has long tradition for fishery,  and represents the utmost of the Norwegian coastal culture through ages. Today there is a boat-building industry carrying on  the tradition, but in a modern way.

Being situated by the coast, represents in one way a challenge bringing visitors to the place, ensuring economic stability in the organization of the center. Therefore the Architect stated, that a building of significance was needed to ensure attention to this community.

Norveg Coast Cultural Center, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

The Architect  "visited"  the ancient times of fishery and used the culture for inspiration in creating the idea.  Thus the idea is based on the image of 3 sails which lean against a modern vessel, such uniting the sailing-boat tradition and the modern ships. The building becomes an evolution of a coast-cultural history visualized in architecture. The building even consists of an after-deck or a hind part to complete the interpretation of the ship-inheritage.

The building is 1.730 m². The organization follows the architectural elements. The main central vessel or hull  as the spine of the building housing the administration, kitchen and technical plants. The sails covering the foyer, restaurant and temporary exhibition. The big rock on the other side symbolizing the shore the ship is docking to, containing the multimedia and concert/auditorium space. At last the after-deck containing the coast-cultural exhibition also designed by the same Architect.

Norveg Coast Cultural Center, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

The height between the floor and the sails is just 140 cm and this is due to the interpretation of the sailboats that have the sail boom low, and you have to bend to cross sails. In this particular case this is also due to the reason that the architect wanted people to stop, calm down and have a see to enjoy the view to the ocean,  in such way you hardly see the see unless sitting down.

The visitor is captured in the wessel, and has to experience it from the inside as well. The cashiers/reception desk is inspired by the front of a ship pointing towards the fjord. The floor is of course a parkett inspired by the deck of a ship.  Above, under the ceiling a special created lighting fixture interpreting the seagulls are floating, named  "acoustical seagulls".

Norveg Coast Cultural Center, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

Climate by the sea demands carefullness in the choice of materials. Therefore the use of Alucobond in the Sails was necessary because of its endurance.  The main ship consists of concrete, casted by horizontal  formwork boards to illude the ship, and the after dec-walls are covered with wooden boards specially impregnated  to interpret the old wooden boats.

The building has already managed to arouse a great interest outside Rørvik and the northern part of Norway, but the most important part is that it already has achieved  to arouse optimism in the Community, creating other investments, and leading to other buildings and enthusiasm in the society.  In such way it has in its small scale established a kind of a Bilbao-effect for a community of 10.000 inhabitants and is still carrying on its mission as an architectural symbol of history in evolution.

Norveg Coast Cultural Center - Ground floor plan, drawing courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

Norveg Coast Cultural Center - First floor plan, drawing courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

Norveg Coast Cultural Center - Section, drawing courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

+ Project credits / data

Project: Norveg Coast Cultural Center
Location: Rorvik, Norway
Architect: Gudmundur Jonsson Architects | http://www.gudmundurjonsson.no/
Typology: Cultural

+ All images and drawings courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

+ Other waterfront architecture on +MOOD

Ozeaneum German Oceanographic Museum | Behnisch Architekten

Gudmundur Jonsson Architects has completed the renovation of a studio apartment in Reykjavik, Iceland.

The tiny house represents one of the elevations of the square on top of Reykjavik City center facing the famous church and the Sculpture Museum. This square is visited by each and every tourist that comes to Reykjavik. The apartment is on 2nd floor with a view towards the church, the Museum, the Pearl Restaurant and the Blue Mountains in distance. This spectacular setting was the reason for the investment in the apartment which was in very bad condition.

Apartment Reykjavik, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

There is only one apartment on each floor, each staircase level giving access to a tiny balcony that is not accessible from the apartment but just from the staircase.

This balcony was of no interest but gave an excellent opportunity to include in the apartment creating a new entrance with total glazing towards the backyard together with a view towards the roof landscape and the seaside.

Apartment Reykjavik, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

By changing this entrance an new and more clean kitchen solution could be established.

Further a load-bearing wall and other walls were toned down and replaced with steelbeam and in order to make use of the nice view towards the church and the square the windows were enlarged giving possibility for a replacement balcony as the french balcony and a totally glaced bay-window even with a glaced floor and roof.

The plan before had been divided into separated rooms and now the focus was on the open plan solution with division possibilities with acrylic sliding elements to separate the bedroom.

Apartment Reykjavik, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

The steelbeam is hidden with suspended ceiling that simultaneously is giving the entrance direction into the space, thus also being able to hide the suspension for the sliding acrylic elements and giving the optimal possibilities to play with different lighting as downlights and indirect lighting.

The ceiling height is rather above average and by establishing high kitchen cabinets the space is experienced with more grandeur. The white color is used to give the feeling of a bigger space than it is, just being 52 m2 after the enlargement with glaced baywindow and the use of the balcony as a new entrance. The cabinets are in high glossy finish with car painting and without visible handles to simplify the design and refine it. The floor covering is Casa Dolce Case tiles in graybrownish colour in 60×60 cm. tiles on the whole apartment.

Apartment Reykjavik, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

The bathroom has mirrorglass on one of the longitudinal wall to enlarge the feeling of space. All lights have dimming possibilities and a light control system with different scenes.

Apartment Reykjavik, image courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

The black kitchen island is covered with Nero Absolute handpolished matte stone with integrated and almost invisible Miele cooking top. On the other kitchen table there is a white Italian Cristobal stone. The wall between the lower and upper cabinets is covered with glass for better maintenance. Some other lighting is established as well for effects as LED lights around the TV-wall and under the bed.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Apartment Reykjavik
Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
Designer: Gudmundur Jonsson Architects | http://www.gudmundurjonsson.no/

+ All images courtesy Gudmundur Jonsson Architects

This project works on every level, creating a haven for its occupants without forgetting to engage its communities. The team preserved embodied energy by artfully repurposing an existing building. Variety and articulation of different building and unit types are expressed both on the exterior facing the street, as well as the interiors facing the public gathering areas. It admirably achieves every one of the goals the team set out to meet.

2011 AIA Housing Awards jury

This complex development establishes a new green neighborhood that brings a diversity of affordable housing to an under-served area of Oakland, and repairs the deteriorated neighborhood fabric. The 7.5-acre brownfield infill site – previously home to decrepit public housing, an abandoned factory, and unused train tracks—presented an unhealthy living environment and invited criminal activity. Absent and decaying infrastructure isolated and undermined even new improvements being made in the area.

Tassafaronga Village, courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose

The majority of residents of the existing housing and members of the surrounding community voiced support for the re-imagination of the site. Many of the original relocated tenants have been welcomed back to the new development, and 533 people now call the village home.

Tassafaronga Village, courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose

The new village seamlessly knits into the surrounding urban area, bridging an industrial-residential divide via new amenities and repaired connections. New landscaped walkways and traffic-calming roadways establish links to the once-isolated library, elementary schools, and city park. The openness of the plan and diversity of building types preclude the stigma that often accompanies large blocks of affordable housing, which can pigeon-hole people for poverty.

Tassafaronga Village, courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose

Varied housing types thoughtfully arranged throughout the site lend the village an organic feeling, and ensure a diverse and vigorous residential community. Residents of different means, unidentified as such, live side-by-side, strengthening the social fabric. Modulation of scale creates a peaceful neighborhood that boasts a density three times that of the surrounding city, accommodating the greatest number of families in need and allowing services and amenities to be shared by the largest number of people. This density fosters liveliness and has helped reduce crime rates in this previously desolated area.

The village is anchored by a 60-unit apartment building that includes a living roof atop the development's community room and services. An unobtrusive parking garage is hidden below a large podium courtyard and housing stoops. The site's abandoned factory was renovated into supportive apartments and a neighborhood-serving medical clinic. 94% of the building was reused, and 93% of the demolition and construction waste was recycled. Throughout the site, groupings of family townhouses line the roadways and cluster around courtyards, keeping eyes on the street and enhancing the village feel. Two groupings of affordable ownership townhouses – designed on a pro bono basis for Habitat for Humanity East Bay – are integrated into the site as well.

Tassafaronga Village, courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose

Developed by the local Housing Authority, the sustainable project achieved the first LEED ND Gold Certified Plan in California. All of the housing on site is on track for LEED for Homes Platinum certification. The site features a comprehensive storm-water management system. Through a series of complementary sustainable measures, the buildings average 30 to 50% energy savings over California's already strict energy regulations. It stands as a model of and encouragement for teams considering pursuing LEED ND Certification, and as an example of green principals integrated into affordable housing, within budget, removing the elitism from sustainable building.

Tassafaronga Village, courtesy David Baker + Partners | Photo by Brian Rose

Tassafaronga exemplifies an innovative, bold, humane, and successful approach to modern urban affordable housing. Urban Design critic John King wrote,

…the buildings are imbued with an adventurous urbanism attuned to larger social and environmental concern straits that should be commonplace, but are all too rare.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Tassafaronga Village
Architect: David Baker + Partners
Location: Oakland, California, USA
Landscape Architect: PGA Design
Structural Engineer: OLMM Consulting Engineers
Electrical Engineer: FW Associates
Lighting Designer: Horton Lees Brogden
MPE: Guttmann + Blaevoet and SJ Engineers
Contractor: Cahill Contractors
Civil Engineer: Sandis
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Brian Rose, Courtesy of David Baker + Partners

+ All images and drawings courtesy David Baker + Partners

In Romania, X3 new office recently has been completed, the office has been re-purposed an old attic and it is both visually appealing and tightly organized.

X3 office is an interesting game of contrasts and states that aligns perfectly to X3‘s own eclectic style. In addition to the the visual game, the handcrafted items bring a personal and creative touch to the whole ambiance.

The first level is a open space and 2 glass offices. On the second level there’s the kitchen or bar, a place to chill and and a conference room.

Image courtesy X3

Image courtesy X3

Image courtesy X3

Image courtesy X3

Image courtesy X3

Image courtesy X3

Lower layout plan, courtesy X3

Upper layout plan, courtesy X3

Image courtesy X3

+ About X3

X3 is an award-winning design studio, committed to excellence in all its forms. X3 is dedicated to delivering high impact results that exceed expectations. Born in 2001 as a one-man business, X3 has grown into a design studio recognized for their committment to excellence.

X3 had the pleasure to work on all kinds of projects, from new niche products and services, to complex rebranding processes for big corporations.

+ Project credits / data

Location: Timisoara, Romania
Surface: 250 m²
Floors: 2
Interior designer: Stefan Lazar from Ezzo Design
Photography: X3

+ All images courtesy X3