Pedro Sousa Studio recently has created the Causeway.

Causeway takes, as a point of departure, the good memories of student days, more precisely the year spent in Dublin. Having found peculiar rock formations, Pedro designed this sailboard which forms a three-dimensional pattern, despite the bidimensional original pattern, as if it were a illusory game, dense with enigmatic perspectives spread all over.

It’s a product that has been stored in his memory for a long time, has been developed and has matured, waiting for the best opportunity to be materialized in the form of a sideboard.

This piece as a body in plywood with a solid wood structure, finally the piece is coated all around with a tri-dimentional pattern of wood veneer. The first series is available in three different colors: green, blue, red and finally natural wood, where 2 pieces are prototypes, 2 artist proofs in a serie of 8 pieces for each, all numbered and authenticated by designer.

The Causeway subject will be continued by creating new products.

Swedish lighting company, Wästberg, will present the new LED Uplighter designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune, at Orgatec, October 23 – 27, 2012.

Historic industrial design icons such as the Starship Enterprise or the Citroën's steering wheel were inspirational when designing the w126 uplighter. Admittedly two quite technical examples, but this is a lamp that demanded both highly advanced engineering and a bit of iconicity.

Two powerful and separate LED light sources, one up and one down, with separate dimming allows you to set the light to any desired ambience. No need for a manual. Two simple touch buttons makes operating instinctive.

However, this lamp does not fly through outer space, nor does it roam the highway, but stands in an architectural context. Significant in expression, yes. But reduced in form and shape to feel at home in your room.

+ All images courtesy Claesson Koivisto Rune

Badshahpur is located in Gurgaon – one of the largest cities in the Indian state of Haryana, and a major satellite of Delhi. Gurgaon has experienced rapid development over the last 20 years; attracting both regional and global institutions to its infrastructure offering, proximity to the Capital, and for its growth as a hub of information technology, research and development, and engineering. This success has come with the support of a growing number of technology-geared educational institutions in and around the state.

The Badshahpur IT Park is a campus of ten buildings, set across a sinuous series of adjacent plots of varied ownership. The challenge was to create a common identity across the site, a hierarchy of amenity spaces, and a strategy for future expansion (or contraction) of the campus. The ambition was to create a vibrant and inclusive work environment that meets the expectations of today's IT graduate candidate / employee, and the employers that seek to attract the same talent.

External finishes and the landscaping layout use a common language to create distinct identities for groups of buildings. Mimicking the sinuous nature of the site, a series of ribbon forms navigate the campus defining a series of outdoor areas – smaller areas servicing a cluster of buildings, and larger, delivering functions for the campus as a whole. The largest space sees the ribbon forms converging to create annexes and spill out areas for the campus canteen, fitness gyms, nurseries and similar amenities. Smaller outdoor spaces offer simpler functions such informal meeting and greeting areas, as well as shading and seating for groups or individuals.

Planting as well as each of the ribbons that travel across the site create an individual identity to various areas of the site, and therefore establish a form of passive way-finding between the buildings of the campus. Having the elevations of the buildings mimic the forms within the landscape would hopefully assist in making the landscape become part of the work environment – a place to have informal discussions, or take walking breaks from workstations.

Building heights vary across the overall site owing to its make up from sub-plots and ownerships. Equally building footprints varied in response the sites undulations. It was necessary to create a flexible façade module that would work across the varying buildings such that they would all read as a family, whilst also responding to opportunities such as views across the site, the creation of bridge links between buildings, and key vistas from road level approaches. The resultant design of elevations seeks to split the masses of the buildings into two intertwined volumes – one of stone, and one of glass – thus allowing common masses across the varying scales of building.

A number of modular cladding components (based on a 1500mm width) were developed to offer deep reveals (to building faces prone to solar gain), curtain walling, balconies, etc. The overall mass of the building forms was reduced by the articulation of these components, also creating an opportunity to reiterate the ribbon forms and concepts within the landscape. The result is that the intertwined volumes continue across the buildings of the site as if pieces of a larger volume.

Interlayers to the double glazing of the curtain walling again reduce solar gain; the same interlayers have varied opacities to create variation across the façade, with the opportunity to create large super graphic imagery across the faces of the buildings. Internally, blinds and operable windows allow additional passive control over the working environment.

The deep reveals and flush spandrel units [across the curtain walling] allow the facade lighting fixtures to be discreet and protected from local dust-storms. Similarly, the detailing of the facade attempts to design-out gaps and ledges (whilst considering local building tolerances), in order to reduce maintenance.

The forms and themes continue into key interior areas of the scheme, where reception desks, waiting areas, and way-finding, embrace the themes within the architecture and landscape.

The client's aim was to bring concepts that exist in some of the campuses of the West – from the hot beds of technology and innovation in California – to the meet the growing demands of the expanding Indian IT sector. The Badshahpur IT Park creates a unifying architectural concept around the amenities, open working environments, creating pathways, plazas and break-out spaces. A place that global visitors will recognise as a modern international working environment, where regional talent can flourish, and new ideas can be generated and shared.

+ Project facts

Badshahpur IT Park

Architects: 10 DESIGN
Location: Badshahpur, Gurgaon, India
Project Leader: Gordon Affleck, Kishor Lad
Project Team: Nigel Height, Lukasz Wawrzenczyk, Abraham Fung
Landscape Team: Ewa Koter, Caterina Choi, Matthew Younger, Ibrahim Diaz
Project Year: 2012
GFA: 150,000 sqm²

+ All images and drawings courtesy 10 DESIGN

The stunning new ‘City Gallery’ by the Planning Department of the HKSAR Government, which takes as its theme the city’s planning and infrastructure, has now opened within Hong Kong’s City Hall Annexe. London- and Hong-Kong-based experiential designers MET Studio acted as the lead exhibition consultant on the project, working in collaboration with joint venture partners Oval Partnership, whilst all architectural works were by the Architectural Services Department, HKSAR Government.

The new gallery saw the City Hall Annex building renovated and adapted from office use to become a dedicated 3,200 sq m planning exhibition venue, with the 1,500 sq m gallery created from an extension of an existing gallery space on the ground floor. As well as the permanent exhibition areas, the venue also now includes a major introductory audio visual show space, which will double as an events and seminar multi-purpose hall. There is a further new space for thematic exhibitions on the ground floor and an integrated resource centre on the fourth floor.

“The limited footprint and restricted ceiling height of the existing building created a number of design challenges that were met with creative innovation”, explained MET Studio Design Director Neil Williams, who works from MET Studio’s dedicated Hong Kong office. Vertical connections have been added in key locations joining floors, with slots and view paths and openings were added in unusual areas to create a dynamic and complex space for visitors to explore.

“There were three main focus elements to the design”, Neil Williams added. “The first was to evoke the collective memory of Hong Kong residents via uniquely Hong Kong features, including red market lighting, neon signage and old metal folding gates, so that the exhibition would resonate strongly with local people and create a sense of immediate ownership of the space. The second was to create spaces that were complex and challenging to encourage visitors to explore and to revisit the exhibit, whilst the third was to make the information flow two-way with feedback built into the exhibit design, reflecting the open and engaging nature of the planning process.”

The ground floor includes a spacious lobby for groups to gather. Moveable door panels can be opened up so that a flexible area for temporary themed exhibitions forms an integral part of the lobby when not in use. Although the four-storey exhibit begins on the ground floor, it then moves up to the third floor via a dedicated escalator, from where visitors come back down to the ground floor exit one level at a time.

Exhibits on the ground floor help visitors orientate themselves, learn about the history and re-use of the building itself and provide a global city context for Hong Kong. The ‘Unique Hong Kong’ area of the gallery includes double and triple height spaces with image, audio and video content that challenges visitors to consider what Hong Kong is all about. A strong palette of red tones was used throughout to contrast with the deep grey colours of the building and to create a warm and welcoming entrance. Red duotone graphic details from famous local buildings have been printed directly onto some of the wall panels to add texture and local context. The ‘Unique Hong Kong’ area deals with first impressions and the images, sounds and Vox-Pop recordings used here all refer to well known locations, cultural icons and other reasons to appreciate this unique city. Throughout, there are small boxes, which visitors can open to discover images and audio clips. These include the classic special-event fireworks over the harbour but also reference, for example classic canto-pop songs, local wildlife, the sounds of trams, excerpts from comedy film and people ordering lunch in Hong Kong style restaurants.

The escalator journey from the ground up to the third floor forms a core part of the ‘Unique Hong Kong’ experience with video and audio effects, as well as intriguing views through to other spaces. Representations of classic Hong Kong neon signage were added to create a distinctly local feel.

On arrival at the third floor, visitors go into a ‘must-see’ introductory AV show, which covers the history of Hong Kong’s development from a sleepy island to a modern-day world city. The dynamic show focuses heavily on recent past, present and future developments of the territory, with elements including projection onto a full scale wall model of Hong Kong and a larger scale floor model covering the core harbour area. Video and images are projected at either side of the model on large screens that can be split into segments or used as one giant projection surface.

During seminars and forums, the floor model can be moved into a specially designed storage space to allow flexibility for a multi-purpose hall with a 180-seat capacity.

On the third floor visitors can also interactively discover who plans Hong Kong and how the public can get involved during consultations. In the same gallery area – which also has a great view out over the harbour – visitors can also interact with rolling map, which show how the coastline and skyline of the city have changed since the 1840′s. Selecting highlighted areas of the maps triggers fun audio visual animations explaining why certain streets were given their names.

As visitors move down to the second floor, the gallery begins with a link to the initial ‘Unique Hong Kong’ area. Visitors can see through an opening to the lower floors, including all the way down to the ground floor. This connection is enhanced by the further use of the red panel designs, which reference to some of the content themes. For example, the beginning of the floor includes overt reference to the Hong Kong MTR (Mass Transit Railway) with props and signage adding authenticity. This ties in with a later section on the second floor where the content deals with transportation and the interior has a strong link to the Hong Kong MTR design, including a reclaimed MTR bench.

The ‘Strategic Picture’ area includes a video introduction, together with a large interactive table that can be used by up to eight people at once. From this digital database visitors can find out all about the Hong Kong 2030 Planning Strategy. The design of the table was developed as a back projection, partly to resolve the issue of the height restrictions, but also to add to the vertical connection between the floors. The glass projection surface can be seen from the ground floor and through opening on the first floor.

The final area of the second floor highlights the subjects of ‘Sustainable and Green Hong Kong’. Here MET Studio used renewable bamboo and recycled acoustic panels and materials to provide an appropriate and comfortable environment.

As visitors go down to the first floor, they move into a further ‘Unique Hong Kong’ area – this time referencing the city’s heritage, with vox pops on heritage subjects and features including Chinese brick tiles, old street signs and a reconstituted ‘wall tree’ The area also includes views into the ground floor void space and across the escalator.

Also on this floor, the ‘Living Environment’ exhibition area includes hands on exhibits using translucent glass back projection and augmented reality. Here visitors can explore some of the more technical issues involved in planning in an intuitive and engaging way. The ‘Heritage’ section of the Gallery again uses the Chinese brick finish in combination with wooden floors and mosaics. Inside the ‘Heritage’ debate chamber, visitors can sit on real Star Ferry seats and vote using interactive buttons at the end of each debate sequence.

The final area of the exhibition is entitled ‘Hong Kong Next Century’ and here the designers took a more philosophical approach. As no one can predict the future with any certainty, visitors are instead encouraged to make up their own minds. The centre of the space includes a cut-out map of Hong Kong, onto which visitors place building blocks and, inside them, a written wish for the future. The surrounding walls are designed to allow for a changing display of images, both on poster holders and on video. Here the Planning Department can show local school ideas or a selection of fun posters, for example, showing visions of the future from past decades, whilst inspirational quotations on the walls can also be taken down and relocated making the space adaptable as a thematic space.

Alex McCuaig, Chairman of MET Studio added, “We are delighted to have completed this complex and challenging project, which also highlights our company’s long and successful interaction with the city of Hong Kong, where we have designed many major visitor centres and corporate showrooms over our thirty-year history as a design agency, from Telecom World and the Drug Info Centre to the Hong Kong Wetland Park.”

+ Factual Information:

Location :  3 Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong
Client : Planning Department, HKSAR Government
Architect/Project Mgr: Architectural Services Department, HKSAR Government
Exhibition Design: MET Studio with Oval Partnership
Identity Design: Kan & Lau Design Consultants
Timeframe : 2008 – 2012
Size :  1,500 sq m (exhibition area) / 3,200 sq m (total area)
Contract Sum (exhibition): HK$48,500,000

Sub-consultants :
M&E Consultant : CSA (M&E) Ltd
AV Consultant: Ihd Ltd
Lighting Consultant: Creative Lighting Asia Ltd
Graphics Consultant: Hybrid Ltd

Main Contractor and Sub-contractors :
Main Contractors: Wing-Hing (architecture) / Hypsos (exhibition)
Film Production: Yu+Co [LAB] Ltd
Audio Visual Hardware: PCCW
Model Making: RJ Models

+ All images courtesy MET Studio

Designing a kitchen is, more often than not, a costly and time-consuming procedure that can really do more harm than good for your home if it’s not thought out properly. Having said this, you sometimes don’t need to do that much to really change the look and feel of this room! Here are some great top tips that can help you get the most out of this important area of the home with little spending.

Get the paint out. As a cheap and cheerful way of really making an impact on any room, paint is always a good place to start. Wallpaper isn’t really suitable for a kitchen; after all, the changes in temperature and humidity can make it bubble and peel. It’s also awful to clean, unlike gloss.

This also applies to cupboards. While every other room in the house will be largely based around the colours of the walls, this surface is not as predominant in the kitchen owing to the fact it’s largely covered in kitchen units. If you don’t like the current colour of them all, why not paint them, too? Of course, caution needs to be exercised – you don’t want to use the wrong kind of paint, as the wrong choice could peel or tarnish a surface.

Tiles are cheap and effective. Just looking online shows how cheap they can be – even for the best or most popular style. They’re also easy to clean and you can fit them yourself, using a guide from online and a steady hand.

Look at the smaller details. If you want a completely different feel but have a small budget, consider changing much smaller things in a kitchen. This could be done by fitting new door handles, different knobs on cupboard doors, or simply getting a different wash bowl or drying rack. Consider accessorising with brightly-coloured tea towels, or accent paint colours. You may never know how far they could go!

Every year, A’ Design Award and Competitions aims to highlight the excellent qualifications of best designs, design concepts and design oriented products & services.

Mission

Provide a fair, ethical and competitive platform for companies, designers and innovators form all the fields with different experience levels, different disciplines and market focus to compete on, while providing them a global audience to showcase their success and talents to. The A’ Award and Competition aims to act as blender; to bring together designers, companies, teh audience and the press.

Action

The A’ Design Award is not just an award, it is the indicator of quality and perfection in design, the award is recognized worldwide and takes the attention of design oriented companies, professionals and interest groups.

Winning the A’ Award is a certificate of excellence for designers, an important milestone in your career. Having the A’ Award attracts the eyes of design oriented companies worldwide, winners will be able to find better and higher profile jobs, get a step ahead in their life.

+ See our 10 selected winners of A' Design Award and Competition here, and visit www.whatisadesigncompetition.com for more information.

The site lies upon a hill in a beautiful small village in the district Potsdam-Mittelmark in a fantastic scenic situation with breathtaking views over the nearby lake. The surroundings are dominated by a combination of historical and modern mansions. As many of the old large trees on the site should be kept as possible.

The new building is designed as a modern residential building with 3 flats. The floor plans are designed to be flexible and open. The main flat extends across two floors. Simple and reserved materials (exposed concrete, glass, wood, natural stone) underline the modern architectural style to accentuate focus upon the connection between the interior and outdoor spaces. All upper floors can be access via the external staircase.

The concept for the facades plays with the contrast of open and closed dependent upon the surroundings and importance of natural perspectives. The narrow sides are glazed toward the south into the garden, and toward the north with the magnificent view over the lake. The west and east facades to the neighbouring sites are mainly closed and designed with large prefabricated concrete elements and some narrow glass bands. The inside of the building appears light, bright and friendly through the open glazed south and north facade. During the seasons the changing surroundings of the large deciduous trees and so also the spatial impression in building will continuously vary:

• Winter – panoramic view, bright sun light
• Summer – closed tree canopy with focused views, shadow with diffused sunlight

The building will be heated by using geothermal energy. The integrated bus technology allows the individual controlling of the entire building everywhere and from every place.

+ Project facts

House O
New residential building in Potsdam-Mittelmark, Germany

Client: Otte-Projektmanagment, Berlin
Architect: Peter Ruge Architekten
Team: Pysall Ruge Architekten – Peter Ruge, Matthias Matschewski, Kayoko Uchiyama, Akane Tazawa
Photograph: Werner Huthmacher
Structural engineering: ASBA Ingenieurbüro Bauplanung GmbH
Facade engineering: Frontplan Ingenieurbüro
Construction company: Horst Kasimir Bauunternehmung GmbH
Joiner: Bau+art, Berlin
Location: Potsdam-Mittelmark
Brief: New residential building
Scope of services: Design planning, approval planning, execution planning
Size: 360 sqm
Duration: 2007 – 2011
Completion: 2011

+ All images and drawings courtesy Peter Ruge Architekten