WallArt introduction of eco friendly 3d-wallpanels New 3d Design Kites made out of recycled Sugarcane bagasse!
WallArt, Wall Decor Brings your Walls to life!

courtesy WallArt

Modern day society is defined by style and innovative thinking. If the two were to combine, one would have the perfect blend. WallArt strives to give new life to your home or business, simply by adding dimension and style to your walls. WallArt is a company that is defined by its name for each design is a work of art.

courtesy WallArt

There is a wide range of styles available to fit every need. The wall panels are designed that when you put them together, they form a pattern. Getting the perfect curves has never been this easy!

courtesy WallArt

The products are not only stylish and unique in design, but it is also very easy to apply to the wall. These panels are light of weight and can easily be moved to your required location. After installing them they can be painted in every colour which fits the interior of your house or a new to be created style. WallArt ensures that world class interior can now be applied in any home or business without the mess.

courtesy WallArt

The eco friendly 3d wall panels are made out of the fibrous residue of sugarcane. The raw materials used for our wall panels are 100% recycled, compostable and is therefore 100% biodegradable and contribute to the sustainability of the product. World class quality, style and innovation are only a few of the characteristics that can define WallArt.  It is no wonder WallArt was chosen by interior designers in the United States as one of the best and most innovative eco friendly home decor product of the year in 2011.

courtesy WallArt

WallArt has only been around for a short period, but has already caught the eyes of many eminent interior decorators and lovers of art. There is no doubt that WallArt will take the world by storm.  WallArt is already available in 36 countries worldwide.  These products will soon be a must have in every home and office. We live in a time where three dimensional designs are considered to be a nudge towards the future and innovation. They say that a change is as good as a holiday.

Give your business or home the association of innovation and style by allowing WallArt to bring your walls to life!

courtesy WallArt

+ For more information about WallArt and their 3d decorating wall panels please go to their website www.mywallart.com and check it out.

This is a brief introduction of next Competition [RIO DE JANEIRO 07].

courtesy AC-CA

INTRODUCTION

Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city of Brazil, the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper. This makes it the 6th largest in the Americas and 26th in the world.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup which is an international association football tournament and the 20th competition is scheduled to take place in Brazil from 12th June to 13th July 2014. This will be the second time Brazil has hosted the competition with the first being in 1950, making Brazil the fifth country to have hosted the World Cup twice after Mexico, Italy, France and Germany.

AIM OF THIS COMPETITION

The aim of this International Competition is to design a free standing World Cup Structure in the heart of Rio de Janeiro during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The design should create a social space which includes a live big screenTV, an information area, a cafe, etc…

This competition hopes to achieve the following:

• Encourage and reward design excellence at a small scale which integrates function, structure, details and the spirit of the World Cup.
• Research, respond to and highlight the unique aspects of designing an iconic structure that will be used by visitors during the World Cup.
• Encourage the employment of sustainable design in all aspects of the proposal.

COMPETITION STRUCTURE

This is a single stage Competition with the aim of identifing the most appropriate proposal, which best satisfies the general and specific objectives of the contest.

THOSE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE

Architects, Architecture Graduated, Engineers and Students. Interdisciplinary teams are also encouraged to enter the Competition. Submissions can be the work of an individual or a group up to 4 members and there is no age limit.

+ For more information about the competition, please visit www.ac-ca.org

Note: This is an open International Competition hosted by [AC-CA] to generate progressive contemporary design ideas.
There are no plans for the Platform Prison to be built.

courtesy AC-CA

courtesy AC-CA

courtesy AC-CA

courtesy AC-CA

Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects recently completed Bayview Center for the nonprofit College Track.

courtesy Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | photo by David Wakely

Founded in 1997, College Track is a nonprofit organization that aims to empower students from under-resourced communities to obtain a college degree. Over the course of eight years, from the summer before high school through college graduation, College Track engages these students in programs focusing on academics, student life, and leadership. More than 90% of its participants are admitted to a four-year university. With locations in California, Louisiana, and Colorado, College Track established a presence in San Francisco's Bayview/Hunter's Point neighborhood in 2007 and quickly outgrew the space.

courtesy Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | photo by David Wakely

To more than double the number of students it could serve each year, from 200 to 500, the organization purchased an abandoned former industrial building on a prominent corner site in Bayview/Hunter's Point. Constructed in 1927 as a machine shop, the one-story unreinforced masonry building had most recently housed a medical office and clinic. Character-defining historic features include a gabled parapet roof with a concrete cartouche, a fan-shaped transom light, and large bay windows. All the original windows had been filled in with lath and plaster.

courtesy Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | photo by David Wakely

Turnbull Griffin Haesloop renovated the structure to create a flagship center for the organization that would reflect its mission and serve as a beacon for students in the neighborhood. The bay windows were reopened and restored, along with the fan-shaped transom and concrete cartouche. The 13,800-square-foot project included a full seismic upgrade of the brick exterior, alteration of the existing steel trusses to allow for the insertion of a partial second floor, and all-new building systems.

courtesy Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | photo by David Wakely

Inside, the design goal was to create a dynamic space for learning that would encourage exploration, while at the same time allow for easy supervision.  A series of tutoring rooms and support spaces are organized around a central, skylit reading room, accented by the translucent light monitor that lets in natural light from new windows along the north facade. Natural and recycled finishes complement the exposed building structure, while vibrant colors in the furnishings energize the student activity spaces.

courtesy Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | photo by David Wakely

+ Project facts

Architect: Turnbull Griffin Haesloop

Project team: Eric Haesloop, Stefan Hastrup, Jerome Christensen

Location: San Francisco, California (Bayview)

Client: College Track

Date of occupancy: September, 2012

Gross square footage: 13, 800 s.f.

Site area: 9,800 s.f.

Construction cost: not disclosed

Contractor: Plant Construction

Consultants:
Structural: Fratessa Forbes Wong
MEP: Randall Lamb
Furnishings: One WorkPlace

Key materials (type/brand):
Transluscent Panels: Acrylite ‘Satin Ice’
Resilient Wall Surfaces: Forbo ‘Bulletin Board’
Cork Flooring: Expanko
Acoustical Ceilings: Tectum
Carpet Tile: Interface ‘Cubic’
Stacking Chairs: Vitra ‘Tip Ton’

Software used: AutoCad, SketchUp

Photographer credit: David Wakely

+ All images courtesy Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | photo by David Wakely

courtesy Fraaiheid

Pure splendour from one sheet of wood

Fraaiheid is a new Dutch design label led by three architects: Daniel Aw, Sjoerd Schaapveld and Rikjan Scholten. Their first item for sale is the +table , which was developed from their working experience in Dutch construction and their desire to make innovative products which easily appeal to a public who wants to add a little bit of Fraaiheid (Dutch translation of beauty) to their lives. With the +table they created a design table for a non-design price that can be put together in three minutes.

courtesy Fraaiheid

One table out of one sheet of wood

For the +table the designers of Fraaiheid transformed a single sheet of laminated plywood into a unique piece of furniture, which is sustainably produced and at the same time doesn't cost the world. Moreover the table can be assembled without the requirement of any other material or tool at all. So, all the beauty of one +table comes from a single sheet of plywood and three minutes of old-fashioned manual labour by the consumer.

Refined finish, minimal loss of material

An advanced production technology, the so-called cnc-milling, is used to produce the +table. With a little drill a computerized machine mills all table parts with great precision from one sheet of wood, ensuring an accurate finish and a minimal loss of material.

courtesy Fraaiheid

Crosses The +table gets its name from the cross-shaped joints visible in the table top. These are the result of the way the different parts of the base of the table are put together, clearly showing the construction method of the table. If the joints are looked at closely the essence of the used material emerges as the layers of the wood become visible.

Material

The basic material of the +table is plywood, an industrially produced material of thin layers of wood glued together. This results in strong sheets of laminated wood which are available for wholesale purchase in a few standard dimensions. It is often used by the furniture industry, like in table tops and kitchen cabinets. For the +table Fraaiheid uses high quality birch plywood with a hard top layer of coloured HPL (High Pressure Laminate) for extra protection.

courtesy Fraaiheid

Available in four sizes

The +table is available in four sizes and in a variety of colours, for any interior or occasion. The smart use of material and the modern production technology reflect in another positive key feature of the table, the pricing. A design table for a non-design price that can be put together in three minutes!

Where to buy

The +table can be bought on the website of Fraaiheid and at selected points of sale.

+ All images courtesy Fraaiheid

Joao Morgado shared with us his recent interior photography, the project is Bo Zen Bar located in Braga, designed by Central Arquitectos, exploring the creation of a noble and refined place with a strong oriental inspiration.

courtesy Joao Morgado

The challenge proposed was to design a Bar located in a preexisting building whose concept was to create a space with the characteristics of a private living room.

courtesy Joao Morgado

The project explores the creation of a noble and refined place with a strong oriental inspiration. A mixture of noble materials such as marble, wood and gilt metal combined with a palette of warm colors and textured fabrics offers a cozy and comfortable ambient. A monumental hall marks the entrance with a contemporary style and leads to the living room of the bar.

courtesy Joao Morgado

The use of mirrors reflects the ceiling’s delicate decorative and other architectural details of the interior environment.

The design of the ceiling comes from a reinterpretation of an oriental motif, standardized by a module that materializes a delicate mesh strongly emphasized by indirect lighting application. The lighting has been designed to reflect and accentuate the elegance of the space. The bar space transports you to a warm environment where a fascinating blend of traditional and contemporary evocative elements lead the client to a private living room.

+ Project facts

Architecture: Central Arquitectos
Location: Av. D. João II, Braga – Portugal
Client: Bô Zen
Finished: 2012
Area: 465 sqm
Photography: Joao Morgado – Architecture Photography

+ All images courtesy Joao Morgado

MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes proposed their entry for the TOKYO OLYMPIC STADIUM.

courtesy MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

1. A district town

Which must be an excellence tool for the public and for all its participants. Its architecture connects gardens, squares, covered pedestrian streets, gathering spaces and induce new urban comportaments.

Designed as a city fragment, not only as a sport equipment, our stadium is an attractor: innovative and generator of vitality. It is expanding in order to better reach users requirements: proximity, diversity, accessibility. It became a district, naturally sustainable and ecological.

Our stadium concept, unlike other conventional stadiums, is an elliptical spiral which is gradually unrolling and forming the built space with a slope of 2%, serving the 80 000 places (with a visibility angle that grows from 20% in the bottom part to 45% at the top part of the gradens). This disposition aims to offer to the public a perfect visibility from all the gradens. The slope also facilitates the access in the building for people with motor deficiencies.

courtesy MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

2. Good connections

The stadium and its neighborhood are a integrated part of the city. Due to its good connections with the city, for arrive there, spectators can use public transport day and night to reach and leave.

Big parking areas are provided near the public transport stations connected with the stadium.

The entry and exit of the stadium aremade through three different circuits.

1.  eliptical ramp including an indoor and outdoor circuit serving different gradens (that may includealso the parking under the gradens )
2. 16 elevator platforms (100 people per platform)for areas of5000 spectators.
3. stairs in each area of 5000 people of 16passage units.

As a consequence, the stadium can be evacuated in 15 minutes.

The exit circuit is conceived in a manner that evacuates the public in specific areas, separated of the other services.

courtesy MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

3. A permanent place to live

Our stadium is the synonym of vitality. Is the area where you can stay and live every day, before and after the event. The viewer is not only the hoste of a stadium, but also an inhabited neighborhood: shopping places, cinema complex, restaurants, hotels, housing, services, sports facilities, gardens and public places. All these transform the stadium froma monument into a familiar place,opened and publicwhich permetsto its visitors to hang out, to talk to meeteach other. New spaces are created, real viewpoints, giving both the lawn and the city. From these urban balconies, you can see for free the show, reach the shops and the restaurants located nearby. This is a radically new way to experience the event: free, being in the stadiumbut feeling that you are in a true living part of the city.

courtesy MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

4. Sustainability

It doesn't consumes energy, but it creates it. The large roof surface becomea solar field, generator of electricity. Rainwater is stored and reused. Energy sources are completing the needs of the stadium and of the neighborhood. The stadium adapts to new practices. The principles of saving energy and fonctional densification are the most important caracteristics of our project.

The superstructure is divided into two parts: the eliptical spiral which turns and forms the stadium and an periferic exterior structure which allows the gradual insertion of facilities like : offices, apartments, amphitheatres, commercial spaces. This second structure is the support of the extension and for the integration of the stadium into the city.

This structure represents also the financial support of the stadium. The investment is amortized by all the equipments contained by this structure. With our approach we can build one or more hotels, of 3,4 and 5 stars, from 250 to 1000 rooms, apartments, thousand square meters of offices and other equipments which amortize like that very fast the investment.

We simulated a financial assumption, by the creation of 486,000 additional M2 on the perimeter of the arena and its built volume.

The coverage of the stadium is a tridimensional opaque metal structure, covered with opaque and translucent photovoltaic panels, compouned bya fixe part and a mobile part.

The fixed part, elliptical in shape, is covered with opaque photovoltaic cells.

Under its oblique shaped face it is the gallery with technical devices, the access to the stadium lights and the implementation of skyvisions around the perimeter of the ellipse.

The mobile part (circular) consists of retractable blades such as lens focal length, they open and close depending on the weather or according to the needs of the show. Its surface is made by translucent photovoltaic cells.

courtesy MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

5. It is mythical, it is comfortable, it is multifunctional, it is a window trough the world.

Each sport has its rituals, myths, its profound nature. Each show also. Rugby has its codes , different of football, tennis and of course of those of a concert. Colors, lights, icons, everything is centered on the codes that enhance the pleasure of the moment. At each event, the stadium transformes and adaptes to the spirit of the show.

The infrastructure, given by the slope of the terrain, contains: parking, access services, the pit – including the mechanism for raising and lowering the pitch (on synchronized cylinders) and the edges of the pit, on both sides of the pitch in the direction of the length, supported by the rail mechanism, flyovers covering the lawn when the latter is lowered. The platform, made of 4 or 6 sections mounted on tridimensional steel beams , is coated with a floor allowing any charging (crowds, festive activities, earth, ice, water, etc..).

The stadium is sheltered by a mobile roof, which can be adapted for all the situations mentioned above (focal lens are opening and closing – thermal triggered).

It must be more than a stadium economically and socialy profitable. It is designed and sized to accommodate various sports and culture events. Football field, rugby, tennis, basketball, handball, concert halls, operas, congresses, conferences, all find their exact dimensions ..

This multifunctionality changes profoundly the nature of the stadium, it becomes indispensable for the city.

+ Project facts

MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

PROJECT TEAM

MenoMenoPiu Architects
Mario Emanuele Salini
Rocco Valantines
Gilberto Bonelli
Paolo Venturella
Alessandro Balducci
Cristian Gheorghe

FHF Architects
Francois Filippi
Gabriele Guastella
Alexandra Popescu

+ All images and drawings courtesy MenoMenoPiu Architects & FHF Architectes

Tanja & Tamara Tanaskovic recently designed the Spoon Variations.

courtesy Tanja & Tamara Tanaskovic

Stainless steel luminaries for the kitchen. The interior of the lightnings has been sandblasted and varnished to effect the contrast and to expose the shiny spoon outlines. Spectator gets impression facing real spoons and at the same time the interior is protected from exposure to fumes and other vapours that occure in the kitchen.

courtesy Tanja & Tamara Tanaskovic

The luminaries are available in three different sizes: 20 cm, 28cm, 36cm diameter. The luminaries can be used as bulkhead luminaires or pendant luminaires.

courtesy Tanja & Tamara Tanaskovic

+ Project facts

Company: mei mei design (www.meimeidesign.de)
Designers: Tanja & Tamara Tanaskovic
Country: Germany
City: Stuttgart