Architect Wizard

Ideas: The Facebook for Architects

2010-01-25T15:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Architects,

Allow me the pleasure of introducing you to Architizer! A Facebook-meets-Linkedin social hub targeted for architects to promote themselves, their companies and their projects. It is the perfect medium to showcase a project give credit to the numerous people involved. It is a usefool marketing tool for developers to identify the local firms in each region and a creative and social place in the web to get inspired and educated by the current trends around the world!

Case in point, one of the featured projects of Architizer of this month that we love is Ex Arsenale de La Maddalena (as seen above), a project designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti. Located in La Maddalena of Sardinia, the renovation of the ex military port included the recuperation of 15,000 square meters of public waterfront, a new Conference center, hotel and recuperated existing structures destined for commercial use and nautical events. The buildings cover an area of 155,000 square meters.

All of the buildings are connected conceptually and aesthetically in a contemporary design inspired by the infinite shapes of the waves and the rigorous forms of Italy’s traditional military architecture. The most appealing element of the project though is that it is a model of sustainability and urban regeneration. The energy efficiency is incorporated through heat exchange systems with the use of seawater for heating and cooling, solar panels for the production of hot water and large photovoltaic surfaces producing energy from renewable resources. To discover more about Ex Arsenal, visit the Archetizer, here.

Wallpaper*: The "It-Architect" List 2009

2009-07-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Architect's Who's Who List for 2009 is out... The project? To create the ideal model home... For an architect... designing a house is the most basic form of design, yet the most challenging too. It defines all their beliefs, ideas, styles and views by the simple or complex lies they shall draw. Needles to say, Wallpaper did a fine job at selecting the 30 emerging practices of 2009, but only one model called home to us and that is without a doubt... "The Envelope House", by Divercity Architects. This envelope house highlights the flexibility, freedom and involvement that the resident is able to enjoy. The beauty of Divercity Architects' concept lies in the incorporated diversity of uses depending to one's needs. As the designers describe it: "The house can be adapted to the ever-changing needs of the fast-paced contemporary lifestyle". The following design of a private residence in Athens is another example of their inspiring structural and conceptual forms. To view more, click here.

Development: Nothing Standard about it...

2009-03-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

That's why New York is the capital of all cities... It never seezes to amaze its residents, always has something new to its visitors and knows how to work with what it got! In a part of town, the High Line in the Meatpacking district, where any other city would have left it be and forgotten, Andre Balazs, managed to build a luxury hotel. Not only, his opening coincided with the biggest development halt of this century, so all eyes on him, but also his architects - the Polshek Partnership - managed to create a rather "instantly iconic" building compared to the likes of "Le Corbusier and other notable international style buildings, like the locally based Lever House and United Nations". It's presence makes you question if it was always there, with its 13 mm concrete skin covering 28,000 sft, rising from stilts 18 stories above the High Line, a disused elevated rail line that is today one of the city’s hippest parks. The Standard's interiors aren't so bad either... designed by Hollywood set designer Shawn Hausmann and New York based Roman and Williams, they keep a modern simplistic tone, so that nothing can take away the breathtaking views from its guest...

Architecture: Snow White

2009-02-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

In the remote desert of Idaho, Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, created the perfect heaven for artist and designer Jan McFarland Cox. Ms McFarland spent the past decade working on her dream project that would serve as a residence and a work studio at the same time. A secluded garden is designed as an oasis, separated from the dry landscape by thick concrete wall. Concrete block, car-decking and plywood are a few of the sustainable materials used to withstand the extreme weather and to integrate with the natural landscape.

via The New York Times

Event: Columbia University invites Zaha Hadid

2008-10-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

Columbia University is validating its name once more for being an incredible academic institution by offering lectures as this tonight to its students and guests... The Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation is hosting Zaha Hadid to discuss about her recent works and her thoughts about the future in architectural design in line of the recent economic events. Zaha has just launched her recent creation in New York, a Pavilion in Central Park that features objets de la Maison Chanel... More on this... soon!

Architecture: The Dream House

2008-10-11T04:33:00.000-07:00

This could easily be the definition of an oasis... the private house in Arizona designed by the owners themselves, Sarah Swartz Wessel and Ethan Wessel of Tennen Studio is sited on a rocky slope planted with agave, desert mikweed and night-blooming cacti. The 10,500 SF house carries a strong influence of Asian design that is eminent to all of the work of Tennen Studio. The house is projected out from the slope, taking advantage of the mountain views mostly rather than the valley near by. Its undeniable how this modern creation has a timeless element to it... With the use of natural materials, the house is perfectly embraced within the natural landscape. The art above, a Lucien Wercollier bronze sculpture, is just icing on the cake!

via Architectural Digest

Architecture: a Sheik's High-Tech McMansion...

2008-10-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

While architecture and new developments have come to a halt, due to the current economic crisis, one place that is still keeping things busy is Qatar. This private villa was designed by Project A01 architects, based in Vienna, located in the West Bay Lagoon area in Doha. The beach house, with a very Zaha Hadid air to it, has blended modernism and heritage perfectly, by embedding local ornamental and traditional patterns in its context.

Architecture: The Green House

2008-09-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

We love when New York gets greener and especially it's rooftops... Above is real estate developer Matthew Blesso's 3,000 SF penthouse in Lower Manhattan, a New York heaven, that cost over $1 Million in renovation. The house now includes a herb garden, full of peppermint and spearmints, and wooden floors.

Architecture: Minimal wonder...

2008-09-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

...is what architect Len Marmol and partner Ron Radzinger created by renovating and expanding interior designer Carole Katleman's 1963 Beverly Hills residence. "The modern character of the house had potential, but we simplified the plan and improved the disjointed circulation patterns", says Marmol. The designers cleared out the doors, in order to connect all units to create a more spacious living area. A Frank Gehry corrugated-cardboard chair is next to Valerie Jaudon's Mound Bayou, 1978. (May 2002 of Architectural Digest)

Development: Proyecto excelente

2008-09-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Sited within 28 acres of private beachfront on Riviera Maya, Nizuc entails the best of the best in its location, development, team and product. Nizuc, designed by Becker Arquitectos, includes a 45-room hotel and 160-room condos, including 16 penthouses, operated by the incredible Aman Resorts. The project includes 8 buildings that are facing a lagoon. Designer, Jean-Michel Gathy, has put touches of Mayan and Asian style to complement the units that are sold furnished and will feature patios or terraces with private plunge pools. There will be an Espa and two restaurants, one with Peruvian cuisine and the other a Mexican bistro. The resort will have eight pools, and additional amenities will include boardwalks through the mangroves, a cigar lounge, a shaded jetty with daybeds and cabanas on the private beach. Prices start at $1.3 million and completion is scheduled in October 2009. The design is so earthy and minimal that it brings the whole concept of "less is more" to another level... Let's hope this project does not stall like so many others in today's market crisis!

Architecture: Something to light up our moods...

2008-09-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

... and make us jealous of this New York penthouse designed by Andrew Berman. The rooftop is transformed into a magnificent garden... all surrounded by incredible views of Midtown Manhattan.

News: Development Doom

2008-09-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Black Sunday they called it... the day that two of the biggest American investment banks vanished from the market... following a crash on Wall Street similar to the point drop after 9/11. Everyone is holding their breath... anticipating the events to follow... but undeniably one thing is for sure, construction will get the first hit. Developers will have to shift gears... Does this mean that Manhattan will soon produce a new development product altogether? Are many of the new anticipated extraordinary projects come to a halt? We'll watch and learn...

Development: Rem Koolhaas's first NYC building

2008-08-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Thirty years after the master of architecture published the infamous, "Delirious New York", Rem Koolhaas will soon bring his own design in Manhattanville. The design of the residential tower has been kept so well under wraps that it is creating quite the stress to its fellow condo, One Madison Park. Regardless, 23e22 will be one of the most talk about buildings of the century in the Big City.

Development: SOMething special...

2008-07-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

ia being created on the Second Avenue and 57th Street by The World-Wide Group developers. 250East57, a 1 million Sq Ft mixed-use project, designed by SOM architects, will include the New School of Art and Design and the PS 59 - an ingenious way to earn more air rights and create a unique project. The partnership with the New York City Educational Construction Fund has created a LEED Silver project that will consist of 300 units of affordable and market-rate housing and 170,000 Sq Ft. The biggest development in the area since... maybe... Times Warner?

Development: A developer's dream project

2008-06-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

That's what development group Property O Collection is experiencing right now.... after breaking ground on the private island Dellis Cay in the Turks and Caicos islands. Dellis Cay project will make Turks and Caicos become the most luxurious destination of the Caribbean. A Mandarin Oriental hotel, 154 serviced residences and 124 private villas designed by star architects are all featured on a 560-acre island. A marina located on a 35-acre beachfront site and a 30,000 SF spa are just an understatement... As Dr. Cem Kinay, Chairman and CEO of the Property O Collection, says "I want it to be the sexiest island in the world", one cannot blame his aspirations.

Zaha Hadid (Recipient of the 2004 Pritzker Architecture Prize) has overseen the Dellis Cay Master Plan. It is also planned that Hadid will create luxury residences, beachfront villas, a commercial building with restaurants and boutiques, and a marina, where living spaces expand to become one with the landscape, optimizing their beachfront location.

The Mandarin Oriental (as seen above) is conceived by Pierro Lisoni and will offer a fine dining restaurant, the MO bar, a cinema, library, business centre, cigar room, boutique shop and a private dining room.

The spa is set in pavillions designed by Kengo Kuma and will include 17 private treatment rooms, luxurious salon facilities and committed personal trainers. Kuma blurs the relationship between what is built and what has always been there.

Apart from the hotel, Lissoni designs the Beach House Residences, the Ocean Villas and the Beach Villas.

Shigeru Ban transforms materiality into light and emotion in the Beach Villas. The over-the-water guesthouses by a wood-deck bridge are harmoniously balanced by his Japanese minimalism. Chad Oppenheim will create a collection of inspired homes that soar to tree top level and beyond.

Carl Ettensperger, the Singapore-based designer, creates a limited collection of over-the-sea villas that are characterized by understated luxury, elegance and unobstructed views of the sea.

David Chipperfield will design a collection of villas on the north shore that will project the perfect synthesis of form, balance and absolute proportion.

Residences range from $2 million to $20 million and are aimed at those looking to purchase their third and fourth houses. The development is slated for completion at the end of 2009. And you thought all stararchitects were busy with Dubai?

Architecture: The Kaufmann House on Sale

2008-03-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

The historic Kaufmann House in Palm Springs, California, designed by Richard Neutra in 1946 will be auctioned in a month's time at Christie's. This landmark modernist house that helped to shape postwar Modernism is estimated from $15 to $25 million dollars on the presale. Check out a showcase of the house in Christie's video.

Event: MIPIM Conference 2008

2008-02-25T20:02:00.001-08:00

Brace yourself's for the year's biggest property Conference in the world! From 11 to 14 of March, le Palais des Festivales in Cannes, will be filled by the world's biggest developers, investors and consultants showcasing their projects in a dazzling presentation manner! The dominant markets will of course be Europe, Asia and the Middle East... If you manage to find a hotel there, it'll be worth your time!

Development: Trump Soho comes out a winner...

2008-02-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

after numerous battles the Trumps had to face from the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation and the local residents for being against the development of a 45-story building in the area! The Real Deal announced that 53% of the condo-hotel has been sold already, since sales commenced in September. The condo-hotel, designed by Handel Architects, will allow residents to stay 120 days per year with a minimum of $3,000 per SF. With interiors done by Fendi and amenities like these, what else would you expect though?

Architecture: Greeks do it with style...

2008-02-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

When it comes to places of worship... greek architects were the pioneers! Now, in the 21st century, Alexandros Tombazis decides to continue his national legacy by designing the Sanctuary of Fatima, Church of the Most Holy Trinity and assembly hall for 9,000 pilgrims in Porto of Portugal. The space designed and the element of light are overpowering... trully as if a superior power lives within the grand metalic doors of the sanctuary...

Architecture: New Museum... New Images...

2008-02-02T22:26:00.001-08:00

Simple. Clean. Elegant. More images on Sanaa's New Museum of Art in New York...

Architecture: Why we love New York...

2008-02-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

just because buildings like this one are constructed and light up your day! The New Museum of Art in the Lower east side proved once more that the Japanese architects are here to take over the world! Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa's design have created a new fan base already... Take a look at the construction of the site from A to Z...

Development: World's Biggest Development

2008-01-23T16:34:00.000-08:00

It goes withouth saying that a development of 607 hectares cannot be called a project site, but should be addressed as a city. Gale International took on the outstanding project under its wing and is creating the Songdo City in South Korea. The project's cost rounds up to $30 billion not including $10 billion in infrastructure improvements by the South Korean government. The masterplan of the green city, everyting will be LEED certified, is designed by KPF with the collaboration of other prominent architects that will be designing specific buildings. The first 300 buildings will be open next year, while 300,000 people are expected to work there by 2014 upon the completion of the project. Take the tour and see that you can find a stunning Park Avenue, elsewhere in the world...

Architect: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

2007-12-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

and in this case the apples don't fall far from each other either! Sophia Kokosalaki's little sister, Natalia, has just been featured in Wallpaper's ten best architects for its Graduate Directory of 2008. The fashion designer's sister is making a name for herself by designing an environmentally sustainable stadium in Tripoli, while working at the team of Deca Architects in Greece. Her dream working aspirations though include the offices of Herzog and de Meuron, Morphosis, Thomas Heatherwick and Rural Studio, which reveal clearly her british influence that she got from UCL's School of Architecture.

Development: Spain does design... sustainable!

2007-12-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

with the new development, Portosenso, in the town of Altea, Spain proves itself once more that has the know-how in the second-homes market. A development that has the signature of Jean Nouvel for its concept design and a plan to create an environmentally friendly atmosphere among the complex by integrating the architecture perfectly to the surrounding area, using natural materials and applying a low consumption of energy resources plan. The project is consisted of around 300 residences, a hotel, a spa and a marina with retail use included. Portosenso, undoubtedly gets a five-star from all aspects.. just check it out here!

Development: Spain Open

2007-11-24T11:18:00.000-08:00

This is why I love Carlos Ferrero that much... not only is he my favorite tennis player, but also we share the same interests... real estate!!! Mr. Ferrero has renovated a 19th-century house on a 120,000 sqf of land in an old town close to Valencia, Spain. The renovation lasted for three years with a total cost of $11,720,000, in order to transform the beautiful villa into a luxury hotel with a spa, restaurants and of course a tennis court. I guess this was a grand slam, n'est-ce pas?

Event: The Architectural League NY

2007-10-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

hosts its student program 2007 today at the Urban Center in the court of the New York Palace hotel; for more details click here. The Leaugue will launch the student membership with influential talks of current professional architects and a tour around some of the most important architectural firms in New York, like SOM, HOK, Shop Architects and Hanrahan Meyers.

Development: Manhattanville in West Harlem

2007-09-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest in size developments that is happening this moment is undisputedly Columbia University's plan to expand its facilities in West Harlem. This urban developement plan consists of 18 academic and research buildings and campus housing on 17 acres. It's not a surprise that the large neighborhood of West Harlem that consists mostly of black and Hispanic residents feels threatened by this grand scheme. Scott Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, is planning to protect the character of the neighborhood by practicing the special zoning model that worked for the Hell's Kitchen region in Midtown Manhattan. Renzo Piano is the assigned designer for the project, who has seeked to maximize green space, which it will be open to the public. The star architect will undeniably elevate the university's image even further. And as the New York Times wrote "without a vibrant Columbia, New York City itself will suffer...".

News: New kid on the blog...

2007-08-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

Maybe not so new to his Facebook friends, but Yatzer.com is all about our favorite things... art, architecture, design and good photography! He says "design is to share" and that's what we do here... sharing this blog with you!

Wishlist: Sleep on air..

2007-08-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you be a tiny bit curious to found out how it feels? Better yet, how cool your room would look like? For the trend setters, the risk takers and most of all the big spenders, Janjaap Ruijssenaars, created for you the first floating bed. The ducth architect dedicated six years of his life to complete this project and secure the safety of his unique idea. The bed floats due to the use of permanent magnets that can ensure up to 900 kilos. Only four thin cables assure its motionless position and keep in contact to the ground... Although, not cheap at all - the scale model is priced at US$146,953, while the actual model would cost about US$1,533,419 - you would be able to find out what dreams look like on air!

News: Taschen's new Tribute to Calatrava

2007-07-19T02:13:00.000-07:00

the most luxurious publisher on all-things-art, Taschen, produced a monograph that retraces Calatrava's "career thus far and places his architecture in the context of his art, where nature meets engineering". It is surely a collectible book, since it portrays Santiago Calatrava in various lights, as an architect, an engineer and an artist and showcases all of his works so far. The architect created watercolor drawings specifically for the fold-out pages of this volume, illustrating the inspirations behind his designs.

News: Do you have an eye for Design?

2007-07-18T02:12:00.000-07:00

Even if you don't... now you can have all things design with a blink of your eye... or at least with a click of your mouse! Interior designer, Alexandra Koumba, has created a design object hub online, where you can find any furniture piece of any style that represents your taste that you could possibly imagine... from Karim Rashid's new love seat (above) or the "Le Corbusier Chaise Longue" to out-of-this world collectable Louis IV antiques. The geniusness of this site is its dual target groups... One the one hand, it is aimed for the design-addicts that would kill to find an original Mies-Van-de-Roh Barcelona chair, since the site orders the objects from the most acclaimed galleries of the world and provides you with certificates of authenticity. On the other hand, one could just be inspired from the site's suggestions and discover pieces that would not ordinarily have found on one's own... Get an eye... here!

Architecture: Aegean Design

2007-06-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

Greece has been known for its beautiful islands, its Aegean sea and its divine light, since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has been considered a top preference as a tourist destination and acquiring a second home in the islands is considered to be ubber luxury. Nevertheless, Greece took slow steps in the design element in the architecture of its second homes, as other places on the contrary, like Spain (Ibiza), Italy, France (less so...), Miami or Malibu, were known for it. Now, things have changed... This is due to the addition of a high-profile and multi-awarded summer house in the Cycladic island of Antiparos. The house designed by Deca Architects was "conceived as an inhabitable Krater, a dwelling, which is inextricably linked to the landscape that forms it". The architects focused on two major challenges for this site... On the one hand, they had to protect the exterior living areas from the strong winds of the Aegean Sea and on the other to focus on hiding the volume of the house from the settlement. The idea for this was to create the perfect habitat in harmony with the landscape. The result was the birth of a unique sensual identity for the site...

The development is a concept of Iasson Tsakonas, founder and manager of Antiparos Design Properties, who has formed a series of design summer homes on the island and has placed acclaimed design architects to produce the concept design, like We Design, Zege and Tala Mikdashi. It looks like the other developments will cause the same kind of stir, as this one! Krater, now, places the Greek architecture onto another level... and portrays Greece as the ultimum hot-spot destination!

Development: NYC gets Jaded

2007-06-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

...by Jade Jagger's new condo in Chelsea! Jade Jagger, a new addition to Yoo's development team, alongside Philippe Starck (co-founder and creative director), styled this new development of 157 apartments with her personal taste and brought in the product and interior design scene the already famed PODs. The Pod, aka a multifunctional cubicle that includes bathroom, kitchen, storage and bar, is the perfect solution to minimize your space and project style. Yoo-hoo...

Architecture: Future-Original-Amazing...

2007-06-21T04:21:00.000-07:00

In the limited competition that occured for the mixed-use project in Floreasca, in Bucharest, by Global Finance Real Estate... Foreign Office Architects had surely the most innovative and forward-looking design of all. Although, FOA was not the winner of the particular competition, its designs left an impact like none other... Having the Romanian sculptor, Brancusi, as an inspiration, FOA designed six high rise glass buildings that resembled to the infamous "Great Vision" and proposed unique bracing techniques. FOA's architecture is not only bringing the future closer, but it can be considered as a form of art in its own right. FOA's latest development that will be changing London's skyline is the miraculous Trinity EC3. Enjoy...

Development: Design in Bucharest...

2007-06-20T00:24:00.000-07:00

is added with the new mixed use project that is created by UK firm Squire and Partners. The 145,000 sqm development of Global Finance Real Estate is at the heart of the city in the area of Floreasca. Just next to Floreasca lake the high-rise residences will be able to enjoy the best view of Bucharest, while the offices and retail shall be in the front keeping things busy... The current brown field used to be in the 1930's a Ford's factory and as the Romanians consider it to have historical value, Squire designed it in such a way as to preserve the old brick elements and adjust the new design glass buildings in perfect harmony. Hence, the transition to a modern and luxurious project will be done very smoothly...

The development will create a city within the city, by offering a retail arcade, a hotel, tennis courts, spas and fitness centers that will be open to the public and other facilities being exclusive to the residences.

News: NYC gets online...

2007-06-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

New York City's Department of Buildings has gone all techy by digitizing the design and construction process of the agency. It is quite an achievement, if you consider that the Department receives 300,000 papers monthly to be able to host online all kinds of construction permit applications and associated documents. As seen in the architect magazine, buildings commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster states "The paper age is over. We are now effectively creating virtual job folders online". Come to think of it, you just wonder how this development hadn't happened any time sooner...

Development: Romania goes Global...

2007-06-15T00:39:00.000-07:00

...with its new mixed-use complex being developed in Bucharest, Global City. In the northern suburbs of Bucharest, Global City will be a Business Park of the highest standards. The 130,000 sqm development of Global Finance Real Estate will contain a retail sector, with premium facilities, like spa, fitness centers, high-quality restaurants and bars that will aim to steal the congested city's buzz to a new and inviting destination in Pipera. This Business Hub is conceptially created by international design architetcs ISV, who are known for their modern, simplistic and sleek lines, as well as their good use of refined and natural materials. This minimalist product is accompanied by an artistic identity that aims to project character and celebrate the Romanian artistic heritage of Brancusi. This red symbol resembles much more to a sculpture rather than a corporate logo, inspired by Red Design. Global City aims to promote the artistic culture and differentiate itself from being just another business center. The design of Global City, therefore, will give birth to a new sophisticated business district of international standards. Coming soon...