architect – DesignApplause

chicago’s obama presidential library announces seven finalists.

Dec 21, 2015

the obama foundation today released a finalist list of seven choice – all modernist – architects for the honor of designing the presidential library in chicago.

no word on how many requests for qualifications (rfq) were sent out but 140 did respond representing 99 united states-based firms, 25 countries and 60 cities. the chosen seven represent four from new york, two from europe and one from chicago.

“the foundation received submissions from an impressive list of architects with a range of styles, expertise, and experience,” said martin nesbitt, chairman of the foundation. “we are pleased to see such a high level of interest in the design from so many highly-qualified architecture firms. these finalists offer a variety of backgrounds and styles, and any one of them would be an excellent choice.”

the obama foundation released the request for qualifications on 26 august of this year and asked for submittals by 16 september. the foundation and its advisers reviewed and summarized the responses and made recommendations to the president and first lady, who then made the final selection.

the firms are asked to return preliminary plans to the foundation during the first quarter of 2016. this process is not the traditional juried design competition, but the rfp requires defined, visual responses from each candidate to present creative ideas. it’s expected the architects will present at the white house.

of interest, the finalists have an additional challenge of providing concepts for two locations, jackson park and washington park, both founded in 1870 and linked to each other via the midway plaisance. 20 years later jackson park was developed by architect daniel h. burnham and his partner john root to site the 1893 world’s fair, columbian exposition. due to their close proximity to each other both parks attracted 27 million worldwide visitors over the fair’s six months. the final architect standing will have a big voice in which site will be chosen.

the architect will be responsible for designing the obama presidential center, a facility which will include a library holding the presidential archives, a museum focusing on the obama presidency and issues of our time, and space for programs and initiatives that advance the foundation’s public mission.

chicagoans may not recognize the names on the list, but they may be aware of their local work: adjaye’s retrospective at the art institute of chicago; piano’s modern wing at the art institute; ronan’s poetry foundation and gary comer youth center; diller scofidio + renfro is designing the university of chicago’s rubenstein forum; tod williams billie tsien architects work on the logan center for the arts also on the university of chicago campus.

the national museum of african american history and culture | adjaye associates | courtesy smithsonian

adjaye associates | london & new york
adjaye associates, has worked on projects across four continents. notable works include the nobel peace center in oslo, norway, and the smithsonian institution’s national museum of african american history and culture, currently under construction in washington, d.c. the art institute of chicago is currently running a mid-career retrospective of adjaye’s work.

new york city high line | diller scofidio and renfro | courtesy friends of the high line

diller scofidio and renfro | new york
the firm is led by three partners – elizabeth diller, ricardo scofidio, and charles renfro. their portfolio includes major institutional projects including lincoln center in new york, and the broad museum in los angeles. also, new york’s high line and the university of chicago’s future rubenstein forum at 60th street and woodlawn avenue. diller and scofidio, became the first architects to win a macarthur foundation “genius” grant in 1999.

modern wing at the art institute of chicago | renzo piano building workshop | courtesy rob cleary

renzo piano building workshop | genova, italy, paris & new york
founded in 1981 by renzo piano and no stranger to the president and first lady, as are a few others on this list, piano was awarded the prestigious pritzker architecture prize in 1998 and the aia gold medal in 2008. notable works include the modern wing at the art institute of chicago, the california academy of science, and the whitney museum’s new building on gansevoort street in new york. current projects include the palais de justice in paris, france.

poetry foundation | john ronan architects | courtesy john ronan architects/hedrich blessing

john ronan architects | chicago
john ronan architects has designed many academic and civic institutions in chicago such as the gary comer youth center where the obama foundation held its press conference to announce site selection in may 2015. other notable chicago works include the lyrical and refined poetry foundation and the gary comer college prep. ronan was awarded the aia institute national honor award for both the poetry foundation and the gary comer youth center. [ ronan interview ]

site santa fe | shop | courtesy shop

shop | new york
shop architects won the architecture design award from the cooper hewitt, smithsonian design museum in 2009. notable work includes the barclays center in brooklyn, the botswana innovation hub in gaborone, botswana, and academic buildings at the fashion institute of technology in new york and is currently designing uber’s new headquarters in san francisco.

obama library concept for hawaii’s failed bid to win the presidential center | snøhetta | courtesy snøhetta

snøhetta | new york & san francisco
originally founded in norway, snøhetta was awarded the prestigious mies van der rohe prize in 2009 for the norwegian national opera & ballet. snøhetta’s body of work includes the bibliotheca alexandrina in egypt, the expansion of the san francisco museum of modern art, and the james b. hunt jr. library at north carolina state. in 2014, obama spoke at the dedication of the firm’s national september 11 memorial museum pavilion, calling it “a sacred place of healing and hope.”

logan center for the arts on the university of chicago campus | tod williams billie tsien architects | courtesy of university of chicago/jason smith

tod williams billie tsien architects | new york
williams and tsien founded their firm in 1974. their studio — by choice — designs only institutional, academic, civic, and residential work. they were awarded the 2013 national medal of arts by president barack obama. noteworthy work designed by williams and tsien include the barnes foundation in philadelphia, the logan center for the arts at the university of chicago, and the neurosciences institute in la jolla, california. they are currently designing the united states embassy complex in mexico.

[ download rfp ]

pear tree house. edgley design.

Dec 8, 2015

[ edgley design brief ] the concept for this backland house began with a 100 year old pear tree, a remnant of the site’s history as a victorian fruit orchard. the house has been built around this tree in two volumes, linked by a glass walkway.

the clients wanted to preserve the character of the site and evoke its history through the building. to this end there is a simple aesthetic concept to emphasis the vertical articulation of the building with views through the building defined by slender vertical elements which echo the experience of looking through trees.

board marked concrete to the ground floor walls supports a timber box at first floor, with openings framed by gold aluminium trims.

[ riba awards – stephen lawrence prize brief ] a planning requirement for a single dwelling on this large back land site has effectively tamed the developer instinct to maximise the value of the site with a multi-unit scheme and freed the architect/client/developer to build this extraordinary family home. the accommodation wraps around an old pear tree that was literally excavated from the rubbish strewn site and has formed the primary generator for the plan.

the sequence of living spaces on the ground floor is experienced as a gently stepping promenade through a garden, the plan and section have been resolved to give an interesting spatial layering, and glimpses up through first floor roof lights increase the sense of space. it feels that the building is the result of sculpting out a sequence of internal spaces perhaps heightened by the in-situ concrete ground floor construction. first floor rooms are sky-lit timber boxes with controlled views out, externally simple black cladding panels with aluminium mullions break up the upper volumes and organise windows.

it is hard to believe this is a self-build project developed in on site with friends helping to build. the construction is immaculate and details careful considered and executed. materials that in other hands could feel opulent are balanced with everyday finishes to achieve an unprecious interior: a deeply innovative and well-crafted composition that is spatially and materially rich, and yet feels wholly comfortable and domestic in nature.

apple & nike drawn to chicago river.

Dec 7, 2015

above> looking east towards lake michigan, orleans street bridge in foreground

last january 2014, mayor rahm emanuel gave notice that he envisions big plans for the chicago river. the news included continued development on the chicago river walk project and evening lighting concepts along the walk and the bridges.

below > rendering of mayor rahm emanuel’s proposed city lights competition in chicago | looking west, dearborn street bridge in foreground | city of chicago

below> june 2015, two new sections of the riverwalk opened to the public: the river theater between clark and lasalle streets | loop spy jennifer

october 2015, emanuel unveiled plans (the jetty) for the final six blocks of development along the chicago river’s main branch, from state street to lake street. this project, developed for the chicago department of transportation by sasaki in collaboration with ross barney architects and benesch engineers.

below > rendering of the jetty between wells and orleans streets | city of chicago

above> new apple flagship in the works on michigan avenue | renderings courtesy of chicago department of planning and development

november and december 2015 several big names feel drawn to the river – were they following river development the past 23 months? in november, apple announced a new flagship store, a glass pavilion with a michigan avenue street-level steps that spill down to the chicago river’s riverwalk. the architect for this project is london-based foster + partners. [ details ]

above> nike turned a barge on the chicago river into a floating gym

december 2015, nike, nearing the culmination of its month-long #GetOutHere social media campaign urging followers to exercise outdoors during the winter, turned a barge on the chicago river into a floating gym. it’s important to keep in mind, this is a first, a major brand, heck any brand, using a barge ON the river, if only for a week, for the purpose of promoting their business.

worth mentioning, nike started planning a single national #getouthere event more than six months ago. chicago was selected as the location for this december event, per jim beeman, a nike vice president. “we always hold that chicago has some of the hardiest athletes in the world when it comes to battling the elements,” he said.

sadly, a very smart man, robert boudreau didn’t take into account that docking up on the river requires the usual red tape one might imagine. going back to september 2015, when the chicago architecture biennial was launching, boudreau, in 1974, wanting to build a 200 foot floating ‘outdoor concert hall’, was smart enough to hire esteemed philadelphia architect louis kahn to design it. he also was smart enough to ask the city of chicago if he could host concerts on the river walk in front of the steps of the river theatre during the opening week of the biennial. he asked the city just several days notice. a real shame it didn’t happen. [ details ]

anyway, floating a pop-up on the river is a no-brainer. please allow for the red tape.

below> point counterpoint ii | louis kahn

london underground station design provides a glimpse of the future. studio egret west.

Dec 6, 2015

transport for london (tfl) has released a design manifesto for their tube called the london underground station design idiom. available to the public, the 225-page at-a-glance vision statement offers a glimpse into the future of the transport service.

designed by london-based [ studio egret west ] and described as a “revolutionary new design vision”, the idiom touches upon numerous aspects of design, including architecture, color palettes, lighting and materials.

david west from studio egret west, said: “we are delighted to be involved in the london underground station design idiom project at such a pivotal point in the network’s evolution and to receive recognition for it already.

“not since the days of frank pick has there been such an opportunity to holistically rethink the network’s design approach.”

tfl says its ultimate goal is to provide travelers with “welcoming, comfortable and straightforward journeys”, and has outlined nine key principles of design.

achieve balance across the network
look beyond the bostwick gate
consider wholeness
prioritise comfort for staff and customers
delight and surprise
use materials to create atmospheric spaces
create ambience with lighting
integrate products and services
prepare for the future

click on image to engage lightbox | 10 images courtesy of studio egret west

the london underground station design idiom has been shortlisted for the [ london design awards ] in the category of architecture – proposed. an exhibition of the idiom is on at the platform gallery behind southwark underground station. [ the london underground station design idiom ]

chicago architecture biennial. 6 > 12 december 2015.

Dec 5, 2015

[ 6 > 12 december calendar ] The Chicago Architecture Biennial is free and open to the general public at the Chicago Cultural Center and sites across the city. The event is supported by the City of Chicago and the Graham Foundation, with additional support from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Chicago Park District. All funding for the event is privately raised, with significant investments from BP and SC Johnson.

‘casa a’ by selgascano + helloeverything was placed in one of the two largest rooms of the centre, being one of the several full scale housing mock-ups at the show. photography: steve hall, copyright hedrich blessing. courtesy chicago architecture biennial.

can educational partners come together under one roof to create a new model for learning in chicago?

chicago architecture foundation (caf) posed this question through chidesign, an open international ideas competition. design proposals submitted to this competition are presented here with the jury-awarded winners highlighted below. these ideas draw attention to the importance of rethinking urban education and next generation cultural institutions. as cities search for solutions to complex issues around space and resource management, caf is committed to advancing this important community dialogue. see the [ winners ] installation thru 3 january 2016 | chicago architecture foundation | 224 south michigan avenue | #chidesigncaf

For a complete list of exhibitions, public programs, supporters, media partners and program partners, visit [ Chicago Architecture Biennial ] which launched 3 October 2015, and will run through 3 January 3 2016. @chicagobiennial @GrahamFound @ChiCulturCenter

limited edition prefab pavilions by zaha hadid and gluckman tang. design miami/ 2015.

Dec 4, 2015

[ revolution ] developed and introduced by real estate developer and art collector robbie antonio, revolution is a collection of limited edition, pre-crafted properties, including homes and pavilions. the project unites over 30 of the world’s preeminent architects, artists and designers with a network of cutting-edge technologies and cost-efficient production systems, democratizing high-design and architecture. the first series of pre-fabricated pavilions have been launched including daniel libeskind-the recreation pavilion, kengo kuma-the aluminum cloud pavilion, sou fujimoto-the infinity ring pavilion, ben van berkel- the ellipsicoon retreat pavilion. most recently and seen at design miami 2015 is zaha hadid- volu and gluckman tang-the model art pavilion. the pieces are displayed by etn design, a new company of new york art dealer edward taylor nahem.

[ model art pavilion ] conceived by gluckman tang is a simple, elegant structure to experience art in any location – from a beach to a roof deck to a global art fair. it is a sculptural object and a frame for the dynamic presentation of art. the pavilion is made of lacquered solid wood, plywood, and translucent polycarbonate. it comfortably accommodates several paintings or sculptures and a small group of people. the interior is a clean white box, while the exterior is available in a range of colors. slots at the edges of the space introduce reflected, diffuse daylight; access is through a sliding door. like all gluckman tang’s spaces for art, such as the museo picasso málaga and the georgia o’keeffe museum, this compact pavilion elegantly mediates the relationship between the space, the viewer, and the art object. the potential uses of this pre-crafted pavilion extend beyond the art world — it can be used as an intimate music room, meditation space, or work studio. it will be produced in an edition of 10, each priced at $130,000.

[ volu ] is the name of zaha hadid and patrik schumacher‘s design is a fusion of design, lightweight engineering, and precision fabrication. it is a result of tight integration of computer-aided design, engineering and manufacturing. the strong silhouette of the pavilion, along with the careful coordination of features, materials, and colors is complemented by the bespoke design of the furniture. the design continues a rational, geometric production by embedding the tectonics of manufacture within the form itself.

this limited edition is comprised of a series of structural bands collecting at the spine and expanding overhead, the patterning of the pavilion’s structure and shade structures are guided by the varied structural loading conditions. through analysis of the geometry under load, the pavilion’s topology is digitally re-crafted and optimized to remove unnecessary material, resulting in the lightest possible design solution. this organic structural logic recreates the very same principles found in nature. an edition of 24 priced at $480,000 – it is after all zaha hadid.

volu is installed inside the collector’s lounge at this year’s design miami fair. the sculptural table by janne kyttanen (works also seen at galerie vivid) and loopy chairs by arandalasch.

the best of design miami 2015 #1.

Dec 3, 2015

as the market for collectible design continues to evolve and mature with each edition, design miami/ celebrates the full diversity of its field. with the 11th edition of design miami/ this december, the fair offers extraordinary works from galleries based on five continents that specialize in everything from classic early twentieth century design to the conceptual cutting edge. work ranging from full-sized architectural elements to the most delicate jewelry, by designers from as far afield as the philippines and japan, south africa and brazil, will be on show under one roof at the global forum for design.

above > unbuilt installation | click on image to engage lightbox | 4 images

[ unbuilt ] a key installation to the event now held in the design miami/ tent across the street from art basel is the annual commission of an entry installation. previous years include architects david adjaye and snarkitecture, and most recently designer in 2014, jonathan muecke.

for the 11th edition in 2015, design miami/ has awarded a harvard graduate school of design student team the entry-pavilion commission. the chosen design, titled unbuilt, was selected last may through a gsd-wide competition that drew 32 teams comprising 100 gsd students.

this collaboration marks the first time that the design miami/ pavilion will be designed by a student group. the completed pavilion will stand at the entrance of the fair for its duration from 2 > 6 december, serving as both a beacon for the show and a place to welcome its tens of thousands of visitors.

“it is a privilege to partner with harvard gsd, one of the most amazing sources of creative thinking in the world of design,” says craig robins, design miami’s founder. “we are excited to see the students’ vision realized at design miami—a platform that has always been committed to presenting the work of emerging talent alongside material by established and historic designers.”

the unbuilt team comprises joanne cheung, jenny shen, steven meyer, doug harsevoort, and yiliu shen-burke (all march ’18). the team is advised by luis callejas, lecturer in architecture and landscape architecture; hanif kara, professor in practice of architectural technology; and dan borelli (mdes ’12), director of exhibitions.

[ galleries ]

above> there are 36 galleries this year. here are several we follow | click on images to enlarge lightbox | 18 images
[ market ] the inaugural design miami/ market brings a new kind of product to the fair, with a fresh approach to retail offered by j.crew, lizworks, dean & deluca and artbook. this first edition is designed and produced by local designer emmett moore to remind visitors of an outdoor market with hints of south beach permeating the kiosks, made with whitewashed wood and blue vinyl strapping reminiscent of beach loungers.

[ satellite venues ]

[ untitled, miami beach ] the 4th edition of untitled international art fair continues its dedication to providing an innovative approach to the art fair mode. artists are at the center of unititled’s mission and the curators christophe boutin and melanie scarciglia have worked with the fair’s artistic director omar lópez-chahoud to identify a strong and diverse selection of galleries (119) and artists that reflect the fair’s commitment to presenting exceptional contemporary art | ocean drive and 12th street

[ belong.here.now by airbnb ] created by design with company, this 5,000 square foot open space will harness the power of place and time to deliver moments of belonging for all those willing to engage. acting as a piece of urban theater, the space will invite guests to become part of the evolving performance. for example, on saturday 5 december from 14:00 on, cultural curator kim hastreiter will invite members of pink martini and the public for a sing-along | meridian ave. & 19th street (across the street from the entrance to design miami/)

site-specific poolside painting by katherine bernhardt at [ nautilus hotel ] 1950s morris lapidus designed, south beach hot spot nautilus hotel just reopened. new owner sixty hotels, ceo jason pomeranc led an in-house design team in the restoration. this year artsy commissioned artist katherine bernhardt to create an original pool painting for the hotel, continuing a tradition set by david hockney, keith haring and pablo picasso | nautilus 1825 collins avenue

[ snarkitecture ] collaborated with netjets to customize a bombardier jets global 5000 with an ombre design for art basel. it will be staged at the landmark aviation private jet terminal in miami international airport.

ritsue mishima with installation ‘all’ombra della luce’ – ‘shadow of light’ / champagne house [ perrier-jouët ] traditional collaborations with designers or artists continue with a partnership with venice-based glass artist ritsue mishima. mishima creates a glass installation and a series of unique ice buckets for champagne bottles.

the installation is made of 1.400 handmade round glass plates. each of the five large blown ice bowls come with embedded round glasses for champagne, but also with traditionally-shaped, blown champagne glasses, all in mishima’s signature style of working with transparent glass and asymmetrical forms. the pieces represent bubbles of champagne in both the installation and the glasses.

[ moma design store ] the museum of modern art (moma) design store is excited to announce its first-ever installation and pop-up during the week of art basel miami beach with the skateroom at delano south beach, a morgans hotel celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. featured, a limited edition set of 32 decks each featuring a different flavor soup from andy warhol’s 32 campbell’s soup cans | delano south beach 1685 collins avenue

[ fendi ] opens its 5,400 square foot location in the design district. exposed brick walls and cement floors add a raw element to the store’s design in deliberate contrast with the opulence of textured design. the color-blocked façade and east exterior, a collaboration with designer and architect johanna grawunder, touts the brand’s commitment to the design world. the store will house the breadth of fendi’s products including men’s and women’s rtw, fur, handbags, shoes and accessories | 150 ne 40th street

@designmiami #designmiami

chicago architecture biennial. 29 november > 5 december 2015.

Nov 28, 2015

[ 29 november > 5 december calendar ] The Chicago Architecture Biennial is free and open to the general public at the Chicago Cultural Center and sites across the city. The event is supported by the City of Chicago and the Graham Foundation, with additional support from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Chicago Park District. All funding for the event is privately raised, with significant investments from BP and SC Johnson.

‘s house’ by vo trong nghia architects is another full scale installation that depicts a housing model for vietnam’s mekong river. photography: tom harris, copyright hedrich blessing. courtesy chicago architecture biennial

the main floor of the stony island arts bank will be used for exhibitions, like the current show by carlos bunga. courtesy chicago architecture biennial. image steve hall

little bird nest by dinelljohansson. world architecture festival 2015.

Nov 27, 2015

click on image to engage lightbox | photos mikael olsson | 11 images

winner in the ‘small projects’ category at the world architecture festival 2015 held in singapore. lidingö football club needed a gallery, cafe and office. they got all in one. a platform on a house. a gallery with cafe and entrance on the middle where football and the city meet. a meeting place for all young people. they got the little bird nest.
[ dinelljohansson ]

lidingövallen little bird nest small football stadium
architects> dinelljohansson
location> kyrkvägen lidingö, sweden
project year> 2014
photographs> mikael olsson

[ small projects shortlist ]
> klein dytham architecture, soma city home for all, kitaiibuchi, soma-shi, fukushima
> department of architecture co., the flow’ – a multipurpose pavilion, thailand
> cheshire architect, rore kahu – marsden cross heritage centre, northland, new zealand
> eleena jamil architect, the bamboo playhouse, kuala lumpur, malaysia
> fmd architects surgeons rooms, melbourne, australia
> wilkinson eyre architects, maggie’s centre, oxford, uk
> partisans, grotto sauna, georgian bay, usa
> produce workshop, wild rocket restaurant, singapore
> proarh, hiza, kumrovec, croatia
> marc koehler architects, dune house, terschelling, the netherlands
> fiona winzar architects, dreamcatcher, south melbourne, australia
> monk mackenzie architects, canada street bridge, auckland, new zealand
> cox, box office, melbourne, australia
> dinelljohansson, little bird nest football stadium, lidingövallen, lidingö, sweden
> gustavo penna arquiteto & associados, brt station, minas gerais, brazil

the bamboo playhouse by eleena jamil architect. world architecture festival 2015.

Nov 20, 2015

the bamboo playhouse project was shortlisted in the ‘small projects’ category at the world architecture festival 2015 held in singapore. kuala lumpur-based studio eleena jamil architect was approached by the local city hall to design a public pavilion out of bamboo in the capital city’s oldest and most picturesque park — the perdana botanical gardens. [ eleena jamil architect ]

[ small projects shortlist ]
klein dytham architecture, soma city home for all, kitaiibuchi, soma-shi, fukushima
department of architecture co., the flow’ – a multipurpose pavilion, thailand
cheshire architect, rore kahu – marsden cross heritage centre, northland, new zealand
eleena jamil architect, the bamboo playhouse, kuala lumpur, malaysia
fmd architects surgeons rooms, melbourne, australia
wilkinson eyre architects, maggie’s centre, oxford, uk
partisans, grotto sauna, georgian bay, usa
produce workshop, wild rocket restaurant, singapore
proarh, hiza, kumrovec, croatia
marc koehler architects, dune house, terschelling, the netherlands
fiona winzar architects, dreamcatcher, south melbourne, australia
monk mackenzie architects, canada street bridge, auckland, new zealand
cox, box office, melbourne, australia
dinelljohansson, little bird nest football stadium, lidingövallen, lidingö, sweden
gustavo penna arquiteto & associados, brt station, minas gerais, brazil