Architecture Commons^™

Enel Pavilion, Piuarch

Building Case Studies

650 polycarbonate vectors. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent

2014 Winter Olympic Stadium, Populous

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Crystalline skin

The crystalline skin engages with its surroundings by day, and provides iconic representation of the color and spectacle of the games when illuminated at night. It is also a lightweight material.

The Glass Farm, Mvrdv

Building Case Studies

The exterior glass has an image of a collage of hitsoric farms printed on it. The architects used a fritted procedure to apply the image onto the the glass. There is varying transparency throughout the building, responding to views and necessary light.

Kukje Gallery, So-Il

Building Case Studies

The material is used as an extra layer that drapes over the façade. It gives off a fluid appearance, dissolving the appearance of the sharp edges of the actual building.

Olympic Shooting Venue, Magma Architecture

Building Case Studies

The material allows for some light to permeate through, allowing for a solid skin. It is also an easy matieral to reassmble, with no composite or adhesive materials used in the project.

Endesa Pavilion, Institute For Advanced Architecture Of Catalonia (Iaac)

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: Timber, solar panels

Properties of material: Wood was chosen as the primary material for the project due its organic qualities as an exhaustible natural resource as well as its easy workability. Ultimately, the pavilion is shielded from solar radiation in the summer months and then consumes solar radiation throughout the winter. Indirect sunlight produces a subtle ambiance in the interior. Designed to be fabricated using CNC machines, mathematical equations determined the precise orientation of the panels for the most beneficial solar penetration.

Fachada Liverpool, Iñaki Echeverria

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: Precast concrete

Properties of material: Given Tabasco’s tropical climate and its severe solar incidence and humidity levels, concrete was selected as the project’s design material; a material both resistant and with extraordinary aging qualities. The result was a façade that’s built by combining 5 different types of precast pieces shaped like a propeller. Each propeller rotates 180° on its axis; heights vary between 16 to 20 meters, depending on their position.

Soumaya Museum, Lar + Fernando Romero

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Translucent concrete.

Properties of material: Translucent Concrete filters light and makes spaces feel light and open without sacrificing the material’s structural integrity.

Media-Tic, Cloud 9

Building Case Studies

ETFE cushions are used as a sun screen, inflated in the winter to gain solar energy, deflated in the summer to provide shade.

Brick Pattern House In Tehran, Iran, Alireza Mashhadmirza

Building Case Studies

Material Used: Brick.

Material of Interest: Masonry.

Properties of Materials: Brick is laid in a simple manner that allows the owner to have privacy without having curtains or allowing a view to the interior. Brick laying method was simple enough for the owner and other low wage workers to do the work themselves. No outside contractor was used for the construction of the exterior skin.

Moet Marquee / Espace Lumiere, Ptw Architects

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Tensioned lycra.

Material used: MakMax.

Properties of material: Lycra tent weighs 77 lbs and folds small enough to transport in a sports bag. Can be assembled in less than an hour and is fully reusable. Material can also transmit light.

Stockholm Waterfront, White Arkitekter

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: duples stainless steel

Properties of material: Stockholm Waterfront is classified as a “green” building complex. The focus is on energy and sustainable materials. The façade needed to be in a material that is highly sustainable, durable and aesthetically pleasing. Stainless steel fits perfectly well into this profile: it is inherently sustainable owing to its maintenance-free longevity, it needs no coating, and it is fully recyclable. Stainless also offers architects a rich palette of design alternatives.

House Of Stone For Interni Thank Tank In Milan, Italy, John Pawson

Building Case Studies

Material of Interest: Stone

Material Used: Lithoverde

Properties of Material: The material is composed of 99% recycled granite and 1% natural soy resin. This material reuses a material (granite) that is otherwise dif- ficult to dispose of properly. It has a beautiful aesthetic and creates a sense of strength and serenity.

La Tallera, Frida Escobedo

Building Case Studies

Using concrete as a screen, giving it a light appearance despite concretes typical, solid, heavy structure.

Mülimatt Sports Education And Training Centre, Studio Vacchini Architetti

Building Case Studies

Acts both as the façade and the structure.

The Balancing Barn, Mvrdv

Building Case Studies

The material is highly reflective, so while it is a new material introduced to the barn prototype, it reflects the rural landscape.

La Tallera, Frida Escobedo

Building Case Studies

Using concrete as a screen, giving it a light appearance despite concretes typical, solid, heavy structure.

Open Air Library, Karo

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Recycled beer crates.

Originally developed from an installation of beer crates, the Open Air Library reused the façade of an old warehouse in the same neighborhood.

Dalian Shide Stadium Competition Entry, Nbbj Architects

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Lightweight canopy, structural green wall

Material used: Tenara fabric.

Properties of material: Canopy protects from the elements but lets in natural light. It is a non-toxic fluoropolymer and will not degrade during its useful life, but can be fully recycled.

Dee And Charles Wyly Theatre, Rex + Oma

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: Tubular aluminum.

Properties of material: Unlike a typical theatre, the Wyly accommodates back-of-house and front-of-house areas above and beneath the auditorium rather than wrapped around it, liberating its perimeter – a glass façade with optional blackout blinds – for direct contact with the urban surroundings.

Design Miami Temporary Structure, Aranda/Lasch

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Opaque vinyl fabric.

Material used: Exterior finish held up by slender aluminum poles.

Properties of material: Vinyl coated woven polyester mesh fabric; delivers exceptional durability under intense wind and weather conditions. Helps to regulate the thermal effect. Provides privacy and comfort without obstructing the view.

Ningbo History Museum, Wang Shu

Building Case Studies

The building's façade is made out of recycled building materials from local houses that were demolished. The building was assembled by using a traditional technique, wapan, which involves layering multiple elements in varying size, packing them together to create a stable structure.

Art Gallery Of Ontario, Gehry Partners, Llp

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Glass curtain wall.

Material used: Oldcastle Glass.

Properties of material: The curving glass entry façade catches the motion of the street cars to create an interesting streetscape.

Pope John Paul Ii Hall For The Franciscan Monastery Trsat In Riejeka, Croatia, Randić & Turato, Saša Randić, Idis Turato

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Masonry.

Material Used: Terracotta Brick.

Properties of Material: The brick is not fully flush in portions of the exterior allowing light to pass between bricks and create an effect that the brick is being stretched apart in places. Color goes well with existing construction at the monastery and imitates a simple hip roofed barn.

Guru Bar, Klab Architects

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Rusted steel

Properties of material: The rusting material of the façade is a metaphor for the transformation in a deteriorating phase . The building is also transformational with the kinetic movement of steel plates that open to form window shutters and doors.

National Parc Hohe Tauern Mittersill, Forsthuber & Scheithauer Salzburg

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: fibreC Facade 13 mm

Properties of material: FibreC, which is also known as “concrete skin - is a concrete panel reinforced with glass fibers which combines the advantages of concrete and glass fibers in one product: it is as solid, moldable and durable as concrete, but thanks to the glass fibers also thin-walled, fireproof and light-weight.

New Museum Of Contemporary Art, Sanaa

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Expanded aluminum mesh.

Material used: Custom fabrication.

Properties of material: Allows diffused light into the building to create a soft glow

Casa Da Musica In Porto, Portugal, Rem Koolhaas

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Concrete

Material used: White concrete

Properties of material: White concrete is used to throughout the project on both interior and exterior walls. the surface is smooth and the pattern is regulated, creating a controlled transition from space to space.

La Defense, Un Studio

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Color radiant film.

Material used: 3m Radiant Light Film. Available with or without adhesive and in different color shifts. Material is shipped out of Indiana or Ohio

Properties of material: Film changes color depending on the time of day and angle of incidence

486 Mina El Hosn, Lan Architects

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Perforated Sheet Metal Panels with Mirror Finish

Properties of material: The exterior skin consists of sliding perforated sheet metal panels with a mirror finish, acting as reflectors and protection against heat but also allowing light to enter. Depending on the play of natural light and viewpoints, the tower can physically reinvent itself in the changing light and points of view.