Architecture Commons^™

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.

Para Eco House, Tongji University Team

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Green walls. Material used: Wood plates, vegetation

Propertiesof material: Perforated walls, the concept of creating a multi-layer skin emerges from a combination of Dao theory in eastern philosophy and the theories of Michel Foucault in western thought, especially the ideas of autonomy in architecture.

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.

Cooper Union Building, Morphosis

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: Perforated stainless steel

Properties of material: The steel skin is separated from an inner wall of glass and aluminum to permit light and views for people inside the space. The steel panels act to reduce heat gains in summer and insulate the interior in winter. The panels are also operable, allowing people to open them for additional ventilation and lighting.

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.

Gucci Ginza, James Carpenter

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Bronze and silvery glass panels.

Properties of material: The bronze and silvery glass panels provided an illuminated glow effect at different times of the day. It also provides the necessary shading for the building front elevation.

International Quilt Study Center And Museum, Robert A.M. Stern Architects

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Metal mesh.

Properties of material: The Cambridge Solucent system employs lustrous woven metal fabric which complements the Quilt Museum’s theme perfectly.

Carabanchel Housing, Foreign Office Architects, Elejandro Zaera-Polo, Farshid Moussavi

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Bamboo louver

Properties of material: It's eco-friendly and it's comfortingly cozy. Operating within a severely limited budget.The primary architectural effect of the building is not dependent on the architects vision, but as an effect of the inhabitants choice, as if the facade was a register at any given moment of a cumulative effect of individuals choices.

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

Chokkura Plaza, Kengo Kuma And Associates

Building Case Studies

Material of interest: Ooya stone.

Material used: Ooya stone, steel, glass.

Properties of material: Unlike other stones, the Ooya stone is soft to touch with its softest portion- the ‘miso’- formed of soil trapped within it. It also has holes similar to a sponge with the ‘miso’ being the largest of these. Owing to these openings, the stone surface is rather broken up in its texture.

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.

Moore Honey House, Marlon Blackwell

Building Case Studies

Material of interest and material used: Steel.

Properties of material: Although the material creates a storage place for honey, it also acts as an interesting façade as a result of the transparent glass wall behind it.