The house has a square layout, demarcated by a wall than encloses all indoor spaces and their adjacent four gardens. Historical travel records of Nicosia, dating as far back as the 14^th century, mention the garden as a space protected inside a walled enclosure, containing ornamental and edible plants, offering scents and sounds; the garden has been a contributing factor to the historical identity of Nicosia, at times including cisterns, fountains, open-air kitchens, wells, or steam baths. The gardens of the house, adjoining different programmatic units, cater to daily, practical necessities, such as the control of sunlight, temperature, and air flow. Special attention has been put on the passive heating and cooling of the house. The construction materials are selected from local light industries; some are left exposed, while part of the finishing is carried out on site, as is the case for the flooring. All case furniture and some moveable pieces are custom-designed by the architects, while the rest are hand-made from local artisans in Nicosia.

Draftworks Architects

The post Best of 2020: Four Gardens was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The house is located in a street where terraced houses have the same frontage, as well as the same layout. A narrow and dark entrance led the residents to the stairwell, to which the living areas were linked. The kitchen and technical room were in a dilapidated extension. Despite the south-facing garden, little light was one of the drawbacks of the house; moreover, because of the many lowered ceilings, the rooms felt confining and a lot of space was used up for circulation, and the stairwell.

During the renovation, a lot of attention was paid to preserving the existing structures. The characteristic existing woodwork above the suspended ceilings has been left visible, and the structural brick walls add more texture to the house. The existing layout was virtually preserved, but by changing the circulation newly functional spaces can be used for living and / or storage. All attention was focused on making unusable spaces usable and livable again.

The new extension has a sloping volume that follows the line of the plot and functions as an urban interweaving between adjacent properties. The sitting area and dining area were housed in the lowest level so that the residents are immersed in the atmosphere of the garden. The transparent extension, consisting of 2 levels with large windows, was provided with a loft, allowing abundant sunlight and open the views of the garden. While the loft opens the house upwards, it also offers a beautiful view for the various rooms.

Inside, existing wooden beams and the existing brick walls provide a nice contrast between the light wooden construction of the extension. A tiled floor provides an additional contrast between old and new. Throughout the house, sturdy materials are combined with soft, light ones: For example, the kitchen is clad in green, moisture resistant MDF, in combination with a stainless-steel worktop. The slats add texture and play with light.

On the way to the first floor, there is an office that overlooks the loft and the garden; the master bedroom enjoys the same advantages. The bathroom / dressing was linked to the master bedroom, which includes bathroom cabinet, in order to minimize unusable corners and circulation.

The second floor, the attic, has been completely opened up and divided with a glass partition that is equipped with 3 sliding doors. The doors give out to an extra bathroom and a multipurpose room that is designed to be divided into 2 children’s bedrooms.

The atmosphere and design of the garden is inspired by a journey of the residents to “Termas Geometricas” in Chile, where peace and nature prevail.

mcdm atelier

The post Rearranging Circulation was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

Sanderumgaard garden was established on the danish island of Fyn between 1793 and 1828 by Johan Bülow, the most famous garden designer of his time in Denmark. Its 15 hectares are connected via a network of paths across various natural structures, as well as a 2 km channel system that grants access to visitors via small boats.  The scenic beauty of the garden immediately became a source of inspiration for Bülow’s contemporary artists, authors, and poets of the Romantic period (Clemens, Eckersberg, Molberch, Winther).

In order to create contrast with nature, and emphasize the romantic character of the garden, Bülow dispersed 14 small pavilions in hut-like forms across the site. The pavilions were placed amidst lush vegetation, at secluded locations and could only be discovered by the “wandering souls” who dared to walk off the main road. Those small pavilions were monuments to a thought or a notion, often written above their door (“Døden vis, dødens tid uvis”, “Death known, its time unknown”). They were meant to be experienced in solitude, the preferred state of being of the Romantic soul.

When the architects were invited to reflect on adding a new pavilion to such a stylistically complete universe, they considered two options: either continue on Bülow’s path and create a modern version of his solitary bastions of culture, or pursue quite the opposite direction: a pavilion that is a hymn to nature, only this time as a collective rather than a solitary experience. Such a pavilion should be big enough and suitably shaped to encourage interaction between people, but it should also invoke a sense of modesty and dignity which would unite people in quietly witnessing a spectacle of a far grander scale : nature itself.

The proposal introduces a circular covered arcade which circumscribes a small courtyard in its middle. The courtyard is landscaped as a hybrid Nordic / Japanese garden, with moss, runic stones, and a cherry blossom tree: Its flowers, lasting only a few days a year, reminisce the ephemerality of life -an idea the Romantics would surely appreciate. The double-pitched roof is asymmetric in size, which allows the placement of a poetry room where the plan is deepest. This gives space for visitors to warm their hands at the fireplace, drink a cup of tea and even read poetry of the Romantic era. The arcade is otherwise open and accessible from all sides, and functions as shelter for impromptu gatherings such as concerts, gardening classes, or more formal events such as wedding receptions.

The pavilion is placed at a newly created island and is accessible by boat and via new bridges connecting it to the existing path network. The project is currently under funding with more than 60% of the construction budget covered.

SQ1 – SquareOne

The post Sanderumgaard Pavilion was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The client, a family of 5, lives in an archetypical row house on a dense plot in the historic centre of Leuven.

The home is transformed into a collection of connected spaces with very diverse characters: a very big, high and bright space with zenithal light becomes the centre of the project. A small adjoining brick shed is reached through a secret staircase. The street side room serves as a vestibule, a reception space plus storage room. The garden becomes an open-air room with green walls and an oversized water element.

The rooms are defined through a careful formulation of building elements: a floating glass-roof, a thin concrete staircase, a terrazzo floor slab, a green earth wall, a large sliding window.

This collection of rooms becomes an ambivalent living environment in the continuum of public and private rooms that compose the city fabric.

51N4E

Maxime Delvaux

The post Room in the city was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

San Miguel de Allende is one of Mexico’s premier tourist sites, with wine activity throughout the region that has enabled significant tourism and economic growth. In recent years, vineyards offering tastings and tours, as well as the region’s breathtaking architecture, have proven to be a popular combination. It is within that context that ASP was presented with the opportunity to engage in a project to develop a multipurpose complex in a field featuring a small hill.

The project consists of a master plan that is divided into private estates of 6,000 to 8,000 m², as well as 87 hectares of vineyards and buildings destined for public recreation and relaxation. Public areas include a boutique hotel, a spa, a clubhouse, a restaurant, an equestrian club, and multiple sports courts.

The intent of the design was to develop an aesthetic to complement, rather than compete with, existing elements. ASP achieved that vision by integrating each volume into the landscape while using strategically-located horizontal concrete and stone platforms to prevent obstructed views from within each space. The materials used, including stone, wood, earth, gravel, and pavers, serve as unifying elements due to their chromatic and neutral finishes, as well as their local origins.

The complex also features an orchard that supplies some of the restaurant’s fresh ingredients. The vineyards are irrigated courtesy of a drip irrigation system, supplied by two existing wells. As part of the boutique hotel, an artificial lake was designed to generate microclimates and microenvironments that favor the landscape.

ASP Arquitectura Sergio Portillo

The post Vineyard “El Pedregal” was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

Inspired by Philip Johnson’s Glass House and the Ben Rose House from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pavilion A in the outskirts of Montreal is a tribute to modern architecture. Welcoming a four-season swimming pool, this glass pavilion was designed as a veritable oasis in the heart of a garden. During the long Quebec winters, the space allows to breaststroke in the swimming pool, relax in the spa, read under a tropical plant, or do yoga while contemplating the snowy nature. In the summer, the pavilion opens onto a long wooden terrace through the large picture windows on one of the facades.

Located outside the glass pavilion, the metal structure gives the roof the impression of floating. The black exterior structure contrasts with the clear and bright interior. The glass walls let in plenty of natural light and the skylights installed on the ceiling maximize the supply of overhead light while protecting from the summer sun. The 360-degree glazing removes the border between interior and exterior and contributes to a change of scenery. The interior layout and its plants on the ground help to create a tropical atmosphere that promotes relaxation. The layout of the large strips of vegetation provides privacy zones whether in the spa, the pool, or on the carpet.

At the heart of the pavilion’s orthogonal lines stands out the bathroom. Awarded a prize at the 13th edition of the Grand Prix du Design, this cylindrical bathroom elegantly combines beauty and functionality. Clad in red cedar cleats, this relief column looks like a sculptural element in the pavilion. The warm character of the wood contrasts with the pure and bright interior of the white mosaic. Particular attention has been paid to the furniture and the finishing details that follow the rounded or cylindrical shape, helping to create a singular and harmonious space. The circular opening in the ceiling from which a shower of natural light springs up reinforces the intimate and exotic character of this daring powder room.

With its modern architecture, its luminous transparency, its tropical touch, and its bathroom jewel, Pavilion A magnifies the experience of rest and relaxation offered by this space dedicated to well-being.

Maurice Martel

Vertige Paysage

Adrien Williams

The post Pavilion A was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.