Spanish architecture firm A-cero recently has completed a house in Madrid, Spain.

+ Project description courtesy of A-cero

The house is located on a 3.500 m2 plot presenting a light slope that is used by the access ramp to the garage. The floor plan has the form of a greek cross, and is delimited by the access pathway and the other properties on both of its sides.

The design of this 1.200 m2 compact single-family house is guided by two main concepts: a great functionality in the distribution of the interior spaces and their openness to the exterior to make the most of the views. Both ideas are also present in the interior design and in the selection of the construction materials.

Inside the house, the design follows a functional structure evolving around the hall stairs, an central design element that provokes a surprising visual and spatial effect. Another breathtaking space is the double height volume that contains the living room.

The form has been object of design since the conception of the project, in the same way and degree than any other functional or technical aspect. A clear and smooth composition of shapes, born from the encounter of expressive and massive blocks composing a sculptural group.

The façade’s geometrical configuration offers inclined walls with clean cuts. The two rectangular intersected bodies surround the cylinder containing the staircase that connects all the house’s areas.

The building is divided in three levels according to the program’s needs. The access is on the ground floor, where all the more public spaces are located: hall, living and dining rooms, office, TV room and kitchen. The living room occupies a double height space open to the exterior views through great glass panes. All the objects that could interfere with the contemplation of the views, like railings or walls, have been suppressed or replaced by transparent elements. The main entrance door is made of a 6 m high glass pane, letting the visitor perceive the interior of the house.

On a lower level are located the technical installation rooms, laundry, indoor swimming pool, games room, wine cellar, garage and a leisure area with a reading space, dining room and TV.

A staircase with glass railings and a glass corridor that goes through the double height space takes to a studio on the upper level overlooking the living room. Next to this area are the master bedroom, equipped with a walk-in closet and bathroom, and four more bedrooms with bathrooms, organized around a corridor covered with shelves.

The richness of this spatial composition is also apparent in the exterior, and organizes the connection between the house and its surroundings. This dynamical and rich design is also translated to a structural system made only of reinforced concrete walls, avoiding intermediate columns that could alter the space’s scale and cleanliness.

At some point, the structure pierces the façade to form a porch that finishes its composition, protects from the sunlight and creates an interesting play of light and shadow. The house is covered with white travertine, creating a clean and smooth finishing, the porch’s floor and the deck surrounding the pool and jacuzzi are made of ipê wood . The garden on the front of the house is organized in terraces and parterres, forming a decorative outline surrounded by a surface covered with white gravel. Three sculptures are carefully placed in this place, marking the entrance.

The interior of the house follows the same colour scheme and predominance of natural materials. The floors are covered with ceramic tiles and wood on the upper level.

+ Project credits / data

Architect: A-cero
Project: Casa Madrid
Location: Madrid, Spain

+ All images courtesy of A-cero

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Spanish architecture firm A-cero have designed a house in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain.

+ Project description courtesy of A-cero

The house is hided behind a harmonious sculptural set of curved walls made of stone dark granite and marble travertino that seem to emerge from a big water plate arranged in the house entry.

In addition to the beauty of this structure, it offers a high grade of privacy and tact between the exterior (street) and the house. Other more, this structure goes to the back part, as a front, where is a natural, clear and kind scenery.

This block disposition and the house plot (a descending slope towards a lake) are used to distribute the house in two plants: a high floor, with exterior access, and a low floor. Both of them are looking to a wide terrace with a pergola and to the garden house.

In the high plant, we find a very wide and luminous hall provided with natural light for top skylights, and with two plates of waters dominated by two bronze lions. In addition it is used to lead to the kitchen, wine vault, dining room, lounge, office – library, and to the most private area: the principal bedroom, dressing-room, bath, interior swimming pool and small gymnasium. Also we find the stairs that descend to the low floor where there are a games lounge and a movies room, kids and guests bedrooms and the service area with two bedrooms in suite and with a wide area for the housework. All the house rooms are provided with wide large windows in a dark safety glass. These windows (that also works as doors) and a lot of house elements are completely computerized and motorized: lighting, safety, blinds, air conditioning … everything is centralized.

The high floor communicates with a terrace. In the lounge the access to outside is made by a long large window that provides a continuity sensation from the interior space to outside.

This terrace is covered by a pergola made of an aluminium structure that supports the sculptural premeditation of the building.

In one of the side parts of the garden, there is a relaxation area with a pond of Buddhist inspiration.

+ Project credits / data

AUTHOR of the project: A-cero, Joaquin Torres architects – Joaquín Torres (director), Rafael Llamazares (architect partner, collaborator)
Project: House in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid “Vivienda 42”
Location: Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid “Vivienda 42”, Spain
Date of project: October 2006
Date of termination: April 2009
Photographer: Ferran Silva (A-cero)
Gardening/ landscaping: Luis Vallejo

+ All images courtesy of A-cero

Related posts:

1. House Pozuelo Madrid | A-cero
2. House in Dominican Republic | A-cero
3. House in Somosaguas | A-cero

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California-based architect Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects designed the Orange Memorial Park located in South San Francisco. The building is conceived as a pavilion in a park and an icon for the community.

+ Project description courtesy of Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects

Orange Memorial Park is the most important public recreation venue for the citizens of South San Francisco, and is the context for the new 6,400 sq. ft. recreation building which is encircled by soccer, basketball, picnic and other outdoor amenities. The facility’s function is to serve cultural, recreational, celebratory, and educational activities. But more importantly, the recreation building is conceived as a pavilion in a park and an icon for the community.

Towards that goal, the use of natural materials that are sustainable, that have a sense of  quality and longevity, that are complementary to each other and to the park context, and that are attractive, was of fundamental importance both to the designers and the client. For that reason, wood – in particular Western Red Cedar – and natural basalt stone are two of the most prominent materials in the building’s materials palette.

Western Red Cedar wood grilles form a rain screen of longevity and beauty for the walls, while evoking the sense of lightness, transparency and horizontality. Due to the strong though simple geometric forms, the importance of Western Red Cedar in the design idea is especially critical. As a consequence, the building’s materials and massing come together to provide identity and a strong civic sense of place for the 23-acre park.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Orange Memorial Park
Location: South San Francisco, California, USA 9
Architect: Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects
Project Manager: Tai-Ran Tseng of Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects
Structural Engineer: Umerani Associates
Civil Engineer: Winzler & Kelly
Mechanical Engineer: Mechanical Design Studio
Electrical Engineer: Int-Elect Engineers, Inc
Landscape: Gates & Associates
General Contractor: RGM & Associates

+ All images courtesy of Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects

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3. Finderup Park Mix-use Complex | C. F. Møller Architects

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French architectural practice N+B architects has completed the new middle school – Morières les Avignon in France. Interplay between concrete and stone are the main feature for this project, it gives rhythmic effect to the facade as a contemporary appearance.

The “VERS” stone establishes sides façades of folds in concrete. It offers a thermal slowness and gives rhythm to facades.

Elodie Nourrigat & Jacques Brion, founders of N+B architects

+ Project description courtesy of N+B architects

middle school, MORIERES les AVIGNON, France by Elodie Nourrigat & Jacques Brion – NB architects

The massive stone of the implemented stone in a determinedly contemporary writing offers a complementary material and a depth to the concrete which usually can seem too smooth and cold. A real dialogue is born in the material. So buildings gets organized according to volumes registered under wide folds in concrete which roll about with it around them.

The “VERS” stone establishes sides façades of folds in concrete. It offers a thermal slowness and gives rhythm to facades. The volume of the multipurpose room marks the entry of the middle school, at the end of the alignation of trees of the esplanade.

It floats above the internal square serving at the same time as signal and as shelter for pupils.

The middle school compound itself of differents built entities which correspond to the differrents functions and scale of the program.

+ Project credits / data

Program: Realization of a new middle school and a gymnasium – project HQE
Client: conseil general du vaucluse
Architects: Elodie Nourrigat & Jacques Brion – n+b architectes
Planning: n+b architectes
Project manager: Elodie Nourrigat & Jacques Brion
Area: 8 500 m²
Completion: 09/2009
Cost: 13M€
Photo: Paul Kozlowski

+ All images courtesy of N+B architects

Related posts:

1. Restructuration and Extension of the High School Paul Valéry | N+B architects
2. Gjerdrum Secondary School | Kristin Jarmund Architects
3. Thor Heyerdahl School | Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

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Residance O is the refurbishment project designed by Italy-based Andrea Tognon Architecture, the new square floor plane was completed by filling the missing corner to the old L shape plan, it looks clean.

+ Project description courtesy of Andrea Tognon Architecture

The building we were call to refurbish was built in the 70’s as imitation of vernacular architecture of the Veneto countryside area. Was looking pretty fake. The floor plan was a square were a corner was missing (so was an L shape). The roof was a concrete slab juting out in a very inelegant and bad proportionated way. So we decide to add the corner that was missing to complete the square floor plane. Because the total redefinition of the insulation parameter we reshape the profile of the building cutting the old roof edge and redesign the junction between roof and perimetrical walls. The entire interior layout was redesign, all the walls and roof insulated, the eating system switched to solar energy.

+ Project credits / data

Architect: Andrea Tognon Architecture
Project: Residance O
Location: Teolo, Italy

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Andrea Tognon Architecture

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“Tiger Stealth“, 2009 by Peter Sandbichler.

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Danish architectural studio 3XN recently has completed the head office for Danish law firm Horten in Copenhagen, DK. The project has been developed as an energy saving building which is featuring the three dimensional façade in fiberglass and travertine, it acts as a screen against the sun while still providing a view to the water.

+ Project description courtesy of 3XN

Danish law firm Horten wanted their new headquarters to present itself in a contemporary as well as classical and solid way. Our solution was to design a modern office with a new interpretation of the classical stone-clad facade.

Inside, the building appears light and open with a flexible structure encouraging informal meetings and knowledge sharing. The dynamic atmosphere is intensified by the complex and innovative exterior expression.

A unique façade design was developed in order to set new standards within sustainable solutions. The three dimensional façade in fiberglass and travertine works as a screen against the sun while still providing a view to the water. In this way, the architecture itself is actually the main contributor to the energy savings of the building.

+ Facade / Material design idea

Unique Three Dimensional Facade in Fibreglass and Travertine

The completion of the distinctive Horten Headquarters on Tuborg Harbor signals successful realization of two years’ research and development on innovation in building facades. Horten headquarters is the new head office for the Danish law firm Horten, and the building incorporates a range of innovative sustainable solutions that do not require compromises regarding the aesthetic objectives in the architectural design.

The building is a good example of how environmentally friendly objectives can be combined with beautiful architecture

Kim Herforth Nielsen, Creative Director and Founder of 3XN

Shape which Saves Energy

From the start, the objective was to design a building that didn’t just live up to the existing energy saving requirements, but that set new standards in surpassing these environmental regulations in the building code.

In order to shield against overheating, it was necessary to design the building in such a way that it is closed to the south and opened to the north. Because of the three dimensional relief, the facade works as a screen against the sun, thus allowing a pleasant office temperature. This is done while still providing a view to the water with each office having its own individually framed ‘bow’.

In other words, it is the architecture itself that has contributed most to energy savings in this building; the building’s orientation and the facade’s three-dimensional self shielding design.

New Materials

With its unique design, the facade is also unique in its material composition. To adapt to the special geometry, it was natural to design using new and innovative building materials and methods.

If the same facade was to be built using traditional construction methods (ie. steel frames), it would be a challenge to build each element separately and therefore difficult to keep uniformity. By contrast, by taking the decision to build completely out of fibreglass, it becomes possible to mass produce with much fewer discrepancies amongst the various building elements.

In our research, we found several relevant references to ships and windmills – but no building projects with self-supporting and insulating fibreglass elements

Bo Boje Larsen, Architect and Partner in 3XN

The production method using fibreglass has been well known in many capacities, which allows for accurate projections and the know-how to actually design with it. The ‘innovation’ has been integrating fibreglass into building design.

The end result is a facade design which consists of two layers of fibreglass composite, with a highly insulated core of foam; upon which is placed an outer layer of travertine.

Optimal Design

In order to keep within the budget, it was necessary to design a facade with as many repetitions as possible without losing the unique expression of the building. Making the floor slab design zig-zag shaped allows for a very rational and efficient way of attaching the facade. In addition, by making optimal use of the moulds, it is made possible to realize the complex geometry without compromising the original architectural vision.

Two years of research and development doesn’t really feel like hard work when we begin to see the results take form. The hardest challenges have actually been the most fun. In fact, it is these challenges that enrich the experience of an architect,

Olaf Kunert, an Architect on the project at 3XN

+ Project credits / data

Project: Horten Headquarters
Address: Bygning 111, Tuborg Syd, 2900 Hellerup, DK
Assignment: Acquisition
Completion: 2009
Size: 10.000 m²
Budget: DKK250m

Architect: 3XN
Project Team:
The facade was developed in collaboration with Pihl, Rambøll and Skandinaviska Glassystem AB.
The Architects involved in the project by 3XN are: Kim Herforth Nielsen, Bo Boje Larsen, Dorthe Toft Boesen, Jeanette Hansen, Olaf Kunert, Torsten Wang, Jakob Ohm Lauersen, Dag Præstegaard, Gry Kjær, Anders Brinck, Robin Vind Christiansen, Mogens Bruun Jepsen, Carsten Olsen, and Sune Mogensen

Engineer: Rambøll
Client: Carlsberg Ejendomme
Photographer: Adam Mørk

+ All images courtesy of 3XN

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2. Headquarters for Marchesini France | LAN Architecture
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“ECHOES, Three-piece suite (chairs)”, 2007 by Troels Sandegård.

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»ASA-Desk«, 2009 by Atelierbbb.

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Spanish architecture firm A-cero recently has completed a house located in Dominican Republic, sleeping zone and living zone was organized into 2 blocks and connected by a covered veranda, while featuring curved volumes emerged from the ground.

The stone of exterior Coralline interferes inside to offer visual continuity… The exterior sensation – interior ends up by getting lost putting the gardens inside the house.

Joaquín Torres, A-cero

+ Project description courtesy of A-cero

The benign climate that prevails during the whole year in the Caribbean island, as well as the situation of the plot of 7.000 m2 first coast line, they determine in advance the project executed by A-cero Studio.

With a singular architectural idea and a certain level of risky, peculiar of the team that Joaquin Torres directs. There appear two blocks well separated from that there arises a game of curved volumes that look for the vertical position from the covering.

The housing is projected by demand of program of needs of the client, in only one plant. There is dressed the whole house of an indigenous stone of Coralline of clear tones (white – beige) that, to part of the proper quality of the material, a visual aspect that prospers with the abundant solar light, and the marine reference.

From the principal access, the house seems to hide behind an attainment of curved walls that believe a sculptural set. In the middle, a big door of two sheets in wood leads to the housing. The whole housing has crossed ventilation, this way to be able to make use of all the advantages of the Caribbean climate especially the sea breeze.

Interiors are proposed with furniture designed by A-cero and made to measurement, practically the whole production was realized in Spain. But very overloaded ambiences do not want to be created not of pronounced decoration, claiming a certain simplicity inside the big interior spaces. The stone of exterior Coralline interferes inside to offer visual continuity, in addition to there is this a material much adapted for the warm present climate the whole year. The whole housing one can say that it is opened on the outside in practically all his fronts, with big practicable large windows. The exterior sensation – interior ends up by getting lost putting the gardens inside the house.

The couches design of A-cero, they are realized by the carpentry “Amboage“ and upholstered by “Manama“ in textile of neopreno model Scuba in white color of the firm “Kvadrat“. In the whole housing this composition follows, in addition to the couches also in chairs, exterior beach chairs or some small tables. The furniture of carpentry designed by A-cero carried out in wood DM lacquer in high white shine for “Cándido Hermida“.

The kitchen of the Italian signature “Arclinea” purchased in Miami. The carpets, in sisal they are of “Moquetas Asan”. The blinds in white of “Persianas Victoria”. The lighting of “Iguzzini”. The beds in the whole housing by “Chateau vitre” for “Supermatrex”. In baths, the bathroom fittings of “Duravit“ and the taps of “Axor”.

In the exterior, there looks after very much the landscaping project of A-cero, executed by “Aybar“. The indigenous gardening is imposed, as there are different species of palm trees.

+ Project credits / data

Author of the project: A-cero, Joaquin Torres architects – Joaquín Torres (director), Rafael Llamazares (architect partner, collaborator)
Project: House in Casa de Campo – La Romana / Dominican Republic
Location: Dominican Republic
Date of project: octuber 2006
Date of termination: April 2009
Photographer: Fernando Manosalvas
Gardening/ landscaping: A-cero / Aybar
Construction: Arena Gorda (República Dominicana)

+ All images and drawings courtesy of A-cero

Related posts:

1. House in Somosaguas | A-cero
2. House Pozuelo Madrid | A-cero
3. Murcia Project | A-cero

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