#LetsGoRAW

Terra-cotta (meaning “baked earth” in Italian) has long found its way into the architecture of the day. For centuries, the light and inexpensive material was formed into rust-hued tiles for humble roofs. In the later 1800s, it was molded into decorative details on the façades of elaborate Arts and Crafts buildings. And now, contemporary architects have returned to the storied clay-based ceramic as an accent for statement-making modern buildings. Having largely disappeared in the mid – 20th Century, it seems that terracotta is once again making a comeback in the design world. Today designers are opting to use the ceramic and the colour terracotta for their products, giving the pieces an earthy tone and a sense of history.

Terracotta is seeing a resurgence in demand as architects look to create statement elements with respect to building facades as well as interiors, for that rustic earthy character to explore that “raw” aesthetics in design. It does not come as a surprise that architects who prefer green architecture perceive terracotta as the ideal material for facades in public buildings since it does not require maintenance, it’s ecological, inexpensive and offers great potential in terms of design.

Brick is one of the most popular materials for architects designing with a vintage or rustic aesthetic: exposed brick walls are often touted as highly desirable for apartments, restaurants, and stores, and exterior brick facades can make a building or home feel warmer and more inviting. However, the colour and cut of the brick can greatly influence the atmosphere it emanates, with white brick lending itself to more minimalist design and tan brick tending to feel more rustic and earthy.

Celebrating the resurgence of terracotta, we’ve put together a list of few examples that show just how the remarkable colour and material is making a comeback.

//2017

Located in the centre of Sydney, Australia, recycled tiles have been built into a complex rhythmic Brise-soleil that mediates the sun and wind. The facade design was largely conceived through multiple full scale tests and hand built prototypes, opening up a tactile process of rapid prototyping, and experimentation. Each tile course is placed based on its function. The acute course was used at the bottom due to its strength, as well to obscure the solid spandrels. Equilateral tiles were used at eye level to reduce visual obstructions. While diagonal tiles were used at the top due to their low clearance. The facade curves around a paperbark street tree which encroaches the site and links the misaligned neighbouring buildings.

//2018

This library project in Kopargaon, Maharashtra, India used bricks in an unconventional way shaping the roof of the library as a floating landscape and a playground for the school and at the same time embracing the library functions. By using historic inspiration from old brick vaults in different parts of the world and designing with sophisticated computer software, this project is expressed by an advanced brick structure.

//2017-2020

Studio Zhu Pei completes the Imperial Kiln museum in a historical area – Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China, known as the ‘porcelain capital’ of the world. the region, which had produced and exported pottery for more than 1,700 years, is now characterised by a fabric of ruinous ancient kiln complexes. the new museum, first designed in 2016 with respect for the history of its context, comprises more than half a dozen brick vaults base on the traditional form of the kiln, the apparatus used to create pottery for centuries. The vaults – each a different size, curvature, and length are integrated with the many existing ruins, some of which were discovered during the project’s construction.

//2020

Located in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, this cluster of buildings is a children foster care village patronised by Thai Red Cross Children Home. The project consists of seven types of building which are Director House, Lecturer House, Trainee Dormitory, Children House, Training Hall, Canteen and Service Building. Sufficiency Economy, which is King Bhumiphol’s Philosophy, is the major theme of this project. According to the project’s theme, the architects decided to approach the concept toward “Self-Sustaining Architecture”. Moreover, architects selected local natural material like bricks as the main building’s material, which is economical and remain the essence of local.

Check out the above full story in our DE SEP-OCT 2020 Edition – for the love of terracotta and the raw concrete charm. 

#LetsGoRAW #LetsTalkDesign

Project Name : Maati Collection
Project Location : Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Architects/Designer : This and That Studio + Cube Inc.
Project Status : Built

Maati collection has been co – conceptualised by two Ahmedabad based studios;

This and That studio by Ariane Thakore and Cube Inc by brothers Anand and Anuj Ambalal.

“Our emphasis is to design sustainable, hand-crafted products with sensitivity and to contextualise traditional craftsmanship into the contemporary scenario” says the designers.

DE’s this month theme is Lets Go RAW (the resurgence of terracotta today) How would you share your idea of working with terracotta and the idea of embracing the “raw” aesthetic in design with this collection?

“Maati or earth, is one of the five elements or panchamahabhuta, that make up a human body. The five elements of nature according to hindu mythology, earth, water, fire, space and air are essential in our formation. Maati one of the fundamental building blocks life is what has inspires us to design products that can take us back to our roots. Design that have a visceral quality to connect everyone of us and to restore santulan or balance with nature. Wood steel and terracotta bases, exclusively handcrafted by master potters, forms our inaugural range of tables – designed for outdoors as well as indoors. Designs are available in varying forms and finishes to cater to the functional requirements of contemporary living.” says Ariane Thakore – principal designer at This and That Studio.

Photo courtesy: This and That studio.

Check out the above full story in our DE SEP-OCT 2020 Edition – for the love of terracotta and the raw concrete charm. 

#LetsGoRAW #LetsTalkDesign

Project Name : Pirouette House
Project Location : Thiruvananthapuram, India
Project size : 196 sq. m.
Architects/Designer : Wallmakers
Project Status : Built

Photographer: Jino Sam.

Text description by the architects. 

Located smack in the middle of an urban and crowded locale of Trivandrum, the site was a small plot that was being suffocated by other residential projects from all four sides. The idea of this residence was to have an inward facing house with all its spaces opening into a funnelling central courtyard. The house is aligned in the East-West direction with openings facilitating for maximum cross-ventilation.

In the context of the city of Trivandrum that stands as a testimonial to many of Ar.Laurie Baker’s masterpieces, it seemed fit to modify one of his own introductions, the Rat trap bond masonry technique in this site which didn’t offer the opportunity for soil excavation or for making mud blocks. Keeping in mind that Brick kilns in Trivandrum is a dying industry with people opting out for wire-cut machine made bricks, this was also an attempt to promote this local agriculture based industry that is on the brink of extinction.

The Rat trap bond is a brick masonry method of wall construction in which bricks are placed in vertical position instead of conventional horizontal position and thus creating a cavity within the wall that increases thermal efficiency, cuts down on the total volume of bricks used and is ideal for concealing structural members and service ducts. The idea was further developed to form a series of slanting walls that danced left and right, converging only to support the ferro-cement shell roof. Each staggered wall has been tailor-made to suit the issue of deficiency in space that this residence posed, aiming to create larger volumes and a feeling of privacy.

The Rat trap bond is a brick masonry method of wall construction in which bricks are placed in vertical position instead of conventional horizontal position and thus creating a cavity within the wall that increases thermal efficiency, cuts down on the total volume of bricks used and is ideal for concealing structural members and service ducts. The idea was further developed to form a series of slanting walls that danced left and right, converging only to support the ferro-cement shell roof. Each staggered wall has been tailor-made to suit the issue of deficiency in space that this residence posed, aiming to create larger volumes and a feeling of privacy.

Scaffolding pipes left behind from the construction stage soon were reused to form the central staircase and the grillwork. Keeping in mind the principle of discarding nothing as ‘waste’ the wooden planks were also pieced together to form part of the flooring in the living areas. Cane has been acquired from the neighbourhood, treated and wound around the grillwork to create subtle screens for privacy and for various furniture.

//Materials used in Construction:

1. Fired bricks for Rat Trap bond masonry – Rat trap bond is a brick masonry method of wall construction introduced by Laurie Baker in Kerala, in which bricks are placed in vertical position instead of conventional horizontal position and thus creating a cavity (hollow space) within the wall that increases thermal efficiency and cuts down the number of bricks.

2. Waste wood – Cut wooden scrap pieces have been joined to panel a part of the flooring.

3. MMT Ferro-cement shells– These wafer-like structures are steel reinforced arched shells with effective thickness of 2.5cm and they take equal load of respective R.C.C slabs. They effectively reduce the overall cement consumption by 40% and steel consumption by 30%.These replace the R.C.C Slab in roofing as they are as strong as 1200 kg/m2. 

4. Discarded Scaffolding pipes for Staircase and Grillwork – The staircase and the grillwork of this house has been made entirely out of scrap scaffolding pipes that have been welded in place.

5. Oxide – Floor and selected walls have been finished with grey and yellow oxides.

6. Cane – Cane has been treated and woven together in-between the grillwork to act as a partial screen for privacy.

The Pirouette House features the “Last of the Mohicans” fired bricks as an ode to the stellar practice of Laurie Baker with spaces that are made beautiful by the pure geometry and patterns created by the walls that seem to be coming alive and pirouetting around.

Photographer: Jino Sam.

PROJECT CREDITS

Architecture: Wallmakers.

Architect In Charge: Vinu Daniel

Design Team: Oshin Mariam Varughese, J.M.Srivarshini, Gayatri Maithani, Swathi Raj, Keerthi Kausalya, Shiuly Roy, Neeraj S. Murali, Dhawal Dasari

Interns : Nihaal Gafoor, Smit Zalavadia, Apoorva Goutam, Harshita G Tophakhane, Manav Muralee, Rohith Krishna, Bharati Gupta, Yash Sukhwani, Neeraj Viswam

Client: Mr.Kiran

Engineering: Adcons Infrastructure Private Limited

Landscape : Vinu Daniel and team

Fabrication Team: Kunjumon James and team -J.K steels

Carpenter : Sarath Prasad and team, Shivadas

Masons : Ezhil and team, Deepu and team

Project Name : Krushi Bhawa
Project Location : Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
Project size : 130,000 sq. ft.
Architects/Designer : Studio Lotus
Project Status : Built

Photographer: Andre J. Fanthome, Sergio Ghetti.

Text description by the architects.

Krushi Bhawan, Bhubaneshwar – A Government Facility that Re-imagines the Relationship Between the State and its People. Krushi Bhawan is a facility developed for Government of Odisha’s Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment; the 130,000 sq.ft administrative centre has been designed as an office for a team of nearly 600 people, in addition to accommodating spaces for community engagement and learning. Krushi Bhawan is located in Bhubaneshwar, the state capital of Odisha; home to multiple agrarian communities, the state is the third largest contributor to India’s grain supply. The new campus sits adjacent to the old ministry office with several ancillary structures of power in the vicinity, such as the Police Commissionerate Building and the State Guest House.

The Programme & Planning Principles – Krushi Bhawan was originally planned as a purely administrative space; Studio Lotus took a cue from Königsberger‘s original vision for Bhubaneswar where he saw the Capitol Complex with a host of government offices becoming “a lively point of public life”. Thus, the architects’ suggestion to include public functions and community spaces to create a building that would add to the city’s social infrastructure was willingly embraced by the Clients. This attempt to include the building into the public domain has been achieved by designing the Ground floor as a free-flowing public space that opens out into a Plaza, which is an extension of the street. Congruent to the project objective, the ground floor comprises of a learning centre, a gallery, an auditorium, a library, and training rooms. Similarly the roof top has been designed to house urban farming exhibits and demonstration of agricultural best practices.

The offices for the State department and Directorates – which require restricted access – have been placed on the first, second and third floors. This allows the offices to be secured off, making it possible to keep most of the other facilities open to public even on holidays. Through exhibitions, workshops, haats (weekly markets), lectures and school visits, these public spaces become a hub for imparting skills and sharing knowledge that engage diverse sections of the city’s population. As befits the climatic conditions of the region, the design scheme for Krushi Bhawan consists of a central courtyard that opens through a series of colonnades into the Public Plaza.

The Public Plaza consists of a garden with native Flora, featuring an informal amphitheatre and a pond that cools the forecourt. The primary entrance pathway is lined by laterite lattices and trees, and performs multiple functions – from a common area for employees to congregate in and eat together during lunch hour, to a place for hosting small gatherings. The ground floor, thus, functions as a public node that turns the traditionally austere image of government facilities into one that is welcoming, inclusive and collectively owned.

Skillsets Integrated and Materiality – The distinct visual identity of Krushi Bhawan has been derived from regional materials and vernacular narratives, expressed in a manner that is responsive to the local climate. Over 100 highly-skilled artisans have come together to create a vibrant and contemporary narrative of traditional Odia craft depicting agricultural folklore and mythological stories, envisioned at an unprecedented architectural scale. For instance, the tribal craft of dhokra (cast metal craft) has been adapted to make light fixtures that wrap around the ground floor columns, as well as metal screens that line the building corridors.

The pedestal level and North Wing use locally-sourced laterite and khondalitestone. Hand-carved khondalite lattices provide a sense of enclosure to the Central Court. Similarly, agricultural motifs have been displayed across the building through a variety of craft techniques – such as the bas-relief carvings in laterite along the Public Plaza, which depict ripe paddy crops illustrated in the Odia Pattachitra (cloth-based scroll paintings) style. In the Central Court, a Crop Calendar has been created on a stone inlay floor, which displays the harvesting cycles for the most prevalent crops in Odia farmlands. The upper floors of Krushi Bhawan feature a distinctive brick façade inspired by Ikat patterns of Odisha handlooms, created using clay in three different colours that represent the geographical diversity of the region. This brick-louvered screen wraps around the building like a second skin.

Sustainability Measures – Indigenous passive design strategies contribute to the sustainability parameters of the building. The courtyard morphology and the inclusion of a stilt level aid optimal air circulation through the building, whereas the low window-to-wall ratio and deeply recessed windows and balconies help lower heat gain. The building profile along the Central Court is characterised by staggered masses which enables self-shading and blocks direct glare. The use of locally-sourced materials has also lowered the carbon footprint of the construction process. The façade has been designed to ensure 100% day-lit internal spaces. Further, a double-skin facade strategy has been put in place at the complex, which consists of DGU on all external fenestration with louvers and sill projections that act as shading devices – a system that reduces heat gain to 40% by regulating ingress of sunlight.

Bhubaneswar experiences significant drops in night temperatures through the year. Taking this into consideration, a simple Night-Purging system has been devised for cooling and ventilation. Through this mechanism, cool air gets pulled into the building through the northern façade when temperatures drop at night, by means of a custom designed ‘low-tech’ damper system. The high thermal mass of the building traps the ‘coolth’ and becomes a ‘coolth’ exchanger with the surrounding air in the day, when outside temperatures are higher. Consequently, the building achieves high thermal comfort for its users while cutting down the need for air-conditioning via HVAC systems to only 20% of the built spaces. Other interventions include solar panels on the terrace, on-site rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment, and an anaerobic bio-digestive solid waste management system which generates compost and fertigation water for the landscape.

Krushi Bhawan transcends the typical closed office campus morphology by integrating governmental functions with direct community engagement and education. Through a meticulously developed spatial programme, the complex brings the Odia farmers and the citizens of Bhubaneswar into the fold and facilitates their interaction and collaboration. It thus seeks to present with its design and building process a model of frugal innovation that celebrates culture, seeks to include the neighbourhood and is highly sustainable and relevant to what countries such as India need. It also serves as an example of how the government can become a key patron of regional crafts, and sustain the communities and economies built around them. Krushi Bhawan thus seeks to embody the idea of truly inclusive architecture – created for the people, built by the people, and expressive of their collective cultural identity

Photographer: Andre J. Fanthome, Sergio Ghetti.

PROJECT CREDITS

Architecture : Studio Lotus, New Delhi.

Design Team:Ambrish Arora, Sidhartha Talwar, Raman Vig, Sachin Dabas

Client:State Government of Odisha, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment

Structural Consultant:NNC Design International

Mechanical Consultant:Sterling India Consulting Engineers

Electrical Consultant:Sterling India Consulting Engineers

Civil Consultant:M/S AVR Infratech

Landscape:ROHA Landscape Architects

Hvac Consultants:Sterling India Consulting Engineers

Plumbing Consultant:Sterling India Consulting Engineers

Pmc Consultant:Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation

Crafts:Collective Craft (crafted jaalis & folk art)

Interior Contractor: M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Structural Contractor: M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Mechanical Contractor : M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Electrical Contractor : M/S AVR Infratech Private LimitedM/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Landscape Contractor : M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Civil Contractor: M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Plumbing Contractor : M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Facade Contractor : M/S AVR Infratech Private Limited

Hvac Contractor: Bluestrar

Pmc Contractor : IDCO

Text description by the architects. 

The project is located next to Thu Bon river, Dien Ban district, Quang Nam Province. This river has a huge interaction to local life on both side of it. Majority of the resident live depending on agriculture, besides with variety of traditional craft villages such as terra cotta, mat or silk.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17351″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”17352″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

This terra cotta workshop has its life follow the movement of this river. The Terra Cotta Studio is a working space of the eminent artist Le Duc Ha. The project is a cubed-shape building with the dimension of 7m x 7m x 7m. Surrounding the studio is a bamboo frame scaffold used for drying terra cotta products. It’s also designed with two big bench for resting, relaxing and having tea. At the same time, this scaffold also function as a fence to separate the studio with the whole space of workshop.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17353″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17357″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17356″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The exterior layer of the studio is made by clay solid brick, which reminds people about Vietnam traditional furnace. This area was also a part of Tra Kieu which was Champa Kingdom capital from 4th to 7th century, and the studio has a certain influence of Champa culture spirit. The bricks were built interleaved creating holes which help the wind ventilating and air conditioning. This layer is not the wall preventing outside environment from inside the studio, so the artist can feel the wind, the cool from river and sound of nature in surrounding area. Meanwhile, it also creates a certain privacy for the artist.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17355″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”17359″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17354″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”17358″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The interior of the studio is the three-floors wood frame system creating many space with dimension of 60cm x 60cm, which is function as the shelves to put terra cotta works, hallway and stairs. The height of the frame is 7 meters. Follow the hallways, people can observe the workshop, river banks and the whole garden through windows.The centre of the studio has 2 floors.In ground floor, there is a turning table that the artist works. The artist and his works can interact with the sunlight, from the sunrise to twilight. Here, people can find the conversation of the artist and his works; and himself with his shadow in the silence.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17360″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”17363″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17361″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”17362″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

At the same time, people can feel and see the time passing terra cotta artworks by the movement of the sunlight. On the mezzanine, people can see many different space inside and outside the studio, as well as observe the artist working by the round void in the centre. This is also used for leaving stuffs of the workshop and the artist’s works in the flood which happens every year in this area. The design team desires the studio will be a place containing, contemplating and spreading emotion of the artist with his both finished and unfinished artworks. The project is a destination to meet and share for people who love terra cotta and want to have the experience with the clay.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17364″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”17365″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17366″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17367″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Photographer: Hiroyuki Oki.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PROJECT CREDITS

Architecture: Tropical Space, Vietnam.

Architects In Charge: Nguyen Hai Long, Tran Thi Ngu Ngon, Nguyen Anh Duc, Trinh Thanh Tu

Construction: Local workers

Text: Le Thi Hanh Nguyen

Site Area: 49 m2

Building Area: 98 m2

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Revaluing Waste

Architecture is often reliant on expensive and scarce materials to define its value. The beehive explores how an undervalued waste product, like the ubiquitous terracotta roof tile can be redefined and revalued.  This exploration of waste as a material stems from the knowledge that construction creates up to 50 percent of Australia’s waste output; and that a buildings energy footprint is largely based on the materials embodied energy. Material reuse solves both these environmental impacts and is by far the most efficient form of building. Raffaello Rosselli collaborated with Luigi Rosselli architects to design their new office building. Through experimenting with waste material reuse on its own studio it aims to be a role model for future projects. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16763″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16764″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16765″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Search for a waste material

The project started with the study of material waste streams looking for an appropriate object for a brise-soleil to filter the harsh western sun that the main façade faces. The terracotta tile, an overlooked symbol of suburbia, was chosen as it is easily sourced and without an adequate reuse market. (While out of manufacture tiles are collected, newer tiles have no market value and find their way to landfill.) Putting aside the tiles commonality, the terracotta tile appealed in its raw elemental materiality, with no tile exactly alike, cast in clay and fired still by hand. Contextually, the terracotta also related to the raw brick materiality of the neighbouring masonry buildings. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16766″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16767″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Designing through making – 1:1 prototypes
The process of design was also unique for this building. In response to an object which was geometrically complex, the façade design was largely conceived through multiple full scale tests and hand built prototypes. This opened up an intuitive form of designing through making. The tactility of the process allowed rapid prototyping, including experimenting with multiple tile course types.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

These prototypes informed the final design, where each tile course was placed based on its function. The acute course was used at the bottom due to its strength, as well to obscure the solid spandrels. Equilateral tiles were used at eye level to reduce visual obstructions. While diagonal tiles were used at the top due to their low clearance and were angled north. The variation of tiles also allowed us to hide the slab edges that reduced the structural load to single stories discreetly.  This design process allowed us to make of the use of the module to further tackle challenging elements of the design and resolve them physically. Such as the curved tile façade, which was crucial to give the façade proportion within its built context by linking its misaligned neighbouring buildings and stepping back from the paperbark tree in front of the site. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16760″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”16769″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Responding to the site.

The projects primary gestures came through a consideration of its immediate context. The building’s form responds to the neighbouring setbacks and heights. As well as curving around the paperbark street tree (Melaleuca) which encroaches the site. The brise-soleil façade filters the harsh sun while at the same time maximising light through the small 8m wide frontage.  The façade retains the feeling of the two storey warehouse to the south, with the top level set back. The curved awning raises above the first floor to match its context and provides a generous interface with the street. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16772″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16771″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16777″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”16778″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Internally the building houses, amongst other commercial spaces, a light-filtered architecture studio designed as an environment to stimulate creativity and teamwork: a ‘Beehive’ of architects. Challenging the generic and often alienating nature of open plan office buildings, the design sought to provide an active but intimate environment with multiple working positions offered by custom-built joinery, which was largely repurposed from the former studio, another component of the up cycling drive on this project. The main space does not have any walls, rather is defined by two linear rows of semi-enclosed booths with each architect provided with two desks, linked by a long linear standing bench which facilitates collaborative work. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16776″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”16774″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”16773″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

On the top floor, a communal garden terrace offers a point of release to work in the sunshine, hold community events or relax after a long day. Below this level, the conference table is semi-enclosed by a terracotta tile bookshelf, another variation of a stacked terracotta module, brought into the interiors. This was a conscious attempt to re-contextualise the value of reusing materials, advocating for more sustainable solutions and showing clients and the wider public that it is possible to reuse the waste products of the construction process, with all their intrinsic beauty from façade design to the displaying of books. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16779″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Photographer: Ben Hosking, Prue Ruscoe, Callum Coombe, Raffaello Rosselli.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PROJECT CREDITS

Architecture: Luigi Rosselli, Raffaello Rosselli

Builder: Jim Miliotis for GroundUp Building Pty Ltd
Façade Construction : Callum Coombe
Landscape Architect: William Dangar Associates
Joiner: Maluva Joinery Pty Ltd
Custom Brass Lighting: Oliver Tanner
Client : Luigi Rosselli Architects

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]