Alred Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980), who would have turned 113 today, is often known as the “Master of Suspense.” But we here at ArchDaily would like to tweak that moniker slightly, to the Master Architect of Suspense.
Hitchcock, who actually worked as a set designer in the 1920s, not only maintained meticulous control over his film sets as a director (many of which were mounted in studio), but incorporated many architectural themes into the narratives themselves.
More on Hitchcock’s use of Architecture, after the break…
Now in its eighth year, the Maggie’s London Night Hike invites you to participate in a ten to twenty mile “hike” through the capital city and explore a number of landmark buildings and iconic structures. In collaboration with the Open House London, the event aims to raise money for charity and give recognition to important, well-designed places and spaces that have a positive effect on everybody’s well being.
London Night Hike patron actress Hermione Norris said: “I have been involved in the Maggie’s London Night Hike for four years and I am really looking forward to taking part again this year. It is always an incredible event with great buildings, entertainment, support and most importantly – amazing people. I’m looking forward this year to exploring the Roca Gallery, which is a new building on the route as well as having a night time trip on the London Eye.”
Other buildings confirmed include the Sterling Prize-winning Maggie’s West London centre, City Hall, Leadenhall Market, Royal Institute of British Architects, Royal Geographical Society, and 20 Gresham Street with more to be announced.
Maggie’s Night Hike will take place in London on Friday, September 21, 2012. Register here!
The organizers of Trimo Urban Crash, a biannual international competition for students of architecture and industrial design, just launched this year’s summer challenge, which is a relatively simple task. All are being asked, not just students, to present their thoughts on ‘Sustainable urban commuting’. You can send you thoughts/work in either visual form (photography, video, visual art and illustration, poster, etc.) or in textual form (no longer than 150 words); or you can create a combination of both. Submissions are on-line only. The deadline for the Summer Warm-up Challenge is August 20, 2012 and this challenge is only a warm-up for the 4th Trimo Urban Crash Competition which will get started this autumn, October 2012. For more information, please visit here.
The main idea for the Raft ’4U’ cafe restaurant was to create a pleasant environment, like staying under the shadow of a tree, but also above water. Designed by Studio Alfirevic, the raft represents an extension of the riverbank. The atrium space is the central motif, with elements of the natural environment such as birch, stone, grass, etc. The spatial organization consists of the main entrance, wardrobe with toilets, café-restaurant with atrium and bar with storage space. More images and architects’ description after the break.
With a challenge of creating regeneration and community development in Trent Basin, Nottingham, UK, which meets passive house requirements, the first stage winning proposal for Isover Multi-Comfort House competition focuses on the minimization of the A/V ratio of the building. Designed by Evgeni Leonov Architects, the egg shape is used as inspiration to this project since the egg is known as one of the most energy-efficient forms of nature. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The annual Seattle Design Festival, created by Design in Public, is an event that encourages all to ‘engage our world’ by offering the public an opportunity to better understand design and how it adds value to our lives, our city, and our region. This fun-filled weekend, which takes place September 20-23, is a collaboration among ten nonprofit partners that created an ambitious set of offerings: more than 35 events, including tours, films, speakers, exhibits, installations, and family programs—all aimed at a public audience. For more detailed information, including a complete list of events going on that weekend, please visit here.
Zawia, a periodical publication and online forum on design, architecture, and urbanism, just released their first issue which features contributions from Saskia Sassen, Stefano Boeri, Joseph Grima, WAI architecture think tank, Carlo Ratto, Markus Miessen and many others. Their ‘Change’ volume will attempt to demonstrate if architects are ready to embrace the changing ideals and the new modes of operation, and if they are willing to help better people’s lives rather than focusing on glorifying design or architecture. It is targeted towards discussing the significantly changing realities imposed on all social, political and economic systems and their influence on design disciplines. For more information, please visit here.
R 20th Century is pleased to present AFTER, curated by Kelly Behun and Alex P. White of kelly behun|STUDIO. AFTER, which is on view September 19-October 27, will feature works from kelly behun|STUDIO, one of the most innovative, experimental design studios working today, and R 20th Century, one of the leading galleries for the exhibition of historic and contemporary design.
Designs in the exhibition draw inspiration from methods of sampling, appropriation, and deconstruction and how these ideas relate to postmodern notions of authorship. AFTER acknowledges “reference” in ways that are alternately direct, irreverent, poetic and oblique. More information on the exhibition after the break.
The Think Space Past Forward Programme just launched its very first Call for Papers, dedicating itself to writing and publishing critically about architecture. Known for using design competitions, exhibitions, symposiums and publications as its tools, they are leaning on historical discourse which normally takes the form of reflection through writing for the very first time. The deadline for abstracts is September 10 with the final paper due no later than October 10. More information after the break.
COMPLEX CITY shared with us their Wine Concept Store which is focused around three basic concepts: the vertical, the visual, and sensitivity. The image of the vine and its linearity are the starting point of this verticality that is reflected in the facade while the curve expresses a sensitivity related to a sensory awareness that takes place during the taste of wine. More images and architects’ description after the break.
LOOK Architects, in collaboration with Surbana International Consultants, has put forth the winning design proposal for Singapore University of Technology and Design’s (SUTD) new student housing and sports facilities, envisioning a spatial framework that embraces creative liberty and possibilities. Drawing a parallel to traditional Chinese painting (empty space being regarded as a spatial element sharing equal if not greater importance as solid figuration), voids are seen as spaces for imagination to thrive. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Designed by idcode, the Science and Technology Park, located in Opole, Poland, is a combination of the horizontal character of the building with the existing landscape of suburban fields. By creating a landscape project in which the field and discussion form a functional space of fields, the modules arranged on site create a space of integration and communication between office modules. The objective and main goal of the strategy is to create a typology of offices to promote human interaction and communication to promote creative work. More images and architects’ description after the break.
As the first step of an urban acupuncture strategy, the Barrio Capital: A Public Skyscraper in the heart of Mexico City taps into some of the city’s most pressing problems. Designed by Molcajete. Urban Think Tank, the project responds to several urban problems, such as the lack of public space per inhabitant, insufficient parking space, and, above all, the scarce interaction between people from different socio-economical levels who share a defined territory within the city. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Designed by Studio Kalamar, the proposal for the National and University Library in Ljubljana, Slovenia connects itself to the urban fabric of the square in a clear, but quiet fashion. As the dynamic volume mimics the dynamic surrounding environment, an atrium is created between, thus introverting the urban energies into a peaceful atmosphere appropriate for studying, which is surrounded by a cloister, vertically repeated four times. The program is comprised of four program units: free access library, storage and archive facilities, work units – expert library services, and the archaeological heritage of Roman Emona. Emona lies beneath the surface level, so the three remaining units are used as the base for volume composition. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The second prize winning design by Perspektywa for the Kwidzyn Old Town Housing Units in Poland answers to the competition challenge with their modern architecture with classic elements. Doing so provides a dialogue between the historical surroundings and creating a new image of Kwidzyn city. They achieved that aim by analyzing the existing and historical urban grid of the city, archival documentation, using proper scale, proportions and characteristic triple axis facades. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is inviting developers to submit proposals for a new construction project in Kips Bay, Manhattan. Developing housing that meets the needs of how New Yorkers live today is critical to the City’s future economic success. Currently, the City’s housing stock is misaligned with the changing demographics of its population. There are 1.8 million one- and two-person households (more than 60 percent of New York City households) and only one million studios and one-bedrooms to meet this housing demand. According to the 2010 Census, the growth rates of the one- and two-person household populations exceed the growth rate of households with three or more people. adAPT NYC seeks to create additional choice within New York City’s housing market. Submissions are due no later than September 14 with a pre-submission conference to be held on July 31. To register and for more information, please visit here.
HDR was recently chosen by Nanjing University to provide conceptual and schematic design services, as well as a masterplan, for its new College of Engineering and Applied Sciences building. The facility will house four academic departments (material science and engineering; quantum electronics and optical engineering; biomedical engineering; and energy science and engineering), six interdisciplinary research centers, a state-of-the-art conference center, as well as common areas for student and faculty gatherings. The building, which is expected to be completed in 2014, will be over 650,000 square feet and accommodate more than 1,600 students and faculty on a daily basis. More architects’ description after the break.
With this year’s theme being “Big Tree Paradigm” Akihisa Hirata, Shelter Corporation of Japan is inviting under-graduate or post-graduate students at universities or at tertiary institutions (including: junior colleges, colleges of technology, and other relevant vocational schools) as of November 17, 2012, to participate in their annual Student Architectural design Competition. Participants are challenged to design a house that has an attractive quality that is somehow similar to the attractiveness of big trees. It is not necessary that the house imitates the shape of trees. Rather, it is good if the idea starts from the attractiveness of big trees and develops into an unpredictable outcome – the form does not need to look like a tree at all. Submissions are due no later than September 28. To register and for more information, please visit here.
