'sheats goldstein residence' by john lautner, beverly hills, california
image © artjocks
while in los angeles, designboom had the opportunity to visit john lautner's iconic 'sheats goldstein residence'.
the showing, held on what would have been the late american architect's 100th birthday, was part of the months long john lautner turns 100 series taking place in LA and michigan.
the dwelling - seen here in its current state with photographs by new york and LA-based artjocks - is one of lautner's best known works. originally built between 1961 and 1963, the home is now owned by james goldstein, who worked with lautner for over two decades before his death to restore and renovate the property.
detail of roof over pool
image © artjocks
read as an extension of the landscape, the design seeks to seamlessly integrate itself with the lush surroundings, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior. built into the sandstone ledge of the hillside, the home is both cavernous and exposed, opening to accept unsurpassed views over the city and the encircling natural environment.
view into living room
image © artjocks
perhaps the most recognizable element of the home is the coffered roof, which gently projects from the living room and folds down above the pool. pierced with 750 drinking-glass skylights, the triangular volume mimics the shape of the terrace and water, its monumental form linking the residence to the city.
living room with built in furniture by john lautner
image © artjocks
the bold and raw skeleton, made from poured-in-place concrete consumes the home in its entirety, juxtaposed only by glazed walls and rosewood floors. the custom built in furniture - also designed by lautner - uniquely responds to the orientation and function of each room, positioned to take advantage of the adjacent views. the kitchen, windows, lights, rugs, and operable functions were also conceived by the architect.
(left) detail of furniture
(right) corridor
images © artjocks
entrance to bedroom
images © artjocks
bedroom
image © artjocks
a lounge in the bedroom follows the lines of the exterior walls, and points towards the city
image © artjocks
garage
image © artjocks
floor plan / level 0
image courtesy of james goldstein
floor plan / level -1
image courtesy of james goldstein
'museum of liverpool' by 3XN architects, liverpool, united kingdom
image © philip handforth
the new museum of liverpool by dutch practice 3XN architects, is now complete. set to open on july 19, 2011, the structure seeks to establish itself as a nexus that physically connects the harborfront to the city.
situated along the mersey river, the dynamic low-rise structure aims to respectfully integrate itself into the historic UNESCO world heritage site it sits upon. drawing from both the current and historical contexts of the area, the design consists of two intersecting forms modeled after the trading ships once prevalent in the area.
raised above the ground, the sculpted linear volumes are positioned to frame and highlight prominent elements of the surrounding skyline.
view from parking lotimage © philip handforth
principal architect and creative director at 3XN kim herforth nielsen explains, 'this is one of the largest and most prestigious projects in 3XN’s 25 year history. the museum’s design is a result of a very rigorous process, where it was of utmost priority to listen to the city inhabitants, learn the city’s history and understand the potential of the historical site that the museum now sits upon.'
main entranceimage © pete carr
the public plaza leading up to the museum is conceived as a diverse urban environment.
serving as a public gathering place, the outdoor space features built in seating and unparalleled views of the water.
view of plaza from entranceimage © pete carr
inside, a sweeping spiral staircase leads visitors into the upper-level galleries, defined by their perspective views and inclined ceilings.
main stairwayimage © pete carr
the project, which was part of a 2004 invited competition, was handed over to manchester-based AEW architects in 2007, after 3XN was dropped by the museum.
gallery levelsimage © pete carr
side elevationimage © philip handforth
night viewimage © richard white
view from riverimage © philip handforth
view from cityimage © pete carr
floor plan / level 0
image courtesy of 3XN architects
floor plan / level 1
image courtesy of 3XN architects
section
image courtesy of 3XN architects
section
image courtesy of 3XN architects
concept sketch
image courtesy of 3XN architects
concept sketch
image courtesy of 3XN architects
concept sketch
image courtesy of 3XN architects
concept sketch
image courtesy of 3XN architects
via designboom
'house with two focal points' by future-scape architects, nigata, japan
images © future-scape architects
situated along the western edge of nigata, japan is 'house with two focal points', a single family home by tokyo-based practice future-scape architects. acting as a compass of sorts, the design alludes to a much larger world, beyond the constrains of the site and the immediate surroundings.
exterior
positioned in a valley between mount yahiko and mount kakuda, the residence seeks to establish a subliminal and continuous connection with both of the mountains, which are mostly obstructed by neighboring structures.
street view
conceived as a slightly skewed volume, the dwelling features two exterior walls that have been rotated towards the center of each landmark. the subtle but distinctive form is translated inside where it informs the organization and hierarchy of programs. the kitchen, dining and living room is hosted on the second floor, which opens radially towards the encircling environment. fully extendible windows line the front of the structure, further integrating the home and the inhabitants with the outdoors.
ground floor
three expandable bedrooms are housed on the ground floor opposite a narrow corridor lined with concealed storage.
full-length mirrors flank each end of the hallway, visually distorting and expanding the small space.
view of three bedrooms with expandable walls
ground floor corridor with built in storage
stairs to second floor
second floor
kitchen, living room and dining room
the walls facing each mountain feature extendible windows
view towards bathroom
night view
floor plan / level 0
floor plan / level 1
section
project info:
structural engineers: oga structural design office
mechanical engineers: mai mechanical design
site area: 201.32m2
building area: 72.04m2
floor area: 120.83m2
'kiyotz' by architects teehouse in tokamachi, niigata, japan
all images courtesy architects teehouse
image © sadao hotta
kobe-based practice architects teehouse has sent us images of 'kiyotz', a small public facility located near the drainage area of kiyotsu river in tokamachi, japan. conceived as a spatial tool for regeneration in the village, the design stands as a visual landmark at the entrance of the community.
within context
image © sadao hotta
situated adjacent to the main arterial road into the village, the structure is comprised of four triangular volumes that are arranged in an offset manner. the individual peaks of each form creates a broken roof line that adds visual depth to the building, despite its exceptionally small size. the reinforced concrete shells overlap with each other to generate moments of open surfaces, which have been finished in translucent cladding to secure natural lighting throughout the structure.
interior view
image © sadao hotta
while providing a continuous layout, the offset arrangement of the four forms define clear programs within the interior. two meeting rooms are placed side by side, allowing the users to expand the space when needed, while a small gallery and media room is accommodated by the northeastern volumes.
since the conception of the project, the architects have been involved withe people of imokawa village to publish 'kiyotsu (kiyotsugawa tsushin', a free paper for the locals.
image © sadao hotta
in use by the locals
image © sadao hotta
site plan
floor plan
(1) meeting room 01
(2) meeting room 02
(3) gallery
(4) media
cross section
via designboom
