# Lichtfaktor

Lichtfaktor is a group of street artists based in Köln (Germany) which uses photography and video to make stories up with light thanks to long exposure.
Here is the official site and Myspace where you'll be able to find plenty of pictures and videos.

LICHTFAKTOR : Star Wars Vs Star Trek
envoyé par BriKO

# Gottfried Salzmann's cities watercolours

# Tours Aillaud/Nuages in Nanterre

These eigtheen residential towers were constructed in 1977 in Nanterre (Hauts de Seine/Paris' suburbs). They were designed by architect Emile Aillaud and provide 1 607 appartments. Exterior concrete is covered by coloured "pâte de verre" (I don't really know English translation, something like glass paste...). In 2005, this district was threatened of being destroyed by the authority because it was too expensive to maintain it for HLM Office (Moderate Rent Habitation) but it finally survived.

# Sistema Arde / Concrete Massonry Units

While we are amazed by fancy shaped architectures, some other people are inventing clever devices with almost no money. Sistema Arde has been designed by Alejandro Villareal and Pedro Martinez to build in a cheap way self constructed low incomes houses in Mexico.Here is the text in Design like you give a damn:

"Cheap and widely available, concrete masonry unit (CMU) block has become one of the most commonly used materials in low-income construction. With this in mind, Alejandro Villareal developed Sistema Arde, a patented building system that combines the ease of building with cement-block with the warmth and variety of traditional construction.
Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, each blocklike element is designed to solve a particular construction problem. For example, sewage lines, electrical systems, or other utilities can be run through specialized "chase" blocks. Blocks designed as key pieces simplify wall intersections and other connection points, while structural accessories such as planters and stair pieces combine to humanize the building's façade and interiors.
There are three basic groups identified within the block system: "basic technology", such as the inner walls, joists and various other inner structural elements; "finished structural elements," which form exterior load-bearing walls and create façades with a variety of finished masonry textures; and "structural accessories" such as planters, windows, steps, closings, and decorative elements. The blocks have been used to construct a number of projects in San Miguel de Allende and other parts of Mexico."

First generation:
Renderings/
Pictures/
Constructions/Second generation:
Renderings/
Pictures/Constructions/

# Cool posters for a cool movie / Pixar's Wall-E

Don't miss the Ending Credits !!!

# Hussein Chalayan & Thomas Heatherwick / Interview

After several posts about Hussein Chalayan and Thomas Heatherwick, here is a dialogue/interview between them that Time Out organised. You can also read this interview's introduction here.

# Heatherwick Studio's website

Rolling Bridge (London)

Here is the adress of London Thomas Heatherwick Office's website where you'd find interesting projects between architecture, art and industrial design.

B of the Bang (Manchester)

East Beach Cafe (Littlehampton)

Sitooterie II (Essex)

British Pavilion for Shanghai World Expo 2010

# Niemeyer's Casa das Canoas

Here are some pictures (courtesy of weyerdk) of Oscar Niemeyer's Casa das Canoas in Rio de Janeiro, built in 1953 and which used to be his own house. This symbiosis with rocks drives me crazy !
Merci Nicolas !


first picture has been deleted following comments pointing out a mistake. Sorry about that

# What is wrong with them ? FAR's Wall house

You might know this house built in Santiago de Chile in 2007 by FAR Frohn & Rojas Office (Santiago, Mexico, Köln). I guess a lot of people like it a lot (actually I do) but no matter how much we like it, this architecture office just turned crazy ! In fact, they just created a website called yourwallhouse.net which proposes to sell you three different sets of drawings in order to have exactly the same house constructed any where in the world.
As written:

01 Schematic drawing set
This schematic drawing set contains nine 11”x17” / A3 drawings as pdf files. This includes the actual floor plans, foundation plan, roof plan and sections used by our office in the Schematic Design phase. Due to differences in building codes and other varying local legal constraints, these plans may have to be modified to meet – amongst other aspects - the local building design requirements for wind loads, snow loads, bearing soil pressures and seismic requirements in your area. Under international copyright law these plans cannot be copied and resold to others. You are granted the right to use these plans to construct a single unit. See Terms and Conditions. This option is ideal if you wish to work together with a local architect and builder/contractor, using the document set as a general point of departure for design and construction. This option gives you and/or your local design professionals room for alterations or new design input, material changes to suit local climate differences, etc., in addition to any local requirements, such as included in local building code, or other changes which may need to be implemented or altered.
1499 euros

02 Detailed drawing set
Detailed drawing set of the Wall House project, including the right to use the plans to construct a single unit. This detailed drawing set contains 30 11”x17” / A3 drawings as pdf files. In addition to the actual plans and sections developed by our office as schematic documents this set shows key construction details. Due to differences in building codes and other varying local legal constraints these plans may have to be modified to meet – amongst other aspects - the local building design requirements for wind loads, snow loads, bearing soil pressures and seismic requirements in your area. Under international copyright law these plans cannot be copied and resold to others. You are granted the right to use these plans to construct a single unit. See Terms and Conditions. This option offers a greatly detailed technical basis for the actual construction of the house, for use by a local builder/contractor. The details might, however, have to be adjusted based on local requirements such as local building code, or other changes, which may need to be implemented. Contracting of a local architect and/or structural engineer might be necessary and is recommended.
4999 euros

03 Detailed drawing set with Custum climate concept
Detailed drawing set of the Wall House project together with climate simulation for the location of your choice with recommendations and custom material specifications. The set also includes the right to use the plans to construct a single unit. This detailed drawing set with custom climate concept contains 30 11”x17” / A3 architectural drawings as pdf files. In addition to the actual plans and sections developed by our office as schematic documents this set shows key construction details. Additionally the set contains documentation of climate simulation and list of recommendations and custom material specifications in the form of a pdf file. The climate simulation is being developed specifically for your proposed location for the Wall House by Integral Ingenieure, Aachen, Germany. Due to differences in building codes and other varying local legal constraints these plans may have to be modified to meet – amongst other aspects - the local building design requirements for wind loads, snow loads, bearing soil pressures and seismic requirements in your area. Under international copyright law these plans cannot be copied and resold to others. You are granted the right to use these plans to construct a single unit. See Terms and Conditions. This option offers a greatly detailed technical basis for the actual construction of the house, for use by a local builder/contractor. The details might, however, have to be adjusted based on local requirements such as local building code, or other changes, which may need to be implemented. Contracting of a local architect and/or structural engineer might be necessary and is recommended. This option is recommended for those who want their Wall House adapt to their specific local climate conditions. This option contains concrete material suggestions for you, as studied and suggested by our collaborating climate engineering firm Integral Ingenieure.
7999 euros

This is a total violation of code of ethics and this sentence "This option is recommended for those who want their Wall House adapt to their specific local climate conditions" is really representative of how a lot of architects are using sustainability as a commercial logo without really caring for it. I sent an email to them to give them a chance to explain and it could have been interested to discuss about it (esspecially if they are completely broke), but they even did not answer it.

# Hussein Chalayan strikes again

Hussein Chalayan last 2008 collection contains a set of laser dress as impressive as usual (see older post). Red lasers are rotating and reflecting on cristals. Chalayan is still the only designer I know who is constantly looking for linking fashion and technology and therefore, to some extent to mix human body and technology (if someone knows another one, comments are open !).

Here is a video where you can see the entire collection but if you are only interested by these technologies dress go directly to the 8th minute.


Here is another one with a making of

# Yona Friedman's lecture online

Yona Friedman's last lecture in Le Pavillon de l'Arsenal (8th april 2008) in Paris is online (in French only) --> click here

# Perret Brothers in Le Raincy

After visiting Le Havre, I felt obliged to go to Le Raincy (Seine Saint Denis - Paris' suburbs) in order to see Notre Dame de la Consolation Church also designed by Auguste Perret and his two brothers Gustave and Claude, fifty years before the incredible Saint Claude Church in Le Havre (see older post). In fact Notre Dame du Raincy was constructed in 1922 in order to represent an homage to La Marne Battle's (1916) casualties. It was by then the first religious building designed by Perret's office and in order to make the construction happen, the office even had to put some money into it !
Thanks to the slightly conic posts, facades are not structural and are allowed to receive Marguerite Huré's (same than in Saint Joseph) stained glass. Ceiling crowns are very unusal and structuraly rational.
It definitely worth it to cover the 20km between Paris and Le Raincy to visit it !