Archive for October, 2009

Most Architects wouldn’t be drooling over a commission to design a warehouse/office building in an industrial complex. Yet this simple building set in the Dutch area of Westland shows that good design can improve any building type. I love the simple use of color and material. The building provides office and warehouse space for three separate companies. Each company’s entrance is defined by a different vibrant color along with a simple box projection. I applaud Sputnik Architecture for their creativity with what typically would be viewed as a mundane building.

The Kenig Residence by Slade Architecture has created a sleek renovation that blurs the boundary between home and shopping experience. I don’t know if I would want all of my shoes on display all of the time, but I do like the idea of using those items that we typically conceal as a design feature. I also don’t have nearly as many shoes as this person does. I think this works though. The shoes start to inform and create the aesthetic of the spaces. They become decorative elements, at the same time defining spaces.

Zo-Loft Architecture’s WheelLY is a unique prototype design for a mobile homeless shelter. The WheelLY is made of recycled material, expands easily, and rolls of down the street with the aid of handle in a matter of seconds. The unit even provides for sponsor’s advertising on the side.

LOT-EK repurposed used shipping containers to create this mobile Puma Store known as PUMA CITY. The design is completely dis-mountable, making it able to be shipped anywhere. The idea of creating buildings out of shipping containers is not a new one, but it is finally starting to be played out in reality rather than simply discussed in theory. The results are fascinating, a building built out of plentiful, economical “building blocks” if you will. I look forward to more exploration in this area.