Things we love: Clean Lines

Architecture: Clifton View SOATA

Perched over dramatic boulders with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Apostles mountain range, this double-level apartment in Clifton, Cape Town, South African has been stripped and reconfigured to create the ultimate luxury pad. Cocktail bar, wine cellar, cinema room, gym, bespoke detailing, extensive art collection and an infinity pool to match the view … check! Another amazing project that could only be by Antoni Associates, who blow me away with their residential architecture every time.

Architecture: Double Bay House

It is something about Sydney terrace renovations that I fall in love with everytime. . and hope I can own one, one day. What was once a narrow, dark terrace house in Sydney’s Double Bay has been transformed into a home characterized by the interplay of volumes, planes and light. The main focus for architects Tobias Partners in transforming the four-metre-wide property into a family home for its client was to introduce much-needed natural light into the centre of the site with an elegant architectural insertion. Heritage constraints meant the late-nineteenth-century facade had to be retained in its original form and that there could not be any newly built elements visible from the street.

 

Via | Houses

Hooray for Summer | Holiday Break

Weee! a few more days before our holiday with friends & family… Hello sunny days, paradise decor and white sand beaches… I cant hardly wait…  I wish you a fabulous weekend! Xo

Architecture | Lemperle Residence | Jonathan Segal

ARCHITECTURE | INTERIORS

Project: Lemperle Residence| Architects: Jonathan Segal | Location: La Jolla, California, United States

The Lemperle residence is one of these rare exceptions.  Designed by Jonathan Segal FAIA, this ocean front residence promotes an outdoor connection through the use of expansive glass and deck areas.  The house focuses outward away from the street onto the ocean, capruting amazing views.

Travel Thursday | The Almyra Hotel | Cyprus

High quality craftsmanship and an aversion to last minute trendiness guide the clean, terraced architecture of Cyprus’s Almyra Hotel. Following a major renovation by Thanos Michaelides, the hotel has undergone an ultra-chic metamorphosis and now features sleek interior elegance inspired by the island’s patron goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. Banquette sofas and low irokko and oak wood tables face windows that afford the first glimpse of the breathtaking ocean views available throughout Almyra. Sleek modern furniture and black and white interiors have been selected by Tristan Auer and Joelle Pleot, who designed one of Karl Lagerfeld’s houses, vamped up by hand-assembled Byzantine chandeliers that hang in both the lobby and the Mosaics restaurant. Splashes of 1970s boldness – such as white leather sofas and ottomans – are enhanced by a combination of natural and artificial lighting. Seeing as the hotel places as much emphasis on a successful family experience as on good design, the concept also focuses on practicality. All of Almyra’s guestrooms and suites are generous in size, so as to provide ample space for families – who will most certainly also appreciate the Almyra’s two freshwater pools, both built with Italian slate. Auer and Pleot have selected lots of natural materials in addition to glass and Carrara marble to create a calming effect in the rooms. Charming small details such as room numbers engraved on the floors are enhanced further by the freedom of guest’s being encouraged to move around the artworks on display at whim. Wide terraces, covered with glowing white trellises surround the pool area and afford sweeping views of Paphos harbour. The landscaped gardens with lavender walkways surrounding the design hotel complete the picture perfect setting. Given the stunning results of the makeover, it is indeed surprising that this is Pleot’s first ever hotel project – but one for which her collaborator Tristan Auer and her have already earned oodles of industry praise. Rest assured, your praise is bound to follow.

Architecture | Nettleton 198 | SAOTA

ARCHITECTURE | INTERIORS

Project: Nettleton 198 | Architects: Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA) | Location: Clifton, Cape Town, South Africa| Compleated: 2011

The clients, a British couple living in Cape Town, requested a six-bedroom, seven-level home that makes the most of the site, the views and the mountain. The lower levels of the existing structure were totally remodelled while the upper level was demolished to allow for two new levels.

The site enjoys spectacular views and these views and the impact of the sun were key informants contributing to the overall design. The living room can open up onto the west and the east completely, giving it the feeling of an open pavilion.

‘Barbie I Can be… Architect’

Mattel has teamed up with American Institute of Architects to create Architect Barbie for young girls.  Called ‘Barbie I Can be… Architect’, the doll is dressed in a little dress that showcases the city skyline; and comes with a hard hat, carrying case for her latest designs, a model dream house, and black-rimmed architect glasses.  Who said architects can’t wear pink? The costs of this Barbie is $19.89 and is available here.

She comes with a stylish architect design pink house.  A joint statement from Ms. Li and Ms. Paklar stated, “We are very honored to have been chosen by AIA and Mattel as a finalist and as the public favorite – Barbie was both of ours’ favorite doll growing up in China and Croatia. We appreciate the versatility of our profession which allows us to express ourselves in a myriad of ways – from entirely built city environments to a Barbie Dream House. We hope to encourage more young female architects to flex their design muscles and just to have fun with architecture.” Winners of Barbie House design.

However, if you been following my facebook page I have been uploading some good articles from Archi parlour. Their survey research shows that the problem isn’t getting women to enter the profession in the first place, it’s getting them to stay there. It’s generally accepted that the participation of women peaks in architecture school at approximately 40 percent. Once they’ve graduated, only a quarter of those women complete the registration, required to become a registered architect or even legally call oneself an “architect.”

Today, only 20% of practising architects are women. In terms of inclusion, architecture is lagging behind other US professions such as law (42% women) and medicine (39% women). Given that the public perception of architecture tends to be of a male-dominated profession, it is important to demonstrate the profusion of women who already work successfully in the field. It is important that potential future architects have a more accurate sense of what architectural work actually entails, with a more realistic portrait of everyday life in an architectural office, including the fact that this is a place and a profession for women as well as men.

I believe that women tend to have to work harder but also more strategically to make sure that the people above them know that it was them that did the job, and them that had the idea.

I think it is harder for a male architect going to a building site to say ‘oh my god, I’ve got no idea what that thing is,’ whereas a woman can say that, and the men [builders] seem to like teaching female architects. So that is a real advantage, that kind of freedom to ask a lot of questions without it becoming an ego or macho issue at all.

Splash of colour Architecture

Oh, weekend is almost here, my favorite time of the week! I wish you a fantastic weekend wherever you might be… See you back here on Monday! Also, Arhitektura+ has reached 1000 likes on facebook today. To our friends old and new following us there and here thank you for following our page. WE love having you here. ♥ I leave you with colour in Architecture for todays Splash of colour Friday. Xo, S-

Japanese Architecture Design House Color

Educational Centre in El Chaparral by Alejandro Muñoz Miranda.

Architecture of Sports and Leisure Center by KOZ architects in France

Ivanta Whitefield  by WOW Architects Warner Wong Design

Avant Chelsea by 1100 Architect

Manuelle Moureaux Architecture + Design – Tokyo, Japan – Sugamo Shinkin Bank a Building

The University of Nottingham – Jubilee Campus extension by Make Architects

Haxi Town Plaza Building by Zeybekoglu Nayman Associates

Condorcet School by Jean Baptiste PIETRI

All images from here.

Creative Truths | Poster Design | Pixelutely

I absolutely love this series of posters by Pixelutely with quotes from famous artists, poets and scientists about creativity and art. What do you think? Some truth behind it all? Happy weekend!