Villa Beekbergen, Beekbergen, Netherlands

Factor Architecten build a thatched house for the 21st century.
In an open spot in the woods outside of Beekbergen a unique villa has been built. Not visible from the public highway, a conical concrete sculpture with a curved thatched roof rises up between the trees. The design was created in close collaboration with the clients, Mr Anton Schouten and Ms Hannie Kempink.

The interior is visible through the various open places cut into the cone. The basement holds the garage, the spare bedrooms and the bathrooms. Above this, on the next level, are the kitchen and the master bedroom. The main floor is accessible via the dining room, where the living room and entrance hall are situated. Finally, the house features a fantastic swimming pool, housed under a glass roof which can be opened.
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Aerohotel, Moscow, Russia

A-typical Russian design offers aquatic hospitality

Russian architect Alexander Asadov is famous in his homeland for his deconstructivist designs which counter the structured monolithic opulence typified in the country. Taking this design ideology to new waters, he offers up the concept Aerohotel for realisation anywhere in the world from reservoirs to oceans.

The 200 m wide design features a main body (or ‘case’) perched upon spokes like a bicycle wheel with three supporting ‘arms’. Planting in the base of the case would create hanging gardens above the water. Within the structure a hotel and cafes, restaurants and winter gardens are designed to offer comfort and hospitality. Access to the hotel would be either bankside, escalating up one of the arms or airside via one of the airstrips on deck.

Designed as an alternative to man-made islands, Asadov’s office, A. Asadov Architectural Studio, see the advantages as having “significantly less costs for construction against the gravel works. At this almost all the basin area under the construction is still untouched, thus improving the projects ecological value.”

The firm are currently reporting significant interest from Arab investors as an economical alternative to tidal islands.

Niki May Young
News Editor
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Angel House, London, United Kingdom

The mosaic cantilevered ‘head’ building is awaiting planning permission

Making an attempt at distinction in London's Isle of Dogs, Angel House is awaiting the go-ahead to be built at the junction of Marsh Wall and Limeharbour. Designed by architect Jacobs Webber for Angel House Developments Ltd, the tower has been dubbed 'Number 1' due to it's form created by the cantilevered head. The scheme's location could swing permission in its favour as it aims to respond to an area of tall buildings such as Canary Wharf, whilst providing aesthetic distinction. The tower, however, would be the first skyscraper to branch off to the east of the Isle of Dogs.

The mixed use tower is designed to comprise roughly of 280 luxury and affordable flats; a residents-only roof top swimming pool, fitness centre and garden; ground floor restaurants with retail facilities and a pocket square for public access.

The proposed height is 42 storey plus ground with an 11 storey podium section that will contain 10 levels of affordable apartments, with all the family units being double aspect and nearly all benefiting from lounge areas with a south view. A characteristic art glass mosaic on the north and south facades added as further differentiation from nearby office buildings.

The development is relying heavily on its compliance with the Mayors Energy Hierarchy to ‘be lean’, ‘be green’ and to ‘be clean’. The design features a large landscaped garden and children’s play area surrounded by 3m high wall of safety glass with lawns, trees and a vegetable garden on the roof of the podium. Additionally all apartments will have balconies or winter gardens and will have the possibility to be naturally ventilated.

It is claimed that carbon emissions will be cut by approximately 11%, whilst a Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) will further decrease it by 12%. Furthermore, Biomass Boilers will provide a further 14% reduction in CO2 levels and will provide a significant proportion of the total heat and hot water needs of the building.

Tower Hamlets Council will decide the fate of the development with a planning committee meeting taking place in the near future. No objections have yet been submitted for the development.

Laura Salmi
Reporter
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Yellow Tree House Restaurant, Auckland (Warkworth), New Zealand

Redwood tree provides fairytail setting for restaurant 10m up

Approached to design an ‘off-the-wall’, yet real project as a marketing promotion for Yellow Pages, the concept of a working restaurant up in a large Redwood tree is inspired by a suspended chrysalis, in a fairy-tale environment overlooking a meadow and meandering stream on the edge of a forest.

At 10m wide and over 12m high with split-level floor sitting 10m above the ground, it is sustainably constructed from timber trusses forming the main structure and curved glue-laminated pine fins and poplar slats to give it form. Windows are created by leaving spaces between the slats/fins that keeps the overall form yet affords a variety of permability for the views and light. Access is via a 60m tree-top walkway – an adventure in itself.

The treehouse is designed to be weather resistant using acrylic sheeting fixed to the roof under the fins with roll-down café-style blinds within.

Strategic lighting creates a ‘beacon-like’ glow at night.
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Eagles Meadow, Wrexham, United Kingdom

Eagles Meadow boosts Wrexham retail 25%

A mixed use development in North Wales’ largest town, Wrexham, has provided a dramatic boost for the city. Opening at the end of October the 400,000 sq ft Eagles Meadow Centre has propelled the town from 187th to 80th on the list of top retail destinations increasing its retail by 25% in area.

The development is retail-led but also includes leisure, residential and restaurants. Architects, Engle, won the competition in May 2004 and rather than offering a retail park, as their rivals did, proposed an extension of the town’s main shopping street.

Engle took advantage of the site being six metres below the street level by including two levels of parking and thus elevating the pedestrian street to the High Street level.

Dynamic intersecting blocks were created to break up the mass of the development and local materials including rustic Welsh slate walling and riven slate panels used in the construction.

St Giles Church is the major landmark in the town and formed the focus of the main axis of the development. Views of the church are now framed by the residential blocks. A new pedestrian footbridge links the town centre with Eagles Meadow and the suspension structure’s 24m spike is a gateway signal to the development.

A spectacular water feature cascades down from the central mall featuring fountains as a source and tiers of slate waterfalls flanked by pedestrian steps.
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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