Architecture Review: 11/12/2011

Saturday, 17 December 2011

Tree House, Victoria / Australia by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Sited in the bush fringe of Separation Creek Victoria, the project is perched on a steep forested hillside above the Great Ocean Road and Bass Strait. The tree house draws on the modest local vernacular of 1950’s painted fibro shacks with cement sheet lining and expressed battens over joints. The sculptural form and associated colour scheme allow the built form to both connect with the landscape and to dissolve within it.

Photo © Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Project Details:
Location: Victoria, Australia
Type: Residential – Houses
Architects: Jackson Clements Burrows Architects - www.jcba.com.au
Project Team: Graham Burrows, Tim Jackson, Jon Clements, Anthony Chan, Chris Price, Huan Trinh, Joachim Holland, Anna Guelzo, Kim Stapleton
Project Size: 220 m2
Completion Date: 2009
Photos: John Gollings – Gollings Photography

The treehouse is sited in the bush fringe of Separation Creek, perched on a steep forested hillside above the Great Ocean Road and Bass Strait. It is a site that enjoys a unique combination of bush environment with intimate views of Separation Creek, the beach and the Wye River Peninsula to beyond.

Site Plan

Sections

The steepness of the site, landscape controls and landslip potential resulted in a limited building envelope to work within. These constraints (or opportunities) led us to explore a sensitive yet sculptural response that minimised the footprint by echoing the form of a tree with branches. Rooms branch and cantilever in all directions of the central trunk whilst taking advantage of views, access and aspect.

A modest brief called for a three bedroom residence with associated living spaces.

Upper level projections include an entry branch with study, a sunroom to the west, and a living area and deck cantilevering some 6m meters from the core overlooking the ocean and beach below. At a half level lower, the master bedroom wing springs from the stair landing into the bush to the east.

Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

A dining room and kitchen make up the upper level core of the building, whilst two further bedrooms, bathroom and laundry complete the lower level accommodation.

In its applied materiality, the treehouse draws on the modest local vernacular of 1950’s painted fibro shacks with cement sheet lining and expressed battens over joints. The cement sheet panels used on the treehouse are painted in 2 tones of green that help merge the building with the vegetation on the hillside in which it sits, reinforcing it’s relationship with the landscape. The vertical timber battens on the building are a naturally stained timber, which will silver over time like the branches and trunks of trees within the bush.

Photo © Jackson Clements Burrows

The sculptural form and associated colour scheme allow the built form to both connect with the landscape and to dissolve within it. The two tones of green pick up on colour variations of light and shade within the bush, and effectively reduce the mass of the object within the landscape. Varying light intensities across the course of the day further affects the colours and consequently the buildings relationship with its context in an engaging and dynamic way.

Photo © Jackson Clements Burrows

Photo © John Gollings

« Haus der Essener Geschichte in Essen, Germany by Ahlbrecht Felix Scheidt Kasprusch (designed using ArchiCAD)Villa Wilderness in South Africa by Van Ringen Architecten » ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by Henning Larsen Architects

Article source: Henning Larsen Architects

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will expand with a new building that is to house facilities for the Institute of Diplomatic Studies and Consular Affairs Department. The new building comprises among others a large auditorium, lecture halls, library, classrooms, a large hall for visa applicants and office space. The building accommodates a number of shared facilities e.g. a cafeteria and prayer rooms.

Institute of Diplomatic Studies

Architects: Henning Larsen Architects
Project: Institute of Diplomatic Studies
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Client: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia
Gross floor area: 46,000 m2
Year of construction: 2010 – 2013
Type of assignment: Commision
Partners: Buro Happold and Geoffrey Barnett Associates

Institute of Diplomatic Studies

The site is unique, oriented towards the big lush park space with the two monuments: Nasseriyah Gate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new building will correspond and contribute positively with its well-defined architecture to the area. Elaborated façades will make the large building vary vividly when passing by, and like looking through a veil one will sense the life and activities within the building.

When entering, the architecture of the building is expressive and easily conceivable. All the larger facilities for the Consular Affairs Department and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies are located in a large room stepping upward (the stepped oasis).

Institute of Diplomatic Studies

An intelligent façade

The façade is a 3 dimensional pattern that appears as a characteristic veil laid over the building. Through the façade one will sense the lively atmosphere and activity on the stepped oasis inside the building. From the street the entry and hall for the visa department appear open and welcoming. From the inside there is a clear view to the outside from the stepped oasis.

As well as the façade is the significant appearance of the building it also serves as a shell providing shelter for sun, wind and climate. This façade is designed to adapt perfectly to the conditions in Riyadh. The system of triangles leaning in and out from the vertical plane creates shade for one another and the angled position of the shading opens the façade towards the north where it will have the optimum daylight without heat gain from direct sun impact.

Model

The façade system will be clad with natural stone to match the existing MOFA building. Different grindings of the surface could be used to underline the facetted triangular system and make the façade sparkle from reflections.

Space and light shaping a unique atmosphere

The stepped oasis going upwards in the building and the overhanging decks create a huge cohesive spatiality. As each of the steps and deck are twisted with an angle of 45 degrees to the façade it provides long areas with visual contact with the stepped oasis, view through the façade and connections between the Consular Affairs Department and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies.

This stepped oasis will with its green plants create a unique environment and atmosphere, which will excite and please visitors and users as they make their way around in the building. All offices and classrooms are placed along the four façades providing necessary daylight.

Model

Common facilities for the Consular Affairs Department and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies as lobby, cafeteria and library are placed on the stepped oasis, and due to the angle on the stepped storeys these facilities have daylight and an exciting view to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building.