Tag Archives: Buildings

Skyline Views: Frankfurt, Germany In Hyperlapse

Video January 26, 2021 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Frankfurt, a central German city on the river Main, is a major financial hub that’s home to the European Central Bank. It’s the birthplace of famed writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose former home is now the Goethe House Museum. Like much of the city, it was damaged during World War II and later rebuilt. The reconstructed Altstadt (Old Town) is the site of Römerberg, a square that hosts an annual Christmas market.

SKYLINE VIEWS is a fast motion short film by German filmmakers Fenchel & Janisch. The hyper lapse and time lapse footage was shot in summer 2020 in Frankfurt using mirrorless cameras. The static scenes were locked-off tripod shots and the motion shots were photographed hand-held. The high resolution photo sequences were edited using Adobe CameraRaw and After Effects CC.

Architecture, Buildings, Green Design, Sustainability, Videos

Green Renovation: ‘1970 Manchester, UK Building’ By TP Bennett Architects

January 26, 2021 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

This video produced by Dezeen for TP Bennett reveals how the architecture practice has transformed an old building in Manchester into an “ultra sustainable” mixed-use office building.

Called Windmill Green, the office building is a conversion of an unused 1970s structure in the heart of the city that was due to be demolished. The site has been transformed into a mixed-use co-working space fitted with several sustainable additions geared towards carbon reduction and biodiversity, such as solar panels, beehives, and “Manchester’s largest living wall”.

“Sustainability was a key driver with this scheme and we transferred a derelict and vacant building into an ultra sustainable and high-spec workplace” said Yvette Hanson, the principal director of TP Bennett, in the video. “At TP Bennett, we bring a deep commitment to carbon reduction to deliver buildings that better reflect the way people live, work and interact, while at the same time fostering a positive social impact,” she added.

Developed in collaboration with real estate investment boutique FORE Partnership, the building features a ground level dedicated to retail and a facade covered with the green terracotta tiles that are typical of buildings in Manchester.

Architecture, Buildings, Travel, Videos, Views

Skyline Views: ‘Honolulu’ – Oahu, Hawaii (4K Video)

Video January 23, 2021 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, is a U.S. city that currently contains over 470 high-rises. In 2011 it ranked fourth among U.S. cities in the number of high rise buildings, after New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, and just ahead of San Francisco.^[1] In 2017, it ranked sixth, having fallen behind Houston and Washington, D.C.^[2]

The first high rise that exceeded 350 ft was the Ala Moana Hotel built in 1970. The next high rise was the Yacht Harbor Towers followed by the Hawaii Monarch Hotel and the Discovery Bay Center. This was the beginning of the construction boom in the city. At the same time business and finance also boomed. During the 1990s new Residentials were built, including the One Waterfront Mauka Tower, Imperial Plaza, Nauru Tower and the Hawaiki Tower. There is still construction today on high rises such as the Moana Pacific East Tower and Moana Pacific West Tower twin towers, Keola Lai, Hokua at 1288 Ala Moana, Pacifica Honolulu, and The Watermark Waikiki.

Architecture, Books, Buildings, Design, Homes, Reviews

2021 Books: ‘Radical Architecture Of The Future’ – (Phaidon)

January 16, 2021 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

This remarkable book features projects — surprising, beautiful, outrageous, and sometimes even frightening — that break rules and shatter boundaries. In this timely book, the work of award-winning architects, designers, artists, photographers, writers, filmmakers, and researchers — all of whom synthesize and reflect our spatial environments — comes together for the first time.

An important and fascinating collection of original projects by unique thinkers in the world of architecture and spatial design

Architectural practice today goes far beyond the design and construction of buildings — the most exciting, forward-thinking architecture is also found in digital landscapes, art, apps, films, installations, and virtual reality.

About The Author:

How does tomrrow look from your doorstep? For the author, curator, critic and cultural consultant Beatrice Galilee tomorrow’s buildings, building plans, or ways of thinking about our built environment, are already out there.

In her new book, Radical Architecture of the Future, she quotes the American scholar Donna Haraway who asserted, way back in 1985, that “The boundary between science fiction and social reality is an optical illusion.”

Galilee patrols that boundary within the pages of her new book, in which she details works by 79 architects, designers, artists, photographers, writers, filmmakers, and researchers, each of whom are working at the most radical edges of architecture and spatial design today.

Buildings, Travel, Videos

Aerial Views: ‘Steinway Tower’ – 111 West 57th Street In New York City

Video January 7, 2021 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

New York City has completed the world’s thinnest skyscraper, the 111 West 57th Street, which will soar above Central Park on Billionaire’s Row alongside the Central Park tower and other iconic supertall skyscrapers. 111 West 57th Street, also known as the Steinway Tower, is a supertall residential project by developers JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group in West Midtown in Manhattan, New York City. Located at 111 West 57th Street near Sixth Avenue, the development will be a combination of the original landmarked Steinway Building designed in 1925 by Warren & Wetmore, and a new tower addition on the adjacent site. Parkside Construction Builders is the general contractor. The world’s thinnest skyscraper will sway up to 5 feet during storms. The tower topped out in 2019 and is expected to open in early 2021. Steinway tower is one of the tallest buildings in the United States, as well as the thinnest skyscraper in the world with a width-to-height ratio of about 1:23.

Architecture, Buildings, Design, Podcasts

Design Podcast: ‘Mokuzai Kaikan, Tokyo’ – Amazing Wooden Construction

Audio January 4, 2021 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Monocle 24 ‘Tall Stories’: We visit the headquarters of the Tokyo timber wholesalers’ association, a building that “walks the walk” with its impressive wooden construction.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/337VMBkQl1o1QLXPXJWwxo

This project involved the relocation of the offices of the Association of Wood Wholesalers in Tokyo. It serves as a showcase to demonstrate the possibilities of wood as an urban construction material. Engawa, or Japanese terraces, allow a natural breeze to enter while shutting out strong sunlight for a comfortable indoor environment. Lumber were integrated into the building’s structure, and architectural exposed concrete was cast in cedar formwork. Since the building uses a large amount of wood, great attention was given to fire safety measures. The design focused on creating spatial continuity with the use of layering and natural light.

Architecture, Buildings, Cities, Videos

Urban Architecture: ‘2 Murray Road’, Hong Kong “$3 Billion Mega-Project”

Video December 29, 2020 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed its design for the 2 Murray Road project for $3 billion Henderson Land, in the heart of Hong Kong’s central business district. Creating new civic plazas enveloped by nature, the urban oasis is located in proximity other iconic Hong Kong skyscrapers.

Replacing a multi-story car park, the development is connected to adjacent public gardens and parks, through an elevated base sheltering courtyards cultivated with trees and plants. These outdoor areas seamlessly flow into the communal spaces of the interior. Inspired by the structural forms and layering of a Bauhinia bud about to blossom, known as the Hong Kong orchid tree, the design generates a very wide span of naturally lit, column-free, Grade A office space with a 5-meter floor-to-floor height giving maximum flexibility.

The façade, designed to withstand summer typhoons, includes 4-ply of double-laminated, double-curved insulated glass units, in order to insulate effectively the building and reduce its cooling load as well as build resilience. Moreover, “hybrid ventilation is controlled by the building’s automated management system and enables all office levels to be naturally ventilated”. In fact, smart systems learn to accurately predict daily occupancy trends to optimize energy demand, ensuring increased efficiencies with lower energy consumption.

Architecture, Buildings, Technology, Videos

Timelaspe Views: 4-Story Prefab Modular School Building Constructed In Sydney, Australia (Video)

Video December 17, 2020 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

This four-storey school was built in the Modscape factory in just 12 weeks before taking the drive up to North Sydney to be installed in just one weekend.

Comprised of 20 modules, the building includes 14 learning spaces, three COLAs, staff amenities, a lift and stairs. In collaboration with Team 2 Architects.

Buildings, Landmarks, Travel, Videos

Landmarks: The ‘Palazzo Vecchio’, Florence, Italy

Video December 17, 2020 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Filmed and Edited by: Alessio Viviani

The Palazzo Vecchio “Old Palace” is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria, which holds a copy of Michelangelo’s David statue, and the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi. Originally called the Palazzo della Signoria, this building was also known by several other names: Palazzo del Popolo, Palazzo dei Priori, and Palazzo Ducale, in accordance with the varying use of the palace during its long history. This 4K video shows the exterior and interior of this amazing building, focusing on the art present on walls, ceilings and rooms.