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Imagine sinking sensation of your palms in textures of dry earth, burnt-red gravel, and uneven surfaces of freshly fired ceramic as we gaze upon Maria Castello Architecture’s Es Pou House. Almost like the earth has been scooped up and moulded with a white cast – this family residence takes cues of shadow and light features from Castello’s Architecture Fragments Series. As sturdy it is on the outside, natural light soothes the hard edges, transforming this Spanish residence into a getaway of summer dreams.

The 94 square metre home positions itself on Es Pou de Can Marianet Barber – a historical place within the interior of Formentera, Spain. On the rugged and rural triangular estate, Es Pou House is one of the first architectural presences within the site with sprawling vegetation thriving on the fertile soil. Despite its apparent interruption to the landscape, the architects positioned the house close to the western edge, utilising the trees and shrubbery for sufficient shading while allowing agriculture to grow peacefully.

Related: Bosc d’en Pep Ferrer: House on Formentera Island, Spain by Marià Castelló Martínez.

Es Pou is built of three rectilinear rendered concrete volumes interconnected by thin transitional gaps. These simple volumes are orientated in favour of the sunlight. Starting at the far north, the first volume is occupied by two bedrooms with another entrance to the outdoors. The middle, connected by a bathroom with its private garden is a spacious living room with kitchen and storage pushed to the edges. The third space extends into a luxurious alfresco-like patio looking towards the horizons and paved-platform garden – simultaneously serving as additional cooling and shade during the hotter seasons.

Such simplicity really is masking the complexities within the architectural structure. A family home that prides on being self-sufficient also prides on the strategic use of materials in collaboration with the site which allows for a poetic disguise of services and storage. A cistern for ample water supply and a solarium for the cooler months, all crafted to be well integrated into the architecture.

Taking the language of Fragments, Es Pou’s material palette feels like an imprint from the hot summer landscape. White concrete walls are complimented by almond-oat-coloured ceramics and custom joinery, and furniture pieces from the studio’s D12 collection. Curved ceramic tiles accent the scallop patterned ceiling that smoothly connects with the soft coloured timber window and door frames. Running parallel to the ceiling are neutral peach-coloured tiles which bring forth the 1934 Torres Clave armchair to focus. Keeping the interior interesting are the shadow patterns of ceramic latticework stitched between the transitional spaces, and spritely spring green tiles offer a rainforest paradise in the bathrooms.

From the lessons gathered from Castello’s Fragments Series, it can be said these ephemeral qualities have been through a life-size transformation. Pattern play sculpted by clever positioning of the window openings and ceramic pieces as seen in the unique bed frame with built-in fixtures and the architecture studio’s specially crafted light fixtures and formwork – Es Pou resembles a ceramicists’ hands that have gracefully articulated the ambience.

| The article Es Pou House in Formentera by Marià Castelló Architecture. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/maria-castello-architecture-es-pou-house-formentera-spain/

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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) is the primary international airport serving India’s Mumbai Metropolitan Area. It has three terminals and two runways spread across 1,850 acres (750 hectares) in the suburbs of Santacruz and Sahar Village. BOM is the second busiest airport in the nation by total passenger traffic, serving 49.8 million travelers in 2018.

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19.088611°, 72.868056°

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Chestnut roasters by artists and artisans for LOEWE Weaves collection.

Craft is the essence of LOEWE, in the purest sense of the word. It is one of Creative Director, Jonathan Anderson’s main interests, and he has made this central to LOEWE’s identity.

Reinforcing LOEWE’s commitment to craft, the brand has collaborated with Sotheby’s auction house on the LOEWE Weaves project: a collection of unique artisan crafted objects, including artist-embellished Galician chestnut roasters, woven leather bags, baskets and accessories.

“The act of weaving can take many different meanings and forms; it can be used as decoration or as a way to build a structure,” says Anderson. “We went both ways, with the aim of pushing craft to the extreme and exploring new ways to bring objects to life, turning traditional techniques into something unexpected.”

Related: JW Anderson’s Limited Edition Hand-knit & Woven Blankets.

Chestnut roasters by artist Laia Arqueros for LOEWE Weaves collection.

Small Balloon Flower bag in classic calfskin.

The main protagonist in the collection is the Chestnut roaster from Galicia: a handmade clay pot in which multiple holes are punched. The holes are functional, but the texture they create is an ideal playground for different weaving techniques.

As for the accessories, LOEWE Weaves extends the idea of weaving to finely crafted leather and raffia accessories rich in artisanal details: bags, bracelets, but also woven and knotted vases.

Sotheby’s are exhibiting a selection of seven artist-embellished chestnut roasters featuring experimental weaving techniques by artists Arko (Japan), Min Chen (China) and Laia Arqueros (Spain). The handmade pots, created by master potter Antonio Pereira and reinterpreted by these three artists, will be displayed alongside the exceptional pieces of Sotheby’s marquee May auctions of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art in New York.

Related: Changing Attitude Exhibition in Tokyo by Arko, Takuya Hamajima, Ryosuke Harashima.

Master potter Antonio Pereira.

Antonio Pereira’s studio.

Japanese artist Arko.

Chinese artist Min Chen.

Spanish artist Belen Avelleira.

Spanish artist Laia Arqueros.

Spanish artist Idoia Cuesta.

In addition to these pieces, 84 chestnut roasters were given to artisans Idoia Cuesta and Belen Martinez from Spain and to artisans in LOEWE’s own ateliers for them to experiment with. Holes have been braided or passed through with strips of fabrics, ribbons, rope, leather strings, wool threads, feathers and straw. The functionality of these objects has been twisted and turned, becoming abstract as discarded materials that have gained new life.

“Many of the materials embellishing the roasters are, in fact, surplus from past LOEWE collections,” says Anderson. “Authentic craft, for me, is sustainable.”

“Across this whole project, what I hope comes through is the liveliness and expansiveness of contemporary craft, as well as its playfulness,” explains Anderson. “I am proud we have created singular objects that rewire function through decoration, and the other way round.”

The LOEWE Weaves collection will be available at LOEWE stores and loewe.com from 27 May, 2021.

| The article LOEWE Weaves: A Collection of Unique Artisan Crafted Objects. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/loewe-weaves-a-collection-of-unique-artisan-crafted-objects/

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The post Why the Illusion of Control Is Hurting Your Goals appeared first on Nir and Far.

https://www.nirandfar.com/illusion-of-control/

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The Atocha Railway Station is the largest train station in Madrid, Spain. The facility serves as a hub for commuter trains, intercity and regional trains from the south, and AVE high-speed trains. In 1992, the station’s original terminal building was converted into a concourse with shops, a nightclub, and a 43,055-square-foot (4,000 square meter) tropical botanical garden.

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40.406667°, -3.689444°

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Thomas Randall-Page has designed a storage space and archival facility for his father Peter Randall-Page, a sculpture artist, within the envelope of an existing modern agricultural barn. Appearing as a hermetically sealed box from the outside, the building opens and reveals itself with large apertures that fill the gallery with natural light.

With the luxury of time at their disposal the project was dubbed an exercise in ‘Slow Architecture’ spanning a number of years in a process that feels more akin to the way one might make a sculpture or artwork rather than a building. Using the existing volume as a basis of the building, the design reflects Peter’s own art practice of using found stones to create his sculpture work.

Located on the edge of Dartmoor in rural Devon, the 250sqm barn retains the character of its agricultural origins while blending in with the contemporary vernacular. The unassuming exterior is wrapped in vertical cedar boards and a galvanised steel skirt amplifying the natural gradient of the land. Camouflaged in these metal and timber facades are a series of industrial-scale shutters that playfully fold and slide to reveal generous areas of glazing, blurring the boundary between interior space and the surrounding landscape.

Related: Hourré House in Labastide Villefranche, France by Collectif Encore.

The materiality choice guides the design. Where they could, elements of the existing barn were retained including the softwood primary frame, roof covering and the repurposing of some cladding. Local low carbon or carbon-negative materials like locally grown and sawn timber, natural cork and Dartmoor granite sourced from soil heaps were prioritised. Paired with simple, bespoke steel elements part of the beauty of the project is taken in how the materials meet one another.

Inside a complex multi-layered space unfolds. The projects need for a programmatic mix of archive, storage and studio space led Thomas to divide the space into three distinct environmental zones.

Related: Daylesford Longhouse Residence & Working Farm by Partners Hill.

Highly insulated, airtight and with a sensor-controlled dehumidification system the archive lines the wall to the north. The open space, housing robust sculptures and activated for seasonal uses remains unheated.

A freestanding ‘creature’ known as the ‘Winter Studio’ stands on stone hooves. This room within a room is the projects nerve centre. Lined with natural cork and warmed by its own stove this cosy room is where you’ll find Peter spends most of his time. Beyond the door, a folding balcony offers long views across the valley.

Good things happen to those who wait and this little slice of shire county has grown and evolved into a calm and beautiful space, brimming with possibility.

Related: MSO Home + Art Studio by Jean Verville Architects.

| The article Art Barn by Thomas Randall-Page for his Artist Father. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/thomas-randall-page-art-barn-devon-uk-architecture/

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Île d'Oléron is an island off the west coast of France in the Bay of Biscay. It is known worldwide for its many salt marshes and oyster farms, which can be seen here along the island’s southern coast. Oléron has about 21,000 inhabitants and is the second largest island in Metropolitan France, after Corsica, with an area of 67 square miles (174 square km).

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45.863074°, -1.206273°

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Kawah Ijen is a stratovolcano in the East Java Province of Indonesia. It has a 0.6-mile-wide (1 km) turquoise-colored acidic crater lake, which is the site of a major sulfur mining operation. At night, when sulfuric gases make contact with fresh air, electric blue flames can be seen rising from volcano up to 16 feet (5 m) high.

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-8.058000°, 114.242000°

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A clover leaf interchange connects the King Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd roads in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The city’s extensive highway network is strategically important to its oil industry and local population; however, as car ownership in Saudi Arabia has soared in recent years, roads have become congested at peak times.

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26.353639°, 50.136889°

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Colonial meets contemporary at the Baja Club in La Paz, Mexico. Infused with bohemian cool, the classic Mexican hacienda – originally built in 1910 – has been given an adaptive reuse makeover with a new five-story extension featuring a spa and rooftop sunset bar.

Mexico City-based Max von Werz Architects and Paris-based Jaune Interiors worked in tandem to cohesively blend the old with the new in this 32-room hotel. Defined by woven materials, along with green and red tones common to Mexican earthenware, the design tea, looked inwards to the country’s rich tradition of colours, textures, and craftsmanship to form the desert villa chic.

Related: From a Clothing Brand to a Boutique Hotel: Octavia Casa in Condesa, Mexico by PPAA.

Echoing the L-shaped frame of the original villa, the layout of the new build frames a central courtyard that spills out into a series of peaceful patios and gardens. Generous terraces enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the bay of La Paz, thanks to the tiered massing of the extension, reducing its visual bulk. Framed by preserved antique brickwork that envelopes the property, the inviting pool is set on the outer courtyard.

The material palette continually refers to the property’s original detailing with artisanal terrazzo and Talavera tiles, hand-finished timber latticework and carpentry, and blown glass lamps. Massive timber beams and a rough stucco facade highlight the villa’s character. The main entrance, marked by a massive double door with amber glazing and ornamental ironmongery, celebrates colonial-era details that keep the design feeling true to its Hacienda past.

The interiors take cues from the house of renowned Mexican architect Luis Barragán, informing the hotel’s furniture and materials. Original fixtures, like the Villa’s high ceilings, timber beams and chandeliers, set a colonial-era tone that flows through to the rest of the design. Striped fabrics are reminiscent of the sea just at the doorstep, while old metals, light timbers and woven materials re-threaded through the project. The bathrooms are tiled in a manner similar to the classic Mexican hacienda.

With the Habita Hotel Group owning hotels up and down Mexico, not to mention their various U.S. locations, the Baja Club sets to become the waterfront Jewel of La Paz, making colonial chic once again.

| The article Baja Club Hotel in La Paz, Mexico by Max von Werz Architects & Jaune Interiors. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/baja-club-hotel-la-paz-mexico-max-von-werz-architects-jaune-interiors/