The Stealth Building by WORKac. New York City
Park Corner Barn by Mclaren Excell. Oxfordshire, UK
et amongst beech-wooded farmland high in the Chiltern Hills, Park Corner Barn was originally part of the neighbouring farm estate and was used as an agricultural threshing and cattle barn until the mid-1990s. Built in traditional brick and flint in the late eighteenth century, the barn was enlarged to twice its original size thanks to a Victorian addition in 1864- resulting in the building which stands today.
The first conversion of the barn in 1997 appeared to have been an exercise in squeezing as many rooms as possible within the building envelope over two floors, with a lower priority given to the rich material and spatial qualities of the building. The external treatment of the barn also made for a building with a lot of untapped potential.
The success of the project relied on undoing much of this previous work. A limited budget meant careful allocation of expenditure – some parts of the existing layout being left unchanged – but much of the building was taken back to the bare elements of the barn’s agricultural origins.
via mclarenexcell.com
RE-USE by Global Architects. The Netherlands
The renovation of the top floor of this Dutch mansion was a challenging one since the goal was to restore the traditional function of the rooms in an efficient and contemporary way without compromising the overall spatial experience. The main section of the apartment consists of a large space that contains the living room and the dining room. Two minimalist style built-in closets are centrally positioned alongside both walls and provide the total amount of requested storage space, including a hidden fridge, storage for the laundry machine and a bookcase. A clear division in functionality and the recovery of the proportions of the rooms have been accomplished without diminishing the sensation of the abundant presence of space. Daylight penetrates from both sides the complete depth of the interior and the ceiling hovers unhindered over the entire space.
San Jeronimo Atelier by CUAC Arquitectura. Granada, Spain
Saint Jerome 17 is a workspace, an office that brings together concepts and materials displaced within a local situated in the historic center of Granada.
Marked by the presence of a strong structure made of brick walls 60 cm. wide and wooden floors from the late nineteenth century, this place is a palimpsest of successive interventions to which we adhere us with recycled elements: a series of shuttering wood pieces is used for the creation of a channeling-cabinet infrastructure for network cabling and storage of books or models; six wooden doors, some metal shutters and pieces of glass saved from its demolition with several metal profiles from the refurbishment of a house in Granada are assembled for the formation of new holes.
Scottish Ruin Tranformed into Modern House by WT Architecture. Isle of Coll, UK
This mid-1700s house on the wind-whipped Scottish Isle of Coll has been revitalized by a contemporary renovation after being abandoned for 150 years. WT Architecture was tasked with the unusual challenge of integrating a crumbling ruin with a modern, environmentally sensitive home. The White House’s fractured facade forms the perfect bookend for the new building, contributing great character and history while protecting the new home from the brutal Atlantic winds. Step inside and you’ll find yourself firmly in the 21st century – the home features sweeping banks of glass that face the breaking ocean, open living spaces, and locally sourced low-impact materials.
The massive stone walls of the original home were doomed to failure as they were set on top of a sandy foundation and further eroded by treasure hunters searching for buried gold. A century later the home was abandoned to the whims of the coast until a couple decided that it would be the perfect backbone for a new house. The first job was to firm up the home’s stone walls and foundation. The new home huddles within the confines of the immense walls and branches out with a glass-lined living room at the home’s core. The other wing is buffeted by a large dry stacked stone wall. Lighter materials such as wooden beams and steel provide basic building elements while reducing the energy needed to ship materials to the site.
via wtarchitecture.com
