MARK #41 Dec 2012/ Jan 2013

There’s no sign of slow down for Montpellier, with the French boom town awash in big-name architects and major projects. From Jean Nouvel’s city hall, to a school of management by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, and a library by Zaha Hadid, we profile a city with an eye for tomorrow. From Venice, eight architects – from Norman Foster to Kumiko Inui – give us their thoughts on the Architecture Biennale’s best and brightest. Finally, Adjaye Associates inject spirit into Washington D.C.’s design scene with a pair of libraries in low-income neighbourhoods.

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MARK #40 Oct/Nov 2012

Lack of space, privacy and natural light define the Japanese housing scene, but a new generation of clients are not afraid to follow unconventional circumstances to combat the country’s building environments. From Akihisa Hirata to Studio Velocity and ON Design, we take a look at the most stellar examples – and architectural ingenuity – of modern Japanese housing. We speak with three architects who divide their time between architecture and windsurfing the Chilean coast. Meanwhile in London,  Renzo Piano’s 310m high Shard is a workplace, public transit interchange and source of controversy. Mobile architecture offers an alternative way of thinking about consumption and environment for Berlin-based Magma. And since architects commonly design their own homes, we ask why some also design their own bars.

CONTENTS

Cross Section
New work by: Studio 505, IAAC, Torsten Ottesjö, Bokenäs, Adam Stockhausen, UID, Populous, KWK Promes, Vincent Parreira and Antonio Virga, Theo Deutinger and Carlos Castro Justo, Undercurrent Architects, Bureau SLA, Mi5 Arquitectos and PKMN Architecture, Mayu and Architekten Cie Asia, Derek Watts, BP Architectures, OMA

Perspective: The Japanese House

• Introduction: Cathelijne Nuijsink left the Netherlands on a mission to understand the contemporary Japanese house.
• Shigeru Oshima: Misawa Homes’ ‘A Project’ features collaboration between the Japanese manufacturer of prefab houses and outside architects.
• Studio Velocity: Studio Velocity designed a cylindrical house with two floors connected by no fewer than four staircases.
• ON Design: ON Design unites man and wife in his-and-her houses.
• Hiroyuki Shinozaki: Hiroyuki Shinozaki designed a house like a series of bookshelves.
• Ma-Style: Ma-Style gives its clients a black cube that hides a bright interior.
• Suga Atelier: Shotaro Suga believes that sometimes a dense urban setting demands fortification.
• Akihisa Hirata: Akihisa Hirata designed a house with a continuously corkscrewing interior.
• Suppose Design Office: Suppose Design built a house in Miyoshi and sealed off the interior from the outside world.  

Long Section

• 2b Architectes in Lausanne: Blending the ingredients of four suburban houses, 2b Architectes comes up with a self-confident contemporary flavour.
• Magma in Berlin: Mobile architecture offers an alternative way of thinking about consumption and environment.
• Barkeepers: Why do some architects design their own bars?
• Renzo Piano Building Workshop in London: The Shard is a 310-m-high workplace for 8,000 people. And a source of controversy.
• WMR Arquitectos in Matanzas: Felipe Wedeles, Jorge Manieu and Macarena Rabat divide their time between architecture and windsurfing.
• Alan Lapidus in Naples: Alan Lapidus is back in business.
• Viktor Antonov in Paris: Viktor Antonov reveals his motivations as a designer of fictional worlds.
• Gehry Technologies in Los Angeles: In July, Gehry Technologies introduced GTeam, a file-sharing solution purpose-built for the architecture industry.
• Hans Oldewarris and Peter de Winter in Rotterdam: Hans Oldewarris and Peter de Winter say goodbye to their 010 architecture publishing house.

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MARK #39 Aug/Sep 2012

Forget the Olympic Games; it’s all about what happens after. From Zaha Hadid Architects’ Aquatics Centre to Wilkinson Eyre Architects’ Basketball Arena, new sport-savvy projects are popping up across the city – but which are only temporary structures? Discover how the Games will sow seeds for a new part of London. Meanwhile, Norway’s coastline has been livened by a performing arts centre. In Los Angeles, Wim de Wit of the Getty Research Institute challenges the old-fashioned approach to exhibition architecture and how it can be rethought. Plus, Chiaki Arai’s design of a cultural centre in Yurihonjo seeks to reactivate a sense of community within the environment it questions.

Cross Section
MVRDV, Studio Tacloban, GGMPU Arquitectos, Hiroshi Nakamura, Carlos Arroyo Architects, Ubisoft, In-cheurl Kim, Augustine Coll, UID Architects, Fat, Philip Messina, Studio Asylum, Yuki Minamikawa, Mossine Partners, Claus en Kaan, Atelier Mariëtte Adriaanssen, Gambardellarchitetti, Bryan Oknyansky

Perspective: London

• Introduction: Forget the Olympic Games; it’s all about what happens later.
• Eleanor Fawcett: The London Legacy Development Corporation makes sure the Olympic Games sow the seeds for a new bit of city. 
• Zaha Hadid Architects: Jim Heverin will be a bit sad to see the temporary wings of the Aquatics Centre go.
• Hopkins Architects: Mike Taylor speaks about the Velodrome, a building as efficient and light as a bike.
• Cecil Balmond and Anish Kapoor: Balmond and Kapoor tried to design something that the hybrid city of London would enjoy.

Long Section

• Chiaki Arai Urban & Architectural Design in Yurihonjo: Chiaki Arai moulded Kadare Cultural Center into the shape of a scientific research facility.
• SO – IL in Seoul:  Kukje Gallery in Seoul embodies SO – IL’s search for a new aesthetic.
• Moby in Los Angeles: Electronic musician Moby talks about his architecture blog.
• AlA Architects in Kristiansand: With the Kilden Performing Arts Centre, ALA gives identity to the small coastal city of Kristiansand.
• Wim de Wit: Los Angeles: Wim de Wit of the Getty Research Institute believes that the old fashioned approach to exhibiting architecture needs to be rethought.
• Cadaval & solà-Morales in Mexico/Barcelona: Eduardo Cadaval and Clara de Solà-Morales make architecture that serves others, not just itself.
• Heinz legler and Veronique Lievre in Los Angeles: Heinz Legler and Veronique Lievre want to make design accessible through holidaying.
• Takao Shiotsuka in Oita: Takao Shiotsuka houses a bounty of books, their owner and his wife.
• Christian Kerez in Zurich: Christian Kerez studies images as if he is reading them.

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MARK #38 Jun/Jul 2012

While Amsterdam’s famed canal houses are undeniably charming, the city’s 21st century architectural scene is flourishing. Alongside tulips, a multiplicity of awe-worthy projects are popping up including Delugan Meissl’s Eye Film Institute, Benthem Crouwel’s bath-tub like Stedelijk Museum extension and Crux y Oritz’s Rijksmuseum renovation. A special pull-out map will give you directions to see the city’s best architecture, old and new. Meanwhile, we check out Arata Isozaki’s new Himalayas Center in Shanghai – which introduces a new era of Oriental civilization – and UNStudio’s Stuttgart house that echoes its surrounding landscape. We chat with E-Grow, the Shanghai-based firm that produces free-form designs for the likes of Zaha Hadid and Morphosis. Finally, we visit Jan Kaplický’s final project: The Casa Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.

Cross Section
New works by: Tato Architects, Christ & Gantenbein, Luis Urculo, Vylder Vynck Tallieu, Starbreeze, Soeters Van Eldonk, Ashley Bigham and Kelly Wiles, Schneider+Schumacher, Sebastian Irarrázaval, Andrew Maynard, Anna & Eugeni Bach, Barbosa & Guimarães, Pezo von Ellrichshausen, ARTEC Architekten, Luminarie De Cagna, Andrew Simpson, Oomen Architecten, Delugan Meissl, LOOS .FM, Kengo Kuma, Nathan Crowley & Ryan Church, Atelier Bow-Wow

Perspective: Amsterdam

• Amsterdam: If it’s true that the proverbial seven lean years are followed by seven fat years, the future of Amsterdam looks rosy.
• River IJ: After centuries of neglect the banks of the IJ are finally part of the city again.
• Delugan Meissl, Associated Architects The Film Institute in Amsterdam is all about looking.
• Benthem Crouwel: After 20 years of plans and schemes, the Stedelijk Museum is finally complete.
• Cruz y Ortiz: The renovation of the Rijksmuseum is almost finished.
• IJDock: The IJDock takes in its surroundings.
• Ring Safari: Amsterdam by car.

Long Section

• UNStudio in Stuttgart: UNStudio built a house that echoes the surrounding landscape.
• Arata Isozaki in Shanghai: The Himalayas Center introduces a new era of Oriental civilization.
• Shiro Studio & Future Systems in Modena: The Casa Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena is Jan Kaplický’s final project.
• Davidclovers in Hong Kong: David Erdman and Clover Lee design smoothly distorted masses that are embossed with filigree patterns.
• Graux & Baeyens in Ghent: Graux & Baeyens wants to make  buildings that are sculptural and expressive.
• Victor Enrich in Munich: After studying architecture and working as a visualizer, Victor Enrich started making art.
• Amunt in Aachen / Stuttgart: Amunt is looking for buildings that are self-confident and a bit weird. 
• E-Grow in Shanghai: E-Grow produces free-form designs for the likes of Zaha Hadid and Morphosis.
• Suppose Design Office in Tokyo: Makoto Tanijiri opens doorways in a house in Tokyo.
• Ctrl G & Plan:b in Medellín: Two new kindergartens in Medellín are proof of the city’s ongoing revitalization.
• Geoff Manaugh in New York City: Geoff Manaugh provides his blog followers with generally overlooked sources of inspiration for architects.

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