Unsangdong Architects of Korea have designed a publisher’s office encircled by timber-clad steps.

Located in the Gyeonggi province of Korea, some of the external steps continue through the interior of the building.

Photographs are by Namgoong Sun.

Here’s more from the architects:

We know that we exist not as an individual, but as a unity of many, or even numerous individuals connected to each other.

Creating an Publisher’s space is not just setting up the exhibition and office space and putting books in it, but drawing a map that covers all the works in the venue.

It depends on the map how the viewer will appreciate the space and books.

Through the <publisher of Life & Power>, I have sought to insert ‘the vessel of new topography’ into homogeneous space.

‘The vessel of new topography.’ an intervention of a new imagination into the space, works as imaginary texts like those of Jorge Luis Borges. We will make-the “Contour Topography” a space for the’ new experience.

The Contour space will reflect the real topography by applying the abstract image of it to the floor.

The theatrical “Topography” works as canvas for the life, but changes through various new media include book.

The multi-purpose topography is an interactive map of office, club, show, seminar, lecture, performance, etc.

Design: Jang Yoon-Gyu, Shin Chang-Hoon
Location: Paju book city, Gyoha-eup, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Use: Office

Site area: 727.2㎡
Building area: 352.5㎡
Gross floor area: 995.77㎡
Building coverage: 48.47%
Floor space index: 135.24%

Structure: RC
Construction period: 2005. 6 ~ 2006. 2
Completion: 2006
Photographer: Namgoong Sun

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

MVRDV shared with us their design of The Water Cube, a pavilion for the World Expo 2012 in Yeosu, Korea. The theme of the Expo is “The Living Ocean and Coast”. You can see more proposals for the thematic pavilion by Ginseng Chicken, PTA, and Nicoletti Associati.

More images and architect’s description after the break.

WORLD WONDERS

World expos are fantastic. In the literal meaning. They show man kinds fantasies. They allow for this great opportunity to express excitement and admiration. The past has given a series of true world wonders that express that rare combination of entertainment and education, of research and achievement, like the Eifel Tower in Paris, the Sphere at the NY expo, the Montreal Habitat building, Buckminsterfullers dome in Montreal. What to add to this history? Can the chosen theme lead to a new powerful object?

THE WATER CUBE

The world expo in Yeosu focuses on the power and beauty of the oceans. How to express that the best? Could it be done by – simply- making a pure visible block of water that obviously expresses the beauty and the power? A block that is extracted from the ocean.

THE WATER SPACE

This block is hollowed out, to create a great water space, where one is surrounded by water. Along the sides, above and below. Where light filters through and give every activity a glance. That can be used for the exhibitions, the gatherings, during and after the world expo. One is in the water.

THE WATER FACADE

The water cube is constructed out of a surrounding wall with a series of water basins that are stacked on top of each other. Based on the maximum structural capacities of the glass facades and floors. It allows showing all the different aspects of the oceans! The façade turns into a mini museum, into a library of the oceans!

THE HALL OF THE OCEANS

Thus the central water space turns into a cathedral like space that celebrates the oceans. With all the environmental differences in the world. The deep sea, the tropical parts, the mangroves, the reefs, etcetera.

THE WORLD MAP

The basins are organized like a world map. So that any different sea can be shown and positioned clearly: the polar seas on top and the bottom, and the tropical parts in the middle. The coast lines of the contents are clearly expressed on the facade. They separate the ocean aquaria from the dryer coastal terrarium within the continents.

STRUCTURE

The walls between the basins and the coastal walls together with the ramping track form the structural web in which the water basins can be positioned. The continents have more closed elements in the façade and thus contain the stability elements. The roof is constructed with 5 meter high beams that span from the supporting web towards the centre of the roof: the North Pole.

ECOLOGY

The refreshment between the basins is organized in such a manner that it simulates the movements of the oceans. The cleaning devices are positioned in between the basins. Thus the ocean ecology is expressed and used.

ENERGY

The skin of the building is designed out of four layers of glass, with water in between. The fresh sea water from outside is constantly pumped into the basin to keep the circulation through the building. Thus the water basins are used as a natural temperature adapter for the hall of the oceans. This simulates the temperature role of the ocean for the planet.

The skin contains elements to control the raise of temperature for the basins. These elements contain rolling curtains to control the UV penetration, and solar PV cells to create energy for the water circulation and the light of the building.

THE OCEAN TRACK

A ramping path that is accessible for handicapped climbs along the facades of the cube. It serpentines through the different basins with the different environments. It becomes a track though the oceans richness. It turns the skin into a library and into a museum.

ACCESS

One can access the building from the dam, via an underwater tube that ends at the South Pole, where it appears in the bottom floor. Glass lifts and stairs are designed penetrating the water basin.

CIRCULATION

At the entrance hall people are guided in to the lifts that bring the visitors up to the top floor. On the top floor the visitors are guided towards the North Pole bar with a spectacular view over the expo. From here one can find its journey along the basins, via the main oceans track or via the stairs and lifts, easily descending from the top to the bottom. One ends in the main hall that gives the spectacular overview over all the experiences that can be seen as the introduction for the exhibits and gatherings in the hall of the oceans. Via an escalator the visitor goes down via the South Pole to the pipe that leads him or her to the main land.

THE LANTERN IN THE OCEAN

The different basins are illuminated each in its specific way according to the demands. A pattern of light can be created according the day and night pattern of the planet. Thus the water cube becomes a true endlessly changing magic water lantern.

AFTER USE

This design allows for a flexible usage afterwards, while keeping the memory of the expo. This hall can turn easily be adapted to a theatre, a concert hall into a ceremonial space, into a museum, even it could become an office building, a town hall.

The Richmond Oval was built to be a venue and is intended to function as a future venue for community events, not only for the Olympic Games. The way its concept was created is pretty impressive, and already receive the LEED Silver Certification, that certifies its concern about sustainability seeking a design solution that optimizes energy use, environmental health, and aesthetic value.

© nick lehoux photography

Every visit to the Richmond Olympic Oval is awe-inspiring. Much was said about the visual impact of Beijing’s Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. While the exterior of these buildings was stunning, the interiors were rather pedestrian. The interior of the Oval is majestic. The use of wood and the vistas across the Fraser River to the mountains are utterly worldly. The unique integration of art and sustainable technologies in water collection and recycling is inspired. The Oval will remain a jewel of a legacy from the 2010 Games.” Chris Rudge, CEO & Secretary General, Canadian Olympic Committee

You can check these amazing photos below, and if you want to see the Oval in action by yourself there’s still time, the Olympic Games will begin in February 12! For more informations visit: vancouver2010.com.

© nick lehoux photography

© derek lepper photography

© bob matheson

© cannondesign.com

© nick lehoux photography

© hubert kang

© hubert kang

© hubert kang

© cannondesign.com

the aim of foster + partners‘ proposal for the ‘dream hub’ yongsan IBD masterplan development
was to transform this area of seoul, korea from a large railway goods yard to a new exciting metropolis.
the current site is predominantly inaccessible, so foster + partners wanted to resolve this by
creating a new heart for the city, but also reach out to its surroundings through three architectural
arcs based on the sam-taeguk – an icon derived from the taoist idea of ying and yang.

as expressed by the design brief, the main focal point of the hub are the landmark towers which
form the sam-taeguk. known as the ‘helixia’, the three spiraling towers will give new focus
and meaning to yongsan by connecting three diverse areas together: the yongsan station,
the river han and the yongsan electronics district. as visitors move around these grand crescents,
they will experience a variety of spaces with winding ramps and lifts connecting at a multitude of levels.

this spiraling geometry is reminiscent of the cosmos, with yongsan at the birthplace of it all -
a new global destination. helixia will be the centre of electricity and interaction, surrounded by twisting,
rising buildings reaching upwards toward the sky.

Vertically stacked and set into a hillside, Malibu 5 is a sustainable modern home constructed of environmentally friendly and recycled materials and designed to minimize energy use.

Conceived as a sustainable house that would make minimal use of the power grid, the house has photovoltaic panels on the roof, ground-level concrete floors act as heat sinks, pulling in the sun’s energy during the day and releasing it at night. The design has proven so successful that the residents are contributing energy to the local power grid.

Built as two, C-shaped rectangular bars — one two stories, one a single story over the garage — the house comprises four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The structures are separated by a courtyard. Rooms are open on two sides to provide cross ventilation. The home faces southwest to take advantage of coastal breezes, energy-providing solar gain and natural light. Large solar-protected windows produce light-filled rooms and minimize the need for artificial lighting, which is controlled with motion sensor light switches.

I am pretty sure that it has been featured on HGTV too…

http://www.kannerarch.com ]]> http://www.jjleesketchbook.com/2009/10/05/malibu-5-in-california-by-kanner-architects/feed/ 0