SPOTLIGHT: HHF Architects | VETROPACK

HHF Architects was founded in 2003 by Tilo Herlach, Simon Hartmann and Simon Frommenwiler. Their design projects range from urbanism and public structures to master planning and large-scale construction., geographically spanning across parts of Europe and Asia. HHF approaches architecture with innovative concepts and sustainable urban practices, viewing a space as a connected and functioning organism.

Vetropack is an Urban Study done in Bulach, Switzerland of late 2013. It is a collaborative project featuring Topotek1, Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure,  Amstein+Walthert and Intep Integrale Planung (to name a few). HHF entered the space trying to "create a sustainable urban environment that provides a comprehensive pedestrian network and reduces energy requirements in order to transform a former industrial site into a vibrant neighborhood."

To improve the area, they introduced active outdoor spaces  to create proximity between the residential buildings and positively alter the complexion of the landscape. HHF also reconfigured the urban topology, organizing the various programs so that they "formed individual clusters that harmonize with their surroundings such as locating the senior housing and the medical center adjacent to the train station, and the more active public programs closer to the highway."   

 

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HHF is one of the masterly design firms featured in our forthcoming BOOK!

 

Stay up-to-date on international news regarding sustainable architecture!

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http://www.hhf.ch/hhf/studio/profile.html  ||  http://www.hhf.ch/hhf/projects/projects/100-vetropack.html#

"Vetropack." HHF Architects. Projects. Overview. HHF Architects, 2013. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.

 

SPOTLIGHT: ACME | MINORIES REDEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF LONDON

ACME is a contemporary architecture and urban planning firm, established in London of 2007. ACME's objective is to create the "pinnacle of perfection" in each of their physical "expressions." On an urban scale, ACME strives to achieve profitability, cultural mixing, and sustainability. Their urban work shapes residential, public, and commercial spaces. Several of these projects have received international recognition from architectural committees and presenters—projects have won RIBA and ArchDaily awards. 

ACME, on behalf of 4C Hotel Group, has submitted planning application for the Minories Redevelopment in the City of London. The development includes a "20,000 sqm office building, a 16,500 sqm Hampton by Hilton Hotel with 370 rooms, and an 8,000 sqm residential building." Additionally, the schematics include public green patches and urban squares. According to ACME, these design aspects are integral to the "regeneration and expansion of the core fabric of the City of London…helping to re-structure an area with a very inconsistent physical and social fabric."

A beautiful design feature of the redevelopment is the façade. It is a "curtain wall and two layers of fins that help unify and animate the large surfaces of the façade. The fins give a resonant and dynamic appearance to the office massing and also perform as a shading device. The depth of the fins varies depending on the orientation in order to enhance their performance."

ACME remarks that within its site boundary the "Minories development is a microcosm of this evolving environment." Moreover, the site’s prime positioning next to corporate hot spots, "provides the opportunity for the building to play a role in the life and image of the city." With this development, ACME aims to "resolve the specific complexities and contradictions of this key site."

 

ACME is one of the talented design firms featured in our forthcoming BOOK!

Stay up-to-date on international news regarding sustainable architecture!

Visit gdnyu.com, like Global Design NYU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@gdnyu).

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http://www.acme.ac/   |||   http://www.acme.ac/projects/minories?p=text

"ACME." MINORIES. ACME, 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.

Ecocities Illustrated

Richard Register, urban landscape activist and the brilliant imagination behind Ecocities Illustrated: A Book on Ecocity Design (currently in its final design phase), envisions a sustainable, livable ecological city through the artistic lens of futuristic drawings and sketches. Roughly 150 of his original works will be featured in the book, covering topics such as whole cities, plazas, transport, natural features, mapping, ecocity fractals, basic principles and strategies for communicating, and more. Full story.