Dear FuturArc readers, I read somewhere that the purpose of life lies not in either/or situations, but in both/and states. I realised this applies too to the theme of this issue where we look at in-between spaces. In today’s (mostly) space-starved urban context, every inch matters. Projects taking up ancillary functions should be designed as […]
Unlike most houses in the neighbourhood—Tanh Dinh ward in Ho Chi Minh City’s most condensed district—that maximise building upon their plots of land to create monolithic enclosed masses, the architects sought to reduce the built-up spaces of this house from the start. From discussions with the owner, they pared down the programme to the point […]
What is distinctive about this project is that the house itself takes up less than a third of the 735-square-metre plot of land—Nature has become central to daily living. The land originally belonged to the family’s elders with a flower garden in front, built by the grandfather, and a vegetable garden at the back, built […]
The space that the school allocated for the project was at the border of the central open space that was mostly used by kids to play soccer. The designated area was initially a rubbish dump behind the school bathroom. The design team spent an entire week clearing the site by cleaning up and disposing the […]
According to the architects, the school wanted this project to completely ‘disrupt’ the existing overwhelming amount of concrete that was covering the entire surface of the outdoor space. The application and use of bamboo here could be said to serve this purpose well. RELATED: To Infinity and Beyond The entire structure is made from bamboo, […]
Recycling has become a transactional task. We would bring used glass bottles, cans and waste paper to the recycling depot, and sort them into the various coloured bins denoting the items each one accepts. It is precisely how convenient recycling has become that recycling centres have become mundane infrastructure—they are seen as uninspiring and no […]
Read More… from GREEN@WAN CHAI: A Recycling Centre Out of the Ordinary
Liminal spaces often give off a sense of foreboding. Despite the unease they cause, they are still created inevitably in large developments. One reason is the way design and functional planning are parcelled out to different designers. Oftentimes, transitory or service areas are neglected. RELATED: In Praise of Public Spaces Many such leftover spaces are […]
Unlike in urban areas where public spaces are provided as common amenities, they are not expected and are rarely found within industrial areas. However, with Hong Kong transitioning from manufacturing to service, high-tech and creative sectors, many scruffy and utilitarian high-rise factories have been given a makeover through building retrofit, adaptive reuse and even redevelopment. […]
Read More… from 83 KING LAM STREET: Framing the Courtyard with a Borrowed View
One recent example is Spark City’s collaboration with Art in Place (AIP), a community initiative spearheaded by Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Hong Kong chapter. It connects artists and real estate developers to contribute back to their community through creative placemaking. AIP starts by identifying underused but potentially impactful real estate for artistic interventions, such as […]
Read More… from Spark City Mong Kok: Creating Splashes of Vibrancy for the City
The project site is part of Langyuan Station, which features a warehouse with pitched roof and brick walls built in the 1960s. Here, two intersected square frameworks were erected, meticulously rotated at 45 degrees, forming an individual structure that is also connected to the original brick wall—a ‘space within a space’. RELATED: The FuturArc Interview: […]
This bakery within a narrow street seeks to reflect the surrounding ambience and fit into the living environment where time ‘gently’ flows. Situated on the ground floor of a three-storey office building, at the narrowest corner of Lixi Road, the south façade alongside the street has a slightly concave elevation. RELATED: The FuturArc Interview: Liu […]
This dynamic public area in Yulin No. 2 Alley is the result of a spatial practice by CACP (Community Art Creative Project) called ‘Designing?’, which reimagined urban informal spaces. RELATED: The FuturArc Interview: Zhang Tang The project transformed a bicycle shed into a multifunctional community space together with residents and various stakeholders, such as professional […]
Read More… from Transformation of a neighbourhood bicycle shed
