Kevin Roche has died at the age of 96. To my knowledge I've seen three of his buildings close up. The Ford Foundation building in New York (close to the United Nations) is well known, and stands out for the sheer volume of unutilised space it contains: a corporate statement of some power. You can … Continue reading Kevin Roche
Category: Interesting projects
We have acquired a taste for fresh air and clear daylight
I recently went to see a new housing development in Whitechapel: Darbishire Place, by Niall McLaughlin architects, for the housing association Peabody. Darbishire Place is named for the architect of a collection of 1881 apartment buildings amongst which the new development stands: it replaces a block that was lost to wartime bomb damage. The new building … Continue reading We have acquired a taste for fresh air and clear daylight
Berlin baugruppe projects compared
Dessau graduate student Winnie yuen-pik Chan has done a comparative study of Berlin baugruppe projects: [gigya src="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v1/IssuuViewer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" menu="false" style="width:420px;height:148px" flashvars="mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&documentId=100826043409-2c2d78571a534a868b60af6b4aa6e7c6&docName=thesis_book&username=winnie&loadingInfoText=The%20Phenomenon%20of%20Building%20Group%20(Baugruppe)%20in%20Berlin%3A&et=1368802864149&er=80" width="420+ height="160"] The comparison between a private developer project and a baugruppe project on pp. 61-64 is interesting. This is a German private development, so decently large. The baugruppe advantage here is … Continue reading Berlin baugruppe projects compared
UK self-build pioneers
Oliver Wainwright describes two group self-build schemes; one in Lancaster, another just outside Leeds. These two projects both emphasise building a sense of community, and have design features - such as a communal kitchen in Lancaster - to reinforce that. This might be a step too far for some, so it's worth bearing in mind … Continue reading UK self-build pioneers
Vauban
Compare and contrast. Chelsea Barracks, 5.2 ha. Sold for £959 million to a housing development consortium in 2007. Site remains empty. Woolwich Arsenal, 13 ha. Parcelled up and the best plots sold, from 2003 onwards, to housing developers such as Berkeley Homes and Barratt Homes. Large parts of the site remain undeveloped; enough for 5,000 … Continue reading Vauban
Groupbuilding 