Berlin’s J. MAYER H. is currently designing a series of twenty rest areas along a new highway in the Caucasus Republic of Georgia, connecting Azerbaijan and Turkey. Two rest areas have already been completed, and a third one is currently under construction with completion scheduled for this year.

Project Description from the Architects:

“In 2009 Head of Roads Department of Georgia commissioned J. MAYER H. to design a system of 20 Rest Stops for the new highway which will run through Georgia and connect the Republic of Azerbaijan with the Republic of Turkey. Two Rest Stops have been completed while a third one is under construction. The new Rest Stops are located on selected scenic viewpoints and serve as activators for their area and neighbouring cities, including not only gas station and supermarket, but also a farmers market and a cultural space for local arts and crafts.”

Project Details – Gori Rest Area:
Location: Gori, Georgia
Architect: J. MAYER H. Architects
Team: Jürgen Mayer H., Paul Angelier, Jesko Malkolm Johnsson-Zahn, Marcus Blum, Guy Levy
Preliminary Design: 2009
Completion: 2011
Function: Rest Stop
Clients: JSC Wissol Petroleum Georgia / Socar Georgia Petroleum
Architects on Site: Kobulieli and Partners / Ltd.”Alioni 99”

Project Details – Lochini Rest Area:

Location: Lochini, Georgia

Architect: J. MAYER H. Architects
Team: Jürgen Mayer H., Paul Angelier, Danny te Kloese
Project Design: 2011
Expected Completion: 2012
Function: Rest Stop
Client: PM Motors Ltd.

Photos: Jesko M. Johnsson-Zahn

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Redecorating any room can be an exciting time as we are given the freedom to let our creative juices flow. This is perhaps even more so for the bathroom, which we don’t tend to get the opportunity to update as regularly as the other rooms in the house, with perhaps the exception of the kitchen. So when we do finally get the chance, we can’t wait to start picking out the tiles and looking at bathroom suites. However, before your rush into a hasty purchase; you should first take some time to carefully consider your choices. After all, it could be ten or more years before you get round to updating the bathroom again. Even then it may be that you decide to leave the bathroom suite that is in place and simply update the decor.

The right dimensions

The first step should always be to have a good measure up in the bathroom and work out the exact space that you have available to you. There is no sense in wasting a few inches between the foot of the bath and a wall simply because you were in too much of a rush to get the tape measure out. Neither do you want to find that your sink is too wide and will overlap the edge of the bath once fitted. Little oversights such as these can become very annoying over time.

Considering the property

Once you have got the dimensions written down you can begin considering the kind of bathroom suites that are suitable for your home. In most instances this will be guided by the rest of the interior design in your property. So, if for example you have a traditional feel going on, you are best advised to carry this on into the bathroom. An ultramodern bathroom will look out of place in a period building with traditional decor throughout – and vice versa.

Keeping your options open

In some instances a property is neither very old nor very new and the interior design is planned accordingly. A foot in each era allows the homeowner a choice of whether to go with a modern or traditional vibe. Rather than opt for a bathroom suite that it either one or the other, it could be a wise move to choose a plain one that won’t look out of place in any bathroom style. You can then blend it into the bathroom decor by choosing suitable taps and also matching accessories. If in the future you decide that you want to make your traditional bathroom more modern then you won’t have the hassle of swapping bathroom suites. Simply update the tiles, wallpaper or paint, change the accessories and you have a new look bathroom at just a fraction of the price.

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Coming early 2012, ‘Tetra Shed‘ is a new modular building system which, as a single module, has been designed to be a modern garden office.

‘Tetra Shed’ is inspired by the growing need to accommodate the desires of more and more people wanting to establish a home office. The architects at Innovation Imperative designed this garden office as a challenge to the notion that a home office is simply a converted room in one’s house. It is an alternative solution to the “cuboid offices” that have grown in popularity over the last few years. This concept and mock-up will be on display at Grand Designs Live London between May 5th and May 13th.

First and foremost, ‘Tetra Shed’ is a modular system. It is developed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which addresses the growing need for the construction industry to comply with tighter schedules, stricter cost constraints and the need for materials and methods to be high performing and durable. The materials are simple: engineered timber clad with matte black rubber and lined with birch faced plywood. With other cladding colors and finishes available the ‘Tetra Shed’ is meant to be customizable and flexible. Other cladding materials include plywood, oak and metals such as zinc and copper.

The ‘Tetra Shed’ is modest in size and exceeds building regulations, making it suitable for year round use. Each shed has a footprint of 10m² with an internal floor area of 8m², comfortably fitting two people. The modules effectively become an extension to a living space. They may be used for work, as initially intended, but may also be rest or play spaces. ‘Tetra Shed’ designer David Ajasa-Adekunle says they may also be easily combined for public uses: classrooms, exhibition spaces, events, tourism, leisure and retail space.

The single garden offices start at £15,000. More information on ‘Tetra Shed’ at www.tetra-shed.co.uk.

Where to see it: Grand Designs Live London, sponsored by Direct Line, runs from Saturday 5th to Sunday 13th May 2012 at ExCeL London. Book tickets in advance and save £4, book online at www.granddesignslive.com, or call the 24 hour box office on 0844 854 1348 + kids 15 and under go free.

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This time of year, many people are only just beginning to figure out their plans for the summer, such as when and where to spend a bit of vacation time. Of course, it is quite easy to leave this process until a little bit too late in the year, which results in the unnecessary stress of planning a vacation at the last minute. This can also make your vacation more expensive in the long run, as flights and property rentals are often cheaper the further they are in advance. So, with this in mind, as you go about planning out your summer, you may actually want to look ahead a bit more and figure out what you’ll be doing over the Christmas holiday.

While many people prefer to spend Christmas at home, or at the home of a close relative or friend, there is actually a great deal to be said for heading out to a pleasant, beautiful vacation destination for the holiday. The Christmas holiday is largely about atmosphere, and there are numerous lovely destinations all over the UK where you can find an amazing Christmas atmosphere for you and your family to enjoy over the course of the holiday. The best part is that these destinations are accessible and varied.

If you already live in the UK or Europe, a quick trip to any UK vacation destination should be relatively simple, and as you select your specific destination, you will have a range of different types of options to choose from. For example, if you are the type of person who enjoys the bustling city charms that can accompany the holidays, try renting a place in or around London for the holidays; or, if you would rather enjoy a more quiet and picturesque location, consider any of the large range of seaside towns and historic locations throughout the UK. You may prefer the beach resorts of Brighton or the historic atmosphere of Cambridge, or any number of other places.

Another plus about vacationing for Christmas in the UK is that you are never too far from a quick and convenient way of doing your shopping for friends and families. While many people have routines for the Christmas season, involving shopping at their own malls in their own towns, a quick online visit to Marks & Spencer can take care of all of your shopping needs in a very simple manner. You may want to browse for specific gifts for your loved ones, or simply order a Christmas hamper or two to be sent to your vacation destination – whatever you like. However, do not worry about convenience. Your UK Christmas vacation, if planned carefully and in advance, can be a very relaxing and pleasant experience.

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Wrapped entirely in a cloak of glass, ‘Victoria Tower’ by Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB stands like a lighthouse along the road between downtown Stockholm and the city airport. The 117,6-meter tower is a landmark for the Kista IT office park and for the conference center at the base of the tower and a manifestation of the area’s high-tech profile.

At the base of the slender tower there is a broad podium that includes a restaurant, conference area and more. The parallelepiped form of the tower is topped by a rectangular cuboid, so that the upper floors project out beyond the shaft below. An irregular arrangement of metal-colored triangular panes of glass gives the façade its character. It incorporates eight different types of glass distributed randomly over the surface so that no regular pattern can be detected. Thin layers of metal oxide have been used to give the panes the insulating and solar shading attributes the situation demands.

With thirty-four storeys, ‘Victoria Tower’ is one of the tallest buildings in Stockholm. Twenty-two of its floors are occupied by a 229-room hotel, the rest by offices, conference facilities and a sky bar. In response to a request from the client, Arthur Buchard, the lobby, conference spaces, sky bar and hotel rooms have all been designed with furniture from Vitra.

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‘Emmen Theater and Zoo’, designed by Henning Larsen Architects and Van den Berg Groep, is an unusual cultural building that brings together culture and nature. The building design, which won the first prize in the international competition, will constitute the entrance to a large zoological park of 10 hectares and comprises two main stages with a capacity of 1,150 people in total, an additional stage, exhibition and conference facilities. The building in itself covers 16,000 m2. More images and architects’ description after the break.

The contrast between city and nature are united in the building design where the rectangular frame structure and the organic, curved roof merge into each other. The roof arouses associations of an animal’s back. It creates a distinctive entrance to the zoo and stands out as part of the city skyline. The building will be a large theater in itself. Viewed from the city, it opens up as a magic window towards the natural wildlife in the zoo – while the city is staged as a large urban universe viewed from the zoo.

The design incorporates the surrounding outdoor spaces in a unifying scenography: The large new urban square; the landscape element, introducing the zoological park; the roof landscape, providing visitors with the opportunity to take a break from the noise and activity of the city.

The building design as a large stage structure allows the theater to stage many different activities. The walls can be moved, and it is possible to open up the small stages and thus create new outdoor stages. In addition, the main passage area of the building situated in connection with the foyer balconies constitutes a magnificent stage opening up to city life.

Sustainability has been an important design parameter in the development of the new theater in Emmen. The integration of daylight, geometry and flexibility in the building reduces the energy consumption without use of technology. The design is energy-efficient in itself and forms an important part of the sustainability concept of the building. The design ensures a good indoor climate and a comfortable outdoor climate on the urban square under the roof. The large overhangs of the east and west facades protect the square from the sun and rain. Forming part of the frame structure, the remaining facades are solid and feature large windows to the north and small openings to the south. Plenty of overhead lights in the roof provide the various foyers and halls with ample daylight.

Emmen Theater is a compact volume. The flexible design allows for the sizes of the various rooms to be adjusted as needed and reduces the energy consumption for heating or cooling. The large foyer and meeting space serves as a buffer for natural ventilation. The roof landscape of the theater plays an important role in terms of reducing energy costs. The collection of rainwater cools down the entire structure through the concrete. At the same time, the roof collects water for watering the roof garden and for filling up the small canals and lakes, which – as small water falls – fall from the roof into the fountain in front of the building.

Emmen Theater is expected to be inaugurated in 2015

Architects: Henning Larsen Architects and Van den Berg Groep
Location: Emmen, The Netherlands
Team from Henning Larsen Architects: Troels Troelsen (creative manager), Martin Stenberg, Thomas Ponds, Mohammad Wesam Al Asali, Adam Ciuk and Joakim Allerth
Team from Van den Berg Groep: Dick van de Merwe and André Lageweg
Client: City of Emmen
Gross floor area: 16,000 m2
Construction period: 2012-2015
Type of Assignment: 1st prize in international competition

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A complementary and mutual beneficial partnership, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will join the globalization as an integrated image and get benefit. With intimate collaboration, the proposal for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary control point by WAU Design will serve as a symbol of close communication. The scheme concept comes from ‘ink’: many single units can be twisted into a solid and integrated form. This scheme, a twisted link, indicates multi-level and deep cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen on economic, cultural, and multi-faceted levels.

The following is some further information from the architects:

“HKSARG and SMPG jointly planed to create a new boundary control point passager at Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai in the north-eastern New Territories of Hong Kong and Luohu in Shenzhen to serve the cross-boundary goods vehicles and passengers travelling between HK and SZ East.

Based on a basis shape – a cuboid , a dynamic building shape will be created from twisting one end 90 degrees clockwise. This building shape can weaken the boundary between building envelope. After deformation, the roof turns into wall, or wall into floor. This deformation also indicates the multi-level combination as life-style and political formation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It also brings a new experience about building internal space.

On the traditional clearance schema, the exit and entry halls are located on the same floor which causes dull and vapid spatial behavior. Moreover, the exit hall from Hong Kong and the exit hall from Shenzhen are located on different floors which can make some cross-boundary passengers confused.

Taking a ‘people-oriented’ principle, the building shape is adjusted according to human’s need, two clearance streamlines are combined into one, two departure halls are both set on the 2nd floor. A low-scope path leads passengers to the arrival hall and avoid too much dependence on vertical transportation. Meanwhile, the people from different directions can have a visual intersection and get a full of abundance and enrichment image of passenger terminal building.

A simple action ‘twist’ can handle the streamline, structure and building design reasonable and provide building user with a new space experience.The middle part of building shape will be compressed to achieve the internal space need of new streamline and optimized the landscape superiority of Shenzhen river, avoid compressive feeling and a city vision separation from huge building volume.”

Architects: WAU Design
Location: Shenzhen/Hong Kong, China
Function: Infrastructure
Site Area: 22.6 ha.
Project Area: 24,000 m2
Design Period: 2011

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Architecture students Andreas Tjeldflaat and Gregory Knobloch (University of Pennsylvania) shared with us their design proposal for contemporary prison design. The concept called ’499.SUMMIT’ was designed for Journal Square, Jersey City, New Jersey.

The following is the statement of design concept:

“Our prison system has failed to see advancements throughout the past century and desperately requires innovation and re-imagination.  While recent literature begins to question the sociological status of prisons, there has be little exploration of the physical apparatus in which inmates are housed. We as designers must take a critical look at these static institutions, and question how we can play a significant role in the design and function of future prisons.

499.SUMMIT carefully challenges all preconceived notions of the word “prison”, and proposes simple yet powerful ideas that re-imagine the high-rise as an urban penitentiary.  The massing consists of three towers in the shape of an arch.  The inherent linear and formal qualities of the ‘arch’ allowed us to establish our key circulatory concept: UP, OVER, DOWN.  Each arch has three primary phases, Incarceration (up), Transformation (over), and Integration (down).  The arches begin isolated during the incarceration phase and merge together both physically and programmatically during the integration phase.  As the inmates graduate through the facility, they are being exposed to an increasing degree of social interaction, in order to make the transition back into society as soft as possible.  To catalyst this process, public program and residential housing units are introduced in the integration phase downwards.”

Project name: 499.summit
Project location: Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ
Project type: Prison
Project status: Concept
Project team: Andreas Tjeldflaat + Greg Knobloch

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Spanning the Trinity River and Dallas Floodway in Dallas Texas, the ‘Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge’ by Valencian architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava has officially opened to the public with a ceremonious ribbon-cutting ceremony and fireworks. Rain fall had pushed construction back along the access ramps and delayed the opening from March 5 until recently.

The bridge, Calatrava’s first vehicular bridge in the United States, is supported by a cable-stayed structure spanning its 1,870-foot length with a 400 foot tall steel arch with an array of twisting cables. Attached to the underside of the curved pylon, 58 delicate white strands descend and secure themselves along the centerline of the platform. The 16-foot diameter support is comprised of 25 individual segments, secured with 20,000 pounds of bolts and additional 450 tons of concrete.

Visible from all cardinal directions and connecting West Dallas with the Downtown District of the city, the new landmark will provide six lanes for vehicular traffic and an iconic postcard perspective to define the Metropolitan area.

Santiago Calatrava said, “The Bridge is built not only with steel, concrete, and pure materials, it is also built with other materials. It is built with courage, it is built with faith, and it is built also with love. It is built with the courage of those who have promoted this project. It is built with the faith of those who believe in the future of this city, and it is built with the love of those who genuinely love the city of Dallas and the people of Dallas – and I am one of them.”

The first master plan had been implemented in the late 1990s. Halff & Associates had been involved in this plan and suggested Santiago Calatrava because they had seen his work and his bridges in Spain. In the late 1990s (1999) Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk had asked Margaret McDermott if she could make a donation to hire Calatrava to design a bridge, and she agreed. Construction began on June 14, 2007 and was completed in March 2012.

The construction contract for the signature span and approaches inside the levees was awarded for $69.7 million, the contract for the approach spans outside the levee was awarded for $50 million.

The six lane, cable-stayed bridge is .366 miles long and spans 1,870 ft in its entirety from levee to levee. The center arch measures 400 ft (about 40 stories) tall from the deck to the top.

The bridge that is closest to the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Continental Avenue Bridge, will be closed soon and transformed into a pedestrian bridge and plaza for the community, further connecting West Dallas and the Design District.

Gallery images © Gus Rios

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One of the great things about travertine tiles is the fact that they have a much longer lifespan than other alternative flooring options. However, getting the most value out of your Travertine tiles requires proper installation and regular maintenance, neglecting them once they have been installed could make them start to look old and tired way before their time.

Proper Installation

First thing is first; ensuring you do a proper job from the outset can ensure that you give your Travertine tiles the best chance of a long life. Before you even think of picking up tools and hacking away you need to be sure that the job is something you are comfortable and capable of doing, get online and do a little research, speak to the sales guys at your local supplier and have in your mind exactly what the job involves before jumping in feet first and making a poor job.

If you are completely happy with the process of installing the Travertine flooring you then need to make sure you have the correct tools for the job. Essential tools would include a tape measure, a spacing tool, grout, strong and recommended adhesive and a tool for cutting the tiles when needed. Also make sure you are 100% confident in using a cutting saw before turning it on and make sure you are wearing protective eyewear.

Proper Maintenance

Unlike a standard lino or Vinyl flooring in your kitchen or bathroom, Travertine tiles need a bit more loving and care to ensure they keep their natural beauty and last as long as they are designed to last.

The first thing you should be aware of is that Travertine does not like anything containing acid. So when you spill something on the floor, such as ketchup or Fizzy Pop it is essential that you immediately grab some kitchen towel and soak up the liquid as quickly as possible.

You also need to ensure that your floor cleaning detergent is a non-acidic solution; again this is important to prevent un-necessary damage to your
Travertine tiles.

Whether you prefer to get on your hands and knees and scrub or dance along to pop music with a mop in hand, make sure you don’t apply any kind of pressure from a solid instrument to the tiles surface. For example, don’t use a stiff scrubbing brush, use a soft sponge and don’t press so hard with the mop that the solid stem comes into contact with the surface.

Lastly, like any tiles, Travertine floor tiles are separated by a small area of grout, this can often turn from white to a stained yellow in a matter of weeks without the proper care and attention it need. It is even more important that you keep on top of cleaning the grout on floor tiles as it collects dirt and bacteria a lot faster that wall tiles. Again take care not to use a stiff scrubbing brush as this will damage the protective layer or finish on the top of the Travertine tiles, reducing their lifespan.

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