A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

Sesseljuhús in Sólheimar, Iceland by ASK Architect, 2002 The following text and images are by ASK Architect for their design of Sesseljuhús in Sólheimar, Iceland. Sesseljuhús is a house built at Sólheimar in Iceland in commemoration of Sesselja Hreindís Sigmundsdóttir. The building will be taken into use on July the 5th 2002, on what would have been Sesselja's 100th birthday. Sesselja was the founder of Sólheimar, she established a children's home and organic farm there in 1930. Now, over 70 years later, Sólheimar is a thriving eco-village with approximately 100 inhabitants. Over the last 15 years various environmentally friendly buildings have been constructed at Sólheimar. Sesseljuhús is by far the largest and most challenging project undertaken so far. The house will function a...

Ogilvy & Mather in London, England by Buschow Henley, 2001 The following text and images are by London, England's Buschow Henley for their design of Ogilvy & Mather 's offices in London's Canary Wharf. Ogilvy & Mather moved from central London to Canary Wharf in 1991 at the start of the economic downturn in the UK. Each department was allowed to stake their individual claim for space creating an ad-hoc layout on the largest single office floors in Europe. The result was highly segregated departments connected by a series of disorienting circulation routes which left staff inclined to stay put rather than venture into 'alien' territory. Initially, we undertook a three month research study for Ogilvy which, resulted in a universal desire to challenge the status quo of departmental division, an...

Sofitel Hotel in Chicago, Illinois byJean-Paul Viguier, 2002   As the concrete frame of the Sofitel Hotel in the Gold Coast area of Chicago climbed higher it was apparent that the Midwestern city would finally have a remarkable contemporary (late 20th-century) building to call its own, even if its designer needs to cross the Atlantic to book a room. Open since early summer 2002 the 478-room hotel, by the Parisian architect Jean-Paul Viguier is a striking, yet sensitive design that fits into the city's context with ease that raises the question, "Why aren't more buildings like this?" As Chicago finds itself mired in an environment of new buildings sporting the typical reactionary garb of brick, stone and painted concrete, ...

Exhibition Hall in Paris, France by Architecture Studio, 1998 Often with an exhibition hall commission the architect's job is limited to creating simple, column-free spaces, that allow for large exhibits within neutral surroundings, and clad the exterior in an interesting manner. Architecture Studio 's design of an Exhibition Hall in North-Paris, France is not an exception, but its treatment of interior and exterior surfaces sets it apart from its counterparts. The architects developed their design from the exhibition hall's intention to feature innovative products under the conditions more "tempting" than the typical exhibition hall. With a focus on innovation the use of new materials and new technologies informs the expression of the facade. The undulating, copper-clad facade appears softer than the actual ...