Beton Schwimmbad 

This outdoor swimming pool in Darmstadt is an exercise in tectonic eloquence, a seamless integration of making and thought.

The project’s simplicity belies its complexity, that being the elimination of any trace of structural expression in order to maximize the visceral impact of the white cast in-situ concrete. This was achieved using a bespoke steel frame which encased the shuttering during construction; there is no evidence of shuttering joints or anchor points, just a smooth white surface, articulated within a classic orthogonal form.

The outdoor flooring specification is the same as the adjoining family room: Italian coquina stone slabs. These generate a welcoming ambience, inside and out, as well as providing an all-important slip-resistant surface around the water. A fully retractable safety pool cover, accessed from a hidden slot, provides additional peace of mind.

The connectivity between the indoor and outdoor spaces is further articulated by the alignment of the flooring joints and the complementary off-white shades of internal plaster and external render. Both wall treatments harmonise with the colour, depth and texture of the stonework.

Within this dynamic, the scheme’s subtle integrated lighting highlights the project's core qualities:  structural rigour, timeless geometric proportions and exacting materiality. 

Beton Schwimmbad
White cast in-situ concrete, stone slabs and integrated lighting
Darmstadt

Villa S, near Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
White cast in-situ concrete, slate, steel & glass
Completion date: August 2014

Workshop Siegen

The Workshop's distinctive form references the classic garage format with forecourt. 

The building comprises a simple steel frame structure fitted with fibreglass translucent panels. These provide both energy-efficient insulation and softly diffused light within, the latter facilitating productivity by creating a calm and relaxed environment in which to work. At night, the workshop functions as a light beacon, illuminating the main entrance to the industrial complex.

In addition to the fibreglass panelling's light-diffusing and signage properties, its sub-structural configuration, comprising a series of delicate horizontal seams, animates the grid like composition, as articulated by the mainframe and mullions. Collectively, these details accentuate the dramatic cantilevered canopy.

Internally, a concrete box, housing the office and washroom facilities, stabilizes the main structure via a series of horizontal and vertical steel struts. These eliminate the need for external cross bracing, so preserving the aesthetic clarity of the architecture and its impact as a light beacon. Only standard industrial products were used in the makingof Workshop Siegen.

Herkules Machine Factory, Pittsburgh, USA

 

 

Articulated as a well-engineered glass box, the building houses the US administrative headquarters of the Herkules Group, a world leader in the manufacture of roll machining equipment. Offices and meeting rooms are organised in a U-shape configuration around the central service spine, with scenic views of the neighbouring woodland area on its west facing side. Sun glare is subtly managed by semi transparent screens.

The reception area, double height lobby and stairwell organise the building's south facing composition, completed externally with a striking roof sign in perforated mesh. This announces and locates the development in its surroundings while simultaneouly softening the visual impact of the mechanical plant equipment sited on the roof.

The sculptural configuration of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems - all of which are powered by a subterranean geothermal heat-well adjacent to the building - reflects the project's industrial aesthetic. This can also be seen in the elegant folded steel plate staircase at the front of the building, which was fabricated by the client; and in the use of translucent glass bricks, which illuminate the central service spine housing the technical infrastructure and kitchen.

Mixed-use Complex, Obernburg

The development responds sensitively yet assuredly to its surroundings, as can be seen in how the entrance block massing complements that of the nearby clock tower situated within the old city wall. Moreover, the building's carefully scaled fenestration echoes that of the neighbouring properties, while its ground floor colonnade animates the development at street level.

Internally, three over-sized concrete column blocks disseminate the building's heft, while also functioning as conduits for the various technical services, all of which are easily accessible. Taken as a whole, this structural arrangement delivers a series of uninterrupted floor plans, so offering end-users a high degree of flexibility in the internal arrangement of the spaces.

The development's clarity of layout is equally on show in how the main circulation area, located within the atrium, serves as both a reception hall for the offices on the first floor and a lobby area for the apartments on the upper level. Within this central volume, the steel mesh balustrading complements the exacting aesthetic of the untreated cast in-situ concrete. In addition, lacquered plaster is used where tactile contact comes into play, as with the monolithic looking bridge above the entranceway, which connects the office floor areas located across the building's two main blocks. This link functions as a 'visual pin', its form and solidity adding depth and drama to the atrium design. 

Country Hotel, Pittsburgh (USA)

 

The scheme takes full advantage of its scenic location, some 80 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, USA, delivering panoramic views of the Pennsylvanian countryside. 

 

The building comprises a series of block elements and floor slabs - the former housing the services and utilities, the latter the hotel’s range of bedrooms and suites, as well as its recreation and relaxation facilities. 

 

The building’s pronounced planar design defines its mood, its presence in the landscape; two monolithic slabs ground the hotel in its surroundings. These articulate a comprehensive podium on which three slender floor plates are stacked and setback. This configuration delivers a generous deck space to the hotel’s ground floor high-end bar and restaurant. The lighter floor plates above house the bedrooms and suites. 

 

Doctor´s Practice, Frankfurt am Main

A minimal palette of floating white planes and indirect lighting generates a calm, orderly ambience within this Frankfurt medical practice. 

 

The planar composition is considered and measured, with floating ceilings defining the central corridor, entranceway and reception area - and in so doing disseminating an elongated cross, a subtle reference to the medical profession.

 

 

Throughout the scheme the installation delivers a mild compression of space, resulting in a cohesive, gentle aesthetic running throughout the practice.