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Aesthetic Architecture, Phnom Penh (2026)

05/02/2024

Hassell Unveils Lunar Habitat Masterplan, Aiming to Revolutionize Interstellar Living

Last week, Hassell revealed the Lunar Habitat Masterplan, a modular concept for a moon base. Developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Cranfield University, the project aims to contribute to the formation of the first permanent human settlement on the moon. Representing a significant set forward in interstellar exploration, the masterplan hopes to support the development of a community on the moon.

This project involved anthropologists, psychologists, roboticists, and astronauts, emphasizing the significance of a comprehensive approach to make this plan possible. The masterplan prioritizes elements of “livability” and considers restaurants, sports arenas, and greenhouses among the social and recreational places to enjoy.

Access to space is getting cheaper every year, so over the next two decades space travel will evolve hugely. The Moon is an extremely hostile place to live. With no atmosphere, humans need novel infrastructure to access water and oxygen whilst being subjected to high degrees of radiation. We need to start planning for how larger communities can not just survive, but also thrive and live on the moon. --Xavier De Kestelier, Global Head of Design at Hassell.

The concept aims to depart from conventional ideas for lunar settlements by utilising a 3D-printed modular system that draws inspiration from tetrapods, which are commonly used in wave-dissipating structures. The hexapod-shaped parts fit together to create a radiation-resistant shell, overcoming the difficulties of building on moons and their specific gravities. By enabling on-site component regeneration, the use of lunar soil as a material for 3D printing encourages the rise of sustainable construction.

Innovative interlocking mechanisms are used in Hassell's scalable habitat system, allowing for flexible construction to accommodate future settlements. This building method, which is made possible by digital simulations, hopes to maximize the hexapods' embodied energy usage. Last week, a lunar housing model made using 3D printing was on display at the Space for Inspiration 2024 event.

Masterplans often consider how people live, interact, and function in a society. In Saudi Arabia, their new mega city, NEOM, is imagined as a technology-driven metropolis featuring new lifestyles and building techniques. Last Week, WXCA Architects unveiled the design for a new “green district of the future,” set to be developed on a former FSO car factory site in Warsaw. Finally, MVRDV has just announced the WärtZ masterplan, repurposing a former business park to create a dynamic innovation hub.

29/01/2024

Some ways to show diagrams for you in this upcoming project

Source: In the photo

27/01/2024

Iconic and famous buildings in the world
Credit: arch_gem

25/01/2024

Some optimal layout for functional areas.

23/01/2024

ＬｅＫａｗａｎＨｏｕｓｅ

When we visited the site, we were mesmerized by the forest surroundings and a beautiful traditional Javanese house called ‘Joglo’ that the family used to live in occasionally. That house was no longer sufficient to accommodate the client's needs, so they needed to build other buildings as an extra living space. As the traditional house is preserved, the new buildings are designed to harmonize with the traditional house – with a modern twist.

The Joglo has strong architectural language, which is described as the combination of rhythmic slim wooden columns that define open living space and massive stone walls for the private rooms. The existing materials, such as wood, sandstone, terrazzo, and colored cement tiles, become our base palette to design the new buildings. This language becomes the starting point when designing the new ones, with some twists to add richness to the complex.

The new buildings consist of Pavilion, Bungalow, and Staff Quarter. The Pavilion is attached to the Joglo and functions as an indoor living extension of it. In contrast, the Bungalow is separated away from the others to make it more private for guests. The Bungalow is designed as an independent living space, making it ready to be rented for external guests.

As the extension of Joglo, the Pavilion façade is designed in continuation of the horizontal proportion and rhythmical columns of the Joglo, the terrace is sticking in front, mimicking the sense of open space in the Joglo, whilst it’s cantilevered floating above the garden to make it look more contemporary.

The Bungalow is placed on the edge of this sloped landscape to get the most private and beautiful scenery. This building was designed sunken into the ground to provide non non-obstructed view from the Pavilion behind it. It’s topped with a roof garden, united with the surrounding garden, and becomes the extension of the landscape.

The bathroom emphasizes existing materials from Joglo. Vibrant-colored cement tiles are displayed on the wall muted terrazzo on the floor, and wooden louvers are called ‘keepsake’ for the windows that provide both air circulation and privacy.

20/01/2024

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐤 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥

Landscape Designers: Plandscape
Lighting Consultants: LD49
M&E: PASS Engineering Consultant
Contractor: Christiani & Nielsen (Thai) Public Company Limited

Ratchaphruek Hospital's journey began in 1994 as a registered 50-bed facility, earning the trust of the local community for its quality service. As demand grew, the hospital's executive board embarked on an ambitious project to construct the new Ratchaphruek Hospital, located just one kilometer away from the original site, spanning approximately 4 acres. This expansion led to the new 220-bed hospital that prioritizes creating an environment that calms and heals all its patients and users.

The hospital design was inspired by the question, "What is the hospital of your dreams?" People from diverse backgrounds and professions shared a common vision- a hospital should not be chaotic but rather resemble a comforting home. It should offer green spaces, communal areas for activities, inspiring symbols, clear zoning, and pathways. The goal was to transform a potentially fearful environment into a familiar home, a "HOuSePITAL" embracing natural therapy and friendship therapy; according to the saying by Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya P.A. Payutto, “Though the body is unwell, the heart still stays strong.” Moreover, the design aimed to reflect the traditional context of vernacular architectural wisdom within the northeastern part of Thailand to create a home-like feeling for all Khon Kaen people. Creating a sense of awareness of their original roots and shining light on their architectural wisdom.

Managing the scale of the project was a primary challenge. To soften the presence of 40,000 square meters of space spread over 14 floors to convey a house-like atmosphere, the design incorporates a two-story structure around a central court, which immediately conveys a welcoming, house-like atmosphere. The welcoming court acts as a navigation pillar for all visitors that provide them with information for clear and coherent circulation around the hospital to reduce confusion and stress for patients and visitors. Additionally, to address these issues, the architects used northeastern local wisdom, The design incorporated northeastern architectural elements, such as gable roofs, terraces, and long eaves. They ensured spacious waiting areas, taking into consideration the average big families and relatives in northeaster culture. The simple internal circulation lessens the confusion and stress created by hospitals and creates a sense of familiarity.

Construction and materials embraced northeastern culture with gable roofs, sun-like gables, and wood finishings. The design introduced a stacked roof style at the top and podium levels to reduce the perceived massiveness of the building. Long overhanging eaves were employed to shield the structure from intense sunlight and heavy rainfall to address the challenges posed by Thailand's rapidly changing climate. The hospital incorporates an ancient "Chaleo" pattern into its design, derived from the ancient ritual usually embroidered on medical pots serving as a symbolic shield against misfortune, and is used on the façade on the third and twelfth floors.

The hospital's infrastructure and layout ensured ease of access and circulation through two primary entrances. The main entrance, located on the second floor, leads directly to the Welcome Court, enveloped by a natural green area. A secondary entrance on the first floor provides access to the parking lot, which also connects to the Welcome Court on the second floor. A critical feature of the hospital's design is the central court on the second floor, regarded as the heart of the project. This central court determines the direction of access to outpatient departments, such as the medical clinic, pediatric clinic, eye and E.N.T. clinic, obstetrics and gynecologist clinic, finance, and dispensing with distinct separation for all departments. Additionally, it offers seamless access to the elevator hall, ensuring ease of movement throughout the facility.

The hospital's spatial configuration aimed to nurture the psychological well-being of patients and visitors. The design embraced natural therapy principles, incorporating green spaces, water features, and natural ventilation. The center court, the heart of the project, serves as the outpatient zone and reception area on the second floor. The hospital also designed a rooftop garden on the fifth floor to provide in-patients with a soothing and natural environment. To ensure the circulation areas offer a refreshing and pleasant experience, air vents have been thoughtfully placed at every floor level for ventilation. Additionally, various floors feature overflowing ponds and green spaces, promoting a sense of calm and connectedness with nature and providing community space for staff, patients, and their families.

18/01/2024

Ｒｅｔｒｅａｔ　Ｖｉｌｌａ　Ｖ

In the context of COVID, the client wants a space where they can return and renew their spirit, be close to nature, and do personal activities: planting trees, raising fish, raising birds. The project is hidden in the suburbs, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. This is a wonderful setting for a relaxing getaway, surrounded by lush gardens and next to a peaceful pond.

One of the unique features of this project is that the space is suspended above the water, which not only adds to the beauty of the surrounding environment but also helps balance the microclimate. The soothing sound of flowing water creates a calming atmosphere, making this the ideal place for relaxation and peace. We designed a low roof system, creating the feeling of floating above the water, with carefully considered proportions, creating a shaded area for the porch around the house. As sunlight reflects off the water, it creates a mesmerizing dance of vivid shadows, adding to the villa's charm.

The architecture is inspired by tradition, with tiled roofs and terrazzo floors exuding timeless elegance. At the same time, construction maintenance is limited with the use of these materials. Every corner reflects a sense of serenity and simplicity, allowing the people inside to escape the fast-paced world and immerse in pure bliss.

Whether the client wants to relax with a book amid blooming flowers or stroll along winding paths, this retreat villa has it all. It's a place where they can disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature. This special retreat is designed with peace in mind. The villa's architecture is inspired by tradition, featuring a graceful tiled roof and sophisticated terrazzo finishes. Every detail has been carefully crafted to create an atmosphere that harmoniously combines modernity and tradition.

15/01/2024

ＶｏｌｔＨｏｕｓｅ

Located in the Chacras de la Cruz neighborhood, Capilla del Señor, this weekend home seeks to portray nature and engage with it; with windows that transform into wide frames of a rural environment that becomes extensive with the interior and inspires the study to create a morphology that replicates the rural preexistences.

It is developed on a ground floor in the shape of an open "L" with a central articulation that acts as the main entrance to the house; this configuration allows for the division of the public and private areas.

Orientation was prioritized for efficient energy use in winter and summer, enhancing the visual opportunities of the land and dematerializing the volumes towards the north.

Casa Vôlt presents an introverted relationship towards the street through an organic wall built with screened brick, which creates a double skin between the exterior and the interior, forming a suitable in-between space for the chosen vegetation.

In the living room, we find a visible concrete vault that responds to a cozy spatial search; it is accentuated by natural light, the protagonist of the environment. This same slab extends horizontally towards the exterior of the land, proposing a material and spatial continuity.

In the front of the house, near the entrance, we find the beginning of the ramp, which creates a playful route to access the green terrace. From there, one can contemplate the best panoramic views of the starry sky at night, or simply enjoy the warmth of a fire pit in a privileged space.

The construction of the house is based on low-maintenance noble materials: brick, independent concrete structure, PVC carpentry, polished cement floors, and petiribí veneered wooden furniture.

The main objective for Casa Vôlt was to create a refuge to escape to on weekends, enjoying the warmth and tranquility of the rural landscape.

14/01/2024

𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘

ROTATING house, located in a new urban area, is the house of a nuclear family – a couple and their two children. The client hopes to find peace and to dedicate the space for their children's process of growing up.

The dominant urban housing paradigm is a setback of 1m – 2m from the land boundary to open side windows, which leads to the lack of privacy between each building.

From this context, the design aims at remaining INWARD.

Inspired by the multi-layered composition of a traditional local house – Hoi An house, the project uses the entire width of the site, opening to the inner landscape; simultaneously, the site is also divided by length into five parts: two living spaces interwoven with three gardens, all connected by the "connecting house".

The concept of ROTATING the entire building 45 degrees creates an oblique azimuth, reducing the parallelism between the building edge and the land boundary. The unexpected direction together with the interwoven space - solid (inside) & void (outside) - increases the building depth.

The ROTATING also addresses feng shui, bringing the house's sharp corner to the intersection to defuse the internal road running straight into the rear facade. It also helps to form an active ventilation path in the whole.

The entire ground floor is devoted to the children's “learning by doing” activities. It includes the empty floors between two gardens, all together forming a large playground. The remaining functions - working space & kitchen for the parents - are reduced and remain around, to become a "supported zone", keeping the children's activities always in sight.

The first floor is ROTATED 180 degrees compared to the ground floor, creating a closed layout around an inner courtyard, where the landscape and all the views are organized. Together with the indigenous Hoi An's tile roof system, the house is well adapted to the local climate and besides, emphasizes the surprising transition from the contemporary exterior to the intimate atmosphere inside.

13/01/2024

5 𝑊𝑒𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠

.online

10/01/2024

The opening of Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport) marks a transformative moment for the state of Karnataka in southern India. Located in Bengaluru, one of the country’s largest cities, the 255,000-square-meter terminal emphasizes the city’s rich history and culture, while looking toward the future. It increases the airport’s annual passenger capacity by 25 million and is a striking civic gateway that will establish BLR Airport as one of the world’s premier airports.

The terminal creates a radically different airport experience for passengers. A new multimodal transit hub—an outdoor space simultaneously serving as a retail and event hub right in front of the terminal—reimagines the role an airport can play in a city. From this transit hub, through the entrance, and extending to the gates, the terminal is both humanist and rooted in nature. Throughout the complex, interior plantings, exterior gardens, and rich natural materials weave the experience of nature into travelers’ journeys. Clad in brick, engineered bamboo, and glass, the complex consists of a set of interconnected buildings tied together by a continuous band of outdoor, landscaped spaces designed in collaboration with Grant Associates and designers Abu Jani/Sandeep Khosla—a “terminal in a garden” that nods to Bengaluru’s reputation as the “garden city.”

For arriving travelers, this rich landscape previews the scenery of Karnataka, and for departing passengers, it endures as a lasting memory of the verdant city. In this connection to nature, the design rethinks the homogenous architectural language of many of the world’s airports. The structure that houses the 11 gates is pulled away from the main complex that contains arrivals, check-in facilities, security checkpoints, baggage reclaim, and a retail pavilion, and the two are connected by an expansive, outdoor “forest belt.” This lush, landscape is replete with indigenous flora, multilevel meandering paths, and two-story pavilions that are clad in bamboo and inspired by traditional Indian cane weavings. A network of bridges and outdoor walkways will provide departing passengers with a reflective, calming oasis within the bustle of an international airport.

Terminal 2’s interiors echo the forest belt’s natural aesthetic and verdure. A variety of hanging plantings and skylights filtered through delicate lattices of bamboo make these spaces rich and sensorial. The structure is orthogonal in form—variating from the more common curving airport roof structure—with long eaves that shade the curbs and float serenely into the interiors. Each of the building’s columns consists of a cluster of four bamboo-clad steel members, which carry the texture of the lattices down to the floor and enhance the sense of light and space within the terminal. Custom furnishings clad in traditional woven rattan and locally sourced ivory brown granite lend the terminal a sense of warmth and comfort so often lacking in large works of public infrastructure. And within the retail portion of the complex, indoor waterfalls inspired by the boulders and waterways of Karnataka become signature focal points while cooling the indoor temperature.

The structural system of Terminal 2 was designed with two primary goals: to achieve sustainability through structural efficiency, and economy through modularity. The result is one of the lightest terminal roofs in the world at this scale, made entirely out of domestically produced materials and built with local construction technology. The roof above the check-in and retail halls features long-span steel moment frames, which are supported by steel columns spaced 18 meters apart. The columns consist of four individual posts that are clad in bamboo and linked together, creating a feeling of lightness in the structure. Because air travel is a constantly evolving industry, the consistency of the grid of columns will also allow for utmost flexibility to accommodate changes over time.

10/01/2024

𝕊𝕪𝕞𝕓𝕚𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕤 ℙ𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟 / 𝕐𝕦𝕒𝕟 𝔸𝕣𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕤

Situated at the junction where the forest railway converges and diverges at Zhuqi Station, Symbiosis is built atop a triangular base that conceives and embodies the past and future of the forest railway of Zhuqi.

Using traditional bamboo materials to construct digital geometric shapes, the design features the elegant and natural outlines of bamboo forests and the rational trajectory of industrial railways. These elements combine to form a rhythmic, tensile spatial structure that resonates with the local culture.

With both metallic rigidity and bamboo-like flexibility, the structural body is combined with a bamboo tile-covered hyperboloid rooftop. Together, this design and other delicate architectural features create a sustainable and eco-friendly bamboo building.

As an intersection that connects the past and future of the forest railway, Symbiosis represents a future of circular sustainability that is symbiotic with nature.

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