The original 1860’s home sits modestly on its block. From most vantage points on the street –set back as it is from its neighbours- the little, weatherboard cottage is almost obscured from view. Humble and unassuming, its appearance defines its cultural significance; the workers cottage preserves a ‘moment’ in the rich, blue-collar heritage and character of Balmain.


Whilst chic cafes and boutique clothing stores have long since driven out the dockyards and factories, the cottage survives, an evolutionary relic of contemporary Australian architecture. Etched into the locally grown weatherboards are the teeth marks of steam driven saws used in the old Balmain lumberyards and beneath the skin the bones of the home disclose rough sawn log studs, detailing early modes of construction.

Photograph: RMA photographyThe new permanent facility for Mothers’ Club Family Learning Center recently opened in an underserved neighborhood of northwest Pasadena.

Photograph: James WestRather than tear down a 1914 campus building, this historic structure was gutted and transformed into a 21st century classroom building.

 









Museo Soumaya that has just opened to the public in late March houses one of the most important art collections in Latin America with over 6,200 artworks and 60,000 square feet of exhibition space.

The Soumaya Museum is located in a former industrial zone dating from the 1940’s which today presents a very high real-estate potential. The Soumaya Museum should play a key role in the reconversion of the area; as a preeminent cultural landmark, it is sought upon as catalyst for changing the preconceived image of the neighborhood.

As promised when we introduced the winners of the 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects by the American Institute of Architects, we will be posting individual stories about each project. The projects have already been featured in more details on AIA’s web site.

Photograph ⓒ John Linden

We start with by Brooks+Scarpa’s Cherokee Studio in LA, an urban infill, mixed-use, market-rate housing project designed to incorporate green design as a way of marketing a green lifestyle. The project is pending LEED Platinum certification. The design maximizes the opportunities of the mild Southern California climate with a passive cooling strategy using cross-ventilation and thermal convection while taking advantage of the abundantly sunny location. A commitment to minimizing the project's ecological footprint informed all aspects of the design.

The main architectural feature of this project is the building's owner-controlled double-façade system. The occupant is able to adjust the operable screens of the building façade as necessary for privacy, views, shading, and thermal comfort. As a result, the facade is virtually redesigned "live" from within, responding to the occupants of the building in real time. The façade also enhances the existing streetscape and promotes a lively pedestrian environment. By visually breaking up the façade into smaller, articulated moving elements, the building appears to move with the passing cars and people. Like many features of the building, the façade is multivalent and rich with meaning, performing several roles for formal, functional, and experiential effect.