MIES - Barn Sheik

The Back Porch of the Barn

This self-titled "Barndominium" (designed by the Houston-based firm LOJO) is a contemporary elaboration of a historical archetype, establishing a dialogue between a modern live/work program and the vernacular barn typology. The project is “floated” above the site as a metric to gauge the subtle slope of the Texas landscape. More than an aesthetic decision, the raised foundation resists problems associated with the high clay content found in Texas soil, developing a “crawl-space” which provides access to under floor mechanical, plumbing and electrical.

Typical Transverse Section of the Barn

The project is the first of a two-phase project for a Houston couple who plan to retire within the next 3-5 years. The clients requested for the first phase of the project, an auxiliary structure that would primarily function as a workshop, while also containing a small living space for the couple to stay on the weekends.

Cladding of the Exterior

The project utilizes an FSC certified Ipe rainscreen to allow for natural ventilation behind the facade, increasing the insulative performance of the West and East wall assemblies by cutting out the heat conduction that occurs when direct sunlight heats up the exterior finish of a home. The detail allows for the gutter and downspouts to be hidden between the finish facade and the wall structure.

The Master Bedroom and a View

The living space opens to the South, providing views across the 50-acre property, and the workshop opens to a loading dock on the North side of the structure. Operable windows on the East façade take advantage of prevailing summer breezes when the loading dock doors are opened.

Circulation Diagrams

The Barn in the Evening

 First and Second Floor Plan of the Barn

The Workshop Inside

As both an economic and environmental strategy, the workshop is mechanically separated from the living area, allowing for an actively conditioned living environment and a passively conditioned work environment throughout most of the year.

Elevations of the Barn

In the second phase of development, a home will be designed for the couple to frame a large tree and lawn space on the property between the Barndominium and the home. At that time the living space of the Barndominium will function as a guest quarters, allowing visitors a greater sense of privacy when desired.

MIES - Football

Aerial of the Future Football Stadium in Dalian, China

(Via Dezeen) This design, by UNStudio, for the 40,000 spectator, 38,500 square football stadium in Dalian. UNStudio weaves together the collective spirit of the spectators with the public realm and the urban context of the building. The main stadium houses spectator seating, TV broadcasting centre, administration areas, VIP lounge, players facilities and public concourse in a layered envelope which extends on ground level to provide outdoor public areas above decked parking facilities. In addition, the design incorporates two training fields on the 144,000 m2 site.

The Experience from Inside the Stadium

According to one of the designers on the project team, "the design of the Dalian Football Stadium is inspired by the classic Chinese football, which was made by layering coloured bamboo. For the stadium design we appropriated this effect to generate a double-layered roof structure. This structure operates as a double concourse enclosure, encircling the tribunes. Splits and openings in between broad bands of the lattice structure enable views from the outside in and from the inside out.”

Essential to the stadium typology is the experience of the spectator. Aside from the basic function of a stadium as an arena for spectator sport with one central focal point, stadium design requires the consideration of many essential structural, programmatic, contextual, infrastructural and stylistic elements and the incorporation of these into a strong, integral gesture. Infrastructural considerations include ease of access and evacuation, visitor routing and parking facilities, while contextual considerations form an important element in both the relationship of the stadium to the city, its surroundings and its orientation with regard to nearby transport modes.

Final Site Model of the Football Stadium

UNStudio’s design for the Dalian stadium presents an inclusive approach to stadium design where the articulation of the structure and the openings and overlapping moments of its double-layered envelope serve as the starting point for visitor experience and programmatic and infrastructural requirements, in addition to heightening spectator experience in terms of proximity to the playing field.

Circulation Diagrams of the Stadium

A key feature of the Dalian Stadium is the proximity of the spectators to the pitch, thereby ensuring the best views from the tribunes and creating a true sense of engagement. As in theatre design specific views and focal points are required. In the Dalian stadium, we envisioned the playing field as the stage. A two tier seating system and curved outlines optimise the corners of the tribunes and allow the spectators to be as close as possible to the playing field.