Santa Eugenia de Berga Social Housing by Bailo Rull ADD+

Only in sunny Santa Eugenia de Berga, Spain could you design and build something this colourful. It didn't work at Stirling's Runcorn estate in Liverpool, which was nicknamed a "legoland" due to the colourful grp (glass-reinforced plastic) panels, and then demolished in 1990. But then again, this is in an entirely different location, overlooking the west planned green areas of the countryside and landscape, and with two functional facade treatments for different solar conditions. Bailo & Rull have designed one facing west, while the rear facade, facing east, is focused on a new building located on a slope, which prevents the sun from reaching the east facade. The architects have ensured that all apartments have a direct relationship to the landscape by proposing a brisse-soleil handrail; an element that defines a porch area to enjoy the views as well as for sun protection. This opens up the building to the exterior, with an undulating pattern to the brisse-soleil to minimise visual obstruction from the interior. 

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New Pinterest Board- 'Brights'

Ok, so it may be pouring with rain outside, but forward think to summer and take some inspiration from my new Pinterest board! Check it out here.

Day 5 London Fashion Week- Mary Katrantzou

Everyone knows the popular mnemonic Richard Of York Gave Battle in Vain (ROYGBV) used to recall the key colours of the spectrum. Mary Katrantzou's collection this season brought to mind this memorable childhood phrase as the models walked down the catwalk in a gradual transfusion of colour, from white, gold and silver, to bright yellow, red, blue and indigo, to forest green and jet black. Katrantzou's clothes often border on the level of detail of couture, with an intense amount of pattern, craft and embellishment. This high level of craftsmanship was shown in this collection with multi-layered chiffon dresses (as seen above) and mundane objects printed into unrecognisable and exquisite patterns. Her signature stiff bell-bottomed skirts and dresses were adorned with images of spoons, phone dials, typewriters and watch faces, and one dress even had hundreds of real yellow pencils attached to it, taking Crayola to a whole new level. 

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Leimondo Nursery School by Archivision Hirotani Studio

Archivision Hirotani Studio have recently completed this Japanese nursery in the city of Nagahama, featuring geometric chimneys, which direct light down into the pastel-coloured interior spaces. These pyramidal shapes give the exterior image a fun, undulating landscape, as well as, creating airy and open playrooms inside. It is extremely important to give young children a stimulating environment within an Architecture that is designed around them. This building, "The House of Light", as it has been nicknamed by the Architects, reaches that goal of serving the occupants; "The children may be able to feel the changes of these “lights”, even chase them and play with them, and to enjoy this gift of “light” in their daily activities."

Images: Dezeen

A’Beckett Tower by Elenberg Fraser

A' Beckett Tower by Australian practice Elenberg Fraser is a prototype for high-density residual infill situated within the academic precinct of Melbourne CBD, "The apartments address the needs of professionals/academics with a desire to live and work in the city; while complimenting the level of eccentric design in this area of the city. The autumnal screen facade acts primarily as a shading and privacy device to the apartments; however it also maintains a level of articulation which the precinct demands". The undulating and colourful facade marks the building out from being another generic tower; they are functional as they act as shading devices but they also have a meaning behind them; the colours of the recently drought-stricken Australian landscape. 

Images: Arch Daily