Posts in Category Architecture
20 August, 2011 No Comments
LED stands for “light emitting diode”
Nowadays it is considered one of the best options to lighten a home or a building, as LEDs consume 1W, but yield like a 25W bulb.
In regards to the question “What should I choose, light bulbs or LEDs? LEDs savings against a low-energy bulb are highly superior, and also avoid waste problems posed from normal bulbs when they stop working, as CFLs contain mercury vapor. LEDs have a long life in comparison to a normal light bulb; a normal light bulb reaches 1,000 hours of light, low-energy bulb a maximum of 10,000 hours of light and a LED can live up to 150,000 hours of light. There is a noticeable quality gap among LEDs and regular bulbs.
LEDs look better on buildings than the classic nighttime illumination does, since it does not dazzle, and the light is more intense.
LEDs are semiconductor devices that emit monochromatic light depending on the diode used. They are very versatile and can be used on facades, traffic lights (we can notice the difference of modern traffic lights with visible dots and the old traffic lights – LED based traffic lights can be seen without much effort and do not dazzle in bright days), flashlights, lights for the home, cars and even the TV remote.
In LED technology, the energy captured is directly transformed into light, not constituting a source of heat, thus referred to as cold light.
There are many buildings in Barcelona that have this kind of lighting in their façade such as:
1 – The AGBAR TOWER, whose illumination is based on thousands of LEDs, has a surprisingly low electricity bill, its light is reflected on the aluminum plates that cover the concrete surface of the building, so that what is perceived from the outside is just a reflection, because the LEDs are facing the building without projecting the light to the exterior or into the sky, thus trying to avoid light pollution in the area.
2 – BARCELONA ROCK GALLERY Building
The facade is characterized by a complex lighting system that consists of strips of glass, lit by 4,200 blue LEDs, creating a transparency and reflection effect quickly associated with water. This building was awarded with the International Lighting Design Award, granted in the US for the innovative lighting effect of the building’s exterior. The project belongs to FERRATER Architects, from the architectural study OAB.
3 – W Hotel in Barcelona
Designed by architect R. Bofill, a line of white LEDs was placed all over the hotel’s facade enhancing its architectural silhouette.
There are other buildings in Barcelona that are currently testing the possibility of illuminating their facades with LEDs such as:
The Hesperia Tower Hotel, in Granvia, or the Bullfighting arena “Les Arenes”, recently rebuilt into a mall. Its perimeter will be lightened with LEDs allowing the possibility to change color depending on what kind of event is being hosted. The idea is that LED light will be projected from the inside to the outside through the horseshoe arches of the Neomudejar architecture.
Even though I suppose this type of lighting is somewhat inconvenient (not a cheap initial investment, although promises savings in the long run), it will be resolved shortly, due to the benefits that has to offer in comparison to the existing conventional lighting in the market, and not just for its designs, but for its potential savings. There is an R&D project for LED bulbs going on, in which LEITAT and The National Center for Microelectronics and Philips are collaborating with other European companies with the purpose to develop a LED-based light bulb to commercialize for household use. The project was submitted to the European Union in April of 2011.
Also, the Japanese Company Toshiba, with a wide expertise in the computer chips sector, is developing bulbs that produce LED-based lighting. The light bulb will provide the equivalent to 100 watts of light while consuming only 9, with a 3 year warranty, and providing close to 40,000 hours of life. This product is already present in France, Germany and the UK, competing with Philips and Osram. (Expansion 08.10)
Tags: Agbar tower, AOB center of architecture, c.c. Les Arenes Barcelona, cfl, cold light, Ferrater Architects, Hesperia Tower Hotel, International Lighting design Awards, Leds, light emetting diodes, low energy bulbs, National center of Microelectronics, Osram, Philips, R.Bofill, R.Bofill architects, Roca BARCELONA gallery, Thoshiba, torre Agbar, W Hotel BARCELONA
Category: Architecture
19 August, 2011 No Comments
-Agbar Tower- Barcelona, Spain.
The tower is illuminated with thousands of LEDs (light emitting diodes) synchronized.
These LEDs create an interesting color effect such as Blau-Grana (blue and maroon), among the many other possible combinations, since this system allows to use multiple colors while consuming 80% less energy than conventional bulbs do.
- The new National Museum of Qatar, in the Middle East, presents a design that follows the lines of the natural stone referred to as the desert’s rose stone. Within the new design he incorporated the old museum. The Museum, currently under construction, is scheduled to open to the public in 2013.
The Pritzker Architecture Prize rewards architects who show, through their projects, great creativity and who build functional and high quality construction buildings, thus contributing to enrich humanity.
Among the architects who receive this annual award presented by the U.S. Company HYATT, we find Jean Nouvel (France 1945) who was awarded with it in 2008.
Mr Nouvel welcomes every new project without any preconceived ideas, which is why each of his works differs from his previous projects. However, there are common elements throughout his work such as transparency, light and shadows, and the search for the harmonious integration of his work with the surrounding environment.
Tags: Agbar Tower- Barcelona, Dentsu Buildong, Hyatt, japan, Jean Nouvel, modern architecture, New architecture trends, Pritzker award, Qatar, Qatar National Museum
Category: Architecture, New Homes International Portal
17 August, 2011 No Comments
…. And possibly the most expensive sold so far ….
The penthouse has an area of 1625 m2 and occupies the two highest floors in the “Belle Epoque” building, in Monte Carlo. Its former owner, banker Ed Zafra, sold it in 1999 to British Developers Candy who have made a complete and costly renovation to continue with the building’s original decorative trends.
For the year 2009, in areas such as Monaco and the French Riviera, St. Tropez and Cap Ferrat, prices of luxury homes have risen due to the higher demand from Russians and Arabs. This can be seen as a sign that ‘the wealthiest’ return to the traditional luxury house market, as in recent months record prices also have been reached for homes in Hong Kong and London.
It is not a common three-bedroom apartment.
Each suite of the apartment has its own movie theater, kitchen, dressing room, 2 bathrooms, spa, library and garden/ patio. It also counts with a security room, shielded, in case of theft (new homes are currently being equipped with this type of room also referred to as “The panic room”).
The terraces combine a decoration of vegetation and sculptures. In this picture there is a piece of the author Lorenzo Quinn, called “Reflections.” The decorative elements of the main terrace are quite baroque with views to the port.
In the dining room, tapestries are hand-painted and the use of glass is quite noticeable. On the floor are details of marquetry, and the roof is finished with a coating of platinum.
17 August, 2011 No Comments
Much has been said about the Expo, which closed its doors on October 31 2010, but there are always uncovered pictures and details that dazzle and we were not aware of. The central theme of the exhibition is “A Better City, A Better Life,” representing the common desire of all societies to have urban nucleus in accordance with modern life, welfare and sustainable development.
At this Expo, cities were able to directly participate, and for that reason, a space referred to as Best Urban Practices Area was created, where several cities around the world presented their experiences and proposals, as well as their point of view of a better model of urban development. Spain was represented by three cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao.
Given the size and the number of participating countries, the Expo was considered the largest international exhibition to date, with the representation of 192 states and 50 international organizations.
The Chinese Pavilion aimed to show visitors the Chinese culture and its traditions. Its shape was inspired by the ancient Chinese imperial crowns, and the facade, with four columns and a central body in the form of a truncated pyramid, is covered with painted steel beams, twisted in accordance to the Dougong Technique. The ceiling has the shape of a Sudoku. The urban development in China from old times to present times was shown in the Pavilion.
The Expo Cultural Center, designed by the ECADI team of Chinese Architects, was one of the 5 buildings that would remain intact after the Expo disappeared. It looks like a flying saucer, which at night, becomes what appears to be a floating city.
The EXPO HUB, a 1km walk that acts as the access point of the streets and the river, is built with a plastic membrane supported by 50 masts and six funnel-shaped columns.
this picture is the interior of one of the pavilions. They delve into different aspects of urban development:
* The Thematic Pavilion: based on the architectural techniques Shikumen (typical of Shanghai), with two facades with an origami design.
* The Urbanian Pavilion: dedicated to people living in cities. Made by the Dutch architect Herman Kossmann and Mark Jong
* City Hall Being: shows the daily life in the cities, seen as living 
organisms.
* The Urban Planet Pavilion: represents the process of urbanization at a global level and its interaction with the environment and the countryside.
* The Urban Footprints Pavilion: its purpose was to cover the development of cities from ancient times to current times.
25 July, 2011 No Comments
Villa Padierna – Carratraca Thermas, located in Malaga, is a luxury hotel owned by Spanish businessman Ricardo Arranz, like Villa Padierna Hotel Marbella (where Michelle Obama stayed for a few days), but managed by the Capella Hotels & Resorts chain. Its activity is targeted to health tourism, mainly to the sulphurous waters emanating from this region for centuries that attract all kinds of people looking for its therapeutic and healing properties.
The hotel is located within the so-called Prince’s Palace, built by order of Fernanado VII, and opened in 1855. These waters were used in roman times and later on by the Arabs .
The hotel is directly connected to the spring of sulphurous water, whose antioxidant effect strengthens the human body’s immune system, providing a better internal and external aspect.
Its architecture, originally from a neoclassical style, was built from andstone and marble. The hotel has maintained the architecture and the tradition of the water and its healing power, by incorporating a revolutionary beauty center with cutting-edge treatments, along with a 5 star restaurant specialized in diet cuisine. In addition, as well as in Villa Padierna Marbella, the 43 rooms are deluxe and the hotel has over 200 works of art.
The thermal baths, with pools of the nineteenth century, also include all kinds of bathtubs, showers, changing rooms, yoga centers….. as well as other complementary therapies for relaxation and care of the body and mind.
Taking this trip could be a good self-present for all of us whose birthday is around this time of the year (I take this opportunity to congratulate you!!!), since August is the perfect month to relax body and mind, and thus be able to come back in September full of energy!
22 July, 2011 No Comments
It is uncertain how or why, Mrs Obama chose Marbella, Spain for a private visit. To place Spain in the media’s spotlight, to talk and show images of the country at times of great media attention worldwide and specifically in the U.S. market, was a huge support for us because it promoted Spain as a great tourist destination, of cultural and historical heritage.
The hotel they chose was Villa Padierna, a 5 ***** deluxe hotel managed by the Ritz-Carlton emporium (the group also manages the 
Hotel Arts in Barcelona), owned by Spanish businessman and promoter Ricardo Arranz.
The hotel opened its doors in 2003, and besides being among the most exclusive hotels, it has also been nominated as the best Golf & Resort in Spain for the year 2010. I suppose it could be referred to as a UNIQUE SOUTHERN HOTEL FILLED WITH ART, because besides the pleasure of doing the trip, we add the experience of being in a hotel decorated with a private collection of authentic works of Italian and Spanish art (XVIII-XIX century).
ARCHITECTURE:
The resort’s design, based on a Tuscan mansion style, was made by the popular English architect Edward Gilbert, who has developed projects also in England, the US, and Spain. Gilbert’s construction techniques resemble to those used in ancient Rome, handmade architectural designs, and by choosing the marble for his works. It also has Spanish influence.
Golf Resort:
Los Flamingos Golf has three 18 hole golf courses: 1- The North course, which is a Par 71, although it’s characteristic by the old statues and marble columns placed around the course….. Make sure you stay on the fairway!!! 2- Alferini Golf which is a par 73 and 3- Tramores Golf, which is a par 65.
The hotel, as you can see in the pictures is of Tuscan and Renaissance style.
The resort counts with a Chapel, Roman Baths and an Amphitheatre, built with white marble and floors of travertine stone. It is considered unique in the world to have a Roman Amphitheater in a hotel, with a capacity of 400 people.
It is comprised of three buildings: Villa Padierna, Linares and the Amphitheatre, and counts with 129 rooms and 11 villas (which is where the first lady and her daughters resided).
DECORATION:
There are more than 800 works of art from ancient Rome and Spain in the hotel’s interior and exterior, ranging from the eighteenth century to the present day. We are talking about classic sculptures, tapestries and antiques that belong to the owner’s private collection. The decoration of the rooms and villas combines luxury and elegance, and some of them have a private Jacuzzi. The villas inclued private pools and the services of a butler 24 hours a day.
Among the communal areas there are three restaurants and meeting rooms, one of them, Venus, which has the table where the Spanish Constitution of 1812 was signed (named LA PEPA, as they signed it on St. Joseph’s day).
After glancing over the pictures of the villas and suites, even though I perceive an international decorative context, it is also a classic luxury, yet expresses comfort. The hotel also gives a sense of privacy and relaxation with its wide open spaces and its views to nature, in the form of large gardens with cypress trees, golf courses and its views to the Mediterranean Sea.
Tags: Alferini Golf, Amazing hotel in Spain, art private collection, Edward Gilbert, Los Flamingos Golf, Marbella, Obama, Ricardo Arranz, Ritz-Carlton emporium, Roman amphitheatre, Roman Baths, Villa Padierna Hotel
Category: Architecture, Decoration
21 July, 2011 No Comments
ONCE’s former office building in Pedralbes (Barcelona), Carretera d’Esplugues 102, opened its doors to the CASA DECOR 2010 show.
This building was remodeled and turned into an exhibition of the most avant-garde trends in decoration. As in previous editions, professionals such as decorators, architects, landscapers, and gardeners were present to prepare rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, terraces … showing the latest in appliances, home automation, and technological innovations.
This range of professionals, who specialize in furniture, bathrooms, carpentry, cooking, fabrics, and many more, provided us during those days many ideas by offering opportunities for diversity in decorative trends.
The building opened its doors to the public on November 5, and the show remained open until December 8th (the official presentation of the building was held on September 9 at 10.30 hours).
This building is located in front of St. Mary Queen’s parish, where you can also visit its gardens.
20 July, 2011 No Comments
The new Marina Bay Sands Hotel is a huge hotel complex in Singapore that had its grand opening the summer of 2010.
The hotel consists of three towers of 50 floors each and 200 meters high attached by a huge ship-terrace referred to as Sky Terrace Park, 340 meters long, which contains:
* Restaurants, nightclubs, gardens, public observatory overlooking Singapore’s skyline and financial district.
* A pool of 150 meters with no borders, which became the longest in the world. It must be a unique experience to splash and crawl into a poll standing 200 meters high, overlooking the skyscrapers, and to swim a few endless laps…
This complex, in addition to the hotel that has a capacity for 2.560 people, will also feature a 120,000 square meters convention center (The Sands Expo & Convention), a mall (The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands), a museum of Arts and Sciences (built next to the three towers with the shape of a lotus flower with a retractable roof that has a waterfall during the day and laser shows at night), two theaters, six restaurants of celebrity chefs, two floating pavilions, and a casino (although the latter was not finished until December 2010).
This work was designed by Moshe Safdie Architects, from Canada, which also includes artist’s facilities that create effects with water, wind, and light, integrating art and architecture. The complex will also include an interior river where boats can sail on it. The engineers, the group Arup Brinkenhoff Parsons (MEP), have taken into account the expansion joints of the main pool designed to be compatible with the natural movement of the towers and allow a small displacement. Besides the possible effect of wind, and to cope with a possible ground movement, hydraulic jacks have been installed under the pool system so the overflow is always balanced and does not suffer mismatches.
Note that this superior platform has a length of 64 meters, which makes it the world’s largest public cantilevered platform.
The project was funded by a Las Vegas tycoon that required an investment of $ 5.7 Billion. For further information please log into: http://www.marinabaysands.com/
19 July, 2011 No Comments
It is obvious that to overcome the current crisis, especially in the construction sector, companies need to put together a high degree of imagination and creativity.
This is the case of a ceramic company, which has chosen a strategy of product differentiation combined with a bet on the environment. Through its line of R&D the company has created BIONICTILE ceramic, which transforms by photo catalysis the molecules of nitrogen oxide into harmless elements, seeking to turn the buildings into trees and cities into forests.
The ceramic plates will form the world’s first building with a facade of ceramics able to regenerate the surrounding air. This building will be a sports center, located in Borriol, Castellón (Spain).
Although it may seem like science fiction, we would be talking about green ceramic, since it is a tile cladding that cleans the air we breathe of air pollutants such as:
* NOx (is the nitrogen oxide that appears in the air due to industrial and vehicle’s pollution), which is also responsible for the greenhouse effect. The design of this ceramic with a patented glaze makes NOX react with the UV rays of the sun, turning the Nox in very small quantities of nitrites and nitrates, inert and harmless to human health.
* NHO3 (cause of acid rain), reducing it to 76.7%.
Bionictile2 The surface cleans itself and the decontamination process is continued, therefore, requires no maintenance. It is accredited by the Center for Environmental Studies of the Mediterranean and the Institute of Chemical Technology of the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
It has been considered a valuable contribution to the future of sustainable architecture.
For more information, visit the company website: http://www.ceracasa.com/
14 July, 2011 No Comments
Log in during the month of August … it is the ideal month to see what is being offered on a daily basis and leaving what’s complicated on standby … Check out this house, I find it beautiful and particularly refreshing.
…… I hope the best summer for all of you!
