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Tag: architecture

Dwell: The Way We Build goes all the way on sustainability

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Artikelen, Design, Publicaties.

“It is every architect’s dream to design and build their own home,” says Arjen Aarnoudse, founder together with his wife Farah Agarwal of the studio the Way We Build. And indeed they did, together with their two children, in the town of Driemond near Amsterdam. They went all the way with sustainability, building only in wood, with a geothermal heatpump and solar panels. “When we started, this way of working was very new,” says Farah. “Now it is the new normal.” Read my article for Dwell about their house below:

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Dwell: post-war Rotterdam gym transformed into a domestic oasis

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Artikelen, Publicaties.

For the American magazine Dwell I wrote about the transformation by MASA Architects of a post-war gym in the center of Rotterdam into a polished and tranquil family home. The contrast between the rough brick and concrete of the old gym and the rich materials the architect introduced, such as bamboo, natural stone, aluminum, frosted glass and greenery, make the house a wonder of domestic architecture. The dedication to detail on the part of architect and owner is extraordinary. “I like to make something new out of something old”, the owner says. Read my story here: https://ww...

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Dwell: a crisp Belgian home with concrete curtains

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Artikelen, Publicaties.

“Jo Vanweert knew two things when he decided to build his first home: It would be on the highest point in his small hometown of Bilzen, Belgium, where his family has lived for generations, and it would be designed by his cousin Jan Vanweert, an architect 11 years his senior. Jo told his cousin he wanted a house that had clean lines inspired by classic modernism and that took advantage of its hilltop site. (Text continues under image) “What his cousin delivered has a modernist rigor tempered with a surprising softness, a twist that turned out to be perfect for the younger Vanweert’s...

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Dwell: Coastal house expands to accommodate three generations

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Artikelen, Design, Publicaties.

For the American magazine Dwell I wrote a piece about an intriguing house in Schoorl designed and built by its owners, the couple Ayla van Geest and Jordie Kuin, together with Ayla’s parents. By expanding an existing house they made space for three generations – and for their French bulldogs Bullie and Cooper! Ayla and Jordie furnished their well-designed expansion with lots of ‘pre-loved’ building materials.  Read the story on the Dwell site or as a pdf: Dwell Schoorl Jan 2020

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The frugal modernity of bamboo and seagrass

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Publicaties.

One of this year’s memorable exhibitions was Fibra Architectures in the Pavillon de l’Arsenal in Paris. It was about architecture made of, yes, fiber: seagrass, bamboo, palm leaves, reeds, sugarcane leaves, banyan tree roots, straw, mycelium, wheat stalks, wicker, willow branches and the humblest of all – grass.

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TRACY•TV #58: Kleiklooster brings God (back) to the city

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Publicaties, Stad, TRACY•TV, Video.

The churches are almost empty, but religion is undergoing a comeback in the city. One example is Kleiklooster, a modern-day ‘monastery’ in the 60’s apartment block Kleiburg in the Bijlmer. I met with one of the founders, Johannes van der Akker, who will also be a guest in my live talkshow Stadsleven on Sept. 27th. And… they also brew beer!

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TRACY·TV #56: Rem Koolhaas Casa da Musica in Porto

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Publicaties, TRACY•TV, Video.

The Portuguese city of Porto was European Cultural Capital in 2001, and one of the projects that spawned was the Casa da Música by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA. It took longer than expected –  it didn’t open until 2005 – and it went way over budget, from 31 million euro’s to 111 million. But the result is spectacular, combining hard materials like concrete, glass and aluminium with soft surfaces like the Noridc pine wallsof the main hall with goldleaf motifs and the lovely wavy glass wall around it. One thing did surprise me: the Soviet-style furniture along the walls. Watch...

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TRACY·TV #52: Dutch pavilion at Venice Architecture biennale

Geschreven door Tracy Metz op . Gepost in Architectuur, Publicaties, TRACY•TV, Video.

The Dutch pavilion at this year’s Architecture biennale in Venice was designed by The New Institute to look like a locker room, with bright orange doors that you could open to discover the secrets within. The theme was the future of work, now that everything, even sex, is being automated. In the main exhibition hall, Crimson created a thoughtful and attractive exhibition about the impact of migration on cities. 

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