BASKETBAR, Utrech |NL Architects|

Today i wanted to show you a really interesting project that i recently heard about. 

Located at the University of Utrech in the Netherlands, design by NL Architects a new sportive building emerged; BASKET BAR, completed in the year of 2004. 

Utrech campus is growing really fast ruled by an OMA urban plan, and students housing were included in that urban plan bringing a new issue to be solved; the nightlife of that area. Services were needed, a hybrid bar is evolving. Curious fact, this bar will serve an estimated impressive number of 30 000 people, among staff and students.

The Cafe will become an informal new and natural campus center, a place of social encounters between students, professors and researchers. The beauty of it's deployment is directly linked with Van Unnik building, a massive 80 meters high icon of the university. 

Uithof Café is a 15x15 square building extension of an existing bookstore. The oversized roof stresses it's flatness becoming an even bigger contrast with Van Unnik. The existing shop had an insufficient heigh for a Grand Café Bar, the solution was to sunk it 1,2 meters providing a new perspective of public space combining intimacy with an extensive view.

As you can see on the floor plan and in the images below, an organic entrance is marking an "orange poll", connecting a sunken terrace with a mini amphitheater, perfect for mixing people together.

A Basket Ball court incorporated on a XL roof is the perfect location for showing your superior basket ball skills. Since the structure is so flat the visual impact is minor, totally natural and well resolved. Also the middle circle of the court is made out of glass, creating a tension and establishing a visual relation between the two spaces; the bar and the basketball court.

I really enjoyed this project, mixing programs and functions combined with the good deployment of the building and the relationships between interior/exterior were beautifully executed in what i could call a good architectural example.

Over and Out.

Architectural Competition |Arquitecturas (IN)úteis| - 3∎

I want to show you some of the work that me along with two friends produced, regarding the architectural contest that i blogged about in the previous post. 

Our proposal consists in modifying the function of the three atriums that distribute the students to their classrooms. We noticed the lack of living spaces and living functions in them; our whole strategy was based on that premise, to give students a  social area and not just a poor circulation and distributive space.

We created a square podium in the center of each atrium based on the square structure of the entire building. With that gesture we could clearly separate circulation from living spaces, providing to students other spatial functions that were non existent.

organizational schemes 3∎ 

To characterize that podium we incorporated some wood panels with cork at one side. The panels have three posible positions, that organization scheme can characterize the space based on the different needs. I think the image we design is very enlightening recreating the spaciality we wanted to achieve (living,social and cultural)

BEFORE 3∎ 

AFTER 3∎

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BEFORE 3∎

AFTER 3∎

Surely this competition is going to be the first of many others we are going to enter. We work together for the pass five years and we understand each other very well.


Hope you enjoyed as much as we did creating it. Over and Out!

Works in Progress..

I've been a little bit distant from the blogging world. Being honest, the work that i've started to produce and some laziness are the main reasons for that, sorry. This post is going to be just an update of my working process at this moment.

Starting with the most important one, the Thesis, i am still really messed up and confused. I know it's kind of normal at this phase, and looking around i realize that i am not alone with this scary situation (that doesn't make me happy, but at least it reassures me). Focus is the most important word i need to incorporate right now, i cannot continue to distract myself with the most insignificant things. Can you explain me how cleaning up my room and do the laundry can suddenly became more important than a final thesis? LOL my priorities are becoming really clean and tidy. 

At least i'm happy to be learning (with some friends help) a new MAC program, that i'm sure is going to be very helpful in my near architectural future, ArchiCad 14. I worked with AutoCad all my life until this point, but i've bought my first Machintosh computer and AutoCad 2012 for Mac was giving me too much problems; and i am actually enjoying ArchiCad right now :)

I am proud to announce that in the end of this week i'm going to deliver my first official participation in an architecture competition, having a partnership with two great friends/collegues. This competition was released by the  Faculdade de Arquitectura  de Lisboa  and it's called  Arquitecturas (IN)úteis. The program of the competition consist in the optimization/conversion of the spaces inside one of the blocks of the faculty.

Competition Poster; Arquitecturas (IN)úteis

Our proposal reflects the economy crisis that all Europe and in particular our country Portugal is feeling, we tried to apply a low budget structure allying that with a multifunctional space that responds to different needs. 

I'll publish some renders+photomontages as soon they are finished so you can have a general look at our ideas.

Beside that i started another big project in my life; remodeling  my loft with my girlfriend, so we can rent it. I think we didn't imagine the amount of work we would need to do when we started, but know that we turned it upside down there is no turning back LOL. The goal is to finish it by the summer. I'll post  more about that topic really soon.

Learning without reflecting about it is just a waste of your own time. Over and Out!