Industrial #1
Packard Automobile Plant
Albert Kahn
Detroit Michigan
When the building opened in 1903, it
was called the most modern manufacturing plant in the world. Built
of reinforced concrete, it was Detroit's first industrial building of
that type.
After Packard closed in 1958, the
building was used as a warehouse, but the last tenant left in 2010.
Over the years, the building has faced vandalism and the elements,
but thanks to its reinforced concrete, still stands mostly intact.
Today, the building is home to its
caretaker who describes the building/his home as an indoor farm. The
plant is due for demolition, but there is a dispute over who actually
owns the property.
Industrial #2
Volkswagen Assembly Plant
SSOE
Chattanooga, Tennessee
VW's new plant, opened in 2011, is the
first automobile manufacturing plant to receive LEED certification.
The building utilizes the passivhaus philosphy.
The building is divided into three
sections: body shop, main assembly, and paint shop. Along the
assembly line are three major check points – one following each
shop. The circular plan allows for a short walking distance between
checkpoints, because inspectors must communicate across checkpoints
when problems are encountered.
The plant is intended to be flexible so
that it can manufacture any of VW's cars. (it just can not assembly
trucks, which are not a major part of VW's lineup.)
Industrial #3
Fagus Factory
Walter Gropius, Adolf Meyer
Alfeld, Germany
This factory to produce Shoe Lasts (the
form for shoe making) opened in 1913, with additions completed in
1925.
The company's owner wanted a building
that departed from history to usher in a new age in manufacturing,
and show the company's new direction. Both Gropius and Meyer were
influenced by Peter Behrens' design for the AEG building. During the
time Behrens was working on AEG, Gropius and Meyer worked with him.
The complex consists of multiple
buildings. They are constructed of different systems, but because
they utilize the same materials, they appear as one whole.
The Fagus Factory building was
constructed along side railroad tracks, its design is influenced by
its response to that line of modern (at the time) transportation.
Apartment #1
Floating Apartment
Waterstudio
The Netherlands
These 60 luxury apartments are floating
on water, and construction began in 2009.
The design goal for this project is
energy efficiency.
The designers say it is a response to
rising waters, but it is a region where living near or on the water
is common.
Despite floating on water, the
apartments still have generous terraces and parking for all.
Apartment #2
Prefab Apartment Complex
Interface Studio Architects
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The apartment building was constructed
from 80 prefabricated modules, and contains 72 housing units.
The building is housing for students,
and is LEED rated.
Apartment #3
Condominium Trnovski Pristan
Juri Sadar, Bostjan Vuga
Trnovski Pristan, Ljubljana, Slovenia
They claim the pixel-like effect alters
the perception of its size, but for me, it it only blurs the location
of windows.
This apartment was completed in 2004,
and has a tiled facade. The tiles are colored to create the
pixel-like effect.