'kok' by ICU architects office.

'kok' by japanese practice ICU architects office (naoyuki nagata) is a three-storey collective 
residential project in chofu city, tokyo, japan. integrating void forms in a three-dimensional 
composition between units, the design is a practice in generating private and communal space
that enables the inhabitants to 'come together' while maintaining a relationship with the urban 
context of the city.

site area: 342 m2
building area: 160 m2
total floor area: 489 m2
storeys: 3
structure: reinforced concrete

Absolute World - Mississauga.

A brief overview of how the Absolute towers came to be.

Zira Island.

Zira Island is a 1,000,000 sq meter island In the Caspian Sea that will soon be developed into an incredible eco-community and sustainably built resort. Master-planned by Denmark-based BIG Architects, the carbon-neutral eco-island is based on the seven peaks of Azerbaijan and its mountainous ecosystems. Located in the bay of the capital city Baku, Zira Island is a ferry ride away from a growing metropolis and will stand as an example to a region so dependent on oil, that it is possible to live off the wind and sun.

BIG Architects‘ Zira Island will feature seven major structures modeled after the peaks of Azerbaijan that are connected by trails, greenbelts and the coastline. The Seven Peaks will each house a residential development and public space, and there will also be 300 private villas near a golf course in the central valley. Zira’s new skyline of organic buildings will resemble a mountain range that merges with the natural topography of the island.

Read more: Azerbaijan’s Carbon Neutral Zira Island – Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

via Inhabitat

3 Warp-Speed Architecture Tales.

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels rockets through photo/video-mingled stories of his eco-flashy designs. His buildings not only look like nature -- they act like nature: blocking the wind, collecting solar energy -- and creating stunning views.

Get the book on Amazon

Split House Toronto.

Superkül Architects have designed the SPLIT House in Toronto, Canada.

Description from the architects:

Split in plan and section, the parti of the house allows for a flood of light to the centre. The house is designed as space for spectacle – the owners are regular hosts of their large network of friends and family, and they wanted a place that could feel grand. The trick with this was to make a house that could also feel intimate for when they were on their own. A rich brown wood floor that connects with the ipe deck outside serves as a counterpoint to the high ceilings of the main space, and connects the inside to the outside. This, in combination with the design of smaller more intimate spaces and moments throughout the ground floor make for a house that is equally good for two as it is for 30.

From the interior the house has views of the sky and the neighbourhood, and a strong connection to the landscape and pool out back. The use of a buff coloured brick and ipe siding make for a warm exterior material pallette.

Busan Cinema Center.

After winning the competition for this project in 2005 construction started the same year. The roof's ceiling surface is completely equipped with LED projectors which allows for unique visual spectacles highlighting the Busan Cinema Center. The dynamically illuminated ceiling will serve as the center's platform of communication with visitors and passers-by. A free span of 85 meters and a roof surface of 60 x 120 meters makes the roof the worldwide largest cantilevered roof. The complex comprises about 60,000 m2 of performance, event, gastronomy and administrative spaces and has a capacity of up to 6,800 visitors. via 

Design: COOP HIMMELB(L)AU