Our guesthouse is embedded in the earth of the site and, by extension, this rich olive tree populated area of the Barriera. The project attaches itself to a greater and more fundamental whole of the olive oil making process and the Verde Family’s deep-rooted history within the industry and the area.
Inspired by ancient ruins, the site aims to leave the landscape untouched with hints of what lies below. The low-level radial walls appear minimally on the surface of the site amongst the overgrowth. They point towards a circular central courtyard where an ancient olive tree is deeply rooted. The guest house entrance itself is a discreet garden path leading down a set of stairs into the house, preferring a modest approach to ostentatious grandeur.
The house set underground removes the need for mechanical air conditioning and glazing for most of the year. Natural insulation and cross ventilation draw on the historic reliance on natural air circulation. Locally sourced finishes and materials such as limestone walls, floors and ceilings, are a reflection of the underground caves found in this part of Portugal. The stairs and furniture also use sustainably sourced local olive wood.
/ Olive Guest House / Portugal
London city is reaching 10 million in population and there are more and more challenges arising every day. London requires ideas and solutions to connect problems with answers and unlock the network of latent opportunity. It is impossible to be aware of all the problems, elements and possible solutions within a city. Therefore the ideas, interventions and design solutions for a city are often misinformed, misrepresented or are derived from ‘opinions’ that do not reflect the true problems (Top-Down Model). The data should inform the ideas and solve the problems.
We proposed an interactive app that allows people to instantly report problems and feedback throughout the city - receiving promos and benefits for their interaction. This interaction not only provides London with real-time information such as movement patterns, up-to-date information, local opinions and more, but also highlights issues across the city that people have been reporting.
/ Voice App / London
Our proposal for the Re’store competition aimed to promote the dynamic character of Oxford Street, and by extension, all retail high streets. We connected the Highstreet with the retail through an animated façade containing ‘pocket’ community programmes, all operating symbiotically to build stronger relationships between residents, businesses and visitors.
We proposed to retain and celebrate the existing façade, bar the apertures, with an inner façade set back into the building. Using this porous, threshold volume allows a network space of unlimited flexible sub-spaces boasting public features and attractions, private functions and services as well as hidden food and drink ‘gems’. This network also extends and provides a platform for the existing retail shop within, by projecting it out to the high street through ancillary experiences, but also revitalises the high street by stimulating facades and drawing people in.
/ Re'Store Competition / London
Competitions / Various
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Menjaga Bay / Flores, Indonesia
Claire Lawn / Surrey, UK