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Transforming a 19th-Century Amsterdam Home into a Modern, Light-Filled Abode

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A historic Amsterdam residence, originally built in 1890, has undergone a remarkable transformation at the hands of Kubota & Bachmann Architects. This two-story apartment, spanning the ground and first floors of a classic Dutch townhouse, once suffered from a typical deep and narrow layout that limited natural light. The architects' vision was to convert this constrained space into an open, flowing, and brightly illuminated home.

The core of the design strategy focused on overcoming the 'tunnel effect' often found in such traditional properties, particularly on the ground floor. To achieve this, the interior palette is dominated by crisp white surfaces, complemented by warm natural wood flooring, custom timber shelving, and textured tilework. Strategic placement of mirrors plays a crucial role, reflecting the inner courtyard and blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, thereby optically enlarging the rooms. Furthermore, two large integrated light boxes serve as innovative artificial skylights, eliminating dark corners and disrupting the linear feel of the corridors. The upper level, housing three bedrooms and the primary bathroom, maintains structural integrity while opening up circulation paths to enhance spatial continuity. The introduction of ribbed glass partitions and silver reflective curtains in place of some structural walls allows soft, diffused light to penetrate while ensuring privacy. The bathrooms are a testament to meticulous detail, featuring lightweight partition walls and gracefully curved corners adorned with Japanese kit-kat mosaic tiles, creating a cohesive and tactile surface throughout.

This project is a brilliant illustration of how thoughtful architectural intervention can breathe new life into historical structures. By prioritizing light, flow, and material harmony, Kubota & Bachmann Architects have not only preserved the charm of a 19th-century home but have also adapted it to meet the demands of modern living, demonstrating a profound respect for both heritage and innovation. It stands as an inspiring example of how architecture can transcend functional requirements to create spaces that uplift and enrich the human experience, proving that even the most challenging layouts can be reimagined into places of beauty and tranquility.

Gary Chang's 'Domestic Transformer' Redefines Compact Living in Hong Kong
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Gary Chang's 'Domestic Transformer' Redefines Compact Living in Hong Kong

BIG's Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art: A Garden of Interconnected Pavilions
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BIG's Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art: A Garden of Interconnected Pavilions

OMA's Resident-Centric Urban Renewal in Taipei Challenges Standardized High-Rises
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OMA's Resident-Centric Urban Renewal in Taipei Challenges Standardized High-Rises

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MiMar Tower: Atlantic Views for All in West Palm Beach

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CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati's innovative MiMar tower in West Palm Beach, Florida, challenges traditional coastal real estate hierarchies by guaranteeing every resident a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean. This 25-story structure, a collaboration with developer Jeff Greene under the state's Live Local Act, ingeniously combines affordable and market-rate housing within a single building, erected directly above the preserved historic Datura Fire Station. Forty percent of the residences are dedicated to affordable housing, yet all homes benefit from the same coveted ocean orientation. The design's clever zig-zag facade not only maximizes Atlantic views but also subtly references Miami's iconic Art Deco style through its geometric play, rather than overt ornamentation. The tower also champions sustainable construction, utilizing a hybrid mass timber and concrete system, aligning with Florida's progressive timber construction guidelines.

Beyond its striking aesthetics and commitment to equitable views, the MiMar tower integrates environmental considerations into its architectural design. The facade is not merely for aesthetics; its folds are strategically designed to adapt to South Florida's sun exposure and prevailing winds. Balconies deepen progressively on higher floors to provide increased shade and protection, demonstrating a thoughtful response to climatic conditions. Furthermore, the development fosters a sense of community by ensuring all residents, regardless of their housing tier, share the same entrance, elevators, and a beautifully landscaped podium terrace with various amenities. This integrated approach extends the premium ocean orientation to every apartment, making luxury accessible and promoting a harmonious living environment while preserving the historical character of the Datura Fire Station at street level.

Equitable Atlantic Views Through Innovative Design

The MiMar tower, conceptualized by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, revolutionizes the concept of desirable coastal living in West Palm Beach. By departing from conventional high-rise designs where ocean views are often reserved for premium units, this 25-story residential building ensures that every single apartment, regardless of its classification as affordable or market-rate, enjoys a direct perspective of the Atlantic Ocean. This remarkable achievement is facilitated by a unique zig-zag architectural facade, which meticulously angles each residential module eastward. This design not only democratizes access to scenic ocean panoramas but also serves a practical purpose by increasing the privacy and separation between adjacent balconies, drawing inspiration from Miami's Art Deco heritage through its geometric elegance.

This pioneering approach to urban residential architecture, developed in partnership with Jeff Greene and aligned with Florida's Live Local Act, signifies a commitment to inclusivity within upscale developments. The integration of affordable housing, comprising 40 percent of the residences, alongside market-rate units in the same structure, breaks down traditional barriers, fostering a diverse community. The architectural innovation, rooted in a keen understanding of coastal orientation, allows each home to benefit from the prime location, offering an unprecedented standard of living where the privilege of an ocean view is a shared experience, reflecting a forward-thinking vision for urban development that prioritizes both aesthetics and social equity.

Sustainable Integration and Community Focus

The design of the MiMar Tower extends beyond visual appeal, incorporating crucial environmental and community-centric elements. CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati's architects thoughtfully engineered the building's facade to respond dynamically to South Florida's climatic challenges, including intense sun and strong winds. As the tower ascends, the balconies progressively deepen, providing enhanced natural shading for the residences below and mitigating solar heat gain. This adaptive facade system demonstrates a sophisticated blend of environmental performance and aesthetic design, ensuring a comfortable indoor climate while adjusting the relationship between interior spaces and the expansive coastal environment. The building's strategic use of alternating solid and open sections further contributes to environmental control and residents' comfort.

Moreover, the MiMar project champions social integration by eliminating the visible divide between affordable and market-rate residents. All occupants share a common main entrance, use the same elevators, and have access to a shared landscaped podium terrace, which houses various communal amenities. This inclusive design philosophy ensures that the architectural feature most often considered a premium upgrade—the ocean orientation—is available to every apartment, fostering a cohesive community environment. Furthermore, the development incorporates a hybrid mass timber and concrete structural system, aligning with Florida's evolving standards for tall timber construction. This sustainable choice allows for significant portions of the building to be fabricated off-site, reducing construction time and on-site disruption, and substantially lowers the tower's embodied carbon footprint compared to traditional all-concrete construction, marking a significant stride towards environmentally responsible urban development.

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DLR Group Redefines Middle Eastern Urbanism: Crafting Human-Centric Spaces from Masterplans to Micro-Moments
Building materials

DLR Group Redefines Middle Eastern Urbanism: Crafting Human-Centric Spaces from Masterplans to Micro-Moments

Innovative Design: Transforming Tea and Coffee Waste into Functional Art
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Innovative Design: Transforming Tea and Coffee Waste into Functional Art

Skovsporet: Pioneering 3D Printed Student Housing in Denmark
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Skovsporet: Pioneering 3D Printed Student Housing in Denmark

Building materials

Venetian Blinds Reimagined as Modular Lighting System

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The Keker Collection, an innovative project by designer Reza Raeisifar, redefines the function of standard Venetian blinds by transforming their discarded aluminum slats into a dynamic, modular lighting system. This initiative commenced in 2018 when Raeisifar recognized the potential for repurposing these materials. What were once components for blocking and controlling natural light are now meticulously integrated into a system that directs and diffuses artificial illumination. This approach not only showcases a commitment to recycling but also introduces a family of versatile lighting fixtures, each built on a unified, adaptable design principle.

The conceptualization of the Keker Collection stems from an initial encounter with an aged Venetian blind, inspiring Raeisifar to explore new applications for its constituent parts. This concept gained momentum when he was invited to contribute a lighting design to the interior of the Afarinesh project at Shiraz University. The resulting system ingeniously shifts the aluminum slats' role from regulating ambient light to sculpturing and distributing illumination from an internal artificial source. This transformation is achieved with minimal material use, highlighting efficiency and resourcefulness. The innovative design creates various lighting typologies, offering both functionality and aesthetic appeal while promoting sustainable practices in product development.

Transforming Discarded Materials into Luminous Artistry

The Keker Collection represents a pioneering stride in sustainable design, demonstrating how reclaimed materials can be imbued with new purpose and aesthetic value. Reza Raeisifar's vision began with the humble Venetian blind, an object typically designed for light regulation, and reimagined its core components. By repurposing aluminum slats that would otherwise contribute to waste, the collection crafts a series of modular lighting fixtures. This innovative approach extends the lifecycle of materials and challenges conventional notions of waste, illustrating that functional and beautiful objects can emerge from discarded resources. The project’s inception underscores a commitment to environmental consciousness, marrying artistic expression with ecological responsibility.

Each piece within the Keker Collection begins its life as a repurposed aluminum slat, meticulously integrated into a structural framework of laser-cut acrylic sheets. This design choice not only ensures durability but also facilitates a modular assembly, allowing for diverse configurations and lighting effects. An energy-efficient LED light source, centrally positioned, casts light outwards, while the curved slats artfully conceal the source, preventing glare and enhancing visual comfort. The interplay of these elements produces captivating patterns of light and shadow, transforming illumination into a dynamic visual experience. The Keker Collection, therefore, is more than just lighting; it is a statement on the potential of upcycling to create objects that are both environmentally friendly and aesthetically compelling, reflecting a thoughtful interaction between form, function, and sustainability.

Modular Design and Evolving Illumination Concepts

The Keker Collection's foundation rests on a highly adaptable modular design, allowing its core elements to be reconfigured into a wide array of lighting solutions. This flexibility is central to the project's success, enabling the creation of various typologies without straying from the original material and structural principles. From its initial presentation in 2019 at Ordibehesht Gallery, the collection has grown to include pendant, linear, ceiling, wall-mounted, and floor-standing versions. This evolution showcases the inherent versatility of the design, proving that a single concept, rooted in the reuse of aluminum slats, can inspire a comprehensive range of lighting applications, each maintaining its distinctive aesthetic and functional integrity.

At the heart of Keker's modularity are the longitudinally cut aluminum slats, which are precisely fitted into grooves within laser-cut acrylic sheets. This construction method allows for a repeated, consistent arrangement that defines the form and light-shaping capabilities of each fixture. The centralized LED light source ensures even distribution, while the cleverly curved slats manage light direction, crafting a harmonious balance of illumination and shadow. The adaptability of the Keker system means that each piece can serve different spatial and aesthetic needs, from creating dramatic radial shadows on walls to providing a sculptural presence as a pendant lamp. This continuous development, culminating in a full collection presented at Design Gallery One, highlights Keker's journey from an exploratory concept to a versatile and sustainable lighting solution that dynamically interacts with its environment.

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