Estudio Explanada

Estudio Explanada
This artist's studio is located in a residential area in the west corner of Mexico City, on a 20 x 40 m (66 x 131 ft) site.  The program includes an underground parking space, as well as a three story-building which is comprised of a triple-height space, offices on the third floor, and a service area on the roof. Two functions had to be served: as a studio space on one hand, and on the other, as a venue for private temporary exhibits. 

The client asked for additional spaces: one apartment for guest artists who would stay for a short time while developing a practice or a show, a 9 x 9 x 9 m space for work or exhibit, one studio/office, one kitchen in the large space to be used as a side bar for openings, and finally parking for 25 cars. The project refines itself towards the center of the space. Both the east and west sides open up, thus allowing views of the trees and gardens on the site.

Construction and Technical Aspects A 14 x 8 m cantilevered concrete structure covers the exterior program used for different open-air activities such as lectures, exhibitions, or just as a meditating area. The concrete structure, overlooking the main space of the exhibition area, houses the studio and office spaces. This project is mainly interested in its spatial qualities, rather than in the programmatic conditions itself, due to its multiple and diverse events.  The entire building is constructed in white exposed concrete.

Design team: Tatiana Bilbao S.C. with Julio Amezcua - Francisco Pardo; Israel Alvarez, Aida Hurtado, Arturo Peniche, Jorge Vazquez, Carlos Leguizamo y Octavio Vazquez, Tiberio Wallentin Structural engineering: IESSA, Ing. Francisco Javier Ribe Contractor: MZM, Ing. Miguel Cornejo Construction management: Elizabeth Huerta Client: Undisclosed Design phase: June 2006 – December 2006 Construction phase: March 2007 – December 2008 Maximum height of the building from ground level: 9 meters

at 103 The fast technological unfolding that ruled the last decades has caused designers to reflect on its creative processes, leading them to fortify multidisciplinary work. Founded with the clear intention to investigate and create new techniques for architecture in the contemporary city, a multidisciplinary group shares a need for integration among the capacities of logistics and the multiplicity of knowledge. Each member contributes within its particular field of experience together with its dedicated commitment for innovation. This methodology of associations tries to identify specific modes of action taking MEDIA as a tool that allows the understanding of TIME and SPACE. Architectural typologies are in constant mutation in order to survey on the idea of a SKIN as a surface that within its space allows the existence of a BODY. To explore the relationship between two autonomous but interrelated systems: surface and program, as instruments of negotiation. Through MEDIA "Low-Tech High-Resolution" effects can be achieved, the set of relationships rule the materiality of the projects: Skin becomes the outfit that protects the body while the body contains all programmatic activities. The focus is placed on the relationship between the various spaces and their changeability over time rather than in the spaces themselves.  Partners Julio Amezcua (Mexico City 1974) Architect by Universidad Anahuac with honors (1999), studied a Masters Degree in Architecture at Columbia University (2001). He began his professional practice at TEN Architects (1997-2000), and SOM in New York (2000-2001). In 2001 founded at103. He has as been a professor at UNAM, Iberoamericana University, Anahuac University (Mexico) and University of Pennsylvania. He is currently visiting assistant professor at Pratt Institute (NY). He has lectured at USC, SCI-Arc, Iberoamericana and Anahuac among others Institutions and has participated in several Biennales around the world. In 2000 he received CONACYT and Bank de Mexico Grants for studies abroad; in 2001 he received the scholarship for architecture by the Culture and Arts Council. Francisco Pardo (Mexico City 1974) Architect by Universidad Anahuac with honors (1998), studied a Masters Degree in Architecture at Columbia University (2000). He began his professional practice at TEN Architects (1995-2000); CHOSLADE Architecture in New York (2000-2001). In 2001 founded at103. He has been a professor at Technologic de Monterrey, Anahuac University and University of Pennsylvania. He is currently Professor at Iberoamericana University in Mexico. He has lectured at Hong Kong Polytechnic, Innsbruck University, UBA Buenos Aires, and multiple institutions in Mexico, has participated at several Biennales around the world. In 2001 he received the scholarship for architecture by the Culture and Arts Council.

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Hemeroscopium House

For the Greek, Hemeroscopium is the place where the sun sets. An allusion to a place that exists only in our mind, in our senses, that is ever-changing and mutable, but is nonetheless real. It is delimited by the references of the horizon, by the physical limits, defined by light, and it happens in time.

 

Hemeroscopium house traps, a domestic space, and a distant horizon. And it does so playing a game with structures placed in an apparently unstable balance, that enclose the living spaces allowing the vision to escape. With heavy structures and big actions, disposed in a way to provoke gravity to move the space. And this way it defines the place.

The order in which these structures are piled up generates a helix that sets out from a stable support, the mother beam, and develops upwards in a sequence of elements that become lighter as the structure grows, closing on a point that culminates the system of equilibrium. Seven elements in total. The design of their joints respond to their constructive nature, to their forces; and their stresses express the structural condition they have. By the way this structure is set, the house becomes aerial, light, transparent, and the space kept inside flows with life. The apparent simplicity of the structure´s joints requires in fact the development of complex calculations, due to the reinforcement, and the prestress and post-tension of the steel rods that sew the web of the beams.

It took us a year to engineer but only seven days to build the structure, thanks to a total prefabrication of the different elements and a perfectly coordinated rhythm of assembly. All of our effort oriented to develop the technique that would allow to create a very specific space. And thus, a new astonishing language is invented, where form disappears giving way to the naked space. Hemeroscopium house materializes the peak of its equilibrium with what in Ensamble Studio we ironically call the “G point”, a twenty ton granite stone, expression of the force of gravity and a physical counterweight to the whole structure.

Antón García- Abril

• *1969 in Madrid, Spain
• European Doctor of Architecture. ETSA, Madrid 2007.
• Master in Architecture, ETSA Madrid 1995.
• Spanish Academy research scholarship in Rome 1996.
• Establishes Ensamble Studio in 2000.
• Professor at the E.T.S.A. Madrid, Architecture Projects.
• Writes about architecture in EL CULTURAL.
• Gives lessons and conferences at different forums and universities.

2008 Exhibition JAE (Young Spanish Architects). Arquería de los Nuevos Ministerios. Madrid. (Sede SGAE Noroeste en Santiago de Compostela). Exhibition “La natural seducción de la piedra – Contemporary Architecture in Spain. PIEDRA2008”. (Sede de la SGAE en Santiago de Compostela). Conference “recent work” Accademia d'Architettura of Mendrisio. Conference “Sfidando la gravità.” Facoltà di Architettura di Ferrara. Ferrara. Conference “Sfidando la gravità.” Museo di Castelvecchio. Verona. Conference “A young look to knowledge frontier. Subtractive architecture.” Menéndez Pelayo International University. Santander. Honor Guest – Conference “Tuned City - Between sound and space speculation. Antón García-Abril: building for sound”. Technische Universität. Berlin. Conference in Technische Universität Berlin. “Antón García- Abril: studio work. Positionen 08”. Conference “Matter in time", Academic Association of Lusíada University, Lisbon. Conference “New works”. Intention cultural program. Formatos library. A Coruña. Visiting professor in Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Architectural Digest Award. Best architect of the year 2008.

2007

Conference "Antón García-Abril. Recent work". Harvard University, Massachusettts. Visiting professor in University of Navarra, Spain. Lecturer at the "X Architecture Courses", C.M. Hernando Colón, Seville. Lecturer at Dallas Architecture Forum, Texas. 2006 Visiting professor in UTA - University of Texas at Dallas. 2000 First Prize. Biennial of Architecture 2000, Spanish Pavilion, Venice. 1997 Store – Exhibition HAZEN PIANOS project. Madrid. Built (1998).

Honorable mention. Madrid City Hall XIII Architecture and Town Planning Award. (Store – Exhibition HAZEN in Madrid).

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