NotM: Ludens + Spatial Corrections - 20Ago2008

[Image: Room for Two]

As those of you that have been following our first ninja of the month feature know, Ivan Hernandez Quintela of Ludens approaches each of his projects as infiltrations, and/or what he calls prosthetics, that affect/alter/improve/encourage social and physical interaction within a given space - all through simple, minimal changes and additions.

Ludens Spatial Corrections are projects [by commission] that involve existing spaces. Ivan doesnt think of the work as remodeling, however - but instead as prosthetics that he ads, often times as furniture-like pieces, add-ons that help transform the space itself or make it work in a different way.

[Image: Room for Two]

The first of the featured Spatial Corrections is a room for two, shared by two boys. The sleeping spaces have been elevated to the loft-like spaces on either side of the room [see the sketch above], each accessed by a rotating structure created by Ludens. From Ivan:

I added two mezzanines where each kid would sleep and a stair that would rotate so it could face one or the other mezzanine. As the stair is positioned towards one of the mezzanines, the main space is split in two, when the stair in facing the other mezzanine, the main space is left open. Hanging handrails and other tubes swirl around the space to allow each kid to ?escape? in case he gets trapped in a mezzanine while the stair is on the other side.

Good thing those fire-poles are there - otherwise you know those kids wouldve been purposefully stranding each other in those sleeping spaces&

[Image: Art Collector?s Studio]

Next we have Ludens work in an art collectors studio space - which I think really exemplifies Ivans overall design strategies. Commissioned to design a bookshelf/storage unit for a collector, Ivan transformed objects that he found in the existing space to meet his clients needs while adding a personal touch to the work.

[Image: Art Collector?s Studio]

From Ivan:

As I visited the house, I ran into a storage room where he kept empty container boxes which at some point contained art. I decided to utilize these container boxes to construct the bookshelf, putting attention to the stamps, signatures and logos that were placed on the boxes to generate a sort of narrative on the story behind his collection.

[Image: Reading Room]

When asked to design a temporary reading room adjacent to Puebla?s [Mexico] Contemporary Museum, Ivan used small, simple insertions into the space to create informal seating areas. Connected to the museum by a patio, the reading room reaches out to passers-by with a reading table [with chairs] that projects out from the room into the public space - creating a red carpet that would invite visitors to come in into the reading room. Once drawn inside, visitors would find reading material, computers with internet, and video projections on the walls - along with hammocks hanging from the rooms ceiling, offering more informal seating areas to read and enjoy any media being played in the space.

[Image: Reading Room]

For our other articles on Ludens, check out the NotM page we?ve set up combining the individual features.

View more of Ivan?s ?Spatial Corrections? at Ludens? home page - and be sure to head back to AMNP next week for the following installment of NotM: Ludens, entitled ?Work in Process?.

::the projects featured in this post were selected by Ivan Hernandez Quintela of Ludens - who also provided the images along with any quoted text::

Viñoly at Wageningen - 20Ago2008

http://www.architectureweek.com/2008/0806/design_4-1.html

The Atlas Building at Wageningen University in the Netherlands was designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects - featured over at Architecture Week [click the title of this post to read the article].

VS 10.08.2008: Santiago Calatrava Satolas TGV - 20Ago2008

A documentary on the design of Santiago Calatravas Satolas TGV station, from [I believe] Architectures, Vol. 1.  A little old, but interesting/worth checking out.

::Video Sundays, or VS, is a weekly feature here on AMNP. For more architecture-related videos, click on any Sunday in the sidebar calendar - or on the ?videos? category in the ?archjutsu? section. Additional videos that have been featured on any of the MNP sites can be found here on our YouTube page. And don?t hesitate to submit suggestions for video features to architecture[at]myninjaplease[dot]com::

lightness of being - 20Ago2008

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=429storycode=3119073c=2

Tony McIntyre revels in this outstanding exhibition of sculptor and designer Isamu Noguchi?s pioneering and influential work [read the article, via BDOnline, by clicking the title of this post].

Millennials @ work - 20Ago2008

http://archrecord.construction.com/practice/firmCulture/0808firm-1.asp

Arch Record proposes ways to make the best of your firms Millennials, aka all them young ninjas. From arch record: When compared statistically with older generations, Millennials are well educated, technologically adept, outgoing, flexible, eager to learn, and adventuresome. But they also tend to be coddled by their parents and may be quick to express an opinion without knowing all the facts. They are impatient with the less-exciting aspects of project production, and are willing to jump to new job opportunities if they feel their careers aren?t progressing fast enough [click the title of this post to read the full article].

herzog on spiegel - 20Ago2008

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,569011,00.html

Star architect Jacques Herzog, the man behind the new Olympic Stadium in Beijing, tells SPIEGEL his arena is a subversive place where people can meet in locations not easily monitored by officials. He also defends his decision to build for a regime criticized for human rights violations [click the title of this post to read the interview].

Ninja On Wire - 20Ago2008

I dont even really know what to say about this, except for my ninjas, please. This ninja here is obviously ridiculous, and awesome - and the film looks like it should definitely be peeped. Heres a review, from the CS Monitor.