Twelve Architects unveils plan for elevated park in Manchester

London studio Twelve Architects has revealed its plan to transform the disused Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester into a "green oasis" reminiscent of New York City's High Line.

The design, which was informed by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro's New York City High Line, is a 330-metre long linear park that will occupy a disused 130-year-old railway viaduct.

Top: video of the proposed plans. Above: the viaduct is a Grade II-listed structure

The studio worked with charity The National Trust to develop a design that marries the industrial heritage of the area with a modern urban park.

"We were tasked to create 'moments of joy', which is a wonderful brief to have and that is what we have sought to achieve through our early design ideas," said Twelve Architects founding director Matt Cartwright.

"We wanted people to experience the structure in all its industrial glory and take a moment to imagine its past and appreciate the sheer beauty of the engineering," he told Dezeen.

The edges of the viaduct has a steel structure

Built in 1892, the Castlefield Viaduct was constructed by the engineers of the Blackpool Tower and is now Grade II-listed.

It is located in Castlefield, an inner-city conservation area of Manchester which contains the site of the world's first passenger railway and sections of the world's first industrial canal.

The proposed design would incorporate greenery

The proposal will see the viaduct divided into three zones that aim to take visitors on a journey that highlight the structure.

Visitors will enter the viaduct at a welcome space, which will contain food trucks, seating and a number of planters.

The second zone aims to present the viaduct in its abandoned. It will have minimal landscaping or architectural intervention to showcasing the structure of the viaduct.

Plants and shrubbery will cover the viaduct

The final zone will double as an event space and a green garden "oasis" that is filled with plants and greenery, housed within large red-hued steel planters that link the design with its industrial heritage.

A plant-wrapped temporary structure was designed to stretch the width of the viaduct and will be used to host events.

A glazed wall at the rear of the structure will provide visitors with views across the remaining half of the viaduct.

It will be divided into three zones

"Our overarching concept was to create a 'theatre of the space'," explained Cartwright.

"Splitting the viaduct into three distinct zones, we created a green screen gate, a living wall that acts like a theatre curtain between zone 1 and 2, opening to reveal the secret gardens behind."

The viaduct will aim to showcase the area's history

"We hope it will feel like a green oasis, where people can lose themselves for a time, all the while soaking up the rich history of the area and connecting with nature," Cartwright added.

"It's a place people will come to for coffee, for a stroll with family, for a community event."

The design was informed by the High Line in New York City

The studio explained it looked to projects such as La Promenade Plantee and Le Viaduc des Arts in Paris as well as The High Line in New York when approaching the project.

"While these projects have provided us with valuable new understanding and inspiration, for us this has always been about creating something very true to the area," said Cartwright.

Earlier this year, an extension of New York City's High Line that will connect to Penn Station was revealed.

James Corner Field Operations also recently won a competition to convert a section of disused railway in Camden into the Camden High Line.

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Pale pink tiles create distinctive new facade for London terrace renovated by Archmongers

London studio Archmongers has used a colour palette of yellows, browns and pinks in a renovation of a Victorian terraced house in north London.

Called Mount View, the project involved overhauling the ground floor of the family house, to create a spacious kitchen and dining room connected to the garden, and converting the basement into a guest suite.

The renovated part of the house feature an exterior cladding of pale pink tiles

Externally, these renovated spaces are all clad in handmade tiles, in a pale pink shade that complements the building's red brick walls.

This ties into a 1970s-style palette of warm, pastel tones, inspired by the client's memories of their childhood home.

A tile-clad rear extension creates a new kitchen and dining room

"Our client had a particular love for subtle warm colours, drawing references to her time growing up," said Johan Hybschmann, who co-founded Archmongers alongside Margaret Bursa.

"She came to us with this great sense and interest in colour harmonies," he told Dezeen, "and we found a way to meaningfully apply a suitable palette to the full house, which works well with the existing details and original materials."

Some of the tiles feature a vertical ridge, which creates texture

Originally the house only had a half-height basement that could only be used for storage.

After unpinning the original walls, it was possible to turn this into a studio flat with 2.6-metre-high ceilings and a separate entrance.

On the ground floor, an extension to the rear of the building creates space for the new open-plan kitchen and dining room.

The floor level here has been lowered, giving the room high ceilings and allowing activity to flow out into a sunken patio.

The pastel-toned kitchen features a breakfast bar facing out into the garden

The pink tiles cladding these two revamped areas were custom made specifically for this project by Cotswolds-based manufacturer Tiles of Stow.

Some of the tiles include a vertical ridge, which gives texture to the facades.

Four skylights bring plenty of light into the kitchen and dining space

It is a material that Archmongers has become familiar with, having used it for previous projects such as Clock House.

The idea is to reference the tiles used in various Victorian buildings, from pubs to schools, but to give them a modern feel that follows architects like Alvar Aalto.

"We've used tiles as a facade material for a few of our project as they are very hardwearing, add colour and texture, and reflect light very beautifully," said Hybschmann.

Storage is built into the hallway, beside double doors leading into the living room

Tiles also feature in other areas, including the sunken patio, which is surfaced with a square, dark tile. Meanwhile, the family bathrooms feature a square pink tile, which is contrasted by various coloured taps.

In the kitchen, a yellow-toned kitchen features alongside a green vinyl floor. This space is filled with natural light, thanks to four skylights integrated into the roof.

The works also included an expansion of the hallway, incorporating built-in storage with scallop-fronted doors.

The bathrooms feature pink tiles, vinyl floors and coloured taps

"Working with a house of such generous proportions revealed so much about the original intentions of Victorian design. Building on this framework and being able to create spacious additions to unlock the house was a fun challenge," added Hybschmann.

"We've created beautiful yet practical light-filled spaces that give the house a contemporary feel."

Photography is by French + Tye.

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Rooi uses plywood joinery to revamp post-war Chinese apartment for modern life

Multifunctional plywood structures that create spaces for sleeping, storage and drinking tea feature in this compact apartment in Beijing designed by Rooi.

Rooi aimed to create a unique apartment in the block of thirty-six identical units that was built in 1950 to provide accommodation for the families of workers employed at a nearby research institution.

Top: the apartment is located in a 1950s housing block. Above: one of its original columns was clad in stone and turned into a feature

At the time the apartment was built, China faced an influx of people moving to its cities, meaning that living spaces were often tight.

"There was no living room, no dining room or shower in each household," Rooi explained.

"This type of layout represents the standard post-war Chinese apartment."

Rooi created an open-plan area for cooking and dining with a work table at its centre

As the cost of tearing down old buildings is so high in Beijing, Rooi was tasked with coming up with a modern but economical apartment concept, called T101, that could be replicated in each of the 36 units to make them more private, functional and livable.

"The project's core was to find a way to adjust the old collective residence into modern city life and retain its previous structure, recovering the degraded green areas," said ROOI.

"The budget was limited to ¥150,000 [£16,800] per apartment and T101 would be the first experimental renovation example."

A modular birch plywood unit can act as a reception, tea room or temporary guest room

Rooi came up with a floor plan that incorporates a bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room and bathroom all within the unit's tight 50-square-metre footprint.

Designed to appeal to the city's college students and white-collar workers, the layout features an open-plan area for cooking and dining with a work table at its centre.

This area provides enough space for residents to receive guests, work from home, relax in an armchair or exercise.

Bulk items such as sports equipment can be stored on top of the plywood module

An original column is positioned in the centre of the space and has been clad in stone to protect it and turn it into a design feature.

Running along one side of this flexible space, an enclosed north-facing structure made from birch plywood serves as a reception, tea room or temporary guest room.

Above the wooden enclosure, a large storage area can hold suitcases, outdoor sports equipment and other bulky items. A small toilet and a shower room are located on the opposite side of the space next to the apartment's entrance.

The bedroom is separated from the rest of the apartment and features a custom plywood bed with shelving built into its tall headboard, while a compact desk is located next to the window. The walls are lined with slim cabinets for additional storage.

Neutral colours and materials were chosen throughout so that the owners can put their own stamp on the interior.

A bookcase is integrated into the head of the bed

"The apartment was designed as open as possible and functionally very compacted," the architecture studio told Dezeen.

"Natural materials and colour have been used throughout the design to create a comfortable and peaceful feel in contrast with contemporary city life."

The bedroom is separated from the rest of the flat

Elsewhere, design studio I IN has created concept apartment in Tokyo to reframe the way that Japanese homeowners perceive renovated apartments.

Photography is by Weiqi Jin.

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Hawaiian villa by De Reus Architects sits atop a crystallised lava flow

US studio De Reus Architects has perched this villa on an expanse of solidified lava, offering its residents sweeping views of the leeward side of Hawaii's Big Island.

The Kohala Coast residence is made up of a cluster of small buildings and named after the area in which it's located. It was completed by De Reus Architects, a studio with offices in Hawaii and Idaho.

The villa is perched on an expanse of solidified lava

The buildings are perched atop an expanse of blackened igneous rocks, which are formed when lava solidifies into stone. According to the firm, this particular rock formation dates back to 1801.

By breaking up the 10,000 square-foot (929 square-metre) home's different spaces into smaller buildings, the architects sought to reference the local vernacular architecture. This is reinforced by the house's gabled overhanging roofs.

Gabled overhanging roofs define the home

"The residence was designed as a modern interpretation of indigenous island architecture and a way to connect the occupants to nature, the region, and its culture," De Reus Architects said.

A water feature set within an entry court greets visitors to the home. According to De Reus, the open spaces that transition between the different buildings were as important as the primary rooms of the house.

Visitors are greeted by a water feature

"The home is organised as a series of interlocking yet separate hale (pavilions), with the resulting spaces between the hale becoming as important to the experience as the hale themselves," the studio said.

Guests enter through a gallery into the home's principal public area, which combines kitchen, living, and dining rooms under high cathedral ceilings that follow the building's roof outline.

Two of the walls in this room can slide open completely, opening onto a large reflecting pool that sits between the interior living room, an exterior lounge space, and the primary bedroom.

The Pacific Ocean lies beyond, creating the impression of a continuous expanse of water stretching out to the horizon. Rather than orienting the home to directly face the ocean, the studio opted to angle it slightly, which gives it "glancing coastal views."

Light pours into one of the villa's bedrooms

The owner's bedroom is located in a separate building connected via a walkway. It includes a walk-in closet and its own en-suite clad entirely in white marble, which opens to a lush courtyard with an exterior shower.

Three more bedrooms are located closer to the living and dining room. They share amenities such as a separate lounge area, which could be used to host simultaneously in several areas of the home.

Marble clads the main bedroom's en-suite

Finally, a guest bedroom is located in its own building and is only accessible by crossing the serene entry courtyard. This gives guests more privacy, as the pavilion has its own restroom and outdoor shower.

The interiors were designed by Phillpotts interiors, a firm based in Honolulu. Many of the resident's spaces are left completely open and separated only by slatted wood partitions.

The home has sliding architectural wood screens

"Sliding architectural wood screens throughout the house create privacy between spaces, but create an atmosphere of refinement and mystery," the studio explained.

The finishes found throughout the house form a muted palette of natural wood and light stone finishes.

"For this house, traditional design elements are tempered through a Japanese sense of restraint and interest in craftsmanship," said De Reus Architects. The studio summarised this approach by naming it "tropical minimalism."

A muted palette of natural wood is seen throughout the villa

De Reus Architects is led by architect Mark de Reus, and has completed other projects in Hawaii, including a nearby home which uses a similar concept to promote indoor-outdoor living.

The studio also designed Mark de Reus' own home in Idaho, taking cues from local barn and ranch structures.

Photography is by Matthew Millman.

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Project credits:
Architect: De Reus Architects
de Reus design team: Mark de Reus (project architect), Eric Anderson (project manager), Christopher Strahle (job captain)
Interior designer: Philpotts Interiors
Landscape: David Y. Tamura Associates, Inc.
Structural engineer: Kahiau Design Group

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Claims that planting trees won't slow climate change are "absolute garbage" says commenter

In this week's comments update, our story quoting experts who say planting trees "doesn't make any sense" in the fight against climate change has triggered a furious reaction from readers.

"Absolute garbage," said Rory in the story's comments section. "Trees have a massive potential for capturing carbon."

"What claptrap," added David Graybeal. "Someone with a financial interest in an alternative disparages one perfectly good approach."

"Let's plant them anyway" 

Many of the specialists quoted in our story claim afforestation is not a reliable enough method of long-term carbon sequestration since the trees need to be left growing for decades.

Several readers said that shouldn't stop tree-planting schemes. "Let's plant them anyway," said Kevin McGrath. "There are a million other benefits, not least being that they look fantastic!"

Line agreed: "Reforestation creates ecosystems that are cooling down big areas, allowing water to be better absorbed by the soil, helping biodiversity and habitat for endangered species. As valid as the concern of speed of carbon-capturing is, nature will benefit from reforestation if done in a considered and sustainable way."

Michael Wigle sympathised with claims in the article that carbon offsetting schemes can be dubious. "Saying you are offsetting carbon by planting a tree is nonsense," he said, but added: "That doesn't mean we shouldn't invest more time and effort into re-establishing true old-growth forests and greater biodiversity."

Does planting trees make sense in the fight against climate change? Join the discussion ›

"I respond to every f*cking detail of the time we're in" says Frank Gehry

Commenter says Frank Gehry should "focus on the details that keep water out of the f*cking building"

Readers are reacting to Frank Gehry's claims that he "responds to every f*cking detail of the time we're in". The architect made the comment during an interview about his new tower in Arles, which he claims fits with both the ancient Roman city and today's environmental agenda.

"I f*cking love Frank Gehry," said Anthony Provenzano Architects.

"Frank, you've earned every right to do whatever the f*ck you and your clients want," added Gregory Walker. "It's been a hell of a career. Thank you for being an inspiration on how to be an architect."

Heywood Floyd disagreed: "When I went to the Guggenheim in Bilbao there was a 55-gallon plastic garbage bin at the top of the stairs to catch the rainwater pouring in through the sculptural glazed roof. Instead of focusing on the 'f*cking details of the time we're in' he should try focusing more on the f*cking details that keep the water out of the f*cking building."

Does Gehry respond to every detail? Join the discussion ›

Citizens Design Bureau adds "delicately perforated" Corten extension to Manchester Jewish Museum

Corten steel is "both innovative and gorgeous," says reader

UK studio Citizens Design Bureau has renovated and extended a heritage-listed synagogue to create a museum that "tells the stories of Jewish Mancunians". Commenters are amazed.

"Not a big fan of Corten," said Marc Sicard, "but this way of using it is both innovative and gorgeous."

Orlando1a1 agreed: "This is a fantastic way to use a material that can look so oppressively industrial. When used in such a sensitive way, it transforms into something really rather beautiful and intricate. I never thought that Corten steel could be made to look almost as delicate as lace."

"Every design element compliments the existing structure instead of detracting from it or taunting it," concluded The Pixinator. "It's so harmonious and appropriate. I really love it."

Are you impressed by the renovation? Join the discussion ›

Kengo Kuma reveals cedar-clad public toilet in Tokyo

Public toilet "is the kind of thing cities need," says commenter

Readers are having mixed reactions to a toilet in Tokyo, which Japanese architect Kengo Kuma designed "to dispel the conventional image of public toilets".

"This is the kind of thing more cities need," said Charles Kelso. "Free public facilities that aren't little steel or concrete coffins."

Marc Sicard was less keen: "This is very underwhelming. Wood use seems gratuitous, the rails don't fit the overall aesthetics... not bad but very eh."

"Looks like a health and safety nightmare!" concluded Alfred Hitchcock. "I can imagine the drunk salarymen trying to negotiate this late at night."

What do you think of A Walk in the Woods? Join the discussion ›

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Dezeen is the world's most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page.

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