Images by subBlue/Tom Beddard

Parametric modeling is becoming ever more popular in the architecture world, both for the ways in which it can lead academic discourse and for its ability to generate façade and surface articulation. Of course, at an architectural scale, there are some limits in detail through parametric modeling, with the built component often lacking the fineness of a 3D model, whether because the tools used have certain tolerances or because time requirements are outlandish. For this reason, many parametric designers prefer to remain in the digital world.

And there are many wonderful projects to be found in that world, including Tom Beddard’s experiments with fractals. In this set, called Fabergé Fractals, Beddard creates 3D models and derives renderings from them. The artist has this to say:

The 3D fractals are generated by iterative formulas whereby the output of one iteration forms the input for the next. The formulas effectively fold, scale, rotate or flip space. They are truly fractal in the fact that more and more detail can be revealed the closer to the surface you travel.

The fascinating aspect is where combinations of parameters can combine to create structural “resonances” of extraordinary detail and beauty—sometimes naturally organic and other times perfectly geometric. But then like a chaotic system it can completely disappear with the smallest perturbation.

See more images and a video below!

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We’ve recently found so many projects that teeter between “real or rendering” that we couldn’t wait to publish them (see others here and here). And given that it’s April Fools’ Day, we think it’s the perfect time to see if we can trick our readers. So, here it goes:

This brightly colored project is a single family residence on the far tip of Long Island, New York. A series of shearing garden walls enclose living spaces clad in channel glass. Soaring triangular roofs jauntily cap the home. The big question—was this project actually built? Are those electric neon colors just too vibrant? Let us know what you think below!

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Project: Binissalem School Complex

Architect: RipollTizon – Estudio de Arquitecta

Location: Binissalem, Spain

From the project’s beginning, RipollTizon intended to develop a dialogue between the school campus and its environment. Streetside, the façade features a fragmented window scheme that breaks down the scale of the complex, connecting it to the surrounding neighborhood. On the opposing side, large windows embrace the playground and landscape beyond. Bold colors reflect the playfulness of students and the sunny nature of Mallorca Island.

Read more about this project in the Architizer database.

Photos: José Hevia

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Atlanta-based artist Alex “Hense” Brewer was commissioned last year to convert an abandoned church into a vibrant, eye-catching work of art. Located at 700 Delaware Ave. in Southwest D.C., the building, formerly the Friendship Baptist Church and presently an historic site, now stands as a colorful and playful street mural that seeks to transform the neighborhood into a hub for D.C. artists. Hense hoped to take something neglected and deteriorating and re-purpose it into a positive beacon for the community.

And it seems to be working. Already, the abandoned lot across the street has been purchased by an investor who plans to build an art museum. With its bright colors, quirky patterns, and lavish use of paint, the work anticipates Southwest D.C. becoming a new mecca for local artists. Click through for more photos!

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The first factoid about Holland our grade-school minds absorb is its production of tulips. Tulips and canals—that’s Holland. Or it was for a couple of years, at least. Of course, the semi-glossy pages of our reductionist “world history” books lied (as they usually do), and we would find out later how Holland is much, much more than its colorful, bulbous exports. Still, tulips did indeed factor greatly in the development of Holland’s horticulture and even economy, where the flower sowed the seeds of Europe’s possibly first (popped) speculative bubble.

But onto more aesthetic matters. Tulips were always prized for their delicate form and bright colors, the vast polychromatic range of which was never faithfully depicted in our history books of yore. French photographer Normann Szkop‘s tulip “project,” on the other hand, capture the bulbs in all their true technicolor glory. Click through for more!

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Project: Educational Center in El Chaparral

Architect: Alejandro Muñoz Miranda

Location: El Chaparral, Spain

Function: The changes in section of this 915-square-meter school depend on the purpose of individual rooms, including classrooms, bathrooms, gardens, and a covered playground. They also are determined by the path of the sun and the longitudinal slope of the site. Read more about this project in the Architizer database.

Photo © Fernando Alda

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Artist Gabriel Dawe has unveiled his latest installation, Plexus no. 19, at the Villa Olmo in Como, Italy. Part of the MINIARTEXTIL Festival, the installation is on view until November 18th.

Though images of thread installations have already travelled the length of the internet and back, Plexus no. 19 is unique due to its location in a 19th-century villa replete with Rococo encrustations on the ceiling and ornate balustrades. Criss-crossing the villa’s atrium with the hyperbolic curves characteristic of ruled surfaces, the installation sets up a strong contrast with its context, seeming at once ethereal and rigorously modern. See more!

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We wrote last month how the luxury high-tech bathroom was the latest venue for extreme home makeovers. But let’s not discount the kitchen! After all, it’s the social center of the home, where most of your family and guests will spend most of their time. It’s the kitchen that makes the most lasting impression, so you had better make sure it stuns. Kitchen trends are on the rise, and naturally, Kohler is there with the best the industry has to offer. Their new line of kitchen fixtures focuses on how color can transform a space with bold features and stylish, imaginative touches that will make your kitchen pop (or hum). Continue.

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With eccentric concoctions that evoke memories of a candy-coated childhood, it’s no surprise that the design of Australia’s Zumbo Patisserie at The Star in Sydney is just as playful as the baked creations they produce. Partnered with Luchetti Krelle to develop and execute the design, the space is filled with enough sugary surprises to make your teeth hurt. The whimsical design is a mix of factory and garden atmospheres; colorful steam pipes descend from the ceiling to deliver sweet treats while a conveyor belt in the patisserie’s central table is topped with grass. Additional displays spring up like flowers in a garden. See more photos!

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Building: Lush Pasture Cabins

Architect: Max Pritchard Architect

Location: Bald Hills SA, Australia

Why We Like This:

Situated amid rolling hills with distant sea views, the Lush Pasture Cabins are a study in primary colors, which add drama and character to the small units. The design of the iconic winged roof makes each structure appear as if they are ready to take flight, while also serving an alterior purpose deeply rooted in marketing and sales. The dramatic views are emphasized by the wraparound windows, which are also equipped with motorized blinds that offer residents privacy if they so desire. Read the complete project description here.

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