Kok Loong Wong's entry was among the 14 shortlisted projects. Some of the Architects shortlisted are from well established practices, like Amin Taha Architects, Gras Studio and ZM Architecture.This open design competition was initiated by Stirling Developments, a property development company based in Edinburgh. The competition calls for entrants to design a new house typology for the first phase of their ‘Calderwood’ new village development near Edinburgh.
The entrants were asked to Consider the neighbourhood’s context, within both existing landscape & the proposed masterplan to design a detached house type for a specific target market (100m2 min- 300m2 max floor area). Designs should be hugely desirable while representing great value for money to the discerning house buyer.
A panel of experts from the field of architecture and house building, as well as planning and statutory bodies were among the competition judges.
Winners and Runners Up entrants will be given the opportunity of an interview for a full time architectural position with Stirling Developments. In addition, they will be invited to a high profile design workshop in September.
Creative [SIN]ergy wishes Kok Loong Wong all the best!
Intentional Assimilation:
Calderwood Design Competition 2009: A New House Typology
Natural elements seldom appear in a very regular forms; that is the natural phenomenon of the world.
The project experiments with the intention of assimilating an irregularly-shaped building to its surrounding natural element: the tree. This aims to integrate the new buildings into the natural environment.
The core idea of the project is the amalgamation of profiles in order to generate irregularity. By looking at the practice of topiary we can see that the tree can be shaped to what we what. Similarly by distorting the very typical shape of a dwelling, one can adjusts this typical shape to become something unusual. By combining various adjusted profiles one can accommodate functional spaces within this irregular building envelope.
Instead of placing unassuming box-like buildings in the landscape (with the aim of lowering the visual impact of the buildings to their environment) what is proposed here is an alternative, more provocative proposition in order for the new building to blend into the landscape. Instead of apologetically trying to hide, the building assimilates with, [emulates and, by a process of abstract imitation, flatters] its context.
