Someone Has Built It Before

from Eliinbar’s Sketch book 2012  Tadao Ando and the “Concentrated Facades Strategy”

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In my previous post  

I learned about Rafael Moneo‘s and SANAA’s “Ideal Disorder Façades design strategy”

In this post I will share with you another conmon façade strategy, inspired by Tadao Ando  Azuma House ….

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Tadao Ando’s Azuma House in Osaka Japan, is one of the first and most Influencing buildings, planed according to the design strategy I like to Call  “Concentrated Facades”.

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Tadao Ando’s  Azuma House front concentrated façade, is shown in the next image

Tadao Ando

 Azuma House

Osaka, Japan 1975-1976

This is the main entrance from the street to the Azuma House .

Note that the only opening at the main facade, is the door….

What are the origins of this strategy?

For what are “Concentrated Facades” good for? 

Look at the next images showing talented Architects applying the “Concentrated Facades Strategy”

 Is it just a trend?

Well, opposed to other “trends” presented in previous posts of mine….

In this post I will show examples of talented Architects that are getting inspired from the visual aspect of the “Concentrated Facades” strategy

 But they all add their own invention to it ….

And this is basically the main essence of the “conscious inspiration method”

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 Here are some examples of talented architects ,that implement the”Concentrated Facades” strategy consciously.

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Rafael Moneo

Rafael Moneo Architect

biblioteca universidad de Deusto

 Bilbao 2009

Notice the Semi-transparent façade…. It meets the specific needs of a library filtered light.

And to emphasize the main entrance of a public building, Rafael Moneo opens a large “Three-dimensional window” above it.

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More information about Rafael Moneo biblioteca Universidad in  A F A S I A

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Steven Holl

Steven Holl Architect

Bellevue Art Museum Galleries, classrooms, cafe, auditorium Bellevue

Washington inaugurated on January 2001

Notice the closed umber façades…. It meets the specific needs of Galleries and auditorium.

There are large openings in the façade, in three main areas:

1. From the Side of the roof , illuminating the galleries with  Indirect lighting.

2. To emphasize the main entrance.

3. To illuminate the café with natural light.

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More information about Steven Holl Bellevue Art Museum in  STEVEN HOLL architects

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Alvaro Siza

Alvaro Siza Architect

Mimesis Museum South Korea

Completed: 2009

To emphasize the main entrance of a public building Alvaro Siza opens generously the ground level to the public (Many of Alvaro Siza Buildings are characterized by this motif)

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More information about Alvaro Siza Mimesis Museum go to

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Carlos Ferrater

Carlos Ferrater Architect OAB office of architecture

Catalonia Convention Centre

 2004

Much of Carlos Ferrater buildings are being built in hot places with a lot of solar radiation.

He is aware of that. So in many of his buildings , openings are concentrated and protected by slats.

Another feature…. Carlos Ferrater frequently makes use of is the concentration openings to facilitate prefabricated construction, characteristic mainly in residential projects.

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Check the   NEW  CONSCIOUS  INSPARATION  PAGE

in my Facebook

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Here are more examples of buildings applying the “Concentrated Facades Strategy”

Atelier Hitoshi Abe Ftown Building

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House in Minamimachi by Suppose Design Office

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CARLOS FERRATER  Architect GROUP AZAHAR HEADQUARTERS Castellon de la Plana.

Published in mmminimal June 27th, 2012

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Parish Church Complex of Marco de Canevezes, Portugal. It was designed by Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza with Rolando Torgo and completed in 1990

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Alvaro Siza Architect Mimesis Museum South Korea Completed: 2009

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Check the   NEW  CONSCIOUS  INSPARATION  PAGE

in my Facebook

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“Conscious Inspiration” the ultimate inspiration methodology

I invite you all to contribute in developing the attitude and tools towards the viability of the “Conscious Inspiration” Method.

The abundance of information in the Web affects us all, as I illustrate in my posts.

I Believe that designing is a process formed from three main phases:  knowledge, tools and invention.

“Knowledge”:  as many said, and wrote before – Knowledge is the foundation for all designing process. We architects and designers are obliged to be informed about everything that was designed in the past and on a daily basis….

“Tools”:  develop tools to analyze buildings and “Understand” them,  tools that will cope with the abundance of architectural information…

(I intend to demonstrate some of my ideas in future posts)

“Invention”:  with the methodology of “conscious Inspiration” , we don’t need to be intimidated to get inspired from relevant buildings.  Once we develop our tools, it will lead us to high quality and creative architecture.

Eli Inbar