saunders architecture: bridge studio
‘bridge studio’ by saunders architecture, fogo island, newfoundland, canada image © bent rené synnevåg all images courtesy of saunders architecture
recently completed on the coast of fogo island in newfoundland, canada, the ‘bridge studio’ designed by bergen-based practice saunders architecture. located within deep bay, a town comprised of 150 people, the remote site is accessed after a twenty minute hike through a terrain of granite outcroppings covered with a layer of lichen. a wooden stair and ramp system traverse the topographical changes, helping visitors with steep hills. entered upon crossing a 16 foot bridge, a 30 square meter building is propped upon four piers and overlooks a sheltered inland pond. merging the form of a traditional saltbox structure, the side elevation of the volume takes the form of a parallelogram, angling upward and delicately hovering above the landscape. at the entrance, large glass portal directs attention to the studio area beyond, elevated a few steps above the entry floor plane. the desk is oriented to view the surrounding scenery, allowing artists to contemplate their creative process through a picture window which appears to rest upon the work surface. four-inch spruce planks line the floors, internal wall surfaces and ceilings to accentuate depth perspective within the intimate space. a wood-burning stove and built-in storage for logs are placed within the lower half of the interior.
visitors cross a 16-foot long bridge to access the studio interior image © bent rené synnevåg
see designboom’s initial coverage of the previously completed long studio and recently unveiled squish studio.
studio is placed a few steps above the entry image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
image © bent rené synnevåg
site plan
floor plan / level 0 1. bridge 2. studio
section
elevation
elevation
section detail
section detail
project info:
client: shorefast foundation and the fogo island arts corporation architect: saunders architecture – bergen, norway team architects: attila béres, ryan jørgensen, ken beheim-schwarzbach, nick herder, rubén sáez lópez, soizic bernard, colin hertberger, christina mayer, olivier bourgeois, pål storsveen, zdenek dohnalek associate architect: sheppard case architects inc. (long studio) structural engineer: dba associates (long studio) services engineer: core engineering (long studio) builder: shorefast foundation construction supervisor: dave torraville builders: arthur payne, rodney osmond, edward waterman, germain adams, john penton, jack lynch, roy jacobs, clarke reddick construction photos: nick herder size: 30 m2 location: fogo island, newfoundland, canada status: finished 2011
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Very nice… whats happens when you need to pay a call?
Everything that is nice about these photographs relates to the beautiful nature, the context. The structure itself is an intrusion… arrogant.
how DARE it!
The only graceful thing about this design is that it appears to float, and thus feels as impermanent as a piece of litter, a bleached candy wrapper, that found its way to the wilderness. The works so far in this Fogo Island, Newfoundland project seem to start from the premise that such a desolate location can only be improved by imaginative human architecture. Not so. Buildings in remote, challenging places should be humble and respectful of the surroundings, not arrogantly anthro-colonialist. They should blend in, not be call attention to themsleve.
I realize this response sounds arrogant itself. What right do I, a city dweller, have to criticize a Newfoundland strategy to avoid going berserk? Any signs of human habitation are a welcome and necessary distraction from the ever-present void. But these designs are non sequiturs, decorations, unfortunate embellishments — arid academic exercises best left as studio models.
how VERY dare it!
Mort d\’Urban & William Green:
\”Anthro-colonialist\” … ¬_¬
It is your criticisms of this building that are academic and irrelevant. Architecture in this environment is inherently only an aesthetic task. With absolutely no social context, its ethical responsibilities are relatively minute. Why waste time imposing responsibility on unimportant architecture like this when there are architectural projects happening around the world that impact upon the lives of millions, which demand understanding and criticising urgently?
Mort d’Urban & William Green:
“Anthro-colonialist” … ¬_¬
It is your criticisms of this building that are academic and irrelevant. Architecture in this environment is inherently only an aesthetic task. With absolutely no social context, its ethical responsibilities are relatively minute. Why waste time imposing responsibility on unimportant architecture like this when there are architectural projects happening around the world that impact upon the lives of millions, which demand understanding and criticising urgently?
No Mort and William this box is definitely an intrusion on a lovely spot. I would like to sit in the warm box for a while and contemplate the view and scribble and muse on global architectural issues, but the box should leave when I leave including the bloody solar panel. Gheez they couldn\’t even incorporate it into the box! Unimportant architecture is correct and it should have stayed as a studio model instead of wasting our time pointing out basic truths on sensitivity and balance which must be used on all projects regardless of scale. Why do we need to build these rubic cubes and sit in them and screw up the view from all angles except the view looking out of the cube? Yeah I hope its just parked for a few days and then lifts off for another spot near Mars.
Well, I’d live in such a place! 🙂
This is 3D! RIGHT!? err. I was fooled!
For those interested, traditional Fogo Architecture:
[url=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7uH7MSWijLI/Sorh1wm2MbI/AAAAAAAAATc/OvRZ7c9v7FU/s400/godwin.jpg] 1 [/url]
[url=http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/49283/2787680740025874283S600x600Q85.jpg] 2 [/url]
[url=http://rpmedia.ask.com/ts?u=/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Carlb-fogo-newfoundland-fishery-2002.jpg/360px-Carlb-fogo-newfoundland-fishery-2002.jpg] 3 [/url]
[url=http://www.sailblogs.com/member/yachtmaya/images/cimg4192a_scale.jpg] 4 [/url]
SUBLIME!!!
Well some people prefers a teepee or log cabin in the little hill or an 60 organic proyect, i am agree with each one, but …
Love the landscape and the way it looks, stoic cube in the midle of no where, not landed on the ground, no afection to the original ground, minimun excavation, poetic stright lines, breaking the law, free at last… well done !!
Horrible! What a beautiful place and someone puts a brick like this in the middle?
Its embarrassing what rich humans arrange.
What about the toilet? So beautiful landscape, so clean building, so… but where are you going to cover your human needs? Probably on the shore of this beautiful lake!!!
I can’t believe some of the comments I’m reading, crying about this building being in the middle of a beautiful area, better this building and a single person who owns the whole area, than a single person who owns a corporation and destroys this beautiful land for an office building or worse.
I personally think this looks cool, only if it was a little house, it would be so peaceful.