It may be the most wonderful time of the year for some, but for the hardworking residents of the North Pole, Christmas is a time of long hours, tight deadlines, and tricky logistical challenges. In a bid to help ensure presents continue to get delivered in a timely fashion, an architecture competition was recently held to design a new Scandinavian logistics center for Santa and his team.

The Unbelievable Challenge is a conceptual architecture competition launched as part of a marketing campaign for organizers Ruukki (a construction supplies firm), that calls for Santa to move his base of operations over to Oulu, Finland. Out of a total 243 entries from 59 countries, Romania's Alexandru Oprita and Laurentiu Constantinwere given the nod as joint winners, with Nothing Is Impossible: a sustainable building which sports a novel invisible facade that enables it to stay hidden from prying eyes during the day.

Nothing Is Impossible is hidden from view with a photovoltaic membrane and a two-way mirror membrane, both of which help it blend in with the surrounding landscape. We're not quite sure exactly how this system would work, but presumably the magic of Christmas comes into play somehow.

The winning concept also calls for a snow collection system, which melts snow for use in the building, in addition to a rainwater collector. A ground-source heat pump produces heat energy from the ground, and a solar panel array is also located on the roof. We've no word on stables, but it's a given that Rudolph and company would also be made suitably comfortable.

Alexandru Oprita and Laurentiu Constantin have been awarded a cash prize of 1,000 (US$1,250) and just one of the two will be able to participate in a 10-week paid internship at top architecture firm Snhetta. As of writing, primary investor Mr. Claus was unavailable for comment.

Check out each of the runners-up in the gallery.

Source: Unbelievable Challenge

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Architects envision new logistics center for Santa

ISU Architecture Lecture Series: Tom Kundig
On behalf of the Architecture Advisory Council, we present Tom Kundig, of Olson Kundig Architects, for this year #39;s Charles E. "Chick" Herbert Lecture. "Tom Kundig Works" Tom Kundig, FAIA Partner,...

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Slim luxurious dream home envisioned by hyla architects in singapore homesthetics inspiring ideas fo

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#39;SNL #39; mocks CIA with torture architects skit
The "architects" of the CIA #39;s torture report are featured on "Saturday Night Live #39;s" version of the #39;Charlie Rose #39; show.

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Platform TV architects interview: videointervista a Benedetta Tagliabue - EMBT Arquitectes Associats

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Greening your home can be a rewarding experience - 49M and Kabu Design Architects
Architect Buhle Mathole of Kabu Design Architects says there are different levels of greening both in the construction of new houses, in renovating older properties and in retrofitting....

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ARCHITECTS in Davao Region are told to get an Asean architect accreditation in order to become competitive in the coming Asean Economic Community in 2014.

Arch. Benjamin K. Panganiban Jr. said by becoming accredited Asean architects by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), architects in Davao will have more access to growth and opportunities in the region.

Panganiban, who is the only Asean accredited architect from Davao City, said accredited Asean architects will be able to partner with other Asean architects, and this will serve as a venue for an exchange on new architectural ideas, trends, and technologies.

He said the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) and the PRC are working hand-in-hand to encourage local architects in getting an Asean architect accreditation.

Panganiban said the application for the accreditation has a minimal fee of P5,000. After that, they will go through a series of interviews with the PRC.

Applying architects are also required to have five years of experience, continuing professional studies, and a field of specialization. Renewal is every three years.

He said architects coming from the Philippines have the edge over other Asean architects due to the Filipinos natural ingenuity and creativity.

In 2013, only 52 architects in the country applied for the accreditation and on July this year 40 were given Asean architect status.

There are only three Asean accredited architects from Mindanao, Panganiban and two others from General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro City, the rest are Luzon-based architects.

Panganiban said there were only a few architects coming from Mindanao because the application had to be done in Manila.

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Davao architects urged to secure Asean accreditation

Project Management Software for Architects
Dani is an architect looking for simple project management software. Visit our website for more information: http://www.basebuilders.com Transcription: Meet Dani. She #39;s an architect who, like...

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To build better and healthier spaces, architects are heeding evidence-based lessons

The Bullitt Center in Seattle has an "irresistable staircase." Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Americans, on average,spend around 90 percent of their time indoors, and now the nations leading group of architects has found inspiration in this somewhat glum fact. The professionals who design our working and living quarters are starting to see all these confined hours as a major opportunity for them to make a meaningful impact on public health. Today, the American Institute of Architects (AIA)announcedits latest effort along these linesa three-year partnership among 11 architectural schools whose research programs will further explore the notion that building design, city planning and health should go hand in hand. Participating institutions will examine topics ranging from the microbiome of buildings to "tele-health" for rural communities to reducing stress via design.We are all familiar with the adage- Healthy mind, healthy body, says Sulan Kolatan, professor of architecture at Pratt Institute in New York City, but we need to add a phrase that goes, Healthy city, healthy mind and healthy body, because we're understanding that those things are integrally connected. Designing for health soon will be as fundamental a responsibility in the minds of architecture students as designing for energy, says Daniel Friedman, chair of AIA's Design and Health Leadership Group. Leading thinkers in architecture as far back as the Roman architect Vitruviusduring the first century B.C. have considered how ones surroundings might influence health and wellbeing.The concepts most recent revival came in September 2003 when the American Journal of Public Health published an issue dedicated to public health and the built environment. The topic snowballed from there, Friedman says. Latelysensors and software have advanced such efforts by allowing architects to better track and measure the physiological, social and psychological effects of building use on occupants. Its not just walk more, weigh less, Friedman says. This is about the health impacts of design and construction at the scale of room to region with much greater attention to evidence, health data and criteria for well-being. The AIA initiative includes Columbia, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Drexel Universities, as well as the universities of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, Kansas, Florida, Oregon, Miami, and Arizona, along wih the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego. Today, professionals across various fields consider buildings to be a critical tool for combating social isolation, epidemic obesity and depression. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has published recommendations for creating elementary schools that inspire kids to eat healthier and cities including New York are adopting Active Design guidelines meant to encourage building practices that boost physical activity. Robert Ivy, CEO of the AIA, recently penned a column highlighting a few examples of research in this vein and the organization published an infographic on six facets of architecture that have been found to intersect with public healthsafety, social connectedness, environmental quality, sensory environments, physical activity and access to natural systems. Here are a few examples of the highlighted research and initiatives: 1. Design staircases that people want to use

At the Bullitt Center in Seattle, occupants choose to take its irresistible staircase for 75 percent of trips on entering the building rather than opting for the elevator, as compared with the 17 to 23 percent of trips made via stairs in a typical office building, according to results published this year by the Center and lauded by Friedman. While climbing the Bullitt staircase users enjoy panoramic views of Puget Sound and downtown Seattle whereas the elevator is tucked into a back corner of the building and requires a key card to access. Any engineer can design a staircase to meet code but architects have the design and training to design a stair that beckons use, Friedman says. But what about in places with legacy staircases? New York City has posted 30,000 neon green signs with a plea for people to take the stairs in public buildings and facilities. Other examples of built projects that encourage physical activity were highlighted in a 2013 exhibit called FitNation, curated by the AIA. 2. Time lighting to circadian rhythms A 40 percent rise is expected by 2025 in the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimers disease, a form of dementia. To help, Kyle Konis, professor of architecture at the University of Southern California, proposes a way to assuage symptoms such as sleep disturbances with improvements to indoor lighting. Eyes are sensitive to the brightness and color temperature of light (a property that describes its hue ranging from blue to red ends of the spectrum), and these factors influence our circadian rhythms and the wakesleep cycle. In a report for a design and health summit organized by AIA Konis cited a finding that exposing Alzheimers patients to an hour of bright light (typically using a light box) in the morning can help those with the most severe symptoms to sleep better. Most senior facilities, though, rely on dim fluorescent lighting. Also, caretakers struggle to convince residents and patients to sit in front of a lightbox for an hour every day. Konis will conduct a three-month pilot study across four treatment facilities for seniors with dementia near Los Angeles to see if moving a group of patients to a sun-soaked room for two hours daily will reduce symptoms and improve cognitive function as compared with a control group that spends the same amount of time under fluorescent lights. 3. Create opportunities for social interaction

The architects at SGPA Architecture and Planning in San Francisco in charge of designing Lincoln Glen Manor assisted-living community in San Jose, Calif., decided to heed previous research showing that a well-designed facility could boost the frequency of visits by family members and, in turn, the residents' well-being. To make the facility feel more welcoming and foster social interaction, the architects shuffled around the chapel and dining area of the central building to create a more open layout. This change allowed residents to better see one another and encouraged bystanders to join in activities. In what the architects are considering an early measure of success, 90 residents attended this years Thanksgiving dinner as compared with 25 in the year prior, according to a report prepared by the firm. 4. Think of buildings as an educational toolnot just a backdrop A new rural school for K5 students opened with the start of the school year in 2012 in Buckingham County, Va. The school was designed by VMDO Architects, a firm specializing in schools, with the help of academic partners to encourage healthy eating and physical activity. The firm installed water fountains in classrooms, age-appropriate nutritional signage, large staircases and a food lab where students can learn to prepare food. The lead architects presented preliminary results of a study of the 970 students who attend the new school at AIAs spring summit. Their results, which are forthcoming in a peer-reviewed journal, hints that the schools features have helped kids to engage in and enjoy more physical activity while also creating opportunities for staff to organize programs around healthy eating and lifestyles. 5. Continue to design walkable neighborhoods

Most Americans (52 percent) do not get the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity per day combined with muscle-strengthening exercises. Researchers from the Texas A&M Center for Health Systems and Design tracked 229 residents who moved to a walkable community called Mueller in Austin, Texas. Walkable communities put emphasis on pedestrian rather than vehicular traffic as the primary form of day-to-day transportation by clustering apartments, grocery stores, dining and retail. The teams analysis revealed that after moving to Mueller the percentage of residents who were achieving that recommendation increased from 34 to 49 percent. The time those residents spent walking and bicycling shot up by 40 minutes and 13 minutes per week, respectively.

In a separate study published this year of residents physical activity in three low-income neighborhoods in Detroit over six years, researchers found a positive correlation between exercise and the overall connectedness of neighborhoods, as measured by the ease of movement and efficiency of the street layout.

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Architects Aim to Make Us Healthier with "Irresistible Staircases" and Open Layouts

A PAIR of architects from Bolton are taking the building world by storm after completing a multi-million pound project to create a landmark library and concert hall inside the Arctic Circle.

Designer Daniel Rosbottom grew up in Westhoughton and Atherton, and now combines the position of Head of Architecture and Landscape at Kingston University with being co-director of London-based company DRDH Architects, which the 45-year-old founded in 2000 with his partner David Howarth.

The firm rapidly expanded and in 2005 they took on another Boltonian, Richard Marks as an associate.

Now the company is celebrating after completing its most ambitious project to date a 110 million library and concert hall for the Norwegian town of Bod, which will be a new home for the Arctic Philharmonic orchestra.

The company was initially chosen from 193 architects who entered a competition to produce a master plan for redevelopment of the towns cultural quarter, which had been badly damaged in the Second World War.

But their design for stark white concrete buildings overlooking the picturesque harbour did not initially find favour with all the residents with some comparing the design to a fish oil plant or margarine factory.

However, over the five years the buildings taken shape they have grown on the towns 50,000 inhabitants and an estimated 20 per cent of the population turned up for the librarys recent opening.

It is thought that 10 per cent of all Norwegians also tuned in their televisions to watch the halls inaugural concert, which was attended by Crown Prince Haakon.

Mr Marks, a 36-year-old former Canon Slade High School pupil, said: It is quite unusual for a small practice to be given a commission like this.

At some point pretty much the whole office was working on it.

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Bolton architects' 110 million library and concert hall - in remote northern Norway