Tibetan Thangka Art Museum, Lhasa, Tibet, by And Studio
CategoriesInterior Design

Dezeen Awards China 2023 architecture shortlist revealed

Dezeen has announced the 34-strong architecture shortlist for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China, which includes buildings by Trace Architecture Office, AIM Architecture and Thomas Heatherwick.

The shortlisted projects, which are in the running for awards in seven different architecture project categories, represent the best buildings recently created in the country.

Among the projects, which are located in 21 different cities across China, is a viewing tower at a panda sanctuary, the 1000 Trees shopping centre in Shanghai by UK-based Heatherwick Studio and an art museum in Tibet.

The shortlist also features an abandoned wooden home that was renovated with 3D-printed walls and the Dance of Light skyscraper by Aedas.

Dezeen Awards China 2023 shortlists revealed this week

The shortlisted projects were selected by a jury that includes architects Ole Scheeran, Ma Yansong, Rossana Hu, Garett Hwang and Ting Yu.

This is the first edition of Dezeen Awards China, which is in partnership with Bentley Motors. Following the architecture shortlist, the projects shortlisted in the design, interiors and China designers of the year categories will be unveiled throughout the week.

Tibetan Thangka Art Museum, Lhasa, Tibet, by And Studio
Above: An art museum in Tibet is one of the shortlisted projects. Photo courtesy of And Studio. Top: Other shortlisted projects include the renovation of a 1920s building in Shanghai

All shortlisted buildings are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards China website, where you can find more information about the project.

The winner of each architecture project category will be announced at a party in Shanghai in December, with the seven winners competing for the title of Chinese architecture project of the year, which is sponsored by The Dalmore.

Read on for the full architecture shortlist:


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-residential
Cactus House by Shi·Ye Architecture Design & Research Practice. Photo courtesy of Shi·Ye Architecture Design & Research Practice

Residential project 

› Cactus House, Kunming, Yunnan, by Shi·Ye Architecture Design & Research Practice
› House M001, Shunyi, Beijing, by Guò Bàn Ér
› Erya Villa, Foshan, Guangdong, by Touchstone Interior Design
› Hotel on Tile, Fangshan, Beijing, by Beijing Jimei Survey and Design
› Mi Luo City Duan Wu Community Villager Relocating Project, Miluo, Hunan, by Zaozuo Architecture Studio


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-cultural
O · Power Cultural and Art Centre by Shenzhen Huahui Design. Photo courtesy of Shenzhen Huahui Design

Cultural project

› O · Power Cultural and Art Centre, Nanshan, Shenzhen, by Shenzhen Huahui Design
› Tibetan Thangka Art Museum, Lhasa, Tibet, by And Studio
› Houhu·Contemporary Architecture Cultural Center, Changsha, Hunan, by WCY Regional Studio
› Serrangel, Foshan, Guangdong, by ​​Ce-St Design Studio


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-civic
Panda Tower by Shanghai United Design Group. Image courtesy of UDG

Civic project

› Chengdu Tianfu City Planning Hall, Tianfu, Chendu, by And Studio
› Shanghai Library East, Pudong, Shanghai, by Schmidt Hammer Lassen
› Panda Tower, Chengdu, Sichuan, by Shanghai United Design Group
› Yiwu Chian Wutong Yard, Jinhua, Zhejiang, by All Studio
› Haikou Jiangdong Huandao Experimental School, Haikou, Hainan, by Trace Architecture Office


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-heritage
Traditional House of the Future by The University of Hong Kong. Photo courtesy of The University of Hong Kong

Heritage project

› The Vanished Garden, Datong, Shanxi, by XJ Design Agency
› Somekh Building Renovation, Shanghai, by Shisuo design
› Yan Shan Art Museum, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, by Evolve Design
› Traditional House of the Future, Guizhou, by The University of Hong Kong
› Ruins Cave Garden, Dali, Yunnan, by ArConnect


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-workplace
NIO Delivery Center by Kokaistudios, Photo by RawVision Studio

Workplace project

› NIO Delivery Center, Jiading, Shanghai, by Kokaistudios
› Xixi Campus Phase 4 of a Zhejiang-Based Large Internet Company, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, by NBBJ
› URBREW Craft Beer Mashing Workshop, Handan, Hebei, by Name Lab
› Dance of Light Skyscraper Project, Chongqing, by Aedas
› Hainan Energy Trading Building, Haikou, Hainan, by Kris Yao| Artech ​​


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-mixed-use
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Zone Phase I by RSHP, Image courtesy of RSHP

Mixed-use project

› Taikoo Li Qiantan, Shanghai, by 5+Design
› Fairy Li (Chaichanglong Historic Area Urban Regeneration and Redevelopment), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, by SpActrum
› Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Zone Phase I, Shenzhen, Guangdong, by RSHP
› HARMAY FANG, Shanghai, by AIM Architecture
› 1000 Trees Phase 1, Shanghai, by Heatherwick Studio


dezeen-awards-china-architecture-hospitality
Miwo Hotel by AT Design. Photo courtesy of AT Design

Hospitality project

› Sleeping Lab Hotel, Beijing, by Atelier d’More
› Lost Villa in Simianshan, Chongqing, Kong_Architects
› JII Chuan, Chongqing, by VARI Design
› Moganshan B&B, Huzhou, Zhejiang, by SZ-Architecture
› Miwo Hotel, Lishui, by AT Design

Dezeen Awards China 2023

Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

Reference

A circular toy brand - Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

A circular toy brand – Springwise

Spotted: As most parents know all too well, a lot of money gets spent on toys that are played with for only a short time and then discarded or forgotten. Aside from being unnecessarily expensive, this is also environmentally unsustainable – especially as most toys are made from virgin plastics. However, at the same time, toys and play are essential to children’s development. To tackle these issues, Colombian startup Toynovo has created a circular model for toys.

Toynovo has developed a unique subscription service that allows parents and educational institutions to rent or buy ‘gently used’ toys through the platform for a monthly fee. Users can also exchange toys for new ones and sign up to receive a monthly bundle to exchange multiple toys on a regular basis.

In addition, Toynovo donates any toys that are no longer suitable for the subscription service to low-income families – extending their life further. Along with the toys, the company also provides educational materials for schools, community parks and play kits, and breastfeeding cabins for workplaces. The company has even developed its own line of (non-plastic) toys, called Joynovo.

Toynovo became a certified B Corp in 2022 and claims that it has eliminated more than 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide by extending the life of toys. The company is also expanding in other directions – exploring ways to reinforce toys so they last longer, repurposing toys made from wood into construction materials, and expanding the service to the US.

Toys are just the latest product to be offered on a subscription basis to widen access and save resources. We have also recently spotted affordable subscription models for kids’ bicycles and reusable nappies.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Paper Architecture: Diversity of Drawing Styles Hint at New Directions for Visualization
CategoriesArchitecture

Paper Architecture: Diversity of Drawing Styles Hint at New Directions for Visualization

We are thrilled to announce the winners of Architizer’s inaugural Vision Awards, the world’s biggest awards program dedicated to the art of architectural representation. Sign up to receive future program updates >  

Drawing is a reflection of how we imagine new futures. When we leave spaces and lines open to different interpretations, it gives room for diverse meanings and ideas. In turn, drawing styles are wide-ranging, from sketching and more technical techniques to colorful collages and more. The style that a designer or artist chooses gives way to different readings of light, space, form and place.

Celebrating diversity and ingenuity in different drawing styles, Architizer launched the Vision Awards to recognize the students, professionals and studios that are boldly envisioning architecture. The following work represents the winning entries in a variety of categories, all exploring different drawing styles today. From hand drawing to computer-aided and more, they illustrate how to bring buildings and cities to life. Each visionary work is accompanied by the text teams submitted to give context to their drawings or further provoke new readings of the work.


The Last Resort

By Nikhita Sivakumar, Student Winner, 2023 Vision Awards, Hand Drawn Drawing 

“The Last Resort, a black hole observatory located in Greenwich Park, is a testament to humanity’s quest for survival and a gateway between alternate dimensions. As the stars emerge each night, the observatory awakens, physicists gathering within hallowed halls and pooling centuries of knowledge into one goal: seeking an inter-dimensional refuge in the race against our planet’s dying climate.

Scientists turn to the God Particle monument, a historic symbol of faith that bridges metaphysical understanding with spiritual reflection. The engineering facility, buried below the surface, aims to develop a voyager that may embark on this journey, whilst the telescope above decodes the nature of Sagittarius A*, located at the galactic centre of our own Milky Way. The Last Resort exists to bind science with the spiritual, drawing on the hope that brings these two worlds together.”


The Iceberg

By CEBRA architecture, Studio Winner, 2023 Vision Awards, Hand Drawn Drawing 

“The Iceberg is among the first completed projects in the redevelopment of Aarhus’ former container port for 7,000 residents and 12,000 workplaces, spanning 800,000 meters square — one of Europe’s largest harborfront developments. The client, PensionDanmark, assigned CEBRA to maximize views and sunlight for every apartment. Challenging the master plan of closed blocks, The Iceberg consists of four L-shaped wings. The street spaces between the parallel wings open towards the water.

Founding Partner Mikkel Frost used watercolor to create a cartoonish concept drawing merging ancient techniques and contemporary styles, uniting problem-solving with artistic ambition. To obtain optimal daylight conditions and views over the bay, the angled volumes are cut up by a jagged roof profile. The structure offers well-arranged lighting and views to most apartments — even in the back row. The simple algorithm in the design created a stunning structure of eleven white peaks — like a floating iceberg.”


Fable or Failure

By Alexander Jeong and Brandon Hing, Student Winners, 2023 Vision Awards, Computer Aided Drawing

This imaginative drawing “Fable or Failure” by Alexander Jeong and Brandon Hing won the 2023 Architizer Vision Award for a Student Drawing in the Computer Aided category. Jeong and Hing’s rendering reimagines a multitude of fantastical scenarios through space travel. As the duo notes, “Fable or Failure is a project that seeks to reimagine how space travel can be conceptualized in the distant future of societal development.” Taking the shape of an exploded axonometric drawing, the winning entry uses black, white and grey linework and shading, as well as a single color to denote outer space.

Together, Jeong and Hing are curious in how a visualization can pose questions of space, community and gathering. “Will space travel be dominated by the rich and corrupt with the ability to experience otherworldly and transformative events, commodifying it? Can we imagine a future of space travel dominated by imaginative individuals or kids, optimistic in carrying the hopes of the future of the earth with them to space? Through three distinct parts: navigation, archival and extension, the organization of the shuttle is designed for a plethora of humanity’s desires in space travel.”


Amsterdam City Centre Pub

By Olivia O’Callaghan, Student Creator Of The Year, 2023 Vision Awards

“Where do we go when we read? The pub designed for Amsterdam’s city centre aims to answer this, creating a bar residing in the metaphysical, that through its drawings invite you in, wherever you may be visiting the pub from. The pencil drawings emerge from data collected within the site at dusk when the pub opens. Small devices constructed from black mirrors and poetic fragments were taken to the site at this time and created textual openings to it, using the fragments as locators.

As the site darkened, the black mirrors became more intangible and only came to life out of the amorphous backdrop when aligned with the light from the surrounding nightlife. The data collected by these models at their points of activation became the information from which to tease out a sublime architecture dwelling in the textual world, activating the imagination just as reading does. But, just as when we become aware of the flow of our own reading, we lose access to the imagination of the text, and the entry to the bar. This is a bar that serves up drinks that intoxicate the imagination imagination and make visitors drunk from words alone.

The work aims to use the architect’s imagination as a field of play for data collection of responses to the site that becomes reworked through drawings. All the drawings are created and worked into simultaneously, creating a world in the drawings that is fully realized. Some drawings work to describe how the architecture looks whereas others, through their process, aim to investigate how the architecture operates.

I invite you now to look at the drawings and in visiting and revisiting them, entertain you and draw you in to the pub. The drawings become a condition of entry to the bar.”


VENUE ID PINKLAO-SALAYA “Shirakawa-go”

By LWD.Co.,Ltd, Studio Winner, 2023 Vision Awards, Computer Aided Drawing

“Underlining the idea that CAD drawings can be done in many different styles, the drawing VENUE ID PINKLAO-SALAYA “Shirakawa-go” by LWD.Co was the Vision Awards Studio Winner this year for Computer Aided Drawing. As the team outlines, it was made as an “inspired design that tells the story of a beautiful farming village nestled in the valley alongside the Shokawa River, where one might find an old house reminiscent of a childhood fairy tale.” Reading like a comic, the juxtaposition of angles, moments and frames moves the eye through the drawing and text.

LWD.Co. wanted to create an illustration that highlights the architectural design of Gassho-zukuri houses. “Built using the same architectural characteristics as traditional houses, this design employs the architectural style called Gassho-zukuri. Gassho means hands folded together in prayer. The distinctive feature of this traditional Japanese architectural style is the large gable roof that looks like hands folded together. This creates a beautiful blend between the wooden Japanese frame and the architectural style of a traditional Thai house. This combination is perfect for the hot and humid climate of Thailand; the elevated structure which creates a faux-basement space underneath the house is just one of the unique characteristics of Thai-style houses.”


Treehouses Without Trees

By Thomas Wells Schaller, Professional Winner, 2023 Vision Awards, Hand Drawn Drawing 

“There is a universe of possibility that spans the distance between what we look at and what we see. And in that space is our experience of the world. This is what I try to paint — the experience of seeing my world — from perspectives both external and from within. And as such, dreams, memories, and pure imagination are every bit as valid as is anything that can be physically observed.”

Thomas W. Schaller is an artist, architect, and author based in New York City. This work, Treehouses Without Trees, was created in response to lockdowns and inspired by the works of writer Ishiguro. It is a study of connection and isolation, the triumph of aspiration and resource over circumstance, and the looming prospect of an unknown future in a world under siege.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of Architizer’s inaugural Vision Awards, the world’s biggest awards program dedicated to the art of architectural representation. Sign up to receive future program updates >  

Reference

Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen, US, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio
CategoriesInterior Design

Five interiors with furry walls that beg to be touched

Faux fur is liberated from the realm of fashion and used to cover entire walls in this lookbook, which rounds up five interior projects including an igloo-shaped children’s room and a surreal Prada set by AMO.

Rendered in grabby colours, furry textiles are increasingly being used by interior designers to make retail environments feel more enticing, as seen below in the all-pink makeover of Balenciaga’s London store and the monochrome grey fit-out of Chinese womenswear boutique SND.

But in colder climes – like the ski town of Aspen – fake fur can also serve a practical purpose by providing some much-needed cosiness.

Read on for five examples of interiors that are using this unconventional material on an architectural scale.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring subway-tiled bathrooms, chequerboard floors and rustic Italian interiors.


Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen, US, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio
Photo by Billal Baruk Taright

Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen, US, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio

Cosy Alpine touches meet midcentury Italian glamour inside this coffee bar that designer Giampiero Tagliaferri has completed in the ski town of Aspen.

Here, the walls are clad in alternating panels of walnut wood, deep green Verde Alpi marble and faux fur that was designed to resemble shaggy Mongolian lamb wool.

Find out more about the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen ›


Mount Street store, UK, by Balenciaga

Mount Street store, UK, by Balenciaga

Every surface inside Balenciaga’s London store – from the walls and floors to the columns and shelves – was wrapped in furry bright pink textile as part of a temporary installation last April.

The intervention was designed to celebrate the brand’s popular Le Cagole bag and its maximalist spirit, with the materials used now set to be reused for future projects.

“We are currently researching the best way in which we can donate the faux fur, so that it can be reused in manufacturing toys for example,” Balenciaga told Dezeen.

Find out more about the Mount Street store ›


Winter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl), Spain, by Takk
Photo by José Hevia

Winter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl), Spain, by Takk

This winter-themed bedroom belongs to the young daughter of Spanish designers Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño and is topped with a 3.5-metre-high dome designed to resemble an igloo.

Fuzzy white carpet clads almost every inch of the space to create the impression that the all-white interior is covered in a blanket of snow.

Find out more about Winter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl) ›


Prada AW21 2021 menswear show, Italy, by Rem Koolhaas and AMO
Photo by Agostino Osio

Prada AW21 2021 menswear show, Italy, by Rem Koolhaas and AMO

For Prada’s Autumn Winter 2021 menswear presentation, research studio AMO created a sequence of four geometric rooms designed to create “the illusion of a never-ending route”.

Each room inverts the material arrangements of the one that came before, with white marble walls and fluffy sky-blue carpet making way for glossy stone flooring and furry walls in a moody magenta colour.

Find out more about the Prada AW21 menswear show ›


SND Boutique Buyer's Shop by Various Associates
Photo by Shao Feng

SND boutique, China, by Various Associates

In the absence of colour, Chinese studio Various Associates relied on contrasting textures and dramatically slanted walls to provide aesthetic interest inside this womenswear store in Chongqing, China.

The interior combines furry changing-room pods will full-height mirrors to make the store feel more “visually magical and spacious”.

Find out more about SND boutique ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring subway-tiled bathrooms, chequerboard floors and rustic Italian interiors.

Reference

Robot-made tunnels could reshape the power grid
CategoriesSustainable News

Robot-made tunnels could reshape the power grid

Spotted: The US has a huge problem with its utilities. The country’s current grid is both outdated and overloaded. And the transition to renewable energy is exacerbating this problem, as increasing electrification – driven, in particular, by the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) – creates a greater demand for power. At the same time, increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions are straining the grid beyond its ability to function. According to startup EarthGrid, tunnels are the solution to these problems.

Normally, utility tunnels are time-consuming and expensive to construct. But, EarthGrid has developed a way to bore tunnels exponentially faster and at a fraction of the cost of conventional techniques. The company’s Plasma Trenching System uses a plasma robot powered by renewable energy to trench in hard rock at speeds of up to 600 meters per day.

EarthGrid uses its plasma torches to bore underground supergrids that can be used to transmit renewable energy as well as ultra-high-speed internet, clean water pipes, and even delivery services.

The company offers two services. Its Build, Own, Operate & Maintain (B.O.O.M.) service offers a long-term lease covering the commodities flowing through the EarthGrid tunnels. Meanwhile, Boring and Drilling as a Simple Service (B.A.D.A.S.S.), is designed for customers who want to own their own tunnels.

EarthGrid has been granted Utility Status and Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity in 34 States. A recent seed round was massively oversubscribed, raising $30 million (around €28 million), bringing the total equity to approximately $50 million raised since inception in 2016 (around €47 million).

Transporting renewable energy is becoming a big limiting factor for new projects. Luckily, a number of innovations are seeking to tackle this, and Springwise has spotted the use of modular fuel packs to transport energy and the development of thermal energy storage systems.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake's edge in china
CategoriesArchitecture

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake’s edge in china

Studio Fei & Field Object Lab envision leaf pavilion by the lake

 

Studio Fei & Field Object Lab conceive Leaf Pavilion by the Lake to accommodate The Community Center located in a rural village in Ya’an, Sichuan, China. The project is part of the local government’s initiative to boost rural tourism. The region, well-known for its tea production and culture spanning centuries, informs the architectural concept. Drawing from the local sloping roof typology, the design strikes a nuanced balance between the familiar and the contemporary. The leaf-like floor plan introduces a subtle architectural contour, tracing the water’s edge with a sense of lightness to the eaves.

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake's edge in china
all images courtesy of Studio Fei & Field Object Lab

 

 

four intertwined leaf-like formations compose the pavilion

 

Each structure’s central eaves gently descend, directing the gaze toward the distant horizon. Vertical spaces at the terminations of each room offer unobstructed panoramic views of the nearby lake and mountains. Adapting to the site’s natural elevation gradient, the overall massing mirrors the cascading topography of adjacent terraced tea fields, creating the interior spatial arrangement. As visitors enter, they are guided along a gradually changing floor elevation, culminating in a tranquil waterside trail. For the concept of The Leaf Pavilion, Studio Fei & Field Object Lab merge cultural influences with innovative design, creating a space that respects its heritage while offering a serene environment for the community.

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake's edge in china
central eaves gently descend in each structure, directing the gaze toward the distant horizon

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake's edge in china
the overall massing mimics the cascading topography of nearby terraced tea fields

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake's edge in china
the Leaf Pavilion, conceived to house The Community Center, celebrates the region’s rich tea culture

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake's edge in china
the giant roof is supported by an engineered mass timber structure

Reference

Eight sculptural wooden staircases that bring warmth to the home
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight sculptural wooden staircases that bring warmth to the home

Our latest lookbook features eight sculptural staircases made of wood that make a statement and bring warmth to apartments from Hong Kong to Boston.

Often the organizing principle in the planning of any space, a staircase can either blend in or stand out.

The eight gathered in this lookbook lean into the latter – showcasing both the structural abilities of wood like larch, birch and plywood and demonstrating how circulation need not be boring.

From a completely pre-fabricated staircase in a Boston apartment to a plywood spiral staircase twisting from the loft of a renovated barn in the Netherlands, these sculptural stairs create a visually striking centrepiece, as well as a fun way to traverse a house.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.


Photo by James Leng

Hairpin House, USA, Studio J Jih and Figure

Located in Boston’s South End neighbourhood, this historic townhouse renovation sees a four-storey interior plan wrapped around a white oak staircase that spirals around a 40-foot-high (12-metre-high) atrium.

“Aptly named Hairpin House, the project takes the tight, unpredictable, and ultimately poetic switchback turns of a mountain road as inspiration for the overall renovation – and in particular a new unravelling central stair,” said the design team.

Find out more about Hairpin House ›


Linehouse Cape Drive residence
Photo by Jonathan Leijonhufvud

Cape Drive Residence, Hong Kong, Linehouse

Just a short walk from the beaches of Hong Kong’s south side, this three-storey house channels “coastal essence” through natural materials and light, Chinese studio Linehouse told Dezeen.

An “easy flow” was also imbued into the design, created in part by a timber stairwell that’s tucked to the side and – save for a white metallic screen – is open to the living spaces.

Find out more about Cape Drive Residence ›


A wooden staircase with a planting bed at the base
Photo by Frank Frances

Mass Timber House, USA, Schiller Projects

According to design studio Schiller Projects, this renovated carriage home in Brooklyn is the borough’s first single-family residence that uses mass timber construction.

Besides repurposed wooden elements like timber panels and floorboards used for the project, the house features a pre-fabricated glue-laminated timber (glulam) staircase that can be completely disassembled.

Find out more about Mass Timber House ›


Plywood spiral staircase in Barn at the Ahof by Julia van Beuningen
Photo by Alex Baxter

Barn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, Julia van Beuningen

Architectural designer Julia Van Beuningen converted this Gelderland barn into a holiday home complete with a spiral staircase made out of plywood at the heart of the floor plan, which contrasts the more rustic materials of the surrounding building.

“This is very different and very unusual in a barn like this,” said Van Beuningen. “It’s something you either love or hate, but it’s definitely a statement.”

Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›


Photo by Eric Petschek

Carroll Gardens Townhouse, USA, Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design

New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design merged a two-family dwelling into one for the owner’s growing family.

White oak running throughout the two units unifies the project, which includes the addition of a new wooden staircase covered by a slated screen made of the same material.

Find out more about Carroll Gardens Townhouse ›


Larch Loft extension in London by Whittaker Parsons
Photo by Jim Stephenson

Stoke Newington loft, UK, Whittaker Parsons

Architecture firm Whittaker Parsons was tasked with adding a loft to a house in Stoke Newington, London, as well as updating spaces throughout the lower floors.

With efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIP) to construct the new loft. The space is accessed by a spiral staircase made of larch that’s topped with a skylight.

Find out more about Stoke Newington loft ›


Staircase and kitchen in Dragon Flat by Tsuruta Architects
Photo is by Tim Croker

Dragon Flat, UK, Tsuruta Architects

A floating timber staircase features in this flat in London, which is outfitted with walls CNC-etched with images of peonies, dragons, bats and the Thames.

The central staircase allows light to filter into the kitchen and living room below, while solid timber bricks act as landings on either side.

Find out more about Dragon Flat ›


Elsternwick Penthouse in Melbourne by Office Alex Nicholls
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Elsternwick penthouse, Australia, Office Alex Nicholls

The timber staircases in this Melbourne house were integrated into its “library spine” an organizing corridor that contains the family’s collection of books, art and artefacts.

“From a practical standpoint, it allowed everything to be easily accessible and displayed but it also helps to draw people through the apartment and celebrate the two staircases to the roof garden at either end,” said Office Alex Nicholls founder Alex Nicholls.

Find out more about Elsternwick penthouse ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.

Reference

A subscription platform for high-end electronics
CategoriesSustainable News

A subscription platform for high-end electronics

Spotted: The global subscription e-commerce market size is growing at a rate of more than 64 per cent each year, with analysts predicting a value of more than $904 billion by 2026 (around €850 billion). With consumers able to access many products so quickly and directly, adding circularity to the process could help reduce substantial volumes of waste and pollution. With many people keen on updating their devices as regularly as possible, e-waste is a mountainous problem affecting almost every region of the world. 

Australian and Singaporean-based Circular is a subscription service designed to completely change how people consume technology. The company offers the latest devices at affordable monthly prices, and when someone wants to upgrade, the phone, laptop, or other device doesn’t just languish in a desk drawer. Instead, Circular refurbishes the device and offers it for lease to someone wanting a newer device that isn’t necessarily the latest model. When a device reaches the end of its useful lifecycle, Circular recycles it via sustainable, traceable processes.  

Customers choose the length of their subscription and after being approved by Circular, receive their chosen device. Subscriptions are available for individuals and businesses, and Circular covers 90 per cent of all damage repair costs. After paying an initial launch fee for the chosen subscription length, customers pay a monthly cost that ranges from around A$44 to A$180 (from around €27 to €109), depending on the type and power of device chosen.  

Despite the ubiquity of subscription services, innovators continue to find new ways to update the idea for new products and processes. In Springwise’s database, examples include a subscribe and recycle model for kids’ bikes and toys and a subscription app that provides access to electric vehicle charging availability.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

© Stan Zajączkowski (http://zajaczkowski.eu)
CategoriesArchitecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland

Poland is a country that has been through severe political, economic and social turmoil in Eastern European history. The constantly shifting borders, postwar destruction and the catalytic role of the communist party, played a major in shaping the country’s identity. Emerging from the post-war ruins, Polish architecture was mainly a series of Brutalist structures, symbolizing the power and dominance of the governing totalitarian regimes. The famous book Brutal Poland is a photographic exploration that captures and exhibits the country’s distinctive Brutalist legacy.

However, after the 1950s and the country’s gradual de-Stalinization, architects were progressively crossing to the other side of the Iron Curtain, bringing elements of western modernism into their architecture. A large series of housing construction initiatives as well as high profile public buildings took place leading to the now iconic contemporary works of Polish architects Karol Żurawski, Krzysztof Ingarden and Daniel Libeskind. Undoubtedly, contemporary architecture firms hold great respect of the country’s iconic Brutalist character. Still, during the past two decades, they have transformed the Polish built environment into a collection of sensitively designed buildings, which have broken free of the massive forms and the raw concrete surfaces that had once been the norm of Polish architecture.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Poland based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Poland architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in Poland:


30. PORT

© Stan Zajączkowski (http://zajaczkowski.eu)

© Stan Zajączkowski (http://zajaczkowski.eu)

PORT means openess to us. The courage to gaze far into the unknown.Breathing fresh air. A place where different units arrive and depart. Many meanings are contained in the port. Variety and stabilization, technique and elemental strength, freshness, smell and taste of the ocean… Cooperation and individualitthe ocean… Cooperation and individuality. Freedom, joy, sometimes longing.

By saying Christian Norberg-Schulz ‘ ”Port” is, moreover, one of the most recognizable types of space, and in many languages this word is used as synonyms for security and belonging. (…) For people growing up in ports, the boat becomes a significant means of communication, giving them great freedom to choose the roads. Each project is part of our life-time, therefore every time we work hard to achieve something beautiful, important and interesting.

Some of PORT’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped PORT achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 4

29. Toprojekt

© Toprojekt

© Toprojekt

We work within the scope of the budget and the scale of the project. Sometimes we need to use a brick known for millennia, and in other place parametrically designed panels. We are interested in the processes from the emergence of the need, through all stages of the investment, to the operation of the building and the aging of materials. Even if we use the most common and long-proven methods, we always wonder if this is really a good choice, or if it can be done in better way. We still have more questions than answers.

Some of Toprojekt’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Toprojekt achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 17

28. ANALOG

ANALOG is an architecture studio run by Piotr Smierzewski. The projects by Piotr Smierzewski stand out for a strong sense of “place” and deep knowledge of the theory of architecture, what allows to reduce architecture to its very essence.

Some of ANALOG’s most prominent projects include:

  • Factory Full of Life, Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland
  • A1, Koszalin, Poland
  • Music School, Rybnik, Poland
  • LO06, Kolobrzeg, Poland
  • AZ15, Koszalin, Poland

The following statistics helped ANALOG achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

A+Awards Winner 1
Total Projects 12

27. 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki

© 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki

© 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki

90 Architekci is the sum of our team’s experience. The variety of issues we deal with allows us to take a comprehensive look at the tasks set before us. Design drawings are for us a record of the total vision of the future object, so that meeting the expectations of the investor, which we meet, becomes a new, attractive and unique element of the surrounding space.

Our goal is to create architectural and urban projects, interior designs and industrial design at the highest level, both in terms of aesthetics and functions, as well as economics and management of the entire design process. The experience gained in the projects of public buildings, hotels, office and residential, projects of single-family houses and interior design, allow us to move freely in any design situation.

We provide the creation of complete documentation, cooperating with an experienced team of industry engineers. We are responsible for coordinating all industries and the project budget at all stages of its creation, as well as during copyright supervision on the construction site. Architecture is a field that combines art with technology, everyday life, economics and market laws. Aware of the complexity of all the elements that make up good architecture, we are at your disposal at every stage of design.

Some of 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

26. TTAT

© Tomasz Zakrzewski

© Tomasz Zakrzewski

TTAT is an architecture firm based in Katowice, Poland. Its work is mainly centred around residential architecture.

Some of TTAT’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TTAT achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

25. ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI

© ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI

© ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI

Architectural office ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI has been operating continuously since 2001. The team of architects specializes in the design of multi-family residential buildings, large-scale commercial buildings, production plants, warehouses, office buildings and industrial buildings. We also design single-family houses.

Some of ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI’s most prominent projects include:

  • DOMO DOM, Kraków, Poland
  • NOWA Nowa Huta, Kraków, Poland
  • GG HOUSE, Krakow, Poland
  • BOXES, Krakow, Poland
  • DoPi House, Kraków, Poland

The following statistics helped ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 5

24. TEŻ ARCHITEKCI

© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI

© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI

TEŻ ARCHITEKCI is an architectural practice based in Poznań, Poland. Its three partners, Małgorzata Siekanko, Paulina Wielgosz-Konewka and Marta Sękowska-Kulińska, officially opened their office in January 2010.

Some of TEŻ ARCHITEKCI’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TEŻ ARCHITEKCI achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 5

23. RYSY Architekci

© RYSY Architekci

© RYSY Architekci

“Hans Castorp leaned out so that a pair of petals fell on his sleeve; wanted to see them through the eyes of an expert (…) And among those millions of wizarding stars, in their invisible to the human eye, secret, miniature magnificence, there was no one similar to the other; it reigned here
infinite ingenuity in modifying and the subtlest shaping still one and this zamego scheme, equilateral and equiangular hexagon, and each of these cold creations was absolutely proportional and Iodically vulgar, and that was in them amazing, inorganic, hostile to life.”

Some of RYSY Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

  • Transport Hub, Solec Kujawski, Poland
  • The Health Resort Park, Horyniec-Zdrój, Poland
  • Observation Tower, Warsaw, Poland
  • Integrated Nursery School by RYSY Architekci, Góra Kalwaria, Poland
  • Market Town in Żołynia by RYSY Architekci, Górska, Żołynia, Poland

The following statistics helped RYSY Architekci achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 6

22. BudCud

© BudCud

© BudCud

BUDCUD is a contemporary architecture practice led by Mateusz Adamczyk and Agata Wozniczka, it has been operating from Cracow, Poland since 2011. The office is concerned with exploring contemporary conditions through spatial design, furthering architecture’s agency and currency. The name BUDCUD is indicative of our area of expertise and our design strategy.

‘Bud’ is a prefix that was added to many construction company’s names during the period of early Polish capitalism. While ‘bud’ is derived from the Polish word meaning ‘to build’, ‘cud’ on the other hand, means miracle, a wonder! The combination highlights our desire to imagine architecture as a promise of multi-threaded journeys and interactions, informal activities and unpredicted events.

Some of BudCud’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BudCud achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 9

21. KMA Kabarowski Misiura Architekci

© OMI Media Production

© OMI Media Production

We specialize in projects for single and multi-family houses — modern, functional and adjusted to the needs of future inhabitants. Also, our team designs public buildings, such as office blocks and hotels as well as it prepares adaptation projects of existing buildings to new functions. Regardless of whether we work on a concept of a cosy villa or a green office building our aim is to always create a unique place where original form is harmonically combined with a logical plan and optimal construction solutions.

An area of equal importance in our activity are office and home spaces. Owing to our vast experience gained during cooperation with many investors we can economically and impressively transform the interiors of houses, medium and large companies as well as of public buildings.

Some of KMA Kabarowski Misiura Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped KMA Kabarowski Misiura Architekci achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

20. Meteor Architects

© Bogdan Pszonak

© Bogdan Pszonak

Meteor Architects is a team of people who share the commitment, optimism and the same vision of modern architecture. In our opinion, the fundamental value is a dialogue. Establishing positive relations between the building and surrounding , its history, tradition and atmosphere of the place, it is a true determiner of architecture’s quality. The dialogue with the future user, considering of his needs, habits and dreams is a guarantee of a well-served architecture.

Some of Meteor Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Meteor Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

19. MOOMOO Architects

© MOOMOO Architects

© MOOMOO Architects

We are the only one office from Poland we have been awarded as one of 30 best young architects office in the world. All designs in our office are prepared in cooperation with qualified professionals. International experience allows us to develop private, commercial or housing projects in Poland and abroad.

Some of MOOMOO Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped MOOMOO Architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 3

18. Studio GAB

© Studio GAB

© Studio GAB

GAB is an emerging architectural and urban design firm, founded in 2016. Studio led by Katarzyna Osipowicz-Grabowska and Piotr Grabowski is focused on creating space for living, culture, work and leisure. In our projects, we are looking for the most appropriate spatial, material and semantic solutions.

Some of Studio GAB’s most prominent projects include:

  • House in Nowa Gorka, Poland, Nowa Górka, Poland
  • Warsaw Univerity’s Courtyard, Warsaw, Poland
  • House in Konin, Konin, Poland
  • Social housing estate, Wrocław, Poland
  • International Centre of Music, Żelazowa Wola, Poland

The following statistics helped Studio GAB achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 8

17. Atelier Starzak Strebicki

© Mateusz Bieniaszczyk

© Mateusz Bieniaszczyk

Atelier Starzak Strebicki is a practice for architecture, urbanism, research and design, based in Poznań, Poland. The team is led by Jola Starzak and Dawid Strębicki. The studio is working on variety of projects and research tasks in different scales, from furniture design to architectural projects to urban masterplanning and public space design. For three years they have also been realizing a temporary public space project on Wolności Square in Poznań for theater festival Malta.

Some of Atelier Starzak Strebicki’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier Starzak Strebicki achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 20

16. Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik

© Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa - Bartłomiej Drabik

© Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik

Bartłomiej Drabik, a Krakow native and architect and designer of industrial forms, has run his own design studio, Superhelix, since 2015. In addition to creating projects of buildings, interiors and products, he participates in architectural and design competitions, of which he has already won 15 awards.

The scope of Superhelix activities includes mainly architectural and design projects in the full range — from analysis, through concept, construction design, tender to executive and author supervision, graphic and marketing presentations, sales strategies, workshop drawings and three-dimensional models, prototyping and supervision of production. Each of these elements symbolizes a single DNA helix of the project, combined together to form a Superhelix.

The work is always done with great care — personally by Bartłomiejor with the support of a professional and trusted team — for the sake of achieving fulfillment and customer satisfaction.

Some of Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 4

15. WIZJA architectural office

© Wojciech Krynski

© Wojciech Krynski

“Wizja” Sp. z o.o. architectural office was founded by Stanisław Deńko and American architect Glenn Lewis in 1993. At the time, Stanisław Deńko had just come back from the US, where he had been invited by Professor Bill Rudd, Dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, to conduct classes on urbanist and architectural designing.

Some of WIZJA architectural office’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped WIZJA architectural office achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 4

14. STOPROCENT Architekci

© STOPROCENT Architekci

© STOPROCENT Architekci

We are a small Warsaw studio. We have gained experience in renowned foreign and Polish architectural offices by working on large facilities. We are also happy to undertake smaller, ambitious topics. We are primarily interested in design. Whatever we do, we are always 100 percent committed!

Some of STOPROCENT Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

  • S House, Warsaw, Poland
  • K-House, Konin, Poland
  • Flamingo House, Zory, Poland
  • House X, Warsaw, Poland
  • House Z, Warsaw, Poland

The following statistics helped STOPROCENT Architekci achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 9

13. BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas

© BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas

© BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas

BXB studio established by Bogusław Barnaś in December 2009 is an interdisciplinary design studio which attempts to creatively challenge issues in the fields of urbanism, architecture, art, design, graphics and publishing. In design work, the studio draws inspiration from Polish history and tradition, re-thinking traditional motifs and adapting them to contemporary design. In recent projects, the studio dwelled on folk notions such as the Zakopane Style or timber sacral architecture.

In creative practice, BXB studio places great emphasis on the relationship between man and nature. This aspiration is reflected in the character of places created – from urban schemes, to built forms and interiors.

Some of BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 11

12. wiercinski-studio

© ONI Studio

© ONI Studio

wiercinski-studio is a versatile design studio founded and run by architect Adam Wierciński in Poznań. The studio creates projects of various themes and scales, from buildings to interiors and furniture. The spaces and functions designed by the studio are complemented by individual series of equipment such as furniture, lighting and details that affect the unique and individual character of the place. wiercinski-studio is expressed through unconventional solutions, sculptural and author’s objects, simple construction, natural, sincere and raw materials, and handicrafts of local craftsmen.

Some of wiercinski-studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Yezyce Kuchnia, Poznań, Poland
  • Pavilion Szelag Garden, Poznań, Poland
  • Kontenerart 19, Poznań, Poland
  • Portable Cabin, Poznań, Poland
  • Proznosc Club, Poznań, Poland

The following statistics helped wiercinski-studio achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 7

11. Gornik Architects

© Gornik Architects

© Gornik Architects

Górnik Architects Studio was founded in 2009 by Mateusz and Magdalena Górnik. With the team of experienced architects and engineers they create residential buildings, detached houses, multi-family buildings, office buildings, hotels, urban and industrial architecture. The studio is a part of GF project group- the industrial engineering centre. Cooperating with Polish, Italian, Irish and Scottish design studios, architects gained their professional experience, worked out multiple techniques of designing and innovative attitude to work.

They are one of the first architects in Poland creating contemporary barns. Each of their projects is unique and adapted for specific needs of investors. Architecture for us is the tool for developing imagination and awareness, breaking stereotypes and fears of innovative solutions.

Some of Gornik Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gornik Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 8

10. major architekci

© major architekci

© major architekci

We are an architectural studio founded by Marcin Major in 2004. Since then, our projects have won numerous awards.

Some of major architekci’s most prominent projects include:

  • multigenerational social housing, Wrocław, Poland
  • Sports and Leisure Building at High School No.3, Wrocław, Poland
  • Industrial Hall W-7 Refurbishment, Wrocław, Poland
  • Bar Barbara, Wrocław, Poland
  • Acoustic House, Wrocław County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland

The following statistics helped major architekci achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 6

9. Zarysy

© Zarysy

© Zarysy

We are an interior design studio, a place where creativity is complemented by courage in design. We want to develop awareness and sensitivity to design, we are constantly looking for new inspirations and solutions so that our projects are characteristic, unique and surprising. At the same time, we know that even the most modern interior should remain “home.”

We put our heart and commitment into each project, so that the space we design is cozy and personal, but also one of a kind each time. For this reason, we undertake only a few projects each year, on which all our attention is focused.

Some of Zarysy’s most prominent projects include:

  • Top Of The Lake, Sroda Wielkopolska, Poland
  • Boroteka, Jamborek, Poland
  • KINO, Poznań, Poland
  • XIX Century Prairie, Warsaw, Poland
  • Koko Kanso, Poznań, Poland

The following statistics helped Zarysy achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 5

8. Piotr Hardecki Architekt

© Piotr Bednarski

© Piotr Bednarski

The award-winning architectural studio carries out multidisciplinary projects in urban planning, architecture and landscape design. Piotr Hardecki is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw University of Technology.

Some of Piotr Hardecki Architekt’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Piotr Hardecki Architekt achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 12

7. FAAB

© FAAB

© FAAB

Founded by architects Adam Białobrzeski and Adam Figurski, FAAB creates innovative architecture and urban environments.

Architecture/ prototype architecture development/ landscape and urban environments/ interiors/ engineering and consultancy. As a constantly evolving practice we look for solutions responding to rapidly shifting and advancing modern life with the aspiration to look beyond the present.

Some of FAAB’s most prominent projects include:

  • WAVE 1, Sopot, Poland
  • Foundation for Polish Science Headquarters, Warsaw, Poland
  • PGE GiEk Concern Headquarters, Bełchatów, Poland
  • Blood Center, Raciborz, Poland
  • MOSS Salon, Kraków, Poland

The following statistics helped FAAB achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 6

6. Roark Studio

© Roark Studio

© Roark Studio

We are an architectural studio interested in neuroarchitecture, weel-being and healthy cities. We work with various scales and functions.

Some of Roark Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Nowe Kolibki, Gdynia, Poland
  • Atrium Oliva, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Creative Cluster, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Kielecka, Gdynia, Poland
  • Chlebova, Gdańsk, Poland

The following statistics helped Roark Studio achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 12

5. Neostudio Architekci

© Neostudio Architekci

© Neostudio Architekci

Neostudio was officially established in 2005 as an effect of a long-term cooperation between young and creative Polish architects: Paweł Świerkowski and Bartosz Jarosz.Having previously worked at various award winning architectural offices, Pawel and Bartosz gained practical experience of creating aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective solutions. Supported by the knowledge and experience of other architects and engineers, we offer our clients a full range of architectural, engineer, cost-estimate and analytic service. Neostudio Architects has an expanding network of clients including public and corporate sector clients. We guarantee them the highest quality of serivce.

Some of Neostudio Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Neostudio Architekci achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 15

4. xystudio

© xystudio

© xystudio

The xystudio architectural studio was founded in 2004 by Filip Domaszczynski, Marta Nowosielska and Dorota Sibińska. For years, we have devoted ourselves to the passion of designing in various fields. We deal in particular with public facilities. These are nurseries, kindergartens, help houses, representative facilities such as embassies and single-family houses for demanding customers. Years of work have taught us to design that puts the needs of the viewer in the foreground. The experience gained helps to combine architecture with its more fleeting partner: psychology.

We perform projects comprehensively, often enriching them with interior designs tailored to the needs of our unusual clients, solving executive details – such a path guarantees the execution of consistent implementations that we can boast of. We are winners of the Architectural Award of the 2015 Polityka, the Grand Prix of the Polityka Award from 2020, the Life in Architecture competition in 2015-2020, the Grand Prix of the Architectural Award of the President of Warsaw in 2020, the Brick Arard 2021 award, many SARP awards, the Accessibility Leader, the PLGBC Award and the “Must have” award.

Over the past years, we have put into use over several dozen nurseries and kindergartens, which have introduced new design standards for the youngest. For our customers, a brand of certified Locomoco furniture was created, which complement our projects with their design. Work is our way of life. We invite you to cooperate.

Some of xystudio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Suwalki Kindergarten, Suwalki, Poland
  • Yellow Elephant Kindergarten, Ostrów Mazowiecka, Poland
  • The nursery in Wesoła, Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
  • Primart School in Wesoła, Warsaw, Poland
  • Nursery in Adamów, Adamów, Poland

The following statistics helped xystudio achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 9

3. Robert Konieczny KWK Promes

© Robert Konieczny KWK Promes

© Robert Konieczny KWK Promes

Robert Konieczny is an architect, graduate of Architecture at Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. In 1996 he received the certificate of New Jersey Institute of Technology. A leader and a founder of KWK Promes architecture studio established in 1999. In 2012 he became an independent expert for The Mies van der Rohe Foundation.

Konieczny was six times nominee of the European Award of Mies van der Rohe Foundation (for Aatrial House, OUTrial House, Komoda House, Broken House, Safe House and Auto-Family House). Moreover he is a holder of the prestigious award for the House of the Year 2006, winning with the Aatrial House as the best housing project in a competition organized by World Architecture News. In 2007 the KWK Promes office was listed among 44 best young architects of the world published by ‘Scalae’.

Some of Robert Konieczny KWK Promes’s most prominent projects include:

Top image: Dialogue Centre Przełomy, Szczecin, Poland

The following statistics helped Robert Konieczny KWK Promes achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 14

2. mode:lina™

© mode:lina™

© mode:lina™

Show us your breakfast and we’ll show you your kitchen. We are the architects focused on your needs. We start every project by researching what it is you need and how you live – and we finish with you being happy with the results of our cooperation even 20 years later.

mode:lina™ – was founded in Poznań in 2009 by Paweł Garus and Jerzy Woźniak. Both architects were part of Liong Lie/123DV architectural studio in Rotterdam.

Some of mode:lina™’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped mode:lina™ achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 62

1. RS+ Robert Skitek

© RS+ Robert Skitek

© RS+ Robert Skitek

The original RS+ design studio was founded in 2001. The founder and main designer is architect Robert Skitek, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of the Silesian University of Technology (diploma 1999). Architect IARP – authorizations to design in architectural specialization without limitations. Member of the City Architectural and Urban Planning Commission in Tychy and the Council of the City Museum in Tychy.

Our team, which actively participates in the design of the project at every stage. It is created by ambitious and responsible people for whom designing is a passion and great pleasure.

Some of RS+ Robert Skitek’s most prominent projects include:

  • Water Playground, Tychy, Poland
  • XV House, Kraków, Poland
  • M House, Tychy, Poland
  • Footbridges in Jaworek Park in Tychy, Tychy, Poland
  • Two Barns House, Tychy, Poland

The following statistics helped RS+ Robert Skitek achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects 14
Total Projects 20

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

Clothes inside Dutch retailer
CategoriesInterior Design

Barde vanVoltt draws on Japanese zen gardens for Calico Club interior

Dutch studio Barde vanVoltt has used rippled mirrored glass, boulders and pebbles to create the interior of Calico Club, a retail store located in a century-old farmhouse in the Netherlands.

The studio aimed to combine Dutch heritage with Japanese tradition to create an “unexpected” but never overwhelming interior for the store, which is located in the village of Nistelrode.

Clothes inside Dutch retailer
Pebbles decorate the floor in Calico Club

“The main objective was to pay respect to the monumental 100-year-old farmhouse that Calico Club moved into,” Barde vanVoltt co-founder Valérie Boerma told Dezeen.

“The challenge was to find ways to add materials we could remove easily to keep the original state of the construction as it was,” she added.

Interior of Dutch retailer
Barde vanVoltt added plants to the interior

Boerma and her co-founder Bart van Seggelen added several organic details to the space, which has been divided into different sections.

“The floor plan is shaped like a Japanese zen garden and its traditional elements of rock, water, and plants have been interpreted in more modern and abstract ways,” Van Seggelen explained.

Boulders inside clothing store in the Netherlands
Boulders are scattered throughout the space

On polished concrete flooring, the studio placed whitewashed boulders that are used as retail displays and created elevated pebble islands above which garments are hung.

Barde vanVoltt also designed matching islands made from walnut wood. The same warm wood is also used for the fitting rooms, cabinets and counters.

Wood counter in Calico Club store
Walnut wood is used for the counters inside the store

Materiality is an important aspect of the project, with rippled mirrored glass added in a nod to the water features that are often included in zen gardens.

“Rippled mirrored glass and silver colour was to create contrast and depth,” Boerma said.

“The rippled glass keeps changing from wherever you look at it, this added an extra layer to the space, much like water, that is always changing,” she added.

The aim was for the interior to “nourish creative flow, harmony and support it with a screen-free store policy to create calm in an unpredictable world,” the studio said.

Tree inside Dutch store
A large tree adds a touch of nature at the back of the store

At the back of the store, a tree sits inside a round glass bench behind a metal wall divider.

“Encased in a circular glass bench, the tree and the fashion collection opposite is given its moment thanks to a sheet of curved, rolled metal to separate it from the fitting rooms,” Van Seggelen said.

“And at the front of the store, customers are shown the best of the collection with floating glass display cylinders filled with hay.”

Exterior of Calico Club store
Calico Club is located in a red-brick former farmhouse

The pared-back designs and shiny materials inside the store contrast against its exterior, a rustic red-brick farmhouse.

“With every project we do, we feel the responsibility to search for high quality, natural materials that are produced in a sustainable way,” Boerma said.

“These materials and heritage come with earthy tones and it suited well with our Japanese reference,” Van Seggelen added.

Rippled glass-details in clothing store
Rippled glass references the water in zen gardens

Calico Club has been shortlisted in the retail interior (large) category of Dezeen Awards 2023.

Previous projects by Barde vanVoltt include a former garage in Amsterdam that was transformed into a family home.

Other recent projects in the Netherlands include an underground house and a wood-lined home in Zwaag.

Reference