interconnected skipped floors outline the interior of compact toneyama house in japan
CategoriesArchitecture

interconnected skipped floors outline compact toneyama house in japan

white metal sheets coat tiny Toneyama House’s facade

 

Takuya Takemoto Architects builds Toneyama House, a residence situated in Toyonaka City of Osaka Prefecture, Japan, showcasing innovative spatial design. The skip-floor structure covers a small lot of 76.72 sqm with a distinctive west-side access road. Facing constraints like a limited frontage, a long and narrow site shape from east to west, and a height difference from the neighboring land on the east side, the design embraces these challenges crafting a residence that defies the ordinary. Due to the restrictions imposed by the diagonal line on the north side, the ceiling height of the second floor cannot be sufficiently secured by standard design.

interconnected skipped floors outline the interior of compact toneyama house in japan
all images by Yohei Sasakura

 

 

Takuya Takemoto Architects sets up a skip-floor layout

 

The Toneyama House unfolds across fourteen interconnected spaces, cleverly linked by nine layers of skipped floors. This compact residence deviates from conventional layouts with stairwells and corridors, utilizing hanging floor and ceiling planes to liberate the building from height limitations. The design features several innovative elements, from the striking 2.13-meter cantilevered garage to the 3.64-meter column-free space with climbing beams. Vertical windows facing the stairwell and high sidelights cutting through the sky on the east facade add further layers of complexity and variety to the space. Takuya Takemoto Architects engages in an architecture that balances innovation and minimal design while maintaining a sense of everyday elegance.

interconnected skipped floors outline the interior of compact toneyama house in japan
Toneyama House pops up on a street in Toyonaka City

interconnected skipped floors outline the interior of compact toneyama house in japan
the structure boasts a striking exterior

interconnected skipped floors outline the interior of compact toneyama house in japan
a recess in the volume forms the entrance

Reference

Chequered yellow floor with chequerboard flooring
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight interiors where chequerboard flooring adds a sense of nostalgia

A cannabis dispensary, a hotel gym and an office in a converted 1930s military warehouse feature in this lookbook, proving that chequered floors aren’t just for kitchens.

Alternating squares of colour, a style hearkening back to the nostalgia of 1950s American diners and Victorian entryways, can provide a graphic backdrop to any room.

The examples below were realised using a range of materials, from tiles and stone slabs to wood parquet and paint, providing a clever way of bringing colour, pattern and texture into interiors.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring autumnal bedrooms, loft conversions and kitchen islands with sleek waterfall edges.


Chequered yellow floor with chequerboard flooring
Photo by Mikael Lundblad

Cafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA

The sun-drenched bars of Cuba and the symmetry of Wes Anderson films informed the design of this all-day breakfast cafe in Stockholm.

This is reflected in its butter-yellow colour palette and the tonal squares painted onto the concrete floor, complemented by vintage touches including a vinyl player and a wall of Polaroid pictures.

Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›


Il Capri Hotel, Italy, by Graziella Buontempo and Arnaud Lacombe
Photo by Marine Billet

Il Capri Hotel, Italy, by Graziella Buontempo and Arnaud Lacombe

When renovating this hotel in a 19th-century Venetian-style palazzo, husband-and-wife duo Graziella Buontempo and Arnaud Lacombe aimed to balance the building’s old-school grandeur with a more pared-back contemporary elegance.

A classic black-and-white checked floor runs through all of the hotel’s communal spaces and was paired with a mix of new and antique furniture pieces to create a homely, lived-in feel.

Find out more about Il Capri Hotel ›


Bonne Vie patisserie with chequerboard flooring
Photo by Brian W Ferry

Bonne Vie patisserie, USA, by Home Studios

Alternating slabs of red and white marble pave the Bonne Vie patisseries at The Grand America Hotel, which was designed to bring European cafe culture to Salt Lake City.

Matching crushed velvet chairs create a small seating area and are offset against duck-egg blue millwork and art deco-style opal globe lights mounted on brass fixtures.

Find out more about Laurel Brasserie and Bar ›


022 Rodrigo da Fonseca by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos residential interiors
Photo by Ricardo Gonçalves

Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos

Portuguese studio Aboim Inglez Arquitectos stripped back the interior of this 1930s apartment in Lisbon to reveal its original parquet floors during a renovation.

Fulfilling much the same function as area rugs, the carefully restored patterns feature timber in different shades, laid into a subtle chequerboard pattern bordered by strips of light wood.

“We believe it was used to stress the independence of the rooms and circulation areas and at the same time acting as the element that unifies the whole house,” architects Maria Ana and Ricardo Aboim Inglez told Dezeen.

Find out more about Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca apartment ›


Clay Warsaw offices designed by Mateusz Baumiller with chequerboard flooring
Photo by Ernest Wińczyk

Clay.Warsaw office, Poland, by Mateusz Baumiller

Tiled chequerboard floors are original to this former 1930s military warehouse in Warsaw, which now houses the joint offices of production companies Menu, Analog/Digital and Photoby.

To soften the building’s industrial shell, architect Mateusz Baumiller furnished the office much like a residential interior, bringing in modern Polish art and a mix of contemporary and vintage design pieces from local brands and artisans.

Find out more about the Clay.Warsaw office ›


A greent store with cannabis products
Photo by Alex Lysakowski

The Annex, Canada, by Superette

This cannabis dispensary in Toronto was modelled on an Italian delicatessen, complete with a deli counter that contains an array of pre-rolled joints and different strains and strengths of marijuana.

The kitschy nostalgic atmosphere was rounded off with green-and-white chequered flooring, while contrasting splashes of tomato red was used across stools and pendant lights.

Find out more about The Annex ›


Casa Cabanyal in Valencia by Viruta Lab with chequerboard flooring
Photo by David Zarzoso

Casa Cabanyal, Spain, by Viruta Lab

A mosaic of small navy blue and white tiles brings a subtle nautical feel to this home in Valencia’s traditional fishing neighbourhood El Cabanyal.

Featured throughout all the rooms, from the bathroom to the sleeping quarters, they nod to the traditional azulejo tiled facades found across the city, which has been a prolific exporter of ceramics since the 15th century.

Find out more about Casa Cabanyal ›


Gym inside Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris
Photo by Benoit Linero

Hotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

Colours and patterns clash merrily inside this renovated hotel, designed by British designer Luke Edward Hall to have an “anti-modern” feel that hearkens back to the Paris of the past.

Even its gym has been reimagined with wooden equipment, graphic red-and-white flooring and mismatched floral wallpaper designed by Austrian architect Josef Frank.

“I really wanted this space to feel above all joyful and welcoming and alive, classic but a little bonkers at the same time,” Hall told Dezeen.

Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring autumnal bedrooms, loft conversions and kitchen islands with sleek waterfall edges.

Reference

Using AI to design out excess concrete
CategoriesSustainable News

Using AI to design out excess concrete

Spotted: Global macroeconomic activity is putting pressure on the world’s construction industry, with growth in many regions slowing and in other areas, reversing. One method contractors and owners can use to mitigate the volatility of markets and rising costs of supplies is to reduce the amount of materials used in a build. 

Many in the construction industry believe that concrete structures are frequently ‘over-designed’, meaning too much concrete is used for the purpose of the building. Constraints on time are one of the main reasons that this happens, as architects and builders would rather overdesign for safety than not use enough. 

Israeli construction technology company Structure Pal has an intelligent solution. An artificial-intelligence-powered (AI) software tool provides structural engineers, project managers and designers with a range of options for the use of concrete in a project. From the type of concrete to placement and volume needed, the tool helps to reduce costs and the amount of concrete used by around 15 per cent. Use of the tool can cut design time in half, and by the end of a build, the tool can reduce construction carbon emissions by up to 30 per cent. 

Designers integrate the tool into their usual building information modelling (BIM) platforms, and the AI analyses the many different configurations possible. Structure Pal’s system provides options for different loads on different levels, recommends the minimum number of columns for the required slab thickness, and ensures that each iteration of a design includes and meets local building code requirements. The Structure Pal team estimates that the software can do in one hour what it would take a civil engineer to do in four weeks. 

Structure Pal offers four levels of access to the tool. There is a pay-per-project option that costs $2 (around €1.88) per square metre of a floor plan, and for larger businesses, companies can pay per 100,000 square metres, with the option to pay in advance for future projects to receive the largest discount. 

Other recent innovations in concrete Springwise as spotted in the database include a light-sensitive concrete that cleans the air in road tunnels and an AI tool that optimises concrete use based on what other materials will be used in a build.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

The Courtauld by Witherford Watson Mann
CategoriesArchitecture

Witherford Watson Mann “opens up” The Courtauld’s 18th-century home

Architecture studio Witherford Watson Mann balanced “studious conservation and bold intervention” for its redevelopment of the historic Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

One of six projects shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2023, the three-year project to update The Courtauld Gallery completed at the end of 2021 and marks the first phase of a wider scheme transforming the Grade I-listed Somerset House complex.

The Courtauld by Witherford Watson Mann
Witherford Watson Mann renovated the Courtauld Institute of Art

Supported by £11 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the transformation programme seeked to open up both spatially and culturally the “idiosyncratic” site that has been its home since the 1990s.

Former Stirling Prize winners Witherford Watson Mann sought to clarify the building’s spaces and circulation while maintaining its historic character, combining more subtle modifications in the galleries with a number of more extensive alterations.

The Courtauld by Witherford Watson Mann
Brick salts have been opened up

“[In the galleries], many may struggle to identify specifically what has changed: and yet there was barely a room, door, floor or cable that was not altered,” said director Stephen Witherford.

“The project preserves the institution’s rich past whilst securing its future.”

The Courtauld by Witherford Watson Mann
The environmental performance of all gallery spaces was improved

Improving the accessibility and arrival sequence into the gallery was a priority, and its main entrance off the Strand now features a ramp created by both re-using and matching the existing stone paving.

Previous gallery rooms were cleared to create a larger reception area, where a new stone staircase and lift provide clear circulation between floors.

Beneath the building, a series of brick vaults previously inaccessible to the public have been cut through with a series of concrete-framed openings, providing an entirely new way to traverse the site.

Currently home to the gallery’s shop, these vaults will eventually form a connection through to the Courtauld Institute’s student areas, which are to be upgraded during the wider project’s second phase.

The Courtauld by Witherford Watson Mann
The project is shortlisted for this year’s Stirling Prize

Above, alongside gallery spaces for the Courtauld’s permanent collection, new spaces were created for temporary exhibitions, as well as a learning studio for families and young people, a lecture room and an object study room.

On the top floor is the skylit Great Room – London’s oldest purpose-built exhibition space – where previous subdivisions have been stripped away to restore its original nature as a dramatic, single space.

In all of the gallery spaces, the insertion of new ducting, ventilation grilles and lighting has improved the building’s environmental performance, as well as conditions for both the artworks and visitors.

“The physical alterations are now beginning to support a change of culture,” says Wilford.

“Visitor diversity has increased, along with visitor numbers; school groups are making full use of the first onsite learning centre; and student initiatives and wider partnerships are reshaping the programme.”

“Altering buildings doesn’t change institutions on its own, but it can support their democratisation,” he added.

Witherford Watson Mann previously won the Stirling Prize in 2013 for their refurbishment of Astley Castle, which also involved the careful reconfiguration of a historic built fabric.

The photography is by Philip Vile.

Reference

Harry Nuriev and Tyler Billinger Residence
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight bold showers that add a pop of colour to the bathroom

Showers enclosed in dichroic glass and wrapped in speckled terrazzo are featured in our latest lookbook, which showcases eight unique showers that bring a touch of colour to the bathroom.

Bathtubs often hold the spotlight in a bathroom, but this round-up proves showers can be just as showstopping – and luxurious.

From an all-pink shower in Taiwan to a minty-green shower in an Antwerp apartment, these colourful showers add a bold touch to brighten up the surrounding space.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring pared-back loft conversions, lattice screens and outdoor showers.


Harry Nuriev and Tyler Billinger Residence
Photo is by Dylan Chandler

Crosby Studios apartment, USA, Crosby Studios

Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev and partner Tyler Billinger outfitted their New York City apartment in a palette of purple and grey.

The bold colour scheme was carried into the bathroom, where the shower was clad in grey tile and enclosed with a purple shower screen.

Find out more about the Crosby Studios apartment ›


The Siren Hotel by ASH NYC
Photo is by Christian Harder

The Siren Hotel, USA, Quinn Evans Architects

The Siren Hotel in Detroit was originally built in 1926 by architect Robert Finn before being refreshed by design development firm ASH NYC with the help of Quinn Evans Architects in 2018.

The renovation included the addition of pastel hues and an assortment of rich textiles, while the hotel’s showers were updated with red-speckled terrazzo and a glass-brick divider.

Find out more about The Siren Hotel ›


Concrete bathroom in Habitat 67 building
Photo is by Maxime Brouillet

Unit 622, Canada, Rainville Sangaré 

Unit 622 by Rainville Sangaré is located inside architect Moshe Safdie’s famous brutalist Habitat 67 in Montreal, Canada.

Sangaré updated the apartment to include walk-in showers enclosed in dichroic glass that appears to change colour when viewed from different angles.

Find out more about Unit 622 ›


A bathroom with pink tile
Photo is by Hey! Cheese

Cats’ Pink House, Taiwan, KC Design Studio

Not only does the Cats Pink House by KC Design Studio include an entire room dedicated to the owner’s cats, but it also contains a spacious pink bathroom.

Large pink tiles cover the walls and floor of a walk-in shower, which is also outfitted with a stand-alone tub.

Find out more about Cat’s Pink House ›


Spinmolenplein apartment by Jürgen Vandewalle
Photo is by Karen Van der Biest

Spinmolenplein penthouse, Belgium, Jürgen Vandewalle

Located on the top floor of the tallest residential building in Ghent, Belgium, the 60-square-metre Spinmolenplein penthouse updated by Jürgen Vandewalle was designed to maximize space.

A bathroom unit clad in white wood panels opens to reveal a colourful shower stall finished with a micro-cement in a muted red.

Find out more about Spinmolenplein penthouse ›


A bathroom with shower and bathtub clad in blue tile
Photo is by Luis Díaz Díaz

Ready-made Home, Spain, Azab

Located in an apartment building in Spain built in the 1960s, the Ready-made Home by Azab features a colourful palette of soft pinks, blues and yellows.

A corner bathroom in the main bedroom is partitioned by a light blue curtain, while a deeper shade of blue was carried into the tiles that cover the floor and walls of the bathtub and shower.

Find out more about Ready-made Home ›


Apartment A by Atelier Dialect
Photo is by Piet-Albert Goethals

Apartment A, Belgium, Atelier Dialect 

While an en-suite shiny steel tub makes quite the statement in this Antwerp apartment updated by Belgian design studio Atelier Dialect, the shower is equally intriguing.

Contrasted by the stark white and black palette of the surrounding bedroom, the shower was wrapped in minty green, with a single shelf cut into the wall for toiletries and a bench installed opposite.

Find out more about Apartment A ›


Louisville Road house designed by 2LG
Photo is by Megan Taylor

Louisville Road house, England, 2LG Studio

Located in Tooting, south London, interior design studio 2LG overhauled a period home with blue tilework and coral-orange cabinetry.

The walk-in shower features baby blue floor tiles and matching hardware, as well as sky-blue bordering that surrounds the fluted-glass shower screen.

Find out more about Louisville Road house ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring basement apartments, mid-century homes and textural kitchens.

Reference

CategoriesSustainable News

Using precision fermentation to create human milk protein

Spotted: For some time, fermentation has been used to produce pharmaceuticals like insulin and vitamins. Now, however, Portuguese startup PFx Biotech has developed a process for producing human milk proteins. The company says that its milk is genetically identical to human breast milk.

To create the milk proteins, PFx inserts the genetic information for human milk proteins into microorganisms. These are then placed in bio-reactor tanks and supplied with nutrients, where they grow and naturally produce the milk proteins. They are then purified and formulated into a fine protein powder that can be used in a variety of applications.

The next step for PFx Biotech is to commercialise its bioactive and functional human milk proteins for use as alternative protein sources in paediatric care and advanced nutrition. The company suggests that, in addition to children, the proteins could be used to improve protein uptake in the diets of the elderly and in sports nutrition.

Fermentation is increasingly being used to produce new proteins across an array of industries. In the archive, Springwise has recently spotted innovations such as the use of microorganisms for soil enhancement and the creation of plant proteins from brewing waste.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

© JANG Studio
CategoriesArchitecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing

From the legendary Forbidden City and the narrow streets and hutongs to skyscrapers and one-of-a-kind cultural centers, Beijing has become one of the most transformed cities of the 21st century. After being a true site of architectural antiquity for 3000 years, shaped mainly by the Ming and Qing dynasties, in the 1950s, Beijing officially became the capital city of the People’s Republic of China and efforts for its “architectural modernization” were initiated.

Still, it wasn’t until the 2008 Olympics that the city became a testing ground for many renowned Western architects. Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid and many more were drawn to Beijing’s growing economy and global recognition, eager to contribute to its architectural legacy. The Bird’s Nest Stadium, the Galaxy SOHO and the CCTV’s Headquarters are some of the numerous architectural additions to the Beijing skyline.

Meanwhile, local studios still play prominent roles in shaping their city. Combining the thousand years of architectural tradition with contemporary modern practices, Beijing-based architectural studios design projects for all intents and purposes. Urban squares, modern residences and even siheyuan restorations are all part of their portfolios, aiming to transform what was once a city designed for pedestrians and camels to what came to be one of the leading “architectural melting pots” of the Eastern world.

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 Beijing 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 Beijing architecture firms throughout the year.

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


30. JANG Studio

© JANG Studio

© JANG Studio

JANG was founded in 1985 as family enterprise producing custom-made furniture. Today, JANG is an international design and production company run by two generations. We are a passionate team of designers and furniture producers led by architect Filip Galuszka. We specialize in furniture making, interior design and small scale architectural design. We work with the same commitment, both in Poland and China merging different cultures and production solutions. Welcome to our JANG profile.

Some of JANG Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • ANCHORET 3.0, Beijing, China
  • YUNZHU, Beijing, China
  • ANCHORET 2.0., Beijing, China
  • ANCHORET 1.0. , Beijing, China
  • ANCHORET 4.0., Beijing, China

The following statistics helped JANG Studio achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 8

29. B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio

© B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio

© B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio

Founded in 2014, B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio was established in Beijing by Japanese architects Shuhei Aoyama and Yoko Fujii. It is an international architecture studio full of youthfulness and vitality oriented towards architecture and architectural interior design.

B.L.U.E. is the abbreviation of Beijing Laboratory for Urban Environment, and it is also the core design philosophy of the studio. Focusing on the intense collision of rich history and vanward thought of Beijing, B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio is working on the design practices of architecture, interior design, product design and art. In other to archive the research on urban physics, society, culture and environment, thus seek to create a design platform that truly connects the urban environments.

Some of B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 9

28. Vector Architects

© Vector Architects

© Vector Architects

We still have faith in the primitive, tranquil and eternal power embodied within architecture itself. It can travel through time and resist unrest and uncertainty. Architecture needs to address the context and respond to the realistic problems of social, political and environmental parameters. However, after solving all the problems, architecture needs to eventually retain its capacity of going beyond the constraints of reality, to reclaim its raison d’être, that is, to soothe our body and soul.

Architecture is a medium to closely connect ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally with the world we live in. In our view, this is the courage as well as the ultimate responsibility that architecture should have. Since the establishment of Vector Architects in 2008, among the miscellaneous clues in architecture, we focus intensely on the issues of site, light and making during the fifteen years of practice.

Some of Vector Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Vector Architects achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 2

27. PRAXiS d’ARCHITECTURE

© Zhou Ruogu

© Zhou Ruogu

Founded in 2009, PRAXiS d’ARCHITECTURE is actively engaged in a broad range of projects of various scales, from offices, artist studios, exhibition spaces to installation, furniture, etc. Our design begins with identification and analysis of cultural and physical context of the site and drawing inspiration from it. Then a theme of design is to be acquired. This theme will be tangibly represented through the device of architecture and determines the nature of material, light and space. The theme will be transformed as a result of the reaction when it confronts with site, programmatic requirements, and other external forces. Design process is to discover, during the “reaction,” the threshold between perceptibility and imperceptibility of the theme.

Some of PRAXiS d’ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

  • Praxis d’ Studio renovation, Beijing, China
  • Ying gallery renovation, Jiangshan, Quzhou, China
  • Lake Shore Artist Studio, Miyun, Beijing, China
  • TIANYUN COMPLEX, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped PRAXiS d’ARCHITECTURE achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 4

26. CAA Architects

© CAA Architects

© CAA Architects

CAA Architects is an architecture studio focusing on all aspects of design, from product, interior, architecture and urban planning, with a strong intention on merging architecture and art, whilst redefining how these two disciplines work in the age of digital technology and content.
CAA Architects was founded by Liu Haowei in 2005, and has established its main office in Beijing following the concept of “Design for Tomorrow”. CAA Architects is made up of a culturally diverse group of designers with both extensive local and international experiences, all looking to merge architecture and art into an experiential solution.

Some of CAA Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped CAA Architects achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 9

25. PLAT ASIA

© PLAT ASIA

© PLAT ASIA

Being an international team of architects and designers, PLAT ASIA was founded in Beijing in 2010, by Baoyang Bian and Donghyun Jung, who share the oriental cultural background. Based on the constant research and analysis of the bewildering social backdrop nowadays, PLAT ASIA has been endeavoring in optimizing the living conditions without sacrificing the future living environment. Moreover, PLAT ASIA not only designs to discover new opportunities and means of land occupation, but to carry forward oriental philosophies of nature, architecture and value as well.

Some of PLAT ASIA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped PLAT ASIA achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 8

24. ARCHISTRY design&research office

© ARCHISTRY design&research office

© ARCHISTRY design&research office

ARCHISTRY design& research office is a diverse design studio based in Beijing, China. It provides overall services of international planning, architecture, interiors, lighting, landscapes, exhibitions, graphic and product design.

ARCHISTRY design&research office at the center of this multi-element and contradiction can easily invite integrating local culture, city and historical background as pioneering design inspirations. Considering our recent construction-related issues, approaching beyond the delimitation of traditional design, we are trying to challenge and interpret the traditional boundaries of architecture in other complementary ways.

ARCHISTRY design&research office always focus on the main business of architectural space design integration since its establishment, and has maintained good cooperative relations with many cultures, art teams and institutions.

Some of ARCHISTRY design&research office’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ARCHISTRY design&research office achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

23. Z’scape

© Z'scape

© Z’scape

Z’ scape was founded by Mr. Zhou Liangjun and Ms. Zhou Ting in Beijing. Cooperating with world-class architectural and planning firms as well as consultant teams, we are devoted to providing high-quality landscape planning and design for cultural tourism developers, real estate developers and the government. Our works include public spaces, cultural projects, boutique hotels, urban renovations, mix-used and residential projects, etc.

Our team has international perspective, overseas educational background and working experience, rich experience in management and construction, excellent professional expertise and unique creativity. Z’ scape has always kept a moderate size to ensure the involvement of the chief designers and the control of details, which will effectively guarantee the execution and realization of the design ideas.
Firmly believing that design is of great value, Z’ scape is committed to the research and practice in the fields of landscape, art and design.

Some of Z’scape’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Z’scape achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 2

22. Yuan Ye Architects

© China Construction Engineering Design Group Corporation Limited, Yuan Ye Architects

© China Construction Engineering Design Group Corporation Limited, Yuan Ye Architects

Yuan Ye architects is a studio with members from different countries.Our business wisdom comes from our insistence on the originality of design, in-depth research and insight into culture, and optimism for technological progress and social innovation. We do our best for any project to meet the challenge with the greatest attitude, and show our innovative spirit and professionalism. The studio has been focusing on cultural projects for a long time, and has made achievements in this field, accumulated a high professional reputation, and won market reputation and social recognition.

Some of Yuan Ye Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Yuan Ye Architects achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 1

21. WAY Studio

© WAY Studio

© WAY Studio

WAY Studio is an innovative architecture and design studio with a focus on coalescing architecture with art and technology. With consideration for artistic representation at its core, WAY Studio has focused on discovering new possibilities through cross-disciplinary collaborations. We are highly experienced in interdisciplinary work alongside artists, designers, consultants, engineers and more, seeking new possibilities in every situation. We are interested in looking towards what is next, to pioneer a new WAY, and to find the balance between people and nature, culture and technology. WAY Studio currently has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Vancouver.

Some of WAY Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Dreaming Someone, Beijing, China
  • WAY-out-of-the-box, Shanghai, China
  • “Tales from the Loop”- Living Amongst Ancient Trees, Huizhou, China
  • Lianyi – moody MOONCAKE pavilion, Shanghai, China
  • MTG Learning Center, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped WAY Studio achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 9

20. Cun Design

© Design Aesthetics

© Design Aesthetics

We mainly compose the interior design for front business space and back office space, front business space including: the core business flagship stores, display and sales space and other business environment design; the back office space including like: R & D base, office headquarters, corporate chambers and other overall working environmental design.

At the same time, we pay attention to and focus on urban renewal construction. In the process of urban renewal and construction, CUN 寸DESIGN has spent a lot of time doing ma ssive research and summarization on Chinese’s 50 to 100-year-old historical buildings, and also proposed that space designers need to pay more attention and advocacy to the past. Designers, through good design, should let the emerging business industry regain its life in the old buildings of the city, and make the city become a more ecological existence. The city’s self-renewal will inevitably need our efforts and reflections.

Some of Cun Design’s most prominent projects include:

  • Office design for Blue Moon Films: A Line between Time, Beijing, China
  • Green Leopard Lighting’s flagship store, Zhongshan, China
  • Space Design of Elephant-Parade Office-the world’s leading marketing agency, Beijing, China
  • Encounter a beam of light in design- Portugal SERIP Lighting Exhibition Hall, Beijing, China
  • From Nature: Creative Interior Design of Rosemoo Office in Beijing, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped Cun Design achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 6

19. MARS Studio

© MARS Studio

© MARS Studio

MARS Studio was founded in New York, USA, and later moved its headquarters to Beijing. It is an international architecture studio full of vitality and energy oriented towards architecture and interior design. The founding partner of the firm, Ma Ning, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked in MAD Architects in Beijing and Bjarke Ingels Group (B.I.G) in New York. His past design projects include S.Pellegrino Flagship Factory in Italy, Harbin Opera House, Xiamen Xin he Headquarter, Manhattan 45 Broad St Skyscraper, Sanya Phoenix Island Villas, Taipei Bade Road Residential Towers, Brooklyn 205M Twin Towers, Ecuador super high-rise residence and so on.

In short years since opening MARS-Studio has won numerous international awards and has gained wide media including Archdaily, Designboom, Gooood, Dezeen, Inheritage, Aspects Media, AC Architecture, Hospitality Design Magazine, Global Design, IFDM, IDEAT and many others.

Some of MARS Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant, Beijing, China
  • Tianfu Conference Center, Chengdu, China
  • Tarentum Bar & Restaurant, Shenzhen, China
  • Noodlology Restaurant, Beijing, China
  • The Summer Palace Restaurant, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped MARS Studio achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 4
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 14

18. Golucci Interior Architects

© Golucci Interior Architects

© Golucci Interior Architects

Golucci Interior Architects brings spaces to life for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Tactile, layered and immersive interiors have established our reputation for masterful storytelling through design, and have made our hospitality and restaurant projects award-winning and time-tested.

Golucci Interior Architects is the Taiwanese designer LEE Hsuheng’s 20 years of experience imagining and realizing extraordinary interiors. Fueled by a singular vision to create unforgettable design experiences, we have cultivated award-winning projects based on partnerships with the world’s preeminent hotel and restaurant groups, hospitality companies and top chefs.

With an ever-expanding scope of work which now includes hospitality programming, architecture design, furniture, fixtures and equipment design, Golucci Interior Architects is simultaneous defining a new era of creative interiors while keeping a spirit grounded by the unending desire to tell authentic design stories.

Some of Golucci Interior Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Yijian Cafe, Shanghai, China
  • Si-Pu Nabe, Shanghai, China
  • The Goose Hut Bistro APM , Beijing, China
  • DianDianYiPin ChaChaanTeng, Beijing, China
  • Vitaland kid restaurant, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped Golucci Interior Architects achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 33

17. DL Atelier

© DL Atelier

© DL Atelier

Beijing-based DL Atelier was found in 2012 by Liu Yang and Xu Dan. Our designs are all about feelings and memories. People relaxing under the shadow of trees with bucket loads of sunshine is the ideal scene for us, which leads us follow the flow of inspiration on our work.

Some of DL Atelier’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped DL Atelier achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 11

16. Trace Architecture Office

© Trace Architecture Office

© Trace Architecture Office

TAO (TRACE ARCHITECTURE OFFICE) was founded by Li Hua in 2009 in Beijing. It is a design studio committed to architecture, urban, landscape and furniture design. Trace is surviving mark of things, and evidence of time fragments accumulation. The production of architecture is a process with confrontation of various will powers and values, full of contradiction and complexity. Architecture itself is a record of its time and nature.

Looking at “trace and process” suggests our approach to architecture. TAO is concerned with the social, cultural and ecological significance in making process of architecture from design to construction; While architecture always face the conflict between past, present and future, between regional and global, between individual and collective, TAO rejects a simple and brutal attitude and explores how to achieve a subtle balance.

Some of Trace Architecture Office’s most prominent projects include:

  • Museum of Handcraft Paper, Yunnan, China
  • Xinzhai Coffeee Manor, Baoshan, China
  • Swan Lake Bridge House and Viewing Tower, Shandong, China
  • Huandao Middle School, Haikou, Haikou, China
  • Xiadi Paddy Field Bookstore of Librairie Avant-Garde, Fujian, China

The following statistics helped Trace Architecture Office achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 6

15. DAGA Architects

© DAGA Architects

© DAGA Architects

As a pioneer and practitioner in the field of “Urban Renovation” in China, DAGA Architects is widely participated in architectural design, interior design, urban planning and landscape design projects, providing international standard design quality, focusing on creativity and details. DAGA Architects also track the whole process of the project. Especially in the practice of co-working and co-living renovation in Beijing hutong area, DAGA Architects find a way to balance the existing building and new design ,provide people with a more harmonious and shared lifestyle.

Some of DAGA Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Dongsi 5Lmeet, Beijing, China
  • Hangzhou Vanke Times Commune, Hangzhou, China
  • Transparent Hutong Installation: From Physics to Phenomena , Beijing, China
  • Gulou Office Renovation, Beijing, China
  • Qingdao Metro CR International Ocean Intelligence Zone Accelerator Office, Qingdao, China

The following statistics helped DAGA Architects achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 21

14. Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM)

© Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM)

© Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM)

Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM) is an award-winning art, landscape and architectural design firm with offices in Beijing and Shanghai. Founded in 2007, BAM became anomalous as a locally grown design firm in China started by foreigners. The experience of establishing a design practice in a rapidly changing contemporary Chinese metropolis gives BAM a unique insight into the role of design in today’s cities.

BAM’s diverse team of designers has delivered projects for clients in China, Taiwan, the US, the UK, Iceland and Belgium. Since our founding BAM believes our collective idea of nature is gradually changing. As technology continuously shapes our environment, our perception of nature is becoming outdated.

Some of Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM)’s most prominent projects include:

  • Daxing Green Hub and Park, Daxing District, Beijing, China
  • Xiaoyunlu 8, MAHA Residential Park, Beijing, China
  • Play ‘n Learn Water Mountain, Tianjin 4A Sports Park, Tianjin, China
  • Legend Jiangbei Mixed-Use and Residential, Nanjing, China
  • Shoukai Vanke Daxing, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM) achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 12
Total Projects 20

13. aoe

© aoe

© aoe

aoe is equipped with a team of designers who balance scientific exactitude and creative innovation. Made up of an international background, the team provides solutions to modern urban life based on scrupulous in-depth research, its business includes commercial, complex, cultural, office, hotel, high-end housing, education, planning and interior design, project covers more than 20 provinces and cities in China, and each design project has won the praise of the owners and produced a good social impact.

Its insightful, market-ready designs are a testament to its all-around excellent service. In an era of rapid development, aoe is a vehicle of progress with its vision for human life in the twenty-first century city.

Some of aoe’s most prominent projects include:

  • Chongqing Sunac One Central Mansion Sales Pavillion, Chongqing, China
  • ShuiFa Info Town Property Exhibition Centre, Jinan, China
  • Sino-Italian Cultural Exchange City Reception Center, Chengdu, China
  • Haikou International Duty Free Reception Center, Haikou, China
  • Heze Courtyard No.1 Sales Office, Heze, China

The following statistics helped aoe achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 5
Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 13

12. OPEN Architecture

© Jonathan Leijonhufvud Architectural Photography

© Jonathan Leijonhufvud Architectural Photography

OPEN is a passionate team of designers collaborating across different disciplines to practice urban design, landscape design, architectural design and interior design, as well as the research and production of design strategies in the context of new challenges. We believe in the innovative power of architecture to transform people and the way they live, while striking a new balance between the manmade and nature.

OPEN was founded by LI Hu and HUANG Wenjing in New York City. It established its Beijing office in 2008. Some built and ongoing projects by OPEN include: the Gehua Youth and Cultural Center, Garden School/Beijing No.4 High School Fangshan Campus, Tsinghua Ocean Center, Pingshan Performing Arts Center, Tank Shanghai, UCCA Dune Art Museum, Chapel of Sound and Qingpu Pinghe International School. OPEN has been widely recognized for its innovative work.

Some of OPEN Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Garden School, Beijing, China
  • HEX-SYS, Guangdong, China
  • Stepped Courtyards, Fuzhou, China
  • Tank Shanghai, Shanghai, China
  • UCCA Dune Art Museum, Qinhuangdao, China

The following statistics helped OPEN Architecture achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 14
Total Projects 12

11. He Wei Studio/3andwich Design

© He Wei Studio/3andwich Design

© He Wei Studio/3andwich Design

He Wei, PhD, is a practicing architect and a professor at the School of Architecture, China Central Academy of Fine Arts. He Wei is also Vice Chairman of the Rural Architecture Committee, The Architectural Society of China and Vice Director, Environmental Art Illuminating Committee, Beijing Illuminating Engineering Society, in addition to serving as Editor-in-Chief of the German Professional “Lighting Design” Magazine, Chinese edition and sitting on the Editorial Committee of “Community” Magazine.

Some of He Wei Studio/3andwich Design’s most prominent projects include:

  • Limestone Gallery, Anlong, Qianxinan, China
  • Stone Nest Amphitheatre for Community Activities , Weihai, China
  • Shangping Village Regeneration – Yang’s School Area, Jianning, Sanming, China
  • The Water Drop Library, Huizhou, China
  • Ding Hui Yuan Zen & Tea Chamber, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped He Wei Studio/3andwich Design achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 8
Total Projects 11

10. CPLUS

© CPLUS

© CPLUS

CPLUS is an architecture firm with an international perspective, co-founded by Cheng Yanchun and Li Nan in Beijing in 2014. CPLUS believes that architecture aims to create a medium for dialogue between people and the environment. As living organism that constantly changes over time, architecture responds to the history of human exploration of nature and the construction of cities.

Some of CPLUS’s most prominent projects include:

  • Jingyuan No.22 Transformation, Beijing, China
  • Nashare Hotel, Xiamen, China
  • LAB Art Museum, Chongqing, China
  • “Floating Island” Restaurant, Chongqing, China
  • “Hair Focus” Hair Salon, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped CPLUS achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 14

9. MAT Office

© MAT Office

© MAT Office

Founded by TANG Kangshuo and ZHANG Miao in 2013, MAT Office is a research and design architectural office started in Rotterdam and practices in Beijing since 2015. The office works typologically, pays close attention on “unit” and “edge”, “publicity” and “openness,” creates public space by the discussion on the relationship of individual and collectivity. It is also an office committed to the observation and speculation of emerging new phenomena and problems in Chinese cities.

Some of MAT Office’s most prominent projects include:

  • Beijing Muee Restaurant, Beijing, China
  • Suzhou Design Week Pavilion, Suzhou, China
  • Yantai Chunhui Road Youth Apartment, Yantai, China
  • Bonfire, Shenzhen, China
  • Beijing Tongdeng Beaver Workshop, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped MAT Office achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 17

8. LUO studio

© LUO studio

© LUO studio

Mr. Luo Yujie is the founder of LUO studio, who also teaches the course of Construction Basics in the School of Architecture at Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). His exceptional works have been shortlisted and awarded by numerous design award competitions worldwide. He is committed to creating more durable, friendly and quality spaces with creative thinking, a spirit of craftsmanship and the principle of caring for nature.

Some of LUO studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Temporary Site of Shengli Market, Henan, China
  • Yuntai Ice Chrysanthemum Display, Henan, China
  • Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, Jiangmen, China
  • Corrugated Cardboard-formed Exhibition Space, Shanghai, China
  • Longfu Life Experience Center, Puyang, China

The following statistics helped LUO studio achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 6
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 10

7. CLOU architects

© CLOU architects

© CLOU architects

CLOU is an international design studio with award-winning expertise in architecture, interiors and landscapes. Our extensive portfolio of built works encompasses mixed-use, retail, hospitality, education and exhibition projects. Founded by German architect Jan Clostermann, CLOU works closely with leading property developers and has delivered projects recognized for outside-the-box-thinking.

CLOU is committed to tailor each project to its unique challenges and local opportunities. We strive to realize projects that will positively influence the people involved in its process, the environment and the communities who live and work there. The CLOU team is a community of talents from all over the world who enjoy working collaboratively and imaginatively on bespoke and integrated design solutions. The word CLOU means the main attraction.

Some of CLOU architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Daxing Green Hub and Park, Beijing, China
  • Cube Gallery, Hangzhou, China
  • UniFuns Tianfu Chengdu, Chengdu, China
  • Play Stack Shenyang, Shenyang, China
  • Shoukai Vanke Daxing, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped CLOU architects achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 6
Featured Projects 12
Total Projects 51

6. Atelier Alter Architects

© Atelier Alter Architects

© Atelier Alter Architects

Founded in 2009, Atelier Alter Architects is a pioneering inter-disciplinary practice based in New York and Beijing. Noted for designing from critical analysis of the site, Atelier Alter has been recognized by numerous awards, including SARA National Award of Excellence 2016 , French GPDP international Design Award 2019, Lux Leading Design Award 2018,AIA Shanghai Design Award 2018German Design Award 2019, etc.

Atelier Alter Architects focuses intensely upon culture facilities ever since the beginning of the practice. Atelier Alter won the competitions to build Qujing Culture Center in 2009, by transferring the metaphysical context of the site into an artistic yet tangible urban space of historic remembrance.

Some of Atelier Alter Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • BIT Sports Center in Beijing, Beijing, China
  • WuliEpoch Culture Center, Beijing, China
  • Senior Center of Guangxi, Nanning, China
  • Library for Qujing Culture Center, Qujing, China
  • WuliEpoch Culture Center, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped Atelier Alter Architects achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 20

5. Crossboundaries

© Crossboundaries

© Crossboundaries

Crossboundaries contributes to a vital built environment through architecture, environmental design and urban regeneration. We create enduring architecture that often deals with remarkable technical processes, yet always has a pleasant material touch and human atmosphere.

The work of Crossboundaries originates from a strong belief that design as a process results in successful, operational buildings. This approach is based on two fundamental principles: research and collaboration. For our projects we create suitable multi-disciplinary teams where all participants can assess the opportunities within the given conditions. We identify the essential questions, jointly create pragmatic solutions by data collection and analyze significant precedents. We regularly discuss possible programmatic shifts with our clients to raise their benefits of the project.

Some of Crossboundaries’s most prominent projects include:

  • Songzhuang Micro Community Park, Beijing, China
  • Qkids English Learning Center, Xiamen, China
  • Chaoyang Future School, Beijing, China
  • Crossboundaries Office, Beijing, China
  • THE KNOWN, an installation, Shenzhen, China

The following statistics helped Crossboundaries achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 5
Featured Projects 14
Total Projects 23

4. People’s Architecture Office

© People’s Architecture Office

© People’s Architecture Office

Beijing-based People’s Architecture Office (PAO) was founded by He Zhe, James Shen and Zang Feng in 2010, and consist of an international team of architects, engineers and urbanists. With the belief that design is for the masses, PAO aims to be conceptually accessible and culturally pragmatic. PAO approaches design from the framework of the realities of scale, global economics and flows, mass production, mass markets and social networks. PAO’s projects include the headquarters for 21cake in Beijing, the River Heights Pavilion and the Tricycle House.

Some of People’s Architecture Office’s most prominent projects include:

  • The Courtyard House Plugin, Beijing, China
  • Tubular Baitasi, Beijing, China
  • Pop-up Habitat, Beijing, China
  • Tricycle House, Beijing, China
  • People’s Canopy, Lancashire, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped People’s Architecture Office achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 5
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 14
Total Projects 20

3. SUP Atelier of THAD

© SUP Atelier of THAD

© SUP Atelier of THAD

SUP atelier, founded by Prof. Song Yehao from Tsinghua University School of Architecture in Beijing around 2011, dedicated to the research and practice on sustainable urban and architectural design. SUP Atelier explores the simultaneous sustainability of natural resources and human community through high context sensibility, modest architectural strategies and tectonic research on natural and local materials, in relevant to integrate buildings to the environment and community livings.

SUP Atelier focuses on sustainable theory within the scope of architecture, urban studies and building technology, while highly promoting the combination of modern design and vernacular architecture in China. Regional and local understandings are rather important, to further initiate innovative design based on the understanding, and thus the design strategy is always incorporating the latest technical measures or traditional climate adaptation design strategies at that time.

Some of SUP Atelier of THAD’s most prominent projects include:

  • Yunzhai Community Center, Xinxiang, China
  • Tea Leaf Market of Zhuguanlong, Ningde, China
  • Swirling Cloud: Pavilion for BJFU Garden Festival, Beijing, China
  • Village Lounge of Shangcun, Jixi, China
  • Indoor Playground of Yueyang County No.3 Middle School, Yueyang, China

The following statistics helped SUP Atelier of THAD achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 9
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 16

2. ARCHSTUDIO

© ARCHSTUDIO

© ARCHSTUDIO

Arch Studio devotes to using multi-perspective and rational means to intervene the development of contemporary urban living environment, finding a right balance between the connections of reality and nature, history and culture, creating a spatial environment that is full of the spirit of times and humanistic quality.

In this complex and multivariate era, new creation is not from a sudden inspiration, but from careful study of the unique needs and restrictions of each project, from uninterrupted breakthroughs and challenges to the restriction boarder, from continuous improvements in the whole process from concept to construction details, from skillful transformation…

Some of ARCHSTUDIO’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ARCHSTUDIO achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 24
Total Projects 25

1. MAD Architects

© Hufton+Crow Photography

© Hufton+Crow Photography

MAD works in forward-looking environments developing futuristic architecture based on a contemporary interpretation of the eastern spirit of nature. All of MAD’s projects, from residential complexes or offices to cultural centers, desire to protect a sense of community and orientation toward nature, offering people the freedom to develop their own experience.

Founded in 2004 by Ma Yansong, the office first earned worldwide attention in 2006 by winning an international competition to design a residential tower near Toronto. MAD has been commissioned by clients of all backgrounds, leading to an intriguing combination of diverse project designs.

Some of MAD Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • The Cloudscape of Haikou, Haikou, China
  • Harbin Opera House, Harbin, China
  • Quzhou Stadium, Quhou, China
  • Courtyard Kindergarten, Beijing, China
  • Gardenhouse, Beverly Hills, California

Top image: Chaoyang Park Plaza, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped MAD Architects achieve 1st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Beijing:

A+Awards Winner 11
A+Awards Finalist 6
Featured Projects 30
Total Projects 28

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

Lounge at Hôtel de la Boétie
CategoriesInterior Design

Beata Heuman designs colour-drenched Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris

Saturated greens and blues contrast pale pink sheets and playful flower details at Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris, which Swedish designer Beata Heuman created to be “a bit like a stage set”.

Set in a 19th-century building, the 40-room hotel in Paris’ 8th arrondissement was designed with Heuman‘s signature colourful interior style.

Lounge at Hôtel de la Boétie
Beata Heuman’s Dodo Egg Light hangs in a lounge area at Hôtel de la Boétie

While it was a renovation of an existing hotel, the designer was able to make large changes to the interior as the building had been altered numerous times since it was completed.

“The building didn’t have any original features left and has been re-configured over the years,” Heuman told Dezeen. “We spun off the simplicity of the bones that were there, working with strong, simple ideas.”

Reception area at Hôtel de la Boétie
The hotel’s reception area has a warm red colour

Guests are met by a reception room with a vibrant, bright-red nook for the front-of-house staff and two lamps designed like winding red-and-yellow flowers. A dark-blue leather seat complements the room.

Next to the reception area, Heuman created an all-silver lounge that was designed to have a theatrical feel and is brightened by an orange velvet sofa and a forest-green coffee table.

Silver lounge space at Hôtel de la Boétie
Guests can relax in a silver lounge area

The colour palette was very deliberately chosen by Heuman, who thought about the wider impact it would have on the space.

“It’s about contrast and balance,” the designer said. “When you work with rich colours my instinct is to off-set that using simpler materials around it to complement and enhance.”

Bedroom with patterned headboard
Woven headboards create striking centrepieces in the bedrooms

The bedrooms have a saturated colour scheme, with lower-level floors that feature dark blue walls, which change to shades of brown on the ascending floors.

The two top levels have pale, airy blue hues, with classic French cast-iron balconies providing views of central Paris from the top floor.

A grassy green carpet was used throughout the hotel to create a vibrant contrast to the blue and brown hues.

Bathroom at Parisian hotel
The bathrooms feature pale pastel colours

Some bedrooms have been decorated with oversized headboards that were woven as rugs and then upholstered, creating an unusual and eye-catching centrepiece.

These were informed by the inlaid marble floor of the Medici Chapel in Florence and sit above the solid-ash beds, which have been made with pale-pink satin sheets that add to the vibrant feel of the room.

In the bathrooms, Heuman used pale blue and green pastel hues juxtaposed with pink towels to give the rooms a luxurious retro feel, while checkerboard-patterned tiles in yellow and green add a fun touch.

Pink satin sheets on bed in Paris hotel
bedrooms on the lower levels have dark-blue walls

The designer also used her own products to decorate the hotel, including her Dodo Egg Light – an egg-shaped light with green fittings designed to resemble planet leaves.

This decorates one of the ground floor lounge areas, which also features posters for art exhibitions by artists Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee.

The designer used mainly natural materials for the hotel, including wood and brass.

“The solid ash furniture used in all the rooms have a humble quality which anchors the more theatrical elements of the schemes such as the headboards, ensuring the expression stays true to the nature of the building,” she said.

Interior of Hôtel de la Boétie
Heuman aimed to use natural materials throughout the space

Heuman also created the branding for the hotel, which was made for French hotel group Touriste.

“A hotel is about having an experience for a day or two, which means that we have been able to explore a concept and a mood to a greater extent,” Heuman said.

“We can treat it a bit like a stage set, which is not the approach I would take when it comes to someone’s home.”

Reception at Parisian hotel
Flower lamps decorate the reception area

The project fulfilled a long-time dream for the designer, who had previously never designed a hotel and works more on private home interiors.

“I’ve been wanting to do a hotel for ages and it has been a fantastic experience,” Heuman said.  “I am drawn to the theatrical, although that is often not appropriate for a residential setting.”

“A hotel is an experience for a few nights, therefore you can exaggerate and do more of a ‘look’,” she added. “In a residential project the design is centred around the personal preferences of an individual client.”

Previous hotels by Touriste include Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris, which has an interior that was created by British designer Luke Edward Hall. Also in Paris, local studio Uchronia created a colourful Haussmann-era apartment as a “chromatic jewellery box”.

The photography is by Simon Brown.

Reference

Bringing off-grid solar to new sectors
CategoriesSustainable News

Bringing off-grid solar to new sectors

Spotted: According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Chile is a “world-class destination for solar and wind energy developers,” in large part because of the country’s energy planning, which has helped to boost project development, especially in terms of electricity transmission. However, even in a country with such a good record, there are renewable energy applications where connecting to the grid is difficult.

With more than 50 per cent of Chile’s exports coming from mining, particularly for lithium and copper – two key components in green energy technologies – sustainable energy technology company CleanLight has created a way for heavy industry to reduce its emissions by using off-grid renewably powered lighting solutions. 

With mines often located far from stable grid connections, reliable lighting and communication access have long been a challenge. CleanLight is meeting this need through Solar Towers that provide communications, lighting, and surveillance capabilities, while also providing a mobile solar generator named SolBox.

The SolBox is available in various sizes, from a 1,500-watt system with two panels up to a 9,600-watt Plus Pro system that uses eight panels. For industrial users, the eight-panel SolBox supports the most onerous power demands from construction projects to large buildings.

The technology also has domestic uses. Depending on a home’s size and power consumption, a SolBox could save owners anywhere from 40 to 80 per cent on their monthly electric bill. 

CleanLight has sold 550 Solar Towers and provides a fleet of 150 towers for rent. With distribution agreements in place with large chain stores throughout Latin America, the company is in the middle of expansion across the region. A recent partnership with British Columbia company RE Royalties Ltd in the form of a loan and royalty acquisition is financing CleanLight’s expansion into North and Central America.   

Bringing solar to the people through improvements in accessibility is the focus of a number of innovations in Springwise’s database, including solar panels that work in the shade and a rent-to-own solar panel service.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

greater dog architects' renovated 5 X 7 building in china boasts a goose foot-shaped canopy
CategoriesArchitecture

greater dog architects’ renovated 5 X 7 building in china

the renovation of 5 x 7 building in Zhejiang, China

 

Greater Dog Architects was commissioned to renovate a small brick and concrete mixed-use structure in Zhejiang, China. Situated on the edge of a riverfront plot, the structure’s previous function was as a backup room for a substation, now transformed into The 5 X 7 building as a stopping point during touristic tours organized at the nearby é é é | BSH headquarters — a multi-use complex featuring a retail space, an office, an R&D, and production unit, several restaurants, and a factory that produces bedding made from high-quality goose down (the bird’s soft under plumage). In response, the architects employed an adaptive reuse strategy, effectively repurposing the existing space and floor height to create a suitable hub for the public to relax and enjoy tea.

Under tight budget cost control, the aluminum-clad building 5 X 7 retains the old structural boundaries, while the extended canopy is used to break the conventional boxy shape, which also serves as the main entrance; this unique feature not only fulfills its function of providing shelter from the elements but also introduces subtle ‘reconstruction’ changes within the existing architectural framework. As a new structural element, it brings a sculptural language to the building, and the abstract goose-foot shape infuses it with vibrancy and humor.

greater dog architects' renovated 5 X 7 building in china boasts a goose foot-shaped canopy
all images © Metaviz Studio

 

 

greater dog architects pairs aluminum with vivid orange hue

 

Furthermore, Greater Dog Architects (see more here) integrated the large windows on the original 5 x 7 building’s four facades into partially small circular windows. Throughout, the architects achieved optimal thermal insulation on the original exterior walls by adjusting the window-to-wall ratio, effectively combining the forms of southeast-facing windows and roof skylights to increase daylight pouring in.

Facade-wise, the structure primarily features a neutral gray textured paint, while the special-shaped entrance canopy sports lightweight and corrosion-resistant natural aluminum cladding and orange-painted aluminum panels. The orange columns add a splash of color, rejuvenating the corner and making the building noticeable from a distance. Natural aluminum, as a 100% recyclable sustainable material, also boasts lightweight characteristics that ease installation and reduce the load on the original building structure, while its corrosion resistance ensures long-lasting durability. Simultaneously, the application of textured paint and aluminum materials accelerates construction, reducing the cost of renovating small-scale buildings.

greater dog architects' renovated 5 X 7 building in china boasts a goose foot-shaped canopy
abstract goose-foot shape infuses the building with vibrancy and humor

 

 

flexible and skylit interiors for tea and relaxation 

 

As for the interiors, Greater Dog Architects carefully reconfigured the 5 X 7 spaces, using the original building’s 6.8-meter ceiling height to divide it into two levels of use. On the one hand, a new orange-painted steel staircase added to the south side of the first-floor bar counter creates a vertical connection, linking the first-floor bar area with the second-floor tea lounge. On the other hand, the roof skylights above the staircase bring more natural light to the second floor and stairwell, creating unexpected spatial opportunities within the limited interior space. Additionally, large windows on the outward-facing facade offer views of the surrounding river and maximize transparency within the compact interiors.

The building serves as an external tea and relaxation space for the BSH goose-down tourist factory and extends its display functions to maximize the flexible layout and shared use of the functional area. The architects have utilized the vertical space of the wall to design display shelves of various scales, meeting the future needs for product display within the space. Similarly, the materials used in the building extend into the interior space, establishing a visual connection between inside and outside. Lastly, as night falls, the 5 X 7 structure becomes a shimmering elf in the corner.

greater dog architects' renovated 5 X 7 building in china boasts a goose foot-shaped canopy
the architects coated the structure primarily in a neutral gray textured paint

greater dog architects' renovated 5 X 7 building in china boasts a goose foot-shaped canopy
a touch of vivid orange makes 5 X 7 recognizable from a distance

greater dog architects' renovated 5 X 7 building in china boasts a goose foot-shaped canopy
sing the original building’s 6.8-meter ceiling height to divide it into two levels

Reference