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apaloosa's open-air chapel engulfs worshippers in a celestial experience in rural mexico

Architecture

apaloosa unveils open-air chapel in rural mexico

By Zarkon Group,27/11/2023

La Escondida Chapel sits in rural La Garza in Mexico

Designed by Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño in collaboration with Walter Hugo Flores, La Escondida Chapel sits in the rural area of La Garza in Mexico. A public space amid a housing complex, the chapel seeks to spatially create a connection with its users while fostering direct spiritual connection with the divine. Its pavilion-like form crafted from steel and wood encourages visitors to become enveloped by the large-scale, open space and gaze upwards for a celestial experience. Its deliberate placement, visible yet requiring a lengthy journey towards it, creates a reference for its surroundings and imparts a sense of anticipation to approaching worshippers.

all images courtesy of Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño

Apaloosa Estudio crafts a pavilion-like experience

La Escondida Chapel manifests the universal human quest for a celestial connection, exploring the interstitium — a space that channels the infusion of natural zenithal light and fosters a communion between the worshipper and the divine. Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño (more here) embraces the concept of an intangible direct relationship, acknowledging the personal or collective pursuit of expression with a higher being.

To enhance this connection, the project introduces a silo that serves as a conductor of light, absorbing, sifting, and diffusing natural light while controlling its intensity within the interior space. The feature’s strategic height also ensures a uniform distribution of temperature, creating an atmosphere conducive to spiritual reflection.

sited in the rural area amid a housing complex

Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño unveils La Escondida Chapel

a silo serves as a conductor of light

Reference

Interior Design

Eight homes with stylish and practical built-in window seats

By Zarkon Group,26/11/2023

For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight window seats in homes across the world including clever custom-made solutions in wood and concrete.

By installing a window seat, interior designers don’t just add extra seating to a room, they also create a peaceful space that can be used for contemplation and relaxation.

Whether it functions as a small nook for reading, a sofa for socialising or even as a daybed, these projects showcase how the built-in furniture piece has been used in homes from Denmark to China.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors created on a budget, immersive saunas and light-filled kitchens.

Nicolai Paris, France, by NOA

This Network of Architecture-designed Marais apartment inside a converted hotel has been outfitted with a selection of custom-made oak furniture. In the living room, a stylish built-in window seat was designed to function as both seating and storage space.

Its curved shape was enhanced by the addition of black-leather cushions and pillows, which contrast the unadorned white walls and the bleached oak parquet with its decorative chevron pattern.

Find out more about Nicolai Paris ›

Villa Weinberg — Photo by Mikkel Mortensen

Villa Wienberg, Denmark, by Wienberg Architects and Friis & Moltke

Together with studio Friis & Moltke, Danish architects Mette and Martin Wienberg gave this 1940s cottage an overhaul to turn it into a home for their own family.

The house has wooden panelling throughout and in the living space, the material was also used to form a low-slung window seat that functions as a bench around the room. Cosy pillows and a sheepskin add comfort.

Find out more about Ell House ›

Maison Jericho, France, by Olivia Fauvelle Architecture

This outbuilding in Marseille was refurbished and extended by French studio Olivia Fauvelle Architecture. In the living room, a concrete window seat was added to help create a connection between the indoors and outdoors.

It overlooks a tiled terrace with a pool and is topped with a leather daybed to create a restful space. A wood-burning stove hangs above the window seat, adding warmth to the room.

Find out more about Maison Jericho ›

First floor window seat in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects — Photo by Do Mal o Menos

Puppeteers House, Portugal, by REDO Architects

REDO Architects was inspired by stage sets when designing Puppeteers House in Sintra, Portugal, which features wooden joinery constructions intended to evoke theatrical scenography.

This includes a curved wooden bench that functions as a window seat on the first-floor landing, where it is matched by wooden panelling.

“We used a precise quarter of a circle as a tool – like a compass – in different radii, orientations, combinations and materialities,” REDO Architects founder Diogo Figueiredo told Dezeen.

Find out more about Puppeteers House ›

Wooden window seat — Photo (above and main image) by Maxime Brouillet

Ell House, Canada, by Ravi Handa Architect and AAmp Studio

The built-in window seat in the Ell House holiday home in Wellington provides its owners with a picturesque view of Lake Ontario.

The exterior of the house was clad in cedar that was charred using the Japanese yakisugi method while the interior features contrasting light oak millwork.

The same wood was also used to form a window seat in the bedroom, which features clean lines and has a cushion for additional comfort.

Find out more about Ell House ›

Window seat inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London — Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian Brailey

Muswell Hill home, UK, by Architecture for London

British studio Architecture for London designed this home in north London for its founder Ben Ridley. Located in an Edwardian house that hadn’t been renovated for almost 40 years, it was designed to be energy-saving and constructed using natural materials.

A cosy window seat made from grey limestone can be found in the kitchen, where it connects to a storage cabinet made from pale oak.

Find out more about Muswell Hill home ›

U-shape Room by Atelier Tao+C — Photo by Tian Fang Fang

U-Shape Room, China, by Atelier Tao + C

U-shaped window seats are more unusual than rectangular ones. But in this Chinese home, the architects had little choice as the building is dominated by a huge, rounded bay window.

Studio Atelier Tao+C added a curved plywood seat that also has storage spaces. It matches a two-storey plywood volume that houses all the functional rooms of the apartment.

Find out more about U-Shape Room ›

Dining table with green wall and yellow pendant — Photo by Magnus Berger Nordstrand

The Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad

This renovated 1950s house in Oslo was given a colourful interior by locally based duo Familien Kvistad and also features “an abundance of wood”.

While window seats are usually placed under large windows, here the designers chose to add one underneath the smaller, rectangular kitchen window. The long bench is made from ash and has practical storage space hidden underneath a dark green cushion seat.

Find out more about The Yellow House ›

Reference

Sustainable News

Bottlecup is a two-in-one reusable water bottle and coffee cup

By Zarkon Group,26/11/2023

London studio Seymourpowell has combined an insulated water bottle and a cup with a lid into a single product, Bottlecup, so users only need to remember one item when leaving the house.

The owners of Bottlecup, Kate and Mark Arnell, asked multidisciplinary agency Seymourpowell to help them create a single item that could replace both disposable water bottles and coffee cups.

They found that approximately 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups are used and then thrown away each year in the UK, with only one in 400 of those being recycled.

Recognising that reusable-cup owners often forget to carry their vessel with them, they looked for a way to unite a vacuum-insulated bottle with a lidded cup that can be used for takeaway drinks.

The project team identified that existing reusable bottles or flasks on the market either didn’t provide a cup lid, or didn’t allow the bottle and cup to be used independently of one another.

“Bottlecup innovated to combine a reusable water bottle and reusable cup and cup lid into one seamless item, where both items functioned in their fullest independently of each other without compromise,” the designers explained.

Visual of combined cup and bottle — The cup can be used on its own

The stainless-steel water bottle slots inside the cup and twists to lock it in place when carrying both items. The two elements each feature a gently curved silhouette that improves their ergonomic properties.

The cup can be released with a simple twist and used on its own or with the silicone lid, which is stored in its base so users don’t need to carry it separately when drinking beverages such as smoothies, beer or soups.

The silicone waist provides a tactile surface for holding the product, which makes twisting the cup on and off easier. The coloured band also prevents liquid from leaking into the user’s bag when the two elements are united.

A variety of colour options for the silicone band and cup lid allows Bottlecup to be personalised by selecting a favourite hue when purchasing the product. The cup is also available in a range of colours or in plain stainless steel.

Removable Bottlecup lid — A silicone lid is stored in the base

Sustainability and circular design were key concerns throughout the project, leading to the creation of a product that is plastic-free and uses no mixed materials so all of the component parts can be easily recycled.

“Designing without plastic meant features like push-close lids and mouldable rigid shapes were all restricted from the design,” the project team explained.

“The majority stainless-steel finish has a satisfyingly engineered and qualitative feel,” it added.

Bottles and cup designs by Seymourpowell — The design is available in a range of colours

The 18/8 stainless steel used for the bottle and cup can be collected by curbside recycling services, while the band and cup lid are made from food-grade silicone that can be returned to Bottlecup to be recycled responsibly.

Bottlecup features on the shortlist for the product design (consumer design and wearables) category at Dezeen Awards 2023, alongside projects including the latest version of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip smartphone and a bicycle that can easily switch between analogue and electric riding modes.

Other designs that respond to the issue of waste generated by disposable drinking cups include biodegradable cups made using home-grown vegetables and a circular-economy service called Cupclub that supplies and then recycles its own reusable coffee cups.

Reference

Sustainable News

Using lasers to create a database of the world’s forests

By Zarkon Group,26/11/2023

Spotted: In the last 10,000 years, the world has lost one-third of its tree cover, with the last 100 years seeing as much deforestation as the previous 9,000. As well as depleting essential carbon sinks, this tree-felling has also proven detrimental to the Earth’s natural biodiversity. New ways of mapping and interacting with our forests are necessary to keep track of, and hopefully begin to reverse, this environmental disaster.

This is where ArborMeta comes in – using a proprietary combination of LiDAR, algorithmic analysis, and software to analyse our world’s forests in unprecedented detail.

With this technology, the company can view the above-ground biomass of an area and in turn, quantify the sequestered carbon that is stored there – our forests being the largest store of living carbon in the world. LiDAR (light detecting and ranging) is a technology that relies on lasers to measure distances and then create high-resolution models of the area it has been used on, in this case, a forest.

The idea is relatively simple. The LiDAR sends out a laser and measures the amount of time it takes to return and then works out the distance through this time versus the speed of light. This process, carried out with many thousands of beams of light and over many different positions in a forest, produces a 3D map that is unmatched in its accuracy.

ArborMeta’s three-step process of terrestrial LiDAR collection, aerial and satellite data calibration, and then machine learning generation allows for essential environmental data to be collected and understood more easily and efficiently.

MRV (monitoring, reporting, and verification) is a process by which the success of environmental projects is recorded and ArborMeta’s technology helps to reduce the labour and cost of this without compromising accuracy – whether that’s for carbon stock assessments or tracking conservation efforts.

Our forests are precious, so it’s no surprise that innovators are developing creative ways to protect them. Springwise has also spotted these microforests that are returning degraded land to productivity as well as this new approach of valuing forests as ESG assets.

Written By: Archie Cox

Reference

Entrance of Yukinohako snow-powered cool store

Architecture

Kei Kaihoh Architects forms snow-cooled rice warehouse from local cedar

By Zarkon Group,26/11/2023

Japanese studio Kei Kaihoh Architects has completed a timber-framed storage facility in Joetsu City that offers rice farmers a way to refrigerate their harvest without relying on gas or electricity.

Instead, the Yukinohako facility is naturally cooled using snow – an abundant local material in this mountainous part of Niigata Prefecture, surrounded by ski resorts and terraced rice paddies.

With the aim of creating a model that could be cheaply and easily replicated across the prefecture, Kei Kaihoh Architects constructed the two-storey structure using local cedar instead of reinforced concrete or mass timber, which would have to be shipped in.

The studio hopes that Yukinohako, which is Japanese for “treasure chest of snow”, can encourage locals to find a new appreciation for snow and its natural cooling abilities, rather than just seeing it as a burden.

“If inexpensive snow rooms can be realised, farmers will be able to easily build snow rooms in both new construction and renovations, increasing momentum for snow utilisation rather than snow removal,” Kei Kaihoh Architects said.

“By doing so, we can love snow, which has been an obstacle to people’s lives, costing them money and effort to dump it into the ocean, and was not well-liked by the local population.”

Window in cedar building by Kei Kaihoh Architects in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture — The gabled building is constructed from local cedar

Yukinohako replaces a reinforced concrete warehouse cooled by an emissions-intensive air conditioning system, which was damaged by a fire during renovation works in 2017.

The gabled building stretches over two storeys and is held up by a system of braced timber columns that are supported by auxiliary beams.

This allowed Kei Kaihoh Architects to use local small-diametre cedar wood rather than having to ship in mass-timber members.

Double-height warehouse inside Yukinohako snow-powered cool store — A double-height storage space is at the heart of the facility

At the centre of the building is a double-height, 159-square-metre warehouse, which takes over the majority of the ground floor. It sits alongside a small temperature-control room and a reception.

The storage space itself is split in two, with one side holding up to 90 tonnes of snow that is piped into the building using an automatic snow blower and an inlet on the east side of the building.

The other side can accommodate around 30 pallets or one tonne of rice and 200 kilograms of vegetables.

Break room inside warehouse by Kei Kaihoh Architects in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture — The break room is located on the second floor

In order to maintain airflow, the two halves of the space aren’t separated by a wall but by steel containers filled with snow, while an auxiliary fan on the ceiling circulates cold air from the snow into the food store.

A maintenance bridge runs across the double-height space to provide an overview of the warehouse and connects to a break room on the second floor.

To ensure the interior stays as cool as possible, Kei Kaihoh Architects installed insulation panels across the walls and ceilings of the warehouse, creating an air-tight envelope.

Even the forklift trucks used to transport palettes of rice are powered by batteries instead of engines to avoid emissions and reduce the need for mechanical ventilation.

The studio also constructed an external corridor that runs along three sides of the building, creating a double facade to prevent solar radiation from reaching the inner insulated wall.

Taken together, Kei Kaihoh Architects says these measures help to keep the warehouse at a consistently low temperature while generating a fraction of the emissions as a traditional air conditioning system.

Timber walkway inside Yukinohako snow-powered cool store — A covered walkway runs along the building on three sides

“In low-temperature warehouses, the storage method involves the constant use of electric air conditioners to keep the temperature at 10 to 20 degrees Celsius,” Kei Kaihoh Architects told Dezeen.

“On the other hand, at Yukinohako, the temperature is kept at zero to five degrees with only the cold air of snow and the humidity is kept high.”

Aside from providing a covered walkway around the building in winter, the external corridor also provides a space to enjoy views of the surrounding nature.

Timber-framed walkway in warehouse by Kei Kaihoh Architects in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture — Openings frame views of the snowy scenery

Strategic openings in the facade frame views of the snowy landscape while slatted sections allow light to filter in alongside the sounds of the Oguro River, which rushes along the back of the warehouse.

“We aimed to create a place where people could take pride in farming in the snow country,” the studio said.

The building’s timber structure was pre-cut and assembled at a nearby factory before being sent to the site, catering for quick and easy construction despite the region’s heavy snowfall.

Nighttime exterior shot of light spilling out of Yukinohako snow-powered cool store by Kei Kaihoh Architects in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture — Slatted sections allow light and sound to filter through

“The processing and storage of prefectural cedar timber is done in Joetsu City, minimising transportation costs and fuel consumption,” the studio said.

To protect the wood from water and inclement weather, the building’s exterior walls are finished in a glass coating, which Kei Kaihoh Architects says was also used in Kengo Kuma’s Japan National Stadium.

Yukinohako has been shortlisted in the sustainable building category of this year’s Dezeen Awards alongside a girls’ school in India made from local sandstone and Waugh Thistleton Architects’ mass-timber Black & White office building in London.

The photography is by Soichiro Suizu.

Reference

Interiors of Mind Manifestation's self-designed studio in Pune, India

Interior Design

Eight bright and airy interiors illuminated by perforated brick walls

By Zarkon Group,25/11/2023

Dezeen’s latest lookbook explores eight interiors – from bright, airy residential spaces to cool, open-plan offices – illuminated by perforated brick walls.

Perforated brick walls are often used as a cooling strategy in warmer climates. This lookbook highlights their effect on the lighting and shading of interior spaces and how they can be used to create a playful, light atmosphere.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with light-filled kitchens, sculptural wooden staircases and airy, pared-back loft conversions.

Studio by the Hill, India, by Mind Manifestation

This converted apartment in Pune, India – designed by architecture studio Mind Manifestation to house the studio’s office – uses perforated bricks to create a well-lit and ventilated workspace.

Bricks was used extensively across the flooring and complemented by green lime plaster walls.

“The material palette has been tastefully chosen so as to match with the different shades of the hill throughout the year,” Mind Manifestation explained.

Find out more about Studio by the Hill ›

Cuckoo House by Tropical Space in Da Nang, Vietnam — Photo by Oki Hiroyuki

Cuckoo House, Vietnam, by Tropical Space

Cuckoo House, designed by Tropical Space, is a two-storey home situated atop a cafe in Da Nang, Vietnam, encased by a shell made from local clay bricks.

Living spaces on the upper floor feature perforated brick for privacy and ventilation, with the design resulting in a playful chequered lighting pattern across the wooden and concrete interior.

Find out more about Cuckoo House ›

Wall House in Vietnam designed by CTA | Creative Architects — Photo by Oki Hiroyuki

Wall House, Vietnam, by CTA

Square perforated bricks salvaged from nearby buildings sites are used on the exterior of CTA’s Wall House in Bien Hoa, Vietnam.

Stacked in an irregular formation, the punctured bricks filter sunlight and air into the space, creating dotted shadows across the plant-filled double-height living room.

Find out more about Wall House ›

Wall House in Vietnam by CTA — Photo by Hemant Patil

Gadi House, India, by PMA Madhushala

Gadi House in Maval, India, by PMA Madhushala is a compact arrangement of volumes and courtyards.

Dimly-lit courtyards and living spaces are illuminated by pockets of sunlight accessed through perforations in the brick and stone walls.

Find out more about Gadi House ›

Equipo de Arquitectura Intermediate House Narrow Paraguay — Photo by Federico Cairoli

Intermediate House, Paraguay, by Equipo de Arquitectura

The Intermediate House by Paraguay-based studio Equipo de Arquitectura is a narrow residence in Asunción organised around an open-air courtyard.

Manually pressed, unfired bricks form the perforated street-facing facade – drawing sunlight and air through the vaulted brick-roofed dining room and into adjacent spaces.

Find out more about Intermediate House ›

Tropical Space design perforated brick house in Vietnam — Photo by Oki Hiroyuki

The Termitary House, Vietnam, by Tropical Space

Patterned shadows decorate the dimly-lit brick and wood interior of The Termitary House in Da Nang, Vietnam, designed by Tropical Space.

Inspired by earthen termite nests, the studio used perforated brick on the facade and internal walls to bring natural light into the interiors during the day and draw in artificial light at night.

Find out more about The Termitary House ›

Cloud House in Melbourne designed by Dean Dyson Architects — Photo by Timothy Kaye

Cloud House, Australia, by Dean Dyson Architects

Australian studio Dean Dyson Architects designed the Cloud House – a two-storey home in Malvern – using an exterior layer of grey, perforated brickwork.

Intended to create a “private oasis” for the clients, the perforated brick pours light into the interior living spaces, with passive ventilation enabled by operable windows.

Find out more about Cloud House ›

Tropical Shed, Brazil, by Laurent Troost Architectures

Located on a long, narrow plot in Manaus, Tropical Shed is a plant-filled office with a centralised courtyard designed by Brazilian studio Laurent Troost Architectures.

Interlocking bricks – repeated throughout the design – form a perforated wall in the double-height office to create a cool work environment decorated with playful shadows.

Find out more about Tropical Shed ›

Reference

Sustainable News

AMDL Circle and Iart wrap Basel pavilion in energy-neutral media facade

By Zarkon Group,25/11/2023

Italian studio AMDL Circle and interdisciplinary design studio Iart have created the Novartis Pavilion in Basel, Switzerland, which is wrapped in an energy-neutral media facade.

Located alongside the Rhine at the campus of the Novartis healthcare company, the pavilion, which was recently shortlisted in the Dezeen Awards, has a communicative skin made from photovoltaics and LEDs.

Designed by AMDL Circle, which is led by Michele De Lucchi, the round pavilion was wrapped in a media facade created by Switzerland-based Iart. The media facade has a total of 10,000 solar modules with 30,000 embedded LEDs and consumes only as much power as it can produce.

“With this project we want to show that a media facade not only consumes electricity, but can also generate it itself,” Iart founder Valentin Spiess told Dezeen.

Organic solar modules were chosen over silicone-based counterparts for their lower grey energy footprint, aligning with Novartis’ sustainability principles.

“They require less grey energy in production and need little light to start generating electricity,” he continued. “They can be used in areas where light conditions are not ideal, such as a facade.

According to Iart, the design was based on the idea of an organism with the buildings skin made up of individual cells.

The multi-layered membrane reflects the artistic works displayed on the facade, which “embody constant change and research,” Spiess said.

The works covering the pavilion were created by artists Daniel Canogar, Esther Hunziker and Semiconductor in collaboration with Novartis scientists.

Their collaboration with Novartis scientists was inspired by the shapes and colours of cells and molecules, as well as the themes of sustainability and the convergence of art and science.

“It communicates the themes of Novartis, through the digital artworks, into the urban space,” Spiess told Dezeen.

“The aim is for curiosity and fascination to arise in the viewer; for the medium, for the content and for the subject of life sciences.”

AMDL Circle worked closely with local architect Butscher Architecten AG for the planning, tender, technical design, construction and delivery of the pavilion.

“The floor plan of the Novartis Pavilion was inspired by the universal symbolism of the circle, considered a powerful field of psychophysical energy, a sort of sacred area where all physical and spiritual forces are concentrated,” added Michele De Lucchi.

The interiors feature whitened, laminated wood and ceiling slats combined with a continuous light grey terrazzo floor. Providing a background for the dark green division curtains and details in natural oak wood, the internal material palette was chosen to create a “luminous and humanistic appeal”.

Other pavilions recently featured on Dezeen include an ice-block pavilion in China and the Parallel Histories in Chicago.

The photography is courtesy of Iart and Laurids Jensen.

Reference

Sustainable News

Pulling diamonds from the sky

By Zarkon Group,25/11/2023

Spotted: According to the latest figures, the world produced 116 million carats of rough diamonds in 2021. Admired since ancient times for their sparkle, the gemstones – which are the world’s hardest material – are typically mined from the earth in processes that have negative impacts on everything from soil and air quality to water scarcity, biodiversity, and climate change. What is more, the diamond mining industry has a history of human rights abuses and associations with conflict.

Because of these environmental and social challenges, many people today opt for synthetic diamonds ‘grown’ in a lab. First created by General Electric in 1954, lab-grown diamonds are now big business with a global market estimated to be worth $22.64 billion in 2022 (although this still represents only a fraction of the overall diamond trade). While synthetic diamonds offer a more ethical and sustainable alternative to the mined variety, they are not entirely free of negative impacts as they require a significant amount of coal or liquified natural gas as a raw material and are produced in an energy-intensive process.

Now, however, UK startup Skydiamond is going even further by producing diamonds made from captured CO2 and water in a process powered by solar and wind energy. The company collects rainwater from its factory roof and uses renewable electricity to split it into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen is then combined with the captured atmospheric carbon and a special type of microbe to create methane, which is then fed into the diamond mill alongside a small amount of nitrogen. In the mill, this mix is added to a diamond seed and heated to 1,000 degrees Celsius using renewable energy provided by the startup’s partner company Ecotricity. After several weeks, the diamonds are fully formed and sent to be made into jewellery.

The groundbreaking gemstones are used in earrings, pendants, and rings, including (of course) engagement rings. They have also appeared in collaborations with Gucci Vault and Steven Webster.

Other diamond and jewellery innovations spotted by Springwise include jewellery made from regeneratively mined materials, blockchain technology for diamond traceability, and a solar-powered facility for lab-grown diamonds.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Architecture

20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia

By Zarkon Group,25/11/2023

Nestled within the vibrant landscapes of South America, Colombia holds a rich architectural heritage that reflects its diverse history and innovative attitude. Being a country that is famous for its ancient origins, and which is believed to be the place where the legendary city of El Dorado was located, Colombia’s architectural story is deeply rooted in its pre-Columbian civilizations.

The country’s latest architectural fabric has been greatly shaped by architects like modernist Rogelio Salmona and avant-gardist Giancarlo Mazzanti. Operating in an increasingly open society, Salmona’s Torres del Parque in Bogotá redefines how brick and concrete create spaces that seamlessly blend with the city’s natural landscape and invent new ways of building residential architecture.

Today, Colombian architects continue to push boundaries, embracing sustainability, cutting-edge technology and cultural context in their designs. One remarkable example is the Metrocable system in Medellín, a transportation structure that addresses the difficult topography of the region without spoiling the city’s natural landscape. This infrastructure project generated global recognition for its transformative impact on public spaces and social dynamics and acts as a testament to the forward-thinking vision of contemporary Colombian architecture.

With so many architecture firms, 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 Colombia 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 Colombia architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 20 best architecture firms in Colombia:

20. Arango Arquitecto

Arango Arquitecto is an architecture firm based in Bogotá, Colombia. It specializes in residential architecture.

Some of Arango Arquitecto’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Arango Arquitecto achieve 20th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

19. OPUS – Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos

OPUS is a space for conceptualizing creative and sustainable ideas that collects opinions, recognizes locations and analyzes data and other phenomena as the raw materials for our projects. Our work acknowledges diversity, time, multiple variables and encounters of different positions and, therein, apparent opposites such as nature-city, architecture-landscape, urban planning-interior design, are blended, integrated and related.

Since our beginning in 2007, we’ve participated in identifying, formulating and designing architectural, urban design and landscape architecture projects, which have allowed us to build methods and teams with the capacity for integrating different disciplines, aimed at contributing to society, culture and standards of living.

Some of OPUS – Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped OPUS – Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos achieve 19th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

18. Relieve Arquitectura

Architectural studio led by architect Juan Pablo Giraldo with a particular interest in formal and material experimentation through drawing, detail, model and image, in order to design a house, a school, a museum, a park, an interior space, interesting, functional and quality architectural pieces. We understand architecture as a new experiment, an unprecedented situation where the architect mediates between a network of components (time, place, animal, human, artifact, information, processes, etc.) to generate new forms of exchange, social dynamics and urban processes.

Some of Relieve Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Relieve Arquitectura achieve 18th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

17. Ruta4 Arquitectura

Ruta4 Arqitectura is an architectural practice based in Pereira, Colombia. Its main interest lies in cultural architecture and public buildings.

Some of Ruta4 Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Ruta4 Arquitectura achieve 17th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

16. Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto

Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto is an Architecture studio with experience delivering projects of various scales, from interior design to masterplan urban schemes. The studio is led by Sergio Reyes Rodríguez. The studio focuses on delivering projects with a strong conceptual development through all stages of design, always nurtured by a close dialogue with the client and a rigorous research on the specific character of each context. A special attention is given to the environmental issues that pertain each project and its solutions aided with advanced computational tools.

Some of Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto achieve 16th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

15. TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos

The workshop is an open and collective space, where we seek the encounter, the influence and even the conflict of multiple disciplines that allow an architecture with the capacity to transform life.

Some of TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos achieve 15th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

14. Vicaria Arquitectura

We are driven by the strength to do things right, with high value in design, ethics, commitment to our values, our people and our environment. We dream of a new form of architecture based on the art and challenges of humanity. We are global, avant-garde, versatile, daring and memorable.

Some of Vicaria Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Vicaria Arquitectura achieve 14th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	2

13. Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje

DARP. De Arquitectura y Paisaje, is a studio based in Colombia. The work of DARP explores the field between landscape and architecture, seeks to generate in each project a social and cultural development in relationship with territory, looking for a practical, creative and sustainable answers.

Founded in 2012 for MArch Landscape, Jorge Emilio Buitrago and Arch. Jaime Eduardo Cabal Mejía. DARP conform an interdisciplinary team with professionals from different areas which make possible to offer integral answers, guided to the contribution in the society, the culture and the life quality.

Some of Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje achieve 13th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	3

12. Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS

Simon Velez is a prize winning architect from Colombia, most famous for his innovative use of bamboo as an essential building component. He is the winner of the Principal Prince Claus Award 2009.

Some of Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS achieve 12th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	4

11. La Rotta Arquitectos

La Rotta Arquitectos is an office that considers an essential part of its philosophy a close relationship between buildings and the city as a way to promote greater recognition of institutions in the urban environment. Something that results in a better image and sense of belonging on the part of its users and the general public. It is constant in the production of the office founded by Ricardo La Rotta in 2000 that has not only guaranteed the success of each of the projects that have been carried out there but has allowed these buildings to be today a reference for institutions, their users and cities.

Some of La Rotta Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped La Rotta Arquitectos achieve 11th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	2

10. aRE – Arquitectura en Estudio

We are a professional architecture and design firm based in Colombia. Creating exciting and inspiring spaces is our passion. We have experiences developing architecture and interiors projects both locally and internationally. Our work ranges from large urban interventions to institutional buildings, residential projects, houses and interior design.

Some of aRE – Arquitectura en Estudio’s most prominent projects include:

NAOS Business Campus, Bogotá, Colombia
Casa 3 at Colinas de Payandé, Villeta, Colombia
Casa 7A, Villeta, Colombia
Casa 5, La Calera, Colombia
Colegio El Nogal, Bogotá, Colombia

The following statistics helped aRE – Arquitectura en Estudio achieve 10th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	5

9. taller de arquitectura de bogotá

taller de arquitectura de bogot is an architecture firm located in Bogotá, Colombia. The practice mainly revolves around residential architecture, offices and public buildings.

Some of taller de arquitectura de bogotá’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped taller de arquitectura de bogotá achieve 9th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

8. Velez Valencia Arquitectos

We are a team of architects focused on public solutions that add value to the interests of our clients. We are the mix of global experience with local knowledge.

Some of Velez Valencia Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Velez Valencia Arquitectos achieve 8th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	3

7. DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS

Daniel Bonilla Architecture and Urbanism started formally in1997 even though Daniel Bonilla had practiced architecture in several enterprises internationally. Daniel Bonilla Architecture and Urbanism is a very well known Design Studio, where the three basic areas worked are: urban, architecture and industrial design.

This area variety gives us a wide vision on design in every scale, from urban planning and design, up to the development of delicate industrial pieces. Our rigor, enthusiasm, dedication and passion led to the recognition and goodwill, awards and the status to be on the young Colombian architects´ elite. Also, we’ve developed great team work capability not only among us, but also with other firms nationally and overseas.

Some of DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS’s most prominent projects include:

LOS NOGALES SCHOOL CHAPEL, Bogotá, Colombia
NOGALES CAFETERIA, Bogota, Colombia
LOS NOGALES HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, Bogotá, Colombia
LOS NOGALES SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, Bogotá, Colombia
LOS NOGALES SCHOOL ARTS CENTER, Bogotá, Colombia

The following statistics helped DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS achieve 7th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	5

6. Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos

© TALLER Architects, Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos

We are a team of professionals with 15 years of specific experience in the design of high-quality buildings and institutional spaces, personally led by Juan Pablo Ortiz, professor and researcher at the University of the Andes in Bogota. Juan Pablo Ortiz arquitectos is a studio specialized in the integral development of unique buildings with a great communicative projection.

Our experience based on the research and execution of projects in this field of architecture, has allowed us to understand the commitment that our professional work has in the material and cultural construction of society. We believe that architecture is a service aimed at improving the daily life of the communities with which we work; understanding this service as the will to give additional values to simple construction. We are convinced that an architecture of excellence is built with ideas. In fact, our work stands out for the continuous search for fresh, proactive and innovative operational concepts and ideas, which allow us to project living spaces that are efficient, tiles, durable, responsible in the use of energy, beautiful and significant; all this within a framework of respect for local traditions and the natural landscape in which it is implanted. In addition, our buildings operate with a conscious and rational use of resources, which we understand as sacred. This way of exercising architecture becomes a sustainable construction in its social, economic and environmental facets.

The rigorous technical work, under strict parameters, has resulted in public buildings of recognized quality, awarded and published in numerous national and international specialized magazines and books. We have won 15 awards in public project competitions. Our buildings have received distinctions such as the national L piz de Acero award, and have been selected in Colombian and foreign Biennials. Our work was nominated for the continental award Mies van der Rohe Crown Hall Am ricas. Juan Pablo Ortiz has been a guest speaker on numerous occasions in Colombia, Argentina and Mexico. We are also the first Colombian architects to execute public projects of great significance for another country such as the General Archive of the Nation of Mexico.

Some of Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos achieve 6th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	1

5. Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura

CV Alejandro Restrepo Montoya August 4th, 1973, Medellín, Colombia University Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Pontificia University Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia. He has developed urban and architectural projects in the recent context of urban transformation of Medellín and has received international and national awards in recognition of his architectural work.

Some of Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura achieve 5th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	2

4. Taller Sintesis

Office of architecture and urbanism founded in 2008 in Medellín. Winner of National Award of Architecture in Colombia at the XXIV Bienal architecture and first mention in the Pan American International Architecture Biennale of Quito in 2014. Winners of the Clinica de la mujer design competition, Park of Arts and Crafts and Cerro The Asomadera design competition.

Some of Taller Sintesis’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Taller Sintesis achieve 4th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	2

3. CONNATURAL

CONNATURAL (formerly known as Laboratorio de Arquitectura y Paisaje) is situated in Medellín, Colombia and founded by the architects Edgar Mazo and Sebastian Mejia in 2011. Through its investigative work the office tries to establish a constant and mutual dialogue between art, architecture and landscape. This dialogue becomes evident through interventions and operations of territory.

Some of CONNATURAL’s most prominent projects include:

GARDEN HOUSE, Medellín, Colombia
MEDELLÍN´S AQUATIC COMPLEX, Medellín, Colombia
EDUCATIONAL PARK ENTRERRIOS, Entrerríos, Colombia
ROW HOUSE, Medellín, Colombia
POOL FOR A SCULPTOR, Medellín, Colombia

The following statistics helped CONNATURAL achieve 3rd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	5

2. EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI

EQUIPO MAZZANTI believes architecture is one of the keys for the construction of a more competitive and sustainable society. The studio reaches out to contribute towards social transformation and well being, devising detailed contextual research and involving local actors throughout its design processes. The studio produces innovative design based on the observation of day by day interactions, which hold unpredictable spatial and programmatic possibilities.

Some of EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI’s most prominent projects include:

Expansion of Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation, Bogotá, Colombia
Timayui Social Kindergarten, Santa Marta, Colombia
CHAIRAMA SPA, Bogotá, Colombia
V House, Bogotá, Colombia
Top image: Spain Library Park, Medellín, Colombia

The following statistics helped EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI achieve 2nd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	13

1. plan:b

plan:b is an architectural office that defines the work through a practice in which equal status is given to dialogue, drawing, travel, layout, construction, etc. and which are handled continuously, professional or academic situations, publication of books, college classes or construction
of buildings. Plan:b trust in working collaborative, to make of it a statement on the architecture and understands the practice and the architectural project as open situations, interim agreements, not imposed phenomena embedded in eco-social networks, either local or worldwide.

The plan:b work is generated primarily through participation in architectural competitions, and collaborating with other professionals in those projects is constant and diverse. Over the years work has been shared with people like Miguel Mesa (Mesa Publishers), Juan David Diez (Taller Standard), Federico Mesa, Camilo Restrepo, Giancarlo Mazzanti, Felipe Uribe, Ana Elvira Velez, Izaskun Chinchilla, and Hernando Barragan Maria Jose Sanin.

Some of plan:b’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped plan:b achieve 1st place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	11
Total Projects	16

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

Photo of a woman sitting within a forest green-coloured single-person office pod working at a laptop. The pod sits within a modern office space surrounded by open workstations

Interior Design

Framery predicts focus spaces to be key office design trend of 2024

By Zarkon Group,24/11/2023

Promotion: the need for well-considered focus spaces will come to the fore in workplace design in 2024, driven by the uptake of artificial intelligence, according to office pod brand Framery.

Framery says that the increase in AI in the workplace will result in it taking more responsibility for mundane, repetitive tasks, resulting in the need for additional focus spaces in open-plan offices to help support employees’ deep and focused tasks.

“If it happens how it’s expected and AI takes more responsibility for repetitive tasks, the office design should reflect this development and support deep, focused work,” said Tomi Nokelainen, head of Framery Labs, the company’s research and innovation unit.

According to Framery, while post-pandemic hybrid office design placed an emphasis on the creation of collaborative spaces and “flashy common areas embodying organisational culture”, the next phase of this evolution will centre on creating areas that minimise distraction and allow for focused work.

“It’s noteworthy that employees value focused working spaces beyond collaborative spaces,” said Nokelainen. “With work complexity on the rise, there is a heightened demand for both acoustic and visual privacy.”

The company points to the findings of research company Leesman, which has reported that workers are still choosing to stay at home for solitary work. Leeman’s research suggested that some working activities were “better supported at home” including individual-focused work and planned meetings.

However, Framery says that when employees have the option to work from home, that may not be sufficient to fulfil their productivity needs.

“It can’t be assumed that all employees have the luxury of a dedicated home office room, or are willing to invest in expensive desks or ergonomic chairs,” said Nokelainen.

Photo of a woman working at a laptop within a closed office pod that has two transparent and two solid walls. The pod is located within a breakout space with more casual, open table seating — Office workers value focus areas more than collaborative spaces, Framery research finds

Framery, a Finnish brand, was one of the first to enter the office pods space in 2010, creating soundproof booths that drown out external distractions so that employees can undertake focused work or conduct video conferencing calls.

According to Framery Labs’ research, focus spaces are the number one desired perk for employees that would draw them into working in the office rather than at home and they address distractions to focused work, for example, noise.

Only 33 per cent of employees report finding noise levels satisfactory in their workplace and dissatisfaction with noise has the strongest correlation to an employee saying that the design of their workplace does not support their personal productivity.

Photo or rendering of a modern, busy office incorporating several single-person work pods where people are working on their laptops in peace — The pods are soundproof so external noise is not a distraction

This can be especially consequential for neurodiverse people, who constitute around 15 to 20 per cent of the global population and who can have a greater sensitivity to sensory stimuli, according to the brand.

With workplaces becoming more inclusive, the next step will be to design them to function as “a catalyst not a barrier to productivity”, said Nokelainen, with a recognition that different people have different needs.

“There are no one-size-fits-all focus spaces – they can be everything from silent open areas, library-like spaces, private offices or pods,” said Nokelainen. “Each role and industry has their own special needs that must be taken into account.”

Photo or rendering of a forest green Framery One office pod within a contemporary office, placed within an otherwise open breakout space with cafe-style tables and chairs — The Framery One pod is Framery’s bestselling product

These considerations can be addressed with products like the Framery One, Framery’s bestselling office pod. A single-person workstation for focused work that is also optimised for virtual meetings, it includes soft lighting and adjustable ventilation to help create a personalised environment.

In a closed pod like this, neurodiverse people can apply “sensory integration techniques”, said Nokelainen which means incorporating the sensory tools or approaches that promote calm and focus for them.

There are also multi-person pods like the Framery Q Flow, one of the newest models. It is designed to help enable workers to achieve the “flow” state of mind, where work feels effortless and time switches off, and includes a height-adjustable electric table so that users can shift positions without interrupting their thought process.

The office pods come with Framery Connect, an integrated workplace management tool that supplies detailed data and analysis around how often and when they’re being used.

Photo of a man using the Framery One pod in an office while two women collaborate on a table outside — The pods include the Framery Connect workplace management system

Framery says it prides itself on the quality of its soundproof office pods, as well as having been among the first to bring the product category to the market. The company launched 13 years ago after its founder – Samu Hällfors – devised a solution to address the distraction caused by his boss’s loud phone calls.

“Our founder and CEO Samu Hällfors invented the office pod category in 2010,” said Framery. “Now we have over 200 competitors globally. To ensure we stay the market leader we are relentlessly innovating to engineer the most advanced pod in the world.”

Framery also has a sustainable and responsible ethos and has made a commitment to converting to a circular business model.

To find out more about Framery and its products, visit the brand’s website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Framery as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

La Escondida Chapel sits in rural La Garza in Mexico

Apaloosa Estudio crafts a pavilion-like experience

How are these architecture firms ranked?

20. Arango Arquitecto

19. OPUS – Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos

18. Relieve Arquitectura

17. Ruta4 Arquitectura

16. Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto

15. TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos

14. Vicaria Arquitectura

13. Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje

12. Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS

11. La Rotta Arquitectos

10. aRE – Arquitectura en Estudio

9. taller de arquitectura de bogotá

8. Velez Valencia Arquitectos

7. DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS

6. Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos

5. Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura

4. Taller Sintesis

3. CONNATURAL

2. EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI

1. plan:b

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