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Dekton Ukiyo: Cosentino’s New Material Collection Celebrates the Aesthetic Wisdom of Japan
CategoriesArchitecture

Dekton Ukiyo: Cosentino’s New Material Collection Celebrates the Aesthetic Wisdom of Japan

By Zarkon Group,

Most people who love design also love Japan. In fact, it is impossible to truly appreciate the modern history of Western art and design without recognizing Japan’s influence. From the woodblock prints of Hiroshige that inspired Van Gogh to the Zen tea rooms that laid the foundation for minimalist architecture, Japanese aesthetics paved the way for modernism.

It is not just that Japanese design is beautiful. The nation has a long tradition of thinking carefully about aesthetics, and how the contemplation of beauty contributes to human flourishing. Consider the concept of wabi-sabi, or the art of imperfection, that was recently explored in an Architzer op-ed. Centuries before American architects lamented the homogeneity of the clean and orderly suburbs, Japanese philosophers recognized the paradoxical truth about beauty: that it requires flaws.

Dekton Ukiyo NACRE. Image courtesy Cosentino

It is this aspect of Japanese aesthetics — the theoretical side — that most inspired world-renowned interior designer Claudia Afshar in the development of her new collaborative collection with Cosentino, Ukiyo. The tagline for the series is “The Inner Texture,” which speaks to the Japanese understanding of interior design as an art that evokes a mental atmosphere of inner serenity. In the Japanese tradition, beauty and well-being go hand in hand.

The collaboration consists of a series of new patterns and textures for Cosentino’s versatile Dekton surfaces, a product we love and have profiled many times in the past. Scratch resistant, stain resistant, and able to endure the elements, Dekton is the surface of choice for designers looking for a material that is both resilient and visually alluring. The introduction of Dekton into the marketplace in 2013 completely upended the old conventional wisdom that natural materials are more beautiful than composites.

With Ukiyo, Claudia Afshar showcases the extraordinary potential of Dekton. Most Westerners recognize the term ukiyo as referring to a genre of woodblock prints that flourished in the 19th century, epitomized by the work of artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige. But in the promotional materials for this new collection, Afshar and Cosentino have chosen to emphasize the literal meaning of this term, listing the dictionary definition on the top of the collaboration webpage: “[u-key-yo], Japanese, (n). Living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life. ‘The floating world.’” The idea is drawn from Zen. It means that paradise is always at hand; all it takes is a choice to live in the moment.

Dekton Ukiyo KRETA. Image courtesy Cosentino

In a recent webinar hosted by Architizer, Cosentino’s Lauren Dron quoted Coco Chanel’s statement that “An interior is the natural projection of the soul”, emphasizing the depth of the question architects and designers must ask every time they take on a project. “Meaningful design in the built environment continues to be rooted in our minds and in our emotions,” she declared. “Design is a reflection and enhancement of the human experience.”

This second part — enhancement  — is key, and it is the place where architects can really have an impact on the world. In a social environment dominated by stress, conflict, and speed, architects can create environments of serenity and calm. They can remind people that “the floating world” is alway at hand if one is willing to adjust their perspective.

This, then, is the noble aim of Ukiyo, which features textures and colors that are simple, yet rich. As lush as any natural stone, and as meditative as a pool of still water, these surfaces bring serenity into all sorts of interiors, from domestic to commercial. Each Dekton color features the same delicate ribbed texture, which is reminiscent of the wood slats one often finds in Japanese homes. The texture also evokes the delicate patterns one finds raked into the sands of Zen gardens.

There are two different options when it comes to the size and spacing of the grooves. Ukiyo GV2 is wider, with 25 mm slats and grooves that are 5 mm wide and 3 mm deep. GV3 is finer, with 11 mm slats and grooves that are 4 mm wide and 4 mm deep.

Dekton Ukiyo BROMO. Image courtesy Cosentino

BROMO is the first color in the series. It is described as “a dark gray shade inspired by slate featuring subtle faded graphics and a carefully crafted texture with a natural aesthetic.” The graphics are really key here. The material is actually deeper and richer than slate, yet it has the same soothing matte finish, exuding sophistication.

The next color, KRETA, is inspired by concrete, a material that retains modernist cache despite its ubiquity. Some of the most lyrical architecture ever made with raw concrete was created by Japanese architects, including Tadao Ando. Cosentino notes that KRETA can “create lighter or darker spaces.” In this way, it  plays off the light conditions in its environment, just like real concrete — a true neutral.

NACRE and REM are both shades of cream or beige. NACRE is the lighter of the two, and can even be considered an off-white. It is a great choice for designers looking for a minimalist finish but wary of stark brightness. This tone is both light and warm. REM has a similar impact but is marked by more dramatic veining patterns. There is a luxe quality here that is perfect for commercial interiors.

Dekton Ukiyo UMBER. Image courtesy Cosentino

Finally there is UMBER, the most adventurous and unique color in the series. It is hard to look at this delicately textured terracotta without imagining the rooms one could create with this tone. Unlike the other colors, which are notable for their versatility, UMBER is a showstopper. It is the kind of color you build a room around.

Ukiyo is a truly inspiring series of surfaces. It is also ethically manufactured. Dekton is  the only “Cradle-to-Grave Carbon Neutral surface” as Cosentino offsets 100% of their CO2 emissions over the product’s life cycle. This too is very Zen. Dekton exists in harmony with its surroundings.

To learn more about Dekton Ukiyo and talk with Cosentino about how to integrate it into your next project, visit their website.

Reference

"Emerging Ecologies" at MoMA Celebrates the Utopian Side of Environmental Design
CategoriesArchitecture

“Emerging Ecologies” at MoMA Celebrates the Utopian Side of Environmental Design

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards are officially underway! Sign up for key program updates and prepare your submission ahead of the Main Entry Deadline on  December 15th.  

In 2023, terms like environmentalism and sustainability have a decidedly bleak emotional valence. Although the worst consequences of climate change are expected to arrive in future decades, the looming specter of this slow leviathan is having an emotional impact on people today. According to the Yale Program on Climate Communication, 3% of Americans regularly experience anxiety about climate change. The number is higher if you look at individual demographics. For instance, 5% of Americans under 35 suffer from climate anxiety, as do a shocking 10% of Hispanic Americans. 

Fear. Depression. These are the emotions that the phrase climate change evokes. Morally, the term coincides with a demand for austerity, an idea of living with less. It is no surprise, then, that many climate activists, like countless religious movements of old, have a decidedly iconoclastic rhetorical bent. The notorious Just Stop Oil organization made headlines by throwing soup on famous paintings like Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. Like Girolamo Savonarola, who burned Renaissance masterpieces to protest sexual immorality, Just Stop Oil carries a grim and uncompromising sermon. They desecrate art, they say, to mirror the way industrial society desecrates nature. 

Girolamo Savonarola leading a “Bonfire of the Vanities” in 15th century Florence, encouraging his followers to burn “immoral” painitngs. Painting by Ludwig von Langenmantel, 1879, via Wikimedia Commons.

But here is the problem with puritanical movements: they fizzle out. Some people are motivated by a call for austerity, but most are not. People want joy. They want beauty. They want to be told that there is a way for them to live well, today, in this life. They do not want to forsake the present for the world to come. Well intentioned or not, if the vision of a sustainable future is a vision of deprivation, it will not motivate people to change their behavior. 

This has been my perspective for a while now. And it is why I enjoyed “Emerging Ecologies”, MoMA’s new exhibition on environmental design. Unlike another exhibition I recently visited on sustainability — “The Future is Present“ at the Design Museum in Denmark — “Emerging Ecologies” is not a dystopian lecture about the way our progeny will need to learn with less. To the contrary, the exhibition celebrates architects of the past who grappled with the question of how to design with the environment, taking their cues from the landscape. The show reveals how this approach is not only ethical, but has the potential to produce buildings that are beautiful, quirky, creative and stimulating. Drab this show is not. 

“Emerging Ecologies” showcases a few contemporary projects, but the emphasis is on work from the 1960s and 70s, the period when the idea of ecology was still “emerging.” The first thing visitors to the exhibition see is a magnificent model of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, perhaps the only 20th century building that both modernists and traditionalists agree to be a masterpiece.

The centrality of Fallingwater is, I think, the most inspired curatorial choice in the exhibition. But what does it have to do with sustainability? Quite a bit, it seems. Frank Lloyd Wright’s building is designed to complement the landscape rather than dominate it. While the building might not have been created with the purpose of lowering carbon emissions, it does represent the type of attitude architects might come to embrace if they are serious about the ideal of sustainability. Working with nature, rather than against it, could lead us to a future where people live and work in buildings like Fallingwater — an attractive prospect indeed.

Other projects featured early on in the show include Malcom Wells’s design for subterranean suburban dwellings, an approach playfully known today as “hobbitecture.” Wells was interested in these types of dwellings in the early 1960s, but they really caught on in the 1970s, when the oil crisis led individuals to consider ways to reduce their consumption of fossil fuels. Wells’s view was a bit more ambitious than this. He hoped that subterranean architecture would allow “wilderness” to reclaim the American suburbs, quipping that it has the advantage of “millions of years of trial and error” over human civilization. On the surface, this quote seems to echo the misanthropy of Just Stop Oil, but the designs themselves belie this reading. Wells’s houses are cozy habitats for human flourishing. 

“Emerging Ecologies” is the inaugural presentation by the Emilio Ambasz Institute for the Joint Study of the Built and Natural Environment. Many of Ambasz’s works are among the 150 projects on display, and the curation, handled masterfully by Carson Chan, speaks to Ambasz’s commitment to an imaginative, even utopian vision of sustainable architecture. As Matt Shaw notes in his review for e-flux, the show “traces the twentieth century of American idealism, from crank scientists like Buckminster Fuller to later hippie fever dreams, such as Anna and Lawrence Halprin’s sixties-era nude summer workshops, in a surrealist collection of alternative US futures.” Within the exhibition, low-tech back to nature fantasies exist alongside futuristic visions such as that of the Cambridge Seven Associates, who proposed a lush and self-sustaining rainforest enclosed in a geodesic dome for the Tsuruhama Rainforest Pavilion in 1995. 

“Emerging Ecologies” is refreshing in its lack of pedantry. It does not propose to know the way forward. Rather, it looks back to a history of environmental architecture in order to highlight a number of potential pathways. If you are in New York this holiday season, I strongly recommend skipping the Rockettes and seeing this instead. The exhibition runs until 20 January. 

Cover Image: Vincent Van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888. Image via Wikimedia Commons. 

Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards are officially underway! Sign up for key program updates and prepare your submission ahead of the Main Entry Deadline on  December 15th.  

Reference

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong
CategoriesArchitecture

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong

By Zarkon Group,

New Office Works’ canopy uplifts Cheung Sha Wan Promenade

 

New Office Works has introduced an undulating canopy to the Cheung Sha Wan waterfront promenade in Hong Kong. The structure is intended to offer shade and protection, resembling the aggregation of docked boats commonly seen along the harborfront. Positioned amidst a mix of older and newer developments on the west side of the Kowloon Peninsula, it links residential and commercial zones to the northwest with a wholesale food market to the southeast. As a part of a broader waterfront upgrade, it establishes connections between the pier and promenade and the city through three main pathways: an open-air route leading to the MTR station, a pathway through the neighboring hotel’s central courtyard, and a more secluded path next to the residential complex. 

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong
all images by Rory Gardiner

 

 

a Design taking its cues from Waterfront Heritage

 

The design of the canopy draws inspiration from the site’s history, particularly the active cargo offloading and the docking of boats around the pier. Divided into five shifting strips, the canopy allows for varied spatial experiences and promotes natural ventilation through well-placed voids. During the day, sunlight filters through the shelter, creating interesting light and shadow effects. At night, the interior lighting gives it a distinct profile floating above the water. 

 

The canopy is built using a steel framework consisting of cylindrical columns and curved beams. Its highest section is positioned centrally, gradually declining in height on both sides. To avoid duplicating columns along the roof’s edge, the lower roof is hung from the higher one by a system of suspension rods. The upper roof is covered with a standing seam roof featuring grooves that accentuate its curved shape, while satin aluminum panels form the reflective ceiling below, mirroring the rippling water’s surface.

 

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong
the canopy is inspired by docked boats and historic cargo activity

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong
the design allows natural ventilation and light play

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong

undulating canopy by new office works shelters waterfront promenade in hong kong
the steel framework is made with cylindrical columns and curved beams

Reference

Community centre by WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects
CategoriesArchitecture

Mexico City community centre has blue-tinted concrete walls

By Zarkon Group,

Design firms WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects have created a multi-level, concrete community centre in an underserved neighbourhood that is meant to “promote the regeneration of social life”.

The building by New York’s WORKac and local studio Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos – officially called PILARES Lomas de Becerra — is located in a hilly area and rises up from a dense intersection surrounded by active streets.

Community centre by WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza ArchitectsCommunity centre by WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects
The community centre is located in Mexico City

Located in Mexico City’s Lomas de Becerra neighbourhood, the building was created as part of a government initiative called PILARES, which stands for Points of Innovation, Freedom, Art, Education and Knowledge.

For a slender, irregularly shaped site, the team devised a multi-storey facility that encompasses 5,059 square feet (470 square metres).

Blue concrete walls within the community centreBlue concrete walls within the community centre
WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects designed the multi-level structure

“In appearance, the volume is simple and compact, with a strong character that confirms its presence as a public building,” the team said.

Walls are made of concrete – a material chosen for its construction and structural efficiencies, as well as its thermal and aesthetic qualities, the team said.  The concrete was dyed blue, a decision informed by the vibrant colours found in the surrounding area.

Coloured concrete building in Mexico CityColoured concrete building in Mexico City
The team devised the building for a slender, irregularly shaped site

Launched in 2018, the PILARES programme aims to create opportunities for residents in underserved areas.

“Each PILARES building is designed to support various kinds of classes and workshops in support of skill building, as well as bringing cultural programming, learning opportunities, and safe spaces for leisure and cross-generational gathering to each neighbourhood,” said New York’s WORKac.

“The sites selected for their construction create new landmarks in the urban fabric, enabling the population to identify them as community meeting centres that promote the regeneration of social life.”

Blue concrete walls and a geometric skylightBlue concrete walls and a geometric skylight
Walls are made of blue concrete

Mexico City’s government enlisted local and international design studios to create 26 facilities under the programme.

Buildings are meant to respond to the local context and follow programming guidelines developed through extensive community engagement.

Blue concrete wallsBlue concrete walls
The building is meant to respond to its local context

The team tried to reflect the community and its values in the architecture.

“The use of colour in Mexican architecture is an element that has been transformed and reinterpreted in the hands of many artists and architects across generations,” the team said.

The building is fronted by a plaza that is shaded by pre-existing trees.

Street with trees outside Mexico City community centreStreet with trees outside Mexico City community centre
The building is fronted by a plaza with trees

Part of the ground floor is sliced away to form an angled, glazed entry wall, which helps “the transition between exterior and interior spaces”, the team said.

“The diagonal opening on the ground floor provides clear and free-flowing pedestrian routes in every direction, inviting users to walk around the plaza and enter the building,” the team said.

Inside, the building contains three split levels, all of which are connected by a central staircase. Rooms are designed to be fluid and adaptable.

“This flexible approach leaves open the possibility for changes to the programme over the lifetime of the building and allows it to freely evolve and adapt,” the team said.

Central staircase from an aerial viewCentral staircase from an aerial view
Three split levels are connected by a central staircase

WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects have designed a second PILARES building, in the borough of Azcapotzalco, that follows a similar design vocabulary.

Other PILARES buildings include a community centre in Iztapalapa by Rozana Montiel Estudio de Arquitectura that features a series of bridges, walkways and exterior staircases.

The photography is by Arturo Arrieta and Ramiro del Carpio.

Project credits:

Architect: WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects (IUA)
Team: Amale Andraos, Dan Wood, Ignacio Urquiza Seoane, Michela Lostia di Santa Sofía, Eder Hernández, María del Mar Carballo, Ana Laura Ochoa, Anet Carmona, Noé García, León Chávez, Fernando Tueme, Sacha Bourgarel
Interior design and lighting: WORKac, IUA and APDA
Structure and engineering: BVG (César Barquera, Eduardo Barquera); Ecomadi
Landscape: Genfor Landscaping (Tanya Eguiluz)
Development: Mexico City government and ZV Studio (Carlos Zedillo)
Digital visualizations: Israel Levy
Client: Mexico City government

Reference

Jackson West Medical Center Doral Campus by Perkins&Will
CategoriesArchitecture

7 Formidable Sustainable Firms Dynamically Disrupting the Architectural Status Quo

By Zarkon Group,

The latest edition of “Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture” — a stunning, hardbound book celebrating the most inspiring contemporary architecture from around the globe — is now available. Order your copy today.  

Sustainability has become something of a buzzword in the industry. It’s a term that’s gained momentum as the climate crisis has come to a head, yet its popularity has also diluted its meaning. In some instances, sustainability is employed as a marketing tool, reinforced by superficial practices with little environmental benefit. This kind of greenwashing can make it difficult to discern which firms are making genuine efforts to build a better future.

Recognized within the Best Sustainable Firm category at the 11th A+Awards, the following practices are committed to instigating real change among architects and design professionals. From reducing waste and water consumption, embracing passive design strategies and utilizing reclaimed materials to considering the entire life cycle of a building and giving new life to our inherited structures, here are the sustainable firms disrupting the status quo in 2024 and beyond…

Perkins&Will

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Jackson West Medical Center Doral Campus by Perkins&Will Architect’s Office by Perkins&WillFirm Location: Chicago, Illinois (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Jackson West Medical Center Doral Campus, Doral, Florida ; Architect’s Office, Washington, DC

Perkins&Will has a long history of delivering design excellence. In more recent decades, the practice has also become a leading light in efforts to make the industry more environmentally conscious. Its ethos champions the integration of sustainable practices at each stage of the design process, incorporating non-toxic materials, energy-efficient systems and biophilic approaches. The team has even pledged to eliminate embodied carbon from every commercial interior space they design by 2030.

Encompassing a wide array of typologies, from sports stadiums to offices and laboratories, the firm’s body of work epitomizes its mission to create beautiful spaces that enrich the lives of users and the wider planet. Perkins&Will also advocates for equity across the built landscape. Lauded for its work in promoting social justice, the studio has a program that offers free architectural services to nonprofits, supporting affordable housing, childcare, healthcare and education initiatives.

SUP Atelier of THAD

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

History museum of Qifeng Village by SUP Atelier of THAD INBAR Pavillion by SUP Atelier of THADFirm Location: Beijing, China

Pictured Projects: History museum of Qifeng Village, Anhui, China ; INBAR Pavillion, Yangzhou, China

Innovative firm SUP Atelier of THAD looks to regional materials and construction traditions to guide its sensitive approach to sustainability. The Beijing-based firm views each project through a highly contextual lens, ensuring its work invigorates both the natural environment and the surrounding community. Fusing state-of-the-art technology with the wisdom of vernacular architecture, the studio shapes new structures that harmonize with the local ecosystem and revives old structures by imparting fresh purpose.

Notable spaces in the team’s impressive portfolio include a remarkable exhibition hall in Yangzhou with an intricate bamboo frame inspired by the form of a fish, and a dilapidated building in a mountain village, restored with historic techniques and salvaged materials into a bustling public hub.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Urban Sequoia by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) Wellesley College Science Complex by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)Firm Location: New York, New York (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Urban Sequoia, Concept ; Wellesley College Science Complex, Wellesley, Massachusetts

After becoming a carbon-neutral business in 2022, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has its sights set higher, aiming for all of its active projects to produce net zero operational carbon by 2030. The minds behind some of the world’s most environmentally advanced buildings, the practice’s holistic philosophy utilizes sustainable engineering principles to create spaces that prioritize social well-being and environmental health.

This commitment to overhauling the industry’s practices is seen across every scale of the firm’s work, from macro projects such as expansive masterplans to micro projects like furniture design. One of its most ambitious concepts to date is Urban Sequoia. The futuristic vision fuses high-rise buildings with the functionality of trees, imagining a skyline that can absorb carbon at unprecedented rates.

COOKFOX Architects

Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Terminal Warehouse by COOKFOX Architects CITY TOWER by COOKFOX ArchitectsFirm Location: New York, New York

Pictured Projects: Terminal Warehouse, New York, New York ; CITY TOWER, New York, New York

New York-based practice COOKFOX Architecture sees itself as a steward of the world’s natural resources. The firm’s dynamic work across the urban landscape, from private homes and multi-unit housing to offices and retail spaces, reimagines the way spatial users interact with buildings and the organic environment. By drawing on biophilic architecture, its projects place people and nature in direct communion in even the most developed of cityscapes.

Dedicated to contextually responsive design in all its forms, the studio embarks on each brief with intensive research into a site’s cultural, historical and locational facets. The team engages with these different layers of identity, preserving the past and rearticulating it in a modern, regenerative design language.

EHDD

Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center (with HGA) by EHDD Millikan Laboratory and Andrew Science Hall at Pomona College by EHDDFirm Location: San Francisco, California (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center (with HGA), San Francisco, California ; Millikan Laboratory and Andrew Science Hall at Pomona College, Claremont, California

Since Joseph Esherick founded the firm in 1946, EHDD has been a pioneer of sustainable design, striving to reduce the impact its work has on the Earth. The practice’s Net Zero Energy concept was introduced more than fifteen years ago and it continues to advocate for a more environmentally conscious industry. A proponent of clean electricity, the studio is also endeavoring to reduce structure-based emissions, embracing alternatives including mass timber and ultra-low cement concrete, while undertaking its own research into new, cutting-edge solutions.

While the firm historically made a name for itself in residential and aquarium typologies, it also has expertise in designing libraries, science facilities, educational spaces, museums and zoos. Alongside its focus on sustainability, the team ensures its projects promote equity and inclusivity, shaping environments where users thrive.

Stantec

Special Mention, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

SUNY Upstate University Hospital Nappi Wellness Institute by Stantec The Charles Library at Temple University by StantecFirm Location: Edmonton, Canada (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: SUNY Upstate University Hospital Nappi Wellness Institute, Syracuse, New York ; The Charles Library at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Comprising designers, engineers and project managers, Stantec is a research-led firm headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The studio envisions a future where the organic and built spheres exist symbiotically, development is responsible, biodiversity is abundant and renewable energy is accessible to all. The firm’s aspirations for the future are articulated through its extensive catalog of work, ranging from residential, municipal, educational and commercial spaces to hospitality and infrastructure.

Stantec works closely with its clients to explore the potential of their projects, incorporating opportunities for carbon reduction and energy efficiency. The practice’s architectural toolkit champions passive and net zero design, in line with the LEED framework and WELL Building standards. By combining sustainable practices with creativity and a considerate, community-minded perspective, the firm’s projects help to elevate their users’ quality of life.

Lemay

Special Mention, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Odea by Lemay Théâtre de Verdure by LemayFirm Location: Montreal, Canada (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Odea, Montreal, Canada ; Théâtre de Verdure, Montreal, Canada

Founded back in 1957, Lemay is an interdisciplinary practice driven by innovation. Its team of more than 400 architects, designers and industry experts work across a wide array of scales, covering masterplans, transportation and commercial briefs, as well as residential and office environments.

The firm’s work is rooted in its net positive philosophy, which strives to create sustainable, socially aware spaces that will continue to benefit future generations. This scalable approach seeks to harmonize the built world and the natural environment on three levels: neighborhoods, buildings and interiors. Present in each of these layers of Lemay’s work, practical design measures, responsibly sourced materials and state-of-the-art renewable technologies ensure the delivery of meaningful projects that benefit the planet.

The latest edition of “Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture” — a stunning, hardbound book celebrating the most inspiring contemporary architecture from around the globe — is now available. Order your copy today.  

Reference

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canadian hillside
CategoriesArchitecture

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canada

By Zarkon Group,

Nicolas Côté and Kevlar Habitation set up La Musette in Quebec

 

La Musette, a collaborative project between Nicolas Côté and Kevlar Habitation, rises as a response to the increasing interest in outdoor living in Canada, especially with the rise of telecommuting. Departing from conventional territorial expansion, their approach advocates for reinvesting in villages instead of encroaching on natural landscapes. The project, initially conceived by Nicolas and his partner Sophie, aligns with sustainability and environmental responsibility, integrating seamlessly with the aesthetic of Notre-Dame-de-Ham village. Situated in the Appalachian hills, the residential project respects the village’s identity while showcasing innovation and sustainability in land development, reflecting Quebec’s capabilities.

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canadian hillside
all images courtesy of Nicolas Côté

 

 

La Musette Bridges Tradition and Innovation in Compact Design

 

The house, while contemporary, maintains a connection to traditional architecture with simple forms, pitched roofs, and white cladding. La Musette prioritizes compact, intelligent design to optimize space without sacrificing functionality or comfort. Versatile in its use, the house accommodates telecommuting, family gatherings, and daily living. The design incorporates cost-effective materials like plywood, ensuring warmth and authenticity within an accessible budget framework. Nicolas Côté, along with Kevlar Habitation, proposes La Musette as an invitation to enhance villages, emphasizing harmony with nature. Beyond being a residence, La Musette embodies a philosophy promoting sustainable development and encouraging reflection on spatial inhabitation for the future of small communities.

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canadian hillside
La Musette responds to the growing interest in outdoor living and telecommuting in Canada

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canadian hillside
the project advocates for reinvesting in villages instead of encroaching on natural landscapes

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canadian hillside
La Musette seamlessly integrates with the aesthetic of Notre-Dame-de-Ham village in the Appalachian hills

Reference

Living room in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
CategoriesArchitecture

Antonino Cardillo designs Elogio del Grigio house as “miniature palazzo”

By Zarkon Group,

Italian architect Antonino Cardillo has completed a house near Lake Garda featuring steep ceilings, arched doorways and a palette of textured plaster and marble.

Located in Castiglione delle Stiviere, in Italy’s Lombardy region, the two-storey residence was designed by Cardillo in the spirit of “a miniature palazzo”.

Living room in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloLiving room in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
The design centres around a grand first-floor living room and kitchen

Called Elogio del Grigio, which means “praise of grey”, the house combines classic proportions with a minimalist design aesthetic.

The building echoes the form of its red-walled neighbour, a typical northern Italian villa, but also incorporates references to traditional architecture from different parts of the Mediterranean.

Marble wall in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloMarble wall in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
This room features marble walls and textured plaster ceilings

The layout centres around a grand first-floor living room described as “the soul of this house”.

Cardillo drew on “the rectangular cuspidate rooms of Marrakech” and “window panes somewhere between Venetian windows and the marble hammams of Istanbul” for the design.

Sloping ceiling in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloSloping ceiling in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
Full-height glass doors lead out to roof terraces

“The project seeks to recognise and integrate some of the contributions of civilisations which are largely forgotten in Western architecture,” he told Dezeen.

“It accepts Hegel’s invitation to learn to see the endless greys of realities,” he added, referencing the words of a 19th-century German philosopher.

Exterior of Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloExterior of Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
The building’s exterior is relatively modest

Elogio del Grigio is home to a couple and their young daughter.

After visiting Cardillo’s House of Dust, a Rome apartment featuring deep wall recesses and textured ceilings, the couple asked the architect to design them a family home.

The brief called for generous living and dining spaces on two levels, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a roof terrace and a garage with space for two cars.

The building’s exterior is relatively modest, with a cool grey render finish and door shutters painted in a slightly brighter green-toned grey.

Marble bathroom in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloMarble bathroom in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
The first-floor bathroom features a porthole window

Inside, the materials palette becomes more luxurious.

Slabs of Carrara marble cover the walls and floors in the first-floor living room and bathroom, with a book-matching technique to create subtle repetition within the surface patterns.

The steeply sloping ceilings are coated with a plaster mix that includes volcanic ash, which was applied with a hand trowel to create the lumpy texture.

Hallway in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloHallway in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
Arched doorways can be found throughout the house

The living room also features a custom-made granite table based on the one in House of Dust, created thanks to the support of stone contractor and previous collaborator, Daniele Ghirardi.

“Daniele had already supported my research by funding an exhibition of my sculptures at the Soane Museum in London a few years ago,” Cardillo said.

Staircase in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino CardilloStaircase in Elogio del Grigio house by Antonino Cardillo
Granite provides flooring on the ground floor

Bedrooms are also located on the first floor, which is wrapped on three sides by terraces, while the lower level houses an office, the garage and the second kitchen and living space.

Other projects by Cardillo include a textured all-green gallery interior and a Sicilian grotto.

The photography is by Antonino Cardillo.

Project credits:

Architecture: Antonino Cardillo
Construction management: Giampaolo Piva
Quantity surveying: Massimo Maggi
Construction: Andrea Pennati, Giovanni Lancini, Giovanni Locatelli
Masonry: Stefano Camozzi, Marco Fontana, Osmanaj Jeton, Giuseppe Lancini, Carmelo Piterolo, Ramqaj Vehbi
Marbles and granites: Ghirardi
Windows: Wolf Fenster
Air system: Bonometti Graziano, Giacomo Averoldi

Reference

Built To Last: 6 Times ABC Stone Provided Rare Rocks for Timeless Architecture
CategoriesArchitecture

Built To Last: 6 Times ABC Stone Provided Rare Rocks for Timeless Architecture

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer’s A+Product Awards has officially launched! Get your products in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.

Stone architecture stands the test of time. Built around the world, these structures have been constructed for thousands of years. With diverse applications and uses, stone is chosen for its durability, performance and aesthetic qualities. Providing different varieties like limestone and granite to travertine and marble, ABC Stone is a company with rare and hard-to-find stones from quarries worldwide. By diversifying their material portfolio and service offerings, they’ve quickly become a one-stop resource for the architecture and design community.

Chosen to meet contextual and functional requirements, stone buildings give way to a vast array of different formal expressions. Whether cut or carved away, stone is used in architecture for everything from flooring to walls. The following projects showcase some of ABC Stone‘s collaborations with designers. From locations in New York City and Hicksville, ABC helps architects and teams find the right products for their specific projects. From residential to public and cultural work, the following designs showcase the versatility and potential of stone architecture.

Tata Innovation Center at Cornell Tech

By WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, New York, NY, United States

Outside the Tata Innovation Center and the surrounding grounds on Roosevelt Island, ABC provided a series of granite stone pavers. The project itself was developed by Forest City New York to supports Cornell Tech’s efforts to fuse entrepreneurial and academic ambitions on its new Roosevelt Island campus in New York City. One-third of the 235,000-square-foot building hosts Cornell Tech studios, labs, classrooms, and event spaces, while the upper levels are dedicated to a mix of technology-focused companies and start-ups.

All of the occupants share central, light-filled circulation spaces with panoramic skyline views and lounges that encourage social interaction and collaboration. The building’s cantilevered southwest and northeast wings shelter outdoor social spaces that animate the ground floor retail spaces and entry terrace. Anticipating environmental challenges such as rising sea levels and increased flood risk, the Tata Innovation Center is designed for maximum resilience with an entry floor that rises seven feet above the 100-year flood plain.

The Barnes Foundation

By Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners, Philadelphia, PA, United States

The Barnes Foundation collection was relocated to a 93,000 square foot, LEED Platinum building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in downtown Philadelphia. Conceived as “a gallery in a garden and a garden in a gallery,” the new building honors the past Merion facility and provides visitors with a personal experience. Clad in fossilized limestone and crowned by a luminous light box, the two-story building, with an additional level below grade, is set in a public garden.

The tripartite building plan consists of the gallery housing the collection, the L-shaped support building, and a court between the two. The L-shaped building provides facilities for the foundation’s core programs in art education, as well as for conservation, temporary exhibitions, and visitor amenities. The façade of the massive building is dressed in Ramon Grey limestone — quarried in the Negev desert and supplied by ABC Stone. In total, 4,000 stone panels were employed to construct the facility.

Field House

By Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects, Sagaponack, New York

Field House was built between ocean and pond. With the landscape seemingly running through it, the house was designed around flooding and wind. It was constructed on piles with a steel frame and high density limestone. The house is approached through a terraced set of stairs, and the interior palette matches the exterior, with the limestone extending throughout the main level and reappearing as solid blocks in bathrooms.

The intention throughout is to reinforce rather than detract from the natural beauty of the surroundings. Valders Limestone from Wisconsin used inside and out. The stone is used landscape elements such as the pool and spa and the surrounding terraces. It continues through the inside main level of the house reinforcing the indoor outdoor relationship.

Pierhouse and 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

By Marvel, and INC Architecture & Design, Brooklyn, NY, United States

1 Hotel overlooks the East River in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood and features more than 10,000 square feet ABC’s Montclair Danby Vein Cut, Mountain White Danby, and Crystal Grey Danby. The Pierhouse and 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge building echoes the park’s simplified use of stone and steel. It steps down to meet the green lawns with planted roofs. Using stone from a Vermont quarry helped the project achieve the designation of LEED Gold certification.

The Pierhouse and 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge development includes a 194-room hotel and 106-unit condo residence in Brooklyn Heights. The design allows for unparalleled views of the New York harbor and the park. The building was made to serve as an improved link between Furman Street and the park open space.

Perry World House

By Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners, Philadelphia, PA, United States

For the Perry World House, the University of Pennsylvania needed a space for its new institute that would aggregate all its international activities. This became a renovated cottage that was originally built in 1851. Designed by 1100 Architect, the team preserved the house while transforming the site into a 21st century flagship for this newly formed institute. ABC Worldwide Stone was responsible for sourcing, selecting, quality checks, logistics and fabrication approvals on all the project’s 1,850 cubic feet of Renaissance Beige limestone.

The new limestone-clad building sits at the heart of Penn’s campus, mediating two very different conditions: a pedestrian/domestic scale to its south and west, and a busy urban scale and traffic corridor to its north and east. The building’s facets allow it to modulate its scale in a seamless way, deferring to the original house, on one hand, but providing a strong edge to the busy street, on the other.

Clinton Hill Brownstone

By Michael K Chen Architecture, Clinton Hill, New York

MKCA’s gut renovation and exterior restoration of a landmark Brooklyn brownstone balances history with a playful intervention. Located in the historic Clinton Hill neighborhood, the original structure was abandoned to decay for twenty years. The design of the house balances stabilizing the building and recapturing its original details with efforts to create a new home in an adventurous, innovative manner, producing an appealing aesthetic between the historic elements and the new additions.

For the project, color is an important component of the design, and it is treated in a three-dimensional, spatial manner. ABC Stone was used throughout the project interiors. Across the redesign, a rigorously uniform yet distinct palette washes over each room, retaining the boldness and vibrancy of the original hues, while rendering the spaces more modern, cohesive and calm.

Architizer’s A+Product Awards has officially launched! Get your products in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.

Reference

© Le Anh Duc
CategoriesArchitecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam

By Zarkon Group,

These annual rankings were last updated on December 15th, 2023. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking. 

Vietnam’s vast and varied architectural landscape is composed of vernacular tradition, colonial doctrine and modernist exploration. Ancient Vietnamese architecture is rooted in its wooden and thatched structures and distinguished by its curved roofs. Eventually, during the centuries of dynastic rule, outsourced external laborers introduced a new Chinese visual language. Then, the French colonial period brought forth Western ideologies.

Following the dramatic political changes of the 20th century, a branch of modernist thinking made its way to Vietnam’s architectural landscape. Locals began to embrace this new wave of modernist architecture as a form of self-expression that differentiated itself from past colonial design; Vietnamese architects found unique ways to express themselves in an increasingly international structural language. Concrete, glass and metal took precedence over the past favoring wood, and modern structures began to appear — especially in Ho Chi Minh City — which attracted foreign business, bolstering the country’s urbanization. This newfound support of modernism and experimentation can be felt in the country’s contemporary architecture, which is often experimental yet site-specific and at the forefront of biophilic design.

Like anywhere in the world, Vietnamese architecture is not only informed by its governance and faith but by the climate. Regionally speaking, the architecture differs to accommodate specific climatic conditions. In the highlands and midlands, for example, one will find stilted homes that accommodate the region’s rain-prone conditions. Whereas traditional one-storied dwellings are found in the region’s dryer lands. Such a hybrid blend of architectural styles and diverse topography makes for a fascinating yet widely diverse built environment.

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 Vietnam 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 Vietnam architecture firms throughout the year.

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

30. TOOB STUDIO

© Le Anh Duc

© Le Anh Duc

In 2014, Architect Nguyen Hong Quang founded Toob Studio – an architecture firm that focuses mainly on small to medium residential projects. Simplicity can be seen in our works which frequently have clean crisp angular forms and recognizable spaces. According to researchers, with an urban population of nearly 2,000 people per square kilometers living in Vietnam’s urban areas, most new buildings are typically multistorey, boxy concrete townhouse-like structures with small floor areas, and minimal outdoor space. With an open mind and the willingness to push through boundaries, we will find ways to dissolve these limitations by designing buildings that are more transparent and bring nature into the spaces.

Some of TOOB STUDIO’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TOOB STUDIO achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 2

29. HCRA design

© Cao Hoa

© Cao Hoa

HCRA design is an architecture and interior design firm that focuses on public and commercial projects.

Some of HCRA design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped HCRA design achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 4

28. Space+ Architecture

© Space+ Architecture

© Space+ Architecture

We are always looking for creativity in each design to create aesthetic architectural spaces in terms of form and standards of function. The orientation of Space+ is the design solutions that adapt to the natural, climatic and local cultural conditions of each project. Each design of Space+ will be a Green building, creating comfortable and safe living spaces for users. We always respect community values, sustainability and friendliness with nature and living environment.

Some of Space+ Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Space+ Architecture achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 4

27. RISOU

© RISOU

© RISOU

RISOU is an architecture and interior design firm based on Vietnam. Its work is mostly centered around residential architecture.

Some of RISOU’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped RISOU achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 5

26. VHLArchitects

© Hiroyuki Oki

© Hiroyuki Oki

VHLArchitects work on a range of the architectural design process, from buildings to furniture, with the aim to “Create space, Paying the source of life.” We undertake phase formed from the basic idea for the design development phase formation of construction drawings and construction supervision. VHLArchitects with guidelines established to ensure that all projects that are formed with high quality, professional and each work is a feature of the architectural design.

Some of VHLArchitects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Red Flower Coffee Shop, Hải Châu District, Da Nang, Vietnam
  • PHONGHOUSE Awaken the abandoned house Project, Cẩm Lệ District, Da Nang, Vietnam
  • Parametric Bench design, Hải Châu District, Da Nang, Vietnam
  • HOUSING FOR WORKER, Bình Dương, tp. Thủ Dầu Một, Vietnam
  • BF House, Da Nang, Vietnam

The following statistics helped VHLArchitects achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 35

25. LVHQ

© LVHQ

© LVHQ

LVHQ is an architectural practice based on Vietnam. Its work is mostly focused on residential architecture.

Some of LVHQ’s most prominent projects include:

  • F-coffee, Đồng Hới, Vietnam
  • O-House, tt. Đô Lương, Đô Lương, Nghệ An, Vietnam

The following statistics helped LVHQ achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 2

24. Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates

© Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates

© Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates

Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates is an architecture and interior design studio based in Hue. Its projects are focused mainly on residential architecture.

Some of Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 3

23. INFINITIVE ARCHITECTURE

© INFINITIVE ARCHITECTURE

© INFINITIVE ARCHITECTURE

Founded in 2008 with practices in architecture, planning, interior, landscape, we have materialized projects in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with projects ranging from commercial to residential to hospitality.

We are making our way to progress and professionalism in the field, with the simultaneous observations of how architecture results in human living. We love to see local culture conveyed into architecture, as much as we hope to contribute to our community and our country.

Some of INFINITIVE ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped INFINITIVE ARCHITECTURE achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

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

22. CONG SINH ARCHITECTS

© CONG SINH ARCHITECTS

© CONG SINH ARCHITECTS

CongSinh is the creative team, in that each member has won the national and international architecture awards; has the best conditions to express their proficiency.
With high responsibility, each project is team’s dedication and seriously working with the wishing to create more nice architectural works for society. It is also to satisfy the passion and career love of every member of CongSinh. Customer satisfaction is the golden key to open our next success!

Some of CONG SINH ARCHITECTS’s most prominent projects include:

  • The Gills, Số 5, Tân Phú, Quận 7, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
  • Kaleidoscope, District 10, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
  • Vegetable Trellis, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The following statistics helped CONG SINH ARCHITECTS achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 3

21. SILAA

© SILAA

© SILAA

SILAA architects is a Vietnamese architecture studio, based in the city of Huế. the firm focuses primarily on residential and hospitality projects.

Some of SILAA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SILAA achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 4

20. Chi.Arch

© Chi.Arch

© Chi.Arch

Chi.Arch is an innovative architecture, interior, landscape design studio in Vietnam led by principal architects Mr. Truong Minh Tung and Mrs. Ho Nguyen Thuy Quynh. The company was born in Quy Nhon, Vietnam in 2019, but we work in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. We are a small team with around ten members. Architecture is a profession with many advantages when working online, so we organize work with many partners in the localities where the works are built in order to control and supervise them. We focus on building all kinds of houses, schools, libraries, resorts, cafes and restaurants, service works and more with the goal of bringing nature into the building through light, trees and ventilation.

Some of Chi.Arch’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Chi.Arch achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 8

19. CTA – Creative Architects

© CTA - Creative Architects

© CTA – Creative Architects

CTA stands for Creative Architects, was founded in 2018, is a group of young architects, architectural activities with the spirit of learning and promoting creativity, in order to create experiences, interesting in the architectural space. Besides architectural activities, CTA also has academic, research and creative activities to create solutions to overcome outstanding issues of society today.

Some of CTA – Creative Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Am house, Cần Giuộc, Long An Province, Vietnam
  • 2Hien, Tây Ninh, Vietnam
  • Wallhouse, Bien Hoa, Vietnam
  • T house, Dĩ An, Vietnam
  • Cloud, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The following statistics helped CTA – Creative Architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 6

18. Pham Huu Son Architects

© Pham Huu Son Architects

© Pham Huu Son Architects

Led by Pham Huu Son Architect, the PHSA team is young, dynamic, with a range of personal interests and specialities. We focused about simplicity, modernity and sustainable green architecture.

Some of Pham Huu Son Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Pham Huu Son Architects achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 4

17. mw archstudio

© mw archstudio

© mw archstudio

MW archstudio is a practice based in ho chi minh city, nha trang city, and hue city, vietnam. The firm offers professional services in masterplanning, architecture and interior design.

Some of mw archstudio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped mw archstudio achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 7

16. Inrestudio

© Inrestudio

© Inrestudio

Inrestudio is an architectural design studio based in Ho Chi Minh City. Led by a Japanese architect Kosuke Nishijima, the studio aims to discover new architecture specific to Vietnamese culture based on international perspectives. The studio’s design philosophy is represented by its name “in re”, which can be interpreted as “in relation”. As it signifies, the studio engages itself in not only “what we design” but also “what we design about”, valuing the understanding of environment where each project is situated, in order to propose longstanding designs in the rapidly growing society.

Some of Inrestudio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Inrestudio achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 3

15. 23o5 Studio

© 23o5 Studio

© 23o5 Studio

We, the young architects with enthusiasm of creative labor, with a strong heart and a violent passion, always cherished to create the novel projects and the worth spaces.

Some of 23o5 Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Lộc House, Tân An, Thủ Dầu Một, Vietnam
  • Up2green, Lái Thiêu, tx. Thuận An, Vietnam
  • The Memory, Tân An, tp. Thủ Dầu Một, Vietnam
  • The Longcave, tt. Trà Ôn, Trà Ôn, Vĩnh Long, Vietnam
  • BQ-17, Bình Chánh, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

The following statistics helped 23o5 Studio achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 6

14. KIENTRUC O

© KIENTRUC O

© KIENTRUC O

KIENTRUC O is an architectural firm based in HCMC, Vietnam. Lead by a dynamic duo DAM VU and ANNI LE. Its mission is to create architecture that facilitates and embrace a coherent symbiosis between human and the environment. The firm seeks for architectural manifestation as a collective result of keen observations and thoughtful application of local architecture, its people and their cultural tradition, all of which to achieve a harmonious relationship that satisfy human needs and stimulate coexistence between human and the natural ecology. DAM VU and ANNI LE also teaching at Architecture University of HCMC.

Some of KIENTRUC O’s most prominent projects include:

  • BÓ MON PRESCHOOL – The idea of a connecting station, Tú Nang, Yên Châu, Sơn La, Vietnam
  • CHUON CHUON KIM 2 KINDERGARTEN, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • HOUSE 304, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • CHUON CHUON KIM KINDERGARTEN, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Layerscape-VAS Office, Da Nang, Vietnam

The following statistics helped KIENTRUC O achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 8

13. Block Architects

© Block Architects

© Block Architects

At Block Architects, we undertake a complete solution, covering all stages of design. We actualize projects that possess sustainable values, tremendous vitality and satisfy the human demand for harmony and respect.

Some of Block Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • OldMeetsNew House, Trà Vinh, Vietnam
  • Duyen Casa II, Cao Lãnh, Vietnam
  • Vegan House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Lee&Tee House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • THE GAPS APARTMENT, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The following statistics helped Block Architects achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 5

12. AD+studio

© AD+studio

© AD+studio

AD+studio is a small architectural firm expressing the pride of Vietnamese cultural identity through its design. Not paying attention to generating a unique architectural language, our buildings integrate the abundance of construction context with the differences in the users’ lifestyle habits. Diversified local culture and lifestyle of each individual which are aroused and conveyed to the main works are the rich sources defining the characteristics of our architectures. We would like to ‘draw’ the vitality of the works: colorful and motive as always.

Some of AD+studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • THE UMBRELLA, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Stacking-Roof House, Thái Nguyên, Vietnam
  • BACKYARD house, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • BOUNDARY house, Binh Duong, Vietnam
  • STACKING BOX, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The following statistics helped AD+studio achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 8

11. 07BEACH

© 07BEACH

© 07BEACH

07BEACH was founded by in 2011 Joe Chikamori, who moved to Vietnam from Japan to grow his practice. He enjoys the freedom to experiment with architecture in Vietnam. Chikamori oversees every part of the design process, which ensures good work is produced for his clients every time.

Some of 07BEACH’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped 07BEACH achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 7

10. atelier tho.A

© atelier tho.A

© atelier tho.A

atelier tho.A was founded in 2015. Here, every day we share our belief in a “no-architectural” architectural practice. Architecture retreats behind, as a background, on which activities are freely shown and life continues proliferating. For us, architecture is part of an ecosystem. Its focus is on architectural practice by interrelated activities, including theoretical research (Alab), interior design studios (S.norm), and materials manufacturing (Xay Solution), etc. In particular, at the beginning of each project, Alab provides the database and direction for the designs. At the end of the chain, S.norm utilizes the built space as a given context from which unique and conceptually rich interior products would be created.

Some of atelier tho.A’s most prominent projects include:

  • Dali office, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • FA house, Dalat, Vietnam
  • Tien Giang house, Tien Giang, Vietnam
  • Gamma’s office renovation, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Lib house, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The following statistics helped atelier tho.A achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 7

9. Nghia-Architect

© Nghia-Architect

© Nghia-Architect

Nghia-Architect was founded in Hanoi in 2016. We are a young and creative architectural firm dedicated to creating sustainable architecture and high quality designs. We approach our design through both Asian and European principles in order to create a contemporary Vietnamese architectural language.

Some of Nghia-Architect’s most prominent projects include:

  • Maison A, Vietnam
  • Maison T, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Maison TL, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • MAISON Q, Hoàng Mai, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Villa LP, Ba Vì, Hanoi, Vietnam

The following statistics helped Nghia-Architect achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 9

8. a21 studio

© Hiroyuki Oki

© Hiroyuki Oki

Established in 2009, a small group of designers wishes to bring their conception of life to the surroundings by architecture.

Some of a21 studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • The Tent 1, Natural Heritage Area Trang, Vietnam
  • The Cloud, Natural Heritage Area Trang, Vietnam
  • The Tent 2, Natural Heritage Area Trang, Vietnam
  • Saigon House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • The Nest, Binh Duong, Vietnam

The following statistics helped a21 studio achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 9
Total Projects 12

7. idee architects Vietnam

© idee architects Vietnam

© idee architects Vietnam

Established in 2010, Idee Architect is a professional company in architectural, interior, resort and house design led by principal architects Tran Ngoc Linh, Nguyen Huy Hai and Tham Duc Hung. The main goal of the company is to become the first class architect company and bring Vietnamese architecture to the World. Simplicity drives their design; a focus on pure beauty. IDEE practices to design on the projects with the scale ranging from small to large. We always look towards nature and are interested in the affection of the design on environment improvement as well as the human’s awareness. Through many years, we have won many honor awards and many of our projects are published in newspapers worldwide.

Some of idee architects Vietnam’s most prominent projects include:

  • Mian Farm Cottage, Hà Nội, Vietnam
  • House under the Pines, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Cam Hai House, Cam Ranh, Vietnam
  • VH6 House, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Uspace Villa Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam

The following statistics helped idee architects Vietnam achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 17

6. 1+1>2 Architects

© 1+1>2 Architects

© 1+1>2 Architects

1+1>2 was founded in 2015 by Hoang Thuc Hao. We are a reality-focused firm dedicated to providing exceptional and personalized design services. Our work aims to make a lasting contribution to the urban and natural context by challenging, provoking and exciting. We pay great attention to our material choices and the influence of light in architecture.

Some of 1+1>2 Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Chieng Yen Community House, Mộc Châu, Sơn La, Vietnam
  • Dao School, Lao Cai, Vietnam
  • Mother’s House , Sơn Tây, Vietnam
  • Bottle Sail, Đồ Sơn, Haiphong, Vietnam
  • Cam Thanh Community House, tp. Hội An, Vietnam

The following statistics helped 1+1>2 Architects achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 8

5. MIA Design Studio

© MIA Design Studio

© MIA Design Studio

MIA Design Studio is an innovative master planning, architecture and interior design studio in Asia with Mr. Nguyen Hoang Manh leading as principal architect. The company was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2003. Presently, MIA Design Studio employs fifty regular members of staff, among which are architects, landscape architects, interior designers and technicians. The company frequently collaborates with various freelance associates (civil engineers, mechanical engineers, lightning and acoustic consultants, graphic and textile designers, artists, etc.), who are selectively incorporated in the composition of the design team, accordingly to the specific requirements of the project. The team of architects and designers with great admirers of the modernist movement seeks to fullfil the difficult task of rethinking and giving continuity to this iconic generation.

Some of MIA Design Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Naman Retreat Pure Spa, Da Nang, Vietnam
  • Villa Tan Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Wyndham Phu Quoc, Phu Quoc, Vietnam
  • Sky House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • The Straw, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The following statistics helped MIA Design Studio achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 10

4. MM++ Architects / MIMYA

© MM++ Architects / MIMYA

© MM++ Architects / MIMYA

From traditional to contemporary architecture, from high end to low cost solutions, from small to XXL scale, this architecture office in Ho Chi Minh City is based on three core principles: create beautiful space for everyday life; stay free of “ready-made” solutions and collaborate in the creative process.

About the founders: My An Pham Thi, Architect, Graduated from University of Hanoi. After more than 10 years of practice in different international architecture offices she founded Mimya co. ( MM++ architects ) in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009 with the continuing goal to design an architecture, affordable, adapted to its environment, taking advantage of the tropical weather conditions and bringing to its inhabitants a unique living experience, close to nature. Michael Charruault, Architect Graduated from the french architecture school Paris-Belleville.

Some of MM++ Architects / MIMYA’s most prominent projects include:

  • Go Vap House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • STONE HOUSE, Nha Trang, Vietnam
  • Pattern House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • D2 Town House, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Oceanique Villas, Phan Thiet, Vietnam

The following statistics helped MM++ Architects / MIMYA achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

Featured Projects 15
Total Projects 15

3. TROPICAL SPACE

© TROPICAL SPACE

© TROPICAL SPACE

TROPICAL SPACE is an architecture firm based in Ho Chi Minh city, founded by architect Nguyen Hai Long and Tran Thi Ngu Ngon. We are specialized in designing and planning from master planning, urban design, architecture, landscape and interior design. With a deep understanding in Vietnam’s culture and climate, Tropical Space is committed to encouraging the clients toward the use of environmentally friendly, building practices and sustainable material selection. Tropical Space is confident to satisfy clients with innovative and unique designs while ensuring to deliver the projects on time and budget.

Some of TROPICAL SPACE’s most prominent projects include:

  • Terra Cotta Studio, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam
  • ORGANICARE SHOWROOM, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • TERMITARY HOUSE, Da Nang, Vietnam
  • LONG AN HOUSE, Long An Province, Vietnam
  • CUCKOO HOUSE, Da Nang, Vietnam

The following statistics helped TROPICAL SPACE achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 3
Featured Projects 14
Total Projects 11

2. H&P Architects

© H&P Architects

© H&P Architects

The Corporation H&P Architects (HPA) was established in Vietnam in 2009 by architect groups, engineers, planners and project managers. H&P Architects’ goal is to provide professional solutions to customers. This is demonstrated through multiple investment categories: office, residential, hotel, resort, hospital, private housing, planning and urban design as well as industrial, educational and infrastructure. H&P Architects is committed to meeting the needs and wants of each individual customer with a total solution to satisfy the highest standards of quality projects as well as economic efficiency.

Some of H&P Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Brick Cave, Vietnam
  • Cheering restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Toigetation, Cao Bang, Vietnam
  • BE friendly space, Vietnam
  • Blooming Bamboo Home, Cầu Diễn, Từ Liêm, Hà Nội, Vietnam

The following statistics helped H&P Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 6
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 18

1. Vo Trong Nghia Architects

© Hiroyuki Oki

© Hiroyuki Oki

Established in 2006, VTN Architects (Vo Trong Nghia Architects) is a leading architectural practice in Vietnam with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. All employees work closely on cultural, residential and commercial projects around the world. By experimenting with light, wind and water, as well as using natural and local materials, VTN Architects uses contemporary design vocabulary to explore new ways to create architecture.

Some of Vo Trong Nghia Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Vo Trong Nghia Architects achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Vietnam:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 22
Total Projects 18

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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.

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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

migliore+servetto restores historic venetian structure for human safety net bookstore
CategoriesArchitecture

migliore+servetto completes human safety net bookstore in venice

By Zarkon Group,

migliore+servetto completes multimedia bookstore

 

Tucked away in Venice’s Saint Mark’s Square, the Bookstore of The Human Safety Net Foundation by Migliore+Servetto sits at the intervention of work, dialogue, discovery, and community experience. Housed within the historical building of Procuratie Vecchie, the compact 14 square meter space reveals a warm interior, an exhibition titled A World of Potential, a multimedia experience, and welcoming areas throughout. The intervention preserves and refreshes historic spatial features including windows and flooring while new furniture and subtle design elements were introduced to inject modernity and reinforce The Human Net’s brand identity. Inclusivity and accessibility were additionally key pillars for the design team, influencing even the design of the open-shelved bookcase serving as the storefront display visible to all passersby.

migliore+servetto restores historic venetian structure for human safety net bookstore
all images courtesy of Milgiore+Servetto

 

 

a multimedia community experience in saint mark’s square

 

Externally, the foundation’s name and logo are marked in new signage and graphics on the entry door and mezzanine window, subtly connecting this intimate space to The Human Safety Net’s broader presence on the third floor. Within, embracing the space along the walls, a series of red, steel bookshelves form a modular display system with integrated light featuring different dimensions and angulations. Each insert is mobile and interchangeable to ensure maximum flexibility, with the shelves converging to form a 90° angle and host the sales counter. The central aisle and window display case complete the furniture ensemble, their lightness and flexibility echoing the foundation’s identity to provide an unambiguous homogeneity to the space.

 

Migliore+Servetto’s intervention involved the replacement of existing furniture, false walls, and suspended ceilings, while historic elements such as the original Venetian flooring, windows, and shutters were preserved and renovated. Light grey plasterboard now forms the suspended ceilings and false walls, complemented by a natural stone band countering potential high-water impacts as it spans the whole perimeter. For the lighting design, the Italian designers opted for Targetti spotlights which offer flexible planes of light to create different accents for different display by running along ceiling-recessed tracks. A restored door opens onto Corte Maruzzi, flanked by and a luminous wall and a vertical monitor that adds digital dimensions to the space, facilitating broader communication and narratives.

migliore+servetto restores historic venetian structure for human safety net bookstore

migliore+servetto restores historic venetian structure for human safety net bookstore

migliore+servetto restores historic venetian structure for human safety net bookstore

the human safety net foundation bookstore

the human safety net foundation bookstore

 

 

project info:

 

name: Bookstore of The Human Safety Net Foundation
designer: Migliore+Servetto Architects

location: Procuratie Vecchie, Saint Mark’s Square, Venice

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

Reference