Future Fest: Watch Michael Green Speak About the Timber Architecture Revolution
CategoriesArchitecture

Future Fest: Watch Michael Green Speak About the Timber Architecture Revolution

If you are interested in learning about the future of sustainable timber construction, we have some exciting news: Michael Green, Founder and Principal of MGA | Michael Green Architecture, will speak at Architizer Future Fest this September! Celebrating his firm’s latest A+Award for Best Architecture Firm in North America, Michael will take to the Future Fest stage to present his ideas on “Buildings for a Changing World”. The virtual live talk is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 19th, and is 100% free for attendees. Register to attend Michael’s presentation during our biggest ever celebration of architectural innovation:

Register for Future Fest

Michael Green is an award-winning architect, speaker, and author known for using design to create meaningful, sustainable built environments that benefit both people and planet. A leader in wood construction and innovation, Michael is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the recipient of an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Northern British Columbia, lecturing internationally on the subject of mass timber and new building technology, including his TED talk, “Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers.”

Michael serves as a government policy advisor on mass timber design and is the co-author of the first and second editions of ‘The Case for Tall Wood Buildings’ and ‘Tall Wood Buildings: Design, Construction and Performance.’

Top right: Wood Innovation and Design Centre, Prince George, Canada; bottom left: North Vancouver Passive House Plus, North Vancouver, Canada; photos by Ema Peter Photography

MGA | Michael Green Architecture is one of the most internationally recognized architecture firms in Canada. Beyond winning multiple A+Awards over the past few years, the firm has also received four Governor General’s Medals for Architecture and two Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Awards for Architectural Innovation. MGA is particularly well-known for its innovation in sustainable architecture and developing carbon-neutral buildings with advanced wood construction.

During his presentation entitled ‘Buildings for a Changing World’, Michael will explore some of the most pressing issues facing the architecture industry today. The world is evolving at a rapid pace, and architecture and construction must evolve with it in order to create a sustainable future for communities around the globe. What should the architecture of tomorrow look like? What should it be made of? And how should it be built? Michael and other Future Fest presenters will explore answers to these questions and more through the lens of some of the best, A+Award-winning architectural projects from recent seasons.

For a running list of speakers and more information on upcoming events, check out the Future Fest website, and register to receive invitations to each live talk in September:

Register for Future Fest

Top image: T3 Minneapolis by MGA | Michael Green Architecture, Minneapolis, MN, A+Award Finalist in the Commercial Mixed Use category; photo by Ema Peter Photography

Reference

Freelance Architect: What Is It? Why Should I Hire One?
CategoriesArchitecture

Freelance Architect: What Is It? Why Should I Hire One?

Most people undertaking home renovations, additions, or ground-up construction understand what an architect does, but many likely aren’t sure if they should hire one. Difficulty in determining the need for an architect, and a common perception that hiring one is an unaffordable luxury, contribute to this confusion. While hiring an entire architecture firm isn’t affordable for most individuals, purchasing a custom set of services from a freelance architect likely is, and doing so has recently become widely available due to the proliferation of online freelance marketplaces.

What Can an Architect Do?

Before deciding whether or not to hire an architect, anyone completing a building project should understand exactly what an architect can do for them. In general, an architect designs the layout of a space, the materials it’s made of, and how those materials are constructed in their finished state. A contractor can build a design from an architect’s plans, though they don’t necessarily need an architect’s plans to do so. Whether or not a project would benefit enough from an architect’s plans to justify the investment depends on the project.

A project rendering by Studio NA; image courtesy Studio NA

For an interior renovation that’s replacing existing fixtures, furnishings, or finishes with new ones in a similar configuration, an architect likely isn’t needed. In those cases, a competent contractor should suffice, though anyone taking this approach should clarify their expectations in advance with the contractor. For renovations that will change the location of walls, fixtures, or furnishings, an architect may not be necessary but the project would definitely benefit from their expertise, especially if the design is highly customized or complex.

If a project involves new, ground-up construction, including home additions, an architect is certainly worth the expense, and may even be required by local laws. Even if it isn’t, the complexity of new construction creates significant opportunity for an architect’s plans to maximize the quality of design and construction detailing on any budget. In all of these cases, utilizing an architect’s technical and design expertise will almost certainly save time, money, and effort in the long run.

Why Hire a Freelance Architect?

Until recently, hiring an architect was done by personal recommendations to local firms, an approach that lands outside most people’s budgets. However, since the advent of online freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr, the option to hire a single, freelance architect for a custom set of services has become widely available. Operating with little to no overhead, freelance architects are able to provide the exact level of design work a project needs on a task-by-task basis, making their services far more affordable than traditional professional arrangements.

The experience of working with a freelance architect varies significantly depending on what’s needed for a project. Traditionally, architects create a set of construction drawings that can be given to a contractor to build their design. For ground-up construction, a construction drawing set is definitely needed, and there are many freelance architects who can both design a new building and create the accompanying construction drawing set with enough detail for a contractor to build from. Someone undertaking interior renovations may only need some of the drawings found in a traditional set, so they could engage a freelance architect to prepare only those drawings they need.

In some cases, an illustrative rendering depicting the desired look and feel of a space may be enough to communicate to a contractor the information they need to build the design. Even just determining which types of drawings might be needed for a project can be worth a one-time consultation with a freelance architect, which is a service many provide. In all cases, if an architect must sign any drawing to meet a legal requirement, then a freelance architect should be sought who is properly licensed in the jurisdiction that is imposing that requirement.

How to Hire a Freelance Architect

The easiest way to hire a freelance architect is by using an online platform. With its dedicated Architecture & Interior Design store, Fiverr leads the way in sourcing freelance design services. Anyone searching for a freelance architect can filter their search on Fiverr by the type of deliverable or service they’re looking for, budget range, or seller characteristics, leading to a match far quicker than relying on personal recommendations or local industry groups.

Most talents on Fiverr break their work packages into three graduated levels of service, with price and other items like turnaround time, number of revisions, and final deliverables clearly identified. Specific details are agreed upon through direct communication before an assignment begins, though many freelance architects are likely open to discussing more complex, custom work, beyond their boilerplate services.

Ready to find the perfect design for your project? Head over to Fiverr’s Architecture & Interior Design store and check out the vast range of budget-friendly professional design services at your disposal.

Top image: A project rendering by Crystal Bright; image courtesy Crystal Bright

Reference

Want to Stay Relevant in Architecture? Become an Adaptive Reuse or Renovation Expert
CategoriesArchitecture

Want to Stay Relevant in Architecture? Become an Adaptive Reuse or Renovation Expert

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter. 

Few architectural design processes begin with a blank slate. Rarely is a plot of land as flat and featureless as the sheets of paper used to plan it. This is especially the case in our post-industrial cities, where something likely already exists on that plot. Perhaps a Victorian redbrick or a shingled house that has seen better days? These buildings generally have a host of structural problems that can cause headaches for architects and engineers. And the easiest solution always seems to be to tear it all down and start anew.

But demolishing and starting from scratch is also a lost opportunity to rehabilitate the history and character of a place. By destroying the ‘outdated’ buildings that seem to cause us so many headaches, we are erasing the cultural heritage of our neighborhoods. While preservation projects can be prescriptive, adaptive reuse invites architects the flex their creative muscles by finding a way to express the evolution of a building and neighborhood. Almost paradoxically, renovation projects rely on innovative thought and cutting-edge technologies. Meanwhile, to paraphrase form AIA President Carl Elefante, “the greenest building is one already built”. Retrofitting existing structures is a conscionable alternative to the carbon-intensive nature of new construction.

The Westmount Building, by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, took home the Popular Choice prize in the 10th Annual A+Awards. The firm transformed a century-old, three-storey brick building — a patchwork of decades-old neglect with mismatched bricks and randomly positioned windows — into a vibrant, urban-oriented community hub.

More and more, adaptive reuse projects are being undertaken by a diverse range of firms — often, these projects are topping awards lists that were once reserved for ground-up constructions. For all of these reasons and more, we are highlighting architecture firms on this week’s job’s board who are willing to give old buildings a second chance. Whether with refurbishing projects or meticulous renovations, these firms are proving that the old can be a fertile source for reinvention. Not all ‘new’ buildings need to be completely new. Sometimes incorporating or preserving elements of old buildings serves as a gift both to the past and to the present.

Tyler Engle Architects — who are currently hiring a Project Architect for their Seattle studio — are no strangers to providing old buildings with a new lease of life.

Freyer Collaborative, an architectural design firm in New York City, also has a diverse portfolio of renovations that stylishly incorporate pre-existing buildings into their high-end residential projects. They are currently looking to hire an Intern Architect.

MJA+A Architects are hiring for an architectural drafter for their offices in New York City. The firm focuses on renovations and restorations for commercial and residential projects both big and small.

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter. 

Reference

9 Tutorials To Improve Your Section Renderings
CategoriesArchitecture

9 Tutorials To Improve Your Section Renderings

The winners of Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Rendering Challenge have been revealed! Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.  

Sections are integral to understanding any architectural scheme. Whether 2D or 3D, they can give an insight into the varying heights within a model, site conditions, function, material use, light mapping and more. Students and professionals have been experimenting with a variety of styles and techniques to create conceptual and realistic sections to best showcase their proposals. Softwares like Illustrator and Photoshop have also made the task easier, especially when paired with 3D modeling applications and rendering assets.

People creating or inspecting design portfolios now expect drawings that are not only accurate but also have a strong visual appeal. Whether it is a blueprint effect, pop-art palette, x-ray layering or a watercolor effect, every technique contributes something different to the composition. Below is a list of videos that show some different types of sections and how to create them digitally.


Using Photoshop, the above video walks viewers through the different steps of converting a simple line drawing of a section into a rich visual that shows material, depth, light, green cover and more. In addition to the main drawing, there are several smaller steps that can not only apply to sections but can also help enrich other 2D drawings. The tutorial also takes care of less important details that might otherwise be overlooked such as staggering shadows on sloped surfaces and recesses.


The creator has explained how to take a perspective section from SketchUp into a vector drawing on Illustrator to create a minimal black and white render. This is especially helpful to understand how angled sections can be created for structures with irregular forms. Naudet starts with detailed instructions on how to cut a section in a 3D model and add a reference height for human figures as well as faces for shadows on transparent surfaces. The tutorial then moves to Illustrator where we learn how to layer the base image and the shadows and then add humans, manipulate the site and play with line weights.


Street sections are helpful when it comes to showing road widths, tree heights and compound boundaries. The video above shows how to simply and effectively render a cross-section of a road for larger architecture projects, public space designs or urban planning. It starts with a line drawing and builds on it with silhouettes and vector additions of cars and trees along with labels and dimensions.


This video combines the regular view and the hidden line mode and normal mode views in SketchUp to create a conceptual render in Photoshop. There are also tips on how to vary opacity to enhance depth and manipulate line weights, add subtle textures, and correctly use colored lines instead of black for drawings. The technique is an effective way of moving away from traditional sections to more stylistic drawings without compromising on details or accuracy.


More focused on the Photoshop rendering than the original SketchUp model, this lengthy video is a must watch for all looking to create detailed and dramatic section renders. It starts with the basics of masking, introducing textures in perspective and adding noise, before moving into light modifications, building contrast and artistic flourishes. The voiceover is also extremely helpful in understanding the importance of each step and how the different tools and commands work.


This two-part series shows how to build out a landscape section entirely on photoshop. The first video focuses on a basic 2D section with a water body, vegetation and human activity. This is a method that focuses less on accurate site contours and more on the visual impact of the site. However, it is easy to start with a contour diagram from an AutoCAD drawing or SketchUp model and then follow along with the steps as described in the video. The second video shows how to convert the previously created 2D section into a perspective view, again entirely on Photoshop.


There is something very charming about hand-rendered drawings and sketches. However, creating multiple drawings by hand is not only more time-consuming but also can leave less room for modifications. The tutorial above shows a simple way of converting a line drawing imported from any 3D modeling software into a section that appears to be rendered by hand. It uses a variety of brush settings such as size, opacity, spacing and jitter to create realistic shading. While the brushes linked in the description are not available anymore, it might be possible to find similar ones on other websites online.


Paired with a great music selection, this video uses an angled section plane in an axonometric SketchUp view to create a colorful section. The initial part of the video focuses on cleaning up the imported drawing, adding fill to the cut portions and tweaking certain line weights. It shows how adding blocks of color can help differentiate programs and also assist in labeling. The drawing is finished off with painted shadows, tree silhouettes and tags for functions.


A less traditional way of depicting a 3D section is by using a puzzle piece form to cut a section line as opposed to a standard section plane. The video shows how to cut a puzzle piece out of a 3D model in ArchiCAD and clean the model for rendering in Illustrator. The second half focuses on using transparency, adding dotted lines for better understanding, introducing color and more.

The winners of Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Rendering Challenge have been revealed! Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.  

Reference

6 Rural Residences Composed of Clustered Volumes
CategoriesArchitecture

6 Rural Residences Composed of Clustered Volumes

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

Whether on top of the mountain or deep into the woods, staying in close contact with nature can free your heart and mind from exhausting urban life. When designing with rich natural contexts, breaking the architectural volume down into smaller units is an unexpected approach that architects should consider. This strategy allows flexibility in organizing functional spaces, especially when the project needs to cope with the undulating landscape.

Explore with this collection of projects that are clustered in groups of small volumes across stunning landscapes. Instead of a huge, loud form, they communicate with their natural surroundings more harmonically.

sail house_aerial

sail house_terrace

Photos by Kevin Scott

Sail House by David Hertz Architects, Studio of Environmental Architecture, Grenadines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 2020
Jury Winner, 2021 A+Awards, Private House (XL > 6,000 sq ft)

Located on one of the beautiful islands of the Grenadines, the Sail House consists of a series of residences overlooking the bay. Hiding in the jungle, there are a primary residence, a caretaker’s residence and several guesthouses, all scattered across the mountainous landscape.

Inspired by the local sailing culture, the roofs are formed by white membranes which are stretched into shapes by steel ‘masts.’ The tensile roofs provide enough shading to keep the residences from overheating. At the same time, the second layer of membranes allows heat to escape from the roof without exposing the interior to rainwater. Rainwater is collected by the roof system and channeled down to the basement through the structural masts. Utilizing the rich precipitation of the site, the sail house is self-sufficient in water.

knot house_aerial

knot house_private entrance

Photos by Kyungsub Shin

Knot House by Atelier Chang Ltd, Geoje-si, South Korea, 2014
Jury Winner & Popular Choice, 2015 A+Awards, Hotels + Resorts

The Knot House comprises five sculptural volumes. Five volumes are modular yet closely connected, creating a continuous geometrical form that follows the geological profile. Each knot is a folding shape that provides a private ocean view. The houses are twisted 40 degrees toward the sea to create a triangular private zone by each knot. This twisting exaggerates the dynamicity in the overall form, making the building visible from far away. Among the five knots, the big knot houses a clubhouse and the owner’s residence, and four one-story knots host six guestrooms. Tilted walls and fragmented timber surfaces extend the formal dynamic to interior spaces.

jikka_exteriorjikka_interiorJIKKA by issei suma/SUMA, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, 2015

JIKKA is like a bunch of mushrooms growing in the woodland of Shizuoka. The house consists of five huts that together accommodate two ladies in their 60s. Each hut is tailored to fit its program, making them vary in dimensions. The dining/living room and the master bedroom each have a skylight on top, while the other three huts housing the guest room, guest bath and utility room have enclosed, pointed roofs. In contrast to the tall ceiling, the glazed openings are relatively low while meeting the ground. Such form-making strategies create a spacious yet cozy living space.

casa sardinera_farcasa sardinera_poolCasa Sardinera by Ramon Esteve Estudio, Xàbia, Spain, 2014

Casa Sardinera stands on the top of a rockery hill, enjoying an unblock view of the Mediterranean Sea. The building is east-west orientated which facilitates cross-ventilation in the summer and helps capture sunlight in the winter. Adjustable shutters provide shading and privacy for the entry-facing west façade. In contrast, the east façade is made transparent by floor-to-ceiling glazing, generously inviting the attractive landscape into the rooms. The overhangs become sheltered verandas that lead to the outdoor pool and panoramic view of the landscape. While the architectural volumes are rather blocky, white concrete and pale-color timber create a sense of lightness.

Es Pou_aerialEs Pou_exteriorEs Pou by marià castelló, architecture, Balearic Islands IB, Spain, 2021

The project is sited on a rural plot on the island of Formentera. Around the project are farmlands and a flourishing woodland in the west, protecting the house from the setting sun. All three volumes are oriented south-north to avoid overheating. From south to north, the first volume consists of a porch that protects against the burning summer sun. The volume in the middle houses the main living space and the third volume accommodates two bedrooms. The three volumes are similarly white triangular blocks but vary in width, roof plan, and façade openings. Textured with ceramic and wood, the interior has a cozy coolness. Timber breeze walls add textuality to the sleek surfaces while controlling the amount of light and heat that enters the rooms.

Comporta 10_aerialComporta 10_courtyardComporta 10_innerComporta 10 by Fragmentos, Grândola, Portugal, 2021

Comporta 10 is situated in a landscape that features sand dunes and diverse vegetation. The residence comprises a group of one-story white blocks and a courtyard on one corner of the site. The courtyard is loosely enclosed by a group of blocks yet still closely connected to the surrounding natural environment. Living areas and en-suite bedrooms are placed opposite each other and organized by a straight corridor. The kitchen, living room, and dining room enjoy the view of the carefully designed courtyard through large glazed sliding doors. Meanwhile, the bedrooms are rather enclosed that open only toward private verandas and the corridor.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

Reference

From the Top: 7 Way Statement Ceilings Can Add an Architectural Punch
CategoriesArchitecture

From the Top: 7 Way Statement Ceilings Can Add an Architectural Punch

The A+Product Awards is open for entries, with a Late Entry Deadline of July 22nd. Get started on your submission today! 

One thing that ties together the Sistine Chapel, The Peacock Room and The Romanian Athenaeum is their majestic ceilings. These buildings are proof that these surfaces can serve a purpose beyond just holding light fixtures. However, excessive embellishments and traditional techniques can look out of place in contemporary homes or restaurants. Below are just a few modern alternatives that ensure that the ceiling takes center stage.

Bella Italia Weine by Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects, Stuttgart, Germany

Gallery walls are a common occurrence in the Pinterest home décor search results. Another trend is creating a composition of mirrors featuring different design styles to create interest and play with the dimensions of the space. One interpretation of this trend is to adapt it to the horizontal plane or the celling of a room.

This approach is showcased in the Bella Italia Weine in Stuttgart. 90 different mirrors obtained from several rummage sales are mounted on the ceiling, ranging from large rectangular framed ones to decorative handheld mirrors. One of them even features hanging crystal lights to replicate a chandelier. They create broken reflections of the activity below and also imitate the comfort and intimacy offered by the home-style cuisine served here.

ARKHE Beauty Salon by Moriyuki Ochiai Architects, Chiba, Japan

While a sculpture can enhance the look of any space, turning an entire element of architecture into a sculpture can leave a significantly stronger impact. Using different materials, textures and forms in ceilings can create a captivating effect, reflect light in new ways and also help give dimension to an otherwise plain space. In ARKHE Beauty Salon, the firm uses strips of recycled aluminum curled and twisted over and over again on the entire surface to create almost a fluid composition. The firm wanted to replicate the movement of water and the lightness of the hair. The reflection of light on the metal’s surface also mimics the visual of light falling on the surface of the ocean.

Zafar Dental Office by ReNa Design, Tehran, Iran | Images by Reza Najafian

Zafar Dental Office is a great example of how even subtle introductions in a space can make a big difference. Here, they have used small cutouts in the ceiling to hold lights, much like simple cuts in a sheet of paper. These cuts have both sharp profiles as well as sinuous curves. The form is then continued n shelves and seating throughout the space to unify the design. This proves that even small changes in lighting design and geometry can create interest in spaces where it is difficult to add color or protrusions either due to the nature of the function or lack of height.

Over View by FreelandBuck, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Art has been shown to be a successful way of decorating ceilings throughout history. It compels people to stop and look up, changing the way they use and perceive space. Taking this one step further, using optical illusions on the horizontal pain can not only trick people into believing there is a 3D form instead of a plane but also create movement. This helps create the perception of greater floor height as well.  Over View, an installation composed of printed textile pieces, transforms the lobby of the Carnegie Library into a Renaissance-era spectacle. When seen from the center of the room, it appears to have depth and go higher. When seen from other angles, it looks as if it is protruding toward the floor.

Tsujita by SWeet Co, LTD, Los Angeles, California

Being able to look at clouds when dining can make for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. But outdoor dining can also be challenging when grappling with uncertain weather. Interior decorators have often tried to bring the outdoors in by painting murals on walls and ceilings or bringing in greenery. This technique can be altered to better fit fine dining establishments by using a more abstract version of natural elements to add more whimsy. In Tsujita, 25,000 wooden sticks of different lengths are used to create the imagery of clouds. This image changes when seen from different angles due to the space between the sticks.

:PM Club by MODE, Sofia, Bulgaria

Vaults and domes have been significant structural elements in religious and cultural buildings throughout history. Now, we can see modern versions in interiors that are purely aesthetic. It can be done by padding beams to create vaulted tops or using wooden panels to add curves to flat surfaces. Another way to add dimension is by using hexagonal and pentagonal forms to create geometric domes as in :PM. The panels also diffuse the color-changing lights placed in this arrangement. This technique combines the charm of conventional domes with the grandeur of chandeliers.

Banq by Office dA, Boston, Massachusetts

There has been an emergence of designs that allows floors, walls and ceilings to blend into one another. Pirogovka Appartment does so by allowing paint from the walls to crawl up the ceiling and floor and a bakery in Oporto continues vertical panels from the wall as swooping curves on the ceiling. Banq in Boston uses wooden slats to create a contouring canopy that continues upwards from the columns. This system also serves an additional function of concealing the old mechanical and structural systems from the previous design. The design also features a wine storage area in the center that becomes a part of this system.

The A+Product Awards is open for entries, with a Late Entry Deadline of July 22nd. Get started on your submission today! 

Reference

Top 10 Architecture Projects on Architizer in June 2022
CategoriesArchitecture

Top 10 Architecture Projects on Architizer in June 2022

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.    

Architizer’s journal is fueled by the creative energy of the thousands of architects from around the world who upload and showcase their incredible work. From conceptual designs to projects under construction to completed buildings, we are proud to serve as a platform for showcasing global architectural talent and the brilliance of visualizers, engineers, manufacturers, and photographers who are crucial members of the industry. A stellar drawing, rendering or photo, as well as a detailed project description, can go a long way in making a project stand out, as does indicate the stellar contributors on a project.

Firms who upload to Architizer share their work with professionals and design enthusiasts through our Firm Directory and Projects database. They also gain exposure by having their projects shared on our FacebookInstagram, and Twitter pages, as well as in our Journal feature articles. Indeed, through these various channels, hundreds of thousands of people in the global design community have come to rely on Architizer as their architectural reference and source of inspiration. In 2022, we’re rounding up our database’s top 10 most-viewed, user-uploaded architecture projects at the end of each month.


By MC arquitectura in Zapopan / El Arenal, Mexico

The objective is to build a rest house developed on a single level, which houses the minimum spaces necessary for living and at the same time offers an experience of peace and total isolation, allowing the user a place of quietness just minutes from the city. This may sound like a tall order, but situated in a rural context on the border between two urban areas, the design masterfully draws on materials from the surrounding area: stone, brick, concrete, wood and the finish on the walls.

This gives a warm and cozy result that allows it to adapt to a bioclimatic environment in constant change and thus achieve a lower visual contrast in the different seasons of the year. The barrel vault structure offers a subtle play of volumes and heights, opening the home up towards the best views. Open air circulations together with 2 outdoor patios, the front garden and the visuals projected on each window invite the user to coexist with the context and communicate with the exterior.


By AOS works : architecture & design — Concept (Southwestern Desert, United States)

This fascinating combination of geometries draws lessons from traditional Japanese tea houses with the aim of transporting visitors to an alternate realm of ceremony and contemplation. The design, evocative of geological formations typically found in the surrounding desert stands out like a land art sculpture set in a vast landscape. The material composition is minimal: thick, battered limestone walls, travertine wainscoting and a roof clad in weathering steel panels.

The project’s size was inspired by a 4.5 tatami mat layout. A sunken hearth serves as the nucleus, framed by a border of alcoves that house the functions of the tea ceremony. The large roof overhang evokes a precariously balanced rock, providing shade in the harsh, sun-drenched environment. The reflecting pool, which defines the space below the roof, and acts as an opposing force to the solid walls of the tea house, which erupt from the earth, also aids in evaporative cooling.


By Horibe Associates, Japan

This house was created for a true car and bike enthusiast, who wished to bring his passion home. This two-story residence makes this dream come true, while also providing a quiet domestic space for the client’s wife and dog on the second floor. On the ground floor, a garage houses the client’s favorite Maserati Shamal, among other Italian cars and motorcycles. Meanwhile, the use of durable, reinforced concrete guarantees the tranquility of the upper level. A courtyard at the end of the garage acts as an outlet for the release of sound and vehicle exhaust. Likewise, the courtyard’s greenery muffles engine noise, while helping to purify the air.


By S+S Architects in Bangkok, Thailand

This remarkable home renovation project is found on Ratchadaphisek Road a suburban area that has a surprisingly high-density. Privacy, safety and elder friendliness were the three values that guided the design. To this end, outer decoration is guards the domestic space, creating more privacy, while the interior design emphasizes voids. The ingenious façade is make of perforated aluminum sheets that screen out the sun and filter in natural breeze; they can be closed or opened as the dwellers’ needs for any interactions with the surrounding neighborhood.


By Robert Konieczny KWK Promes, Poland

Photos by Jakub Certowicz

The design of this private home has an unusual genesis: the owner had already had already begun designing a garden and wanted a home that would respond to it — the inverse of the usual order of business for architects. The design was thus inspired by the curving green oasis that the patron had created. The topographically shaped ground floor is thus contrasted with the block of the upper floor closed with shutters on the south side, providing privacy from the access road. These two different geometries are linked by a softly cut atrium — the green heart of the house.

Ultimately, the idea to start the investment with a garden was inspired, with many benefits over the traditional order for designing things. The moment the house was completed, the client could immediately enjoy greener. Meanwhile, to reach the target size, plants need more time than it takes to build the house, and planting tall trees generates high costs. What’s more, because of the transportation and the need for heavy equipment, it is not environmentally friendly.


By Mado Architects in Senegal

Equality, conservation, cost-effectiveness, construction methods and step-by-step construction: these were the top concerns that drove the design of this project. In Senegal, cultural myths involving baobab trees are the origins of many villages. This was the genesis of the idea to form spaces around the existing trees on the site —  the competition also called for them to be preserved. Two circles with a radius of 8 meters surrounded the central trees of the site, and to provide the area of the yard and playground, a third circle was added to the circles for this purpose.

Circular spaces were formed around the courtyards, which eventually connected to each other and formed a unified form. A triangular shape was used to form the roof and walls of the school, where the roof and the wall were connected. To create dynamic circulation, two movement paths were considered in the inner and outer walls, one of them was dedicated to the ramp for the disabled. To facilitate the construction method and cost-effectiveness, an attempt was made to use native materials such as wood and straw in the project, and to adopt a simple construction method.


By Atis — Concept (for Knowsley, United Kingdom)

This project imagines a new life for the former Cronton Colliery — a disused coal mine at Knowsley near Manchester — as a world class, sustainable park. At its heart, the architects designed a community space that projects the positive co-existence of natural and urban areas. The buildings and infrastructures are inspired by the textures and color palette naturally occuring on the site — grasslands and birch groves. The master plan takes into account extensive land remediation and revegetation  along with the phased introduction of proven community amenities that would draw the public to the area including sustainable housing and eco-tourism in the form of an ecologically designed hotel, conference centre, spa and restaurant.


By Roovice in Nishigahara, Kita City, Japan

Photos by Akira Nakamura

This renovation project is found in the central north area of Tokyo. The owner of the two-floor family house envisioned a DIY atmosphere filled with custom made furniture crafted by himself. In Japan, most traditional buildings have little to no insulation; many are also behind current seismic regulations, which are rapidly constantly evolving. The renovation sought to remedy these outdated aspects, while enhancing other traditional aspects of Japanese design, such as a  using voids above the ceiling to help the ventilation. In sum, the design is characterized by a dynamic double character: the imperfection of the irregular wooden elements and DIY atmosphere mixed with the precision and ingenuity of the newly designed structure.


By line+ in Hangzhou, China

After 4 years, line+ completed the headquarters building for VIEWSHINE, a listed company developing from traditional instruments to intelligence. With integrated design, line+ has created a brand-new office space fit to accommodate the ever-evolving working scenarios and needs in the future and reflecting a unique corporate image in the historic city center. After the tailor-made architectural space language has completed the empowerment of the company’s own brand image, the original concept and vision will be embodied in the spatial details of the user’s personal experience. Through interior design, the intangible corporate values will be conveyed. Ultimately, line+ incorporates corporate culture into the workplace by building its headquarters.


By STOPROCENT Architekci in Zory, Poland

Flamingo house sits on the frontier of a former brickyard, which has been been transformed into a recreation park for the historic city of Zory. The site’s varied terrain, which ranges significantly in height, informed the design. On one side, a simple and light rectangular volume emerges; it is raised above the ground level with a glazed ‘belt’ that delimits the building from the ground, creating the illusion of levitating structure. An internal patio serves as the nucleus for the lower level. The façades revel in the juxtaposition between fullness and transparency, and lightness and heaviness — massive blocks contrast with glazed stripes of the facades and the whiteness of the full surfaces is set off by dark rhythm of the windows.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.    



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Free Webinar: How to Photograph Iconic Architecture (and Avoid Clichés!)
CategoriesArchitecture

Free Webinar: How to Photograph Iconic Architecture (and Avoid Clichés!)

Send us a photo. Tell us a story. Win $2,500! Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Photo Challenge is underway with a Late Entry Deadline on July 15, 2022! Start your entry for architecture’s biggest photography competition here.

We’re excited to reveal our second architectural photography webinar of the year — and you’re invited! Join Architizer’s Architecture Editor Hannah Feniak on Tuesday, July 12th at 1pm ET, as she chats with renowned photographer Paul Clemence about the challenges and opportunities involved in shooting iconic architecture.

Register for the Event →

Oscar Niemeyer. Zaha Hadid. Le Corbusier. Louis Kahn. The works of these renowned architects are among the most photographed in the world, and it’s no surprise given the striking forms and classic silhouettes of their buildings. That said, once a building has been captured in a million photographs, its image can start to feel repetitive. How can we reframe iconic architecture in new and unexpected ways? Which perspectives of these buildings have not yet been caught on camera? Is it possible to change perceptions of the world’s most famous buildings by photographing them in unconventional angles and unusual light?

As the 3rd Annual One Photo Challenge approaches its exciting climax, award-winning photographer and competition juror Paul Clemence will join us to explore answers to some of these questions. We’ll look back at some of the best images of iconic architecture from last season’s competition, and explore the ways in which photographers can help us see these familiar structures in a new light.

By attending this talk, you’ll learn:

  • How to look for new and interesting angles when photographing iconic architecture
  • How composition and lighting can completely change the way in which a famous building is viewed
  • How Paul capture the works of renowned architects around the world

Register for the Event →

About Paul Clemence

Paul Clemence is an artist, photographer, writer and filmmaker focusing on expressing the subjective and poetic side of Architecture. His work has been widely published and he exhibits in events like Venice Biennale, ArtBasel/Design Miami. “Architecture Photography”, aka ARCHI-PHOTO, his Facebook page, is a worldwide social media phenomenon, with more than one million followers worldwide. Trained as an architect, he is originally from Brazil and is now based in Brooklyn, NY.

About Hannah Feniak

Hannah Feniak is Architizer’s Architecture Editor. When she’s not leading our talented team of writers and interviewing the industry’s most innovative designers, Hannah is likely to be found exploring the latest exhibition openings. A trained art historian and educator with a focus on architecture and urbanism, Hannah holds degrees from McGill University in Montreal and NYU.

Send us a photo. Tell us a story. Win $2,500! Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Photo Challenge is underway with a Late Entry Deadline on July 15, 2022! Start your entry for architecture’s biggest photography competition here.

Reference

Why Landscape Architects Are the Unsung Heroes of the Design World
CategoriesArchitecture

Why Landscape Architects Are the Unsung Heroes of the Design World

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter. 

Now more than ever our cities need landscape architects. Whether to help revitalize downtown communities with pedestrian-first green spaces or to restore biodiversity to local parks, the countless benefits that landscape architects bring us can no longer be overlooked. Earlier this month, Architizer unveiled the winners of the 2022 A+Awards. Among the dozens of awards celebrating contemporary architecture, it was easy to miss the handful of prizes highlighting landscaping. Yet, the A+Award-winning designs demonstrate the crucial role that landscape architects play in adapting our cities for the future.

Photos by Sam Oberter (left) and by David Woo (right)

Take for instance the West End Square in Dallas, a 2022 A+Award popular winner for Landscape & Planning. The design by James Corner Field Operations replaces a former parking lot with a dynamic combination of green spaces and public utilities. Growing greenery in a concrete jungle is no simple feat. The ambitious intervention has transformed a dead-end city block into an anchor for the community, where the neighborhood’s growing population can enjoy salsa dancing classes, a vendor’s market and various interactive art installations. The green oasis makes a bold statement about a future where cities can be oriented less towards cars and more towards pedestrians and community.

Meanwhile, the Xiaoyunlu 8, MAHA Residential Park project by Ballistic Architecture Machine in Beijing, another A+Award popular winner this year, weaves together disparate sections of the site of various eras and styles into one seamless and soothing green space. Residents can now fully access and enjoy the park’s gardens, historical sites and communal areas.

The project brings together culturally significant heritage with an expansive and beautifully maturing man-made forest, physically manifesting the fact that landscapes, even more so than buildings, cannot be realized overnight. Greenery takes time to grow, and though we like to imagine our urban parks as natural spaces, they must be cultivated and maintained by man. The design expresses this passage of time, drawing attention to it.

These projects are a mere snapshot of why at Architizer, we believe that landscapers are the unsung heroes of the design world. It’s why this week we are highlighting jobs in the sector.

The award-winning architecture and design firm based in Seattle GGLO is currently hiring for a landscape designer to join their team of architects and designers that work on community-oriented projects. A GGLO project like the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center in Pullman, Washington is a good example how of an acute knowledge of native fauna, local history and people-oriented landscaping can create lively cultural spaces.

Additionally, Stoss, an urban design firm based in Boston with an office in Los Angeles, is also looking to hire landscape architects in both studios. The firm works on large, neighborhood-scale projects that sensibly mix natural and urban elements to revitalize local communities.

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter. 

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Laneway Homes as a Housing Alternative
CategoriesArchitecture

Laneway Homes as a Housing Alternative

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

The woes of housing shortages plaguing many large cities across the world are well-known and manifold; from a lack of affordable housing driving lower-income families out of cities, to skyrocketing house prices making it even harder for younger people to enter the housing market. But, while drastic rezoning laws to encourage denser housing seem still far off in the future, municipal authorities and architects are finding ways around the problem.

One alternative in vogue has been the concept of ‘gentle density’ — an increase in housing density that has little impact on the outward appearance or character of a neighborhood — and laneway houses have been a driving force behind the trend. Architects are demonstrating that, though tucked behind principal residences, laneway houses need not compromise comfort or privacy. Their designs suggest that one remedy to the housing shortage might be awaiting in our own backyard.

Full House by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design, Vancouver, Canada

The added density provided by this two-story house and laneway addition in Vancouver seeks to push beyond the affordability calculus by rethinking how a multigenerational family can co-exist in a suburb of single-family homes. A hidden one-bedroom, secondary residence provides additional living space in the backyard and matches the sleek and understated design of its bigger sibling.

Central to this aim are the Marcel Duchamp-inspired doors that allow the family to reconfigure the house’s layout as it sees fit. By hinging between two possible frames, the 5-bedroom main home can be split into two discrete dwellings of either 3 and 2 bedrooms or 4 and 1 bedrooms. When comes time for the perennial family gathering, the units can be reopened as one large multi-generational house.

Photo by Matthew Gianoulis

Laneway House by 9point9 Architects, Townsville, Australia

Rather than keeping all three bedrooms and two bathrooms compact into one large house, this bungalow in Townsville, Australia, unfurls its rooms on the full length of its lot. Two guest rooms and a living room receive lighting through the front yard, while the offshoot master bedroom reaches the other end of the lot and is connected to the main building by a translucent walkway that opens onto the central courtyard.

This expansive layout allows the house to breathe both literally and figuratively. The main wing and the master bedroom have direct access to the courtyard, enabling full, unencumbered ventilation of the house. Likewise, the central courtyard gives the house a sense of spaciousness that a larger home on the same lot could not provide.

Rough House + Laneway, by Measured Architecture Inc.Rough House + Laneway, by Measured Architecture Inc., Vancouver, Canada

This single family home and an expanded laneway studio in suburban Vancouver uses Japanese-inspired landscaping to create calm spaces within narrow confines. The corrugated steel-clad studio has both landscaping on the roof and a green wall facing the house, reclaiming the green space lost by the densified back yard. The wall also provides a lush and peaceful background for weekend family meals or a late-afternoon summer nap. 

Laneway Wall Garden House by Donaghy & Dimond Architects, Dublin, Ireland

This 19th Century Dublin house renovation now boasts an expanded kitchen that protrudes into the cobblestone courtyard garden and an additional bedroom in a separate structure by the laneway. A lean-to zinc covered roof acts as a mediator between the two new spaces, serving as both a rainwater collector and connective tissue. The concrete walls and timber structure have been left unpainted, with the expectation that lichen and moss will one day overtake them, hence mitigating the urban footprint of the new construction.

McIlwrick Residences by B.E. Architecture, Melbourne, Australia 

Three townhouses are clustered within this single residential block in Windsor, Melbourne. Small courtyards intertwine with cobblestone alleyways, offering intimate and flexible spaces for the multigenerational family that occupies the residences. The flush struck brickwork and deep-set windows are a contemporary re-iteration of early Victorian Australian architecture thus fitting snuggly in a neighborhood mostly occupied by residences from that era — an attribute that has earned it the label of “quiet integration”, which the architects gave to their design.

Riverdale Townhomes by Studio JCI, Toronto, Canada

The Riverdale Townhouse development gently increases the number of residences on this quiet residential street in Riverdale, Toronto. The bright and spacious five two-bedroom units make for ideal housing for young professionals and new families. Floor-to-ceiling windows and internal voids maximize the interior’s exposure to sunlight, ensuring that the units are generously lit. The dark brick columns of the front-facing façade pay respect to the Victorian-era architecture of its neighbors, while partitioning the modernist charcoal-colored exterior into more palatable doses. 

Photos by Mansyur Hasan

R Micro Housing by Simple Projects Architecture, Surabaya, Indonesia

The R Micro Housing complex in the suburbs of Surabaya, Indonesia squeezes five separate, affordable units onto a 39 feet by 98 feet strip of land. The residences might be glued together, but they don’t feel cramped: the complex aligns wall-length skylights above each unit’s staircase, enabling natural sunlight to brighten the ground floor.

The minimalist, monochromatic ‘quintal-plex’ stands out among the neighborhood’s classical hip-roofed terracotta-tiled residences – as if wanting to show off how densification can be a pathway to affordability.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

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