Architectural Archives

Brave New World: How Real-Time Rendering Can Lead Architectural Design Into the Future

New technologies breed new behaviors, so it’s no surprise that real-time rendering software is being harnessed by some architects to create whole new design processes. Two such firms, Intelligent City and Viewport Studio, are using the real-time rendering capabilities of Enscape to produce high-quality building designs in a fraction of the time it takes with traditional working methods. Basing their workflows on AI-enabled algorithms and the experiential capabilities of virtual reality, they’ve created design processes that are more efficient, more productive, and arguably more effective than today’s typical design practices.

The Key to Low-Cost, High-Quality Urban Housing

Animation courtesy of Intelligent City

Intelligent City, a design-build firm based in Vancouver, has created a proprietary design process called Platforms for Life to develop high-quality, sustainable urban housing at low cost. Taking a tech-forward approach to architecture, Platforms for Life employs algorithms to create fully fleshed out iterations for the design of an entire building. Modifying an individual property on one iteration automatically updates all associated parameters to incorporate the change, allowing an infinite number of fully detailed design options to be generated instantaneously. When the desired iteration is reached, all required construction documentation and manufacturing instructions are created with the push of a button.

Platforms for Life achieves even greater cost and time savings by prefabricating the primary components of their buildings in a factory. Employing the precision and speed offered by the latest automated manufacturing techniques, on-site construction time of their buildings can be reduced up to 50% over fully on-site methods. Relying heavily on mass timber as a structural material and the principles of Passive House to guide their design algorithms, the Platforms for Life process results in low-cost, energy efficient buildings with minimal carbon footprint.

Monad Granville, Vancouver (concept); image courtesy of Intelligent City

Intelligent City brings Enscape into the Platforms for Life process to fine-tune their designs in real-time when collaborating with clients. “We were looking for a way to visualize the buildings quickly,” explains Intelligent City’s Computational Design Architect, Timo Tsui. “If we couldn’t keep up with the iterations of the generated designs, then we wouldn’t be able to visualize them properly for our clients.”

A simple way to do this in a collaborative working session is to pin the Enscape rendering window alongside whatever software is being used to design a building, such as Revit or Rhino. This allows a fully rendered view to be updated automatically as design modifications are being made. If something more portable is needed for a client to evaluate on their own time, then Enscape can generate an easily shareable, read-only 3D model rendered in a web browser, in addition to 360-degree panoramas, videos or still images.

Forging New Frontiers in Interior Design

Image courtesy of Viewport Studio

Viewport Studio employs Enscape’s next-generation virtual reality capabilities to take an innovative approach to creating highly detailed interior designs. Recently tasked with designing the interior of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America, the first commercial spaceflight facility in the world, Viewport Studio’s design team knew they had to utilize a truly groundbreaking design process to satisfy the client’s aspirations for an equally groundbreaking space.

“We were tasked with designing something that had never been designed before,” says Viewport Studio director Gautier Pelegrin. To meet the challenge, they used Enscape’s virtual reality feature as a primary design tool, conducting live sessions to view and change design elements in real-time. This workflow resulted in the design of the spaceport’s “Astrowalk”, where astronaut passengers are given a celebratory send-off by their friends and families before embarking on their journeys. A showcase experience enhanced by a mirrored ceiling covered with LED screens, Enscape’s virtual reality feature helped the design team determine if spectators could see the Astrowalk from their seats.

Image courtesy of Viewport Studio

Enscape was additionally used to determine the exact dimensions of a barista station, as well as the amount of natural light that would reach certain planters, guiding the choice of plants used in specific locations. “The virtual reality function quickly became a staple in all our meetings,” explains Pelegrin. “It helped to reduce testing iterations by at least 20 percent. It also allowed us to check the simple ergonomics of the bespoke furniture we designed, and we were confident with what we gave to the manufacturers.”

Able to integrate directly into all major design software, including Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks, the possibilities for creating your own pioneering design process with Enscape are endless. Head over to Enscape to see all its capabilities and start your free 14-day trial today.

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Architecture

Rafael Viñoly Dies Aged 78: A Look at Some of His Most Iconic Architectural Projects

By Zarkon Group,05/03/2023

The University of California, San Francisco, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building

Completed in 2011, this cutting-edge laboratory for the University of California, San Francisco was designed to maximize the functional space within a compact urban site. The building’s horizontal organization promotes greater connectivity across departments, helps to unify the campus and creates the opportunity for abundant terraces and green roofs. The building structure is supported by space trusses resting on concrete piers, minimizing site excavation and incorporating seismic base isolation to absorb earthquake forces.

Laguna Garzon Bridge

In 2015, the Uruguayan architect returned to his home country with the completion of the Laguna Garzon Bridge, a road connecting two coastal cities that forms a ring when viewed from above. Viñoly was tasked with creating a bridge that would form a direct route between the cities of Rocha and Maldonado, crossing a scenic stretch of water known as a haven for birds and other wildlife. It was imperative that vehicle speeds be reduced within this sensitive environment, and Viñoly’s design naturally slows cars down while also providing drivers and pedestrians with ever-changing views across the surrounding landscape.

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, evokes the image of two jewels in a glass case. Verizon Hall and the Perelman Theater, the center’s principal programmatic components, are treated as freestanding buildings on a vast indoor public plaza, Commonwealth Plaza, enclosed by a brick, steel and concrete perimeter building. From the perimeter emerges an immense steel and glass barrel vault roof that
floods the interior with natural light.

20 Fenchurch Street

Nicknamed the “Walkie Talkie”, the concept for Viñoly’s distinctive London skyscraper departs from conventional architectural expression by enlarging the floor plates at the top of the building, creating additional floor area to the valuable upper stories. Vertical façade louvers provide sun shading on the east and west elevations and follow the fanning form and organic curves of the building as they open out and wrap over the roof. The tower is crowned by a three-level Sky Garden, London’s first free, public green space and observation deck at the top of a building.

Carrasco International Airport

Rafael Viñoly was tapped to expand and modernize Carrasco International Airport with a spacious new passenger terminal to spur commercial growth and tourism in the region. The design gives prominence to the public zones, including the secure runway-side concourse as well as the fully accessible roadside departure hall and terrace, by providing amenities such as open space, natural light, restaurants, retail, and landscaping, all housed beneath a gently curved roof 1200 feet (365 meters) in length. Carrasco International Airport won a double A+Award in 2013 in the Transport – Airports category.

Learn more about Rafael Viñoly Architects through their firm profile on Architizer.

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Architecture

This Epic Architectural Triptych Depicts the Complexities of Hiroshima’s Past, Present and Future

By Zarkon Group,03/02/2023

Upon first look over the minute details of One Drawing Challenge Student Winner Victoria Wong‘s award-winning triptych appears to revel in the medium itself. A drawing that harnesses the powers of digital processes, it certainly requires close looking to grasp the changing perspectives, intertwining scenes and layers of time that are compounded in each of the three scenes. One would be forgiven for assuming that the University of Michigan student set out to explore the aesthetic possibilities of digital sketching, 3D modeling and the various uses of other graphic software.

Yet, while Victoria demonstrates mastery of these techniques, they only tell one part of the story behind the drawing. At a fundamental level, before the composition and execution of these ideas, Victoria set out to explore the boundaries between designing, modeling and post-production. In this way, she approaches her subject matter, the site of Hiroshima, through a kaleidoscopic lens that incorporates Japanese aesthetic theory, contemporary music, and photographing imperfections in daily life. In this sense, the end goal was actually to overcome the hurdles of focusing on the technicalities of the design itself to instead foreground the emotive dimensions of a place, unlocking creative possibilities.

“Suggested by Lebbeus Woods, architecture is essentially an internalization of society yet an externalization of ourselves,” Victoria explained. “Through investigating the decay and death of artifacts and events, Into the Void illustrates the new collisions of regrowth and reshaping our relationship with different agencies.”

Architizer’s Architecture Editor invited Victoria to expand on conceptualization of her winning triptych. In the conversation that follows, the designer, who will be starting at Perkins&Will‘s Dallas studio this May, offers insights into her creative process and the underlying themes of her thesis project.

Hannah Feniak: Congratulations on your success with the One Drawing Challenge! What sparked your interest in entering the competition and what does this accolade mean to you?

Victoria Wong: Thank you, Hannah and your team, for hosting and curating! Also, congratulations to all the winners. I came across the One Drawing Challenge several years ago and appreciated Architizer showcasing a wide variety of entries so the public can appreciate those drawings. The simplicity of one image accompanied by storytelling has also been compelling. Regarding this accolade, it’s an honor to conclude my time as a student by sharing my thesis with the architecture community.

POSSIBILITIES.

Photo Study: The starting point of Victoria’s winning entry was idea curation. To this end, she sought to understand her subject matter through taking photos and analyzing music.

HF: What were the primary challenges of conceiving your work, from forming the idea to the physical process of creation?

VW: The triptych serves as the final scenes of my thesis, “Into the Void: Fragment Time, Space, Memory, and Decay in Hiroshima.” It was about a six-month study of various Japanese aesthetic theories of imperfections, including life and death, decay and rebirth, shadow and lights, etc. Since the topic is very conceptual, I took a non-traditional route to build my understanding of the matter by photographing the imperfections in daily observance and analyzing contemporary music after the first round of research.

The major challenge was translating multiple layers of Hiroshima’s research and new information into the final scenes while acknowledging the historical, cultural and natural aspects of the site. There is a delicate balance in respecting the gravity of the past while proposing a parallel timescape that accepts and appreciates imperfections and the scarring. Another challenge was to showcase the idea through an appropriate medium; in this case, the stages are oversaturated yet harmonizing to counter argue our understanding and concept of “void.”

The final production was relatively short once I decided what to highlight and how to narrate my thesis. All elements in the triptych were modeled digitally, thus requiring very little post-production work. I specifically enjoyed the production process of this triptych; it was an experiment in challenging how much the post-production process can be minimized. The boundary between designing, modeling and post-production is blurred. The strategy of ‘manipulating’ the illustrations fulfilled my curiosity in examining if the creation of an image can be as interesting as the design and the story behind it.

Photo Study: A zoomed-in showing one of the panoramic views that was described in the text that Victoria was working with.

HF: Could you describe why you gravitated towards these specific illustration techniques?

VW: I usually gravitate towards two types of illustrations: imaginative and informative. The creative illustration reveals how the space feels instead of the technicality of the design, i.e. the mood palette, while the informative illustration showcases relationships in all scales, from connectivities of agencies to architectural detailing to a building’s contextual relationship with its site or cityscape on a larger scale. This triptych lays between the two categories. It is a relatively new way of seeing illustrations for myself, but it seemed fitting for this theme.

For example, the middle panel conveys the “void in culture” by depicting an afternoon at Yagenbori, previously known as one of the largest red-light districts in Japan. It is currently at its sunset stage and losing its identity as the cradle of Geisha. To capture its story and depict the diversity of the area, I chose to collapse multiple perspectives and timescapes into a one-point perspective allowing time and space to condense into one scene where layers of imagination coexist. The duo-perspective illustrates different timelines in the scene. When the panel is viewed ‘top-down,’ it tells the story of the current days; when it is viewed ‘forward,’ it illustrates the past events. Other floating devices and elements demonstrate futuristic connections bridging the two. The timeline, scale, and space are distorted in ways where elements from different eras are reorganized and coexist in the same world.

Mini Prints of Testing Images

HF: Your piece explores Japanese aesthetic theories through the city of Hiroshima’s past, presents and future. Do you have other drawings that are as conceptual as this? In terms of format, have you explored the narrative potential of the triptych format in the past?

VW: This is my first time creating a triptych, but I have always gravitated towards illustrations with a sense of humor and leaving room for imagination. The project started with a trio of panoramic collages using historic photos from WWII to re-visualize the same three Hiroshima sites shown in the triptych. They depict a parallel timeline in which human and non-human agencies got to reclaim the ruins and transform them into their habitat instead of reconstructing how the sites were before they were annihilated. In terms of format, I am currently researching a couple of other sites that follow the same trail of investigation and presentation format besides Hiroshima. They both have their challenges – historically, environmentally, culturally, and politically– and I’m excited to see where this way of investigation will affect our views towards scarring that are shared between generations and to inform architects of alternative possibilities.

HF: How did the process and workflow of creating your drawing compare to traditional architectural drafting?

VW: While technology certainly helps people visualize and communicate ideas, I’m attracted to the simplicity of pen and paper when thinking through ideas. During covid, when our mobility was primarily restricted, I started exploring digital sketching. The medium is different, but the general technique remains unchanged. While my ideas begin with analog and digital sketching, 3D modeling and other graphic software are productions and experimental tools that elevate my understanding of design. On the one hand, I enjoy how forgiving digital platforms are, yet making mistakes is the best part of experimenting.

Detail of the final product: 1/3 of the triptych.

HF: What one tip would you give other students looking to win next year’s One Drawing Challenge?

VW: Go wild and explore your imagination. There is no right or wrong answer to creating an excellent image as long as the message is conveyed. I’m excited to see how people depict their logic and systematically translate it into a visually pleasing drawing. Have fun, and enjoy the process!

Thank you, Hannah and your team, for hosting and curating! Also, congratulations to all the winners. I came across the One Drawing Challenge several years ago and appreciated Architizer showcasing a wide variety of entries so the public can appreciate those drawings. The simplicity of one image accompanied by storytelling has also been compelling. Regarding this accolade, it’s an honor to conclude my time as a student by sharing my thesis with the architecture community.

Interested in seeing more work by Victoria Wong? Peruse her portfolio and connect:

> https://www.linkedin.com/in/vwongwt/
> https://www.instagram.com/vw.archive/

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

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Architecture

Architectural Details: GGA’s Desert City, a Cactus Complex

By Zarkon Group,18/01/2023

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

Architecture and cacti may seem worlds apart. But on closer inspection, both are defined by structure and repetition, and whether simple or ornamented, they are shaped by their context. When García-Germán Arquitectos set out to design Desert City, the team wanted to celebrate xerophytic plants and a growing culture of interests and events around them. The result is an elegant and uplifting architecture that parallels the beauty and structure of diverse cacti from around the world.

Sited in San Sebastián de los Reyes, GGA’s soaring cactus complex is an infrastructural design between highway and forest, harboring a “twin oasis for cactus exhibiting and growth” with a mixed eco-cultural program. The project showcases sustainable and ecological approaches alongside educational spaces. At Desert City‘s heart is a large garden and greenhouse that house a range of leisure activities and presentations to small conventions, workshops and exhibitions.

The success of the project lies in its airy, soaring roof and a series of inventive structural solutions. The project’s plants and program are sheltered by a big, lightweight container that responds, in terms of scale and materiality, to the nearby A-1 Highway. It also features a double-layer ETFE cushion system on the roof that mitigates variations in temperature.

GGA designed the project alongside builder Isolux Corsán, as well as structural engineer Felipe F. Sanz and the greenhouse roof engineer Arenas Ingenieros. Together, they created a cloister-like cactus garden and a cable roof inspired by tensegrity structures for a “billboard-building” alongside the highway. As architect Eduardo Prieto noted, the design features a “powerful steel bridge that extends 40 meters above the cacti, its span constituting the most spectacular moment of the building. The bridge synthesizes the building’s main argument: the image of a machine hovering over the garden to produce a picturesque, if not Surrealist, contrast between opposing geometries.”

Desert City is a large complex that includes an exhibition and sales space, as well as a restaurant, shop, storage, and office areas. It is organized internally by a sequence of symmetries around the cactus garden, which receives newcomers, and the greenhouse space. As the team notes, despite its hybrid program, the complex’s construction is systematized through repetition, modulation and prefabrication of elements.

The structure takes on the form of a huge, abstract and stretched out skeleton. The idea was for the building to communicate its inner workings and the veiled presence of greenery as seen from the passing car through a tinted, watery glass façade. As the team explains, the architecture incorporates sustainable solutions such as transparent photovoltaic glass, geothermal power, water recovery systems, solar controls, and extensive plantings in the site, which was originally a wasteland.

Overall, the project was designed to overlap activities that range from the exhibiting, growing and breeding of cactus from around the globe. As GGA stated, the overlapping of apparently excluding situations, such as “commercial exploitation of leisure events vs. exemplary “green” business; building as sole infrastructure vs. atmospheric and “soft” finishes; size vs. fragility; and oasis by the highway” created a new opportunity. It also includes a significant commitment to R&D, undertaken in collaboration with international universities.

An interplay between light, structure and cacti, Desert City embodies a highly refined and well-executed approach. The building has become a filter between the harsh infrastructural condition of the highway and the limit of the huge green pocket formed by the Parque Regional de la Cuenca Alta del Manzanares on the other side. In turn, it showcases how architecture can be inspired by nature while being created for and with it.

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

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Architecture

10 Narrative-Driven Architectural Drawings Win the “Storied Drawing Awards”

By Zarkon Group,14/01/2023

The Winners and Commended Entries of this year’s One Drawing Challenge, Architizer’s hugely popular architectural drawing competition, have been announced, showcasing the power of drawings to communicate complex ideas about the built environment.

Among 100 exceptional finalists, there were some standout examples of how drawings can be a medium for telling stories — not only about our built environment but also about our wider world. As illustrated by our entrants, an architectural drawing has the power to reveal new perspectives about the impact of architecture on society, communities and individual people.

In honor of this power, we’ve introduced a series of new, narrative-driven awards for this season’s One Drawing Challenge, called the “Storied Drawing Awards”. As selected by Architizer’s Editorial team, the authors of the following drawings each merit special attention for their creative approach to crafting images in response to a series of narrative prompts:

Utopian Vision
Dystopian Warning
Fantasy Island
Sci Fi Streetscape
Sustainable City
Political Narrative
Climate Change Future
Awe-Inspiring Atmosphere

And a further two, as defined by our entrants:

Architectural Assemblage
Impossible Space

Without further ado, explore the detailed and imaginative Winners of the 2022 Storied Drawing Awards, and get inspired for your own architectural sketches, paintings, models and beyond:

“Ever Given Ever After: Suez Canal Obstruction Rethought“

By Manuel Ragheb, ppp Architekten

Storied Drawing Theme: Political Narrative

“In March 2021, an Evergreen container ship blocked the Suez Canal waterway for six days. In a scenario in which the ship had never managed to leave the canal, people in need of homes would have brought their lives aboard. While the Egyptian government has been dragging people out of their homes in Warraq and Sinai as development plans move forward, people are forced into poorly planned habitats that pay no real attention to people’s needs or their economic activities.

Not only are people entitled to the right to shelter, but also to one that guarantees a high life standard with consideration to the way people earn their livings. Urban development plans should target local inhabitants rather than investments that disregard the human factor. Only then, people can be part of a better urban future. The mural portrays people building their own homes on board the container ship.”

“Towards a New Venetian Landscape – An Inhabited Linear Infrastructure“

By Nicolas Coppieters and Gabin Sepulchre, Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve

Storied Drawing Theme: Sustainable City

Detail

“Venice being one of the most famous city in the world, we are all aware of its biggest problems: the perpetual flooding and its exposure to mass tourism. But there is another considerable problem in Venice and its lagoon: an ecological crisis. During a year, we tried to find a solution to solve all its problems by creating an inhabited linear infrastructure.

Its foundations were created like a dam to control the “acqua alta” phenomenon, its first floor used for the new seaweed production, and the upper floors to welcome workers and Venetians fleeing their overcrowded city. We reviewed a lot of ancient linear cities to create a new ecological one (in its conception and purpose). We tried to find the right balance between industrialization and human happiness. Our handmade drawing, summarizing a full year of work, was made with the Pointillism technique and was 1788mm x 841mm.”

“Labyrinth”

By Eric Pham, University of Texas at Arlington

Storied Drawing Theme: Fantasy Island

Detail

“This piece recounts a childhood memory of playing video games without being able to understand English. It recalls not being able to read directions, being locked from progressing, and yet never feeling frustrated. Instead, simply playing games deprived of narrative context, viewing them purely as representations of spatial conditions. In the same way, this piece was made entirely in the video game Minecraft, a game that defined a generation by acting as virtual legos. Any child with a copy of this world can explore in an intuitive first-person experience. It is architecture without language.”

“Mycelium Modularity”

By Dustin Wang, Young Guns Studio

Storied Drawing Theme: Climate Change Future

“This drawing illustrates a forest that has been populated with housing pods made out of mycelium, conceptualizing the utilization of this material in modular architecture.

Mycelium, a natural fungi found in forests, can form rigid, water-resistant structures when molded and grown. Possessing a flexible form, this allows for the creation of these pods around trees and hills – existing in harmony with nature, rather than replacing it. The resulting effect are teardrop-like structures, differing in shape as each is hand-built.

In this scene, pollution is the origin of the hazy, grey sky. With plastic and waste reduction having become an everlasting consequence, mycelium is used in this small community of hopeful outliers, being a last ditch effort to slow down the deep-rooted repercussions of the changing climate.

In an inevitable future where the natural lives in the artificial, the increased awareness of the benefits of mycelium, will aid in revitalization.”

“URBAN NET”

By Alena Dolzhikova, A4 Studio

Storied Drawing Theme: Sci Fi Streetscape

“The drawing is a vision of a future city based on the building project design of the A4 Studio.

What if the Architecture we build today would be able to proceed developing into entwined bodies, uniting buildings of the past with future forms? What if buildings could be inhabited with a living organism that flourishes into new forms while adapting to the shape of available structure? What if the livable organism constructing future environment turns the building into so-called a neuron cell?

It would contain all the valuable information, DNA of a particular building. The city organism consisting of cells would create connections — bridges between each other, for a mutual exchange of information. Some their bridges will be thicker, some thinner — depends on the amount of information transporting trough it. The overall connections create an URBAN NET — final but never ending evolving version of the future city.”

“Threshold”

By Kenan Pence and Deniz Calisir Pence, Kenan Pence / Design Office

Storied Drawing Theme: Dystopian Warning

“Threshold: The focal point of the picture is a human standing on the water’s surface, facing the light (referring to the Truth) diffusing from a cracked wall in an uncanny cave. The philosophy of art and visual arts questioning the “reality” and “illusion” frequently refers to Platon’s “the allegory of Cave”. The picture uses a cave metaphor as well as a “the allegory of uterus” referring to the human’s first home which is conceptualized by the curvilinear forms.

In this context, space means “existence”. The picture merges both metaphors to create a conceptual architectural space representing a contemporary critical interpretation. The cave symbolized by the architectural space of the picture has metaphoric shadows that represent illusions built by power. The human at the threshold is left systematically created chaos behind in need of finding new hope.”

“Architecture of Insecurity”

By Seungho Park

Storied Drawing Theme: Architectural Assemblage

“During its rapid growth in the late 1800s, New York City formed most of its current modern city fabric. As a city of immigrants with its own cultural insecurity, New York borrowed the architectural style of its diverse ancestral European roots in an attempt to create a historic urban context. This European influence, combined with the advancing construction technology and socioeconomic factors of the time, forged a unique architectural environment. Architectural elements of different origin, whether ornamental or functional, were melded into New York’s building facades; architectural manifestation of “insecurity”.

The drawing mimics and exaggerates the architectural evolution of the city by displacing and fragmenting the buildings and architectural elements from their origin and context. Does the reassembly of the architectural fragments give us an extreme New York City? Through assemblage and abstraction, what can architects learn from it?”

“More Was More”

By Gregory Klosowski, Pappageorge Haymes Partners

Storied Drawing Theme: Utopian Vision

“This drawing imagines an alternate reality and economic reverie where the Great Depression never happened, a need for stripped to the basics skyscrapers averted, and the stylistic impressions of the era continued to roar for decades onward. This depicts a parallel Chicago, devoid of modernist glassy structures. A staggered stone skyline is a hazy backdrop to airships hovering at startlingly low altitudes.

Flight mechanisms with robotic precision, advanced echolocation, exact three dimensional positioning, and miniaturized drones allow for all manners of ability to defy gravity…affording anyone the ability to gracefully, and accurately, fly within the glowing limestone canyons. The drawing is rendered in ink pen and colored pencil with a warmth and technique characteristic of, and inspired by, period watercolor renderings.”

“Lost to the City”

By Alex Hoagland, Boston Architectural College

Storied Drawing Theme: Awe-Inspiring Atmosphere

“Depicted is a city that has yet to exist, one where passion, freedom and love fill the towers that rise above, an example of the pleasures art can bring, the idea that like people buildings represent individualism. What is depicted in drawing is a world where art, math and science become the forefront of the built environment and humans are able to liberate themselves from the natural world.

In this city scape the understanding of raw emotion and how that correlates too the work we as humans produce and environment we surround ourselves with is the key to understanding the longevity of our own mentality and livelihood. This cityscape represents the separation between ones self and the greater good of the others around, it signifies a liberation of the human conscious.”

“The Red-Wall Maze”

By Dong Fu, Zephyr(US) Architects P.C.

Storied Drawing Theme: Impossible Space

“Stair mazes will always be dynamic structures for the human spatial experience. Humans have the instinct to create infinite space through limited materials so that a certain relationship can be formed between limited life and the infinite universe. Stairs are important elements of a maze — connecting different heights and circulating up and down. The winding pink staircases, the main subject of this drawing, give the building a very large number of possible paths, forming a complex labyrinth.

At the same time, I utilized Escher’s impossible space in such a way that the upper part of the drawing is a space facing up, and the lower part faces down. In this way, at the shared edge of the two spaces, a person needs to make a 90-degree rotation of the body to complete the crossing between the two parts, similar to scenes of the movie “Inception.””

Congratulations to our 2022 Storied Drawing Award Winners! As the art of architectural representation continues to evolve, so will our competitions and awards programs, in order to accurately reflect the incredible ability of architects, designers and creative people to communicate complex ideas about the built environment. Sign up for our newsletter in order to be notified when our next evolution is announced, with bigger, bolder opportunities set to emerge in 2023:

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Sustainable News

33 Trailblazing Firms Leading the Globe Into a New Era of Architectural Design

By Zarkon Group,11/01/2023

Architizer’s A+Awards Best Firm categories allow design firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of “World’s Best Architecture Firm”. Start an A+Firm Award Application today.

Poised at the forefront of contemporary architecture, the following list of A+Award-winning practices features the firms behind some of the world’s most ground-breaking projects from the past 10 years. As winners of the Best Firm Categories, each office was judged based on the strength of their portfolios. Whether small or large in number, their trailblazing teams are producing considered, dynamic designs that push the bounds of traditional typologies and point the industry in exciting new directions for the future.

Start A+Awards Submission

The judging criteria for the A+Firm Awards program have been carefully formulated to cover a broad range of qualities, allowing jurors to come to a fair decision on which firms are delivering excellence in their respective fields. These standards are embodied by all of the winners on this list, many of whom share a holistic and socially engaged approach to design. Through their architectural work, these practices propose innovative solutions to complex local challenges while remaining cognizant of the global landscape. To this end, their portfolios articulate eloquent responses to the changing needs of the modern world, mindful of climate change, sustainability and inclusivity. Spread across six continents, these pioneering architecture and design practices around the world are ones to watch in 2023…

Best Firms In Asia

Akira Koyama + KEY OPERATION INC. / ARCHITECTS

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Asia

Sakuragicho Residence by Akira Koyama + KEY OPERATION INC. / ARCHITECTS Goshikidai Forest Cemetery by Akira Koyama + KEY OPERATION INC. / ARCHITECTS Firm Location: Tokyo, Japan
Pictured Projects: Sakuragicho Residence, Yokohama, Japan ; Goshikidai Forest Cemetery, Kimino, Japan

Simplicity and innovation define the work of this Tokyo-based architectural firm. By balancing their clients’ needs with environmental, cultural and historic factors, they devise refined, forward-thinking solutions for every element of the design process, from building materials and construction methods to spatial organization.

Their expansive portfolio establishes them as accomplished all-rounders, spanning residential blocks, luxury penthouses, commercial spaces, medical buildings and even a striking contemporary cemetery.

KRIS YAO | ARTECH

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Asia

Wuzhen Theater by KRIS YAO | ARTECH Firm Location: Taipei, Taiwan (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Palace Museum, Southern Branch, Chiayi City, Taiwan ; Wuzhen Theater, Zhejiang, China

With offices in Taipei and Shanghai, KRIS YAO | ARTECH was founded in 1985 and demonstrates an impressive mastery over an array of architectural typologies, ranging from commercial, cultural and educational spaces to residential and spiritual buildings.

The practice’s design philosophy balances a commitment to cutting-edge technology with an emphasis on emotive architectural schemes that harmonize with their environmental and cultural surroundings.

Best Firms In Australasia

Fearon Hay Architects

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Australasia

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Medium Firm (11-49 employees)

Bishop Selwyn Chapel by Fearon Hay Architects Faraday Street Studio by Fearon Hay Architects Firm Location: Auckland, New Zealand (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Bishop Selwyn Chapel, Auckland, New Zealand ; Faraday Street Studio, Auckland, New Zealand

Fusing creativity, design excellence and a sensitive consideration of place, Fearon Hay Architects’ team of experienced professionals tackles a diversity of projects across the world.

From their studios in Auckland and Los Angeles, they mastermind remarkable architectural responses to a wide scope of briefs encompassing hospitality, office and urban spaces, as well as private dwellings and religious structures.

Cumulus Studio

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Australasia

Devil's Corner Cellar Door by Cumulus Studio Firm Location: Tasmania, Australia (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Devil’s Corner Cellar Door, Apslawn, Australia ; Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre Tasmania, Australia

Collaboration is at the heart of this Australian architecture and interior design studio, which has offices in Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne and Adelaide. The practice’s architects, designers and operations team work collectively to explore the potential of each design, whether commercial or residential, contemplating its context and considering overlooked architectural perspectives.

This emphasis on open dialogue among the team, their clients, stakeholders and the community results in pioneering, inclusive designs that are respectful to all.

Best Firms In Central & South America

Studio MK27

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Central & South America

Jungle House by Studio MK27 Cultura Bookstore by Studio MK27 Firm Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Pictured Projects: Jungle House, Guarujá, Brazil ; Cultura Bookstore, São Paulo, Brazil

Headquartered in vibrant São Paulo, Studio MK27 pays homage to Brazilian modernism, while reimagining this revered architectural movement through a contemporary lens. For the award-winning firm, formal simplicity and attention to detail are paramount, an acuteness that’s reflected in their exacting portfolio.

The practice’s defining projects span dynamic residential schemes that respect Brazil’s natural topography and striking commercial spaces, including bars, bookshops and vineyards, that offer an immersive architectural experience.

FGMF

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Central & South America

Casa Sombrero by FGMF FEED Meat Market by FGMF
Firm Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Pictured Projects: Casa Sombrero, Campinas, Brazil ; FEED Meat Market, São Paulo, Brazil

Driven by a belief that architecture should reflect life and embrace plurality, heterogeneity and dynamism, this Brazilian practice is at the forefront of contemporary architecture. Their designs explore the connection between the built environment and its surroundings, utilizing state-of-the-art materials and construction techniques.

Ranging from an upscale meat market to a public school and a remarkable rooftop condo, their varied portfolio is united by a distinctive architectural voice, establishing them among the best architecture firms around the world.

Best Firms in Europe

Mecanoo

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Europe

World Port Centre Rotterdam by Mecanoo Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi by Mecanoo Firm Location: Delft, Netherlands (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: World Port Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands ; Natural History Museum, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo was founded in 1984 and has an exceptional collection of forward-thinking projects under their belt. The practice’s schemes are shaped by the trifactor of people, place and purpose. This guiding philosophy considers the client and user’s requirements, the physical and cultural environment and the present and future functions of a building.

Sustainability is a key consideration in the fabric of their designs, along with an emphasis on flexible spaces that can shift and evolve to accommodate changing needs in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Roark Studio

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in Europe

Nowe Kolibki by Roark Studio Pier of the Future by Roark Studio Firm Location: Sopot, Poland
Pictured Projects: Nowe Kolibki, Gdynia, Poland ; Pier of the Future, Gdynia, Poland (Concept)

This innovative Poland-based architecture studio works across a diverse range of typologies, from public piers, community spaces and educational buildings to multi-unit residential developments.

The firm’s holistic projects are informed by the tenets of neuroarchitecture, imbuing their designs with emotive value and prioritizing the health and well-being of those who inhabit the structures and their wider urban locales.

Best Firms in North America

MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in North America

Catalyst Building by MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE Firm Location: Vancouver, Canada
Pictured Projects: Oregon State University Forest Science Complex, Covallis, Oregon ; Catalyst Building, Spokane, Washington

Innovators in the field of sustainable design, MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE are lauded for their carbon-neutral buildings and pioneering timber construction techniques. Climate change and social change are key drivers that underlie their impressive portfolio, which has been recognized for a number of prestigious awards.

The Vancouver-based practice tackles a broad spectrum of projects across varying scales, including boutique interiors, architectural marquees, housing developments and large institutional buildings across Canada and beyond.

Montalba Architects

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in North America

Vertical Courtyard House by Montalba Architects, Inc. LR2 House by Montalba Architects, Inc. Firm Location: Los Angeles, California (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Vertical Courtyard House, Santa Monica, California ; LR2 House, Pasadena, California

They may be headquartered in Los Angeles, but this international practice has an impressive reach, with a portfolio of work stretching from the United States to Europe and the Middle East.

Encompassing commercial and residential spheres, their humanist approach to architectural design not only places special emphasis on the site requirements and clients’ needs, but also on the wider context beyond the development’s walls. The result is bold, socially conscious buildings that positively contribute to the built landscape.

Best Firm in Middle East & Africa

Studio Toggle

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in the Middle East & Africa

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Firm

Ternion by Studio Toggle Edges Al Barouk by Studio Toggle Firm Location: Salmiya, Kuwait (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Ternion, Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait ; Edges Al Barouk, Salmiya, Kuwait

With far-reaching expertise across commercial, residential, public and hospitality architecture, as well as interior design, Studio Toggle’s approach is shaped by their commitment to logic and problem-solving. However, their precise and considered schemes also embrace the unexpected.

Founded in 2012 and based in Kuwait City and Porto, the firm’s impactful portfolio of projects is defined by a careful balance of antitheses. Their philosophy is that form follows function, simplicity is complex and even chaos can be organized.

HQ Architects

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best in the Middle East & Africa

Fein 1 Central by HQ Architects
Bus Terminal Petach Tikva by HQ Architects Firm Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Pictured Projects: Fein 1 Central, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel ; Bus Terminal Petach Tikva, Israel (Concept)

Based in Tel Aviv, HQ Architects revel in challenging tradition. Interrogating and reimagining conventional typologies, their subversive stance leads to surprising structures and urban spaces that push the boundaries of modern architecture in Israel and beyond.

While their perspective is playful, the 35-strong team is dedicated to delivering quality designs, an assurance that’s upheld by rigorous technical expertise and creative building solutions.

Best Interior Design Firms

Fyra

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Interior Design Firm

Bardem by Fyra New Nordic School by the Sea by Fyra Firm Location: Helsinki, Finland
Pictured Projects: Bardem, Helsinki, Finland ; New Nordic School by the Sea, Helsinki, Finland

Founded back in 2010, this Helsinki-based interior design agency creates bespoke, immersive spaces where people and community take center stage. Fyra’s striking projects embody the values of their clients while bringing their own distinct perspective to each design.

Their varied portfolio extends across office, retail, hotel, restaurant and educational environments, as well as a range of cross-sectional ventures. The company’s bold, decisive schemes are underpinned by a commitment to sustainability and a strong emphasis on cooperation between the team and the businesses and individuals they work with.

PANORAMA Design Group

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Interior Design Firm

KidsWinshare Plus by PANORAMA Design Group OneJee Hotel by PANORAMA Design Group Firm Location: Hong Kong, China
Pictured Projects: KidsWinshare Plus, Chengdu, China ; OneJee Hotel, Shenzhen, China

Spatial storytelling is at the forefront of this playful interior design practice. Headquartered in Hong Kong and with offices across China, the firm has extensive experience curating projects for the hospitality, retail and wellness industries, as well as vibrant child-friendly spaces.

Revising conventional typologies, PANORAMA Design Group balances locational and economic factors with their signature vibrant style to conjure up unique and unconventional schemes for every size and function of space.

Best Landscape Design Firms

TROP

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Landscape Design Firm

Under the Ficus Shade by TROP Botanica Khao Yai by TROP Firm Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Pictured Projects: Under the Ficus Shade : Garden for Ad Lib Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand ; Botanica Khao Yai, Pak Chong, Thailand

This architectural landscape design studio has been innovating remarkable projects across Asia since 2007. TROP’s pioneering portfolio ranges from design-forward public parks to biophilic hotels, commercial spaces and installations, along with residences rooted in organic materials and natural topography.

The firm believes the design process is as vital as the design itself. To this end, their team of designers and construction supervisors foster close relationships with each client, articulating complex projects from inception to realization.

ASPECT Studios

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Landscape Design Firm

Prahran Square by ASPECT Studios Firm Location: Melbourne, Australia (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: The Urban Gallery at Hyperlane, Chengdu, China ; Prahran Square, Melbourne, Australia

Encompassing an international team of landscape architects, urban designers and strategists, ASPECT Studios prides themselves on designing projects that benefit the community and the natural environment.

Their specialism is crafting intuitive public spaces and using their profound understanding of this typology — its uses and tension points — to inform their creative and technical processes. The result is memorable landscape design projects that fuse function and fun, dynamic architecture across public parks, plazas, coastal walkways and busy city streets.

Best Large Firms

Zaha Hadid Architects

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Large Firm (50+ employees)

Firm Location: London, United Kingdom (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre, Zhuhai, China ; King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Known the world over, the extensive portfolio of Zaha Hadid Architects extends across the globe, broaching every architectural sector, including commercial, corporate, residential, educational and cultural buildings.

Their distinctive futuristic aesthetic is immediately recognizable, defined by curvaceous volumes, organic forms, undulating lines, severe angles and stark materials, including concrete, glass and steel. The firm’s ground-breaking designs are at once bold and dramatic, and acutely responsive to the surrounding environment.

Killa Design

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Large Firm (50+ employees)

Museum of the Future by Killa Design Boutique Resort by Killa Design Firm Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Pictured Projects: Museum of the Future, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Boutique Resort, Oman (Concept)

Located in Dubai, Killa Design seeks to shrug off architectural methodologies of the past and tackle each project as a new opportunity for innovation. Sustainability and contextual sensitivity are at the heart of the firm’s designs, which negotiate social and environmental responsibilities with an uncompromising commitment to high-quality constructions.

Dedicated to creating spaces that enrich the user experience, their areas of expertise span hospitality, corporate and residential, as well as museums, cultural buildings, urban design and master planning projects.

Best Medium Firms

Duvall Decker

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Medium Firm (11-49 employees)

New U.S. Courthouse by Duvall Decker The Selah House by Duvall Decker Firm Location: Jacksonville, Mississippi
Pictured Projects: New U.S. Courthouse, Greenville, Mississippi ; The Selah House, Malvern, Pennsylvania

Founded in 1998, Duvall Decker is committed to creating exceptional spaces that promote the well-being of those who inhabit them and improve the quality of the built environment.

Combining design acumen with technical expertise, their talented team works across an array of typologies, from residential and interior projects to educational, religious, commercial and municipal structures, as well as master plans. No matter their client’s needs or budget, the firm’s goal is to deliver architecture that endures in both material and memory.

Best Small Firms

Chiangmai Life Architects

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Small Firm (1-10 employees)

Panyaden Secondary School by Chaingmai Life Architects Firm Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Pictured Projects: Panyaden Secondary School, Chiang Mai, Thailand ; Bamboo Sports Hall at Panyaden International School, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Northern Thailand-based Chiangmai Life Architects are striving to bring organic sustainable design into the 21^st century. Championing bamboo and earth, the firm creates striking architectural buildings fit for modern life, including residences, schools and meditation centers.

Their portfolio pays homage to natural construction materials, from rammed-earth buildings to exquisitely intricate bamboo roof structures. These sustainable resources are paired with cutting-edge technology to help combat issues such as pollution, as well as ensuring projects have a minimal carbon footprint.

The Design Institute Of Landscape & Architecture China Academy Of Art CO.,LTD

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Small Firm (1-10 employees)

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Cultural Firm

Firm Location: Hangzhou, China
Pictured Projects: Boat Rooms on the Fuchun River, Hangzhou, China ; City Lounge of Zhongshan Road, Jiaxing, China

From orchestrating the master plan of a village to delivering exceptional residences, renovation projects and stand-out hospitality spaces across China, this architecture firm has overseen a varied collection of schemes across a range of sectors.

Headquartered in Hangzhou in the east of China, the practice delivers structures that harmonize with both the natural and built environment. Inspiration is sought from the surrounding landscapes as well as traditional Chinese vernacular architecture, which is elevated by modern construction techniques.

Best Sustainable Firms

The Miller Hull Partnership

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Loom House by The Miller Hull Partnership Firm Location: Seattle, Washington (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Atlanta, Georgia ; Loom House, Bainbridge Island, Washington

Sustainable architecture is a key tenet of The Miller Hull Partnership’s mission statement. With studios in Seattle and San Diego, the pioneering firm seeks to understand the power of nature through their work, embracing passive systems and locally sourced materials in their projects.

Connection with the natural world is central to the practice’s architectural process, whether it’s applied across domestic, educational or civic contexts. Paired with an emphasis on cooperation and problem-solving, they deliver innovative and unexpected spaces that serve occupants and the wider environment.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Wild Mile by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) Firm Location: New York City, New York (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Wild Mile, Chicago, Illinois (Concept) ; Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Headquarters, Shenzhen, China

Across a diverse portfolio that encompasses a floating eco-park, transport terminals, cultural hubs, commercial towers and refined residences, plus a cathedral and even a naval training base, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) establish themselves as impressive all-rounders.

Sustainable strategies are part of the firm’s architectural DNA, seen through the inclusion of powerful insulation, glazing, energy-efficient lighting and biophilic solutions. The masterminds behind an array of environmentally advanced structures and developments, their projects are designed to adapt to future changes in the ways we live, work and communicate, resulting in remarkable spaces that are built to endure.

Best Young Firms

Jonathan Burlow

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Firm

Over the Edge by Jonathan Burlow Firm Location: Folkstone, United Kingdom
Pictured Project: Over the Edge, Kent, United Kingdom

Founded in 2018, this emerging practice is already making waves on the architectural landscape. The firm’s design philosophy is anchored by a commitment to both problem-solving and exceptional artistry, ensuring a harmonious balance between these dual priorities.

The studio is based in Kent, however, the founder’s diverse cultural background informs the company’s unique architectural perspective. Consequently, the team celebrates and experiments with global notions of place, society and convention across their broad scope of projects.

Best Young Interior Design Firms

L&M Design Lab

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Interior Design Firm

Mirror Bridge by L&M Design Lab Wondering in the woods by L&M Design Lab Firm Location: Shanghai, China (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Mirror Bridge, Shanghai, China ; Wandering in the woods, Xiamen, China

L&M Design Lab was named after the firm’s guiding mantra: logic is magic. Their team channels their creativity and curiosity into innovative, purposeful designs that offer exciting new iterations of conventional typologies.

Specializing in architectural, interior and urban design, the practice was founded in 2013 in Shanghai. The firm has since brought their dynamic viewpoint to bear on a range of built environments, from residential spaces to stand-out commercial offices and playful educational structures.

WIT Design & Research

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Interior Design Firm

Dong Fureng House Museum by WIT Design & Research Jetlag Books Pop-up Store by WIT Design & Research Firm Location: Beijing, China
Pictured Projects: Dong Fureng House Museum, China ; Jetlag Books Pop-up Store, Beijing, China

This Beijing-based firm was started in 2015 and already has an impressive catalog of projects to show. WIT Design & Research demonstrates a masterful command over spatial design, incorporating a nuanced understanding of architecture and interior art to produce exceptional schemes.

Whether handling the sensitive renovation of a historic listed building or designing a futuristic installation for the retail sphere, they showcase a deft negotiation of materials.

Best Commercial Firms

X+LIVING

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Commercial Firm

New Century Magic Hotel by X+LIVING Firm Location: Shanghai, China
Pictured Projects: Deji Plaza Phase I, Floor 6 Washroom, Nanjing, China ; New Century Magic Hotel, Huzhou, China

Leaders in commercial design, X+LIVING rips up the rule book on spatial archetypes with their theatrical and experimental approach. Graphic lines, bold geometries and Escher-inspired aesthetics set their vibrant portfolio apart from the crowd. The result is deeply immersive spaces imbued with a whimsical sense of wonder.

While creativity and storytelling may be at the forefront of the firm’s practice, they’re matched with a staunch commitment to utility, delivering an artful combination of functionality and fancifulness.

Various Associates

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Commercial Firm

SND Taikoo Li Qiantan by Various Associates HAYDON Shanghai by Various Associates Firm Location: Shenzhen, China
Pictured Projects: SND Taikoo Li Qiantan, Beijing, China ; HAYDON Shanghai, Shanghai China

With a distinguished portfolio encompassing a variety of high-end projects, from boutique hotels, restaurants and retail schemes, to offices, installations and exhibition spaces, Various Associates brings a holistic perspective to commercial design.

Their projects demonstrate a mindful consideration of both spatial practicalities and brand values, while respecting wider locational context. By translating elements of environmental and cultural histories into the vernacular of modern architecture, the firm creates landmark schemes that respond to their surroundings while furthering the narrative in radical ways.

Best Cultural Firms

Tabanlioglu Architects

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Cultural Firm

Ataturk Cultural Center by Tabanlioglu Architects Dakar Congress Center by Tabanlioglu Architects Firm Location: Istanbul, Turkey (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Ataturk Cultural Center, Istanbul, Turkey ; Dakar Congress Center, Dakar, Senegal

Headquartered in Istanbul but with studios in Dubai, Doha and New York City, Tabanlioglu Architects has an impressive international reach. While the firm may have a global presence, they react to the social and physical landscapes of each project individually, ensuring that they add value to the surrounding localities.

Their portfolio includes a diversity of important public, cultural and municipal buildings, including community centers, shopping centers, a library and even an airport terminal. The practice’s visionary approach doesn’t sacrifice sustainability in the name of style either, with a vehement emphasis on sustainable practices.

Best Public Projects Firms

NADAAA

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Public Projects Firm

Adams Street Branch Library by NADAAA Firm Location: Boston, Massachusetts (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)
Pictured Projects: Adams Street Branch Library, Boston, Massachusetts ; Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Innovation is at the center of this Boston-based design firm. Steeped in a collaborative culture, the practice challenges the norms of the construction industry and devises new ways to build across projects of all scales, from public infrastructure ventures to bespoke fixtures and furnishings.

While their work bridges different industrial spheres, they’ve masterminded a succession of remarkable public schemes. The firm’s research-driven designs are ever cognizant of the end user, oriented to accommodate community dialogues and motivate public participation in the public realm.

SBM Studio

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Public Projects Firm

Sarzhyn Yar by SBM Studio House in Kharkiv by SBM Studio Firm Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine
Pictured Projects: Sarzhyn Yar, Kharkiv, Ukraine ; House in Kharkiv, Kharkiv, Ukraine

The connection between people and the landscapes they inhabit, whether cultural, social or environmental, is key to the work of SBM Studio. Encouraging this discourse through architecture and landscape design, the firm creates meaningful spaces, reinforced by cutting-edge technology and construction techniques.

While they have extensive experience working across the commercial and residential sectors, the dynamic practice has been shifting its gaze to public projects, endeavoring to improve the built environment and punctuate city topographies with communal natural spaces.

Best Residential Firms

PETITDIDIERPRIOUX

Jury Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Residential Firm

152 Housing Units by PETITDIDIERPRIOUX Firm Location: Paris, France
Pictured Projects: Athletes’ Village Olympic Games 2024, L’lle-Saint-Denis, France ; 152 Housing Units, Villeurbanne, France

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Paris, PETITDIDIERPRIOUX has built up an impressive portfolio across public and private typologies. Their scope includes new multi-unit residences, office buildings, public developments and renovation projects across France and beyond.

Notably, the 35-strong team is designing a number of residential buildings for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games athletes’ village. Still under construction, the ambitious project has been devised with adaptability in mind. Following the Olympics, the structures will be repurposed as public housing and assimilated into the city’s established landscape.

Sanjay Puri Architects

Popular Choice Winner, 10^th Annual A+Awards, Best Residential Firm

Studios 90 by Sanjay Puri Architects Nirvana 63 by Sanjay Puri Architects Firm Location: Mumbai, India
Pictured Projects: Studios 90, Kodla, India ; The Street, Mathura, India

Sustainability and respect for the local environment inform the design ethos of this Mumbai-based firm. Sanjay Puri Architects delivers pioneering spaces and structures that exist in harmony with their surroundings. Consequently, their projects offer creative responses to contextual challenges, addressing hot climates with innovative architectural solutions and construction methods.

Founded in 1992, the practice’s catalog of work is wide-ranging, spanning master planning projects, schools, hospitality buildings, retail and office structures and ambitious multi-unit housing developments, all executed with an unwavering commitment to energy efficiency.

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Reference

Architecture

Drawing Isn’t Dead: How Architectural Sketching Can Thrive in the Digital Era

By Zarkon Group,15/11/2022

The long-held debate of hand drawing vs. computer-aided design may never come to a close, and in many ways, the conversation has only become more confounding with the plethora of computerized tools now on the market today. This debate sees a split down the line, with many continuing to champion hand drawing while others advocating for the huge benefits of working with digital graphics. James Wines, a big proponent of hand drawing, speculates that the reluctance of some to embrace digital mediums has to do with a “deep-seated psychological resistance to the cybernetic world.”

Despite the broad range of opinions and beliefs within the architectural profession, the overriding consensus is that both drawing styles have a place within the design world, and that their coexistence is totally possible. There are benefits and downsides to both: for example, the precision found in digital tools is unbeatable, whereas, the slower process of hand-drawing can encourage a deep understanding of form and ideas. Whatever your preference, designers can undoubtedly benefit from products that blend pen and paper-style sketching with advanced digital tools. Cerulean Labs has developed one such solution to this unremitting debate: The Spaces iPad app.

Whether it be drawn or digitally designed, the forefront of a successful project is the initial drawing that brings an idea to life. Accordingly, Cerulean Labs’ Spaces version 2.2 app continues the brand’s maintained effort of improving the conceptual design stage. The beauty of an app like Spaces is its merging of old-school sketching with modern-day technology. Pen and paper lovers don’t have to say goodbye to their trusted hand-held tool — they simply have to say hello to the Apple Pencil.

The Spaces app is built entirely for the iPad, meaning users can sketch directly on the iPad’s smooth interface. Users do not have to sacrifice the tactility, freedom and speed of hand drawing; in fact, they gain a dynamic set of new capabilities. While users sketch, the app works behind the scenes to create a workable building model.

“From the outset, sketching has been in our DNA, and the further we have developed Spaces, the more power we’ve been able to add to our sketching engine.” – Campbell Yule, Spaces Founder

The Spaces app encourages the traditional method: draw, revise, keep and throw away. Many conceptual design tools on the market require a certain familiarity with modeling, which makes the drawing experience far less fluid and natural. The Spaces app mimics hand-drawing by allowing users to sketch as they please, deleting what they don’t like and saving what they do. While users sketch away, real-time building and site data is being calculated, reported and projected as a workable model. If a user changes an angle or slope, the app automatically resizes the plan and provides updated calculations and measurements. The app does all the work so that users can tap into their creative minds and draw.

Once drawn, users benefit from a series of parametric design tools. Architects can add cladding, leverage the app’s Open Street Map data or elevate their project using precise sun studies among other tools. The conceptual phase – especially when drawing by hand – is an iterative process, and this app celebrates the beauty of trial and error.

The app’s numerous settings and features can all be managed quickly and swiftly, allowing the designer to focus on their creative ideas rather than the technology. Hand-drawing advocates often complain that navigating technology poses an unwelcoming distraction from the design process. Thankfully, the Spaces app’s clear and simple interface poses little distraction from sketching.

The app’s new digital sketchbook feature allows users to document their ideas as they traditionally would on tracing paper. Whenever and wherever an idea comes to mind, designers can document a note or sketch directly on the app. Equally, creatives can embellish and rework their designs by tracing over their models using the Apple pencil. Designers can even send snapshots of their models to the sketchbook and rework their design at their own pace. The app revives the incredibly useful tool of trace paper, but makes it more efficient, precise and hassle-free.

Once sketched and modeled, designers can then leverage the app’s project management tools. Spaces comes with tools to organize design briefs, create reports and develop project concepts directly on the app. Users can even import key site data onto the app to ensure their concept design is as precise and well-planned as possible. The Spaces app delivers professional results while not compromising creativity and fluidity.

Spaces champions architecture’s oldest tools, a pen and paper, and integrates them perfectly into a straightforward app suitable for all architects and designers. If you remain to be convinced by sketching in the digital age, give the Spaces App a go and see for yourself. The Spaces app celebrates the nonlinear nature of conceptual design by encouraging exploration and creativity, and is set to become one of the industry’s go-to applications as a result.

Reference

Architecture

Is VR The New Paradigm for Architectural Visualization?

By Zarkon Group,07/11/2022

Architizer Journal is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Is virtual reality (VR) necessary in my design practice? Many architects — not only those with established careers and years under their belts but also recent grads weary of technological trends — question if there is any need to pivot and incorporate VR into their practices. Some see it as futile, others resist the digital era, but most designers reluctant to VR implementation are simply unfamiliar with this virtual world. Yet, there is a new paradigm for architectural visualization that is being shaped by virtual reality, along with its cousins, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). Utilizing virtual reality as a visualization tool has become increasingly popular amongst designers as it offers a space for endless exploration and development. As the potentialities of VR continue evolving, here are a few reasons architects should consider investing in quality VR sets like the Meta Quest Pro to enhance their practice.

Whether it be to develop a design, contextualize a project or win over a client, the metaverse is making its mark in the architecture community. One of VR’s biggest advantages is providing a comprehensive understanding of space. When it comes to appreciating the detailed particularities of a site, 2D drawings and built models can only go so far. The beauty of VR is that it takes architectural visualization one step further and allows architects to deeply conceptualize and experience an environment. Through 360-degree views, VR can be incorporated at any stage of the design process. Whether it be to simply make sense of a space and its massing or to create a hyperreal experience with detailed elements, the possibilities are endless.

Top-of-the-line VR sets, like the newly-released Meta Quest Pro, are great gateways into the digital world. The Meta Quest Pro is packed with new and improved features which expand the possibilities of VR for architecture and ensure a comfortable and uncomplicated user experience. VR sets like the Meta Quest Pro are designed for collaboration. The device comes with a resizable screen that allows designers to organize their work however they please while simultaneously communicating with other users. Moreover, the Meta Quest Pro is especially handy for architects as they can collaborate in real-time while working with modeling software such as Akrio and Gravity Sketch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaRastZmucQ

Compared to older models, this device boasts a wide color gamut, an expanded dimming range and an increased contrast ratio. Whether the designer is adding light features or sun studies into their design, the viewing experience will feel ultra-realistic and help accurately conceptualize a space. Equally, the controllers on this device have been upgraded to capture a greater range of motion and more precise operations. Designers can therefore replicate writing and hand-sketching directly in the virtual world! For designers who plan to stay immersed for longer periods of time, The Meta Quest Pro has been engineered to be more ergonomic and ensure long-lasting comfort.

VR lets architects visualize and experience a design long before it’s been built. However, it can also be used to strengthen client relations. Architects can share their ultra-realistic and immersive designs with clients to help strengthen relationships and solidify deals. Therefore, investing in VR is not only an investment in better design but an investment in a flourishing practice. Architectural approaches, practices and standards are constantly evolving and it is up to the architect to pivot when they feel fit. Nevertheless, VR sets like the Meta Quest Pro are tools not to overlook.

For more ways to supercharge your workflow, check out more articles in our Tech for Architects series, which includes our recommendations of Top Laptops for Architects and Designers.

Reference

Architecture

These Are The World’s Best Architectural Renovation, Repositioning and Restoration Projects

By Zarkon Group,25/10/2022

For its 11th season, Architizer has created a suite of sustainability-focused A+Awards recognizing designers working toward a better future. Start your submission today.

For many architects, renovation, repositioning and restoration projects are some of the most significant career challenges. Repurposing a structure, particularly one that has fallen into disrepair, can lead to myriad difficulties. Many of us who have undertaken such projects know all too well the ever-lengthening list of problems that become exposed when work commences on any adaptive reuse undertaking. However, what is life without its challenges?

Despite its recent positioning in the headlines, adaptive reuse and restoration are not only about striving for a more sustainable architectural practice. Adaptive reuse plays a huge role in preserving the history of our communities and the hard work and dedication of our peers. Such projects are complicated and push the skills of architects and designers to the limits forcing us to explore new and old technologies and strategies — thrusting us out of our comfort zones. The results of such devotion to a project, of course, are buildings and environments that are truly unique and wonderful.

Architizer’s mission is to celebrate the incredible work of architects worldwide. Throughout our annual A+Awards, renovation, restoration, repositioning, and adaptive reuse projects are shown the esteem they deserve by being evaluated side by side with their new build counterparts, and it is these A+Awards winners from our 2022 competition that were judged to be winners by a renowned jury of their peers. Proving that within our community, your project doesn’t need to be 100% new to be extraordinary.

Shajing Village Hall

By ARCity Office, China

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Institutional-Government & Civic Buildings

Photographs provided by ARCity Office

Abandoned over a decade ago and set for demolition in 2019, the Gangtou Diesel Power Plant, originally built in 1980, had little to no hope of revival. However, when the architects discovered the plant, the impressive building was given a new lease of life. The derelict building has been transformed into a much-needed modern ancestral hall that has become a place to immortalize and celebrate the time-honored history and culture of the community.

Ciot

By Bando x Seidel Meersseman, Brooklyn, NY, United States

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial-Showrooms

In a former armaments factory on the Brooklyn waterfront, Montreal-based stone supplier Ciot has a new home designed by Bando x Seidel Meersseman. The beautiful slab gallery is unrecognizable from its past life, with a bright and meticulous showroom and gallery gaining an air of drama and sophistication under its mono-chromatic refurbishment.

Biodome Science Museum

By KANVA, Montreal, Canada

Jury Winner & Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Museum

Photographs by Marc Cramer

Housed in the former Velodrome constructed for the Montréal 1976 Olympic Games, the Biodome first opened in 1992 and is one of Canada’s most visited museum spaces. KANVA was appointed to take on the momentous task of reviving the structure to bring the building into alignment with other museums and bio facilities being constructed today. By adding additional floors, extracting new voids and rethinking the visitor journey, the Biodome, Planetarium, Insectarium, and Botanical Garden will continue to thrive and educate in an advanced intelligent environment.

CME Center

By Krueck Sexton Partners, Chicago, IL, United States

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial-Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft)

Photographs by Kendall McCaugherty

Located in Chicago’s business district, The CME Center lobby is a renovation project that reimagined an existing commercial lobby that had been in continuous use for the last forty years. The aim was to transform the obsolete lobby in response to the local need for livable urban spaces with authenticity and comfort. The drastic repositioning seeks to attract the next generation of users in a modern, bright, technologically advanced environment designed for work, collaboration and interaction.

Rue de la Gauchetière Loft

By Future Simple Studio, Montreal, Canada

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Apartment

Photographs by Felix Michaud

Using the box within a box scenario, The Rue de la Gauchetière project restores a loft apartment that sits within a 100-year-old heritage building. The design, while inherently industrial, seeks to integrate nature and family living into a space that is decisively urban. At once object and architecture, the glazed wooden bedroom volumes are crafted as a bespoke kit of parts, including everything from ceiling panels and mullions, to flooring and furniture. A tactile material pallet of walnut plywood, brick, warm greys, rough concrete, glass and mirror emphasizes the airiness of the space while greenery adds a contrasting natural dimension.

South 2nd

By Murray Legge Architecture, Austin, TX, United States

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Additions

South 2nd is a surprising addition to an existing single-story American ranch house. The new 900-square-foot building is connected to the current house through an adjacent link and contains home offices on the ground floor and a further bedroom and bathroom suite above.

The home rises above the urban sprawl of the 1960’s American suburb. By building vertically, the structure’s tiny footprint retains the valued outdoor space. The roof is topped with a linear clerestory structure that runs the house’s length, bringing diffused natural light into the upper floors.

Nil Dos House

By Valentí Albareda Studio, Spain

Jury Winner, 9th and 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (<3000 sq ft)

Photographs by José Hevia

Beginning its life as a warehouse for a small construction company Nil Dos House was a dark and dingy place. However, the saving grace of the unique home was the under-utilized covered courtyard that, once uncovered, filled the residence with air and light. Embracing the building’s natural materials, the designers retained the unique character of the space with points of interest in every room. Juxtaposed against the traditional warehouse aesthetic is a beautifully crafted interior exquisitely detailed in timber and glass. The seemingly floating platform dissects the space elegantly without blocking any coveted light, which flows unimpeded into the room’s rear to provide a bright and calm primary bedroom.

The Moving Kitchen

By J.C. Architecture, Taiwan

Popular Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transport Interiors

Photographs by Kuo-Min Lee

Bringing life to a seventy-year-old semi-retired train J.C. Architecture has created an exceptional restaurant experience. Salvaging carriages from retirement, three train cars hold a fifty-four-person moving restaurant. Fitted with a full-size kitchen, bar, lounge and dining room, guests to the moving venue can dine in luxury while experiencing the breathtaking mountainous or oceanic sea views determined by which side of the carriage you choose. The Moving Kitchen is a spectacular and successful example of adaptive reuse.

For its 11th season, Architizer has created a suite of sustainability-focused A+Awards recognizing designers working toward a better future. Start your submission today.

Reference

Interior Design

Ten homes with arched openings that add architectural interest

By Zarkon Group,23/10/2022

In this lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 home interiors that use archways to punctuate spaces and elevate the transition between rooms.

An arch is a curved structure that spans over an opening, typically to distribute the weight above it. Because of their structural effectiveness, arches were used as early as Roman times for the construction of bridges and aqueducts.

Arches have been reinterpreted throughout history and are often used to evoke classical or traditional architecture.

They can add charm and architectural detail to doorways, entrances and passageways in residential spaces, and are often framed with ornate mouldings to create a sense of grandeur.

Arched openings can also be used to mark transitions between rooms and punctuate otherwise plain walls in contemporary interiors.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with statement balustrades, interiors that feature the Eames chair and living spaces with decorative use of tiles.

Conde Duque apartment by Sierra + De La Higuera — Photo is by German Sáiz

Conde Duque Apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera

Spanish architecture studio Sierra + De La Higuera refurbished this Madrid apartment by organising open-plan living and dining areas on either side of a wood-panelled entrance hall.

The studio added two arched openings in wooden frames central to the hall, creating an intimate buffer zone in the open apartment.

Find out more about Conde Duque Apartment ›

A white curtain in front of a bedroom — Photo is by Andrew Snow

Broadview Loft, Canada, by StudioAC

Canadian firm StudioAC inserted a millwork box with a large arched cutout into this open rectangular apartment in Toronto, separating the bedroom from the living space.

The impactful entry and lowered wall height of the box help to mark the transition from the open living space to the cosy sleeping nook.

Find out more about Broadview Loft ›

Diplomat's House in Rome by 02A — Photo is by Serena Eller

Diplomat’s Apartment, Italy, by 02A

This one-bed flat in Rome was designed by architecture and interiors studio 02A to adequately display the owner’s extensive collection of antique furniture and objects.

An arched passage with an integrated bookcase leads from the lounge to an intimate dining area. The change of space is also indicated by the change in pattern on the solid-oak parquet flooring.

Find out more about the Diplomat’s Apartment ›

Arched openings in Greetings from Rome apartment in Vilnius by 2XJ — Photo is by Darius Petrulaitis

Greetings from Rome, Lithuania, by 2XJ

Three arches punctuate a structural stone wall that separates social and private spaces in this family apartment in the old town of Vilnius, designed by local architecture firm 2XJ.

The arches reminded the architects of the Colosseum in Rome, lending the project its tongue-in-cheek name – Greetings from Rome – and leading the studio to clad the wall in the material used for the landmark’s external walls, Italian travertine.

Find out more about Greetings from Rome ›

Casa Mille, Italy, by Fabio Fantolino

For his own apartment, Italian architect Fabio Fantolino overhauled the 1930s extension of a 19th-century palatial building in Turin by introducing accents of bright green and blue colours.

In the living room an opening with curved corners looks through to a dining area, which is complemented by the rounded corners of the taupe sofa.

Find out more about Casa Mille ›

Arched opening in bedroom of Upper Wimpole Street apartment by Jonathan Tuckey Design — Photo is by Ståle Eriksen

Upper Wimpole Street Apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design

Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design introduced MDF storage walls with built-in cupboards and arched niches to this townhouse apartment in London.

The studio also added tall arched openings into the joinery, which were informed by 15th-century oil paintings depicting biblical figures under soaring archways.

Find out more about Upper Wimpole Street Apartment ›

Interior of house in Akishima by Office M-SA — Photo is by Kazuhisa Kota

House in Akishima, Japan, Office M-SA

This house in Akishima, Tokyo, was arranged by Japanese architecture studio Office M-SA around a series of exposed concrete elements, including a staircase that runs over an archway that separates the kitchen and dining area from the study.

The concrete elements were designed to be permanent anchor points for the home’s timber wall construction, which can be altered or extended in the future to suit the owner’s needs.

Find out more about House in Akishima ›

Room for two by Studio Ben Allen — Photo is by Michael Sinclair

A Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen

Built inside a flat in London’s Barbican Estate, this plywood structure designed by architecture firm Studio Ben Allen transforms the room into a pair of bedrooms and studies for two children.

The cut-out arches, which mimic the barrel-vaulted shape of the housing estate’s terrace apartments, indicate the entrances to each child’s space.

Find out more about A Room for Two ›

Arched opening in Maison à Colombages by 05AM Arquitectura — Photo is by Adrià Goula Sardà

Maison à Colombages, France, by 05 AM Arquitectura

Spanish studio 05 AM Arquitectura aimed to incorporate a contemporary aesthetic while maintaining the traditional features of this 19th-century house located near Paris.

The studio removed partitions in the archways between the kitchen, dining and living spaces to connect the spaces and improve natural lighting while retaining the ornate wall mouldings that frame the openings.

Find out more about Maison à Colombages ›

Arched openings in interiors of penthouse apartment designed by PMAA — Photo is by José Hevia

Penthouse, Spain by PMAA

Architecture studio PMAA divided the living space of this Barcelona apartment with partition walls punctuated by a series of arched openings.

A large modular sofa dominates the living space and morphs around the columns of the archways. The geometric repetition of the arch was informed by the apartment’s vaulted ceiling and arched windows.

Find out more about Penthouse ›

Reference

Architectural

The Key to Low-Cost, High-Quality Urban Housing

Forging New Frontiers in Interior Design

The University of California, San Francisco, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building

Laguna Garzon Bridge

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

20 Fenchurch Street

Carrasco International Airport

“Ever Given Ever After: Suez Canal Obstruction Rethought“

By Manuel Ragheb, ppp Architekten

Storied Drawing Theme: Political Narrative

“Towards a New Venetian Landscape – An Inhabited Linear Infrastructure“

By Nicolas Coppieters and Gabin Sepulchre, Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve

Storied Drawing Theme: Sustainable City

“Labyrinth”

By Eric Pham, University of Texas at Arlington

Storied Drawing Theme: Fantasy Island

“Mycelium Modularity”

By Dustin Wang, Young Guns Studio

Storied Drawing Theme: Climate Change Future

“URBAN NET”

By Alena Dolzhikova, A4 Studio

Storied Drawing Theme: Sci Fi Streetscape

“Threshold”

By Kenan Pence and Deniz Calisir Pence, Kenan Pence / Design Office

Storied Drawing Theme: Dystopian Warning

“Architecture of Insecurity”

By Seungho Park

Storied Drawing Theme: Architectural Assemblage

“More Was More”

By Gregory Klosowski, Pappageorge Haymes Partners

Storied Drawing Theme: Utopian Vision

“Lost to the City”

By Alex Hoagland, Boston Architectural College

Storied Drawing Theme: Awe-Inspiring Atmosphere

“The Red-Wall Maze”

By Dong Fu, Zephyr(US) Architects P.C.

Storied Drawing Theme: Impossible Space

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