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Architecture Mood Board: Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion
CategoriesArchitecture

Architecture Mood Board: Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion

By Zarkon Group,

There are few buildings in the world with a more distinctive aesthetic than the Barcelona Pavilion, designed by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Riech. Originally constructed as the German Pavilion for the Barcelona International Exhibition in 1929, and rebuilt in 1986, this iconic building bears all the characteristics of the Modernist principles that Mies is famed for. The pavilion’s emphatic horizontality, open-plan layout and minimalist detailing are renowned, but the project’s use of materials are arguably its most defining quality.

Sumptuous yet cool, rich yet understated, the pavilion’s material palette celebrates the art of contrast. Monumental slabs of marble work in harmony with slender glass partitions and reflecting pools to create a serene space, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city.

Here, we take a closer look at some of those iconic materials, revealing the ingredients behind one of the purest manifestations of Modernist architecture. To the right of each image, you can find a selection of samples inspired by each material — visit Material Bank to start curating your own board.

Travertine (floor and exterior walls)

Left: The Barcelona Pavilion; image by Wojtek Gurak. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s travertine surfaces; samples via Material Bank

The most prominent material used throughout the Pavilion is Roman travertine, a luxurious yet hard-wearing material that anchors the projects. Travertine forms the plinth upon which the building sits, as well as the surrounding walls, which enclose the reflecting pool and provide a sense of separation from the outside world. Its color, a soft, yellowish hue, acts as a perfect backdrop for the bold materials placed throughout the building.

Featured Material Samples

Golden Onyx (interior freestanding wall)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion interior; image by Martin D. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s onyx wall; samples via Material Bank

At the heart of the building is a freestanding wall of golden onyx, sourced from the Atlas Mountains in Northern Africa. The uniquely patterned surface of this slab was revealed by a splitting process called broaching, enabling a symmetrical marbled pattern to be displayed across the wall’s entire expanse. In terms of color, amber hues transition into oranges and deep reds, providing a rich and complex finish that forms a focal point within the building’s interior. Interestingly, Carsten Krohn, author of Mies Van Der Rohe: The Built Work, states that “the honey-yellow onyx wall of the original is much redder in the modern reconstruction.”

Featured Material Samples

Green Marble (walls)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion exterior; image by Steven Zucker. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s green marble walls; samples via Material Bank

Two types of marble with a green hue can be found in the Barcelona Pavilion: Polished green Tinian marble and “vert antique” marble, quarried in the French Alps. The hues of these walls range from deep green to gray-blue, contrasting with the lighter shades of travertine below and the pure white plane of the ceiling above.

Featured Material Samples

Glass (walls)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion glazing; image by Kent Wang. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s glazing; samples via Material Bank

Mies employed a variety of glass materials throughout the pavilion, controlling the level of transparency, varying the sense of enclosure and framing specific views. According to Krohn, “an entire repertoire of materials have been employed: in addition to transparent glass, the building makes use of green and gray glass, frosted glass as well as black opaque glass for the table tops.” Together with the marble partitions, the glass panels of Mies’ pavilion challenge the conventional function of walls — rather than enclosing space, they act as devices to guide people through the building, channeling their path and blurring the boundaries between inside and out.

Featured Material Samples

Stainless Steel (loading-bearing columns)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion interior; image by Rory Hyde. Right: Materials inspired by the stainless steel columns; samples via Material Bank

Key to Mies van der Rohe’s design was a set of eight polished steel columns that support the roof. As Krohn explains, “the columns form a structural unit that represents a separate architectonic element independent of the non-loadbearing partitioning walls.” Their cruciform shape provides the necessary structural rigidity, while their polished finish reflects light and flashes of color from the surrounding marble. It also echoes the reflective quality of the pools on the exterior or the building.

Featured Material Samples

Black Glass (reflecting pool)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion exterior; image by Steven Zucker. Right: Materials inspired by the black glass of the reflecting pool; samples via Material Bank

Black glass was used to line the smaller of the two pools within the Barcelona pavilion, designed to heighten the reflective quality of the water and dramatize the solitary ornament within the building: a bronze reproduction of Georg Kolbe’s sculptural figure, entitled “Dawn”. Both the sculpture and the patterned marble walls behind it are perfectly reflected in the water, their curves contrasting with the perfectly straight lines that define the space.

Featured Material Samples

Ivory Leather (Barcelona Chairs)

Left: Interior featuring the Barcelona Chair; image by Yuichi. Right: Materials inspired by the Barcelona Chair; samples via Material Bank

Designed by Mies van der Rohe himself, the Barcelona Chair is an icon of modern design, to such an extent that faithful reproductions are still produced and sold today. The structure of the chair is polished stainless steel, echoing the cruciform columns of the pavilion. The back and cantilevered seat are upholstered with off-white kid leather, with welt and button details. MoMA sums it up best: “The Barcelona Chair achieves the serenity of line and the refinement of proportions and materials characteristic of Mies van der Rohe’s highly disciplined architecture.”

Featured Material Samples

Inspired by Mies? We invite you to create your own material mood boards using iconic architecture as your muse! Share your creations with editorial@architizer.com and we’ll publish a selection of the best on Architizer.

Top image: The Barcelona Pavilion via Wikimedia

Reference

Live Talk: Seven Pillars of Highly Successful Architecture Firms
CategoriesArchitecture

Live Talk: Seven Pillars of Highly Successful Architecture Firms

By Zarkon Group,

Want to learn the secrets to success for your architecture firm? If so, our next live event — the third episode in our architecture practice management series — is one not to be missed! Steve Burns FAIA, Chief Creative Officer at BQE, will reveal the ingredients of a well-run architectural business, including pearls of wisdom that will prove valuable for new and seasoned professionals alike.

As a bonus, architects can earn 1 AIA LU Credit for attending this talk, courtesy of BQE. Join us live on August 31st at 1:00pm ET — hit the blue button to register for free:

Register for the Event →

Culled from experiences working with more than 3,000 architecture and engineering firms over 25 years, this session will examine the seven common denominators of every successful firm. Success comes in many flavors. For some, it’s money; for others, it is peer recognition, awards, or fame; for most of us, it’s having access to challenging or exciting projects.

Regardless of how you measure success, adopting these Seven Pillars will help you create the framework from which you and every member of your firm can achieve their professional goals.

Learning Objectives

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

  • Apply your AE talents to your business and turn your firm into the most exciting project of your career.
  • Integrate your people, processes, and tools to create the perfect triangle
  • Create and manifest your business and strategic plan
  • List the three essential qualities which turn individuals into leaders

About Steve

Steven Burns is a member of the College of Fellows of the AIA and Chief Creative Officer of BQE Software. After receiving his Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Steve spent 7 years at SOM – working in Chicago, London, and Berlin before founding his own firm, BBA Architects in 1993. In 2007, Steve sold BBA to pursue his passion for business management software — starting with his creation of ArchiOffice. Steve is now focused on the product development of BQE CORE ARCHITECT, a fully-integrated, cloud-based firm management platform that includes time billing, invoicing, accounting, and project management for firms of all sizes. Steven is a global speaker and thought leader on topics related to firm management and emerging technologies.

About Paul

Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN—UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.

Register for the Event →

Reference

This Firm is Putting Amazing Architecture at the Service of Communities
CategoriesArchitecture

This Firm is Putting Amazing Architecture at the Service of Communities

By Zarkon Group,

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. 

Questions abound when architecture firms choose to undertake a project intended for community use. How can a building fulfill multiple client purposes in ever-more diverse communities? How will architects respect and contribute to a sense of identity for the people intending to use the place? How will a building incorporate sustainable design and technology given budgetary limitations? These questions constantly challenge architects because they require a different answer for every new context. Moreover, such projects require teams of architects and designers who have a rigorous understanding of the multi-faceted needs of a community but who are still willing to make bold architectural statements.

KSS Architects is one of those firms that regularly handle a high level of coordination between design teams, client interests and the built environment. It’s why for this week’s jobs newsletter, we want to highlight KSS, the award-winning firm designing new and adaptive reuse community-oriented projects across the United States.

The award-winning full-service architecture, planning, and interior design firm has offices in New York, Philadelphia, and Princeton. Founded in 1983, KSS has grown to a team of 80 design professionals, building a reputation for design projects that stimulate the intersections of learning, commerce, and community.

When completed, the Amy Gutmann Hall by KSS Architects will be Philadelphia’s tallest timber building; image by KSS Architects

KSS’s architects takes pride in the firm’s comprehensive design approach – a quality apparent in the dozens of projects the firm has developed over the past few years. Take for instance the Amy Gutmann Hall, the University of Pennsylvania’s future data science building. The university wanted a building that would bring the digital and natural worlds together but was unsure how this vision could materialize. After extensive consultation with the administration, members of faculty, students and other community groups, KSS developed a plan to achieve just that: their final design is not only the first mass timber project for UPenn, but also the first six-story mass timber building in the city of Philadelphia. The timber structure reduces the building’s carbon footprint by 52% relative to concrete and 41% relative to steel. The project, which is slated for completion in 2024, is bound to herald a new era for sustainable architecture at the university and beyond. It will also provide a new spacious, warm and tactile environment welcoming to students, instructors and visitors alike.

The Amy Gutmann Hall project illustrates well the design approach and work culture undertaken at KSS. The firm pairs extensive community research with deft consensus-building in which every member of the team has a voice — and a stake — in the collective success of the project. Thanks to its collaborative and transparent design process, KSS builds strong relationships of trust with clients, allowing the firm to make boldly imaginative designs to address the unique goals of clients and the environmental challenges of today.

The Foundation Collegiate Academy in Newark, NJ, is one of many renovation projects KSS Architects has undertaken on charter schools in underserved communities; photo by KSS Architects

Interested in working for one of the most dynamic architectural firms in the United States focusing on community and sustainability? Consider applying to KSS Architects through Architizer’s jobs board.

The firm is currently for eight new positions for their Philadelphia offices: including Project Architects with levels of experience ranging from 3 to 10 years for QA/QC and Industrial Markets, as well as Architectural Designers with 3-5 years’ experience.

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

100 Photos That Tell Powerful Stories About Architecture in 2022
CategoriesArchitecture

100 Photos That Tell Powerful Stories About Architecture in 2022

By Zarkon Group,

One of the most exciting moments of Architizer’s year is upon us again — we are thrilled to reveal the 100 amazing Finalists for the 3rd Annual One Photo Challenge, architecture’s biggest photography competition! Including unique architectural images from around the world, this year’s vibrant exhibition is full of unusual perspectives and bold juxtapositions of form and void. Each photograph tells its own unique story about buildings, people and our world in 2022, demonstrating how architecture can be viewed as a landscape, an artwork, a stage, a refuge and a home.

The final judging process is officially underway, with our stellar line up of expert jurors reviewing each image in minute detail and reading the stories behind them. They will be judging the photographs based on the competition criteria to come up with their top entries. The jurors’ rankings will be converted into scores, which will then give us our two Top Winners and 10 Runners-up.

The 2 Top Winners — 1 student and 1 non-student — will win themselves $2,500, an exclusive interview with Architizer Editors about their image, and a spot on next season’s prestigious competition jury! If this sounds like a challenge you’d like to have a go at, you can register for next season’s One Photo Challenge by signing up here.

Without further ado, explore the 100 Finalists below (published across 4 posts and in no particular order), accompanied by their stories, written by the entrants. Tell us which is your favorite on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #OnePhotoChallenge! Below, “Part 1” presents the first 25 architectural photographs — you can jump to parts 2, 3 and 4 using these buttons:

Part 2     Part 3     Part 4

“Family” by Jeff Durkin

Breadtruck Films

“This was taken at the University of California San Diego’s world famous Geisel library by William Pereira. This was taken on a hot summer day when school is out and the campus becomes a playground for families and children in the area of La Jolla. I’ve spent many days at this library, but this day was special because many families where on campus to see the “Cat in the Hat” statue that is just out of frame.

Theodore Geisel a.k.a. children’s book author Dr. Seuss had lived in the area and his wife had donated his work and trust to the library, in his honor, so it’s a big place for kids. I snapped several photos that day, but this family in primary colors captivated by the inverted pyramid represents and idealistic childhood in the mid-century.”

Camera: Canon

“Urban Mountains” by Katharina Klopfer

“When walking through downtown I am constantly fascinated by highrise buildings and the impact they leave on us. Do we feel small and overwhelmed by this kind of architecture? Or is it similar to what we feel when we climb mountains or get lost in dark valleys? We certainly do enjoy the view when we reach the peak or rooftop. This urban landscape seems to be a reinterpretion of the white-top mountains that surround us and can be spotted vaguely in the distance.

While I was watching the facade workers doing their job the image of an alpine scenery was recalled. An urban mountain landscape waiting to be conquered by humans. Mysterious, frightening, but also loved. Excactly like pristine nature appears to us.”

Camera: Fujifilm SLR

“POPCourts!” by Shelby Kroeger, Alan Barker, Max Komnenich, Anezka Gocova, Vanessa Stokes & Missy Perkins

Lamar Johnson Collaborative

“POPCourts!, a 7,000 SF community plaza in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, was born from the pandemic and civil unrest and developed in concert with Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West initiative. The goal was to provide a safe community space that residents could enjoy outdoors during the pandemic while also creating a visible presence along Chicago Avenue.

The entire design team transformed this empty city lot into three-zone “Courts,” each serving a variety of community functions, allowing activities to “Pop” up and transform over time. The basketball court doubles as a community plaza. The gravel drive hosts food trucks, farmer’s markets, and other seasonal vendors, and the shaded lawn functions as a Food Court with casual seating. Local artists painted murals on the adjacent building walls, depicting figures such as Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, and Maya Angelou.”

Camera: Canon

“‘Undersea Adventure’ on the Roof of Opus” by Wujingting Zeng

Politecnico di Milano

“One morning, I looked up at Zaha’s Opus and saw workers scrubbing the roof of the atrium. Then I walked to the top floor of the atrium and took this photo under the feet of the workers.

The sky bridge blocks the sun, and people lose the reference to identify themselves as on land.The glass makes the outside world a blue like the under the sea . The curved building shape makes people feel like they are at the bottom of a coral reef. “Divers“ are holding ”probes“ to find the lost treasures. Falling water droplets became the bubbles they exhaled.

In a city like Dubai, where the desert meets the ocean, the workers who clean the dust from the desert look like divers under the sea in the contrast of the building, which endows the picture with a mysterious poetry.”

Camera: Other

“Here’s looking at you, kid!” by Paul Ott

paul ott photografiert

“This image is my photographic translation of a space-dissolving surface design of a stairwell interior. Its design is part of the conversion of a bourgeois house from the 1900 into an apartment building.

The woman’s steady gaze questions the observer: What is the substance of this image? Is it real or imaginary?

“Here’s looking at you, kid!” – Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca.”

Camera: Hasselblad 500 C/M

“Steps” by Manuel Mergal

“The “steps” are of the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. The hard shadows on the photo serve to decontextualize it, thereby engaging the viewer with what he or she has in front as a photo itself, and not necessarily the fact that it is recognizable as the National Gallery of Art in DC. The sharp divide between the left and the right is a comment on the human condition: the decision that we are all confronted with and the fact that it is only in the light of knowledge (light which produces the hard shadows) that we see the right choice.”

Camera: iPhone

“Self-revealing.” by 易暹 李

YHLAA

“This is a chamber for yoga master to give lecture and practice.
The design concept is to build a cave for the master to hide himself from the noisy world.
It is hidden in the busiest area in Taipei City.
Outside the chamber is extremely busy and loud, but inside is totally different.
This place gives people a huge sense of tranquility, Where people can discover themself via yoga training.”

Camera: Sony

“Fountain of Youth” by Sean Wolanyk

McGill University

“Walking through the streets of Chefchaouen, one notices the distinct lack of authentic life. With vendors catering to groups of tourists, finding people genuinely living their lives is a rare sight.

However, upon turning around a corner, I saw a young girl sitting on the edge of a water fountain, filling a small bottle. I was fascinated by this sight, as not only was it a resident living their life, but a child on her own in the street. This seems distinctly foreign to me, having grown up in suburban North America. Perhaps this is an example of bad parenting, but maybe it is emblematic of an older way of life that has died in my world, but lives on here in Morocco.”

Camera: Canon

“Reflect” by Kim Smith

Kim Smith Photo

“In one still moment, our viewer inhabits the past, present and multiple futures. From her perch, she feels the power of the timeless.

Set in the context of bustling, time-worn Manhattan, our viewer reflects – literally and figuratively. Amongst iconic architecture of a classic era, she discovers the present moment. Comfortable, curious and captured, her future lies unwritten among infinite reflections.”

Camera: Fujifilm SLR

“Reflektor” by Adrian Aguilar H

“The cultural center Teotitlan Del Valle in Oaxaca Mexico, is a cultural center located in a community where the main income is art crafted textiles, this center not only allows small artisans to show and promote their work, the center also hosts various artistic activities for the development of young people, these activities are: music, painting, dance and theater.

The stairs that can be seen in the photograph, are the connection between 2 important levels that communicate to a main square where the artisans are located and the second level connects to the halls to practice the cultural activities, this portal is the daily crossroads of the community. The photo wants to reflect the important connection between the economic development of the community and the importance of cultural and artistic development in the society. The architecture becomes protagonist and spectator of the development of a community proud of its roots.”

Camera: iPhone

“Solitude” by Robin Quarrelle

Robin Quarrelle Photography

“Early 2022, when the Omicron Covid variant was ripping through the UK, it was hard to find a safe place where one could find comfort away from home. This is Clifton Cathedral, in Bristol, UK. A building i’ve walked past many times without realising what an architectural treasure the interior was. I’m not a religious man, but I do find these spaces incredibly peaceful. I was alone for an hour whilst taking some pictures of this space, except for a short few minutes when a student popped her head in to seek some peace, solitude, and perhaps comfort during an unsettling and difficult time for the country.”

Camera: Sony

“A Glimpse of Heaven” by Jean Claude Ardila

Jean Claude Photography

“This image was taken at the Tampa Museum of Art. There is an opening on the building guiding your eyes towards the sky. I laid there with my camera on my face to avoid shake and trying to capture the best angle using the lines in the structure towards the clouds. I noticed there were paragliders in the area and I waited patiently for one to appear in my frame. I am glad I did.”

Camera: Sony

“Arachnophobia” by Tiffany Liem

Brookfield Properties

“Suspended 40ft in the air, a woman floats on a web-like net.

The scale of the human form to the net equates to a spider and its web. The artist, Tomás Saraceno, transports the user to a sensory experience in which we become the arachnid. The sun-like sphere fades into black and we are transported to a universe where we feel every vibration of the web and our ears consume all of the frequencies echoing in the darkness.

It’s a subtle reminder of how small and isolating we can feel in a vast and expanding universe.

Photo from Tomás Saraceno’s exhibition Particular Matter(s): Free the Air: How to hear the universe in a spider/web exhibited at The Shed.”

Camera: iPhone

“Art Jameel” by Shoayb Khattab

Shoayb Khattab Photography

“My intention from this project was to reduce the minimalist architecture design of Jameel Arts Centre to a single frame and presents its white façade and clean lines in the simplest way possible. What made the capture more interesting is the passing mechanical guy which was a happy accident that contributed a human element to the otherwise too pure of a picture.”

Camera: Canon

“Fun in the Sun” by Daniel Francis

Dan Francis Photography

“In the year 2020, the world as we knew it changed.

Adults who spent hours at the office are now finding themselves at home a lot more than usual.

Work and home life has merged. The new addition of the house for this active family was completed in 2021 to bring some relaxation and to enjoy the outdoors with the ones that matter most.

The exterior finish of the home was a technique called Shou Sugi Ban and the deck brought the goal to have the backyard be an extension to their home.”

Camera: Canon

“Cadets” by Brad Feinknopf

feinknopf

“We had been hired by Ikon 5 to photograph Bastin Hall at The Citadel. The Citadel is a U.S. Military College in Charleston, SC. Bastin Hall had a beautiful screen that allowed dappled light into the atrium. It also created a beautiful backdrop for the Cadets heading to and from drills. This is a brief moment of relaxation on the way to drills in a rather structured environment.”

Camera: Canon

“Dancers” by Brad Feinknopf

feinknopf

“We were hired to shoot the new Cincinnati Ballet’s new home. If the lobby is a ceiling cut, people can look up into the studios above. A beautiful window into their great artistry.”

Camera: Canon

“Kites” by Lim yu heng

“This photograph was taken at the plaza of Kanagawa Institute of Technology in Japan designed by Ishigami Junya.

The photograph is titled Kites as the square openings on the thin metal roof distorts when viewed from above. At different seasons of the year, the metal roof expands and contracts according to the changing temperature. Thus, different shadows are casted on the plaza space below.

I intently waited until a passerby walk by underneath the roof in order to give the audience a notion of the sense of human scale as well as the feeling of vastness through architecture.

The negative white space is used as a metaphorical reference to the sky and the openings to be the kites floating in the wind. Through this expression, the photograph intends to evoke a feeling of isolation and to question our existence as mankind and the vastness of the space we inhibit.”

Camera: Sony

“Voyage” by Yin Tse Tseng

“I visited this expressionist Gothic church with vertical and minimal modern aesthetic. I captured a breathtaking moment on the first day of 2022. I experienced serene golden light sprinkling through the aisle while surrounded by pleasant music. To be a moment’s ornament, I am voyaging through the pulse of light.”

Camera: Nikon

“Down the Rabbit Hole” by Melissa Teo

“I stumbled upon Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, designed by Tadao Ando, during my mission to photograph minimalism in Kobe, Japan.

I was drawn to the maze-like staircase at the centre of the museum which connects the basement floor to to the outdoor space. This particular scene reminds me of the author, Lewis Carroll, who introduced the term “Down the rabbit hole” in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

I wanted to photograph the use colors, contrast of the concrete walls, space and natural light which heightens visitors’ curiosity to escape into the designed “rabbit holes” of the museum. It conveys a sense of time spent in transit where one could drift into a reverie.

This invites us to move forward, urging us to keep becoming, as Alice would say, “curiouser and curiouser” and experiencing delight with architecture, in a multi-layered and synergistic fashion.”

Camera: Canon

“The Atlas Building” by Michelle Aarlaht

“The confident Atlas Building being wrapped in by the London clouds. This residential and office tower, by Make Architects, was completed in 2019, and is easily spotted when walking around East London as it is one of the tallest buildings in the area. To watch this bold construction disappear in the clouds was quite a humbling experience, broadening the personality spectrum of the structure – showing for a brief moment that it also has an introverted side – before it fully revealed itself through the clouds again.”

Camera: Canon

“From the inside to the outside in one jump” by Ivo Tavares studio Architectural Photographer

Ivo Tavares Studio

“The pandemic has created a new way for people to relate to their home.
The house is a symbol of security and outside of it we tried to complement it with experiences and being ourselves.
As we spent more time inside our homes, we had to bring these moments of pleasure and fun, and it is here that architecture gained a new perception.

The architecture created by the Frari atelier allowed this family, in a single jump, to connect the security of the interior of the house, to the exterior and to their fun.”

Camera: Canon

“WALKING FOR THE PACHINKO” by Otto Lizst

G+C

“The Botín Center, new art contemporary center in Santander, is made up of two volumes linked by an element made up of steel and glass walkways and stairs whose function is to connect both volumes called Pachunko, which owes its name to a Japanese pinball machine. It is a structure of squares and steel and glass walkways, which is seven meters high and whose function is to connect the east and west volumes, distributing the flow of visitors to the building. In addition, a nine meter long trampoline flies over the cliff, cantilevering over the sea, and allows the public to contemplate the bay in a unique and special way.

With this descriptive work of Renzo Piano’s architecture, I also emphasize the juxtapositions that the building gives off, lightness – solidity, transparency – opacity, minimalist spaces versus cumbersome spaces in their perception, not in their function.”

Camera: Nikon

“waiting time” by Ivo Tavares studio Architectural Photographer

Ivo Tavares Studio

Restaurante 34 em Guimarães com Arquitectura REM’A e fotografias de Ivo Tavares Studio

“After months in confinement caused by covid, many restaurants waited closed for better days, this image represents this moment of anxiety, calm and hope for better days.
Restaurant 34 in Guimarães created by atelier REM’A was inspired by nature and its elements, the image represents that awakening of nature where the morning fog does not allow us to clearly see the past or the future.”

Camera: Canon

“relationships” by Jeff Durkin

Breadtruck Films

“For me architecture is all about relationships. So when when my daughter wanted to do a photoshoot on her birthday when it was raining I cooperated. We grabbed our rain gear and stopped by the new Miller Hull Engineering building at the University of California San Diego’s campus which is across from our house and sat for a few shots with my camera on a timer. I just love the relationship between the primary colors against the monotone concrete framed by the bright green grass below. She turned 7 that day, and we have this stunning photo to remember the moment.”

Camera: Canon

Next 25 Photos →

Reference

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

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

By Zarkon Group,

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

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

By Zarkon Group,

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

Top 10 Architecture Projects on Architizer in June 2022
CategoriesArchitecture

Top 10 Architecture Projects on Architizer in June 2022

By Zarkon Group,

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 Facebook, Instagram, 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.    



Reference

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

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

By Zarkon Group,

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

The Future of Architecture: Stylish Home Furnishings With Lighter Ecological Footprints
CategoriesArchitecture

The Future of Architecture: Stylish Home Furnishings With Lighter Ecological Footprints

By Zarkon Group,

 The A+Product Awards is open for entries, with a Main Entry Deadline of June 24th. Get started on your submission today! 

Environmental ethics has been increasingly the concern of the built environment industry. When constructing buildings and styling interiors, more and more attention is paid to sustainably sourcing and recycling materials. Eco-friendly design does not limit products to just a few looks, nor does it compromise their functionality. These four beautiful A+Awards winning products will add tasteful texture to your designs while lessening the environmental impact of your project.

The Embossed Acoustic Panel Series from Woven Image, distributed in the USA by Kirei
Winner, 2021 A+Product Awards, Acoustics

Acoustic panels are useful not only for workplaces and auditoriums but in domestic scenarios as well. Whether in a home office or a family theater, acoustic panels make sounds and voices sharper by reducing undesirable reflections on hard surfaces. They also insulate your room from external noises.

The Embossed Acoustic Panel Series by Woven Image offers high-quality acoustics together with a range of choices for styling. There are three types of patterns to choose from: the linear, simplistic ZEN, the rhythmic GEM, and the origami-inspired ION, each comes in 12 colors.

The panels are made from over 60% recycled PET and fiber while manufactured in a carbon-neutral production facility that utilized solar energy. The product has a low VOC emission rate of 0.023mg/m²/hr and a good Noise Reduction Coefficient of 0.75. It is also easy to trim that a utility knife can cut it through. The subtle light and shadow created by the 3D patterns make the panels an addition to interior styling.

Silestone® Sunlit Days by Cosentino Group
Winner, 2021 A+Product Awards, Hard Surfacing, Tiles and Stone

Quartz surfaces are popular in home designs for their stone-like appearance, high versatility, durability and accessibility, especially when compared to natural stones like granite and marble. They are cast from a mixture including small pieces of quartz, resins, pigments, etc. Bonded by resins, the finished surface comes sealed and flat, making them easy to clean. The mixture is made in a way that allows it to be colored as needed, ensuring that owners will not have to make compromises on home styling. AT present, Quartz surfaces from the Silestone® Sunlit Days series are available in white, light grey and red, blue, and green in low saturation. The soothing colors and clean shapes give interiors a modern looking.

Quartz surfaces have the appearance of stones but are more eco-friendly than natural stones. The Sunlit Days series provide carbon-neutral quartz surfaces that incorporate extra strategies to cut the material’s carbon footprint. The production uses 99% reused water, 100% renewable electric energy and a minimum of 20% recycled raw materials in its composition. Furthermore, the brand has committed to offsetting GHG emissions through the Voluntary Carbon Market. Being environmentally aware does not limit our choice of furnishing and surface texturing to synthetic materials that comprise recycled resources. Instead, natural materials can also be consumed sustainably.

Brace by Davis Furniture
Winner, 2021 A+Product Awards, Contract Furniture

Brace from Davis Furniture is one of this kind. Each Brace table is made from a tree at the end of its lifecycle, leaving plenty of time for the material to store carbon during its growth. Furthermore, the brand has committed to planting two saplings for each tree they harvest. In this way, the sourcing is sustainable and the European forest is never overly exploited by the product’s production.

The solid wood table comes in various sizes and shapes to accommodate a range of events. For example, a long, rectangular table can be perfect as a home office desk while a small, round one can serve an intimate meal for two people, etc. The sleek table top is supported by the iconic legs. Each leg splits into two as it goes up, creating a slim triangular space within itself. More than 50 types of selectable coatings on each Brace table allow the table different colors and textures that best suit the home design. The design celebrates the uniqueness of the natural material with the technological precision of modern design.

Koroi Side Table by MAJA
Winner, 2021 A+Product Awards, Residential Furniture

The Koroi Side Table also embraces the characteristics of natural materials. Each Koroi Side Table is handcrafted from solid wood by artisans in Bangladesh with a resource-efficient approach. Burls, deep cracks and other features of the tree remain visible from the smoothened surfaces. Comprising two geometric forms, the design of Koroi sets a subtle balance between fragile and sturdy. Althought the connection between the two parts looks delicate — precarious, perhaps — the piece’s solidity is guaranteed by the thick wood. The two parts are cut at opposing grains, giving them contrasting textures and different reflectiveness.

 The A+Product Awards is open for entries, with a Main Entry Deadline of June 24th. Get started on your submission today! 

Reference

Atomic Architecture: Nanotechnology and Building Sciences
CategoriesArchitecture

Atomic Architecture: Nanotechnology and Building Sciences

By Zarkon Group,

Send us a photo. Tell us a story. Win $2,500! Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Photo Challenge is underway with a Main Entry Deadline on June 24, 2022! Start your entry for architecture’s biggest photography competition here.

Architecture is designed across scales and mirrors developments in science and research. Investigating matter on atomic, molecular and supramolecular scales, the field of nanotechnology has now started informing architectural design. In turn, structures for building sciences and research have rapidly expanded. As architects and designers are taking on this typology in public and private sectors alike, the study and evolution of nanotechnology mirror broader developments in how sciences are flourishing.

Combining science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, the field focuses on a scale of 1 to 100 nanometers. At such a small scale, nanomaterials, begin to exhibit unique properties that affect physical, chemical and biological behavior. By manipulating matter, nanotechnology can create new structures, materials, and devices. Taking a closer survey into the design of structures and buildings for nanotechnology and research, the following collection of projects explores what atomic architecture looks like today.

Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology by WEISS/MANFREDI, Philadelphia, PA, United States

As the university’s first cross disciplinary building, this nanotech research facility was designed to encourage the collaboration, exchange and integration of knowledge that is the core of this emerging field. The facilities will combine the resources of both the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences.

Defined by a new central campus green, the building ascends as a spiral of research, reaching its highest elevation at the forum, a meeting space that cantilevers over the quad and opens to views of both the city and campus. A new multi-level crossroads, the center is a significant step toward signaling the University’s leadership in the emerging field of nanotechnology.

National Nanotechnology Park by Arch International Pvt Ltd., Homagama, Sri Lanka

The Nanotechnology Center of Excellence forms the epicenter of a National Nanotechnology Park that is a result of SLINTEC’s aims to create an ideal space for ‘thinking’. The campus will be a key feature within the ‘knowledge hub’ development plan in Homagama, creating a unique opportunity to house research, incubation and technology commercialization in an area that aims to draw both the public and private sectors.

Elements of all scales and sizes within the architectural language have been used in order to depict the relationship with nanotechnology as well as geometries that are closely involved in the sciences.

Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre by KPMB Architects, Waterloo, Canada

The Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano is a showcase for Canadian innovation and industry in the fields of quantum computing and nanotechnology. The social components of the facility in the form of atria, mind spaces and collaborative areas manifest the original goals to attract and inspire the brightest minds in the world. At the official opening, Stephen Hawking, world-renowned physicist and partner with the University of Waterloo since 1999, described the design as a work of “architectural genius”.

New Center for Manufacturing Innovation by Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Monterrey, Mexico

Located in Mexico’s Research Park for Technical Innovation (PIIT), a science and technology park, which is a partnership between government, universities and the private sector to seek economic growth through technical innovation. The sprawling campus is host to more than 50 research centers devoted to R&D as well as the development of technology innovation in nanotechnology, biotechnology, mechatronics and advanced manufacturing, information technology, clean energy and advanced materials development. The iconic saw-toothed roof is inspired by the geometry of old factories and the surrounding Monterrey Mountains.

Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation by EDGE Studio, Pittsburgh, PA, United States

The University of Pittsburgh decided to expand and renovate Benedum Hall, the circa 1968 home for the Swanson School of Engineering on their main Oakland campus. The original limestone clad modernist tower and separate auditorium buildings, with their inflexible and non-daylit concrete block labs and offices and out of date classrooms, had become obsolete as the school’s focus shifted to the 21st century collaborative disciplines of nanotechnology, bioengineering and materials research. The University desired a more flexible facility that was conducive to inter-departmental collaboration, and that could help attract the best and brightest research faculty and students from around the world.

La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science by Lyons, Melbourne, Australia

This new research centre is a world-class facility for molecular science, biotechnology and nanotechnology research, teaching and learning. The 6 story facility provides approximately 11000m² of learning space – both wet and dry labs – on the lower 3 levels, and 18 research labs on the upper floors. It contains research groups in life sciences (biochemistry and genetics), physical sciences (chemistry and physics), and applied sciences (pharmacy) and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in these areas through the School of Molecular Sciences.

Send us a photo. Tell us a story. Win $2,500! Architizer’s 3rd Annual One Photo Challenge is underway with a Main Entry Deadline on June 24, 2022! Start your entry for architecture’s biggest photography competition here.

Reference