26 Pioneering Architecture Firms Rethinking the Fundamentals of Design
CategoriesArchitecture

26 Pioneering Architecture Firms Rethinking the Fundamentals of Design

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

As we look forward to a new year and a new era of architectural innovation, the following winning practices from the 11th A+Awards are leading the way. Ranging in size, geography and expertise, these 26 studios came out on top in the Best Firm Categories. Each team was judged on the strength of their portfolio and recognized for delivering some of the most compelling and creative projects the industry has seen over the past 10 years. Join them by submitting your firm for the coveted A+Firm Award today:

Apply for a Best Firm Award

Jurors considered a wide range of criteria and qualities before reaching a fair decision on the firms making extraordinary contributions to their fields. While the following practices excelled in their categories, their work has a broader resonance. Many studios embraced socially and environmentally conscious design approaches, rising to meet some of the most pressing challenges facing the built environment today, from the climate crisis, sustainability and land scarcity to the need for truly accessible and inclusive spaces. Here are the trailblazing architecture and design firms forging exciting new paths for 2024…


Best Interior Design Firm


Office AIO

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Interior Design Firm

Basic Coffee by Office AIO Bar Lotus by Office AIOFirm Location: Beijing, China

Pictured Projects: Basic Coffee, Beijing, China ; Bar Lotus, Shanghai, China

A deft hand at articulating mesmerizing spatial experiences, Office Aio was founded in 2014 by Tim Kwan and Isabelle Sun. The firm’s outstanding portfolio is a testament to its range and expertise, encompassing hospitality, retail, cultural, residential and corporate spheres.

The team’s thoughtful design philosophy reframes constraints as opportunities for creativity. The result is a catalog of projects that combine unique architectural solutions with remarkable contextual sensitivity.


EL EQUIPO CREATIVO

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

Patka Restaurant by EL EQUIPO CREATIVO Tunateca Balfegó Restaurant by EL EQUIPO CREATIVOFirm Location: Barcelona, Spain

Pictured Projects: Patka Restaurant, Barcelona, Spain ; Tunateca Balfegó Restaurant, Barcelona, Spain

Specializing in commercial, hospitality and branded projects, this Barcelona-based studio, made up of architect Oliver Franz Schmidt, Natali Canas del Pozo and Lucas Echeveste Lacy, is a master of spatial storytelling. Rooted in a solid conceptual approach, the firm elevates functional design into inspiring schemes that envelop the senses.

Stand-out spaces from the team’s body of work include the transformative Tunateca Balfegó Restaurant, with its school of fish spiraling overhead, and Pakta Restaurant, a Japanese-Peruvian fusion eatery clad in a vibrant, loom-like skin that pays homage to Peru’s textile heritage.


Best Landscape Design Firm


Design Workshop

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Landscape Design Firm

70 Rainey Sky Garden by Design Workshop Highlands Retreat by Design WorkshopFirm Location: Denver, Colorado (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: 70 Rainey Sky Garden, Austin, Texas ; Highlands Retreat, Aspen, Colorado

Creating socially and environmentally responsible spaces is central to the mission of Design Workshop. With eight studios across the US and an international reach, the renowned firm comprises a collaborative community of landscape architects, planners and strategists.

Adept across diverse scales and geographies, from private gardens to city parks and municipal masterplans, the practice delivers enduring, legacy spaces that forge meaningful connections with the organic world and the wider community.


ASPECT Studios

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

Hongkong Land’s Yorkville - The Ring by ASPECT Studios The Urban Gallery at Hyperlane by ASPECT StudiosFirm Location: Melbourne, Australia (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Hongkong Land’s Yorkville – The Ring, Chongqing, China ; The Urban Gallery at Hyperlane, Chengdu, China

Encompassing a global team of landscape architects, urban designers and strategists, ASPECT Studios specializes in carving out exceptional public spaces that benefit the natural environment and enrich the lives of local residents.

The firm’s skillful approach blends cutting-edge technology and practices with playful, conceptual ideas. The studio interprets the unique context and history of a site in its own distinctive voice, producing dynamic surfaces of discovery that elevate each locale.


Best Large Firm (41+ employees)


Olson Kundig

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Large Firm (41+ employees)

ANOHA—The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin by Olson Kundig Rio House by Olson KundigFirm Location: Seattle, Washington

Pictured Projects: ANOHA—The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin, Berlin, Germany ; Rio House, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The pioneering work of Seattle-based practice Olson Kundig can be found throughout five continents. The team’s outlook is grounded in the belief that buildings can be bridges between nature, culture and people, the same philosophy that fueled the firm’s inception back in 1966.

While the practice is historically known for its residential design, its portfolio demonstrates expansive expertise across all manner of typology, broaching commercial, industrial, educational, spiritual and hospitality spaces. Regardless of the scale or function, the studio’s attention to detail, from the big ideas to the minutest of details, is unwavering.


Architects 49

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Large Firm (41+ employees)

Prince Mahidol Hall by Architects 49 VELAA (THE SINHORN VILLAGE) by Architects 49Firm Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Pictured Projects: Prince Mahidol Hall, Salaya, Thailand ; VELAA (THE SINHORN VILLAGE), Bangkok, Thailand

Founded in 1983 by Nithi Sthapitanonda, Architects 49 espouses simplicity and elegant, clean lines. Inspired by the vibrant landscape of Thai art and architecture, the firm imparts a distinctive character to each project it encounters, embracing strong, dynamic forms that quickly cement themselves as local landmarks.

Its astonishing portfolio, spanning Asia and the Middle East, exemplifies the team’s adaptability, ranging from intimate residences to mixed-use developments and sprawling masterplans.


Best Medium Firm (16 – 40 employees)


WOODS + DANGARAN

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Medium Firm (16 – 40 employees)

Desert Palisades by WOODS + DANGARAN Case Study by WOODS + DANGARANFirm Location: Los Angeles, California

Pictured Projects: Desert Palisades, Palm Springs, California ; Case Study, Culver City, California

Headquartered in Los Angeles, WOODS + DANGARAN is renowned for its outstanding work across the residential sphere. Exploration drives its practice, from interrogating a project’s context to establishing a rich, collaborative dialogue with clients.

The studio’s architectural catalog is defined by crisp, disciplined forms. Its approach is holistic, embracing the varied facets of residential typologies, weaving streamlined architecture with stand-out interiors and custom furnishings to curate a fluid spatial journey.


Hooba Design

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Medium Firm (16 – 40 employees)

Hitra Office & Commercial Building by Hooba Design Kohan Ceram Central Office Building by Hooba DesignFirm Location: Tehran, Iran

Pictured Projects: Hitra Office & Commercial Building, Tehran, Iran ; Kohan Ceram Central Office Building, Tehran, Iran

Founded in 2007 by Hooman Balazadeh, Hooba Design has established itself as an accomplished all-rounder. The firm’s impressive scope extends from commercial buildings, such as factories, showrooms and office blocks, to residential apartments and multi-unit housing developments.

Utilizing pioneering design and construction methods, its work is informed by each site’s unique cultural and geographic qualities. Consequently, the studio’s projects strike a considered balance between innovation and contextual sensitivity.


Best Small Firm (6 – 15 employees)


MQ Architecture

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Small Firm (6 – 15 employees)

Magazzino Italian Art Museum by MQ Architecture Stella’s Cucina by MQ ArchitectureFirm Location: Manhattan, New York

Pictured Projects: Magazzino Italian Art Museum, Cold Spring, New York ; Stella’s Cucina, Boulder, Colorado

Demonstrating mastery over typologies including cultural, corporate, hospitality, retail and residential, MQ Architecture specializes in high-end architectural design. The New York-based firm offers its clients a full-service architectural package, incorporating design, permitting and construction management.

The studio’s portfolio showcases its attention to detail and aptitude for problem-solving. Projects like the Magazzino Italian Art Museum display a deft handling of natural light and scale, while Stella’s Cucina is an exercise in delicate yet immersive interior design.


MARS Studio

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Small Firm (6 – 15 employees)

Tianfu Conference Center by MARS Studio SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant by MARS StudioFirm Location: Beijing, China

Pictured Projects: Tianfu Conference Center, Chengdu, China ; SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant, Beijing, China

Headquartered in Beijing, MARS Studio has already made a global impact in the short years since its founding. From planning to conceptual design to construction, the firm instils quality into every step of the project workflow.

After previously making waves at the 10th A+Awards in 2022, this ambitious team has gone from strength to strength. Their stand-out projects so far include a captivating restaurant, defined by its undulating surfaces, and a compelling concept for a futuristic, floating conference center.


Best X-Small Firm (1 – 5 employees)


Blue Temple

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best X-Small Firm (1 – 5 employees)

Plot ABC by Blue Temple Infinity by Blue TempleFirm Location: Yangon, Myanmar

Pictured Projects: Plot ABC, Yangon, Myanmar ; Infinity, Yangon, Myanmar

From innovative housing solutions for displaced communities to public parks and playgrounds, Blue Temple’s portfolio comprises an array of compassionate projects instigating real change across the landscape of Yangon in Myanmar.

The firm’s approach is rooted in the wisdom of traditional local materials like bamboo, along with time-honored building techniques. This recourse to the past stands as a counterpoint to the city’s new metal structures and a reminder of the wisdom of vernacular construction.


Rangr Studio

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best X-Small Firm (1 – 5 employees)

Buena Vista House by Rangr Studio Compound in the Hudson Valley by Rangr StudioFirm Location: Berkeley, California (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Buena Vista House, Berkeley, California ; Compound in the Hudson Valley, Columbia County, New York

Informed by founder Jasmit Singh Rangr’s childhood in India, the remarkable work of Berkeley-based Rangr Studio draws inspiration from the historic architecture of the Mughal Empire. Combined with cutting-edge sustainable materials, the firm’s approach places past and present in dialogue.

Their body of work, from residential to hospitality and educational spaces, is deeply reactive to environmental and cultural contexts. Prioritizing ancient design principles that utilize solar, wind and hydropower, the studio delivers conscientious projects that respond to the challenges of climate change.


Best Young Firm


MUDA-Architects

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

Garden Hotpot Restaurant by MUDA-Architects Minjiang Courier Center by MUDA-ArchitectsFirm Location: Chengdu, China

Pictured Projects: Garden Hotpot Restaurant, Chengdu, China ; Minjiang Courier Center, Chengdu, China

Founded in 2015 and establishing its first office in Chengdu two years later, MUDA-Architects has already carved out a strong, definitive voice in its relatively short history. Excelling across commercial, cultural, municipal and interior design spheres, its polished portfolio is a testament to the firm’s ingenuity.

Its team of creative designers is innovative yet considered in their approach. Ever mindful of each project’s cultural and environmental landscape, the studio fuses respect for the past with forward-looking visions of the future.


Leckie Studio Architecture + Design

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

Full House by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design Camera House by Leckie Studio Architecture + DesignFirm Location: Vancouver, Canada

Pictured  Projects: Full House, Vancouver, Canada ; Camera House, Pemberton, Canada

Fueled by a desire to push the conventional bounds of architecture, Leckie Studio Architecture + Design was founded in 2015. The ambitious newcomer has set itself apart thanks to a catalog of extraordinary projects across varying scales, spanning residential, commercial and institutional typologies, as well as installations and product design.

While the studio delights in subverting tradition, its pioneering work is fundamentally rooted in creative problem-solving. Combined with sustainable principles and a sensitive regard for locality, the result is artful spaces that articulate the unexpected.


Best Young Interior Design Firm


Pulse On Partnership Limited

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Interior Design Firm

SHANGHAI ONE EAST - PALACE CINEMA by Pulse On Partnership Limited BONA INTERNATIONAL CINEMA AT XIAN JOY CITY by Pulse On Partnership LimitedFirm Location: Hong Kong

Pictured Projects: SHANGHAI ONE EAST – PALACE CINEMA, Shanghai, China ; BONA INTERNATIONAL CINEMA AT XIAN JOY CITY, Xi’an, China

This Hong Kong-based interior design practice was established in 2017 by Ajax Law and Virginia Lung. Specializing in the commercial realm, the fledgling firm has already made its mark transforming entertainment spaces, retail stores and offices into rich inner worlds.

Its roster of work displays the team’s skill in creating immersive, multi-layered schemes. In SHANGHAI ONE EAST – PALACE CINEMA, floating installations of glass bricks create a mirage that plays with light and permeability. Meanwhile, their BONA INTERNATIONAL CINEMA AT XIAN JOY CITY project responds to its ancient locale, channeling the lines of historic Chinese architecture to inform striking, abstract tableaus.


Etereo Design

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Interior Design Firm

Ghaf Majlis by Etereo Design Sontuosa by Etereo DesignFirm Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Ghaf Majlis, Ajman, United Arab Emirates ; Sontuosa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Where the artistic heritage of Italy meets the aesthetics of the Middle East, Etereo Design harmoniously combines two distinct design cultures to deliver exceptional, inspiring spaces that promote the creativity of their users.

From commercial to residential projects, the firm is deeply involved in every step of project planning, from design conception to material selection and sourcing suppliers. The team’s diverse personal and professional backgrounds allow them to fuse contrasting concepts like engineering and poetry to achieve a measured balance between form and function.


Best Commercial Firm


Stonehill Taylor

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

The Ned NoMad by Stonehill Taylor NYLO New York City by Stonehill TaylorFirm Location: New York, New York

Pictured Projects: The Ned NoMad, New York, New York ; NYLO New York City, New York, New York

An impressive all-rounder, Stonehill Taylor is particularly skilled at reimagining commercial spaces, from restaurants and hospitality projects to showrooms and corporate headquarters. Its diverse portfolio is indicative of the careful attention the firm gives to each brief, resulting in unique, creative responses to its client’s needs.

The New York-based team’s expansive skillset covers cutting-edge construction techniques, adaptive reuse projects and interior design, as well as furniture and product design. Holistic and meticulous in its approach, the practice delivers remarkably well-rounded schemes.


UUA (United Units Architects)

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

Dalian 37 Xiang by UUA (United Units Architects) The Exo Towers by UUA (United Units Architects)Firm Location: Beijing, China (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Dalian 37 Xiang, Dalian, China ; The Exo Towers, Shaoxing, China

Based in Beijing and London, award-winning practice United Units Architects (UUA) has made a name for itself in the commercial sphere. The pioneering firm’s philosophy pairs technical precision with a humanistic approach, championing integrated design and prefabricated construction methods.

Forward-looking solutions are at the heart of the team’s work. Designing with an uncertain future in mind, the firm ensures its buildings are versatile and adaptable in form, embracing space frames and other architectural solutions to increase the flexibility of each structure, should it need to be repurposed in the future.


Best Cultural Firm


MAD Architects

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

Harbin Opera House by MAD Architects Hutong Bubble 218 by MAD ArchitectsFirm Location: Beijing, China (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Harbin Opera House, Harbin, China ; Hutong Bubble 218, Beijing, China

Futurism and localism collide in the compelling portfolio of Beijing-headquartered MAD Architects. Founded in 2004, the firm’s adventurous, parametric designs are balanced by its sensitive regard for context and community.

This intuitive understanding of the complexities of place establishes a powerful connection between structures, spatial users and the surrounding environment, something that’s vividly demonstrated in the firm’s catalog of work – ranging from the sinuous Harbin Opera House, designed in the spirit of its wetland locale, to the masterful Hutong Bubble 218, which places old and new in communion.


Hariri Pontarini Architects

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

St Lawrence Centre for the Arts by Hariri Pontarini Architects Baha’i Temple of South America by Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsFirm Location: Toronto, Canada

Pictured Projects: St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Concept ; Baha’i Temple of South America, Santiago, Chile

Founded in 1994 by Siamak Hariri and David Pontarini, Hariri Pontarini Architects is the mastermind behind numerous landmark cultural buildings, including the curvilinear Baha’i Temple of South America, cloaked in cast-glass panels, and the dynamic concept for the St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, with its permeable glazed skin.

The Toronto-based studio is a full-service architectural practice with an array of awards under its belt. Known for its commitment to quality, the firm uses its clients’ aspirations and requirements as a springboard for creativity.


Best Public Projects Firm


MJMA Architecture & Design

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Best Public Projects Firm

Churchill Meadows Community Centre and Sports Park by MJMA Architecture & Design UBC Aquatic Centre by MJMA Architecture & DesignFirm Location: Toronto, Canada

Pictured Projects: Churchill Meadows Community Centre and Sports Park, Mississauga, Canada ; UBC Aquatic Centre, Vancouver, Canada

With more than 30 years of experience in delivering valuable community spaces that elevate the civic realm, MJMA Architecture & Design is leading the evolution of public typologies.

Featuring a team of over 60 architects and designers, the firm’s viewpoint is driven by innovation and a desire to make meaningful, positive contributions to the built landscape. From sports and recreation centers to campuses and community hubs, the practice’s varied work across a range of scales establishes it as a key player in its field.


ROBERT MAIER ARCHITEKTEN

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

Hydroelectric power plant Töging by ROBERT MAIER ARCHITEKTEN HLR Secondary School by ROBERT MAIER ARCHITEKTENFirm Location: Neuötting, Germany

Pictured Projects: Hydroelectric power plant Töging, Töging am Inn, Germany ; HLR Secondary School, Altötting, Germany

Headquartered in Neuötting in Bavaria, ROBERT MAIER ARCHITEKTEN distinguishes itself with a varied portfolio across the public sphere, encompassing educational structures, municipal buildings and even a hydroelectric power plant.

The team excels at out-of-the-box thinking, pairing in-depth research and creativity to produce astonishing buildings designed to endure and adapt to future demands. Experts at delivering comprehensive schemes, the firm combines urban development, architecture and interior design into a single, harmonious concept.


Best Residential Firm


Alterstudio Architecture

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

Highland Park Residence by Alterstudio Architecture Constant Springs by Alterstudio ArchitectureFirm Location: Austin, Texas

Pictured Projects: Highland Park Residence, Highland Park, Texas ; Constant Springs, Austin, Texas

Highly skilled in shaping rich, residential projects, Alterstudio Architecture’s work is informed by its belief that the built environment should deepen the experiences of spatial users, while drawing attention to the wider world beyond its walls.

The Austin-based firm embraces all aspects of sustainable design, delving beyond mechanical features to consider a structure’s relation to its ecological and cultural surroundings, as well as remaining mindful of finite resources. The practice emphasizes ethical architecture, prioritizing spaces that uplift users and the environment.


DXA studio

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

Conexus Home + by DXA studio Montclair Residence by DXA studioFirm Location: New York, New York

Pictured Projects: Conexus Home +, New York, New York ; Montclair Residence, Montclair, New Jersey

A veritable jack of all trades, DXA studio has an especially deft hand with residential typologies, from multi-unit developments and prefabricated housing solutions to private homes and historic renovations.

Founded in 2011, the firm’s thorough design process is informed by extensive research into a site’s context and complexities. The team’s remarkable work treads the careful line between contrasting virtues, balancing technical excellence with creativity, craftsmanship with contemporary flair and a modern outlook with veneration for the past.


Best Sustainable Firm


Perkins&Will

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

The Exchange at 100 Federal by Perkins&Will Water Institute of the Gulf by Perkins&WillFirm Location: Chicago, Illinois (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: The Exchange at 100 Federal, Boston, Massachusetts ; Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

With over 20 studios across the globe and a team of more than 2,000, Perkins&Will has an impressive, international reach. The interdisciplinary firm is a trailblazer, advocating the industry to adopt more sustainable practices while advancing climate action and social justice through its own work.

Committed to designing a better world, the firm still remains faithful to its original mission to create beautiful, inspiring spaces, with an uncompromising approach to design excellence. The firm’s specialisms are wide-ranging, spanning commercial and residential architecture, interior design, branded spaces and landscape design.


SUP Atelier of THAD

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

Yunzhai Community Center by SUP Atelier of THAD Village Lounge of Shangcun by SUP Atelier of THADFirm Location: Beijing, China

Pictured Projects: Yunzhai Community Center, Xinxiang, China ; Village Lounge of Shangcun, Jixi, China

Established in 2011 in Beijing, SUP Atelier of THAD is committed to championing sustainability across the built environment. By taking inspiration from vernacular design and drawing on salvaged materials and native natural resources, the practice’s work showcases innovative structures that are acutely embedded in their locales.

Stand-out projects from the studio’s portfolio include the Village Lounge of Shangcun, a revived public space that combines reclaimed bricks, tiles, stone and wood from the site with locally sourced bamboo, and the Yunzhai Community Center, a modern iteration of the traditional Chinese garden, which preserves the land’s pre-existing trees.

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

Reference

25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai
CategoriesArchitecture

25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai

From its origins as a humble fishing village to its transformation into a global economic powerhouse, the architectural landscape of Shanghai mirrors the city’s rapid evolution and cutting-edge innovation. Historical neighborhoods such as the iconic Yu Garden, the legendary ‘Bund’ waterfront and the French Concession are some of the most architecturally rich areas in the city, as well as testaments of the diverse cultures that have shaped its urban fabric. In the last decade, Shanghai has attracted the works of famous western architects such as Zaha Hadid’s Sky SOHO airport as well as the Shanghai Cultural Arts Centre with its intricate façade design, completed by Foster and Partners and Heatherwick Studio in 2017.

Albeit a rather futuristic city, Shanghai’s latest architectural efforts include preserving many historical structures. One example is the M50 Creative Park’s adaptive reuse, an old industrial area transformed into a contemporary art district and a popular local attraction. In addition, as a city with one foot constantly set on the future, Shanghai showcases a forward-thinking approach to urban living. By employing ‘smart city’ technology and integrating sustainable design methods into their practices, Shanghai architects stretch the profession into new realms of invention.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Shanghai based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Shanghai architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 25 best architecture firms in Shanghai:

25. HDD

© HDD

© HDD

Shanghai HuaDu Architecture & Urban Design (HDD) is a comprehensive design company with first-rate architecture and engineering qualification issued by State Construction Ministry. HDD has three affiliated institutions, including Shanghai Huadu Construction and Engineering Project Management, Shanghai Chengdao Real Estate, and Urban China Magazine. These institutions could provide all-inclusive consulting services to clients. HDD endeavors to explore and practice a long-life and sustainable development mode which is industry leading in China and integrates all fields of construction and development.

Some of HDD’s most prominent projects include:

  • Mulan Weichang Vistor Centre, Hebei, China
  • “Su Shanghai” community art museum, Shanghai, China
  • APEC summit hotel Beijing Sunrise Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, China
  • Vertical garden _ Chinese Garden meets ultra compact apartment, Shanghai, China
  • TRANSFORMABLE SMART HOME/Zhang Hai’ao , Beijing, China

The following statistics helped HDD achieve 25th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects6
Total Projects6

24. Supercloud Studio

© Supercloud Studio

© Supercloud Studio

Supercloud studio is a Shanghai based multi-disciplinary design firm established in 2010 which commits to design excellence, using design as a medium to connect people to each other and to the environment. Supercloud sets out to bring better social interaction to public life. This is why we also span our practice with artists and graphic designers, to enhance the adaptability of our work to the local context, its social life and end users.

Some of Supercloud Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Supercloud Studio achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects5
Total Projects4

23. ZZYYstudio

© ZZYYstudio

© ZZYYstudio

ZZYY Studio is an international young design team full of vigor and creativity, currently chaired by Yao Yuan and Liu Yuze. The outside world is unknown. We believe that the most attractive state of design is to create unknown possibilities in the known environment, and stimulate the imagination and business of each space. By responding to the unknown possibility of the site, jumping out of the already known design of the site, creating an unexpected space-time experience in the situation. At the same time, the Institute always examines contemporary and future architectural issues from an open perspective.

Some of ZZYYstudio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ZZYYstudio achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner3
Featured Projects2
Total Projects2

22. Shanghai United Design Group

© Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd.

© Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd.

United Design Group or UDG is a comprehensive service design company with A-grade architectural design certification, A-grade urban planning certification and B-grade landscape design certification thus, providing reliable and quality services in completing projects in China. UDG is registered in Shanghai, setting up branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu, Qingdao, Chongqing, Wuhan, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Xinjiang, Hangzhou, Hefei.

There are now well over 3,000 professionals working in UDG, including experienced architects, engineers, planners, landscape architects, interior designers and construction management experts from well-known design companies both at home and abroad.

Some of Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd.’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd. achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner3
Featured Projects3
Total Projects3

21. Atelier Diameter

© Atelier Diameter

© Atelier Diameter

Atelier Diameter was founded in Shanghai as a part of Zhongsen Architectural & Engineering Designing Consultants (ZSA). We are a group of architects specializing in cultural projects of various scales and programs.

Some of Atelier Diameter’s most prominent projects include:

  • Art Gallery Extension of Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China
  • Mudu Library, Shanghai, China
  • Micro-Renovation of East China Formal University No.1 Village, Shanghai, China
  • Readers’ House, Beijing, China
  • Reconstruction and Expansion of Gu Zhenghong Memorial Hall, Shanghai, China

The following statistics helped Atelier Diameter achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects6
Total Projects8

20. RooMoo Design Studio

© Wen studio

© Wen studio

RooMoo is an interior design studio founded in Shanghai by Tao Zhang, Ray Zhang, and Marine Bois. The three come from different backgrounds: landscape, architecture and interior. Combining their strength allows them to realize big-scale and smaller-scale projects such as hotels, commercials and restaurants.

Regardless of the range of scales projects, their central ethos makes each project unique. For each project, they focus on bringing a singular response to the need and aims of all their clients. To do that, RooMoo systematically does some research and investigation for every project. They execute this research with a humble approach and study the ordinary to create the outstanding.

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

  • B3, Shenzhen, China
  • Le coq wine & bistro in URBN hotel, Shanghai, China
  • Forté, Shanghai, China
  • Le petit chateau, Shanghai, China
  • Halation Bistro & Lounge, Shanghai, China

The following statistics helped RooMoo Design Studio achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects4
Total Projects13

19. ATAH

© ATAH

© ATAH

Founded in 2013 in Los Angeles/Shanghai, Studio ATAH is an architectural design firm featured by exploring design with contemporary thoughts. The partners of Studio ATAH received complete architecture professional education domestic and abroad, and have been in practice for years in known international architectural firms. Team includes architects, interior designers and technology specialist. ATAH’s project type includes commercial, office, culture, as well as renovation, interior and residential. Through continuous design practice, our work is being built and put into use. In Navajo Indian language, A-Tah means involving.

Some of ATAH’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ATAH achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects2
Total Projects7

18. Shanghai Dushe Architectural Design DSD

© Shanghai Dushe Architectural Design DSD

© Shanghai Dushe Architectural Design DSD

SH-DSD was founded in 2004. DSD focuses on boutique design and controls the amount of annual projects trying to make every piece of work unique and at high level. Oriented by its culture ‘Customized Design’, DSD is capable of integrating the experience of large firm and the creativity of small offices. DSD aims to become the best life design expert in China and to produce acclaimed pieces of work in the field of hotel, culture architecture, complex building and top rank residences. All the projects designed by DSD are original.

Some of Shanghai Dushe Architectural Design DSD’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Shanghai Dushe Architectural Design DSD achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

Featured Projects6
Total Projects19

17. RoarcRenew

© RoarcRenew

© RoarcRenew

Roarc Renew is an architectural atelier specializes in urban space renovation. The atelier focuses on urban renewal, space reengineering, remodeling of old districts, trying to create a sustainable urban space, while following the concept of revolutionary design and the history of architecture. Its members and consultants come from Shanghai, Israel and New York. The current design projects include urban renewal, architectural design, interior design, product design and other categories, distributed among Shanghai, Zhangjiajie, Jakarta and other cities.

Using working space and residential space as the starting point, the atelier intends to explore the possibilities of the lifestyles in the Internet Age, which falicitates co- working project as one of the major ways to carry out architectural practice.

Some of RoarcRenew’s most prominent projects include:

  • TaoCang Art Center, Zhejiang, China
  • Carlowitz&CO., Shanghai, China
  • Joy City · Parkside · Herstory Art Zone, Shanghai, China
  • Mixpace · Mandela, Shanghai, China
  • Taioursee Laomendong SPA Shop, Nanjing, China

The following statistics helped RoarcRenew achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist4
Featured Projects4
Total Projects11

16. COORDINATION ASIA

© Jan Siefke

© Jan Siefke

COORDINATION ASIA is an award winning agency for design and architecture, specializing in creating high impact environments in museum, exhibition, retail and hospitality design. We are driven by the quest for fresh ideas and extra-ordinary design solutions. Like a concept laboratory, we bridge creative energy and professional realization.From cultural to commercial projects, at COORDINATION ASIA we believe that content precedes aesthetics and that great design is more than simply styling. Our clients like us for our content-driven approach, as well as for our dedicated and reliable way of working. From understanding the needs of the client to drafting ideas and final realization, we make sure every step of the process is met with the highest of standards.

Some of COORDINATION ASIA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped COORDINATION ASIA achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects5
Total Projects12

15. Atelier Ping Jiang | EID Arch

© Atelier Ping Jiang | EID Arch

© Atelier Ping Jiang | EID Arch

Atelier Ping Jiang | EID Arch is a leading international practice for architecture and urbanism. Led by Founding Principal Ping Jiang, FAIA, who established the Shanghai-based practice in 2015, the firm strives to provide environmentally sensitive and innovative design solutions for architecture and urban environment. The practice is founded on the belief that architecture should concern itself with the environment, and is deeply committed to design excellence, innovation and sustainability.

The firm has extensive experience in a wide range of building types, including large scale mixed-use developments, office/corporate, retail, hospitality, cultural/civic, institutional and residential uses. Atelier Ping Jiang’s work has been awarded numerous international awards.

Some of Atelier Ping Jiang | EID Arch’s most prominent projects include:

  • LAND Community Center, Xi’an, China
  • Minsheng Wharf Block E15-3, Shanghai, China
  • The Panda Pavilions, Chengdu, China
  • MicroNature, Shanghai, China
  • Shimao Riverside Block D2b, Wuhan, China

The following statistics helped Atelier Ping Jiang | EID Arch achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist6
Featured Projects4
Total Projects7

14. TEAM_BLDG

© TEAM_BLDG

© TEAM_BLDG

TEAM_BLDG was founded in 2012, they work with architecture, interior, landscape and product. The two founders of the studio consider that the word “BLDG” is a verb than the meaning of architecture, which should be the processing of constructing, and the finished design is just a start of architects’ work. Relative to any concept or style, they are more focusing on the “atmosphere” of building and space, interior and exterior for people.

Some of TEAM_BLDG’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TEAM_BLDG achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

Featured Projects7
Total Projects14

13. dongqi Design

© dongqi Design

© dongqi Design

Founded in 2014, dongqi Design has an international outlook, and its core team is assembled from outstanding designers who have studied and practised around the world including Europe, Singapore and the United States. dongqi has accumulated practical experiences with integration of leading-edge intelligent capabilities, for example KUKA robot and 3D sand printing.

In 2017, dongqi established its creative arm to close the gap between spatial and brand experiences and allow explorations in a holistic manner combining different disciplines. The practice also maintains collaborative partnerships with practitioners in the areas of art, fashion, science and technology – exploring opportunities for cross-discipline creation. dongqi work has also been widely published.

Some of dongqi Design’s most prominent projects include:

  • GAGA TOAST, Shenzhen, China
  • XC273 by XCOMMONS, Shanghai, China
  • Le Poulet Restaurant & Bar, Shenzhen, China
  • Freshigh, Shanghai, China
  • Hauser & Wirth Pop-up Bookshop, Shanghai, China

The following statistics helped dongqi Design achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist4
Featured Projects5
Total Projects11

12. LINEHOUSE

© Jonathan Leijonhufvud Architectural Photography

© Jonathan Leijonhufvud Architectural Photography

Linehouse is an architecture and interior design practice established in 2013 by Alex Mok (Chinese-Swedish) and Briar Hickling (from New Zealand). Both have completed extensive work in Asia, Pacific and abroad. Linehouse operates as a platform to investigate the rituals of inhabitation and how these daily moments can be celebrated through design, transforming the mundane into performative acts.

Linehouse is a collaboration of like-minded individuals from various backgrounds and cultures. The practice has international experience in design and construction, from the small scale and the intricate, to the grand and public. The studio works on projects of varying scales and typologies that allow explorations of both the poetic idea and pragmatic solution.

Some of LINEHOUSE’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped LINEHOUSE achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects7
Total Projects14

11. LLLab.

© LLLab.

© LLLab.

LLLab. is a design studio based in Shanghai, Stuttgart and Porto operating within the fields of architecture, design, art, urbanism, research and development. The studio is led by four partners Hanxiao Liu, Luís Ricardo, David Correa and Taichi Kuma. Their work focuses on using design as a tool to improve social and cultural life through various scales, from urban projects to micro-architecture or installations.

The principals are driven by an experimental and playful approach that leads to conceptually rigorous and well-executed design projects. Creating distinctive solutions adapted to a context and its users, LLLab produces site-specific design installations and building projects that both provoke and inspire. LLLab. founders Hanxiao Liu, Luís Ricardo and David Correa started their own practice after meeting at the German office haascookzemmrich STUDIO 2050 and the Institute of Computational Design, where they collaborated on various international projects in both practical and academic fields.

Some of LLLab.’s most prominent projects include:

  • Bamboo Bamboo, Canopy and Pavilions,Impression SanjieLiu, Yangshuo County, Guilin, China
  • San Sa Village, Beijing, China
  • Brickyard Retreat Renovation, Beijing, China
  • Bamboo Bamboo, Canopy and Pavilions, Impression Sanjie Liu, Guilin, China
  • LEO Office Shanghai, Shanghai, China

The following statistics helped LLLab. achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects8
Total Projects9

10. Kris Lin International Design

© Kris Lin International Design

© Kris Lin International Design

KLID, an international architectural design firm from Taipei, has been in Shanghai for twenty years, and has been serving top 100 real estate developers for a long time. Its business covers sales offices, clubs, art galleries, hotels, luxury villas and flat apartments, offices, public and commercial spaces.

As one of the few design institutes in China which can provide four-in-one integrated design services including architectural design, interior design, renovation design and construction, landscape design, KLID has been adhering to the design concept of “Innovation from Observation” and has strong pursuit for the design works display effect, KLID has always maintained a full-integrated design solution.

Some of Kris Lin International Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Kris Lin International Design achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist5
Featured Projects7
Total Projects13

9. OfficeOffCourse

© OfficeOffCourse

© OfficeOffCourse

Founded in 2012, OfficeOffCourse is currently based in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Boston. The core design team covers urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and other professions, who previously had professional experience in many world-renowned architecture offices and institutes in the US, Netherland, Japan, Mexico and España and participated in various types of project, with extensive background and practical experience.

The office is engaged in variety of projects in China, Japan, US and Australia, including museum, private residence, office building, urban planning, historical building renovation, school and etc. Collaborating with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the China Academy of Art as academic platforms, OfficeOffCourse explores and extends the core value of architecture in both globalization and localization.

Some of OfficeOffCourse’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped OfficeOffCourse achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner6
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects5
Total Projects3

8. Atelier tao+c

© Atelier tao+c

© Atelier tao+c

Co-founded by Tao Liu and Chunyan Cai in 2016, the design works of Atelier tao+c ranging from a piece of pendant lamp to a compound development, from the interior of small urban apartments to the renovation of old rural houses, from shops on the street to a youth community.

Some of Atelier tao+c’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier tao+c achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner3
A+Awards Finalist3
Featured Projects8
Total Projects10

7. Challenge Design

© Challenge Design

© Challenge Design

The aim of Challenge Design  (Class A architectural design office) has been to provide “refined design and professional service” since its foundation. The company has undertaken projects ranging from “commercial complex,” “resort,” “luxury condo,” “boutique hotel,” “museums,” and “public architectures, winning dozens of awards and unanimous high appraisal. With growing experience in various fields including architecture design, urban planning, interior design, wooden structure design and commercial operation, the company has developed the capability to control whole life cycle of the projects.

Since foundation, Challenge Design has been working to find a way for realization of harmonious co-existence between architecture, human being and the nature, hoping to find a possible way for bring renewed sense experience and creating new thoughts & spatial forms through creative thinking.

Some of Challenge Design’s most prominent projects include:

  • Yuanlu Community Center, Chongqing, China
  • YULIN Artistic Center, Chongqing, China
  • Park Legend Kindergarten, Chengdu, China
  • Cloud Art Museum , Guizhou, China
  • Langtin Yuanzhu Experience Hall, Wuhan, China

The following statistics helped Challenge Design achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

Featured Projects14
Total Projects14

6. X+LIVING

© X+LIVING

© X+LIVING

X+LIVING, established in 2011 by Chinese architect Li Xiang, is an international architectural design company involved in multifield projects including retail, office, hospitality, parent-child, malls, etc. As an award-winning company, X+LIVING has always been noted by professional institutions and medias worldwide for its escher-like visuality and immersive spatial experiences.

Owing to the founder Li Xiang’s academic background of architecture, each of X+LIVING’s design works adopts boundary-crossing thinking and unique formal strategy to create theatrical dreamy spaces with story-telling charms that engage the senses and provide fun. X+LIVING takes “design creates value” as the motto and insists on achieving the highest quality of design works from conceptual design to final completion.

Some of X+LIVING’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped X+LIVING achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist3
Featured Projects12
Total Projects46

5. Lukstudio

© Lukstudio

© Lukstudio

LUKSTUDIO is a boutique design practice based in Shanghai, China. Founded by Christina Luk in 2011, the studio is comprised of an international team with diverse backgrounds and cultural perspectives. With a common desire to challenge the status quo of the environment, the team finds joy in creating meaningful design solutions for others. Lukstudio’s strength lies in an ‘everything is possible’ attitude that is influenced by the surrounding context of Shanghai; a fast-paced city where East meets West and tradition is integrated with innovation.

Each project tells its own story, and Lukstudio is proud to identify a narrative, preserving it from concept through to completion to deliver memorable spatial experiences that delight and surprise. We collaborate closely with clients and contractors to deliver artistic solutions within a commercial scope.

Some of Lukstudio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Lukstudio achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist4
Featured Projects14
Total Projects32

4. AIM Architecture

© Dirk Weiblen

© Dirk Weiblen

AIM is a collective of passionate, international individuals. Founded by Belgian and Dutch architects Wendy Saunders and Vincent de Graaf in 2005, AIM brings together architecture with interior and product design to create wholly integrated products and ideas. Headquartered in Shanghai and with an office in Europe, AIM is a global studio with local feeling.

Our approach is deliberate and focused. Each project is approached individually. We pair context to concept and explore the fine line between vision and practicality. The result are unique spaces with a powerful narrative. Bold, playful, and gritty. Well-built projects with refined details. A built-in love of materials, and passion for place and purpose.

Some of AIM Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Fushengyu Hotspring resort, Sichuan, China
  • SOHO Fuxing Plaza- Shopping Mall, Shanghai, China
  • Jiaxing Island, Jiaxing, China
  • Aluminum Lobby in SOHO Fuxing Plaza, Shanghai, China
  • Glass Office in SOHO Fuxing Plaza, Shanghai, China

The following statistics helped AIM Architecture achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Finalist3
Featured Projects17
Total Projects32

3. KOKAISTUDIOS

Kokaistudios is an award winning multi-disciplinary design firm founded in 2000 in Venice by Italian architects Filippo Gabbiani and Andrea Destefanis. Founded with the dream to create a collaborative office of young and talented architects devoted to researching and formulating the design solutions to the demands of tomorrow and capable of working on a worldwide basis; the firm has grown after 10 years into a team of 25 people headquartered in Shanghai, P.R.C.Kokaistudios has completed over 120 projects in the last 7 years in all fields of design, and we have received numerous awards.

Some of KOKAISTUDIOS’s most prominent projects include:

  • Top image: Baoshan WTE Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China
  • Shanghai Suhe MixC World, Shanghai, China
  • Bund Financial Center South Mall Interior Design, Shanghai, China
  • Beijing CR Land Galleria Shopping Center – Instreet Renovation, Beijing, China
  • House of the Tree, Shenzhen, China

The following statistics helped KOKAISTUDIOS achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects18
Total Projects45

2. Lacime Architect

© Lacime Architect

© Lacime Architect

Lacime Architect is an architecture firm based in Shanghai. The firm’s projects are mostly centered around cultural and commercial architecture.

Some of Lacime Architect’s most prominent projects include:

  • Vanke Emerald Park, Chongqing, China
  • One City Development, Hubei, China
  • Liva Riverside Book Bar Reconstruction of East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
  • Waterfront Art Gallery, Nanchang, China
  • Financial City Community Center, Suzhou, China

The following statistics helped Lacime Architect achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner3
A+Awards Finalist8
Featured Projects22
Total Projects27

1. Neri & Hu

© Neri & Hu

© Neri & Hu

“We don’t ask to be eternal beings, we only ask that things do not lose all their meaning.”
– Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Founded in 2004 by partners Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, NHDRO (Neri&Hu Design and Research Office) is a multi-disciplinary architectural design practice based in Shanghai, china. NHDRO works internationally providing architecture, interior, master planning, graphic and product design services. Currently working on projects in seven countries, NHDRO is composed of multi-cultural staff who speak over 20 different languages. The diversity of the team reinforces a core vision for the practice: to respond to a global worldview incorporating overlapping design disciplines for a new paradigm in architecture. NHDRO’s location is purposeful.

Some of Neri & Hu’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Neri & Hu achieve 1st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Shanghai:

A+Awards Winner9
A+Awards Finalist8
Featured Projects26
Total Projects21

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco
CategoriesArchitecture

7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco

Colorful and dreamlike: this is how Morocco’s architecture and built environment could easily be described. Located between the edge of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, Africa’s most “Western” country is fascinating and full of contradictions. Also known as The Kingdom of the Western Place, Morocco has a diverse array of landscapes and rich architecture, thus becoming one of the most famous cultural destinations as well as film sets in the world.

From the signature riads — courtyard houses — located in Marrakesh to the modernist architectural identity of Casablanca to the famous Zellij tilework found across the country, Morocco’s architecture is imbued with many distinct cultural elements. An evocative example is Maison Brummell Majorelle, a “dreamy” new boutique hotel designed by Moroccan-based architect Amine Abouraoui Architects and Spanish architect Bergendy Cooke. The design playfully employs the iconic vernacular shapes of Moroccan architecture, adding, however, a contemporary twist and successfully integrating it into the surrounding context. In its entirety, the country’s unique architecture has been faithfully preserved throughout Morocco’s history, becoming somewhat of an architectural legacy.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Morocco based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Morocco architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 7 best architecture firms in Morocco:

7. Estrecho Studio

© Estrecho Studio

© Estrecho Studio

Based in Tangier and Brussels, this young international firm creates unique and new experiences through architecture. We believe sharing knowledge and experience will make our community stronger. We consider architecture as a key of resilience, growth and development. Our approach is based on research, speculation and experimentation. We seek to provide solutions to contemporary architectural and urban issues.

Some of Estrecho Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Estrecho Studio achieve 7th place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

6. Gregoire Maisondieu Architecture & Interior Design

© Gregoire Maisondieu Architecture & Interior Design

© Gregoire Maisondieu Architecture & Interior Design

Grégoire Maisondieu is a DPLG architect and interior designer. After working for a long time with Philippe Starck, Bruno Borrione and Christophe Pillet, he is now developing his own projects, mainly in France and Morocco.

Some of Gregoire Maisondieu Architecture & Interior Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gregoire Maisondieu Architecture & Interior Design achieve 6th place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

5. Yachar Bouhaya Architecte

© Alessio Mei

© Alessio Mei

Yachar Bouhaya Architecte is an architecture and interior design firm based in Casablanca. The firm was founded by Yachar Bouhaya, a graduate of the Special School of Architecture in Paris, he continued his training in the Parisian agencies Anne Démians and AW2. At the end of 2010, he founded the eponymous architecture agency Yachar Bouhaya Architecte, whose project methodology frees itself from formal language and ready-made, thus revealing the uniqueness of each project.

Some of Yachar Bouhaya Architecte’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Yachar Bouhaya Architecte achieve 5th place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects3

4. Driss Kettani Architecte

© Driss Kettani Architecte

© Driss Kettani Architecte

Driss Kettani graduated from the National School of Architecture in Rabat in 2003 and founded the agency Driss Kettani Architect in 2005, after some collaborations and study trips. He has a constant interest in the place, culture and inhabitants as an essential starting component of a reflection, a project. This approach goes hand in hand with an imperative of modernity and contemporaneity, in a constant quest for creativity and meaning.

His work is part of an approach combining architectural rigor and research into the sensitive and poetic dimension of architecture. Architecture being the reading canvas of our time, which it can contribute to raising by offering users a living environment expression of a culture and high aspirations.

Some of Driss Kettani Architecte’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Driss Kettani Architecte achieve 4th place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects3

3. El Kabbaj – Kettani – Siana – Architects

© doublespace photography inc

© doublespace photography inc

El Kabbaj – Kettani – Siana – Architects is an architecture firm based in Morocco specializing in educational and mixed-use buildings.

Some of El Kabbaj – Kettani – Siana – Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped El Kabbaj – Kettani – Siana – Architects achieve 3rd place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects3

2. Studio CAYS

© Studio CAYS

© Studio CAYS

Born in 2019, Studio Cays owes its name to the founders of the agency. Twin sisters and associates, CAYS is in fact the anagram of the abbreviations of their respective first names. CAYS is a duality naturally creating a complementarity, a link of interdependence of two phenomena: beauty and ergonomics. Eclecticism is the motto of the agency; each project differs from another. The objective is to learn from each project, we must feed this appetite through the nature of our architectural design.

Some of Studio CAYS’s most prominent projects include:

  • ZAI House, Casablanca, Morocco
  • LNKO Office, Casablanca, Morocco
  • Studio Cays X Studio BO, Casablanca, Morocco
  • MAYZ House, Rabat, Morocco
  • Atelier Skin, Casablanca, Morocco

The following statistics helped Studio CAYS achieve 2nd place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects10

1. TARIK ZOUBDI ARCHITECTE

© TARIK ZOUBDI ARCHITECTE

© TARIK ZOUBDI ARCHITECTE

We are an international award-winning architecture studio. Based in Morocco since 2008, during these many years we have worked a lot on various projects such as social housing, health or education… In our opinion, architecture is about poetic and spatial translation of human’s aspirations for a better life. we  believe in contextual architecture, whit sense of belonging to a place, like if it has always been a part of it.

We think that architecture must resist to the collective temptation of “Folk Mimicry” and passing fashion by yearning for timelessness. We love the dramatic mood of ruins, witnessing the collective memory, that time roots in space, the grass that grows in the roadway; and the nature taking back  gradually its rights.

Some of TARIK ZOUBDI ARCHITECTE’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TARIK ZOUBDI ARCHITECTE achieve 1st place in the 7 Best Architecture Firms in Morocco:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects3
Total Projects2

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia
CategoriesArchitecture

20 Best Architecture Firms in Colombia

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

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

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

With so many architecture firms, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Colombia based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Colombia architecture firms throughout the year.

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

20. Arango Arquitecto

© Arango Arquitecto

© Arango Arquitecto

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

Some of Arango Arquitecto’s most prominent projects include:

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

19. OPUS – Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos

© OPUS - Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos

© OPUS – Oficina de Proyectos Urbanos

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

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

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

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

18. Relieve Arquitectura

© Relieve Arquitectura

© Relieve Arquitectura

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

Some of Relieve Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

17. Ruta4 Arquitectura

© Ruta4 Arquitectura

© Ruta4 Arquitectura

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

Some of Ruta4 Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

16. Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto

© Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto

© Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Arquitecto

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

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

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

15. TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos

© TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos

© TAP Taller Piloto Arquitectos

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

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

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

14. Vicaria Arquitectura

© Vicaria Arquitectura

© Vicaria Arquitectura

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

Some of Vicaria Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects2

13. Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje

© Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje

© Darp, de Arquitectura y Paisaje

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

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

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

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects3

12. Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS

© Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS

© Simon Velez : GIGAGRASS

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

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

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

Featured Projects1
Total Projects4

11. La Rotta Arquitectos

© La Rotta Arquitectos

© La Rotta Arquitectos

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

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

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

Featured Projects2
Total Projects2

10. aRE – Arquitectura en Estudio

© aRE - Arquitectura en Estudio

© aRE – Arquitectura en Estudio

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

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

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

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

Featured Projects2
Total Projects5

9. taller de arquitectura de bogotá

© taller de arquitectura de bogotá

© taller de arquitectura de bogotá

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

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

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

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

8. Velez Valencia Arquitectos

© Yeferson Bernal Santacruz

© Yeferson Bernal Santacruz

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

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

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

Featured Projects2
Total Projects3

7. DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS

© DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS

© DANIEL BONILLA ARQUITECTOS

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Projects2
Total Projects5

6. Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos

© TALLER Architects, Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos

© TALLER Architects, Juan Pablo Ortiz Arquitectos

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

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

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

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

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

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects2
Total Projects1

5. Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura

© Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura

© Alejandro Restrepo Montoya Arquitectura

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

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

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

Featured Projects3
Total Projects2

4. Taller Sintesis

© Taller Sintesis

© Taller Sintesis

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

Some of Taller Sintesis’s most prominent projects include:

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

Featured Projects3
Total Projects2

3. CONNATURAL

© CONNATURAL

© CONNATURAL

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

Some of CONNATURAL’s most prominent projects include:

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

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

Featured Projects3
Total Projects5

2. EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI

© EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI

© EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI

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

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

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

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

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects9
Total Projects13

1. plan:b

© plan:b

© plan:b

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

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

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

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

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects11
Total Projects16

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

Architectural Drawings: Lithuania Reimagines Home Design in Plan
CategoriesArchitecture

Architectural Drawings: Lithuania Reimagines Home Design in Plan

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

Lithuania is home to breathtaking landscapes. From iconic sand dunes along the Curonian Spit to vast wetlands and primeval forests, the country is known for its beautiful and diverse countryside. Conscious of this context, Lithuania’s residential projects are designed to capture views and open up to the outdoors. Today, architects and designers are imagining new home designs in the “land of endless forests” for both rural and urban dwellings alike.

Exploring Lithuania’s inventive residential designs, the following projects showcase new approaches through plan drawings. Each house has a unique take on circulation and bringing people together, with residences found everywhere from the ancient forests of the Moletai region to Kaunas, Trakai and Vilnius. Reinventing traditional construction techniques and vernacular buildings traditions, these elegant homes make space for contemporary life and celebrate the beauty of Lithuania.


Villa The Lake

By Devyni architektai, Molėtai, Lithuania

This residence was designed so that clients could enjoy the crystal-clear waters of a lake surrounded by ancient forests in the Moletai region of Lithuania. The villa consists of 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and an open-concept dining area connected to the living room. Rectangular in plan, the dwelling has cutouts and sloped roofs that combine in a sculptural way. This layout prioritizes connection to the landscape and indoor-outdoor living.

Large windows and sliding doors connect the house’s rooms with concrete terrace, grassy property and the dock. As seen in plan, a series of frames and a simple layout direct the focus towards the lake. The building was also designed with materials that echo the region’s agrarian typologies. Three primary materials were used for the building: wood, which forms many of the walls; slate tiles, which are used in the exposed roof; and concrete for the terrace.


An Autograph Among The Pine Trees

By ARCHISPEKTRAS, Kaunas, Lithuania

Situated on the river shore, this home was made of glass and rusted steel planes mounted in vertical segments. The plan is organized around this, opening up to the surroundings. For the materials, the idea is to have a metaphorical relation with the growing pine trees on the site. The rough concrete texture left by the formwork is the main interior expression. In addition, transparent and smooth glass surfaces ae widely used, making the interior feel visibly closer to nature.

Made as a counterbalance to the factory-like interior, natural wood elements were abundantly used. Solid oak appears throughout and is seen in the monumental kitchen on the ground floor, as well as stairwell walls, floors, ceilings, cabinets and doors. It extends to cabinets which, like solid wood boxes, are designed without handles, hinges or other elements in order to completely keep a minimalist style. Attention is focused on the beauty of natural materials.


House in Trakai

By Aketuri Architektai, Trakai, Lithuania

The House in Trakai was a study in clear geometry and vertical space. In Lithuania, there are clear depictions and traditions of the country-house. A vernacular idea, the design team wanted to make their own fresh take on this classic. In plan, this takes the shape of a rectangular footprint set on a deck, while the section is an extruded “house” profile with a steep roof pitch. “Everything that a family might need to relax in the natural surroundings fits into a modest archetypical volume with no sacrifice of comfort.”

For the team, the project is all about connecting with nature — the limit between the forest and the house disappears due to sliding translucent panels. For the materials, thermowood and shale require as little maintenance as possible, giving the residents more time to connect with their surroundings.


The L house

By PAO Architects, Vilnius, Lithuania

True to its name, the L House is directly tied to its shape in plan. The residence was built for a private client based in Vilnius, Lithuania. When the team started the project, the architects were inspired by the beauty of the site and its relationship with nature. The central concept and guiding principle was the desire to maintain a delicate balance between nature. The result is the subtle volume of the building, a single story house.

The design team used only natural finishes, bricks and wood to keep a contemporary and sustainable approach. Large windows keep a relationship between the environment and indoor spaces. Site volume and terraces above provide a unique expression of the entire building. The L-shaped structure of the house forms a functional connection between the building and landscape. In turn, the building is oriented such that the living room, kitchen and hall windows face the south, which is formed by a large courtyard.


Residential House in Palanga

By Architectural bureau G.Natkevicius and partners, Palanga, Lithuania

For this four-member family house, the project was located in the seaside resort town of Palanga. It features a slope and is framed by a forest wall on top of the hill. All living spaces are lifted above the street level and focused on the forest, while the utilitarian spaces are positioned on the lower level. The scheme was divided into three separate volumes corresponding with three functional zones.

Children rooms with a dedicated bathroom and washroom are situated firmly on the ground, while the parents’ zone — a master bedroom with ensuite facilities — is lifted on a tower leg, which serves as a storage space. The central zone houses a stairway, the main living areas on the first floor and a garage, an entrance hall and technical spaces on the ground floor. This dismantling of the scheme allowed for delicate adjustments of orientation across the residential plan.


Valley Villa

By arches, Vilnius, Lithuania

Valley Villa is an iconic home in Lithuania. Just a few hundred meters from an active city street, the home is located on a sunny slope near the outskirts of town. It is designed in place of a former farmstead. A key goal was to maintain the existing slope on site and to preserve as many trees as possible The idea of the building was to “hang” it over the valley and open the building up with continuous windows. Due to the black shale finish, the ground floor seemingly disappears in shadow.

With implications in plan, the design reinterprets the silhouette of a traditional sloped house. The divided volume, varying forms, human scale proportions, glass and wood all come together to create the impression of lightness. Interior spaces follow the forms of the volume, while a natural wood finish for the façades and roof creates the impression of solidity. By dividing the volume, micro-spaces and courtyards are created.


Birdhouse

By YCL studio, Vilnius, Lithuania

YCL’s Birdhouse residence is located among a dense block of private houses in Vilnius. The key wish from the clients was to have a big common space not divided by stairs in any way. So the team chose to move the stairs out of the main perimeter of the house, a guiding idea in plan. This creates a shape that looks different when walking around the house. The north part of the house with the stairs has just one round window, like a birdhouse that waits for its dwellers.

Mirrored details across the house were an illusion to reflect the changing surroundings. The dark wood façade also creates a color change to form a dialog with the surroundings. The garage volume formed a private separation from the neighboring plot, but at the same time it was not attractive to have that volume in a private yard. So the team mirrored it, and through another kind of illusion, extended the yard.


House in Kaunas

By Architectural bureau G.Natkevicius and partners, Kaunas, Lithuania

Understanding the potential of vertical living and monumental expression, this two-story home with a basement is located in the picturesque central district of Kaunas. The composition of the house keeps the spirit of Kaunas modernism alive as the circular windows in the concrete planes give the impression of modernism. At the same time, the two-volume reinforced house further highlights and accentuates the slope of the plot.

The volume of the building is divided into three floors. The first level is an access to the basement of the house, where a luxury garage for eight cars was designed. The staircase from the partially open basement leads to the first floor of the building and the inner space of the plot. Once entering the building the upper level and inner space opens – the inner yard and the terrace further enhance the impression of the levitating volume. The terrace is also designed with a rectangular concrete support with a circular opening that echoes the façade.

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

Reference

25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal
CategoriesArchitecture

25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal

Montréal is considered one of the top cities of Art Deco architecture, a movement that was formed during the Second Industrial Revolution in Paris. Known as the industrial and financial center of Canada for the better half of the 20th century, Montréal has several local districts that carry traces from the city’s “metropolitan” era. Designed as clean geometric shapes with sharp lines, warehouses, mills and refineries found in downtown Montréal are still a reminiscent part of the city’s cultural heritage. Additionally, one notable example of Art Deco architecture is Ernest Cormier’s Université de Montréal.

Following the rapid urbanization of the Quebec province in the 1970s, Montréal became progressively more culturally active, shifting to modernist trends in art and architecture. Habitat 67, an iconic housing complex designed by architect Moshe Safdie for the Expo 67 World’s Fair, is currently one of the most celebrated works of Canadian modernism. Today, Montréal is a cultural medley of architectural works. Home to McGill University, one of the most prestigious architecture schools in the country, the city constantly produces new pieces of architecture that do not fit under any specific trend or movement but rather steadily push the boundaries of contemporary architecture.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Montréal based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Montréal architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 25 best architecture firms in Montréal:

25. Anekdote Collective

© Anekdote Collective

© Anekdote Collective

Anekdote’s work is in keeping with the times, pursuing iconographic statements hidden in the subtext.

Some of Anekdote Collective’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Anekdote Collective achieve 25th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

24. Architecturama

© James Brittain Photography

© James Brittain Photography

Sylvain Bilodeau and Nicolas Mathieu-Tremblay have been collaborating for several years on creative projects focused on architecture. Inspired by the context, both tangible and intangible, and by the way people occupy and perceive their environment, they manipulate programs, places and ideas to create relevant and sensitive constructions, objects and spaces. Experimentation and research allow them to develop a unique architecture in which matter, geometry and perceptual aspects remain central. Their practice has been recognized many times in Quebec, Canada and internationally.

Some of Architecturama’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Architecturama achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

23. CATALYSE URBAINE

© ISSADESIGN

© ISSADESIGN

“Cities offer city dwellers an inspiring living environment that allows them to experience nature with little or no impact on the environment. Around the world, societies walk with solar and wind energy, reuse and recycle, and protect the natural habitats of other living species. Thanks to the partnership of states and the business world, humanity now lives in harmony with nature and other living beings. ”

Some of CATALYSE URBAINE’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped CATALYSE URBAINE achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

22. Ravi Handa Architect

© AAmp Studio, Ravi Handa Architect

© AAmp Studio, Ravi Handa Architect

RHA is based in Montréal, specializing in residential and commercial design. The practice is dedicated to what physical space makes us feel. The built environment is in large part where our personal stories unfold. RHA believes that the better we articulate that physical framework, the less likely we are to be distracted from the things that matter to us most.

Some of Ravi Handa Architect’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Ravi Handa Architect achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects1

21. Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes inc.

© Lemay

© Lemay

Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes is a leader in architectural design, redevelopment and the construction of diverse, specialized and technically complex institutional buildings, in particular in the fields of health care, education, research, culture, transportation and housing. Recipient of more than 60 awards of excellence in architecture, the firm has demonstrated over and over again its capacity to conceive and carry out projects of high architectural merit.

In consortium, the firm recently earned Canadian Architect’s Awards of Excellence for two ongoing projects: the new performance hall in Saint-Jérôme (2014–2016) and the Fifth Pavilion of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (2013¬–2017). JLP also received the Ordre des architectes du Québec’s Prix d’excellence en architecture in the category of institutional buildings for the Bibliothèque Raymond-Levesque (2013).

Some of Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes inc.’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes inc. achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects2

20. Open Form Architecture

© Open Form Architecture

© Open Form Architecture

Open Form Architecture is devoted to a deep and innovative approach to creating contemporary architecture and urbanism; and dedicated to
producing transformative experiences by shaping new paths for architecture, urbanism and public space. The office follows a rigorous thought process that simultaneously questions the representation of buildings, the shape of cites, and the conceptual models and processes through the application of new computational technologies.

For Open Form, digital technologies open up the spectrum of possibilities in architecture and design. Whether it is in the development and application of technologies for the building itself, or in the creation of advanced architecture, technologies generate new contexts, new perceptions, and surprising perspectives between the relationship of creating and producing new architectural forms.

Some of Open Form Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Open Form Architecture achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects2

19. Affleck de la Riva Architects

© Marc Cramer

© Marc Cramer

Founded in 1995 by Gavin Affleck and Richard de la Riva and based in Montréal, Canada, Affleck de la Riva Architects believe that quality environmental design is an agent of social change and a key element in fostering citizenship, social equity, and healthy lifestyles. The firm provides services for the design and construction of institutional, commercial and residential projects and has also developed specific expertise in urban design and the restoration of historic structures. For more than twenty years, through a wide range and scale of projects including research, competitions, and built work, Affleck de la Riva has been exploring the potential of history and landscape to generate contemporary architecture.

Some of Affleck de la Riva Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Affleck de la Riva Architects achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects3

18. DKA Architectes

© DKA Architectes

© DKA Architectes

DKA is an architectural firm characterized by a collaborative spirit, a multidisciplinary approach and an experienced team. We have an informal work environment where studio work is prized and everyone is encouraged to participate actively in all aspects of architecture. Our company stands out for its creativity, dynamism and team spirit. We are committed to creating and maintaining a pleasant working environment, and we are continually working to perfect our profession.

Some of DKA Architectes’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped DKA Architectes achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects5

17. Huma Design + Architecture

© Huma Design + Architecture

© Huma Design + Architecture

HUMÀ is a firm built around the notion of excellence and unconditional customer satisfaction. the architectural team is a a good balance between experience and new, dynamic potential, all of them customer’s devoted. Interior and GraphicDesign teams have been recognized amongst Quebec’s most renowned designers, and have received numerous awards among peers and both national and international audience.

Some of Huma Design + Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • SSENSE, Montréal, Canada
  • International Jetty Expansion | Montréal–Trudeau Airport, Montréal, Canada
  • Rockland – The Kitchen, Montréal, Canada
  • SSP Concessions, Montréal airport, Montréal, Canada
  • Tour des Canadiens 2, Montréal, Canada

The following statistics helped Huma Design + Architecture achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects16

16. Clairoux

© Julien gne

© Julien gne

Founded in 2009, Clairoux was born out of a genuine desire to transform spaces in order to create environments where people feel truly comfortable. Over the years, our team has built a solid reputation for its creative approach and ability to optimize interiors, whether for a residence, a commercial space or a real estate project.

With a multidisciplinary team of talented and passionate designers, we collaborate with clients from diverse backgrounds to design unique environments that reflect their personality and lifestyle, combining functionality, volumetric design, harmony and elegance. Clairoux believes in working with our clients to understand their needs and create spaces that meet their expectations. We believe that everyone deserves to live in beauty. We are driven by the need to shape, mould and transform interior spaces into great places to live. We fundamentally believe in intelligent design. WE ARE CLAIROUX.

Some of Clairoux’s most prominent projects include:

  • Du tour’s residence, Laval, Canada
  • Conception restaurant Montréal, Montréal, Canada
  • Conception Condo Montréal, Montréal, Canada
  • Conception Condo Montréal, Montréal, Canada
  • Conception Condo Montréal, Montréal, Canada

The following statistics helped Clairoux achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects1
Total Projects21

15. perraultarchitecture (atelier urban face)

© perraultarchitecture (atelier urban face)

© perraultarchitecture (atelier urban face)

Perraultarchitecture is first and foremost a think tank whose creations are based on a conceptual approach that is stimulated and oriented towards the idea of the work as an actor in the poetry of the place. Directed by the architect Sylvie Perrault since 2003, she is assisted by a team of professionals and loyal collaborators chosen for their expertise in relation to the commission.

Our training and experience contribute to the development of architectural thinking that takes into account the particular context of the built environment in which the project is inserted. Our practice has been recognized with several national and international awards, notably for the three Beaver Lake kiosks on Mount Royal in Montréal.

Some of perraultarchitecture (atelier urban face)’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped perraultarchitecture (atelier urban face) achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects1
Total Projects2

14. Blouin Tardif Architectes

photo: Stephane Groleau - © Blouin Tardif Architectes

photo: Stephane Groleau – © Blouin Tardif Architectes

Established in 2004, the firm excels in the design of sustainable buildings developed around the principles of Durability, Performance and Aesthetics. The workshop relies on a multidisciplinary team of architects, engineer, specializing in building science and building energy modeling, sustainable design specialist and LEED Project Manager and technologists in architectural design. All team members are LEED Accredited Professionals. All projects are undertaken using the integrated design method. This strategy is applied to the projects in which we act as project managers.

Some of Blouin Tardif Architectes’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Blouin Tardif Architectes achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects3

13. Atelier Moderno

© Atelier Moderno

© Atelier Moderno

Under the guidance of director and president Jean-Guy Chabauty (APDIQ, ADIQ), Atelier Moderno is a full-service design firm, delivering a finished product that incarnates a synthesis of architecture, interior design and industrial design.

Some of Atelier Moderno’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier Moderno achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects4

12. Jean Verville Architecte

© Maxime Brouillet

© Maxime Brouillet

The practice of Jean Verville is on the fringe of mainstream architecture. For each proposal, architecture, design, museum installation or object, the architect uses the architectural promenade as material to develop the spatial qualities of his experiments. In addition to its award-winning practice and his significant international publications Jean Verville continues his investigations on architectural design process through a PhD at Université du Québec à Montréal.

Some of Jean Verville Architecte’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Jean Verville Architecte achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects2

11. BGLA architecture | urban design

© BGLA architecture | urban design, Agence Spatiale inc.

© BGLA architecture | urban design, Agence Spatiale inc.

BGLA has been specializing for more than 40 years in the fields of architecture, heritage and urban design, and now has three business offices in Montréal, Quebec City and Sept-Îles, with a large team of more than 70 employees. BGLA has a diversified experience on projects of all sizes, mainly in the institutional (teaching and health), cultural and community fields.

BGLA’s architectural approach is sensitive to the protection of the built environment and its historical and social context. Recognized for its interventions that are respectful to both the buildings and their constructive processes, BGLA is concerned with the valorization of the natural and cultural heritage of each place.

Some of BGLA architecture | urban design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BGLA architecture | urban design achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects3
Total Projects4

10. Salem Architecture

© Salem Architecture

© Salem Architecture

Salem architecture was founded in Montréal in 2012 by Jad Salem, architect. graduated from the Université de Montréall in 2002 with a master’s degree in architecture, M.Salem has been a member of the quebec architects’ order since 2007 (ncarb certification) and holds the title of leed green associate. For more than 10 years in major firms, as an architect and project manager, he acquired rich experience on various institutional projects, including working with several school boards on new school projects, school expansion projects as well as a good variety of residential and commercial projects.

The team has several trusting collaborators for several years! Thus, thanks to the diversified and complementary qualities of the members, as well as the predominance of teamwork, we are always looking for the best solutions to an architecture project.

Some of Salem Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Salem Architecture achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects3
Total Projects4

9. Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes

© Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes

© Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes

MENKÈS SHOONER DAGENAIS LETOURNEUX Architectes’ mission is to provide a complete range of top-quality architectural services to each of our clients. Our main goal is to obtain their complete satisfaction. To do so, we base our approach on open communication with an emphasis on active listening to ensure we fully comprehend each client’s needs and constraints. We are then motivated by the genuine desire to provide individually tailored, original and practical responses to satisfy needs while respecting the constraints. We are also committed to sustainable design and incorporate sustainable design practices into all the buildings we design, whether a formal certification is required or not.

Some of Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects4

8. Smith Vigeant Architects

© Smith Vigeant Architects

© Smith Vigeant Architects

Daniel Smith and Stéphan Vigeant have been working together since 1992 to define an architectural practice that transcends the traditional scope of the profession. Their vision, combined with diverse and extensive professional experience, now extends to a wide range of projects from the residential, institutional, corporate and urban sectors. Their integrated, sustainable approach enables the team to pioneer solid and unique design solutions that effectively incorporate their collective expertise.

With this holistic approach to design, all components of a building are integrated from the initial design phase until completion. The team at Smith Vigeant have built a deep portfolio that includes a broad array of projects varying in scope and complexity, that are cost-effective, energy efficient and have low environmental impact. Smith Vigeant is committed to environmentally responsible architecture as well as the creation of healthy and inspiring spaces that positively impact the people that use them.

Some of Smith Vigeant Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Allez Up Rock Climbing Gym, Montréal, Canada
  • Mont-Tremblant Discovery Center, Mont-Tremblant, Canada
  • Notre-Dame de Lourdes College, Montréal, Canada
  • Loft de Seves, Montréal, Canada
  • Pointe-Valaine , Otterburn Park, Canada

The following statistics helped Smith Vigeant Architects achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects7

7. Sid Lee Architecture

© Sid Lee Architecture

© Sid Lee Architecture

We believe that the beauty of a city lies in its residents, the driving force behind our designs. Our artisans recognize the social responsibility that comes with our architectural projects and create versatile, customizable spaces that deliver on users’ ever-changing needs. They’re caring, creative, bold and persevering.

Some of Sid Lee Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Espace C2 @ Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montréal, Canada
  • Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, Montréal, Canada
  • Réseau Sélection Lachenaie, Montréal, Canada
  • Espace Montmorency, Montréal, Canada
  • Place Deslongchamps, Saint-Jacques, Canada

The following statistics helped Sid Lee Architecture achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects2
Total Projects8

6. Atelier L’Abri

© Raphaël Thibodeau

© Raphaël Thibodeau

L’Abri is an architecture and construction office based in Montréal. Through its design-build approach, L’Abri delivers turn-key projects, from conception to realization. The studio specializes in ecological and sustainable construction. It advocates for innovative architecture solutions, putting forward wellness and the human and social character of our environments. L’Abri’s designs are resolutely contemporary, unique and at the human scale.

Some of Atelier L’Abri’s most prominent projects include:

  • La Pointe, Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Canada
  • Maison Accuracy, Montréal, Canada
  • Saltbox passive house, Bromont, Canada
  • Drolet, Montréal, Canada
  • The Wood Duck, Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality, Canada

The following statistics helped Atelier L’Abri achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects4
Total Projects10

5. Aedifica architecture + design

© Aedifica architecture + design

© Aedifica architecture + design

Ædifica is a unified team of architects, designers, engineers, communications specialists and project managers who share a common desire to create meaningful and long-lasting places. The firm has been in business since 1979 and now has offices in Montréal, St-Louis and Haïti with more than 115 professionals providing an integrated service offer. We are a strategic partner for our clients thanks to our joint efforts to serve them to the best of our expertise, at every opportunity.

The founding principle of Ædifica is to bring the complementary fields of expertise of our multidisciplinary team together under one roof. Ready to tackle the challenges facing large organizations, we use a synergetic approach which enables us to orchestrate our efforts around a shared, holistic vision that ties creativity, achievement, innovation and performance together.

Some of Aedifica architecture + design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Aedifica architecture + design achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects2
Total Projects30

4. Provencher_Roy

© Adrien Williams

© Adrien Williams

Provencher_Roy is an award-winning Canadian architecture practice involved in all forms of the built environment. We champion an integrated approach to design and provide expertise in interior design, urban design, urban planning, landscape architecture, industrial design, and sustainable development.

Some of Provencher_Roy’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Provencher_Roy achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist5
Featured Projects9
Total Projects15

3. Alain Carle Architecte

© Alain Carle Architecte

© Alain Carle Architecte

Alain Carle has worked in the architecture field in Montréal for twenty years. Based on a pedagogical approach he developed as a teacher and researcher at the School of Architecture of the Université de Montréal, his achievements rely on a critical approach to representation in the design process. The firm’s accomplishments are regularly recognized by the architectural community, especially in the field of residential and commercial architecture.

Some of Alain Carle Architecte’s most prominent projects include:

  • NORM Residence, Baie-D’Urfe, Canada
  • Screenhouse, Wentworth-Nord, Canada
  • The Elves, Morin-Heights, Canada
  • The Wetlands, Wentworth-Nord, Canada
  • Le Phénix, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, Canada

The following statistics helped Alain Carle Architecte achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects12
Total Projects23

2. Lemay

© Lemay

© Lemay

We create space to grow. Since 1957, Lemay has been imagining new ways to create spaces that engage users and bring people together. Over 400 architects, designers, industry leaders, and change-makers work tirelessly to cultivate innovation in their own backyards, as well as in communities around the world. Inspired and strengthened by transdisciplinary creativity, the firm has also developed its very own NET POSITIVE™ approach to guide teams toward sustainable solutions that shape a better future. With the human experience at its heart, Lemay strives to design with empathy and create spaces to grow.

Some of Lemay’s most prominent projects include:

  • Pomerleau Offices, Levis, Canada
  • Lumenpulse, Longueuil, Canada
  • Bellechasse Transport Center, Montréal, Canada
  • Grand Théatre de Québec, Quebec City, Canada
  • Place des Montréalaises, Montréal, Canada
  • Top image: Espace 67, Montréal, Canada via Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau

The following statistics helped Lemay achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Winner3
A+Awards Finalist5
Featured Projects10
Total Projects37

1. ACDF Architecture

© ACDF Architecture

© ACDF Architecture

At ACDF, we have an uncompromising ambition to be both responsible and inventive, both visionary and generous, to ultimately bring beauty to everyone. Good design can capture the imagination, but great design offers something more generous: it stirs the heart. Under the direction of Maxime-Alexis Frappier, Joan Renaud and Etienne Laplante Courchesne, the 95-person studio is deeply rooted in solid know-how and a joie de vivre.

Our mission is to deliver highly tailored, design-savvy projects at any scale across all typologies. In our architectural atelier, we are energized by constraints (budget, site, material) and craft poetry from pragmatism. With its creative energy and its broad expertise, ACDF designs inspiring spaces in which North American pragmatism meets European flamboyance.

Some of ACDF Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Notre-Dame College Gymnasium, Montréal, Canada
  • Lightspeed Offices Phase 3, Montréal, Canada
  • Flighthub, Montréal, Canada
  • Barclay Tower, Vancouver, Canada
  • The Pacific by Grosvenor, Vancouver, Canada

The following statistics helped ACDF Architecture achieve 1st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Montréal:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist8
Featured Projects17
Total Projects37

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

New Kid on the Block: 6 Ways Architects Are Reinventing the Public Park
CategoriesArchitecture

New Kid on the Block: 6 Ways Architects Are Reinventing the Public Park

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

Square footage in the world’s most populous cities is a valuable commodity. There’s a pervasive urge to build bigger and better, extracting profit from every nook and cranny. Amid the frenetic pace of urban development, the public park is a radical thing. Democratic by its very nature, it’s a rare space open to all, where visitors can commune with nature and connect with their community without parting with a dime.

In the face of land scarcity and environmental challenges, the public park is changing. Architects are finding daring new ways to carve out pockets of space, preserve native terrain and shape compelling topographical experiences. Discover how these six winning projects from the 11th A+Awards are reinventing one of our most valuable public typologies…


1. Incorporating the Industrial Past

Bai’etan Exhibition Center Landscape by Sasaki, Guangzhou, China

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Landscape/Planning Project

Bai’etan Exhibition Center Landscape by Sasaki Bai’etan Exhibition Center Landscape by SasakiOnce bustling with warehouses, factories and docks, this stretch of land on the banks of Guangzhou’s Pearl River has undergone a dramatic transformation. The former industrial lot is now a remarkable public park, imbued with the spirit of its commercial past.

The fabric of a historic warehouse has been preserved and integrated into a new plaza. Brickwork salvaged from the site extends the roofline down to the ground, creating a tactile connection with the land’s former life. Existing topographic features such as the ficus grove have been preserved along the water’s edge, while the restored timber dock evokes the memory of the energetic, working waterfront. Motifs inspired by the factories, water and native trees are integrated into the design of the metal railings and the floodwall panels. In this dynamic project, past and present are thoughtfully placed in conversation.


2. Elevating Thoroughfares

One Green Mile – Public Space and Streetscape Design by StudioPOD, Mumbai, India

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Transportation Project

One Green Mile – Public Space and Streetscape Design by StudioPOD One Green Mile – Public Space and Streetscape Design by StudioPODIn a densely packed metropolis like Mumbai, prioritizing the public realm amongst the city’s vast transport infrastructure is a far from straightforward undertaking. This innovative masterplan sought to readdress the balance, creating a street that fullfils the needs of all spatial users. Impressively, the project reclaimed almost 2.3 acres of land for municipal use.

The geometries of the public walkways were expanded to create a richer experience for pedestrians and cyclists. Trees and shrubs line the thoroughfares, punctuated by ‘micro destinations’ and meeting points. Redundant spaces below the flyover were repurposed into vibrant hubs for the neighborhood to enjoy, encompassing community gardens, socializing zones and play equipment. Within this busy urban jungle, a new public world is flourishing.


3. Preserving Native Ecology

Pima Dynamite Trailhead by Weddle Gilmore Architects, Scottsdale, Arizona

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Public Parks & Green Spaces

Pima Dynamite Trailhead by Weddle Gilmore Architects Pima Dynamite Trailhead by Weddle Gilmore ArchitectsPoised on the boundary between the city and the desert, the Pima Dynamite Trailhead in Scottsdale is a gateway of sorts between two worlds. The beginning of the trail is marked by an angular volume, clad in a corten steel skin that rises out of the sandy wilderness. As well as accommodating restrooms and amenities within, the center’s slatted overhangs frame outdoor rooms, oriented to maximize the outlook and provide respite for hikers, cyclists and equestrians.

Preserving the ecology of the Sonoran Desert was of the utmost importance to the project. To this end, new construction was restricted to land that had already been developed. The building’s low, unraveling form was carefully positioned to harmonize with the site’s natural drainage flow. Where the organic topography was disturbed, native plants were brought in to restore the terrain. These small, sensitive interventions ensure nature remains the guiding force.


4. Emphasizing the Metaphysical

Eucalyptus Society Garden by SWA GROUP / Los Angeles, Guangzhou, China

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Public Parks & Green Spaces

Eucalyptus Society Garden by SWA GROUP / Los Angeles Eucalyptus Society Garden by SWA GROUP / Los AngelesThis astonishing public park at the heart of a college community in Guangzhou is a contemplative space where the metaphysical takes center stage. Defined by sweeping, curvilinear pathways and undulating lawns, scale and form are skilfully handled, resulting in an immersive, thought-provoking design.

The project is infused with cultural symbolism. An ancient Eucalyptus tree anchors the site, evoking the tree that Confucius is rumored to have given lectures beneath. Rhythmic circles radiate out around the trunk. The innermost and outermost rings comprise glass bricks, emblematic of the manmade and natural landscapes colliding. From the meandering 131-foot-long (40 meter) Wisdom Bridge to the pebble-like benches, the park’s architecture is a catalyst for rumination.


5. Fusing Urban and Organic Realms

OCT Bao’an OH BAY by LAGUARDA.LOW ARCHITECTS, Shenzhen China

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Urban & Masterplan

OCT Bao’an OH BAY by LAGUARDA.LOW ARCHITECTS OCT Bao’an OH BAY by LAGUARDA.LOW ARCHITECTSSprawling across 128 acres, this pioneering project on the waterfront of Shenzhen challenges conventional notions of the public park. Rather than a distinct, green space set apart from the city’s commercial hubbub, the new Central District Park combines natural landscapes with retail and cultural functions.

The terrain is complex and multi-layered. From the sky, the land is defined by an intricate pattern of green plazas and rippling hills. But on the ground, their hidden depths are revealed. Beneath the undulations of earth, shop façades emerge from beneath living roofs. A myriad of pathways and promenades snake across the park, connecting the retail village, business center, cultural center and book market. Here, the natural and urban realms are one and the same.


6. Modernizing Heritage Typologies

Shenzhen Lotus Water Culture Base: Landscape Design for Honghu Park Water Purification Station by NODE Architecture & Urbanism, Shenzhen, China

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Landscape

Shenzhen Lotus Water Culture Base: Landscape Design for Honghu Park Water Purification Station by NODE Architecture & Urbanism Shenzhen Lotus Water Culture Base: Landscape Design for Honghu Park Water Purification Station by NODE Architecture & UrbanismThis whimsical floating garden within a municipal park in Shenzhen sits on top of a submerged water purification facility. The project had numerous complex facets to negotiate, including concealing the plant’s protruding infrastructure. Ingenious design solutions were devised to transform the industrial site into a picturesque retreat for the city’s residents.

The architects turned to historic local typologies for inspiration. The pagodas, pavilions and gazebos of the traditional Lingnan garden, a landscape aesthetic native to the province of Guangdong, were the perfect fit to disguise the cylindrical volumes. Reimagined through a contemporary lens, the forms read as art installations. The tallest vent has been skilfully utilized as a birdwatching platform, while the other shafts offer vantage points where visitors can admire the lotuses. Form and function combine in perfect harmony.

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

Reference

30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland
CategoriesArchitecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland

Poland is a country that has been through severe political, economic and social turmoil in Eastern European history. The constantly shifting borders, postwar destruction and the catalytic role of the communist party, played a major in shaping the country’s identity. Emerging from the post-war ruins, Polish architecture was mainly a series of Brutalist structures, symbolizing the power and dominance of the governing totalitarian regimes. The famous book Brutal Poland is a photographic exploration that captures and exhibits the country’s distinctive Brutalist legacy.

However, after the 1950s and the country’s gradual de-Stalinization, architects were progressively crossing to the other side of the Iron Curtain, bringing elements of western modernism into their architecture. A large series of housing construction initiatives as well as high profile public buildings took place leading to the now iconic contemporary works of Polish architects Karol Żurawski, Krzysztof Ingarden and Daniel Libeskind. Undoubtedly, contemporary architecture firms hold great respect of the country’s iconic Brutalist character. Still, during the past two decades, they have transformed the Polish built environment into a collection of sensitively designed buildings, which have broken free of the massive forms and the raw concrete surfaces that had once been the norm of Polish architecture.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Poland based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Poland architecture firms throughout the year.

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


30. PORT

© Stan Zajączkowski (http://zajaczkowski.eu)

© Stan Zajączkowski (http://zajaczkowski.eu)

PORT means openess to us. The courage to gaze far into the unknown.Breathing fresh air. A place where different units arrive and depart. Many meanings are contained in the port. Variety and stabilization, technique and elemental strength, freshness, smell and taste of the ocean… Cooperation and individualitthe ocean… Cooperation and individuality. Freedom, joy, sometimes longing.

By saying Christian Norberg-Schulz ‘ ”Port” is, moreover, one of the most recognizable types of space, and in many languages this word is used as synonyms for security and belonging. (…) For people growing up in ports, the boat becomes a significant means of communication, giving them great freedom to choose the roads. Each project is part of our life-time, therefore every time we work hard to achieve something beautiful, important and interesting.

Some of PORT’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped PORT achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects4

29. Toprojekt

© Toprojekt

© Toprojekt

We work within the scope of the budget and the scale of the project. Sometimes we need to use a brick known for millennia, and in other place parametrically designed panels. We are interested in the processes from the emergence of the need, through all stages of the investment, to the operation of the building and the aging of materials. Even if we use the most common and long-proven methods, we always wonder if this is really a good choice, or if it can be done in better way. We still have more questions than answers.

Some of Toprojekt’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Toprojekt achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects17

28. ANALOG

ANALOG is an architecture studio run by Piotr Smierzewski. The projects by Piotr Smierzewski stand out for a strong sense of “place” and deep knowledge of the theory of architecture, what allows to reduce architecture to its very essence.

Some of ANALOG’s most prominent projects include:

  • Factory Full of Life, Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland
  • A1, Koszalin, Poland
  • Music School, Rybnik, Poland
  • LO06, Kolobrzeg, Poland
  • AZ15, Koszalin, Poland

The following statistics helped ANALOG achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

A+Awards Winner1
Total Projects12

27. 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki

© 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki

© 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki

90 Architekci is the sum of our team’s experience. The variety of issues we deal with allows us to take a comprehensive look at the tasks set before us. Design drawings are for us a record of the total vision of the future object, so that meeting the expectations of the investor, which we meet, becomes a new, attractive and unique element of the surrounding space.

Our goal is to create architectural and urban projects, interior designs and industrial design at the highest level, both in terms of aesthetics and functions, as well as economics and management of the entire design process. The experience gained in the projects of public buildings, hotels, office and residential, projects of single-family houses and interior design, allow us to move freely in any design situation.

We provide the creation of complete documentation, cooperating with an experienced team of industry engineers. We are responsible for coordinating all industries and the project budget at all stages of its creation, as well as during copyright supervision on the construction site. Architecture is a field that combines art with technology, everyday life, economics and market laws. Aware of the complexity of all the elements that make up good architecture, we are at your disposal at every stage of design.

Some of 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped 90 Architekci, Piotr Czarnecki achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects3

26. TTAT

© Tomasz Zakrzewski

© Tomasz Zakrzewski

TTAT is an architecture firm based in Katowice, Poland. Its work is mainly centred around residential architecture.

Some of TTAT’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TTAT achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects3

25. ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI

© ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI

© ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI

Architectural office ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI has been operating continuously since 2001. The team of architects specializes in the design of multi-family residential buildings, large-scale commercial buildings, production plants, warehouses, office buildings and industrial buildings. We also design single-family houses.

Some of ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI’s most prominent projects include:

  • DOMO DOM, Kraków, Poland
  • NOWA Nowa Huta, Kraków, Poland
  • GG HOUSE, Krakow, Poland
  • BOXES, Krakow, Poland
  • DoPi House, Kraków, Poland

The following statistics helped ARCHITEKT.LEMANSKI achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects5

24. TEŻ ARCHITEKCI

© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI

© TEŻ ARCHITEKCI

TEŻ ARCHITEKCI is an architectural practice based in Poznań, Poland. Its three partners, Małgorzata Siekanko, Paulina Wielgosz-Konewka and Marta Sękowska-Kulińska, officially opened their office in January 2010.

Some of TEŻ ARCHITEKCI’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TEŻ ARCHITEKCI achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects5

23. RYSY Architekci

© RYSY Architekci

© RYSY Architekci

“Hans Castorp leaned out so that a pair of petals fell on his sleeve; wanted to see them through the eyes of an expert (…) And among those millions of wizarding stars, in their invisible to the human eye, secret, miniature magnificence, there was no one similar to the other; it reigned here
infinite ingenuity in modifying and the subtlest shaping still one and this zamego scheme, equilateral and equiangular hexagon, and each of these cold creations was absolutely proportional and Iodically vulgar, and that was in them amazing, inorganic, hostile to life.”

Some of RYSY Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

  • Transport Hub, Solec Kujawski, Poland
  • The Health Resort Park, Horyniec-Zdrój, Poland
  • Observation Tower, Warsaw, Poland
  • Integrated Nursery School by RYSY Architekci, Góra Kalwaria, Poland
  • Market Town in Żołynia by RYSY Architekci, Górska, Żołynia, Poland

The following statistics helped RYSY Architekci achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects6

22. BudCud

© BudCud

© BudCud

BUDCUD is a contemporary architecture practice led by Mateusz Adamczyk and Agata Wozniczka, it has been operating from Cracow, Poland since 2011. The office is concerned with exploring contemporary conditions through spatial design, furthering architecture’s agency and currency. The name BUDCUD is indicative of our area of expertise and our design strategy.

‘Bud’ is a prefix that was added to many construction company’s names during the period of early Polish capitalism. While ‘bud’ is derived from the Polish word meaning ‘to build’, ‘cud’ on the other hand, means miracle, a wonder! The combination highlights our desire to imagine architecture as a promise of multi-threaded journeys and interactions, informal activities and unpredicted events.

Some of BudCud’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BudCud achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects9

21. KMA Kabarowski Misiura Architekci

© OMI Media Production

© OMI Media Production

We specialize in projects for single and multi-family houses — modern, functional and adjusted to the needs of future inhabitants. Also, our team designs public buildings, such as office blocks and hotels as well as it prepares adaptation projects of existing buildings to new functions. Regardless of whether we work on a concept of a cosy villa or a green office building our aim is to always create a unique place where original form is harmonically combined with a logical plan and optimal construction solutions.

An area of equal importance in our activity are office and home spaces. Owing to our vast experience gained during cooperation with many investors we can economically and impressively transform the interiors of houses, medium and large companies as well as of public buildings.

Some of KMA Kabarowski Misiura Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped KMA Kabarowski Misiura Architekci achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects3

20. Meteor Architects

© Bogdan Pszonak

© Bogdan Pszonak

Meteor Architects is a team of people who share the commitment, optimism and the same vision of modern architecture. In our opinion, the fundamental value is a dialogue. Establishing positive relations between the building and surrounding , its history, tradition and atmosphere of the place, it is a true determiner of architecture’s quality. The dialogue with the future user, considering of his needs, habits and dreams is a guarantee of a well-served architecture.

Some of Meteor Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Meteor Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects2
Total Projects3

19. MOOMOO Architects

© MOOMOO Architects

© MOOMOO Architects

We are the only one office from Poland we have been awarded as one of 30 best young architects office in the world. All designs in our office are prepared in cooperation with qualified professionals. International experience allows us to develop private, commercial or housing projects in Poland and abroad.

Some of MOOMOO Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped MOOMOO Architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects3

18. Studio GAB

© Studio GAB

© Studio GAB

GAB is an emerging architectural and urban design firm, founded in 2016. Studio led by Katarzyna Osipowicz-Grabowska and Piotr Grabowski is focused on creating space for living, culture, work and leisure. In our projects, we are looking for the most appropriate spatial, material and semantic solutions.

Some of Studio GAB’s most prominent projects include:

  • House in Nowa Gorka, Poland, Nowa Górka, Poland
  • Warsaw Univerity’s Courtyard, Warsaw, Poland
  • House in Konin, Konin, Poland
  • Social housing estate, Wrocław, Poland
  • International Centre of Music, Żelazowa Wola, Poland

The following statistics helped Studio GAB achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects8

17. Atelier Starzak Strebicki

© Mateusz Bieniaszczyk

© Mateusz Bieniaszczyk

Atelier Starzak Strebicki is a practice for architecture, urbanism, research and design, based in Poznań, Poland. The team is led by Jola Starzak and Dawid Strębicki. The studio is working on variety of projects and research tasks in different scales, from furniture design to architectural projects to urban masterplanning and public space design. For three years they have also been realizing a temporary public space project on Wolności Square in Poznań for theater festival Malta.

Some of Atelier Starzak Strebicki’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier Starzak Strebicki achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects20

16. Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik

© Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa - Bartłomiej Drabik

© Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik

Bartłomiej Drabik, a Krakow native and architect and designer of industrial forms, has run his own design studio, Superhelix, since 2015. In addition to creating projects of buildings, interiors and products, he participates in architectural and design competitions, of which he has already won 15 awards.

The scope of Superhelix activities includes mainly architectural and design projects in the full range — from analysis, through concept, construction design, tender to executive and author supervision, graphic and marketing presentations, sales strategies, workshop drawings and three-dimensional models, prototyping and supervision of production. Each of these elements symbolizes a single DNA helix of the project, combined together to form a Superhelix.

The work is always done with great care — personally by Bartłomiejor with the support of a professional and trusted team — for the sake of achieving fulfillment and customer satisfaction.

Some of Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Superhelix Pracownia Projektowa – Bartłomiej Drabik achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects4

15. WIZJA architectural office

© Wojciech Krynski

© Wojciech Krynski

“Wizja” Sp. z o.o. architectural office was founded by Stanisław Deńko and American architect Glenn Lewis in 1993. At the time, Stanisław Deńko had just come back from the US, where he had been invited by Professor Bill Rudd, Dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, to conduct classes on urbanist and architectural designing.

Some of WIZJA architectural office’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped WIZJA architectural office achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects4

14. STOPROCENT Architekci

© STOPROCENT Architekci

© STOPROCENT Architekci

We are a small Warsaw studio. We have gained experience in renowned foreign and Polish architectural offices by working on large facilities. We are also happy to undertake smaller, ambitious topics. We are primarily interested in design. Whatever we do, we are always 100 percent committed!

Some of STOPROCENT Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

  • S House, Warsaw, Poland
  • K-House, Konin, Poland
  • Flamingo House, Zory, Poland
  • House X, Warsaw, Poland
  • House Z, Warsaw, Poland

The following statistics helped STOPROCENT Architekci achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects9

13. BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas

© BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas

© BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas

BXB studio established by Bogusław Barnaś in December 2009 is an interdisciplinary design studio which attempts to creatively challenge issues in the fields of urbanism, architecture, art, design, graphics and publishing. In design work, the studio draws inspiration from Polish history and tradition, re-thinking traditional motifs and adapting them to contemporary design. In recent projects, the studio dwelled on folk notions such as the Zakopane Style or timber sacral architecture.

In creative practice, BXB studio places great emphasis on the relationship between man and nature. This aspiration is reflected in the character of places created – from urban schemes, to built forms and interiors.

Some of BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BXB studio Boguslaw Barnas achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects11

12. wiercinski-studio

© ONI Studio

© ONI Studio

wiercinski-studio is a versatile design studio founded and run by architect Adam Wierciński in Poznań. The studio creates projects of various themes and scales, from buildings to interiors and furniture. The spaces and functions designed by the studio are complemented by individual series of equipment such as furniture, lighting and details that affect the unique and individual character of the place. wiercinski-studio is expressed through unconventional solutions, sculptural and author’s objects, simple construction, natural, sincere and raw materials, and handicrafts of local craftsmen.

Some of wiercinski-studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Yezyce Kuchnia, Poznań, Poland
  • Pavilion Szelag Garden, Poznań, Poland
  • Kontenerart 19, Poznań, Poland
  • Portable Cabin, Poznań, Poland
  • Proznosc Club, Poznań, Poland

The following statistics helped wiercinski-studio achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects7

11. Gornik Architects

© Gornik Architects

© Gornik Architects

Górnik Architects Studio was founded in 2009 by Mateusz and Magdalena Górnik. With the team of experienced architects and engineers they create residential buildings, detached houses, multi-family buildings, office buildings, hotels, urban and industrial architecture. The studio is a part of GF project group- the industrial engineering centre. Cooperating with Polish, Italian, Irish and Scottish design studios, architects gained their professional experience, worked out multiple techniques of designing and innovative attitude to work.

They are one of the first architects in Poland creating contemporary barns. Each of their projects is unique and adapted for specific needs of investors. Architecture for us is the tool for developing imagination and awareness, breaking stereotypes and fears of innovative solutions.

Some of Gornik Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gornik Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects8

10. major architekci

© major architekci

© major architekci

We are an architectural studio founded by Marcin Major in 2004. Since then, our projects have won numerous awards.

Some of major architekci’s most prominent projects include:

  • multigenerational social housing, Wrocław, Poland
  • Sports and Leisure Building at High School No.3, Wrocław, Poland
  • Industrial Hall W-7 Refurbishment, Wrocław, Poland
  • Bar Barbara, Wrocław, Poland
  • Acoustic House, Wrocław County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland

The following statistics helped major architekci achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects6

9. Zarysy

© Zarysy

© Zarysy

We are an interior design studio, a place where creativity is complemented by courage in design. We want to develop awareness and sensitivity to design, we are constantly looking for new inspirations and solutions so that our projects are characteristic, unique and surprising. At the same time, we know that even the most modern interior should remain “home.”

We put our heart and commitment into each project, so that the space we design is cozy and personal, but also one of a kind each time. For this reason, we undertake only a few projects each year, on which all our attention is focused.

Some of Zarysy’s most prominent projects include:

  • Top Of The Lake, Sroda Wielkopolska, Poland
  • Boroteka, Jamborek, Poland
  • KINO, Poznań, Poland
  • XIX Century Prairie, Warsaw, Poland
  • Koko Kanso, Poznań, Poland

The following statistics helped Zarysy achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects5

8. Piotr Hardecki Architekt

© Piotr Bednarski

© Piotr Bednarski

The award-winning architectural studio carries out multidisciplinary projects in urban planning, architecture and landscape design. Piotr Hardecki is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw University of Technology.

Some of Piotr Hardecki Architekt’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Piotr Hardecki Architekt achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects12

7. FAAB

© FAAB

© FAAB

Founded by architects Adam Białobrzeski and Adam Figurski, FAAB creates innovative architecture and urban environments.

Architecture/ prototype architecture development/ landscape and urban environments/ interiors/ engineering and consultancy. As a constantly evolving practice we look for solutions responding to rapidly shifting and advancing modern life with the aspiration to look beyond the present.

Some of FAAB’s most prominent projects include:

  • WAVE 1, Sopot, Poland
  • Foundation for Polish Science Headquarters, Warsaw, Poland
  • PGE GiEk Concern Headquarters, Bełchatów, Poland
  • Blood Center, Raciborz, Poland
  • MOSS Salon, Kraków, Poland

The following statistics helped FAAB achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects6
Total Projects6

6. Roark Studio

© Roark Studio

© Roark Studio

We are an architectural studio interested in neuroarchitecture, weel-being and healthy cities. We work with various scales and functions.

Some of Roark Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Nowe Kolibki, Gdynia, Poland
  • Atrium Oliva, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Creative Cluster, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Kielecka, Gdynia, Poland
  • Chlebova, Gdańsk, Poland

The following statistics helped Roark Studio achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

A+Awards Winner2
Featured Projects4
Total Projects12

5. Neostudio Architekci

© Neostudio Architekci

© Neostudio Architekci

Neostudio was officially established in 2005 as an effect of a long-term cooperation between young and creative Polish architects: Paweł Świerkowski and Bartosz Jarosz.Having previously worked at various award winning architectural offices, Pawel and Bartosz gained practical experience of creating aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective solutions. Supported by the knowledge and experience of other architects and engineers, we offer our clients a full range of architectural, engineer, cost-estimate and analytic service. Neostudio Architects has an expanding network of clients including public and corporate sector clients. We guarantee them the highest quality of serivce.

Some of Neostudio Architekci’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Neostudio Architekci achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects6
Total Projects15

4. xystudio

© xystudio

© xystudio

The xystudio architectural studio was founded in 2004 by Filip Domaszczynski, Marta Nowosielska and Dorota Sibińska. For years, we have devoted ourselves to the passion of designing in various fields. We deal in particular with public facilities. These are nurseries, kindergartens, help houses, representative facilities such as embassies and single-family houses for demanding customers. Years of work have taught us to design that puts the needs of the viewer in the foreground. The experience gained helps to combine architecture with its more fleeting partner: psychology.

We perform projects comprehensively, often enriching them with interior designs tailored to the needs of our unusual clients, solving executive details – such a path guarantees the execution of consistent implementations that we can boast of. We are winners of the Architectural Award of the 2015 Polityka, the Grand Prix of the Polityka Award from 2020, the Life in Architecture competition in 2015-2020, the Grand Prix of the Architectural Award of the President of Warsaw in 2020, the Brick Arard 2021 award, many SARP awards, the Accessibility Leader, the PLGBC Award and the “Must have” award.

Over the past years, we have put into use over several dozen nurseries and kindergartens, which have introduced new design standards for the youngest. For our customers, a brand of certified Locomoco furniture was created, which complement our projects with their design. Work is our way of life. We invite you to cooperate.

Some of xystudio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Suwalki Kindergarten, Suwalki, Poland
  • Yellow Elephant Kindergarten, Ostrów Mazowiecka, Poland
  • The nursery in Wesoła, Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
  • Primart School in Wesoła, Warsaw, Poland
  • Nursery in Adamów, Adamów, Poland

The following statistics helped xystudio achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects7
Total Projects9

3. Robert Konieczny KWK Promes

© Robert Konieczny KWK Promes

© Robert Konieczny KWK Promes

Robert Konieczny is an architect, graduate of Architecture at Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. In 1996 he received the certificate of New Jersey Institute of Technology. A leader and a founder of KWK Promes architecture studio established in 1999. In 2012 he became an independent expert for The Mies van der Rohe Foundation.

Konieczny was six times nominee of the European Award of Mies van der Rohe Foundation (for Aatrial House, OUTrial House, Komoda House, Broken House, Safe House and Auto-Family House). Moreover he is a holder of the prestigious award for the House of the Year 2006, winning with the Aatrial House as the best housing project in a competition organized by World Architecture News. In 2007 the KWK Promes office was listed among 44 best young architects of the world published by ‘Scalae’.

Some of Robert Konieczny KWK Promes’s most prominent projects include:

Top image: Dialogue Centre Przełomy, Szczecin, Poland

The following statistics helped Robert Konieczny KWK Promes achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects13
Total Projects14

2. mode:lina™

© mode:lina™

© mode:lina™

Show us your breakfast and we’ll show you your kitchen. We are the architects focused on your needs. We start every project by researching what it is you need and how you live – and we finish with you being happy with the results of our cooperation even 20 years later.

mode:lina™ – was founded in Poznań in 2009 by Paweł Garus and Jerzy Woźniak. Both architects were part of Liong Lie/123DV architectural studio in Rotterdam.

Some of mode:lina™’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped mode:lina™ achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects13
Total Projects62

1. RS+ Robert Skitek

© RS+ Robert Skitek

© RS+ Robert Skitek

The original RS+ design studio was founded in 2001. The founder and main designer is architect Robert Skitek, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of the Silesian University of Technology (diploma 1999). Architect IARP – authorizations to design in architectural specialization without limitations. Member of the City Architectural and Urban Planning Commission in Tychy and the Council of the City Museum in Tychy.

Our team, which actively participates in the design of the project at every stage. It is created by ambitious and responsible people for whom designing is a passion and great pleasure.

Some of RS+ Robert Skitek’s most prominent projects include:

  • Water Playground, Tychy, Poland
  • XV House, Kraków, Poland
  • M House, Tychy, Poland
  • Footbridges in Jaworek Park in Tychy, Tychy, Poland
  • Two Barns House, Tychy, Poland

The following statistics helped RS+ Robert Skitek achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Poland:

Featured Projects14
Total Projects20

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

7 Public Buildings Redefining the Architectural Identity of Amman, Jordan
CategoriesArchitecture

7 Public Buildings Redefining the Architectural Identity of Amman, Jordan

Architizer’s new image-heavy daily newsletter, The Plug, is easy on the eyes, giving readers a quick jolt of inspiration to supercharge their days. Plug in to the latest design discussions by subscribing. 

Considered one of the fastest-growing cities in the region, the capital of Jordan is striving to find its place in the modern world while holding on to its heritage and culture. The architecture in Jordan has been shaped by these two polarities, developing and transforming in response to the needs of the people and their shift towards a more globalized way of living. In Amman, stone has always been considered the marker of the city’s identity, used widely in construction as one of the country’s natural resources and the most reliable building material in terms of efficiency and performance.

Through this collection, 7 public projects in Amman will be showcased, designed by local and international offices, as examples of projects that are changing the face of architecture in the city through their innovative designs, building technologies and ability to strike a balance between the local and the universal.


Amman Compound

By UPA Italia, Amman, Jordan


Located directly adjacent to the 3rd circle in Amman, at the threshold between the old historical center and the more recently developed areas of the city, this compound was designed to reflect the spirit of the place and its location. Housing a number of floors of serviced apartments on top of a commercial center, spa, gym and underground parking, the mass of the building is divided over a number of layers with free curves that dynamically change shape around the building’s edges. On the plot, an existing historical building was reserved, turned into a restaurant with a commercial area.


Queen Alia International Airport

By Foster + Partners, Amman, Jordan


For anyone visiting Amman for the first time, the experience of arriving at Queen Alia Airpot is one that welcomes passengers with open arms, which might have been a notion that inspired the airport’s layout. Inside the airport, activity seems to seamlessly flow across the terminals’ multiple platforms, which are together covered by a massive concrete shell structure that imitates the traditional design of domes.

Inspired by the vernacular architecture of the region, the designing team utilized a number of passive design strategies that helped regulate the indoor environment, with the use of courtyards, horizontal louvres, vegetation and the openings in the roof that allow sunlight in and help regulate the temperature.


Al Rawda Mosque

By Uraiqat Architects, Amman, Jordan

How can the design of a mosque become more contemporary and reflective of its time? That was the question that guided the local designing team of Al Rawada Mosque in Amman, who worked together to create what they described as the first contemporary mosque in Amman.

After a process of extensive research, the team deduced a number of progressive practices that helped them abstract a mosque’s different components and reinterpret them in new ways that could be seen in the building’s exterior and interior. The team also used computational design to design and construct the modern geometrical patterns on the facade, which complemented the building’s dynamic geometry and unconventional aspirations.


Amman Rotana Hotel

By Architecturestudio, Amman, Jordan

Photo by Aiman AlAkhras

Photo by Antoine Duhamel

The new Rotana Tower could be spotted from almost anywhere in Amman, boldly imposing itself on the city’s skyline, erected as a strong landmark that signals the capital’s transformation towards a new era. Built as part of the new Abdali project at the center of Amman, Rotana Tower and the entirety of the Abdali development impose a new layer to the city’s identity, with its bold use of steel and glass among other elements of the international style.

Consisting of 615 feet (188 meter) tower on top of a platform, Amman Rotana hotel offers a 360 view of the city of Amman, opening a window towards the city’s past through views to its historic center, while opening another towards the city’s globalized future.


Amman Baccalaureate School – IB Diploma Collage

By Tahhan and Bushnaq Architects, Amman, Jordan

Through the design of this school, the designing team proved that less is more. Consisting of simple rectilinear forms, the design of the school depended on the use of strong horizontal and vertical lines that produced the building’s geometry and guided the process of designing the openings.

The buildings’ form was further emphasized by the use of motorized vertical louvres that helped regulate temperature between summer and winter, while also stressing on the rectilinearity of the building. Stone was used in the design of the facades, in a manner that reflected the local identity of the city, nicely contrasted with the shape and color of the tall vertical trees that further integrated the buildings into their setting.


Farah General Hospital

By Tahhan and Bushnaq Architects, Amman, Jordan

The designing team of Farah General Hospital understood the healing powers of nature, and for those reasons, designed a hospital that was in conversation with its environment, utilizing green strategies that maximized patient comfort and care. The design of the building also made use of advanced medical technologies that helped serve the patients, while also allowing the building to enhance its environmental efficiency and performance.

Stone was used as a cladding material for a number of the hospital’s buildings, in a manner that better integrated the hospital with the surrounding context and created a more grounded relationship with the neighbourhood at entry level.


The Commercial Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

By maisam architects & engineers, Amman, Jordan

Within the walls of this complex sits the Visa Center for the Republic of China-Taiwan, the ambassador residence and a public garden. Through an intricate yet dynamic design, the local design office managed to organize the space in a manner that ensured the needed privacy for the embassy and ambassador residence, while also opening up the space for the public to enjoy the garden and access the visa center. The architecture of the buildings also aimed to celebrate the Taiwanese and Jordanian culture, and present a space that merged notions and values of both nations.

Architizer’s new image-heavy daily newsletter, The Plug, is easy on the eyes, giving readers a quick jolt of inspiration to supercharge their days. Plug in to the latest design discussions by subscribing. 

Reference

Transcending Typology: 6 Ways Architects Are Transforming New Spiritual Spaces
CategoriesArchitecture

Transcending Typology: 6 Ways Architects Are Transforming New Spiritual Spaces

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

Religion is steeped in symbolism, and places of worship are, by extension, physical manifestations of these belief systems. Architecture is a powerful vehicle for spirituality. It allows the ethereal, the conceptual, to be made tangible and concrete. Spatial design can give form to the cornerstones of faith, orchestrating vast volumes of veneration and shaping intimate nooks for introspection.

Yet, we’ve moved far beyond traditional, time-honored typologies of religious space. Architects continue to experiment with light, scale and form to create subversive and surprising sacred structures. From awe-inspiring parametric projects to a meditative woodland retreat, discover the ways these wonderous places of worship, recognized at the 11th A+Awards, are forging new pathways to architectural enlightenment.


1. Calling on Curvilinear Forms

Sanctuario De La Salle by CAZA, Biñan, Philippines

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Sanctuario De La Salle by CAZA

Sanctuario De La Salle by CAZAIn a dramatic departure from the historic cruciform plan, this remarkable church in the Philippines is defined by its striking, amorphous form. Shrouded by woodland, the mysterious edifice is veiled by a rhythmic curtain of white slats, eschewing precise angles for flowing, curvilinear lines. The building embraces organic shapes, while its permeable façade establishes a dialogue between the inner world of worship and the external landscape.

At the heart of the church is the drum-shaped congregation hall, framed by a sweeping clerestory window. Above, the tilted ceiling evokes the orbital arc of the planets, reinforcing the connection between the congregation and the wider universe. A series of spherical rooms flank the hall, situated within a larger circulatory area, the small pockets forming a communal space greater than the sum of its parts.


2. Experimenting With Glazing

Church of the Holy Family by ARQBR Arquitectura e Urbanismo, Brasília, Brazil

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Church of the Holy Family by ARQBR Arquitectura e Urbanismo Church of the Holy Family by ARQBR Arquitectura e UrbanismoA casualty of urbanization, the trees that once surrounded this site in Brasília were all but removed to make way for an adjacent expressway. The acreage’s new Catholic church seeks to reawaken the bucolic soul of the land and illuminate the relationship between the spiritual and environmental realms.

The circular nave, peaceful in its monolithic presence, is partially embedded underground, beneath the natural height of the plot. Inside, parallel ribbons of glazing encase the perimeter. Inset into the roof, a ring of skylights illuminates the ripple of wood panels below. A sweeping glass band rises behind the lectern, balancing on the horizon, drawing the external terrain in. This remarkable project recenters and internalizes the landscape, infusing it with religious significance.


3. Memorializing the Past

Saint Sarkis Church by David Hotson_Architect, Carrollton, Texas

Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Saint Sarkis Church by David Hotson_Architect Saint Sarkis Church by David Hotson_ArchitectWhile this astonishing church stands in East Texas, it draws on an ecclesiastical tradition some 8,000 miles away. A homage to the historic Armenian church of Saint Hripsime, it features the same domed form, built some 1,400 years on from its counterpart. The structure’s sculptural interior, carved from glass-fiber reinforced concrete, follows the lead of its ancient inspiration. Lighting fixtures, air-conditioning ducts and other modern interventions have been skilfully concealed, creating an ethereal finish that transcends time.

The very fabric of this grand edifice was conceived as a moving memorial too. The west façade is clad in digitally printed porcelain rainscreen, depicting the traditional Armenian cross and motifs drawn from the country’s vernacular art. Yet, upon closer examination, a secondary layer of meaning unfurls — the design dissolves into 1.5 million infinitesimal pixels, representative of the victims of the Armenian genocide.


4. Honoring the Organic World

Meristem Chapel by MOTIV Architects, Surrey, Canada

Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Pavilions

Meristem Chapel by MOTIV Architects Meristem Chapel by MOTIV ArchitectsThis enchanting chapel in British Columbia was conceived as a peaceful place of reflection and reconnection with the organic landscape, at a distance from the frenetic hubbub of modern life. Its name, Meristem, references a plant tissue found in the roots and shoots of foliage, which instigates the growth of new cells. In the same way, this unassuming space seeks to instill spiritual growth in those who find refuge within its walls.

Nestled in woodland, the structure’s steeply pitched form mirrors the silhouette of the surrounding conifers. The materials used in its construction are deeply rooted in the chapel’s locale — plywood and nail-laminated timber panels were salvaged from deconstructed buildings less than 200 meters from the site. Exposed wood envelops the interior, forming a calming space for contemplation. Twelve skylights are embedded in the ridge of the roof, casting mesmerizing sunbeams across the woodwork.


5. Playing with Perforated Skins

Kol Emeth Center by Field Architecture, Palo Alto, California

Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials
Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Cultural/Institutional Building

Kol Emeth Center by Field Architecture Kol Emeth Center by Field ArchitectureEnvisaged as a progressive beacon, this extraordinary synagogue in California combines centuries-old tradition with modern values, articulated through cutting-edge construction methods. The project negotiated a number of restrictions, including an awkward, triangular plot, a single-story height limit and a tight budget. The result is a versatile place of worship that utilizes humble materials and honors the structure’s environmental context.

The building’s sleek, glazed frame is encircled by a striking perforated skin. A stunning example of parametric design, four tiers of rotating timber slats have been carefully calibrated to maximize the site’s light levels. In the prayer hall, a slatted dropped ceiling falls in organic undulations, allowing light from the glazing above to filter through. Thanks to the synagogue’s porous shroud, its spiritual spaces are punctuated with glimpses of the verdant woodlands and wildflowers.


6. Merging Unexpected Typologies

Madaline Terrace by Dake Wells Architecture, Springfield, Missouri

Special Mention, 11th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Madaline Terrace by Dake Wells Architecture Madaline Terrace by Dake Wells ArchitectureThis innovative project sits at a juncture between contrasting worlds. Bridging Springfield’s energetic commercial district and a quiet neighborhood, the building fuses two surprising typologies: a private law practice and a chapel. Visually compelling, the modernist-inspired structure masterfully balances the needs of its client, a minister and attorney with a proclivity for Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn.

The building reads as a tale of two functions, belied by a unifying architectural thread. A low pavilion houses the law office, accentuated by protruding fins that offer shade from the Missouri sun. Meanwhile, the chapel is expressed as a white cubic volume floating above the brickwork. Inside, the mass has been carved into a majestic, vaulted space. The sequestered glazing in the roof becomes a series of picture frames, capturing snapshots of the tree canopy while obscuring the hustle and bustle of the thoroughfare below.

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

Reference