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Bend, Curl, Twist and Turn: 7 Steel Structures Establishing New Frontiers for Building Envelopes

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Steel is a rather overlooked material when it comes to building facades. Most commonly used for structural purposes, its function is often limited to framing systems and building foundations. What happens when we bring steel to the forefront of a building’s design? Can these shifts tease out the material’s ‘hidden’ properties? These projects reveal different approaches to manipulating steel as an intricate façade element, revelling in its flexibility as a malleable cladding material. In these projects, steel takes the form of fins, perforated meshes, orthogonal steel patios and even metallic spider legs.

Barceloneta

By MiAS Arquitectes, Barcelona, Spain

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The Barceloneta Market project celebrates the local character and unique qualities of the Barceloneta neighborhood, currently one of the most popular destinations within Barcelona. Inspired by the work of Spanish artist César Manrique’s fantastic fish, MiAS Arquitects designed a series of steel beams that closely resembled fragments of fish bones. These were later attached on the existing market steel façade, creating a floating roof that playfully curls and uncurls over the market square.

The malleability of steel-constructed “fish bones” allowed MiAS Arquitects to capture the liveliness and enthusiasm of César Manrique’s art as well as the social ambiance of a coastal, local food market and expanding it towards the rest of the city.

The Spider’s Thread

By Hideo Horikawa Architect & Associates, Waco, Saitama

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Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

By Gehry Partners, Las Vegas, NV, United States

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When thinking of “dancing steel façades” a specific architect comes to mind: Frank Gehry. The Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health is a research facility in Las Vegas that aims at curing Alzheimer’s disease. Gehry’s intent was to design a building that served both as a statement to the facility’s ambition as well as a distinctive place for both researchers and patients to inhabit. A steel trellis skin wraps around two distinctive building blocks. In addition, by echoing the Las Vegas architectural typology, this flexible, freestanding structure creates a grand cathedral-like event space. This “dancing assembly” becomes a smart marketing gesture, whose aim is to bring the desirable attention to the foundation.

Augmented Structures

By Alper Derinboğaz, Salon, İstanbul, Turkey

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Argul Weave

By BINAA I Building INnovation Arts Architecture, Bursa, Turkey

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The Argul Weave building literally “threaded” its program on its façade. This new textiles hub is located in Bursa, home to Turkey’s historic textile industry. Meanwhile, inspired by the district’s manufacturing traditions, BINAA wrapped the building’s façade with interweaving, giant, white looms. Using digital fabrication tools, mathematical equations and detailed construction practices, a team of designers, architects and researchers developed a flexible steel structure that effectively generated “thread geometries” that enveloped the building. Through original steel fabrication practices the Argul Weave project materialised a symbolic façade that instigated the regeneration of Bursa’s industrial urban fabric.

P.E.M Vitré

By Tetrarc Architectes, Vitré, France

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Apart from shaping organic forms, steel can also be used to design intricate cladding patterns. P.E.M Vitré is a mixed-use planning and landscape project located in Vitré Station, France. It consists of an intricately designed footbridge and a much plainer underground car park. Still, Tetrarc Architectes designed the car park’s facade with a twist. Perforated steel cladding dresses its exterior elevation with an intricate pattern. Evidently, what could easily have been a blunt parking lot facade is now transformed into a playful pattern that interacts with the passing cars and pedestrians. The perforated pattern copies the footbridge’s linear form and creates a semitransparent visual threshold into the city.

Valby Machinery Halls – Assembly Hall

By C.F. Møller Architects, Copenhagen, Denmark

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This last project successfully uses steel both as a structural as well as a cladding material. Valby Machinery Hall is an old industrial, listed building that has transformed into Multi-Housing units and commercial spaces. Red-lead steel grating structure is the protagonist of the building’s façade. Consequently, C.F. Møller Architects followed this characteristic industrial motif through to the new building additions. The same rhythmic cadence clads the new residential halls, while serving as a structure for external balconies. This hybrid use of steel reveals the dual properties of the overlooked material and showcases new approaches to more sustainable and waste-less material practices.

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Reference

Architecture

20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru

By Zarkon Group,14/04/2023

Located on the western coast of South America, Peru is home to an incredible geography composed of vast mountainscapes, coastlines, rainforests and desert lands. From the Amazon rainforest to the Andes mountains, Peruvian civilizations have been shaped by the country’s unique geography, breeding an architectural language closely connected to nature. The incredible breadth of Peruvian architecture is hard to summarize in one sitting. From its pronounced archeology, diverse history, lively cities and rich landscapes, Peru is brimming with seemingly endless places to explore.

One can summarize the nation’s architecture through three lenses, which all remain visible today: pre-Columbian, colonial and contemporary. For example, the masterly craft of Inca stonemasons is seen in the numerous archeological sites across the country, like Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo. The Spanish colonial period is still reflected in the Baroque and Renaissance structures in cities like Lima. This well-preserved architectural landscape creates an interesting canvas for modern-day designers. Indeed, contemporary Peruvian design often fuses modern building ideologies with vernacular tradition, creating spatial expressions that are environmentally attuned and culturally significant.

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 Peru 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 Peru architecture firms throughout the year.

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

20. ROMO Arquitectos

We are a design, architecture and construction studio. We take each order as unique. We work constantly reinventing our processes and adapting them in search of the best result. We do not believe in a standard for design and we seek to make it accessible to everyone. The firm was co-founded by Jose Luis Monteverde and Lorena Rotalde.

Some of ROMO Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ROMO Arquitectos achieve 20th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

19. BENAVIDES & WATMOUGH arquitectos

Benavides + Watmough arquitectos was founded in Lima, Peru in 1993, as an office for research, design and architectural projects. Their work spans a wide range of scales and programs: from a small beach house, to a medium-scale multi-family building, to a new university campus. In their work there is a continuous exploration regarding the management of space and light, with the well-being of the occupants being a constant concern.

As far as possible, their projects seek to “create the city” by incorporating the urban space into its dynamics, while in the case of working in the landscape, respect for it and proper implementation on the ground is essential. The work of Benavides + Watmough has been published in various national and international magazines.

Some of BENAVIDES & WATMOUGH arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BENAVIDES & WATMOUGH arquitectos achieve 19th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	2

18. DA-LAB ARQUITECTOS

Da Lab is a multidisciplinary team of architects, artists and designers with more than 10 years of experience in residential, commercial and office projects. It was founded in 2014 but the idea had already been born long before. Rodrigo Velasco and Javier Saavedra, partners and founders of the studio, both graduates of the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (UPC), met in 1997 at the Santa María Marianistas school and since then they dreamed of what Da Lab is today. In 2022, we expanded our horizons by opening a new office in Miami, USA.

Some of DA-LAB ARQUITECTOS’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped DA-LAB ARQUITECTOS achieve 18th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	2

17. Atelier Lima

ATELIER LIMA is made up of a team of professionals with the intention of contributing to the relevant aspects of the discipline, such as creativity, customer satisfaction, commitment to the environment, and knowledge generation through research and research. experimentation. Architecture is an experience in which people relate to their environment, their way of life, their thoughts and desires, for this reason we believe that the application of factors such as professional dedication, theory, technology and technology is necessary. economic strategy to innovate and create added value.

Some of Atelier Lima’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier Lima achieve 17th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	4

16. Barclay and Crousse Architecture

Barclay & Crousse was founded in 1994 in Paris, France. Since 2006 the studio is based in Lima, maintaining their activity in France with Guilhem Roustan and Jean Marc Viste, partners of the new Parisian studio Atelier Nord-Sud.

Their work manage a wide range of programs, in France and Peru, and focuses both on the relationship to landscape and human wellbeing through pertinence in use, space and light. The aim of their buildings is to improve the natural and built environment with a rational and sustainable approach, in which the human being is a central issue.

Some of Barclay and Crousse Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Barclay and Crousse Architecture achieve 16th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	4

15. Cheng Franco Arquitectos

CFA is an architectural studio interested in the production of designs and studies in the fields of architecture and urbanism including interior and furniture design. Its team has 10 years of professional experience in the UK and has collaborated in projects around Europe, Asia, America and the Middle East.

Cheng Franco Architects was founded in 2012 in Lima, Peru by Jorge Cheng and Lorena Franco after having completed their 2 years postgraduate studies in Europe (Architectural Association / Berlage Institute) and after working during 8 years at renowned architectural practices in London such as Michael Aukett Architects and Foster + Partners.

Some of Cheng Franco Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Cheng Franco Arquitectos achieve 15th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	1

14. Reusche Reyna Atelier

We are an architecture studio specialized in housing, with more than 100 multi-family projects and 600,000 m2 of design. Our professional practice proposes creative and unique solutions to architectural problems, promoting both the commercial success of the project and its functionality, economy and aesthetics, respecting the city and its surroundings, to contribute to a better coexistence among society.

Some of Reusche Reyna Atelier’s most prominent projects include:

AVA 159 Building, Lima, Peru
General Iglesias Building, 505, Calle General Iglesias, Lima, Peru
Leonidas Avendaño Building, 181, Leonidas Avendano, Miraflores, Peru
Casimiro Ulloa Residential Building
Chamberí Building, Chamberi, Miraflores, Peru

The following statistics helped Reusche Reyna Atelier achieve 14th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

A+Awards Winner	1
Total Projects	15

13. LLOSA CORTEGANA ARQUITECTOS

Founded by architects Patricia Llosa and Rodolfo Cortegana since 2005, the studio investigates in relation to the individual/citizen as the central axis of architecture and how it relates to the environment from their circumstances. Placing architecture in a circumstantial state is to open possibilities for knowledge from uncertainty, a place where trial and error is used to think the discipline.

Each project is a possibility to build the reality of people from the subjectivity of human beings, territorial and climatic conditions, history, cultural manifestations and the discipline itself. The studio is a space for academic and professional reflection, closely related to the teaching of architecture.

Some of LLOSA CORTEGANA ARQUITECTOS’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped LLOSA CORTEGANA ARQUITECTOS achieve 13th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	2

12. Jaime Ortiz de Zevallos

Jaime Ortiz de Zevallos is an architect based in Lima, Peru. The office specializes in residential design.

Some of Jaime Ortiz de Zevallos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Jaime Ortiz de Zevallos achieve 12th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	4

11. POGGIONE + BIONDI ARQUITECTOS

In 1999, René Poggione and Susel Biondi founded POGGIONE+BIONDI ARCHITECTS and since then they have been developing architectural, urban, landscape, commercial and institutional of various scales, both for public and private clients, highlighting the projects of housing, hotels, health and industry.

P+B is a personalized architecture workshop, which attends all its clients directly and very closely, offering them the work and the results they need. P+B designs aspire to beauty, ecological and economic efficiency, and environmental, social and cultural sustainability. POGGIONE+BIONDI wants its projects to be good for the people, good for the city, good for the planet.

Some of POGGIONE + BIONDI ARQUITECTOS’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped POGGIONE + BIONDI ARQUITECTOS achieve 11th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	4

10. Artadi Arquitectos

Architect Javier Artadi Is Professor of architectural design at the Faculty of Architecture at UPC (Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas), in Lima, Perú. His work is internationally recognized for its conceptual load, its abstract geometry and its strong relationship with the landscape of the desert coast of the Peru. He is regularly published in books and magazines of architecture across five continents and has presented his work at universities and architectural meets in North & South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In 2012 Spanish Publishing house Loft Publications published his monograph on his work on the Peruvian coastal region which was presented at the Prague Festival of architecture. That same year he won the Grand Prix Casalgrande International in Milan, Italy, and the double gold medal in the Grand Prize VI Design Biennale South America. Javier represented Peru at the Venice Biennial of Architecture in 2012 and was later awarded the Orden del Sol from the Colegio de Arquitectos del Perú for his international recognition. Recently he was also awarded the great Padis de Cristal, created to honor contributions in outstanding design in Peru.

Some of Artadi Arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Artadi Arquitectos achieve 10th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	4

9. NIKOLAS BRICEÑO arquitecto

Founded by Nikolas Briceno, this Miraflores-based firm specializes in architecture and landscape architecture. The studio embraces exploration as part of the design process to create sustainable projects that react sensitively to nature.

Some of NIKOLAS BRICEÑO arquitecto’s most prominent projects include:

Surrounded House, Lima, Peru
Viewpoint House, Lima, Peru
Bora Bora House, Asia District, Peru
Cockfighting Arena Garden, Lima, Peru
Porticos, Lima, Peru

The following statistics helped NIKOLAS BRICEÑO arquitecto achieve 9th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	6

8. Nómena

Nómena is an architecture studio based in Lima, Peru since 2007. Our outlook is always guided by design, with a focus on housing and urban articulation, and with careful attention to all scales of the service that we provide are the main elements of the Nómena method. We build meaning from architecture. All our projects propose a dialogue with the city and with the people who inhabit it, responding analytically and sensitively to the commissions we receive.

We design spaces thinking about their current use, but that are also capable of adapting to the changes of contemporary life. We like to think that our buildings get better over time, always trying to contribute positively to their context and the environment. We want to build the fabric of cities, piece by piece, without giving up the idea of creating unique works. More than thirty national and international awards and over sixty built works are the best proof of our consistency over fifteen years of work.

Some of Nómena’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Nómena achieve 8th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	4

7. Semillas

Semillas is a non-profit association with operations base in Lima, Pangoa (Junín region) and San Ignacio (Cajamarca region), founded in 2014 by Marta Maccaglia, after the experience of architecture and cooperation projects, since 2011. We are an interdisciplinary team of national and international professionals of architects, specialists in cooperation projects, builders and craftsmen. Young professionals join our team through internship programs.

Some of Semillas’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Semillas achieve 7th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	4

6. Juan Carlos Doblado

Doblado Arquitectos was founded in 1990 by Juan Carlos Doblado, an architect from Ricardo Palma University, with a Master’s degree from the National University of Engineering. Doblado Arquitectos’ work has been published in specialized publications in America, Europe and Asia.

Some of Juan Carlos Doblado ‘s most prominent projects include:

House in La Planicie, Alam.Jose Leon Barandiaran, La Molina, Lima, Peru
La Jolla Beach House I, Asia District, Peru
Vertical House, Lima, Peru
La Jolla Beach House II, Peru
La Isla Beach House, Asia District, Peru

The following statistics helped Juan Carlos Doblado achieve 6th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	9

5. Marina Vella Arquitecta

A pluridiciplinary architecture studio founded in Lima in 2011 by architect Marina Vella, after an academic process and professional experience in Peru and Switzerland. The studio understands the project as a question with infinite possible answers but only one particular answer that gives form and meaning, for which it develops a process of analysis of three factors: the characteristics of the place, the programmatic requirements and the genius loci of the place, what is not seen but perceived.

The link of these three factors is aligned with the studio’s fundamental design ideas (mantras): respecting and integrating the built elements into the context, minimizing the built area to maximize the exterior spaces, generating connections between users, passage and architecture, achieving a contemporary architecture that uses local techniques and resources, and creating a habitat in harmony with nature.

Some of Marina Vella Arquitecta’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Marina Vella Arquitecta achieve 5th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	5

4. Gonzalez Moix Arquitectura

Oscar Gonzalez Moix founded Gonzalez Moix Arquitectura in 1998 in Buenos Aires before moving his firm to Lima, Peru in 2022. The firm’s philosophy is creating habitable spaces through open minded thinking, adopting the realities of different perspectives and understanding people and their diverse cultures.

Some of Gonzalez Moix Arquitectura’s most prominent projects include:

La Planicie House II, Lima, Peru
Cachalotes House, Lima, Peru
Pescados Capitales Restaurant, Lima, Peru
Plaza Cultural Norte, La Molina, Peru
ZENTRO, Lima, Peru

The following statistics helped Gonzalez Moix Arquitectura achieve 4th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	6

3. riofrio arquitectos

Founded by Peruvian architect Roberto Riofrio Navarro, riofrio arquitetos is a boutique practice based in Lima with a specialization in residential and furniture design.

Some of riofrio arquitectos’s most prominent projects include:

House Casa Paracas, Paracas, Peru
House Playa El Golf H4, Asia District, Peru
House Playa Las Palmeras, Panamericana Sur, Peru
Casa LB3 Piura, Piura, Peru
Bogavante House, Paracas, Peru

The following statistics helped riofrio arquitectos achieve 3rd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	10

2. Longhi Architects

Founded in 1996, Longhi Architects is an interdisciplinary practice involved in rigorous design and research that yields innovative solutions. With founder Luis Longhi serving as principal and design director, the firm consists of a small group who remain committed to the practice of architecture as a collaborative enterprise. The firm specializes in the artistic side of the profession having design and executed world recognized theater stages and public installations.

Some of Longhi Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Longhi Architects achieve 2nd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	9

1. Martin Dulanto Arquitecto

Founded by Martin Dulanto Sangalli in 2012, Martin Dulanto Arquitecto is a Lima-based firm which specializes in residential architecture. The studio’s presence is recognized throughout Latin America.

Some of Martin Dulanto Arquitecto’s most prominent projects include:

Casa P12, Lima, Peru
Casa Seta, Asia District, Peru
Casa Blanca, Lima, Peru
Casa Maple, Lima, Peru
Casa Topo, Cieneguilla, Peru

The following statistics helped Martin Dulanto Arquitecto achieve 1st place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in Peru:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	14

Top image: Casa Lava by Martin Dulanto Arquitecto, Lima, Peru

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

Sustainable News

Harvesting the Skies: 6 Modern Architectural Designs that Revitalize Rainwater Management

By Zarkon Group,12/04/2023

Judging for the 11th A+Awards is now underway! While awaiting the Winners, prepare for the upcoming Architizer Vision Awards, honoring the best architectural photography, film, visualizations, drawings, models and the talented creators behind them. Learn more and register >

The history of rainwater harvesting stretches back millennia, with evidence of its practice in ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome. A testament to human ingenuity, these early societies recognized the importance of capturing and storing rainwater to ensure a stable water supply, especially in arid regions. As cities grew and centralized water systems developed, rainwater harvesting took a back seat, only to be revived in the face of modern challenges.

Today, as the world grapples with the impacts of climate change and increasing water scarcity, architects and engineers are revisiting the potential of rainwater harvesting in contemporary design. This sustainable water management solution serves to conserve resources and alleviate the burden on overtaxed municipal systems, reduce energy consumption and mitigate flood risks.

Advancements in technology and materials have paved the way for innovative rainwater harvesting systems, ranging from simple rooftop catchment setups to complex, large-scale integrated systems. Green rooftops, permeable pavements and landscape design elements such as bioswales and rain gardens are increasingly employed in urban environments to maximize rainwater capture and infiltration. While the rise of green building certifications like LEED and BREEAM, architects are incentivized to incorporate rainwater harvesting into their designs, further propelling its adoption.

The Independent

By Rhode Partners, Austin, TX, United States

The Independent by Rhode Partners, Austin, TX, United States Photograph by Nick Simonite

The Independent by Rhode Partners, Austin, TX, United States. Photograph by Patrick Wong

The Independent is an architectural marvel by Rhode Partners. The eco-conscious building reigns supreme in Austin’s Seaholm District as the city’s tallest LEED Gold Certified tower. This 688-foot skyscraper playfully teases gravity with its cantilevered blocks and a levitating infinity pool, while its floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer stunning city panoramas. A vertical neighborhood of 363 units, The Independent boasts 12 competitive, luxury condo amenity spaces across two floors spanning 20,000 square feet that cater to the high expectations of the tower’s residents.

At the same time, the architects endeavored to meet high levels of sustainability. Tucked within its stainless-steel mesh crown, a colossal liquid damper tank ensures stability against high-altitude winds while the pièce de résistance, a cutting-edge rainwater harvesting system and a 75-kilowatt solar power system, make this eco-friendly titan an iconic fixture in Austin’s skyline.

Fort 137

By Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd., Las Vegas, NV, United States

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential > Residential Interiors (>3000 sq ft)

Fort 137 by Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd., Las Vegas, NV, United States. Photographs by Stetson Ybarra

Nestled in the pristine Las Vegas Valley, this eco-conscious residence serves as a base camp for a family of nature-loving scientists. Drawing inspiration from historic fort structures, the house boasts a compact, clustered design, with each volume meticulously placed to optimize views and combat desert climate challenges.

Embracing the landscape, panoramic glass doors extend living spaces, enabling cross-ventilation and daylighting. Louvered roof overhangs provide summer shade and allow winter light penetration. A curated palette of native materials, such as weathered steel, hot rolled steel, reconstituted oak and limestone, ensures the residence ages gracefully alongside its environment.

Crucially, a state-of-the-art rainwater harvesting system elevates the home’s sustainability, conserving precious resources in the parched region. This architectural gem reduces its carbon footprint and exemplifies harmonious coexistence with nature by employing sustainable strategies like passive cooling, daylighting, thermal mass, and photovoltaic panels.

Rain Harvest Home

By Robert Hutchison Architecture, JSa Arquitectura, Temascaltepec de González, Mexico

Rain Harvest Home by Robert Hutchison Architecture, JSa Arquitectura, Temascaltepec de González, Mexico. Photo Credit Robert Hutchison

Rain Harvest Home by Robert Hutchison Architecture, JSa Arquitectura, Temascaltepec de González, Mexico. Photograph by Jaime Navarro

Rain Harvest Home, a collaborative creation by Robert Hutchison Architecture and JSa Arquitectura, is an experiential abode in the mountains west of Mexico City. Comprising three porous wooden structures, the residence embraces the landscape and embodies a regenerative design that addresses water scarcity in the region. Each building collects rainwater, supplying the home with 100% of its water needs year-round through an on-site reservoir and treatment system.

As part of the visionary 450-acre La Reserva el Peñón development, Rain Harvest Home exceeds the requirement to harvest rainwater for 60% of its water needs. Walking trails between the buildings double as bioswales, while the site also boasts a bio-agriculture garden, emphasizing the family’s commitment to living in harmony with nature.

House in the Countryside

By Herreros Arquitectos, Artà, Spain

House in the Countryside by Herreros Arquitectos, Artà, Spain. Photographs by José Hevia

House in the Countryside, a project by Herreros Arquitectos in Artà, Spain, brilliantly transforms a former shepherd’s refuge into a charming occasional-use residence. The design replicates the original structure symmetrically, preserving its intelligent orientation, ventilation and water collection facilities. The dry-constructed outer wall fosters a dialogue with the local climate through independent systems of openings and shutters.

The interior retains the original compartments, each housing a single primary object defining its function. The inverted roof facilitates natural cross-ventilation that is adjustable to create an ideal climate. Notably, the rainwater harvesting system is preserved and optimized, with the dual-slope roof directing water to the original gutter and cistern, upholding the spirit of the initial construction.

U House, Ericeira

By Jorge Graca Costa, Ericeira, Portugal

U House, Ericeira by Jorge Graca Costa, Ericeira, Portugal. Photographs by Fernando Guerra, FG + SG

U-House, perched atop a hill in Ericeira, Portugal, is a sustainable residence designed by architect Jorge Graca Costa for a professional surfer and his family. Inspired by traditional Mediterranean courtyard houses, the structure protects against the region’s windy climate while offering captivating views of San Lorenzo Bay.

A dense mesh of trees surrounds the 300-square-meter home, and its layout frames the bay view and moderates the courtyard’s climate. A grassy area, decked patio, and non-chlorinated pool heated by solar and biomass energy create a harmonious outdoor space.

Sustainability is integrated seamlessly into the design, combining eco-friendly features without sacrificing aesthetics or functionality. The house is constructed with cork insulation and benefits from passive design for natural heating and cooling. Solar panels are used for floor and water heating, with additional support from biomass heating. The microclimate environment created by the patio and chemical-free pool further contributes to the eco-friendly design.

Rainwater harvesting plays a crucial role in the home’s sustainability; a pre-existing well is used for collecting rainwater for irrigation purposes. With numerous green features, the U-House boasts an A+ energy rating from the National Energy Agency, showcasing the success of blending architecture with prescriptive performance design in a comfortable, livable space.

Tucson Mountain Retreat

By D U S T, Tucson, AZ, United States

Tucson Mountain Retreat by DUST, Tucson AZ, United States. Photographs by Jeff Goldberg

The Tucson Mountain Retreat in the Sonoran Desert is a thoughtfully designed home that minimizes environmental impact while maximizing connections to the mystical landscape. The house is constructed primarily of Rammed Earth, an eco-friendly material with excellent thermal mass properties. The design comprises three distinct zones for living, sleeping, and music recording/home entertainment, which can only be accessed by stepping outside and traversing the desert landscape. This separation ensures acoustic isolation and continuous interaction with the natural surroundings.

A 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system supplies water for all household uses, while solar heat gain is reduced by orienting the house along an east-west axis and minimizing openings on the east and west facades. South-facing patios and deep overhangs provide unobstructed views, passive heating, and cross-ventilation. When the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors are opened, the house and desert merge into one seamless, boundless space.

Reference

Sustainable News

Pushing the Envelope: 6 Innovative Façade Designs in Higher Education Buildings

By Zarkon Group,03/04/2023

A building’s façade is like the skin that does not only allow the building to breathe but also allows it to see and converse with its context and users, responding to many social, environmental and historical factors, such as climate, building identity, program, interior-exterior relationships and user experience, among other considerations. Through this collection, the innovative façade designs of a number of higher education buildings are shown, with more responsibility falling on the façades of this building typology for the way they are expected to show and not only teach students about architectural design and the values of the educational organizations they represent.

Architecture Faculty in Tournai

By Aires Mateus, Tournai, Belgium

Photo by Tim Van de Velde Photography

Photo by Tim Van de Velde Photography

The new Architecture Faculty in Tournai building has its form shaped by the surrounding historical city block, both used and getting used by the adjoining buildings that manage to coexist, despite the difference in their identities and time periods. Designed to connect the existing structures together through a set of vertical and horizontal circulation elements while housing different interior spaces for architectural education, the building evokes the architectural heritage of the city through its use of iconography.

The completely solid main elevation, constructed out of concrete and steel and covered with sanded plaster and grey paint, diverts the attention to the neighboring buildings and allows the new building to comfortably fit into the context, boldly subtracted with a distinctively house shaped three dimensional volume that accentuates the entrance and welcomes users.

Photo by Roberto Ortiz Giacoman and Jorge Taboada

Photo by Roberto Ortiz Giacoman and Jorge Taboada

The façade of this majestic concrete building is three-dimensional, changing directions between the vertical and horizontal planes and artfully mastering the relationship between the building’s interior and exterior while blurring the lines between both, framing the ‘Sierra Madre’ mountain range and opening up the building to the sky and the surrounding landscapes.

The three-dimensional volume that is called “The Shell” almost looks like a solid shape from a distance, especially for the way it spans a distance as long as 80 meters and the way its concrete panels seamlessly align across the building’s several sides and faces. The design of “The Shell” would have not been possible without its innovate structural design, utilizing a principle called composite action where concrete works alongside the structural steel to carry the weight of the building and its materials.

Masdar Institute

By Foster + Partners, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The façade design of the residential buildings at the Masdar Institute offers a modern interpretation of Al Mashrabiya, which is a traditional Islamic architecture element where turned wood is used to produce latticed patterns adorning oriel windows facing that face the streets, for shading and privacy. For materials, the façades are constructed out of sustainably developed glass-reinforced concrete and colored with local desert sand to integrate the building with the context, with the buildings being completely powered by solar energy. Through an alternation of the façade elements between recession and protrusion and proper building orientation, the building is not only self-shading but is also sheltering of the neighboring buildings and the pedestrians at street level.

Scottsdale Community College Business School And Indigenous Cultural Center

By Architekton,Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Built on the land of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community (SRP-MIC) in Arizona, the building rose from the ground holding traces of the native saguaro cactus, in a notion that celebrates the indigenous community’s connection to their land. Technically speaking, the façade design utilized imbedding saguaro ribs into concrete tilt panels, organized into the formwork during construction and protected against concrete by pouring sand into the ribs.

After the panels were cast, the architectural team and the contractor determined the final appearance of the building by deciding which saguaro to burn, remove or conceal. The design of the façade allowed the building, which also houses the Business School, to visually converse and connect with the context and the adjacent east Red Mountain, while also teaching visitors about the native history of the community who views the saguaro as a symbol of life.

Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design

By Patrick Schweitzer et Associés Architectes, Kigali, Rwanda

For design of the new Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design in Kigali, the architectural team drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape and topography, reflected on the thirteen distinctively shaped prism volumes that house the classrooms and design studios. The façade design further emphasized the distinctiveness of the prism shapes, alternating in materials between the local lava rocks and rammed earth on the exterior side of the prisms and a striking orange color on the interior sides.

The use of the former represents Earth and the later represents Fire, as part of the four natural elements that guided the design conception, alongside Water represented in the inner gardens and Air in the building’s circulation. The design of the openings on the building’s exterior aimed to maximize the use of natural sunlight to reduce running costs and create more pleasant interiors, with the project serving as a pedagogic tool that shows and not only tells students how to design.

Coil School for the Arts, Riverside Community College

By LPA, Riverside, CA, United States

The music that plays inside the new Coil School for the Arts could be seen reflected on the façade design of the main elevation, constructed out of phenolic wood panels that evoke the craftsmanship of wooden music instruments, with a pattern that is inspired by the sheet music notations. In response to the desert climate of the area and the building program’s acoustical requirements, heavy concrete grouted masonry was used as the main construction material of the LEED Silver certified building, with openings kept minimum on the building’s exterior and the building mass pushed back at street level to create a sheltered outdoor lobby where visitors can gather. On the southeast façade, an intimate courtyard is designed for students for gatherings and informal concerts, shaded with a trellised structure that filters out the noise from the street and the harshness of the sun.

Reference

Architecture

25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland

By Zarkon Group,17/03/2023

Ireland’s architecture is a rich tapestry of vernacular craft, foreign architecture and, most importantly, good ol’ grit. Like any nation, Ireland’s complex history is easily contextualized through its urban makeup. Take Dublin and Cork, for example. Both cities contain a wealth of Georgian and Victorian structures that directly speak to the republic’s past ties to Britain. All it takes is a quick tour of the extant churches, libraries and courthouses to understand how significant British and European influences were on the nation, including its architecture.

Foreign influences continued to inform Ireland’s built environment well after the Partition. In the 20th century, Irish designers turned to modernism and other international trends, this time on their own terms. Art Deco, Brutalism and sleek Modern structures began to appear around the country, generating an architectural expression to mirror the republic’s newfound independence. This modernist sensibility carried through the 20th century alongside a revival of the vernacular. Ireland’s traditional architecture — specifically the thatched cottage — was again made popular by tourists seeking a quintessential ‘Irish experience.’

Today’s designers continuously engage with discourse surrounding nationalism. What is the quintessential ‘Irish experience’, and how does it inform today’s architecture? With a built environment rooted in pluralism, Irish architects have an incredible opportunity to recreate and rectify an architectural language that best represents today’s Irish folk.

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 Ireland based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

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 Ireland architecture firms throughout the year.

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

25. Donaghy & Dimond Architects

Based in Dublin, Donaghy + Dimond Architects was established in 2001 by Marcus Donaghy and Will Dimond, two architects with extensive experience of working on urban and rural design projects in Ireland and abroad. The practice has developed a reputation for high-quality, innovative and sustainable design, and has been selected for numerous national and international awards for completed projects. Their work has been published and exhibited in Ireland, Europe and the USA.

Some of Donaghy & Dimond Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Donaghy & Dimond Architects achieve 25th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

24. NOJI

NOJI is an architecture and design studio dedicated to exploring the possibilities of design from our base in the rugged Northwest coast of Ireland. We are based in Sligo. Our projects range from small scale private homes to retail, commercial and innovative large-scale public space projects. Curious about the crossroads of tradition and culture, sustainability and context, NOJI is committed to design architecture that responds to individual context and need.

With a nod to the backdrop of living and working along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, our work is often considered playful and innovative. Environmentally conscious and sustainable design is a key theme through all design work produced by NOJI. Each project presents opportunities for the studio to investigate and explore issues that have an impact on the environment we inhabit everyday.

Some of NOJI’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped NOJI achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

23. TAKA architects

TAKA is an architectural practice based in Dublin, Ireland. Our practice is focused on creating buildings, places and moments which have a distinct character. Our approach involves a careful and economic approach to materials and construction and a first-principles approach to sustainability.

We collaborate closely with clients, professional consultants, and expert makers to ensure the ambitions of projects are met and exceeded. A continuing level of excellence in the built work of the practice is recognized by multiple national and international awards and worldwide publication.

Some of TAKA architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TAKA architects achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

22. Box Architecture

The flush detailing of the glazed screens – © Box Architecture

Box Architecture was created in 1997. Since conception, the company has been established as a leading design practice in the nation. Quality has remained the focus of Box throughout and this has been employed to a variety of projects including urban schemes, apartment units, award-winning private commissions, corporate offices, crèches and housing developments.

The success of Box Architecture is achieved through a personal approach to understand client needs. With a hands-on approach, technical expertise, creative execution and a commitment to continued education, the company applies a philosophy of the highest principle in order to contribute to a sustainable future and maintain quality architecture.

Some of Box Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Box Architecture achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	2

21. Carr Cotter Naessens Architects

Cotter & Naessens are an award-winning architecture design studio with a reputation for innovative design, delivered with focus and attention to detail. Our work encompasses diverse briefs, scales and locations. From rural houses to urban masterplans, all our projects are underpinned by a common design philosophy that is enquiring and rigorous.

Some of Carr Cotter Naessens Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Carr Cotter Naessens Architects achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	2

20. PLA Architects (formerly Peter Legge Associates)

PLA Architects is an evolution of the practice Peter Legge Associates, which was founded in 1961 by Peter B Legge, and which for over fifty years of practice, earned an enviable reputation for quality design and service across a wide range of projects, most especially in the hospitality, residential and industrial sectors. Today, the practice extends to architecture, interior, furniture design and landscaping design.

Some of Peter Legge Associates’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Peter Legge Associates achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	2

19. Kingston Lafferty Design

Kingston Lafferty Design are an award-winning, international multi-disciplinary design company run by Roisin Lafferty based in Dublin, Ireland. At KLD we think differently about design. Our designs take people on a journey, delivering fun and unexpected experiences. With a holistic approach, we study the way in which people live and work to create tactile and meaningful design, putting human behavior at the centre of every project.

Some of Kingston Lafferty Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Kingston Lafferty Design achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	3

18. Isabel Barros Architects

isabel barros architects are driven by a passion for creating high quality contemporary architecture. Our goal is to make good design available to the general public while maintaining a strong focus on the energy efficiency and sustainability of our designs.

Some of Isabel Barros Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Isabel Barros Architects achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	4

17. ARCHITECTSTM

ARCHITECTSTM is a design practice founded by Tom Maher. Based in Dublin, Ireland the firm boasts a portfolio of residential, cultural and commercial designs.

Some of ARCHITECTSTM’s most prominent projects include:

K HOUSE, Ranelagh, Ireland
GARDENER’S WORLD (FUTURE), Callan, Ireland
SLATE STOREY EXTENSION, Chapelizod, Dublin, Ireland
COTTAGE, County Kilkenny, Ireland
8BY4, Dublin, Ireland

The following statistics helped ARCHITECTSTM achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	5

16. Paul Dillon Architects

In 1999, architect Paul Dillon established his full-service practice in Galway, which quickly earned a reputation for combining design sensitivity with professional management and delivery. Each year, paul dillon architects complete a small number of challenging everyday projects, ranging from domestic extensions and garden designs to large commercial, retail, industrial and public projects.

This commitment to the process of building, has been recognized with numerous national and international publications and awards. The completed work, both public and private, is receiving growing understanding and appreciation from those who take responsibility for their built environment.

Some of Paul Dillon Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Carnaun Primary School, Athenry, Ireland
Extension to Secondary School, County Galway, Ireland
Kilrickle Primary School, Ireland, Kilreekill, Ireland
Art Room, Secondary School County Galway, Ireland
Art Room, Inis Mór, County Galway, Ireland

The following statistics helped Paul Dillon Architects achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	5

15. Hussey Architects

We are an architectural practice based in Dublin. Our specialities are healthcare, hospitality & masterplanning. Current projects include primary care centers, hotels, housing schemes and business parks. Our practice has a lot of experience in healthcare design.

Some of Hussey Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Hussey Architects achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	7

14. Solearth Architecture

Solearth Architecture specialize in design that is both beautiful and deeply sustainable. For for fifteen years, we have been Ireland’s leading green design firm and now provide architecture, design and consulting services further afield. All projects and client types are of interest to us but our key experience to date lies in hospitality, visitor, environment, wellness and buildings for spirituality as well as housing and private houses. We also have expertise in sustainable masterplanning and urban design. We are Europe’s only Living Building accredited practice.

Some of Solearth Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Airfield Evolution, Dublin, Ireland
Castle Espie, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
The Daintree Building, Dublin, Ireland
Ballybay Wetland Centre, Ballybay, Ireland
Dechen Shying, Cork, Ireland

The following statistics helped Solearth Architecture achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	7

13. A2 Architects

A2 Architects was established by Peter Carroll and Caomhán Murphy in 2005 and is based in Great Strand Street in Dublin. The practice is founded on a shared interest in both the continuing development of architectural practice as well as the unchanging, essential nature of architecture. A constant excitement and spirit in architecture is sought out, be it in a modest house or in the realm of spaces found in a school.

Some of A2 Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped A2 Architects achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	8

12. ODKM Architects & Designers

ODKM are highly experienced award-winning architectural practice, with accolades and publications both in Ireland and abroad. We love design, how it makes us feel, and what it offers us every day, and we are passionate about how important this is in creating new spaces, identities and places that exceed our clients expectations. Ultimately, buildings are about people, and we believe in quality driven design to create environments with a sense of place. Our team each bring unique and diverse skills to the practice, all stemming from a common holistic design philosophy; that design can improve the quality of our lives, and make us happier.

Some of ODKM Architects & Designers’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ODKM Architects & Designers achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	1

11. Architectural Farm

Architectural Farm is a design focused architectural studio based in Dublin. The studio has been led by Shane Cotter and Kathryn Wilson since 2010. To date the practice has worked on a variety of projects specializing in residential and public commissions in both urban and rural settings but also have collaborated on retail, commercial and landscaping projects.

Some of Architectural Farm’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Architectural Farm achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	2

10. GKMP Architect

GKMP Architects is a Dublin-based practice that designs high quality modern architecture. Our recent projects include house design, domestic extensions, public spaces and tourist facilities.

Some of GKMP Architect’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped GKMP Architect achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	2

9. Aughey O’Flaherty Architects

Since the start, in 1999, we have been blessed with great clients. We work closely with them to understand their needs and create buildings to fit those needs. We are passionate about delivering excellence for our clients. As conservation architects, we have Grade II RIAI Conservation Accreditation.

Some of Aughey O’Flaherty Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Aughey O’Flaherty Architects achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	3

8. Coady Architects

Coady Architects is an award winning practice of highly skilled professionals, specializing in healthcare, residential, workplace and education design. We are passionate about understanding our clients’ and end users’ needs. We understand commercial drivers and add value at every opportunity. We enjoy design, we listen and explore, we innovate and challenge to deliver better environments and better buildings.

Some of Coady Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Scholen van Morgen. VIIO, Tongeren, Belgium
Eolas, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
Clinical Education and Research Centre, Limerick, Ireland
Scholen van Morgen. Heilig Hart van Mariainstituut, Berlaar, Belgium
Scholen van Morgen, Virga Jessecollege, Hasselt, Belgium

The following statistics helped Coady Architects achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	5

7. Ambient Architecture

ambient architecture are Dublin-based architects with a dedication to contemporary design. We specialize in domestic projects for private clients. As architects, we focus on delivering the best outcome for our clients, in terms of design, costs and buildability. We believe good design is not just form but can be defined by what makes most sense.

Some of Ambient Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

New house in Malahide, Malahide, Ireland
Rathgar Redbrick, Dublin, Ireland
Loreto Abbey Dalkey Sportshall, Dalkey, Ireland
Blackrock 1, Blackrock, Ireland
Glasnevin, Glasnevin, Ireland

The following statistics helped Ambient Architecture achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	8

6. FKL architects

FKL architects is committed to contemporary design with a focus on the application of abstract ideas to built form. Each project is approached from first principles by responding to the specifics of site and program and formulating a singular concept that informs all aspects of the design. This individual concept is firmly rooted in the pragmatics of the project.

We seek to condense ideas to their essentials, from the building form to the detail of junctions between materials with all decisions re-affirming and complementing the primary concept. The form and language of each project grows out of this approach leading to a diversity in the work, within a framework given by enduring interests; in space, atmosphere, assemblage, pattern, hierarchy, texture and materiality.

Some of FKL architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped FKL architects achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	17

5. Heneghan Peng Architects

heneghan peng architects is a design partnership practicing architecture, landscape and urban design. The practice was founded by Shih-Fu Peng and Róisín Heneghan in New York in 1999 and in 2001 opened an office in Dublin, Ireland.

We take a multi-disciplinary approach to design and have collaborated with many leading designers and engineers on a range of projects including large scale urban masterplans, bridges, landscapes and buildings.

Some of Heneghan Peng Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Heneghan Peng Architects achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	3

4. URBAN AGENCY

Urban Agency is an international office for architecture, urbanism, landscape design and research. With offices in Dublin, Copenhagen and Lyon, Urban Agency’s work embraces the contemporary challenges for architecture, cities and built environment, to which it responds with pragmatic, sensitive, inventive and innovative solutions, creating new possibilities for a better everyday life.

We design robust projects that can absorb complexity and change, while maintaining and building-up on existing qualities. We believe in an architecture that promotes social engagement, creates democratic cities and spaces of social encounter – places which are aesthetically inviting and build a strong identity.

Some of URBAN AGENCY’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped URBAN AGENCY achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	1
Total Projects	17

3. Scullion Architects

SCULLION ARCHITECTS are a Dublin-based Architectural Studio established by Declan Scullion MRIAI, providing architectural services for both the public and private sector. The practice’s work is characterized by a particular attention to user experience supported by an interest in things well-made. Our ambition is to provide a dedicated and professional service delivering exceptional buildings.

Some of Scullion Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Grand Canal Street, Dublin, Ireland
Glass Ribbon, Dublin, Ireland
Blackrock House, Dundalk, Ireland
Churchtown, Dublin, Ireland
The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland

The following statistics helped Scullion Architects achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	5

2. McCullough Mulvin Architects

McCullough Mulvin Architects is an architecture and urban design practice based in Dublin. Much of our work has been in the design of cultural and civic buildings around Ireland, projects working to define a new public realm in a changing society, dealing with Ireland’s diffuse light and stark materiality. The work is based around an idea of experimentation – from small domestic work through to larger civic projects.

Testing at all scales, the work is original and the response to each brief particular. There is no house style, rather a concern for improving the lives of people by designing public and private spaces where life is played out.

Some of McCullough Mulvin Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Medieval Mile Museum, Kilkenny, Ireland
Trinity Long Room Hub, Dublin, Ireland
Z Square House, Dublin, Ireland
Beaufort Maritime Research Building, Cork, Ireland
one up two down , Dublin, Ireland

The following statistics helped McCullough Mulvin Architects achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	6

1. ODOS

The constant questioning of how people work, rest and play in today’s society is the fundamental driving force behind the practice. We strongly believe our clients deserve to be challenged and that buildings need to inspire their occupants. As architects we have a duty to expose such possibilities. We hope to instill a sense of curiosity and excitement, stimulating a response, confronting and challenging traditional conceptions of architecture.

Some of ODOS’s most prominent projects include:

Flynn Mews House, Dublin, Ireland
Dwelling at Maytree, Wicklow, Ireland
3 Mews Houses, Dublin, Ireland
Grangegorman, Dublin 7, Dublin, Ireland
31 Carysfort Road, Dalkey, Ireland

The following statistics helped ODOS achieve 1st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Ireland:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	9

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

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

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

Top image: Medieval Mile Museum by McCullough Mulvin Architects, Kilkenny, Ireland

Reference

Architecture

15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany

By Zarkon Group,09/03/2023

The German architectural landscape is both closely attuned to its European counterparts and characteristically individual. Traversing the nation, one will encounter a similar historic program to other European capitals — Romanesque churches, Renaissance monuments, and more — blended with functionalist and modernist structures.

Early twenty-first-century Germany brought forth the booming Bauhaus. Founded by Walter Gropius, this school introduced brand-new architectural thinking, an ideology rooted in function, clarity and mass production. Materials like concrete and glass were favored, socially progressive housing blocks were built, and a new-found appreciation for modernism was conceived. And the spirit of the great Bauhaus teachers, take Mies van der Rohe, for example, vigorously lives on and inspires contemporary designers today. The Bauhaus also influenced the nation’s interest and appreciation for technology and mass production. Modern industrial architecture took off post-war and has played a prominent role in the nation’s economic growth, continuing to do so today.

The architectural devastation from WWII resulted in mass reconstruction efforts. The post-war restoration and rebuilding embraced a functional attitude, which continued the legacy of the Bauhaus movement despite its closing over a decade prior. And today’s German architecture continues to champion the nation’s modernist brilliance through innovative designs that push technological boundaries and celebrate culture.

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 Germany based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

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 Germany architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 16 best architecture firms in Germany:

15. ingenhoven associates

In 1985, Christoph Ingenhoven founded ingenhoven architects, a practice that is one of the pioneers of sustainable architecture. The firm aims to create architecture that responds to each respective location in a specific way and, at the same time, tries to find architectural answers to urgent questions of the present and near future. Using the term supergreen®, the practice pursues a comprehensive sustainability concept.

Some of ingenhoven associates’s most prominent projects include:

Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany
Freiburg Town Hall, Freiburg, Germany
Kö-Bogen 2, Düsseldorf, Germany
Marina One, Singapore, Singapore
Daniel Swarovski Corporation, Männedorf, Switzerland

The following statistics helped ingenhoven associates achieve 15th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	24

14. HENN

Photo: HG Esch – © HENN

HENN is an international architecture office in Munich, Berlin and Beijing and draws upon more than 70 years of expertise in the fields of work space, culture, health, education and research as well as production and master planning. Our architects, designers, planners and engineers benefit from a wealth of knowledge collected over three generations of building experience in addition to a worldwide network of partners and experts in a variety of disciplines. This continuity, coupled with progressive design approaches and methods and interdisciplinary research projects, forms the basis for a continual examination of current issues and for a consistent design philosophy.

Some of HENN’s most prominent projects include:

Porsche Pavilion, Wolfsburg, Germany
Zalando Headquarters Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Bugatti Studio, Molsheim, France
MobileLife Campus, Wolfsburg, Germany
Taikang Life Headquarters, Beijing, China

The following statistics helped HENN achieve 14th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	22

13. 4a Architekten GmbH

Shaping atmosphere, lending identity, creating quality of space: these are the values that characterize the buildings of 4a Architekten. The starting point and guiding principle of our work is the concept of architecture as living space. Our buildings come into being through intensive team work shaped by interdisciplinary thinking and action.

What characterizes a location in terms of its culture and history? What are the client’s expectations and objectives? What is viable within the budget and what are the benefits for users? These questions and this approach bring us to solutions with an individual character — and they apply just as much to the planning of buildings as to the design of interior spaces.

Some of 4a Architekten GmbH’s most prominent projects include:

Therme Lindau on Lake Constance, Lindau, Germany
Balingen Civic Hall, Balingen, Germany
Emser Thermal Baths, Bad Ems, Germany
Spreewald Spa Hotel, Burg-Dorf, Burg, Germany
Stegermatt Aquatic Centre, Offenburg, Germany

The following statistics helped 4a Architekten GmbH achieve 13th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	15

12. GRAFT

What is graft? GRAFT is a full service design firm located in Los Angeles, Berlin, and Beijing. Our collective professional experience encompasses a wide array of design types including Hospitality Design, Fine Arts, Educational, Institutional, Commercial and Residential facilities.

With a staff of talented professionals and administrators, GRAFT has the resources and technology necessary to execute a project from programming to design and the supervision of the finished product. GRAFT has rigorously undertaken an increasing role in programming, master-planning and urban design. Additionally, our firm maintains successful relationships, as needed, with associate architectural and engineering firms and specialty consultants.

Some of GRAFT’s most prominent projects include:

Ice Stadion “Arena Schierke”, Wernigerode, Germany
Show Palace Munich, Munich, Germany
Autostadt Roof and Service Pavilion, Wolfsburg, Germany
Villa M , Berlin, Germany
Feuerstein Arena, Schierke, Wernigerode, Germany

The following statistics helped GRAFT achieve 12th place in the 16 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	17

11. wulf architekten

wulf architekten emerged from the architecture practice established 1987 in Stuttgart by Tobias Wulf. Currently, the company has about 140 employees, nine of them being senior architects. With three office locations — Stuttgart, Berlin and Basel (CH) — wulf architekten works on a series of regional and international projects.

Some of wulf architekten’s most prominent projects include:

Parking Garage Facade P22a at the Cologne Exhibition Centre, Cologne, Germany
Four primary schools in modular design, Munich, Germany
School Center North, 153, Heilbronner Straße, Nord, Stuttgart, Germany
Chamber of Industry and Commerce, headquarters, Stuttgart, Germany
Protestant Primary School, Karlsruhe, Germany

The following statistics helped wulf architekten achieve 11th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	12

10. kadawittfeldarchitektur

We are kadawittfeldarchitektur. Originally founded in Aachen in 1999, we today stand for more than just architectural design. The interdisciplinary approach of our work, linking architecture, interior and product design on the one hand and at the interface of town planning and urban projects on the other hand, reflects the full range of our creative output.

kadawittfeldarchitektur develops added value space. In a team of more than 170 persons, we create architecture with added value space for living, communication and work environments. In the way we deal with volumes, materials, structures and functions, we strive to integrate our schemes into their surroundings with the objective of creating contemporary and sustainable architecture and meeting the needs of both the users and the general public.

Some of kadawittfeldarchitektur’s most prominent projects include:

CELTIC MUSEUM, Glauburg, Germany
ADIDAS LACES, Herzogenaurach, Germany
SPZ, HALLEIN, Hallein, Austria
SENIOR CITIZENS RESIDENCE ALTENMARKT, Altenmarkt im Pongau, Austria
SALZBURG CENTRAL STATION, Salzburg, Austria

The following statistics helped kadawittfeldarchitektur achieve 10th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	23

9. Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects

ippolito fleitz group is a multidisciplinary, internationally operating design studio based in Stuttgart. We are identity architects. We work in unison with our clients to develop architecture, products and communication that are part of a whole and yet distinctive in their own right. This is how we define identity. With meticulous analysis before we begin. With animated examination in the conceptional phase. With a clarity of argument in the act of persuasion. With a love of accuracy in the realization. With a serious goal and a lot of fun along the way. Working together with our clients. As architects of identity, we conceive and construct buildings, interiors and landscapes; we develop products and communication measures.

Some of Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Das GERBER, Stuttgart, Germany
Hunke – Jewellers and Opticians, Ludwigsburg, Germany
Bella Italia Weine, Stuttgart, Germany
ippolito fleitz group | Residential Building, Denkendorf, Germany
WakuWaku Dammtor, Hamburg, Germany

The following statistics helped Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects achieve 9th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	26

8. TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten

We develop, plan, design, and build for both regional and international clients in both the public and private sectors. The broad range of fields in which we are active includes residential and corporate buildings, hotels, retail facilities, office complexes, leisure facilities, schools, educational and social buildings, as well as reconstruction and revitalization of historical monuments. We have provided a full range of architectural services — from interior design to general planning — from the very beginning.

Some of TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten’s most prominent projects include:

SKF Test Centre for large-scale bearings, Schweinfurt, Germany
Seestraße, Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Koenigstadt-Quartier, Berlin, Germany
EMBASSY – Living alongside Koellnischer Park, Berlin, Germany
Ferrum 1, Saint Petersburg, Russia

The following statistics helped TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten achieve 8th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	23

7. Auer Weber

The architectural office Auer Weber, with offices in Munich and Stuttgart, was founded in 1980. The focus of our work is the conception and design of new buildings and the redesign and renovation for public institutions and corporate clients. Auer Weber provides expertise through all design stages on a broad range of projects including the sectors of education and research; administration and culture; hotels, residential buildings and sports facilities; as well as transportation terminals, urban development and master plans. The distinctive common denominator of Auer Weber projects is the architectural integration of design with the environment.

Some of Auer Weber’s most prominent projects include:

Aquatic Centre “Aquamotion” Courchevel , Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, France
Arena du Pays d’Aix, Aix-en-Provence, France
ESO Headquarters Extension, Garching, Germany
Azur Arena Antibes, Antibes, France
University Centre “des Quais” , Lyon, France

The following statistics helped Auer Weber achieve 7th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Winner	2
Featured Projects	10
Total Projects	15

6. Peter Ruge Architekten GmbH

Peter Ruge Architekten is a locally and internationally active planning office based in Berlin. Our mission is simple: to develop and build sustainable architecture of the future. The agenda of the team along with three partners Peter Ruge, Kayoko Uchiyama and Matthias Matschewski includes new buildings, optimization of existing properties and urban planning designs.

The projects are holistic, i.e. adapted to the climate, culture and needs of the users, and have received numerous awards and certifications. Our detailed understanding of sustainable design processes supports the decisions of our clients.

Some of Peter Ruge Architekten GmbH’s most prominent projects include:

Busan Opera House, South Korea, Busan, South Korea
Congress Center Hangzhou, Hangzhou, China
House O, Germany, Potsdam-Mittelmark, Germany
LTD_1 Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
Muzeum Lotnictwa Krakow, Poland

The following statistics helped Peter Ruge Architekten GmbH achieve 6th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

Featured Projects	10
Total Projects	15

5. HPP Architects

HPP Architects is one of Europe’s leading architectural firms with a full range of architectural and master planning services. Since its foundation by Professor Hentrich, the 4th generation of HPP partnership today includes a global team of more than 25 nationalities and 480 architects, engineers, urban designers and specialists. Today it comprises 13 offices including 8 regional offices in Germany and 5 international branches in Turkey, China and Netherlands.

HPP Architects’ headquarter is located in the Düsseldorf Media Harbor. HPP has completed more than 1200 buildings worldwide and aspires to create an architectural quality of lasting value beyond the here and now: timeless and yet clearly part of their time, innovative and equally grounded in history.

Some of HPP Architects’s most prominent projects include:

LVM 5 , Münster, Germany
Medical Library Oasis (O.A.S.E.), Düsseldorf, Germany
Hochschule Ruhr West, Mülheim, Germany
Henkel Asia-Pacific and China Headquarters, Shanghai, China
Dreischeibenhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany

The following statistics helped HPP Architects achieve 5th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	11
Total Projects	25

4. Behnisch Architekten

The Stuttgart-based practice known today as Behnisch Architekten was founded in 1989 under the leadership of Stefan Behnisch. Originally established as a branch office of Günter Behnisch’s practice Behnisch & Partner, it became independent in 1991 and has subsequently developed into an international practice with offices in Stuttgart, Munich, Los Angeles (1999 – 2011), and Boston. From the outset, the social dimension of architecture has been a fundamental aspect of the firm’s design philosophy.

Some of Behnisch Architekten’s most prominent projects include:

City of Santa Monica Public Parking Structure #6, Santa Monica, CA, United States
Primary School Infanteriestrasse, München, Germany
Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex, Boston, MA, United States
John and Frances Angelos Law Center, University of Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
Marco Polo Tower, Hamburg, Germany

The following statistics helped Behnisch Architekten achieve 4th place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Finalist	8
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	23

3. Barkow Leibinger

The scope of Barkow Leibinger’s work spans from cultural projects to industrial ones. Their focus on industrial architecture includes master planning and building representational and functional buildings for production, logistical and office spaces.

Some of Barkow Leibinger’s most prominent projects include:

Production Hall Trumpf, Hettingen, Germany
Stadthaus M1 – Green City Hotel, Freiburg, Germany
Harvard ArtLab, Boston, MA, United States
Production Hall, Grüsch, Switzerland
Fraunhofer Research Campus, Waischenfeld, Germany

The following statistics helped Barkow Leibinger achieve 3rd place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

Featured Projects	15
Total Projects	17

2. gmp von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects

The architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) are an architectural practice that was founded in Hamburg and has branches worldwide. With our generalist approach and more than 50 years of experience, we complete projects in dialogue with our clients and the participating planning disciplines, at all scales and cultural contexts, covering all design phases and working on all continents.

The range of our projects extends from family residences to high-rise buildings, from stadiums to concert halls, from office buildings to bridges, and from door hardware to urban planning. With holistic sustainability in mind, we aim to create new and refurbished architecture that is long-lasting and goes beyond temporary fashions, taking into account the global challenges and issues of urbanization, digitalization, and mobility.

Some of gmp von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Guna Villa, Jūrmala, Latvia
Universiade 2011 Sports Center, Shenzhen, China
Olympic Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany
Twin Towers, Commodity Exchange Plaza, Dalian, China

The following statistics helped gmp von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects achieve 2nd place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

Featured Projects	22
Total Projects	43

1. J.MAYER.H

J. MAYER H’s studio, focuses on works at the intersection of architecture, communication and new technology. From urban planning schemes, buildings, installation work and objects with new materials, the relationship between the human body, technology and nature form the background for a new production of space.

Some of J.MAYER.H’s most prominent projects include:

MIAMI MUSEUM GARAGE, Miami, FL, United States
n.n. Residence, Moscow, Russia
Hasselt Court House , Hasselt, Belgium
Highway Rest Stops, Lochini Street, Dzveli Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia
Rest Stops, Gori, Georgia

The following statistics helped J.MAYER.H achieve 1st place in the 15 Best Architecture Firms in Germany:

A+Awards Winner	5
A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	20
Total Projects	29

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

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

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

Top image: IGZ Falkenberg by J.MAYER.H, Falkenberg/Elster, Germany

Reference

Sustainable News

Climatically Climactic: 6 Modern North African Residences Reveling in Their Context

By Zarkon Group,08/03/2023

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

The architecture of North Africa is diverse and rich in history and culture, with a variety of architectural styles and building technologies that are influenced by the different civilizations who have inhabited the area that spans along the northern coast of Africa.

This is not to say that a region of that size and rich history is neither homogeneous nor singular in its architectural identity. On the contrary, this collection celebrates the heterogeneity of architecture in North Africa by sampling a handful of residential projects whose architectural elements have been remarkably responsive to the specificities of their sites’ environments, traditions and history while remaining modern and responsive to their time.

The Colonnade House

By Atelier Messaoudi Architectes , Tipaza, Algeria.

Photo by Reda Ait Saada

In this highly accessible house that was designed for two elderly parents in Tipaza, three factors guided the design process: privacy, weather conditions and activity, which reflected on the building envelope, building layout and building orientation. The design of the openings achieved the required level of privacy for Algerian culture, while opening up the house to the surrounding garden for natural ventilation, sunlight and views, taking in consideration the challenging weather conditions of the area.

The light colored and local building materials responded to the climate. Similarly, the overhanging colonnaded gallery adjacent to the main living spaces sheltered them against the southern sunlight, while simultaneously acting as an intermediate living space for the family for dining and circulation.

Villa Agava

By Driss Kettani Architecte, Casablanca, Morocco

Reinterpreting the courtyard layout, this house is reminiscent of traditional houses, highly introverted with openings and activity turned inwards, surrounded by enclosure walls and solid facades. The openness of the house increases along the north-south axis, complemented by three landscape sequences, beginning with a solid and closed façade containing the main entrance on the north, with the house gradually becoming more extroverted as it reaches an open garden on the south, in a manner that also responds to the weather conditions. Inside, the house layout is characterized with a high level of spatial fluidity, transparency and openness, with big windows opening to the outside pool, the mineral garden on the west and the huge vegetal garden on the south.

Cedar Street House

By Alia Bengana architect, Algiers, Algeria.

Photo by Myriam Bengana

The new remodeling of the Cedar Street House witnessed the enlargement of the 1950’s house and the addition of a new basement and terrace that overlooks the the Bay of Algiers. The new terrace comes as an extension of the living room, spanning over the expansion of the ground floor, extending up to the outdoor swimming pool. Huge local plants border the swimming pool to secure the privacy for the house owners and creates a more intimate outdoors space, while the white exterior walls succeed in reflecting the summer sun and ensure a more comfortable interior environment.

Dar bibi

By JELJELI studio, Tunis, Tunisia

The renovation of Dar Bibi was to accommodate the changes in the house users, after the passing of Hassene Jeljeli’s grandfather and his mother moving back into her childhood home to look after his grandmother. In that sense, the intergenerational use of domestic spaces is one aspect of the region’s culture and family structures that was exemplified in this project.

The changes consisted of turning the old living room into two new bedrooms, while adding a new and larger living room that would accommodate the whole family, in the form of a floating volume, which was added to the old building. The new white façade was designed as a climatic wall, consisting of modular breeze-blocks that are molded in situ, providing natural ventilation while diffusing the strong southern sunlight.

Reyard House Team Bosphorus

By Studio Hcrbzkrt, Ben Guerir, Morocco

The name of the project consists of two parts: “Re” that stands for recycling and “Yard” that refers to the courtyard. Together the word reads as the word Riad, which is the traditional Moroccan courtyard house. The house was designed and built in Morocco by the Turkish Team Bosphorus for the Africa edition of the ‘Solar Decathlon’ competition. The team focused on finding solutions that would counter the hot and dry desert climate while honoring tradition.

The building envelope alternates between solid walls that ensure privacy and perforated walls that allow cross ventilation through the yard to cool off the interior. Built out of local materials consisting of rammed earth and wooden framed panels, the team increased the house efficiency by using a water treatment system and solar panels for energy.

Dar Mim

Septembre, Hammamet, Tunisia

Photo by Sophia Baraket

Photo by Sophia Baraket

Located in the historic heart of the city, the renovation and the extension of Dar Mim demanded the addition of a new volume containing living areas for guests, adjacent to the existing traditional courtyard house used by the client. Adopting the traditional courtyard house layout, the living areas were distributed around the two existing courtyards, weaved together through a set of spatial and visual connections, both horizontal and vertical. Relying on local building materials and craftsmanship, the traditional building techniques and the use of lime paint and plaster on all exterior walls allowed the extension to fit with its context and adapt to the weather conditions and turned the walls into canvases that reflected lights and shadows.

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

Reference

Architecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in the Netherlands

By Zarkon Group,25/02/2023

The Dutch have long been at the vanguard of architectural discourse. From functionalism and neoplasticism to structuralism and deconstructivism, to the “international” character of the contemporary global context, designers from the Netherlands have been realizing daringly dynamic constructions for over a century. The culture of experimentation that fuses bold aesthetic detail with even bolder engineering feats comes as no surprise in a country that has, for centuries, relied on engineering to make their land liveable by draining water and relying on polders.

Cities across the Netherlands are bursting with innovative design, and in this respect, Rotterdam particularly stands out as a hotbed for experimentation. From the moment visitors arrive through its sleek train station, the city acts as a museum for cutting-edge contemporary design: from Huis Sonneveld and Kubuswoningen to the Erasmusbrug and Markthal, and the recently completed Boijmans Depot. Many of the architectural firms on this list are rooted in this city. They are in good company with those who aren’t.

Contemporary architectural discourse could not be cited without referencing the plethora of Dutch thinkers. Think of Rem Koolhaas, Wiel Arets, Jacob Van Rijs: these innovative and intelligent spirits have founded some of the biggest global firms, proving time and again that Dutch centrality in global design discourse is shatterproof.

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 Netherlands based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

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 Netherlands architecture firms throughout the year.

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

30. Benthem Crouwel Architects

For almost four decades, Benthem Crouwel Architects has been creating innovative, flexible and efficient designs in a variety of scales: from universities, museums, bridges, railway stations, metro lines, offices, housing, malls and urban plans to bicycle racks, tiny houses and crossover projects with designers. In all designs, Benthem Crouwel seeks a balance between economic, social and ecological interests, with a particular focus on innovation and sustainability.

Some of Benthem Crouwel Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Bella Donna, Amstelveen, The Netherlands
Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Car Park RAI Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Cuyperspassage, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Stedelijk Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Benthem Crouwel Architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	10

29. Kraaijvanger Architects

Creating places to explore. Kraaijvanger strives to create healthy environments for people to work, learn, and enjoy themselves in. Such as public spaces, public buildings, and urban districts, where unique encounters occur, where memories are made, and where important decisions are taken. We take our inspiration from socially relevant themes. And we look ahead as building is a slow process in a rapidly changing world.

Some of Kraaijvanger Architects’s most prominent projects include:

City Hall Venlo, Venlo, Netherlands
Early Childhood Center, Wassenaar, Wassenaar, Netherlands
City Hall Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, Netherlands
Brede School Snijdelwijk, Boskoop, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Kraaijvanger Architects achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	2
Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	14

28. cepezed

cepezed is a medium sized, award-winning spatial design specialist. Assignments address the challenges of town-planning, industry, interiors and particularly architecture. cepezed represents knowledge, skill and a stimulating no-nonsense mentality. Combining conceptual skills, contemporary solutions for contemporary problems and ingenious creativity, results are disarmingly sober and inimitably intelligible.

Aesthetics and functionality are logically linked. At cepezed, projects are designed as monuments of function for people, not monuments of thanks to an architect.
cepezed is skilled at managing the complexity behind simplicity. It uses an integral design method with multiple material use in which various aspects such as spatial design, construction and installation techniques are forged into an indivisible whole.

Some of cepezed’s most prominent projects include:

Temporary Courthouse Amsterdam , Amsterdam, Netherlands
International student house, Delft, Netherlands
State Office De Knoop, Utrecht, Netherlands
Graafschap college, Doetinchem, Netherlands
Town hall Woerden, Woerden, Netherlands

The following statistics helped cepezed achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	18

27. derksen|windt architecten

derksen|windt architecten is a young and distinctive ambitious architecture studio with its own signature, founded in 2008 by Jeroen Derksen and David Windt. ‘We started our office because we want our vision on architecture translated into projects. We make our designs thinking from the optimal future experience for the users. From the inside as well as from the outside.

This creates a beautiful, often original, sharply detailled design. For every assignment we look for a clear and ideal starting point, a question that needs to be answered for that specific assignment.

Some of derksen|windt architecten’s most prominent projects include:

Cafeteria van Ruyven, Maassluis, The Netherlands
Contemporary extension to a house as an indispensable connection between the inside and outside., De Zilk, Netherlands
EXTENSION AND REFURBISHMENT HOUSE IN AMSTERDAM, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Extension and internal overhaul ’30s house, Heemstede, Netherlands
Concrete split-level house, Capelle aan den IJssel, Netherlands

The following statistics helped derksen|windt architecten achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	11

26. Personal Architecture

Personal Architecture is a Rotterdam based architectural firm. P·A works for individual and corporate clients. The expertise is broad: in addition to new construction projects, P·A is involved in the redevelopment and renovation of residential and commercial buildings. The partners of the firm, Maarten and Sander, stand for personal contact with the client, an integrated approach to the project and a transparent but highly organized process.

P·A is strong in taking care of the client, from the initiation phase to construction and management. The love for good design and a passion for building result in projects with high utility value and good architectural quality.

Some of Personal Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

A bold intervention, The Hague, The Netherlands
A second chance, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Back to nature, Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands
Not a box in an empty field, Zevenhuizen, Netherlands
A garden connection, Rotterdam, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Personal Architecture achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	10

25. Bloot Architecture

BLOOT is a concept driven architectural studio located in The Hague, The Netherlands. Founded in October 2010 by Tjeerd Bloothoofd. With much pleasure and great dedication we are constantly searching through design for the concept and shape that unites the function, context, actuality and the wishes of the client in an integral sustainable design that appeals to the development of self-awareness and the liberty of choice in life.

Some of Bloot Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Garden Studio, Voorburg, Netherlands
Transformation Forest House, Hengelo, Netherlands
Pavilion The Hague Beach Stadium, 4, Strandweg, Scheveningen, Den Haag, Netherlands
Patio House, Velp, Netherlands
Fig Tree House, The Hague, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Bloot Architecture achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	8

24. Hilberink Bosch Architecten

The various projects of HILBERINKBOSCH architects — ranging from private and project-based housing, offices, renovations and large-scale urban studies — are characterized by a conceptual approach. The base of all concepts is formed by a precise analysis of the history, the urban lot, function, requirements and potentials.

Form, material and colour arises from this concept, representing the poetry of life. The different aspects of study slowly grow into an actual building. The building becomes part of the poetry, part of the memory, it becomes meaningful. We are passionately seeking for the smartest solution for complex cases.

Some of Hilberink Bosch Architecten’s most prominent projects include:

House at the Edge of a Forest, Heesch, Netherlands
Four Houses at Oud-Empel, Oud-Empel, Netherlands
Farm on Wamberg, Berlicum, Netherlands
Huize Vreeburg, Rosmalen, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, NB, The Netherlands
Dune Villa, Utrecht, The Netherlands

The following statistics helped Hilberink Bosch Architecten achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	6

23. studio PROTOTYPE

studio PROTOTYPE is an Amsterdam-based architecture, urbanism and research firm. Founded in 2008, the studio believes in breaking from existing trends in order to create structures that withstand the test of time.

Some of studio PROTOTYPE’s most prominent projects include:

Villa Schoorl, Schoorl, Netherlands
Tiny pavilion in Vught, Vught, NB, Netherlands
Ortho Wijchen, Wijchen, Netherlands
Water Villa, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
House W, Duiven, The Netherlands

The following statistics helped studio PROTOTYPE achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	10

22. design Erick van Egeraat

Design Erick van Egeraat works on projects ranging from entirely new buildings and masterplans to interventions within historic structures. Common denominator in this diverse portfolio is our expertise which lies in striking visionary balances between the intended identity, level of ambition and overall quality of the projects.

Known for formulating unique architectural solutions, Erick van Egeraat creates iconic identities which optimize property values while acknowledging the social, emotional and intellectual impacts on both their environment and users. We provide both public and private clients with architectural and masterplanning services; interior and product design.

Some of design Erick van Egeraat’s most prominent projects include:

Waste to Energy Plant, Roskilde, Denmark
Erick van Egeraat Office Tower Amsterdam, Claude Debussylaan, Amsterdam-Zuid, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Vershina Trade and Entertainment Center, Surgut, Russia
Chess Club, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
Drents Museum, Assen, Netherlands

The following statistics helped design Erick van Egeraat achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	32

21. Mei architects and planners

Mei architects and planners realises leading projects in the Netherlands and abroad. Our work is founded on respect for the environment: for the history of the location, the current context and future living environment. Based on our expertise in the field of adaptive re-use of architectural heritage, new build projects and urban development strategies, we work on designs that put the user first.

Our distinct designs tell their own story, which increases the involvement with the building and the connection between its users. With creativity, expertise and courage, we introduce innovative technical applications and user concepts that contribute to social and ecological sustainability.

Some of Mei architects and planners’s most prominent projects include:

SAWA, Rotterdam, Netherlands
residential tower De Verkenner, Kanaleneiland, Netherlands
Schiecentrale 4B, Lloydstraat, Delfshaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Four Worlds
Cheese Warehouse, Gouda, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Mei architects and planners achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	18

20. Barcode Architects

Barcode Architects is an international office for architecture, urbanism and contemporary design. The office is led by Dirk Peters and Caro van de Venne, along with a creative team of 70 professionals including architects, urban designers, and technologists. We have building experience in both the Netherlands and abroad.

Our work ranges from urban masterplans to mixed-use public buildings, from high-end residential and office towers to exclusive villas. Our projects are driven by the ambition to realize buildings that revitalize and transform their surroundings, offer a moving experience, awaken an aesthetic awareness and that users can identify with.

Some of Barcode Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Bibliothèque Alexis de Tocqueville, Normandy, France
Villa X, NB, Netherlands
Hyde Park, Hoofddorp, Netherlands
Bijlmer Bajes, Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Robin Bajeskwartier, Amsterdam, Netherlands

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

Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	16

19. NEXT architects

NEXT architects is an architecture practice that covers the full spectrum of the architectural field. Since its earliest projects, ‘Holland – Layer by Layer’ and ‘The Image of Metropolis’, NEXT has explored the boundaries of its own discipline, and searched for areas that overlap with other disciplines. This exploratory attitude has resulted in a highly diverse portfolio that ranges from design products to urban plans.

Some of NEXT architects’s most prominent projects include:

Lianjiang Butterfly Bay, Lianjiang, Fuzhou, China
Bloemendaal Town Hall, Bloemendaal, Netherlands
Fuzhou Shouxi Building, Fuzhou, China
Lucky Knot, Changsha, China
House M&M, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The following statistics helped NEXT architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	13

18. René van Zuuk Architects bv

copyright Luuk Kramer - © René van Zuuk Architects bv

René van Zuuk Architects is an Almere-based practice founded in 1992 by René van Zuuk. Despite the diversity in the designs of René van Zuuk Architects, there are a few constant themes that run throughout. Above all is the desire of both clients and architect alike to create ‘something special.

The office strives to create architecture that challenges conventions. Underlying all of the designs is the continued search for methods to create a building as interesting as possible with minimal cost.

Some of René van Zuuk Architects bv’s most prominent projects include:

Belvedere Tower, Hilversum, Netherlands
ACRAM
De Verbeelding, 25, De Verbeelding, Zeewolde, Netherlands
Project X, 8, De Fantasie, Almere Stad, Almere, Netherlands
Pavilion Roosendaal, Nieuwe Markt, Roosendaal, Netherlands

The following statistics helped René van Zuuk Architects bv achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	10

17. GROUP A

We are GROUP A, a Dutch studio for architecture, interior and urban design founded in 1996. Led by the founders Maarten van Bremen, Folkert van Hagen and Adam Visser. In the past twenty-five years we have realized a wide range of projects. From offices to housing and from mobility assignments to transformations.

In our work, the disciplines urban planning, architecture and interior design are inextricably linked. This way we create sustainable environments where people live, work and reside comfortably. As a full service agency, we are responsible for the entire process, from design to completion.

Some of GROUP A’s most prominent projects include:

Central Park , Utrecht, Netherlands
Workshop Steigereiland
Blok 1 Presikhaaf, Zoomstraat, Arnhem, Netherlands
Cultural Educational Centre ‘Het Lichtruim’, De Bilt, Netherlands
Office Building De Schelde, 65, Glacisstraat, Vlissingen, Netherlands

The following statistics helped GROUP A achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	21

16. Shift A+U

Shift is a Rotterdam-based design office that focuses on the fields of architecture, urbanism and spatial planning. The office combines a broad engagement in space production with precise and project-specific design interventions.

Some of Shift A+U’s most prominent projects include:

Faculty Club, 2, Warandelaan, West Tilburg, Tilburg, Netherlands
Museumplein Limburg, Kerkrade, Netherlands
Vertical Loft, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
CMY Pavilion, Groningen, Netherlands
Dentist with a view, Best, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Shift A+U achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	8

15. LIAG architects + engineers

Together with our clients, we create powerful properties with a positive attitude towards the environment and its users. LIAG has strong affinity with the realization of integrated sustainable housing solutions that also take into account the total life of a building.

Functionality, the use of the building including the building operation and the user take the centre stage. Happiness of the user is central.

Some of LIAG architects + engineers’s most prominent projects include:

Rapenburg 65, Rapenburg, Leiden, Netherlands
Niekée Facility Centre, 300, Oranjelaan, Roermond, Netherlands
ROC Rijn IJssel, 2, Middachtensingel, Arnhem, Netherlands
Fire Station and Ambulance Post, Petroleumhaven, Waldorpstraat, Laak, Den Haag, Netherlands
NBHW ALKMAAR

The following statistics helped LIAG architects + engineers achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	30

14. Atelier Kempe Thill

Since the nineties, contemporary architecture has increasingly been confronted by two contradicting developments, which can be seen on all levels and working fields. On one hand, architects are requested to design neutral and anonymous buildings that can easily be changed for other uses; these buildings have to be able to respond to changing economic situations and have to be adaptable to different programs.

On the other hand, architects are asked to create very specific buildings that are easy to identify; this kind of architecture has to appeal to the user through a unique use of form and space. Atelier Kempe Thill consciously takes this modern paradox as the point of departure for their work.

Some of Atelier Kempe Thill’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier Kempe Thill achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	12

13. MoederscheimMoonen Architects

We are a team of strategic creatives who want to make the world a better place. For us, the big idea plays an important role in how we look at the world, our team and our collaborations.

We think carefully, make informed decisions and make the right connections. We create calm and overview in complex situations. We do what is needed at the right times while always staying focused on the bigger picture.

Some of MoederscheimMoonen Architects’s most prominent projects include:

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

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	19

12. De Zwarte Hond

De Zwarte Hond was established in 1985 in Groningen and has offices in Rotterdam and Cologne. It has a staff of more than fifty people with differing backgrounds, competencies and skills. The integral design and realization of architecture and urban assignments is carried out in multi-disciplinary teams. De Zwarte Hond’s portfolio spans the entire spectrum of residential, working and recreational environments, in rural and urban contexts: from villas to row housing, from offices to schools, from cultural facilities to recreational landscape.

Some of De Zwarte Hond’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped De Zwarte Hond achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	14

11. Neutelings Riedijk Architects

Neutelings Riedijk Architects was established in Rotterdam in 1987. We offer a strong commitment to design excellence: realizing high quality architecture through the development of powerful and innovative concepts into clear built form. Over the last thirty years Neutelings Riedijk Architects has established itself as a leading international practice, specializing in the design of complex projects for public, commercial and cultural buildings.

The office has great experience in balancing the complex challenges of these projects to meet the ambitions of our client. For our international projects our design force is complemented by technical force through the association with local partners that specialize in architectural engineering, cost calculation and site supervision.

Some of Neutelings Riedijk Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Neutelings Riedijk Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	11

10. Paul de Ruiter Architects

The keywords innovation, sustainability, identity and interaction characterize the vision of Paul de Ruiter Architects. We believe in the future. Since the foundation of our practice in 1994 we work on sustainable, innovative architecture that focuses on the health and happiness of people.

Sustainable technology and aesthetics go hand in hand. After all, appreciating the beauty of buildings is just as important as energy efficiency or the health of an indoor climate.

Some of Paul de Ruiter Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Villa Kogelhof, Zeeland, Netherlands
Villa K, Thuringia, Germany
Sigmax, Enschede, The Netherlands
Polak Building / Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The 4th Gymnasium, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Paul de Ruiter Architects achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	12

9. Borren Staalenhoef Architects

Jacob Borren and André Staalenhoef are modern masters of architecture. Passionate and persevering. Borren Staalenhoef are determined to tackle every aspect of the spatial task; to oversee a large degree of complexity and to reduce it to clear, layered structures. Their ultimate objective is the act of building: the creation of a tangible object that speaks through the details.

Their solutions are the result of a long series of consistent decisions and elaborations: diagrams and matrixes, sketches and artist’s impressions, ground plans and sections, construction models and working drawings. It is in this method of working that the mastery and strength of this architecture lies.

Some of Borren Staalenhoef Architects’s most prominent projects include:

woonhuis Marssum, Marssum, Netherlands
Het Bushok, Kortenhoef, The Netherlands
Villa Juliana, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Archem Estate, Archem, Netherlands
House Boogert, Epe, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Borren Staalenhoef Architects achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	13

8. LEVS architecten

LEVS architecten works from the notion that architecture and urban planning have quite a significant impact on our surroundings, on people and society as a whole, as well as the environment. We incorporate this responsibility when detailing our assignments and in our approach to running our enterprise. We welcome the challenge of complex projects in which our aim lies in finding surprising solutions which deliver a result beyond prior expectations.

Our goal is to design buildings and areas where residents will eventually articulate a passion about the places they work, live and inhabit; spaces which express an optimal interweaving of functionality, aesthetics and sustainability. LEVS architecten was established in 1989 as Loof & van Stigt Architecten.

Some of LEVS architecten’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped LEVS architecten achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	10
Total Projects	20

7. atelier PRO architekten

Atelier PRO is an architectural office in The Hague in the Netherlands that continues to innovate in the field of architecture, urban planning, interior design, building management and building cost management. For more than 35 years we create with the greatest of pleasure well-considered designs for challenging locations, often with extraordinary programmes.

Some of atelier PRO architekten’s most prominent projects include:

Graafschap college, Doetinchem, Netherlands
ROC Graafschap College, Doetinchem, Netherlands
Multifunctional community school Krimpen aan de Lek, Krimpen aan de Lek, Netherlands
School, Child and Community Centre O3, The Hague, Netherlands
MFC De Statie, Sas van Gent, Sas van Gent, Netherlands

The following statistics helped atelier PRO architekten achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	15
Total Projects	98

6. Wiel Arets Architects

Wiel Arets Architects (WAA) is a globally active architecture and design firm, whose work extends to education and publishing, with studios located in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. Comprised of an international team of architects, designers, thinkers and administrators, the firm is currently involved in large number of projects throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.

The firm’s architecture and design emerges from research and a balance of hybrid-programming solutions, which adapt to and anticipate future contextual change. The output of WAA is acclaimed for both its craftsmanship and tactility.

Some of Wiel Arets Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Jellyfish House, Marbella, Spain
The Hoge Heren, Zalmhaven, Centrum, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Four Towers Osdorp, Jan van Zutphenstraat, Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Amsterdam, Netherlands
V’ Tower, 565, Flight Forum, Strijp, Eindhoven, Netherlands
University Library Utrecht, 3, Heidelberglaan, Oost, Utrecht, Netherlands

The following statistics helped Wiel Arets Architects achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

Featured Projects	15
Total Projects	22

5. i29

We are i29, an award winning office for interior and architecture projects. In a world that becomes more and more digital, we shape the physical experiences around us; clear, effective, surprising. We deliver work that stands out for its simplicity. The great diversity in our portfolio gives the possibility to think “out of the box” and to work inclusive for all kinds of clients and users.

We do not provide standard solutions, but we do apply standardized working methods to guarantee quality, efficiency and creativity. We innovate by design, and make work that inspires a better future. We are constantly changing to make relevant work.

Some of i29’s most prominent projects include:

Culture 01, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Felix Meritis Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Floating Home, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Home 10, Paris, France
Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden, Netherlands

The following statistics helped i29 achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	18
Total Projects	28

4. UNStudio

UNStudio is an international architectural practice, situated in Amsterdam since 1988, with extensive experience in the fields of urbanism, infrastructure, public, private and utility buildings on different scale levels. At the basis of UNStudio are a number of long-term goals, which are intended to define and guide the quality of our performance in the architectural field.

We strive to make a significant contribution to the discipline of architecture, to continue to develop our qualities with respect to design, technology, knowledge and management and to be a specialist in public network projects. We see as mutually sustaining the environment, market demands and client wishes that enable our work, and we aim for results in which our goals and our client’s goals overlap.

Some of UNStudio’s most prominent projects include:

Canaletto, London, United Kingdom
P.C. Hooftstraat 138, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Arnhem Central, Arnhem, Netherlands
Burnham Pavilion, Chicago, IL, United States
Le Toison d’Or, Brussels, Belgium

The following statistics helped UNStudio achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	3
Featured Projects	23
Total Projects	29

3. OMA

OMA is a leading international partnership practicing architecture, urbanism, and cultural analysis. OMA’s buildings and masterplans around the world insist on intelligent forms while inventing new possibilities for content and everyday use.

Some of OMA’s most prominent projects include:

Milstein Hall, Ithaca, NY, United States
11th Street Bridge Park, Washington, DC, United States
Rebuild by Design
Faena District, Miami, FL, United States
MPavilion 2017, Melbourne, Australia

The following statistics helped OMA achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	4
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	45
Total Projects	61

2. MVRDV

MVRDV is based in Rotterdam and works in the fields of architecture, urbanism and city planning. Founded by Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries, the firm has a global scope and approaches each project with a collaborative spirit and through a research-based design method.

Some of MVRDV’s most prominent projects include:

Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China
Tainan Spring, Tainan, Taiwan
Depot Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands
WERK12, Munich, Germany
Crystal Houses, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The following statistics helped MVRDV achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	8
Featured Projects	62
Total Projects	75

1. Mecanoo

Mecanoo, officially founded in Delft in 1984, is made up of a highly multidisciplinary staff of creative professionals from 25 countries. The team includes architects, interior designers, urban planners, landscape architects as well as architectural technicians and support staff.

Led by Francine Houben (Creative Director & Founding Partner), Mecanoo has extensive experience designing and realizing exceptional buildings which serve client ambitions while creating vibrant end-user spaces.

Some of Mecanoo’s most prominent projects include:

National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts (Wei-Wu-Ying), Kaohsiung, Taiwan
HUBB – Learning Environments, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Delft City Hall and Train Station, Delft, Netherlands
Palace of Justice, Córdoba, Spain
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, DC, United States

The following statistics helped Mecanoo achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Netherlands:

A+Awards Winner	9
A+Awards Finalist	10
Featured Projects	71
Total Projects	109

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

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

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

Reference

Architecture

Buckle Up: 5 Architects and Firms Are Taking the Driver’s Seat in Vehicular Design

By Zarkon Group,21/02/2023

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

Building design is rarely the sole focus of architecture. Being an architect involves exploring the depths of innovation and pushing the boundaries of human experience. For architects, delving into alternative design fields often promises new challenges, the expansion of knowledge and the further development of an array of skills. There are many fields architects have historically branched into (the first that comes to mind is product design). Yet, in the past decade or so, architects have increasingly turned their attention toward a new field of inquiry. Drawing on a long, symbiotic relationship between architecture and engineering, more and more contemporary architects are dipping their toes into transportation design.

From the seas to the skies, architects have brought their unique perspectives and innovative ideas to the table, creating iconic transportation designs that will be remembered for years to come. This collection celebrates the art of transportation design by showcasing five firms that have tackled the unique design challenges of vehicles. From Norman Foster and his slight obsession with all things motorcar to Zaha Hadid Architects’ mesmerizing braided exoskeletons, the level of creativity, innovation and technical skills on display is nothing short of inspirational. So buckle up and enjoy these incredible feats of design and engineering.

McLaren Production Centre by Foster + Partners, Woking, United Kingdom

Foster + Partners have an illustrious relationship with transportation design, having collaborated on many incredible vehicles and vessels over the years, their portfolio is stacked with not only vehicles but airports and stations alike. It’s no surprise really that the team at Foster + Partners has regularly dipped into the motor industry, as founder Norman Foster is well-known for his enthusiasm for cars. Recently the renowned architect put his self-proclaimed obsession on display when curating ‘Motion. Autos, Art, Architecture’ for the Guggenheim Bilbao’s epic exhibition, which linked the history of the automobile with the evolution of modern art.

While the practice have been involved in the design of many yachts, The Alen Yacht in particular is one of Foster + Partners most recent designs. At 68-foot the boat is perhaps not the biggest yacht you’ll ever see but that doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly lavish, featuring elegant social spaces, a comfortable primary suite, and ample entertaining areas in an open-plan layout allows the luxury vessel to accommodate up to twelve guests. The fast and agile yacht boasts a beautiful interior with a refined palette of materials that emphasize the sense of motion and adventure at the heart of the yacht’s design. The furniture is artfully arranged to follow the curves of the white leather walls making clever use of the space available. It is apparent that throughout the yacht’s design, every detail has been thoughtfully considered and impeccably detailed.

Zaha Hadid Architects have always been known for their relationship with breathtakingly organic forms, and their foray into yacht design is no exception. Before her death, the late Dame Commander, Zaha Hadid, partnered with German shipbuilder Blohm+Vohs for three years, creating a family of seafaring vessels featuring mesmerizing braided exoskeletons. Now, Italian maker Rossinavi is set to celebrate ZHA’s next dive into the industry with its introduction of the electrifying Oneiric.

Oneiric is a 145-foot (44-meter) electric catamaran that is powered through artificial intelligence. Its cutting-edge design, inspired by the rolling waves of the ocean, features a single continuous line that rises from the aluminum hull, spirals up and around three photovoltaic-integrated levels, and undulates into the other hull. The ship’s exterior boasts branching curves that merge and diverge in the hull while the stern slopes down like a giant swimming platform, creating a seamless connection between the water and the yacht edge.

Italian shipyard Rossinavi is collaborating with Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) to bring a new, fully #electric catamaran— ‘Oneiric’. Here’s a peek this yard’s green-technology flagship vessel: https://t.co/LXCEp70lBJ pic.twitter.com/ubXP5BlET9
— YachtWorld (@yachtworld) July 16, 2022

The yacht’s interior is just as fluid, with integrated furnishings blending into adjacent planes and walls, meeting ceilings through uninterrupted coved surfaces. The main cabin offers breathtaking 180-degree views and sunlight is prevalent through the addition of skylights. The interiors are finished with lightweight, eco-friendly materials to reduce drag, and the yacht is powered by photovoltaics during daylight hours. The onboard AI monitors energy consumption and provides navigation recommendations based on environmental impact, allowing Oneiric to complete a day trip on electric power alone with minimal carbon and noise emissions. Rossinavi has calculated that Oneiric can handle over two-thirds of a transatlantic voyage with solar power. The yacht can even charge land-based appliances while docked.

The Moving Kitchen by J.C. Architecture, Taiwan | Photographs by Kuo-Min Lee
Popular Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transport Interiors

The Moving Kitchen is an excellent example of what we can do with our existing or outdated transportation inventory. Designed by the talented architecture firm J C Architects, the restaurant is housed in a semi-retired 70-year-old train that has been salvaged from retirement and transformed into a moving luxury resturant. The dynamic dining experience seats 54 people and takes its guests on a culinary journey both through the culinary delights and through the scenic beauty of Taiwan.

The concept behind the Moving Kitchen was to merge the flavors of traditional Taiwanese cuisine with the breathtaking views of the island. A multidisciplinary team of designers, chefs, and restaurant operations experts worked tirelessly to bring the vision to life and the result is an unforgettable dining experience that seamlessly blends the taste of Taiwan with the scenic beauty of the island.

Bjarke Ingles Group is renowned for their innovative designs and boundary-pushing ideas. From creating the iconic headquarters of Google to the thought-provoking Danish Refugee Museum, the adept team of architects and designers have proven time and time again that they are not afraid to tackle challenging projects in their own unique way.

Often entering the realm of transportation, BIG have brought their skills to bear on several new and exciting modes of transportation. Yet, unlike many of their peers who opt for superyachts and luxury vehicles, the unpredictable BIG took aim at the electric bicycle. The Biomega OKO is a stylish e-bike made up of clean lines and an efficiency to be envied. Designed and developed by KiBiSi, under the leadership of Bjarke Ingles the bike flipped the often over complicated electric bike model and stripped it back to bare essentials, without compromising on function or aesthetics.

The perfectly balanced, sleek cycle is fitted with a battery in the middle bar and a motor in the front wheel hub. The Biomega OKO is made of carbon fiber and weighs in at a mere 44 pounds, making it one of the lightest electric bicycles on the market at the time. With its energy-efficient operation, the Biomega OKO is not only regarded as a joy to ride, but its eco-friendly design is admirable. The Biomega OKO may be utilitarian in it’s looks but it is truly a seamless example of transportation design.

Germane Barnes

Germane Barnes is an architect and academic whose work explores the intersection of design alongside technology. The groundbreaking architect recently collaborated with motor giant Lexus on a unique project for Design Miami/ that aimed to encapsulate and present the next generation of the automaker’s evolution. The installation, titled “ON/,” is inspired by Lexus’s LF-Z Electrified Concept car and embodies the human-centered, future-oriented approach to design and craftsmanship that the brand and Barnes share.

The immersive installation features a precisely scaled three-dimensional sculptural rendition of the concept car suspended just above the ground and illuminated with embedded LED lighting. The display also includes furniture designed by Barnes and his team specifically for the installation, providing areas for rest and reflection. The entire installation is unified by a unique lighting scheme that allows for engagement from users around the world through an online, interactive virtual model. Participants created their own lighting designs for the display, and Barnes and his team selected a number of the user-generated designs to showcase onsite, encouraging interaction and collaboration while highlighting the creative vision of entries from around the world.

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

Reference

Architecture

World’s Best Design Details: Bendheim’s Bespoke Glass Façades

By Zarkon Group,16/02/2023

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

Architecture is shaped by form, transparency and light. Today, glass is one of the key materials specified to control what we experience inside a building, from views and daylight to heating and cooling. Glass has been used for thousands of years, holding both practical uses and cultural meaning. A major turning point came with the advent of the float glass process, invented by Sir Alastair Pilkington in 1952, which used a molten tin bath to produce a continuous ribbon of glass. Now, architects are working with manufacturers to rethink conventional building envelopes and construction techniques.

Bendheim is one of the world’s foremost resources for specialty architectural glass. Founded in New York City in 1927, the family-owned company offers in-stock and custom glass varieties for interior and exterior building applications. In the early 1980s, Bendheim began its Architectural Glass division with new tempering and lamination processes to transform hundreds of decorative glass varieties into safety architectural glass products. Bendheim now maintains production facilities in New Jersey and a Design Lab in New York City. The following projects showcase Bendheim’s products in architecture across the United States, from residential to cultural projects.

Devon Energy Center

By Pickard Chilton, Oklahoma City, OK, United States

The Devon Energy Center was designed to create a focal point for the company and the city by integrating civic-scaled spaces. The headquarters consolidates Devon’s Oklahoma City-based workforce into a single facility. Rising fifty floors, the tower’s unique three-sided footprint allows it to be viewed from all of greater Oklahoma City. The curtain wall is composed of state-of-the-art continuous floor-to-ceiling glazing and a highly articulated mullion system.

Defining an urban edge between business and arts districts, the auditorium is a prominent, multi-use venue designed to support private and public events. Bendheim was brought on with double-glazed, solar channel glass to create feature exterior walls with angle cuts at the entrance. The SF-60 framing system was utilized for setting the glass.

Shaw Center for the Arts

By Schwartz/Silver Architects, Baton Rouge, LA, United States

Made to house Louisiana State University’s Museum of Art, this project also included studio art facilities, a regional performing arts facility with a 320 seat main stage, a hundred-seat black box theater, and a dance recital theater. An historic older building, the “Auto Hotel,” houses classrooms, offices, curatorial spaces, and a gallery for the LSU School of Art. The innovative Bendheim channel glass rainscreen creates a highly recognizable façade, while protecting the building and the works of art it houses from the elements.

The façade features approximately 40,000 square feet of the channel glass. Most of the flanges face outward, adding texture to the building. There are 2-inch gaps between the channels, and the glass rainscreen sits approximately 6 inches off a layer of waterproof aluminum. The resulting varied texture emulates the shimmering surface of the nearby Mississippi River. The unique flange-outward design adds visual complexity, while preventing wind and rain from accessing the metal panels behind the channel glass.

Swiss Embassy Residence

By Rüssli Architects AG, Washington, DC, United States

Looking out with a view to the Washington Monument, this residence was made as a multifunctional microcosm of living and working space as well as rooms for official receptions and for the staff. The strictly geometrical structure of the Swiss Embassy is a cross-shaped volume on a massive, rectangular base. The outer sides of the cross, which are part of the base too, and the the resulting exterior spaces are allocated to adjacent areas.

Bendheim’s U-profile channel glass, contrasting with slate-trimmed grey concrete, produces a crisp, clean effect in this cross-shaped design. The complex features 10,000 square feet of tempered, low-iron, sandblasted, solar textured channel glass. The Swiss Embassy residence operates at high levels of efficiency, consuming half as much energy as a typical building structure. The project also conforms to the LEED Silver green building standard.

Institute of Contemporary Art

By Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Boston, MA, United States

The ICA was the first museum to be built in Boston in 100 years. The 65,000 square foot building includes temporary and permanent galleries, a 330 seat multi-purpose theater, a restaurant, bookstore, education/workshop facilities, and administrative offices. The site is bound on two sides by the Harbor Walk, a 47-mile public walkway at the water¹s edge reclaimed from Boston’s industrial past. The ICA offers the city some of its ground floor footprint in exchange for rights to cantilever over city property with a 18,000-square-foot gallery illuminated by an uninterrupted skylight.

A 504 Rough Cast channel glass façade envelopes the upper level of the Institute of Contemporary Art on three sides. The glass rainscreen is functional, protecting the building from harmful moisture damage, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. The glass is illuminated from the top, allowing the entire upper level to glow at night and to act as a beacon over the harbor.

C-Glass House

By deegan day design, Marin County, CA, United States

The C-Glass House is an elegant retreat in northern California. Set on a spectacular site, the residence opens to a panoramic view of Tomales Bay and the open ocean, while bracing against winds from multiple directions. C-Glass House brokers between the Leica-like precision of high modern glass houses and the cinematic wireframe of the Case Study generation. The home was also inspired by artists’ explorations of glazed enclosures as much as it is to the precedents of Johnson and Mies.

The C-Glass House opens up to a panoramic vista but also modulates and reflects back on architecture’s evolving role in the American landscape. Affixed in Bendheim’s SF-60 framing system, solar textured channel glass defines the house’s exterior, creates privacy, and diffuses the strong Californian sunlight. Captured at the top and bottom, the tempered channel glass spans the height of the house, seamlessly turning corners without the need for extra metal supports.

Visual Arts Building, University of Iowa

By Steven Holl Architects and BNIM, Iowa City, IA, United States

SHA and BNIM designed the new Visual Arts Building for the University of Iowa’s School of Art and Art History. It provides 126,000 square feet of loft-like space for all visual arts media, from ancient metal-smithing techniques to the most advanced virtual reality technologies. The building replaces an original arts building from 1936, which was heavily damaged during the 2008 flood of the University of Iowa campus. Seven vertical “centers of light” are carved out of the building’s volume filling the interior with natural light and ventilation.

Channel glass by Bendheim soars at 20 foot heights throughout the project. The combination of Bendheim’s 504 Rough Cast™ channel glass texture with translucent insulation inserts delivers ideal daylight, as if filtered through a translucent cloud. With no glare requiring shades or other window treatments to block it, classrooms, studios, and lounge spaces are flooded with natural light that appears to have no direct source. The idea was to create evenly dispersed light that would make the best possible atmosphere in which to work and create.

Reference