30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand
CategoriesArchitecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand

From its distinct regional vernacular to the elaborate pagodas to unique modern geometries and material experimentation, Thailand boasts an incredible architectural culture. Over the centuries, the nation’s built environment has been shaped by neighboring influences, like China and India, erecting diverse architecture that is championed and visited by many across the globe. Thailand’s rich and diverse architectural heritage is attributed to its long history of political change, religion, extreme climate and domestic sociocultural beliefs.

Architecture in Thailand is deeply connected to the environment; agriculture plays a crucial part in Thai culture and has influenced how dwellings have been built for centuries. One of the most common features is the use of stilts. This common practice of elevating the domestic space holds multifunctional purposes — it provides a shaded outdoor space, is used for storage and protects from flooding during the severe rainy season.

Its warm climate and rich topography have paved the way for a booming tourist industry which has sparked an onslaught of hospitality architecture, including resorts, restaurants and other entertainment venues. And the 20th and 21st-century have brought an entirely new architectural vocabulary to the nation. Just look at the nation’s capital city of Bangkok, which has undergone a significant transformation in the past decades, producing many award-winning contemporary designs.

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 Thailand 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 Thailand architecture firms throughout the year.

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


30. I Like Design Studio

© I Like Design Studio

© I Like Design Studio

I Like Design Studio is a passionate team specializing in architecture, interior and other design-related projects. We focus on not only developing ideas in the design process but also doing great researches on cultural and behavioral contexts. All elements — diagrams, proportions and dimensions — are carefully designed with precious and valuable details.

Some of I Like Design Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped I Like Design Studio achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects3
Total Projects5

29. makeAscene

© makeAscene

© makeAscene

We believe that designing an architecture is more or less like creating a ‘scene’ with people in there. It is more or less defining the human-space relationship. So it’s really important to understand the user’s need and build the architecture around them while also aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

The real challenge is not just having a good-looking piece of work as a result. But to also addressing the user’s need beautifully too. Balancing between the two is an art in itself and we find this is essence of architectural design.

Some of makeAscene’s most prominent projects include:

  • TATE Thonglor, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand
  • Casa Pattaya, Pattaya City, Thailand
  • FYNN 31, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand
  • SAVVI ARI4, rung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand
  • ERH residence, Pathum Thani Province, Thailand

The following statistics helped makeAscene achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects2
Total Projects9

28. Octane architect & design

© Octane architect & design

© Octane architect & design

OCTANE ARCHITECT & DESIGN was founded in 2015 by Kittichon Phukiatkong & Thawin Hanboonseth and is currently driven by only three people including the founders.
Octane began by working on small projects and project from an acquaintance. Over time, with collected experiences and developed skills, until intention was clear.
We strongly believe our accomplishment is not determined by how many architects we employ, or the completion of projects, but rather by the quality and unique nature of each of our pieces. Our desire is to give clients the highest level of satisfaction by spending as much time required to meticulously build and produce assigned works, ensuring the product is free of fault or error.

Some of Octane architect & design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Octane architect & design achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner2
Featured Projects4
Total Projects3

27. Architectkidd

© Architectkidd

© Architectkidd

Architectkidd is an award winning architecture & design practice based in Bangkok, Thailand. The office is directed by Udomsak Komonvilas, Jariyawadee Lekawatana & Luke Yeung

Some of Architectkidd’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Architectkidd achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects5

26. ForX Design Studio

© ForX Design Studio

© ForX Design Studio

ForX Design Studio is a group of architects and designers who have diverse experiences in architecture, interior architecture and masterplanning. We work as practical architects and inventors with flexible styles. We believe that new spaces emerge from an integration of not only architecture but also interior design. We approach new ideas to architecture and its users by experimental processes as our studio name suggests, For e(X)perimental design Studio.

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

  • Grillicious, Chonburi, Thailand
  • GRAND PLENO CLUBHOUSE, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Chia Tai Farm, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Natur Office Headquarter , Bangkok, Thailand
  • Clubhhouse_On01, Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped ForX Design Studio achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects7

25. FLAT12x

© FLAT12x

© FLAT12x

FLAT12x was founded by Julsamano Bhongsatiern and specializes in architecture, interior and furniture design. Their design philosophy is to design each project as one’s own self architectural portrait.

Some of FLAT12x’s most prominent projects include:

  • ANAVILLA, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
  • BIBI Residence, Bangkok, Thailand
  • HOM PLA PAO, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand
  • KPWT Residence, Bangkok, Thailand
  • SUNDAYS, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand

The following statistics helped FLAT12x achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects10

24. all(zone)

© Soopakorn Srisakul

© Soopakorn Srisakul

Based in Bangkok, all(zone) is a group of happy design professionals who joyfully collaborate with specialists across the borders of their fields and country. We are fascinated by our ever-changing mega metropolis that gives a form to our everyday life. Our observations are always captured by contemporary vernacular design solutions. We, therefore, try to learn from them in order to create alternative built environments where all could feel ‘at home’ in the world.

Some of all(zone)’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped all(zone) achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects4

23. S+S Architects

© S+S Architects

© S+S Architects

Founded in 2019 by Mr. Sarunyu Uewisetwattana, S+S architects is a design studio based in Bangkok, Thailand. The design principle of S+S focuses on simplicity/space, functionality, and how to creatively design architecture which is complemented by nature.

Some of S+S Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped S+S Architects achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects4

22. Studio Locomotive

© Studio Locomotive

© Studio Locomotive

Studio Locomotive is a group of diverse talents who approach each project with an interdisciplinary expertise and interests: architecture, interior design, product design, branding, and visual design. The practice treats an experiential space as a persuasive manifesto of specialty, competency, and commitments, constructive for the project and congenial to its vicinity.

Crafted with empathy and evaluative attitude, the experiential space offers a sense of place; conveys the philosophy of business; expresses brand characters in proper manners; and when appropriate, advocates and inspires the values of history, art, community, environment, or science with creativity and reverence. The studio shows confidence in reimagining context interpretation, material development, and integrative techniques to devise refreshing, impressive, practical, and worthwhile ideas.

Some of Studio Locomotive’s most prominent projects include:

  • Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant, Phuket, Thailand
  • Prim House, Phuket, Thailand
  • Hotel Gahn, Phang-nga, Thailand
  • Saffron Cruise, Bangkok, Thailand
  • KOKO Restaurant, Phuket, Thailand

The following statistics helped Studio Locomotive achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects3
Total Projects5

21. LANDPROCESS

© LANDPROCESS

© LANDPROCESS

LANDPROCESS is a Bangkok-based landscape architecture and urban design firm founded in 2011 by landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom. At LANDPROCESS, situation in the city at sea level, we, landprocessors are helping to shift cities to a carbon neutral future and confronting the future climate uncertainty.

Some of LANDPROCESS’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped LANDPROCESS achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner3
Total Projects1

20. Bangkok Project Studio

© Bangkok Project Studio

© Bangkok Project Studio

Bangkok Project Studio was founded by Boonserm Premthada in Bangkok in 2003. Boonserm argues that architecture is the physical creation of an atmosphere, serving to heighten our awareness of our natural surroundings. In this lecture, he discusses a variety of his work, considering the manipulation of light, shadow, wind, sound, and smell, alongside the socio-economic and cultural agenda, with many of his projects including programmes to improve equality.

Some of Bangkok Project Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • The Wine : Ayutthaya, Ban Run, Thailand
  • Kantana Film & Animation Institute, Salaya, Thailand
  • Elephant Museum, Surin Province, Thailand
  • Brick Observation Tower, Surin Province, Thailand
  • The Cultural Courtyard, Surin Province, Thailand

The following statistics helped Bangkok Project Studio achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects5

19. Sook Architects Company Limited

© Sook Architects Company Limited

© Sook Architects Company Limited

Sook Architects Company Limited was founded in 2005. “Our Happiness” is being “SO OK architects” for any field of architectural design services, particularly urban and environmental planning, community, architectural conservation and landscape design. “SOOK” means Happiness in Thai language.

Some of Sook Architects Company Limited’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Sook Architects Company Limited achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects4
Total Projects4

18. Architects 49

© Wison Tungthhunya

© Wison Tungthhunya

Architects 49 was established in 1983 by Nithi Sthapitanonda. From the beginning, his vision has always been timeless architecture with clean, simple, and elegant lines. With a keen interest in Thai art and architecture, our founder established the groundwork for present generations to follow. Our team has since expanded to more than 200 collaborators, working on projects around Asia and in the Middle East. Our diverse team enables us to create a broad range of architecture, from small scale residences to large scale mixed-use projects. We approach each project differently, with the belief that each one should have its own distinctive character.

Some of Architects 49’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Architects 49 achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner2
Featured Projects5
Total Projects4

17. NPDA studio

© NPDA studio

© NPDA studio

NPDA studio was established by Nutthawut Piriyaprakob in 2009. Nutthawut received formal training in North America and worked for various design firms including Rafael Viñoly Architects and Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM). He eventually returned to Bangkok where he established NPDA Studio, which specializes in a variety of structural typologies, including residential, public and commercial.

Some of NPDA studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Somjai House | Coconutnoom Resort, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
  • Bunjob House : House of Flow | Coconutnoom Resort, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
  • Prachasongkroa Kindergarten, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
  • Degree_Phuket, Phuket, Thailand
  • Degree | Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped NPDA studio achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects5
Total Projects9

16. Vaslab Architecture

VaSLab is a design oriented firm based in Bangkok, presenting expertise in architecture, interior design, and urban design. The studio, led by Vasu Virajsilp, creates an architecture by injecting the innovative and experimental ideas to construct the new order of architectural elements contextually.

Some of Vaslab Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Mason, Chonburi, Thailand
  • Equilibrium House, Chaengwattana, Thailand
  • LIT Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Honda Big Wing, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Bunker House, Lopburi, Thailand

The following statistics helped Vaslab Architecture achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects6
Total Projects7

15. Somdoon Architects

© Nuttapong Pongpibool

© Nuttapong Pongpibool

Somdoon Architects was founded in 2010. The name, ‘Somdoon’ deriving from the Thai word, means ‘balance’. Our team believe that each project has different conditions and challenges. It is crucial to look around, research in depth and collaborate with others to understand each project. And the unique design is the result from the understanding and finding the balance solution.

Some of Somdoon Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • ASA Lanna Center, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Baan San Kraam Sales Office, Phetchaburi, Thailand
  • Via 31, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Siamese Gioia, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Hasu Haus, Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped Somdoon Architects achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects6
Total Projects12

14. Enter Projects Asia

© Enter Projects Asia

© Enter Projects Asia

Sitting at the forefront of technologically aided design, our internationally acclaimed architecture firm seeks to further the culture of architecture on a high level. We are producing projects of exceptionally high design integrity and material finish. We are the leading international design firm with our main offices in Phuket, Thailand and working all over South East Asia and Australia now Europe and USA.

Enter Projects Asia is the leading sustainable design firm that provides Architecture and Interior services based in Phuket, Thailand, South East Asia. Our company is fully Thai registered and operational in Thailand. Despite the global situation, we have just had a very strong year as we believe our work resonates with the attitude “Going local with cutting edge International design”.

Some of Enter Projects Asia’s most prominent projects include:

  • Spice & Barley Riverside Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Edgecliff Medical Centre, Edgecliff, Australia
  • Aldrich Residence, Perth, Australia
  • Koh Phangan Hospitality Masterplan, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
  • Belgium Residence and Workspace, Waregem, Belgium

The following statistics helped Enter Projects Asia achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects7
Total Projects18

13. Junsekino Architecture & Design

It started from a belief that architecture and interior design are intertwined, equally important and inseparable. With a working style that values every detail in all elements and dimensions, it believes in unique touches and essences for individual projects and emphasizes on methodical approach of thinking process and overall proportion. It focuses on tropical-style environmental management. Sincerity and attentiveness are core values of Jun Sekino.

Some of Junsekino Architecture & Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Junsekino Architecture & Design achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects7
Total Projects7

12. Onion

Onion is a Bangkok-based design practice founded in 2007 by Siriyot Chaiamnuay and Arisara Chaktranon. The two designers carry out a continuous exploration aimed at different needs for contemporary life styles. Onion brings the local craftsmen to explore the new techniques of using local materials. Together, they constantly push the boundaries of spatial designs in order to form a unified approach to retail and living experiences.

Some of Onion ‘s most prominent projects include:

  • Jerry House, Cha-am, Thailand
  • SALA Samui Chaweng Beach Resort, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
  • Bear House, Cha-am, Thailand
  • Sala Ayutthaya Hotel, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand
  • Supanniga Eating Room , Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped Onion achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects8
Total Projects12

11. TROP : terrains + open space

© TROP : terrains + open space

© TROP : terrains + open space

TROP is a landscape architectural design studio with a team of designers and construction supervisors. Led by Pok Kobkongsanti, our philosophy is to create unique designs for each project that we work on. We believe that our design process is as important as the design itself, so we work very closely with each of our clients. Since 2007, TROP has been working on various projects throughout Asia.

Some of TROP : terrains + open space’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped TROP : terrains + open space achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner3
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects8
Total Projects13

10. stu/D/O Architects

© stu/D/O Architects

© stu/D/O Architects

Stu/D/O Architects is a design company practicing architecture, urbanism, and sustainable design. Our approach to design projects is to consider the layers of physical and cultural archeologies at each site to invent new possibilities for the buildings’ function, context, and space, while insist on integrating passive sustainable design in every process.

Some of stu/D/O Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Zonic Vision Office, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Kurve 7, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Aperture House, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Naiipa Art Complex, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Joly House, Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped stu/D/O Architects achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner3
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects7
Total Projects8

9. Anonym

© Anonym

© Anonym

ANONYM is a design studio based in Bangkok. Our design philosophy is focusing on the relationship between spaces, people and contexts. We believe that the great design can be created with diversity, innovation and environmentally-friendly condition.

Founded by Thai architect and interior architect, we specialize in architectural and interior design and provide comprehensive design services including architectural design, master planning, interior design and feasibility study. For our clients, we seek for creative solutions to help them fulfill their dreams, archive their goals and find their happiness.

Some of Anonym’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Anonym achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects11
Total Projects15

8. Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated

© Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated

© Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated

Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated : is a micro office located in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Founded in 2007 by Cherngchai Riawruangsangkul, it specialises in architectural design, interior design and related fields for buildings of various sizes, especially small-size and medium-size residence in urban area.

The goals are to find alternatives for design that are not limited to conventional method and solution, to seek new options that open opportunity for architect (designer) to create new physical and emotional experience for both building owner (user) and society or people around it (observer) and to conduct cross-disciplinary experimentation to find new, unique and special ways for design. It aims to challenge, question and scrutinize definition of design and its essence, both practically and ideally

Some of Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated’s most prominent projects include:

  • chokchai 4 house, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Muangthongthani Carcare, Nonthaburi, Thailand
  • dindang house, Bangkok, Thailand
  • sanambinnam house, Nonthaburi, Thailand
  • phutthamonthon house, Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand

The following statistics helped Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects11
Total Projects27

7. ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic)

© ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work - Aholic)

© ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic)

ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic) is a Bangkok-based studio founded in 2013 by Phuttipan Aswakool + Chotiros Techamongklapiwat, who carries out its design journey through experimentation with materials, architectural forms, and characteristics of interior spaces that correspond in equilibrium with the use of natural light. For ASWA, a design is conceived from a thorough analysis of each project’s surrounding context before being translated into its architectural language.

Some of ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic)’s most prominent projects include:

  • Bitwise Headquarters, Samut Prakan Province, Thailand
  • Office of Lee & Son Leather, Bangkok, Thailand
  • MHS, Mae Hong Son, Thailand
  • Solid Concrete Studio + Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
  • ASWA office, Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic) achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

Featured Projects12
Total Projects20

6. EKAR

© EKAR

© EKAR

EKAR believes the architecture is the place that originated from a divisibly mixture of human usabilities occurred through thinking process, analysis and connections based on different conditions and contexts which are surrounded in every dimension of each specific location. Nature, society, culture, behavior, taste and time are reflected in a unique architectural work as beautiful aesthetic senses. Every piece of EKAR creation is like a research combining science and art together to bring out proper design efficiency to create a sense of place which will lead to positive changes and expand the boundaries of design to the whole society.

Some of EKAR’s most prominent projects include:

  • VOA Space, Khon Kaen, Thailand
  • Power House Center of SCG, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Re-Gen House | House for multi generations , Bangkok, Thailand
  • Multi-Place, Surat Thani Province, Thailand
  • T-House, Nonthaburi, Thailand

The following statistics helped EKAR achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist6
Featured Projects9
Total Projects8

5. IF (Integrated Field)

© Ketsiree Wongwan

© Ketsiree Wongwan

IF is a Thailand based design office that believes in finding a specified question for each project, to understand its “core”, and develop the design based on that issue throughout the whole process. With belief in this method, IF was founded by group of friends consisting of architects, an interior architect, a landscape architect and an industrial designer, intended to work together and gather aspects in as many fields as possible to create work from the integrated inputs as our core saying, “IF works in the Field of Integration”. It has been founded since July 2011 and still at its very first stage at the moment.

Some of IF (Integrated Field)’s most prominent projects include:

  • EKH CHILDREN HOSPITAL, Samut Sakhon, Thailand
  • CUCHI ORGANIC ECO FARM, Củ Chi, Vietnam
  • KLOEM HOSTEL, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Exotic Food (XO), Bangkok, Thailand
  • Coro Field : Phase 1, Ratchaburi, Thailand

The following statistics helped IF (Integrated Field) achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner3
A+Awards Finalist4
Featured Projects8
Total Projects11

4. TOUCH Architect

© TOUCH Architect

© TOUCH Architect

‘TOUCH’ comes from our philosophy that we respect your need and preference, and it is our desire to make your imagination becomes reality. So with a touch of ours, your idea will be delivered. We promise to fulfill your inspiration and make it happen, since we believe that architecture is not just a building. It is where we live, work, relax or even learn. We spend most of our lives in it. So, in time, it has become such a memorial to us. Also, it is one of the most fascinating aspects of human skills since the beginning of time. It indicates a timeline, as well as an expression of life, society, culture, and intellect.

Some of TOUCH Architect’s most prominent projects include:

  • Option Coffee Bar, Udon Thani, Thailand
  • IN-SIGHT House, Bangkok, Thailand
  • House Enfold, Thepharak, Thailand
  • 81 Trans-(parent), Bangkok, Thailand
  • House COVE(R), Soi Siwalee Suvarnabhumi Village, Thailand

The following statistics helped TOUCH Architect achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects16
Total Projects11

3. Chiangmai Life Architects

© Chiangmai Life Architects

© Chiangmai Life Architects

Chiangmai Life Architects is based in northern Thailand with its partnering firm, Chiangmai Life Construction, responsible for building the modern sustainable designs using earth and bamboo as main construction materials. The company’s philosophy is to bring these natural materials into the 21st century, with light and clean organic designs and up-to-date engineering knowledge. CLC strives for a balance of function, beauty and sustainability.

Some of Chiangmai Life Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Bamboo Sports Hall at Panyaden International School, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Bamboo Meditation Cathedral & Sunset Sala, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Science Labs & Music Center @ Panyaden International School, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Erber Research Center and Lecture Hall, Tambon Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand
  • A Tale of Earth and Wood, Chiang Mai, Thailand

The following statistics helped Chiangmai Life Architects achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner4
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects9
Total Projects8

2. IDIN Architects

An acronym for Integrating Design Into Nature, IDIN Architects was founded in 2004. We perceive ‘nature’ in two ways. Firstly, nature can be defined as the ecology around us. Secondly, it can also refer to different mannerisms and personalities. The design philosophy and attention of IDIN are to merge this sense of surroundings, the ‘natures’, to the architectural aesthetic. This merge is done through a process of analyzing and prioritizing the different needs and requirements of each project. In addition to being an acronym, the Thai word “idin” is used to describe the natural phenomenon when soil releases a beautiful scent after rainfall.

Some of IDIN Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Choui Fong Tea Café, Chiang Rai, Thailand
  • IDIN Architects Office, Bangkok, Thailand
  • MDC Headquarters, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Choui Fong Tea Cafe 2, Mueang Chiang Rai, Thailand
  • PA HOUSE, Bangkok, Thailand

The following statistics helped IDIN Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects19
Total Projects25

1. Department of ARCHITECTURE

© SPACESHIFT STUDIO

© SPACESHIFT STUDIO

Department of ARCHITECTURE Co. practices architecture, interior design, landscape design, and other design-related disciplines within a broad range of programmatic requirements and scales. The firm focuses on developing ideas in architecture, researches on social, cultural, and physical context, as well as takes on an exploration for alternative material utilization.

Some of Department of ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

  • Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC), Bangkok, Thailand
  • The Commons Thonglor, Bangkok, Thailand
  • ‘Drift’ Lobby Bar, Pattaya City, Thailand
  • MIST Hot Spring Resort, Henan, China
  • Little Shelter Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand

The following statistics helped Department of ARCHITECTURE achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Thailand:

A+Awards Winner9
A+Awards Finalist5
Featured Projects13
Total Projects17

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.

 


Top image: Bamboo Meditation Cathedral & Sunset Sala by Chiangmai Life Architects, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai, Thailand

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

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Oscar Wilde famously wrote, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Since the beginning of time, human beings have been fascinated by outer space — the stars, the sun, the moon and everything else in between. For tens of thousands of years, scientists, philosophers, innovators and billions of others have collectively and continuously craned their necks with curiosity and ambition to understand the existence beyond ours that surrounds us.

Space has always invoked an enormous sense of fascination for us mere planet dwellers, and despite the renewed ambition after nearly 50 years to return to our moon’s surface, many architects have channeled their lunar fascinations a little closer to home. The following eight architectural beauties might not hold up under the unrelenting and harsh conditions of space habitation, but they would certainly look the part.


Self-Assembly Geodesic Domes

By FDome, Poland

Popular Choice Winner, 9th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Small Living

Self-Assembly Geodesic Domes by FDome, Poland Photographs by Steven D’Avignon

Domes have far and away been the structural representation of choice when film directors depict our eventual habitation of other planets, and Poland-based FDomes self-assembly Geodesic Glamping domes show us how cozy such a home could be. Versatile and portable, the tented structures blend perfectly into the surrounding landscape and boast spacious interiors. Fully-fitted bathrooms, kitchenettes and a functional loft bed, with an option to connect one or more domes, mean that while these domes might not be suitable for space habitation, they’d be an excellent addition to the back garden.


Residential House in Kaunas

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

Unless I’ve missed something vitally important, I think we can all agree that wherever the planet that humankind eventually relocates to, trees and timber could be challenging to come by. It’s therefore easy to imagine that stone and concrete-like conglomerates will more likely be available and, therefore, favored in such an environment. 

With a distinct familiarity with Kisho Kurokawa’s Metabolist Icon this two-story family home in Kaunas is a modernist dream, circular windows included. The reinforced concrete structure is robust and industrial in design yet retains a pure form, while its unfussy facade and muted pallet inside and out give a sense that the monolithic building would be right at home on the surface of Luna. 


Casa de los Milagros (House of Miracles)

By Naser Nader Ibrahim, Coatepec, Mexico 

Casa de los Milagros (House of Miracles) By Danilo Veras Godoy, Coatepec, Mexico Photographys by Naser Nader Ibrahim

Casa de los Milagros (House of Miracles) has, according to the owner of the unique dwelling, been referred to as a mushroom, an octopus, a bat cave, a flower, a snail shell, and even a meringue. The bizarre shape gives the building an organic yet otherworldly appearance.

Built in stages and without a traditional blueprint, the low-cost family home is the product of long conversations between owner and architect alongside a build-as-you-go strategy. “What are your wildest dreams?” was the starting point, and answers involved slides, fire station poles, a salamander-like creature creeping toward the fireplace on the ceiling, wombs with a view, meaning elevated nest-like sleeping quarters with windows for stargazing at night and sun-greeting in the morning and on a more traditional note — a light-filled kitchen.


Niki-H

By Seisho Takashi Architect’s Studio, Hokkaido, Japan

If we were to take timber to Earth’s Moon or even Mars, we’re probably going to have to be pretty frugal with its use. Niki-H by Seisho Takashi is an excellent example of exemplary woodworking on a microarchitecture level that shows how the potentially luxury commodity could be adopted for structure building economically.

The petite yet robust structure was designed for wine-making settlers in the notoriously wintery Hokkaido. The recessed building sits below the 23 inch (60 centimeter) freezing depth of the ground. At the same time, the 60-degree pitch of the roof helps the minimal home withstand any heavy snowfall. An open-plan interior bookended by two huge windows allows the cozy space to be filled with light and, most importantly, warmth when the sun shines.


Desert House

By AyEh, Qeshm Island, Iran

Desert House by AyEh, Qeshm Island, Iran Images by AyEh

So let’s say we’ve sorted out the whole “doesn’t have an atmosphere problem” on Mars, or maybe we’ve found our very own Arrakis (minus the giant killer worms)— the unusually formed Desert House by AyEh looks to be the perfect home for such a warm, dry climate.

Located on Qeshm Island, the series of buildings concentrate on providing thermally comfortable indoor and outdoor environments adopting many traditional thermal strategies to work harmoniously with the landscape and location, not against it. Each of the three buildings contains individual features of the dwelling but is arranged according to wind circulation, sun direction and cross ventilation. These clever decisions create areas indoor and out which can be enjoyed at all times while continuing to support the abundant plant life proposed for the property.


Sedona Moongate

By SWABACK pllc, Sedona, AZ, United States

Sedona Moongate by SWABACK pllc, Sedona, AZ, United States Photographs by Dino Tonn

Unfortunately, just because we made it out to the stars, it’s doubtful that we would abandon capitalism altogether, and the aptly named Sedona Moongate gives us a glimpse of what a Mars mansion for the exceptionally wealthy space dweller might look like.

Actually located firmly on Earth in Arizona, Moongate residence seemingly rises out of the red rocks. The house—two half circle wings joined by a rectangular glass box entryway and gallery—includes sweeping and graceful roof overhangs, canted just so to shade windows and balconies during the summer while allowing winter sun to saturate the interior. At the entryway, the massive stacked sandstone base—invisibly mortared—gives the effect that the structure was built into an escarpment. Extensive oversized, cascading stonework and cabinetry enrich the interior, but the foyer’s glass staircase, suspended by steel rods, is the home’s pièce de résistance.


The Almanac

By Sweco Architects, Denmark

Lastly, what would space colonization be without community and a healthy sense of togetherness? My guess: Pretty short-lived and unsuccessful. That’s why the Almanac concept by Danish Architects Sweco might be the answer to our interplanetary future dreams.

By adopting community as the focal point for the housing of the future, the architects drew inspiration from the traditional location-based calendar – an almanac. In the project, housing communities are arranged in housing clusters around a common courtyard. The housing clusters are then bound together by larger surrounding urban landscape spaces, where communities of varying sizes utilize the surrounding landscape and connect themselves with the surrounding housing clusters.

Speaking on the unusual design architects and innovation manager at Sweco Architects, Karl-Martin Buch Frederiksen said, “Communities are often at their best if they are tangible and manageable. If they become too large, we easily lose the sense of togetherness and responsibility that is the prerequisite for us to share a universe. In addition, it is our experience that the community thrives best when it is not something that is expected of others, but instead stands as an enticing daily alternative. It is the awareness that has been our starting point in the work on the project.”

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

Reader’s Choice: Top 10 Architecture Projects on Architizer in January 2023
CategoriesArchitecture

Reader’s Choice: Top 10 Architecture Projects on Architizer in January 2023

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

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

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


By CEBRA, Kolding, Denmark

Skamlingsbanken has long been a point for gather: the protective shelter of the rolling hills seemingly invited gatherings. Now, this natural landscape’s remarkable history as a civic landscape — one that hosted debates about women’s suffrage, democracy and more — is home to an architectural landmark that will continue this legacy, with little impact on the natural landscape. Indeed, The visitor centre is an architectural interpretation of the local topography and a representation of the local history; it is seeded with native species, selected in collaboration with biologies Mette Keseler, which shows optimal conditions for the local herbs and biodiversity.


By The One (Hong Kong) Design, Guangzhou, China

Moody lighting, textured walls and interlocking linear elements all come together to create a dynamically flowing space. Four principal moving lines are used to connect the apartment’s various zones, ensuring that the open space feels connected while its functions are differentiated. This tension between who and parts, static volumes and dynamic movement, amount a significant challenge to more traditional private homes. Based on the “unconventional” living space needs of the two owners, designers want to create a sense of privacy and closure that can break the traditional private house space for the owners.


By Signum Architecture, Paso Robles, California

Set on a 100 acre site in Paso Robles, this the architects of this project were faced with a complex task: to design a building with a unique identity that would invite visitors without detracting from the picturesque landscape — a contention at the heart of winemaker Eric Jensen’s minimalist philosophy of interfering with the land as little as possible. Thius the architects began with a typology familiar to the place: a trellis and terrace. Next, the visible fractures in the area’s chalky limestone soil helped to make out the buildings’ walls, in direct relation to the land and views.


By AB design studio, inc., Montecito, California

Popular Choice, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (M 2000 – 4000 sq ft)

Mies van der Rohe seems a likely inspiration for this modernization project in the foothills of Santa Barbara; however, this modernize project is deeply rooted in its source material — a simple 1950s wood cabin set in a rock quarry. The single-story residence takes into account the surrounding boulders and oak forest; the design sought to maintain original elements and to reuse stone found onsite.


By Myrto Kiourti, Athens, Greece

Many cities can claim hybrid identities as contemporary metropolises with ancient, historic pasts; however, Athens is one of those cities where this duality is ever-present, and the city’s legacy continues to inform designs of the present. Epitomizing this relationship to the past are those homes that Greek families literally build on top of their older residences. Known as “panosikoma,” these “upper-level extensions” are rooted in a traditional building practice that implicitly negotiates these identities. The Flying Box exemplifies this approach.


By Mario Cucinella Architects, Mormanno, Italy

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

One first glance, the flowing lines of this iconic floor plan is unlike any other ecclesiastical structure (actually, it’s safe to say they’re quite distinct from any other structure, period). Yet, the organic footprint of this monumental building was inspired by the curvilinear geometries of Baroque churches in Rome. Natural light — long an important element and symbol of Christian places of worship — floods the interior space, and is filtered through a memorable canopy of translucent veils.


By Beef Architekti, Balearic Islands, Ibiza

Mallorca is famous for its sapphire blue beaches and picturesque craggy cliffs; however, architects would be interested to learn more about the vernacular techniques long used in local construction on this mediterranean island. Using stones sourced from a nearby quarry, Beef Architekti pay homage to the traditional dry construction technique known as ‘pedra en sec’ used to express a typical design that can be found all over the island — one that was named an intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2018.


By bkp GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany

The future of office culture hangs by a thread, and architects are increasingly seen as the heroes capable of coaxing a reluctant workforce out of their homes. Charged with strengthening employee’s identification with their employer, this multispace strives to integrate their patron’s long company history and state-of-the-art production techniques with the comforts of home offices, which allow employees to retreat when needed, and therefore to be fully present when needed in the work community.


By Feldman Architecture, Los Altos Hills, California

Photos by Adam Rouse

California’s leading place in avant-garde architecture of the 1960s is well established; however, homes with circular floor plans, which were experimented with during this period, remain absent from the canon of modern. Though challenging from a layout perspective, the many benefits and intrigues of designing homes with soft edges remain under explored. Feldman Architects were given the change to reconsider this residential layout in a recent commission to reimagine and modernize just such a home — and the result is truly mesmerizing.


By TYRANT Inc., Koizuka, Kumagaya, Japan

How to elevate a suburban box store into an intriguing and enjoyable space? This Japanese firm complicates the typical elongated rectangular in plan in several key way. First, the building appears to float thanks to a level difference, which helps it to stand out. Next, a small patio is carved into the front center of the building, not only enhancing the appearance from the outside, but also providing greenery on the interior, since the planted tree is visible from all sides of the commercial space. In this way a simple architectural design provides a rich presence for visitors.

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



Reference

Putting On a Show: 7 Remarkable Venues With Real Wow-Factor
CategoriesArchitecture

Putting On a Show: 7 Remarkable Venues With Real Wow-Factor

Architizer’s 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With a Final Entry Deadline of January 27th, 2023, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

Venues are the vessels of performance, and architecture is perhaps the most overlooked player on the stage. The geometries of events structures must perfect a complex dance that juggles elements such as acoustics, scale, sightlines, illumination and atmosphere. All the world may be a stage, to quote Shakespeare’s enduring words, but it’s the task of the architect to shape the stage into its own palpable world.

Performance spaces, whether theatrical, cultural or athletic, have a storied history that reaches back millennia. Yet, these typologies continue to be revised and rewritten in exciting new ways, as these outstanding winning projects from the 10th Annual A+Awards show. From concert halls and theaters to stadiums, discover seven of the most innovative contemporary venues deserving of a standing ovation.


 Zhengzhou Grand Theater

By The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HIT, Zhengzhou, China

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hall / Theater

Zhengzhou Grand Theater by The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HITZhengzhou Grand Theater by The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HITEnvisaged as a boat traversing China’s Yellow River, this remarkable performing arts venue resembles a vast ship anchored amid the urban sprawl of Zhengzhou. A series of dramatic metal sails define the exterior; however, the structure’s imposing scale is softened by its receptiveness to the surrounding landscape. Angular glass openings create a rapport between the building and the street outside. After nightfall, the sails illuminate and the interior glows, beckoning passers-by into its theatrical world.

Inside, the complex is home to four large theaters with unique architectural identities. The spaces have been carefully designed to accommodate their differing acoustic needs while ensuring there’s no noise interference between the venues. Undulating balconies, curving forms and dynamic solid surface patterns shape an immersive visual and audio experience.


 Andermatt Concert Hall

By Studio Seilern Architects, Andermatt, Switzerland

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hall / Theater

Andermatt Concert Hall by Studio Seilern ArchitectsAndermatt Concert Hall by Studio Seilern ArchitectsOriginally an underground convention hall, this concrete structure has been transformed into a contemporary concert hall in the picturesque Swiss Alps. The ceiling of the subterranean space was raised to amplify the venue’s acoustics and increase its capacity. From the origami-inspired timber cladding to the inclined balconies and suspended sound reflectors, the interior topography has been carefully orchestrated to create an enveloping space where sound rises and falls around the audience like a wave.

The redesign rejects the conventional notion of the concert hall as an insular, enclosed space. The glazed upper volume protrudes up into the rural landscape, allowing light to pour down into the venue and creating a mercurial backdrop for concerts that shifts with the seasons. Externally, the structure takes on the appearance of an art installation at first glance, the acoustic reflectors floating ethereally amid the mountain peaks. The result is an intriguing invitation to find out more…


Hayward Field

By SRG Partnership, INC, Eugene, Oregon

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Stadium & Arena

Hayward Field by SRG Partnership, INCHayward Field by SRG Partnership, INCThe site of sporting venues since 1919, this state-of-the-art track and field stadium has a hallowed history. The newest iteration of this legacy was inspired by the energy of competing athletes. The asymmetric oval frame of the stadium dips and rises in height as though it’s in motion — a considered decision that increases the density of seats near the finishing line. Meanwhile, a canopy of wooden ribs covered in a translucent skin allows daylight to permeate the stands, shielding the heart of the stadium, the spectators, from the elements.

The athletes’ experiences are prioritized in the architectural fabric of the structure too. As well as a vast complex dedicated to training and recovery below the stands, every element of the stadium has been designed as a vehicle for practice, from the winding stairs at the entrance to the public concourses and ramps clad in track surfacing.


Montforthaus

By HASCHER JEHLE Architektur, Feldkirch, Austria

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Cultural & Expo Centers

Montforthaus by HASCHER JEHLE ArchitekturMontforthaus by HASCHER JEHLE ArchitekturThis experimental venue is situated in a medieval town in western Austria. It was designed as a fluid space, capable of hosting everything from conventions and balls, to theater, pop concerts and classical performances. While its architectural form is strikingly contemporary, the structure doesn’t stand in conflict with its historic surroundings. Instead, traditional regional materials have been reimagined in a modern lexicon, creating a continuity between old and new.

The complex comprises an array of multipurpose events spaces, each shapeshifting in their scale and functionality. The large concert hall features over 300 square meters of adjustable surfaces, including six movable acoustic sails across the ceiling for a customizable aural experience. Height limitations posed an initial challenge to the  design, which meant rethinking the theatrical rigging system. Instead, the classic fly tower was reimagined as interchangeable segments, an especially innovative configuration.


Quzhou Stadium

By MAD Architects, Quzhou, China

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Stadium & Arena

Quzhou Stadium by MAD ArchitectsQuzhou Stadium by MAD ArchitectsEmbedded within an urban park, this extraordinary sports complex in Quzhou was devised to blur into the rolling topography. Six hills, a lake and sunken gardens sit in harmony with the structure, which is nestled within a crater-like recess in the ground. The entrances to the stadium appear as apertures in the earth, oversized burrows of sorts. From a distance, the only tell-tale sign of the arena’s presence is the translucent halo of the roof, which seemingly floats above the landscape like a cloud.

Encircled by woodland, the park sits at a distance from the city, the organic terrain a counterpoint to the developed skyline. The project offers a rebuttal to the typology of the stadium as a display of power — one that often appears to dominate the landscape. Instead, the sporting spirit is sensitively imbued into a communal outdoor space, placing the training of elite athletes alongside the quotidian physical activities of city dwellers.


Intuit Dome

By Cloud Architects, Inglewood, California

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Sport & Recreation

Intuit Dome by Cloud ArchitectsIntuit Dome by Cloud ArchitectsCombining sports with sustainability, the ground-breaking basketball stadium of the LA Clippers is striving to become the world’s first carbon-neutral arena. Harnessing Southern California’s sunny climate, the stadium, which is currently under construction, will be enveloped by a gridshell crowned with a solar array. The building will run entirely off electricity derived from the sun, while its solar battery storage system will have enough capacity to power a basketball game or concert. Coupled with natural ventilation and initiatives to eradicate landfill waste and improve local air quality, the arena will have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the region.

Embracing environmental responsibility hasn’t compromised the experience of fans either. The pioneering design will feature a bowl-style seating arrangement that ensures each seat has an unimpeded sightline, as well as integrated at-seat refreshment services. Meanwhile, the architects conceived the arena’s interior to optimize the Clippers’ home-court advantage — 51 rows of seats will flank one of the baskets, dubbed the ‘Wall of Sound’.


Winter Park Library & Events Center

By Adjaye Associates, Winter Park, Florida

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Libraries

Winter Park Library & Events Center by Adjaye AssociatesWinter Park Library & Events Center by Adjaye AssociatesThis community development in Florida was designed as a cultural micro-village amongst the tropical terrain. Encompassing the northwest corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, the complex comprises three pavilions that house a two-story library, an events center and a welcome portico, as well as a number of outdoor socializing areas. The scheme’s radical design articulates its core principles of empowerment, education and unity with the natural world.

Just as the indoor buildings flow out seamlessly to the exterior meeting spaces, the divisions between the designated interior zones are porous. The library and events center feature flexible floor plans that promote the cross-pollination of ideas. Rather than a traditional, closed design, the tiered auditorium is open at the back to the rest of the events complex, encouraging engagement and participation. Here, the venue is not a singular confined space but a permeable zone of collaboration.

Architizer’s 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With a Final Entry Deadline of January 27th, 2023, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

Reference

30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy
CategoriesArchitecture

30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy

Virtuoso chefs and leaders of culture, the Italians have long been revered for their passion and creative excellence that extends to their built environment. As a relatively recently unified nation, there is a myriad of architecture — both historical and contemporary — waiting to be explored and differing largely from region to region. Whether touring the ancient aqueducts and temples in Rome, marveling over the Renaissance feats in Florence, or discovering the Byzantine and Islamic influence in Sicily, the country certainly requires multiple visits just to scratch the surface of architectural riches. And for the admirers of pious architecture, Italy has its fair share of basilicas and churches that date back to the reign of Constantine the Great.

In the contemporary context, the Italian built environment took on a new identity after the fall of Fascism. Eager to break from Fascist architecture, the nation’s architects began to redefine modernist architecture void of Rationalism. Whether it be a winery built inside a Sasso (home dug inside a rock formation), a total revitalization of a napolitan subway station, or a monolithic church nestled in the Calabrian mountains, marveling over Italian’s contemporary landscape is almost as easy as it is savoring its delicious cuisine. Just like Brunelleschi, the Italian architects of today uphold the title of capomaestri (master builders) and continue to erect a noteworthy built environment that influences global architectural trends.

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 Italy 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 Italy architecture firms throughout the year.

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

30. Pedevilla Architects

© Pedevilla Architects

© Pedevilla Architects

Pedevilla Architects was founded in 2005 by brothers Alexander and Armin Pedevilla. Among the main tasks of the office are challenging architectural projects in private and public spheres as well as creative interior designs and innovative design concepts. The objective of the layout is always to implement the desires and needs of the people and to incorporate these with a clear architectural stylistic vocabulary.

Some of Pedevilla Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • House at Mill Creek, Sand in Taufers, Italy
  • Alpine Residence & Chalet La Pedevilla, Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, Italy
  • Elementary School Rodeneck, Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, Italy
  • Fire Station Vierschach, Innichen, Italy
  • Fire Station Sand in Taufers, Sand in Taufers, Italy

The following statistics helped Pedevilla Architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects6

29. deamicisarchitetti

© Gabriele Leo

© Gabriele Leo

deamicisarchitetti is an Italian firm practicing architecture, urbanism and design. From the year 2005 — when deamicisarchitetti was founded — our design approach has centred on making good use of our typically Italian ability to interpret, cross-pollinate and blend together ideas and lexicons from a variety of places, times and cultural contexts. Our aim is to realize projects that preserve a sense of time while providing new and original results in terms of performance and meaning: a synthesis of memory and the contemporary.

Fueled by curiosity, research and the constant study of the world around us, we pay particular attention to connections and to the value of the space between “things”, always aiming to increase the usability, diversity and the beauty of places, be they transport nodes or destinations.

Some of deamicisarchitetti’s most prominent projects include:

  • Suburbian Villa, Pavia, Italy
  • Digital Entity workspace, Milan, Italy
  • Alpine foothills house, Borgiallo, Italy
  • Borgo Merlassino, Novi Ligure, Italy
  • House on the roof, Milan, Italy

The following statistics helped deamicisarchitetti achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects7

28. EXiT architetti associati

© EXiT architetti associati

© EXiT architetti associati

EXiT architetti associati is an architecture studio based in Treviso. It focuses on architectural and urban design as well as interior and landscape design and draws upon the collective professional experiences of its founders in Italy, Spain and Portugal. In 2009 and 2011 EXIT was nominated one of the best emerging architecture firms in Italy by Giarch. In 2010 projects realized by the studio were displayed in the Italian Pavillion at the Shanghai EXPO 2010. The projects were on display in the “Ventisettetrentasette” exhibition dedicated to emerging Italian architecture.

Some of EXiT architetti associati’s most prominent projects include:

  • Z House, Mogliano Veneto, Italy
  • Renovation of an alpine barn, Selva di Cadore, Italy
  • Alpine barn DZ, Selva di Cadore, Italy
  • D House, Treviso, Italy
  • FVL – Reclaimed natural wood, Lozzo di Cadore, Italy

The following statistics helped EXiT architetti associati achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects4
Total Projects17

27. AMDL Circle | Michele De Lucchi

© AMDL Circle | Michele De Lucchi

© AMDL Circle | Michele De Lucchi

The philosophy adopted by Michele De Lucchi’s office seeks to maintain a steady interaction between architectural thinking, industrial design and global communication. This transverse approach is backed by Michele De Lucchi’s own international experience acquired in more than forty years’ work. Founded in the early 1980s, the office has kept its original multicultural and multidisciplinary origins.

Producing architecture and design for Italian and foreign institutes, public and private organisations, businesses and individuals, it carries out in-depth surveys of matters relating to contemporary society, especially the role of industry and crafts, technology and nature. Formed by architects and designers from all over the world, the office shows a predilection for teamwork.

Some of AMDL Circle | Michele De Lucchi’s most prominent projects include:

  • EARTH STATIONS MANY HANDS
  • ST. JAKOB’S CHAPEL, Bernbeuren, Germany
  • “La Pista di Milano” Racetrack, Arese, Italy
  • Residenze Litta, Corso Magenta, Milano, Italy
  • PAVILION ZERO, EXPO MILANO 2015, Milan, Italy

The following statistics helped AMDL Circle | Michele De Lucchi achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects4
Total Projects13

26. MASK Architects

© MASK Architects

© MASK Architects

MASK Architects is a young international architecture and design firm established in Sardinia, Italy and Istanbul, Turkey by Turkish Architect and Architectural Designer Öznur Pınar Çer & Italian Luxury Industrial Designer Danilo Petta in the fields of priority public and cultural projects, workspaces, mixed-use, luxury industrial design, medical design equipment, and health, education, living space, yacht and watch design as well as production and master planning sectors across the world. Our design vision is to combine Science, Architecture, and Technology in the Parametric and Kinetic design field.

We have been improving ourselves in the design are Parametric Design, Robotic Fabrication and Construction, Mathematics, Art, Interactivity Design, Interactive and Kinetic Art Installations, Sustainability, Climate Changes, Interactive Movements, Human Physiology, Public Design Elements, Pavilion Structures and Engineered Technologies in Advanced Technology. Our design philosophy is based on creating a ‘Magnetic Design Field Curve’ in the design, where they believe users as a “Magnetic Force” in the space getting attracted to something equally magnetic within the space.

Some of MASK Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • “The artificial breathing palm modular structure system”, ” Oasys + System”, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • Seoul Art and Photographic Museum, Seoul, South Korea
  • “Villa G01” New Generation Luxury Villa, Porto Rotondo, Italy
  • The Flower Clouds I Zhengzhou Metro Line-7 Stations, China
  • Leaf and Bean Coffee Co Pavilion, Heinrich-Kraft-Park, Frankfurt am Main Ost, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The following statistics helped MASK Architects achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects4
Total Projects14

25. OFL Architecture

© OFL Architecture

© OFL Architecture

OFL Architecture is an office founded in 2009 by Francesco Lipari and Vanessa Todaro, that operates between Rome and Sicily. OFL Architecture is an interdisciplinary architectural practice focused on emergent design processes through a design methodology that integrates architecture with other disciplines, redefining the relationship of the significant modern city and its current urban conditions.

Some of OFL Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • St Horto, 159, Via di Pietralata, Rome, Italy
  • Wunderbugs, Rome, Italy
  • Zighizaghi, Favara, Italy
  • Nuovo Palazzo della Provincia di Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
  • New Columbarium, Campofranco, Italy

The following statistics helped OFL Architecture achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner2
Featured Projects3
Total Projects20

24. CN10 Architetti

© CN10 Architetti

© CN10 Architetti

CN10 architects was founded in 2004 by Gianluca Gelmini. The study deals with architectural planning and recovery of historical heritage at different scales of intervention. Over the years the firm has participated in national and international competitions winning prizes and awards.

Any action inevitably causes changes, every new building as well as any recovery intervention involves a transformation more or less radical of the territory. Only by being aware of these conditions do architecture, it is possible to act with the utmost respect for a given environment. It is an attitude supported by a certain autonomy from the possible constraints imposed by the location and history, a position that asserts the secularity of architectural design.

Some of CN10 Architetti’s most prominent projects include:

  • Parish Center, Carvico, Italy
  • CN10 studio, Province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy
  • Torre del Borgo, Villa d’Adda, Italy
  • Former Monastery of San Giuliano, Bonate Sotto, Italy
  • Cemetery pavilion, Province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy

The following statistics helped CN10 Architetti achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects7

23. arcari cimini architettura

© arcari cimini architettura

© arcari cimini architettura

arcari cimini architettura is an international and flexible team of several independent architects and architectural firms, based in different countries. They collaborate flexibly, tailoring the team to the needs of each project arcari cimini architettura is a brand with which to communicate the team’s work.

Some of arcari cimini architettura’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped arcari cimini architettura achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects8

22. duearchitetti

© duearchitetti

© duearchitetti

duearchitetti is an architectural practice based in Varese, Italy. We take a humanistic approach to our design. The focus is first on the PERSON and his needs, then on the PLACE in which the building fits and the environment where we are going to operate. The knowledge of the place is further deepened by the research of its HISTORY.

PERSON, PLACE, HISTORY are thus spheres that intersect with each other and give us a first reading of the project. It is then the sensitivity of the designer who has to manage them by intervening in the emotional sphere and the dynamics of relationships between the parts. Man within the space, his movements, his pleasures. Our goal is to meet the needs of the client by preparing and sharing with him the different proposals, taking care to realize in the best way what has been designed.

Some of duearchitetti’s most prominent projects include:

  • La casa di Andrea, Varese, Italy
  • La casa di Simona e Carlo, Varese, Italy
  • La cappella. Arialdo, Varese, Italy
  • La casa di Chiara e Stefano , Varese, Italy
  • casa A.G., Varese, Italy

The following statistics helped duearchitetti achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects9

21. Cino Zucchi Architetti

© Cino Zucchi Architetti

© Cino Zucchi Architetti

The studio Cino Zucchi Architetti is constantly searching spatial solutions for contemporary life in the delicate and rapidly changing context of the European landscape.Its goal is to conjugate innovation and research with a professional completeness able to respond to complex programs at any scale, employing when needed a well-established net of specialized consultants (structures, plants, traffic, economy, landscape, graphics, light design).

Some of Cino Zucchi Architetti’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Cino Zucchi Architetti achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects5
Total Projects7

20. 3ndy Studio

© 3ndy Studio

© 3ndy Studio

Our activity is not only a work, but a real passion. Our purpose is to live the architecture as a mission, but also as an entertainment. According to our philosophy every project, whatever its size was, is imaged first of all as a work of art. What is architecture Vitruvio said that architecture “nascitur ex fabrica et ratiocinatione” (“is born out of the material structure and reason”). Moreover it must not be overlooked the ethical dimension that gives architecture proper life and a sense.

3ndy Studio designs a conscious architecture to everyone, in order to convey a positive and democratic message. Our projects are based on some fixed and essential points: the respect for the environment, for the society and for the future generations. Our buildings belong to high energetic classes and moreover they are powered by renewable energy, such as solar or geothermal energy. They are comfortable and at the same time they have a strong aesthetic and architectonic spirit. Those buildings give a new identity to urban spaces that have lost their value due to the speculation.

Some of 3ndy Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • FAEDA, Montorso Vicentino, Italy
  • “ARZERGRANDE RENOVATION” – CASONE AZZURRO AND NEW PAVILION , Arzergrande, Italy
  • PALAZZO DI VIGONOVO “CAMPIELLO”, Vigonovo, Italy
  • STEEL HOUSE, Fossò, Italy
  • RED STONE HOUSE, Campolongo Maggiore, Italy

The following statistics helped 3ndy Studio achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects5
Total Projects15

19. ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

© ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

© ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV) is an international and cross-disciplinary firm headquartered in Milan, Italy, founded by architects Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel, in 2000. With some activities dating back to the Seventies, the firm is currently involved in several international projects, embracing different scales of intervention — from master planning to mixed-use developments, to residential and commercial buildings, corporate headquarters and hotels — in collaboration with a qualified network of specialist consultants.

The firm can rely on a staff of more than 130 people, coordinated by eight partners. Recent projects include luxury hotels in Europe, China and the Middle East, NOVE — an office building in Munich (Germany) – a residential condominium in Miami (US), Nexxt–Fastweb’s new HQ in Milan, and La Bella Vita high-rise in Taichung (Taiwan).

Some of ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel’s most prominent projects include:

  • Technogym Village, Cesena, Italy
  • Salaino 10, Milan, Italy
  • EXPO 2015, Milan, Italy
  • La Bella Vita, Taichung City, Taiwan
  • Enel Headquarters, Rome, Italy

The following statistics helped ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects5
Total Projects13

18. Perathoner Architects

© Perathoner Architects

© Perathoner Architects

The top priority of this firm of architects is the creation of high-quality architecture that combines modern construction technology and timeless elegance. For us, good architecture implies the harmonious integration of individually designed buildings into a given context. A condition for this is that a building respects the characteristics of the particular location and is thus able to communicate with it.

This is, on the one hand, achieved by a restricted design vocabulary as well as the intelligent combination of selected materials on the other. The decisions taken must however always be questioned, reassessed and, if necessary, modified during the entire development process of a building in order to achieve optimal results in all aspects. RP Architects.

Some of Perathoner Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Perathoner Architects achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist2
Featured Projects4
Total Projects7

17. Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti

© Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti

© Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti

The collaboration between the architects Elisa Burnazzi and Davide Feltrin was born in 2001, on the occasion of their honorary degree examination in Architecture at the University Institute of Architecture in Venice (I.U.A.V.), with the dissertation “INTEGRATING MARGINS. A City Park and a Purification Plant in Mantova,” supervised by Professor Architect Giuseppe Gambirasio.

Architects Burnazzi and Feltrin usually work in the design and planning field applied to a wide range, from the single object up to landscape, and to several sectors, such as the residential, the museum, the commercial, the tertiary. Since 2004, they have both been Expert Designers Casa Clima, certified by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano; they constantly apply to their projects the high energy saving and environment sustainable criteria. Their planning design produces architectural projects able to connect and interact utility and emotion, spatiality and sociality.

Some of Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti’s most prominent projects include:

  • GI multi-family housing, Ischia, Italy
  • MP apartment, Valcanover, Italy
  • PF single family house, Valsugana, Italy
  • Multi-aged community centre, Poggio Picenze, Italy
  • CS apartment, Trento, Italy

The following statistics helped Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects6
Total Projects16

16. studio raro

© studio raro

© studio raro

Based in Trento, Studio Raro was established in 2004 by Roberta Di Filippo and Roberto Salvischiani and deals with architecture and visual communication, winning and acknowledgements in both fields. The invaluable experience acquired over the years through the on-site direction of numerous construction projects, stable collaborations with professional figures in various fields, attendance of update courses on sustainability and communication and of course the simple passion and attention to detail, has allowed the Studio to tackle, in a complete, competent and professional way, a wide range of small to large-scale projects.

Some of studio raro’s most prominent projects include:

  • Casa MF, Trento, Italy
  • Agritur “La Dolce Mela”, casa dell’agricoltore, Ciago, Italy
  • Agritourism , Vezzano, Italy
  • Casa RR, Trento, Italy
  • Agritur “La Dolce Mela”, ampliamento, Ciago, Italy

The following statistics helped studio raro achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects7
Total Projects13

15. Plasma Studio

© Plasma Studio

© Plasma Studio

The term Plasma comes from Classic Greek and means modeling, form, fabric, imagination, fiction. In Physics the Plasma State- or fourth state of matter- describes a unique condition of matter arising at a complex overlay of external forces. Plasma, a charged field of particles, conducts energy.

Folding space into space, Plasma draw landscapes into buildings, streets into facades, inside to outside. Transformative tectonics set spaces, planes and bodies into unforeseen relationships that challenge conventional topographies and spatial codes. While the angular and complex qualities of their forms might superficially affiliate
them with ‘computer-generated’ architecture, decision-making is never relinquished to the computer.

Some of Plasma Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Appropriate_Bistro Bergsteiger, Sexten, Italy
  • Dolomitenblick, Sesto, Italy
  • Creativity Pavilion_Xi’an Expo’, Ba He Dong Lu, Baqiao Qu, Xian Shi, China
  • Strata Hotel
  • Cube Haus, Sexten, Italy

The following statistics helped Plasma Studio achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner2
Featured Projects7
Total Projects51

14. GEZA Architettura

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

Established in 1999 by Stefano Gri and Piero Zucchi, GEZA Architettura is a multi-disciplinary architecture studio that focuses on the perfect balance between Ideas, Beauty and Functionality.

Some of GEZA Architettura’s most prominent projects include:

  • Furla Headquarters & Production Complex, Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy
  • PRATIC 2.0, Fagagna, Italy
  • FP Private house, Codroipo, Italy
  • FABER Headquarters, Cividale di Friuli, Italy
  • PRATIC Headquarters and Production Complex, Fagagna, Italy

The following statistics helped GEZA Architettura achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner2
Featured Projects6
Total Projects25

13. Archiplan Studio

© Archiplan Studio

© Archiplan Studio

Archiplanstudio has been carrying out research activities related to architectural design for years, investigating relationships with the context. The studio’s architecture is translated into gestures and punctual interventions, which search in their own construction, the reasons of belonging to places, appropriateness and spirituality.

Some of Archiplan Studio’s most prominent projects include:

  • Appartamento AL, Mantua, Italy
  • Private Residence, Sarginesco, Sarginesco, Italy
  • Pozzolo, Italy
  • Ristorante Lacucina – Mantova, Mantua, Italy
  • Percoreso Paesaggistico Culturale, Virgilio, Italy

The following statistics helped Archiplan Studio achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects7
Total Projects12

12. Messner Architects

© meraner-hauser.com

© meraner-hauser.com

The collective is founded in 2013 by David and Verena Messner, brother and sister. The studio is located at 1,200 m.a.s.l. near Bozen / Bolzano in Northern Italy inside their father’s workshop. The practice is working on a contemporary approach in many scales, ranging from housing and functional buildings to furniture-design up to landscape projects. The primary aim of developing user- and site-specic concepts is to think and build high quality architecture. A largely regional context defines the studio’s field of action characterizing the architects’ view on the delicate relationship of built and grown. The critical look at something given and the use of transdisciplinary strategies lead to a creative dialogue between architecture, landscape, art and design.

Some of Messner Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • WORKSHOP RENOVATION, Collalbo, Italy
  • BELLA VISTA I _Dolomites UNESCO Viewpoint Monte Specie, Dobbiaco, Italy
  • GROCERY STORE, Collalbo, Italy
  • JURI 2.1 – Stage design, Renon, Italy
  • CASA PLONER, Collalbo, Italy

The following statistics helped Messner Architects achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects7
Total Projects19

11. Didonè Comacchio Architects

© Didonè Comacchio Architects

© Didonè Comacchio Architects

Didon Comacchio Architects is a Rosà-based design firm that operates in different scales with a disposition toward material and sensory experimentation. Context, emotion and origin are heavily explored in the firm’s work.

Some of Didonè Comacchio Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • house PB, Rosà, Italy
  • Interior DM, Bassano del Grappa, Italy
  • interior SS, Nove, Italy
  • Interior DR, Rosà, Italy
  • Depandance DCA, Rosà, Italy

The following statistics helped Didonè Comacchio Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects7
Total Projects33

10. Caprioglio Architects

© Caprioglio Architects

© Caprioglio Architects

The Caprioglio Associates Architecture Firm was founded in 1999 as natural prosecution, progress and unification of the offices of Veneto and Friuli. Giovanni Caprioglio and son Filippo Caprioglio have created a practice that extends not only on the national territory, but also internationally and industrially. The values that the study promotes are those of the advanced culture of the project, above all for its attention to the real requirements of the client and of the historical and physical atmosphere in which it becomes part.

Some of Caprioglio Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • Home P+E+3, Veneto, Italy
  • Private house in the foothills, Treviso, Italy
  • Casin di Palazzo Lezze, Venice, Italy
  • Nic Playroom Apartment, Mogliano Veneto, Italy
  • Home F+T+3, Mogliano Veneto, Italy

The following statistics helped Caprioglio Architects achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects8
Total Projects16

9. Matteo Thun & Partners

© Matteo Thun & Partners

© Matteo Thun & Partners

Matteo Thun & Partners is an architecture and design studio, headed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez with headquarters in Milan, Italy and a subsidiary in Munich, Germany. The studio’s designs are inspired by timeless simplicity and centered on the human scale.

Founded in 1984, the company is operating internationally in the hospitality, healthcare, residential, offices and retail sectors and product design. Encompassing a team of 70 interdisciplinary architects, interior, product and graphic designers, Matteo Thun & Partners works from micro to macro scales with a focus on the management of highly complex projects. The work prioritizes aesthetic durability, technological longevity, and the future lifespan of buildings and products.

Some of Matteo Thun & Partners’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Matteo Thun & Partners achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner1
Featured Projects7
Total Projects31

8. bergmeisterwolf architekten

© bergmeisterwolf architekten

© bergmeisterwolf architekten

“We consider architecture as a developing process, a challenge of the task, a never-ending thinking process. Problems are seen as an opportunity whose aim is to go far beyond the originally assigned and to let new possibilities evolve”. Projects are seen as a positive tension between builders and architects allowing an informal access to space, material and colors. Our architecture is often experienced as simple.

Simplicity — at its first encounter — mostly gives the deep-rooted impression of having always existed: being part of the world, working with its forces not against them. It is the goal of our architecture to find these synergies. Gerd Bergmeister was born in Brixen, Italy, in 1969.

Some of bergmeisterwolf architekten’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped bergmeisterwolf architekten achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects9
Total Projects17

7. Mario Cucinella Architects

© Duccio Malagamba Fotografía de Arquitectura

© Duccio Malagamba Fotografía de Arquitectura

Founded in 1992 MC A – Mario Cucinella Architects is based in Bologna and Milan and specializes in architectural design that integrates environmental and energy strategies.
The studio has carried out projects in Europe, China, North and Central Africa, the Middle East and South America. MC D – Mario Cucinella Design — specializes in the theme of recycling and the circular economy, launching in 2018.

Some of Mario Cucinella Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Mario Cucinella Architects achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects8
Total Projects16

6. Carlo Ratti Associati

© Carlo Ratti Associati

© Carlo Ratti Associati

CRA is an Architecture and Design Firm with a special focus on the synergies between sustainability and digital technologies. With offices based in Turin and New York, the firm engages in small and large-scale interventions ranging from furniture to urban planning.

Some of Carlo Ratti Associati’s most prominent projects include:

  • CURA, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy
  • The Circular Garden, Milan, Italy
  • A Garden With Four Seasons, Milan, Italy
  • VITAE, Milan, Italy
  • The Greenary , Parma, Italy

The following statistics helped Carlo Ratti Associati achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner2
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects6
Total Projects11

5. Roland Baldi Architects

© Oskar Da Riz

© Oskar Da Riz

The architectural studio Roland Baldi is active in architecture and urban planning, but also covers the fields of interior and landscape architecture as well as design. The projects — for the most part following successfully entered competitions — span over a large variety of different architecture manifestations including industrial and commercial buildings, residential buildings, urban planning, infrastructure, buildings for educational purposes and a variety of other studies up to furniture design. They have been built for private and business contractors in industrial areas, historical city centres, residential areas or even in the high mountains.

Some of the most important projects of the office have been the “Masterplan Zone Rosenbach” (former Mignone barracks) in Bolzano, the industrial park Syncom in Bressanone, the University in Brunico, the district heating plant in Chiusa, the mountain railway “Merano 2000” and the TechnoAlpin headquarter in Bolzano.

Some of Roland Baldi Architects’s most prominent projects include:

  • The new lunch room of “Ex-GIL”, Bolzano, Italy
  • House Lemayr, Bolzano, Italy
  • Cultural Center Rosenbach, Bolzano, Italy
  • Angela Nikoletti Square, Bolzano, Italy
  • Fire Station Fleres, Pflersch, Bozen, Italy

The following statistics helped Roland Baldi Architects achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects10
Total Projects22

4. MIDE architetti

© Alessandra Bello

© Alessandra Bello

MIDE Architects is an architectural firm that specializes in different areas: urban, architectural, and interior design, with particular interest in the simplicity of lines and volumes, extreme attention to detail, and finishes and choice of materials that characterize the design approach. The suggestions that inspire architectural production arise from the analysis of the functional needs of the client and the emotional reading of the place; the project is given the role of response to the vocation of the site of action, where the typical features are reinterpreted and translated into new architectural solutions. The firm’s work is distinguished by a particular attention to issues of environmental sustainability and energy consumption, thanks to many qualified specialists.

Some of MIDE architetti’s most prominent projects include:

  • Temporary School Gymnasium, Massa Finalese, Italy
  • 028_HOUSE, Abano Terme, Italy
  • 037_Country House Renovation, Lucca, Italy
  • 081_AGOSTINI SHOES manufacturing plant, Province of Padua, Veneto, Italy
  • 015_Detached house on the Riviera Del Brenta, Fiesso, Italy

The following statistics helped MIDE architetti achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects10
Total Projects16

3. monovolume architecture + design

© monovolume architecture + design

© monovolume architecture + design

monovolume architecture + design is a South Tyrolean architecture and design firm. The two founders Patrik Pedó and Jury Pobitzer met during their studies at the university of Innsbruck and in 2003 founded monovolume architecture + design, which today realizes both refurbishments as well as new constructions. Its portfolio includes conceptual studies, architectural and design projects, constructions´ planning and supervision, project management, visualization 3D and virtual reality as well as urban planning and masterplans.

In addition to architectural projects, exhibition and product design are the core fields of the office’s activity. At the heart of monovolume architecture + design is a young, interdisciplinary and international team of fifteen creatives: architects, industrial designers, 3D artists and graphic designers.

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

  • Dr. Schär, Italy
  • House M Meran, Meran, Italy
  • House M2, Bolzano, Italy
  • Rotho Blaas srl, 2, Etschstraße, Neumarkt, Italy
  • Hans Klotz, Bolzano, Italy

The following statistics helped monovolume architecture + design achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

Featured Projects12
Total Projects26

2. Peter Pichler Architecture

© Peter Pichler Architecture

© Peter Pichler Architecture

Peter Pichler Architecture is an award-winning laboratory for architecture based in Milan. We are a young, dynamic and experimental team dedicated to developing an innovative and contemporary approach to architecture. Understanding tradition is the key to radical evolution. Hence, we incorporate close familiarity with local culture and respect for the natural environment into every single project. This credo builds our studio’s foundations and reflects the way we work.

Some of Peter Pichler Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Kastelaz Hof, Tramin an der Weinstraße, Italy
  • Hotel Milla Montis, Maranza, Italy
  • Mirror Houses, Bolzano, Italy
  • Oberholz Mountain Hut, Obereggen, Italy
  • Hotel Schgaguler, Kastelruth, Italy

The following statistics helped Peter Pichler Architecture achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist1
Featured Projects15
Total Projects15

1. noa* network of architecture

© Alex Filz

© Alex Filz

noa* is an architecture and design studio established by Lukas Rungger and Stefan Rier and based in Bolzano (Italy) and Berlin (Germany). Lukas and Stefan met while working as project architects with the renowned architect and designer Matteo Thun in Milan, being responsible for a series of challenging projects in the field of tourism, modern living and contemporary workplaces.

Before joining forces to found noa* back home in Bozen/Bolzano in 2010, both Lukas and Stefan improved their skills and fine-tuned their work-ethos during a decade of work experiences both locally and abroad. They gained particularly diverse cultural and social influences from living and working in New York, London, Berlin, Milan, Ferrara and Graz…which until present remains the crucial influence and input on their recent designs.

Some of noa* network of architecture’s most prominent projects include:

  • Biwak
  • Zallinger, 36, Via Saltria, Alpe Di Siusi, Italy
  • Mohrlife: The theatrical spa, Lermoos, Austria
  • Ötzi Peak 3251m: Reaching the peak, South Tyrol, Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy
  • Hubertus, Mitterolang, Italy
  • Apfelhotel Torgglerhof: In full bloom, Saltusio, Italy

The following statistics helped noa* network of architecture achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Italy:

A+Awards Winner1
A+Awards Finalist3
Featured Projects25
Total Projects38

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 30 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.

Top image: Kastelaz Hof by Peter Pichler Architecture, Tramin an der Weinstraße, Italy


 

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

Made in Mexico: 6 Captivating Contemporary Concrete Constructions
CategoriesArchitecture

Made in Mexico: 6 Captivating Contemporary Concrete Constructions

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

Mexican uses of concrete span thousands of years, stretching as far back as the Aztecs to the present day. It is no surprise then that the country has a rich culture of architectural styles that incorporate the age-old material; whether through a deep understanding of cement’s varied textures and patterns or a knowledge of how cement interacts with the country’s diverse climactic conditions, which range from lush vegetation to arid deserts.

Mexico’s concrete architecture is as varied as the country’s geography. The recent projects below illustrate how architects are drawing from this rich natural and historical heritage to create unique styles of concrete construction.


Casa Candelaria

By Cherem Arquitectos, Mexico

Popular Choice Winner, 2020 A+Awards, Private House (XL > 5000 sq ft)

This multi-residential project by Cherem Arquitectos on the outskirts of Mexico City is the contemporary equivalent of the traditional Mexican Hacienda. The project consists of a dozen flat roofed buildings interspersed by three main courtyards and large, lush gardens. Inside, the firm aimed to create a strong contrast between the large paneled concrete walls and the natural light entering from skylights. This is accentuated by the rich display of plants and native artwork throughout, suggesting an artisanal quality to the houses’ rough concrete finishes.


House P

By Cherem Arquitectos, Mexico

Photos by Enrique Macias Martinez

This house ensconced among trees in the state of Mexico plays with theatricality in many ways. The open triangular shape of the house — appearing to be folded onto itself — opens onto a large, dramatic luminous courtyard overrun by bushes and stooping trees. For their part, the exterior walls are like concrete curtains framing the free-reigning nature. The overall result is a house which engages dynamically with its surrounding environment: a concrete canvas onto which nature can play a starring role.


Pabellón 3E

By TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual, Mérida, Mexico

This 1960s suburban house in Mérida, Yucatán was recently renovated by TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual to accommodate the accessibility needs of the aging property owners. As part of the renovation, the firm gave a nod to the original era of the house with a new second skin: a lattice of compressed white cement made with discontinued molds from the sixties. The semi-permeable walls provide a new textured intermediary between interior and exterior, where both sunlight and interior light play in unique ways with the circular patterns.


L House

By Dellekamp Schleich, Mexico

Photos by Sandra Pereznieto

This L-shaped house goes to extreme lengths to preserve the pre-existing trees on the wooded lot by incorporating them quite literally into the building’s footprint. The house includes a series of small courtyards that interweave pre-existing vegetation and offer ample privacy for each section of the building. Meanwhile, the faded smooth paneled concrete quietly blends in with the house’s stone walls, adding to the house’s peaceful harmony with the surrounding forest.


Nuestro sueño

By Espacio 18 Arquitectura, Oaxaca, Mexico

This new home designed for a retired couple on the outskirts of Oaxaca is what the firm Espacio 18 Arquitectura has described as “an oasis at the city limits”. The house is modeled like an old colonial house from downtown Oaxaca with a floorplan centered around the kitchen and the central patio, where the couple hopes to host numerous social events. Likewise, the architectural combination of smooth concrete, timber and bright red clay brick creates a warm, hospitable atmosphere in the house’s congregation spaces. No doubt the homeowners will be recurring dinner party hosts.


Casa Estudio

By Intersticial Arquitectura, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico

This modestly sized house located in an industrial neighborhood of Santiago de Querétaro manages to look rugged and hospitable at the same time. Intersticial Arquitectura undertook major renovations to this once deteriorating one-story concrete house, decluttering the space with the addition of a luminous and well-ventilated second floor. The renovation also combines rugged and smooth concrete sections for the new walls – a play of textures that pays homage to the local industrial heritage without losing the warm touch of the former building.

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Reference

8 Adventurous Ways Architects Innovated in Interior Design in 2022
CategoriesArchitecture

8 Adventurous Ways Architects Innovated in Interior Design in 2022

Architizer’s 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With a Final Entry Deadline of January 27th, 2023, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

The exterior experience of a building — marveling at a remarkable structure in the midst of a busy skyline, for instance — differs wildly from the interior experience. Crossing a threshold into an internal space is a transformative act. With it, the environment becomes intimate. The senses are enveloped by the spatial and material surroundings; the architect’s intent is suddenly palpably personal.

As these A+Award-winning projects demonstrate, the best interior schemes deftly position the user, both practically and emotionally. From stations, theaters and cafés to places of worship and residential structures, take a look at eight ways architects are innovating interior design and creating immersive schemes that scintillate and astound.


1. Stylizing Ceilings

Shanghai Subway Line 14 Yuyuan Station by XING DESIGN, Shanghai, China

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

Shanghai Subway Line 14 Yuyuan Station by XING DESIGNShanghai Subway Line 14 Yuyuan Station by XING DESIGNConcealed underground, Yuyuan Station is Shanghai’s deepest transport hub. Elevating the experience of this subterranean space came with its challenges. Essential elements of the site, including the walls, columns and flooring, could not be altered. Nevertheless, the architects delivered an immersive scheme that consumes the senses of its users.

A liminal passing place and the gateway to the suburb, the remarkable design embodies both the transience of the space and the topography of the landscape above. Tens of thousands of aluminum panels ripple across the ceiling and around the arches in a complex geometry of waves that echo the Huangpu River, which runs over the metro line. LED lights illuminate the unique undulations of the canopy. Like the passers-by below, the rhythmic ceiling courses in a multitude of diverse routes.


2. Transforming Translucent Materials

Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects, Mormanno, Italy

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella ArchitectsRevising religious architecture can be an imposing task, one that calls for reverence in the same breath as reinvention. This contemporary church in the Calabrian region of southern Italy negotiates that careful dance between tradition and innovation. While its organic, cross-shaped plan is inspired by some of the country’s most impressive Baroque churches, the interior is something of an inversion of the ornate domed designs of its predecessors.

Instead of exposing the structure’s towering scale, the ceiling is filled with a series of translucent veils that fall in soft curved forms. While the design may be a radical departure from historic typologies, it remains steeped in religious language. Natural light, a Christian symbol of holiness, hope and wisdom, cascades down through the church and is cradled in the folds of the drapes. The result is atmospheric ebbs and flows of illumination that reference natural phenomena like the Northern Lights.


3. Utilizing Unobtrusive Divisions

Nil Dos House by Valentí Albareda Studio, Gràcia, Spain

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

Nil Dos House by Valentí Albareda StudioNil Dos House by Valentí Albareda StudioIn another life, this building in Spain’s Catalan region was a warehouse. Once a dark space of industry, it’s now been sensitively transformed into a modern light-filled residence. However, traces of the structure’s history still take center stage thanks to considerate spatial organization.

Encased by an exposed brick ceiling and original whitewashed brick walls, the impressive double-height living space is imbued with its industrial roots. An ingenious light wood frame acts as an unobtrusive room divider, simultaneously zoning the kitchen and forming a tabletop, as well as providing a floor for the loft above. While the scheme accommodates modern living, the absence of opaque barriers places meaningful emphasis on the original form and fabric of the building.


4. Merging Past and Future

CoCo Tea Coffee Juice shop in Shiquan Street by OYTT Design, Suzhou, China

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (S <1000 sq ft)

CoCo Tea Coffee Juice shop in Shiquan StreetCoCo Tea Coffee Juice shop in Shiquan StreetSituated in the Chinese city of Suzhou, this pioneering café was inspired by the concept of returning to the origin of life. The interior is an unexpected convergence of old and new, responding to the historic street outside while reimagining commercial typologies through a futuristic lens.

The space is framed by curvaceous forms and undulating lines that merge the distinction between walls and ceiling. The effect is a cocooning embrace that channels the topography of caves and the ancient environment, emphasized by punctuations of rugged exposed rock and mottled, organic paint effects. However, these natural emblems are skillfully translated into a contemporary vocabulary, from the sleek architectural staircase to the surprising apertures. Past and future convene in a fascinating conversation, at once forward-looking and mindful of what came before.


5. Experimenting With Solid Surface Patterns

Zhengzhou Grand Theater by The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HIT, Zhengzhou, China

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hall / Theater

Zhengzhou Grand Theater by The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HITZhengzhou Grand Theater by The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HITA performance complex of impressive proportions, the Zhengzhou Grand Theater encompasses four large venues with distinct architectural characters. In one hall, the walls ripple with a daring solid surface design in pink and orange hues. Narrow, repetitive channels envelop the room, resembling the interior architecture of a living, breathing organism, while the carefully considered contours were crafted to meet high acoustic standards.

While the stage is the focus within the halls, the gaze is guided upwards in the lobby and corridors. Droplet-shaped motifs adorn the ceiling; the intricate design combines engraved shapes with perforated apertures. These unusual skylights illuminate a path between the venues, as well as reducing the roof’s weight and construction costs.


6. Internalizing the Outdoors

Fort 137 by Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd., Las Vegas, Nevada

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (XL >6000 sq ft)

Fort 137 by Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.
Fort 137 by Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.Nestled in the arid Nevada desert, this residence reads as an extension of the topography, both externally and internally. Retractable walls of glass, which span across two different aspects, peel away in the main living and dining zone, erasing the boundary between natural and built environments. Exposed rock excavated from the site lines the walls of the living spaces and orients the home within the same tactile language as the rugged terrain.

The color palette throughout the interior is earthy and warm, a combination of cream, peach, terracotta and deep brown that blurs with the desert. In the kitchen, veined surfaces across the countertops and backsplash mirror the relief of the landscape outside in the same sand hues, internalizing the outdoors with stunning effect.


7. Articulating Unusual Arches

SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant by MARS Studio, Beijing, China

Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Bars & Wineries

SOMESOME Bar & Restaurant by MARS StudioSOMESOME Bar & Restaurant by MARS StudioThis visually striking bar and restaurant in Beijing eschews right angles and straight lines. Approaching the curved threshold to this daring space is like delving into a warren. The arched entrance draws the eye down through a cocoon-like portal defined by dark, earthy colors.

Inside, warped surfaces shape the unconventional hospitality scheme, offering an atmospheric spatial journey from start to finish. A complex arrangement of archways creates a sinuous pathway between the tables, bar and glass-fronted outlook. Their intersecting forms serve as elaborate picture frames, revealing unexpected internal and external perspectives to the restaurant’s patrons. The design succeeds in embodying diverse qualities — a large, open interior where air can flow freely, at once segmented into intimate rooms of experience.


8. Innovating Installations

550 Madison Lobby by Gensler,  Manhattan, New York

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Interiors (<25,000 sq ft)

550 Madison Lobby by Gensler550 Madison Lobby by GenslerDating back to 1984, the lobby of this postmodern building in New York City underwent a contemporary update by architectural firm Gensler. While remaining respectful of the scheme’s heritage materials and capacious proportions, the towering, triple-height ceiling now arches softly around the space. The convex lines of the engraved oculus emphasize the vaulted barrel design, accentuated by the illuminated perimeter, which imparts a celestial, almost weightless effect.

The spherical motif reappears in the remarkable art installation suspended from the ceiling by Alicja Kwade. Called Solid Sky, the presence of the 24-ton marble orb is profound — it presides over the lobby with a quiet intensity, much like its namesake. Visually, the installation anchors the dramatic space and establishes a line of sight to the outdoor garden beyond.

Architizer’s 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With a Final Entry Deadline of January 27th, 2023, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

Reference

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

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

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

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

Start A+Awards Submission

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


Best Firms In Asia


Akira Koyama + KEY OPERATION INC. / ARCHITECTS

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

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

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

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


KRIS YAO | ARTECH

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

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

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

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


Best Firms In Australasia


Fearon Hay Architects

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

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

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

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


Cumulus Studio

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

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

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

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


Best Firms In Central & South America


Studio MK27

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

Jungle House by Studio MK27Cultura Bookstore by Studio MK27Firm Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Pictured Projects: Jungle House, Guarujá, Brazil ; Cultura Bookstore, São Paulo, Brazil

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

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


FGMF

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

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

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

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


Best Firms in Europe


Mecanoo

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

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

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

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


Roark Studio

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

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

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

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


Best Firms in North America


MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE

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

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

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

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


Montalba Architects

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

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

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

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


Best Firm in Middle East & Africa


Studio Toggle

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

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

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

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


HQ Architects

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

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

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

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


Best Interior Design Firms


Fyra

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

Bardem by FyraNew Nordic School by the Sea by FyraFirm Location: Helsinki, Finland
Pictured Projects: Bardem, Helsinki, Finland ; New Nordic School by the Sea, Helsinki, Finland

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

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


PANORAMA Design Group

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

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

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

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


Best Landscape Design Firms


TROP

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

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

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

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


ASPECT Studios

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

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

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

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


Best Large Firms


Zaha Hadid Architects

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

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

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

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


Killa Design

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

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

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

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


Best Medium Firms


Duvall Decker

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

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

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

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


Best Small Firms


Chiangmai Life Architects

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

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

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

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


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

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

Boat Rooms on the Fuchun River by The Design Institute of Landscape & Architecture China Academy of ArtCity Lounge of Zhongshan Road by The Design Institute of Landscape & Architecture China Academy of ArtFirm Location: Hangzhou, China
Pictured Projects: Boat Rooms on the Fuchun River, Hangzhou, China ; City Lounge of Zhongshan Road, Jiaxing, China

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

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


Best Sustainable Firms


The Miller Hull Partnership

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

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

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

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


Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

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

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

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

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


Best Young Firms


Jonathan Burlow

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

Over the Edge by Jonathan BurlowOver the Edge by Jonathan BurlowFirm Location: Folkstone, United Kingdom
Pictured Project: Over the Edge, Kent, United Kingdom

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

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


Best Young Interior Design Firms


L&M Design Lab

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

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

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

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


WIT Design & Research

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

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

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

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


Best Commercial Firms


X+LIVING

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

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

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

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


Various Associates

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

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

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

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


Best Cultural Firms


Tabanlioglu Architects

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

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

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

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


Best Public Projects Firms


NADAAA

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

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

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

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


SBM Studio

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

Sarzhyn Yar by SBM StudioHouse in Kharkiv by SBM StudioFirm Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine
Pictured Projects: Sarzhyn Yar, Kharkiv, Ukraine ; House in Kharkiv, Kharkiv, Ukraine

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

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


Best Residential Firms


PETITDIDIERPRIOUX

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

Athletes’ Village Olympic Games 2024 by PETITDIDIERPRIOUX152 Housing Units by PETITDIDIERPRIOUXFirm Location: Paris, France
Pictured Projects: Athletes’ Village Olympic Games 2024, L’lle-Saint-Denis, France ; 152 Housing Units, Villeurbanne, France

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

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


Sanjay Puri Architects

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

Studios 90 by Sanjay Puri ArchitectsNirvana 63 by Sanjay Puri ArchitectsFirm Location: Mumbai, India
Pictured Projects: Studios 90, Kodla, India ; The Street, Mathura, India

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

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


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. 

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Biomorphic Overhead: 7 Glass Ceilings That Imitate Nature
CategoriesArchitecture

Biomorphic Overhead: 7 Glass Ceilings That Imitate Nature

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. 

By design, glass ceilings tend to attract attention to themselves. Their functional purposes are fairly limited, and their shortcomings can be sizable (depending on how good the glass is at insulating), but we keep building them because they’re just so appealing. Glass ceilings enliven everything under them, imbuing the indoors with natural lighting that we seem to be instinctively drawn to.

These 7 glass ceiling projects are all of the above, yet, they are even more eye-catching, thanks to designs that boldly imitate nature. The structures below twist and curve in impressive, unorthodox and biomorphic ways, stretching the limits of what’s possible with glass ceilings.


44 Union Square/Tammany Hall

By BKSK Architects, New York, NY

Jury & Popular Choice Winner, 9th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Collaboration

Photos by Christopher Payne/Esto and Francis Dzikowski

BKSK Architects’s recent redevelopment brings a historical landmark back to its former glory with a meticulous façade restoration that revamps the original building’s bronze and limestone storefronts. However, the new, eye-catching 3-story glass ceiling addition draws attention to an even earlier history. The free form grid dome made with a hipped roof of steel, glass and terracotta sunshades mimics the shell of a turtle – a homage to the Indigenous Lenape people native to New York. For BKSK Architects, juxtaposing these two sources of the city’s history “creates a meaningful visual dialogue between contemporary and historic architecture”.


Bálna Budapest

By ONL [Oosterhuis_Lénárd], Budapest, Hungary

This redevelopment in Budapest seeks to reconnect the urban landscape with the adjacent Danube River with an aquatic-inspired glass addition to an old commercial center. Most noticeably, the curving glass dome imitates a streamlined body of a whale. But the design is subtle enough that the glass addition takes a life of its own, beyond its biomorphic origins.


Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago

By JAHN, Chicago, IL

Given the eclectic mix of architecturally distinct campus buildings in its vicinity, it was fitting that this new library at the University of Chicago should stand out as well. The elliptical glass dome design elegantly rejects the common utilitarian box-shaped university libraries; in doing so creates a more natural and people-friendly place to do studies. Like a biodome, the library’s reading room offers a sunny, outdoor-like atmosphere without the inconveniences of being outside.


Middelfart Savings Bank

By 3XN, Middelfart, Denmark

This new multi-purpose commercial space in the seaside town of Middelfart, Denmark brings a brisk change to the architectural cityscape, without excessively sticking out. The white slanted roofs offer a sharp contrast to the old town’s color palette, but the structure’s scale and proportions are not out of line with the neighborhood. Similarly, the triangular-shaped cornices that adorn the roof — which cleverly double as skylights — are a bold architectural choice, yet they simultaneously offer an imitation of ocean waves. It’s not a coincidence that those very windows provide a direct view of the Lillebælt seaside.


China Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015

By Studio Link-Arc, LLC, Milan, Italy

Photo by Hufton+Crow Photography

Photo by Hengzhong Lv

The unique curving roof of the China Pavilion at Expo Milano merges the profile of Milan’s skyline with the rolling natural landscapes nearby. It’s a statement of hope that city and nature can exist harmoniously, though the pavilion reminds us of this elsewhere as well. Outside, layered collections of shingled bamboo float above the roof, muddling the sun rays as they enter the skylight’s translucent membrane. The result is an ethereal atmosphere for visitors inside.


Salvador Bahia Metro Station

By JBMC Architects, Salvador, Brazil

The central motif of this new transport hub in Salvador, Brazil consists in large overlapping semi-cylinders stacked like fallen dominoes. Conveniently enough, this slanted pattern allows for slivers of sun to pass through concealed, arching skylights, brightening the main station considerably.


MyZeil

By knippershelbig, Frankfurt, Germany

While the design concept for the roofing on this project was supposedly based on the shape of a canyon, this retail center in Frankfurt turns curving glass on its head very literally. The resulting concoction, a light and airy shell, appears like a water funnel, a vortex or a portal into another dimension.

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

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6 Expressive Projects Flaunting Their Structural Frames
CategoriesArchitecture

6 Expressive Projects Flaunting Their Structural Frames

Architizer is thrilled to announce that the 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With an Early Entry Deadline of November 4th, 2022, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

With the plethora of materials available today, architectural frames have become increasingly complex, moving further and further away from the simple cast iron and concrete examples of the past. A confluence of factors influences the design of a frame, which in turn shapes the building’s height, shape and interior spaces. As architects push the limits of creative possibility, the skeletons of some of the world’s most beautiful buildings have evolved into evermore intricate and visually exciting structures. Using modern building techniques and innovative materials, building frames have become webs of beams, posts, knuckles and joints that, in the past, may have been hidden behind stone and drywall.

There’s a widely known expression that suggests a magician never shares his secrets; however, when it comes to architects and the craft of structural design, this seems to be less and less the case. Gazing through the gallery of the 10th Annual A+Awards-winners, we noticed an increased number of buildings expressively flaunting their structures for all to see. Could a renewed appreciation for the masterful art of structural design be why we are seeing more projects with exposed frames? Or are there other reasons — including transparency about sustainable material choices or even representing the program within — motivating architectural firms to reveal their buildings’ skeletons?


Caisse d’Epargne Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Headquarter

By GRAAM , Dijon, France

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Mid Rise (5-15 Floors)

Banking group Caisse d’Epargne has a new head office designed by GRAAM. An intelligent seven-story modular building, the headquarters is designed with a prefabricated concrete floor and exo-wooden structure covered with a glazed double skin. The goal was to design a building that reached Passivhaus standards while providing a flexible work environment. Local materials were expertly implemented to create the stunning structure whose timber frame and glazed façade assist in heating and cooling, while the cleverly placed timber columns are ideal for partitioning work areas.


Casa Malandra

By TAC, Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Popular Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (XS <1000 sq ft)

Photographs by Onnis Luque

Casa Malandra was conceived by the Mexican firm Taller Alberto Calleja amid the lush fields of Puerto Escondido in Mexico. The design creates many juxtapositions. While the concrete frame that forms the private domain of the dwelling emerges as a contemporary cuboid structure, it contrasts to the open wooden build that borders (next to the private pool), which draws inspiration from the Mexican Palapa — a traditional shelter roofed by palm leaves or branches whose timber frame is in keeping with the uncultivated surroundings. The exposed structure in both instances aim to increase the volume of space throughout while simultaneously connecting the various vernacular voids and implementing visual appeal.


IKEA – the good neighbour

By querkraft architekten zt gmbh, Vienna, Austria

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Retail

Photographs by Christina Häusler – Querkraft Architekten

In Austria’s capital, Vienna, Querkraft Architekten constructed the first IKEA store unsuitable for cars and parking. Designed to be “a good neighbor,” the community conscious building is the essence of its origin. The exposed framework of the no-frills building showcases how the structure is assembled, much like the renowned furniture pieces within. By exposing the infrastructure, the perceptible height of the spaces is increased dramatically, and the continuous void in the interior of the building allows visual contact between the different floors.

Additionally, the prefabricated reinforced concrete columns are set on a grid of around ten by ten meters, which guarantees considerable flexibility in the design and use of the spaces within. To ensure the efficient conditioning of the building, all of the services are based on a simple principle: short distances and direct access, which is helped by the lack of internal cladding. Like the beloved Kallax for apartments worldwide, Querkraft Architekten’s The Good Neighbor could well be a city center staple of the future.


Ghost Hangar

By John Grable Architects, TX, United States

Popular Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Showroom

Photographs by John Grable Architects

Ghost Hangar was designed exclusively to house a living collection of Vintage WWII-era aircraft. The 32,000-square-foot structure sits on a remote site in Texas Hill Country, Texas. With their traditionally inspired design proposal, John Grable Architects aspired to ensure a minimal visual impact on the surrounding landscape. Drawing inspiration from the historical shape and form of the Quonset hut developed during WWII, a rigid frame was selected using a triangulated wide-flange barrel-vault structural system connected through a series of knuckles. This composition enables the building to achieve longer spans suited to aircraft housing. The unconventional steel roof structure and board-formed concrete buttresses provide unquestioned durability. At the same time, reclaimed barn wood siding was specified pre-weathered to tolerate the surrounding climate while blending harmoniously with the territory.

The passive light shelves, deep roof overhangs and cupola openings work in conjunction with the Thermasteel envelope to render the hangar volume a shaded refuge throughout the warm summers. The building is not only aesthetically era-appropriate but it also achieves sustainable properties through the use of age-old principles.


Cycling and Pedestrian Bridge in Bohinj Slovenia

By Atelje Ostan Pavlin, Municipality of Bohinj, Radovljica, Slovenia

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transportation Infrastructure  

Photographs by Mirian Kambič

The intricate footbridge on the Bohinj Cycle Route connects the upper and lower banks of the Sava Bohinjka River. The central volume of the bridge is supported at three points, and the load-bearing structure consists of four steel beams running the length of the bridge. The intermediate ellipsoid concrete pillar rests on the river bed and carries steel “branches” to support the beams. The architects aimed to evoke the sense of a “rural wooden temple” with their bridge reflecting the form of a traditional hayrack. The main construction, pillar rhythms, wooden details, ties, eaves and roof are all built from local larch wood to ensure harmonious integration with the natural landscape.


Nantong Urban Agricultural Park Exhibition Center

By Z-ONE Tech, Nantong, China

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Gallery & Exhibition Spaces

Photographs by LINBIAN

Experimental architectural practice Z-ONE Tech has designed several distinct buildings for Nontong Urban Agricultural Park. The Rural Living Room Exhibition Centre is a contemporary building in form and construction. The white tent-like structure has a membrane segmented by the structural lines that shape its two ovoid figures with their sky-lights while vertical columns hold the perimeter glazing that captures the raw vistas beyond.

Architizer is thrilled to announce that the 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With an Early Entry Deadline of November 4th, 2022, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

Reference