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Revolutionising the poultry industry with carbon-neutral eggs
CategoriesSustainable News

Revolutionising the poultry industry with carbon-neutral eggs

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Although not as polluting as cattle or pigs, poultry rearing still contributes around 790 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents each year. The equates to around eight per cent of all agriculture emissions. Much of this comes from feed, heating and lighting, and manure. But now, Dutch egg farm Kipster is pioneering a carbon-neutral approach that could be the future of poultry farming – and the company is bringing it to the US.

Kipster has partnered with Kroger groceries and MPS Egg Farms to bring its sustainable egg farming stateside. Kipster’s techniques begin with reducing greenhouse gas emissions internally as much as possible, and offsetting any remaining emissions with external carbon reduction projects. Internal measures include turning surplus food into chicken feed, rather than growing feed on land that could be used for human food production.

The ‘upcycled’ chicken feed uses by-products from crop and food processing, such as oat hulls and faulty pasta. The upcycled feed has a carbon footprint of around half that of conventional feed. Kipster’s farms are all specially designed to allow the birds to carry out their natural behaviours, reducing the need for trimming beaks and administering antibiotics. Kipster is also the first farm to remove dust, odour, ammonia, and other undesirable particles from the barn air, as well as recovering the heat using a heat pump.

Denise Osterhues, Kroger’s senior director of sustainability and social impact explains: “Choosing Kipster cage-free eggs is an easy way for our customers to help create a more sustainable food system.”

As people become more aware of the emissions cost of rearing animals, many are turning to alternatives – and innovators are keeping up with the demand. Springwise has recently spotted many types of sustainable foods, including cultivated pork made using microalgae, and a sustainable, cocoa-free chocolate.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

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

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

By Zarkon Group,

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

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

Laguna Garzon Bridge

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

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

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

20 Fenchurch Street

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

Carrasco International Airport

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

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

Reference

“The world needs cement” says concrete industry decarbonisation chief
CategoriesSustainable News

“The world needs cement” says concrete industry decarbonisation chief

By Zarkon Group,

Concrete will remain the world’s dominant construction material over biomaterials such as timber as the world transitions to net-zero, claims GCCA chief executive Thomas Guillot.

The second most widely used material on the planet after water, concrete is produced by a massively polluting industry that accounts for around seven per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. For comparison, aviation is responsible for closer to two per cent.

However, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) chief executive Guillot argues the focus should be on reducing the carbon footprint of concrete rather than seeking to replace it.

“Concrete is really the backbone of all modern society”

“If you look around us, concrete is really the backbone of all modern society,” he told Dezeen. “So it’s easy to say we get rid of cement, but the reality is that everywhere we look for infrastructure, for schools, for roads, for development, cement is there. The world needs cement.”

“So the question is now: if this material is fundamental to the world, then we are custodians as an industry of that material, and as much as we need concrete, we need us to bring net-zero concrete to the world,” he continued.

“The core of our priority is to bring net-zero concrete to the world in the next decades.”

Many sustainable building campaigners argue that to keep global temperature rises under control, concrete must increasingly be swapped out for carbon-sequestering biomaterials, especially timber.

But Guillot believes that his organisation’s vision for a net-zero concrete product will remain the building material of choice for most construction projects, in favour of timber or direct concrete alternatives like hempcrete.

“There are substitutes of concrete,” said Guillot. “The problem is the volume of the use of the material on the scale that concrete is used around the world. So what material can substitute concrete really?”

“You say some of these technologies are better, fine,” he added. “Put a price on carbon and let the market compete, and then we’ll see what is the most effective material,” he said in reference to the GCCA’s call for widespread market-based carbon pricing.

“I’m taking the bet: concrete has a future in a regulated world that says CO2 has a cost and you need to price it.”

The GCCA describes its mission as helping the concrete and cement industry transition to net-zero by 2050.

Its website features multiple fallacy-versus-fact-style articles pouring doubt on the suitability and sustainability of timber as a construction material while extolling the benefits of concrete.

Ribbon of Light in Los Angeles
Top: Thomas Guillot addressed the GCCA’s CEO gathering in Atlanta this year. Above: the Ribbon of Light viaduct in LA. Photo by Iwan Baan

But Guillot denies that his organisation is anti-wood.

“We are not against any type of materials,” he said. “I am definitely not the one that will start to bitch on wood or things like this, because that’s not the point, that’s not my role, honestly. We want to use our energy in trust-forming our materials, not bitching on others’ materials.”

Instead, he claims, the GCCA is seeking a “fair comparison” between the merits of concrete and timber.

“We need to use all the materials we have, but we need to have a fair understanding and we should be candid in front of the reality of what wood is,” he argued.

“We have an issue with deforestation, right? Try to scale using wood in core elements in line with deforestation, in line with mono types of forestry, biodiversity etcetera, etcetera, just try to map that.”

“We are not here to defend an old industry”

The GCCA’s membership includes huge corporations like HeidelbergCement and Cemex, plus more than 40 national cement associations.

It represents 80 per cent of the world’s cement manufacturing capacity outside of China, as well as some Chinese companies including CNBM, which produces around 500 million tonnes of concrete each year. China alone pumps out more than half the world’s concrete and cement.

The GCCA frequently cites the statistic that three-quarters of the infrastructure that will exist in the world by 2050 has yet to be built.

To enable that to happen, it argues, concrete will be crucial. However, Guillot insists the GCCA is not interested in “protecting the status quo”.

“We are not here to defend an old industry,” he said.

“We are not protecting the status quo. We are defending a tremendous – is it a revolution, an evolution? I don’t know, I can’t qualify it today – but we are defending a tremendous change of our industry.”

“We are habitants of the planet, and we totally understand that we are custodians of that material [concrete] and that we need to change things.”

And he concedes that the world will need to find a way to use less concrete and cement.

“We are not saying that it’s concrete and only concrete; there are things out there that will help, including reducing the quantity of material use,” he said. “I say we have to use that material in a more frugal manner.”

“We have to use concrete in a more frugal manner”

Guillot worked in the industry for 20 years before being appointed to lead the GCCA in 2021.

Last year, the body launched a 2050 net-zero roadmap, in what Guillot claims was a “first for the industrial sector”.

Its vision for net-zero concrete seeks “CO2 optimization at each place of the value chain”, according to Guillot.

That includes using concrete more efficiently with the help of 3D printing in construction and better design, plus more accurate measuring of cement brought to market – which is currently often sold by the bag.

The GCCA's net-zero roadmap
The GCCA unveiled its net-zero roadmap in 2021

It also involves adopting recipes for cement that use less of the high-carbon base material clinker, with the GCCA supporting research exploring clay cement as an alternative to the standard Portland cement.

“Circularity is also an important element,” added Guillot. “I mean how much you can reuse the concrete itself, the recycling of concrete, the recycling of cement. Some of our members have put on the market some cement which has up to 20 per cent of circular material inside.”

By reducing clinker-related emissions, producing and using concrete more efficiently and transitioning to renewable electricity, the GCCA believes that the concrete industry can cut its total global carbon dioxide emissions – currently 2.5 billion tonnes a year – by 64 per cent.

The remaining 36 per cent, the single biggest element in its net-zero roadmap, relies on carbon capture at cement plants.

“The technology exists, just it is not applied to cement conditions yet”

Industrial carbon capture involves capturing CO2 from factory flues using machines, which can then be stored or utilised for other purposes. At least 35 carbon capture plants are currently planned by GCCA members, though none are yet fully operational.

“All our members are working on that, making the technologies happen, working on innovation to make sure that this is coming,” said Guillot.

“The technology exists, just it is not applied to cement conditions yet, so this is about to be proven,” he claimed.

Some experts believe that carbon capture will form a major part of the world’s transition to net-zero.

Others – including Cambridge University engineering professor Julian Allwood – have argued that the novel materials and carbon capture technologies being explored by industry cannot be scaled up fast enough to decarbonise all of the world’s concrete production by 2050.

The GCCA’s roadmap calls the 2020s “the decade to make it happen” – the period in which it hopes the industry can develop carbon-reducing technologies to roll out between 2030 and 2050.

It had an active presence at the recent COP27 climate summit. One of its main asks is for governments, which represent a large proportion of global demand for cement, to “stop buying high-carbon concrete” according to Guillot.

“You need to create demand for low-carbon material so that these materials can flow, can have its own market,” he said.

Instead of binding targets, which it argues would place firms in some countries at a disadvantage, GCCA members are required to set their own sustainability objectives that increase in ambition year-on-year.

“Judge us on action”

The body’s recently released one-year action and progress report said that the latest available data showed its members had reduced their net CO2 emissions per tonne of cement by 22 per cent between 1990 and 2020.

However, research by the CICERO Center for International Climate Research found that the industry’s overall CO2 emissions have risen dramatically over the same period due to an increase in production.

“Judge us on action,” said Guillot. “We will be relentlessly working on getting people in motion to the transformation.”

“That’s the essence of this association, the GCCA – we need to accelerate the net-zero transition. This is our headache, this is our life motive, and I’m waking up at night saying ‘how do we do that quicker?'”

Reference

Traceability data for the fashion industry
CategoriesSustainable News

Traceability data for the fashion industry

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Most organisations have realised the importance of sustainability for their brand image. However, it is very difficult to guarantee supply chain transparency and product traceability over the large networks of suppliers that most big businesses rely on. To make things easier, Swedish company TrusTrace has developed a platform for product traceability and supply chain transparency within the fashion, food, and retail industries.

The TrusTrace platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to integrate retailer, manufacturer, and supplier systems, as well as third parties such as certification agencies, lifecycle datasets, and other sustainability solution providers. The system allows users to track and trace materials and ESG and compliance data for thousands of suppliers and products. Unlike some similar systems, TrusTrace is built specifically for the scale of ultra-large and complex textile supply chains, providing the fashion industry with much-needed transparency.

The software-as-a-service platform allows organisations to track transactions and scope certificates in a standardised and scalable way, while gathering the evidence needed to meet compliance requirements, and see the status of goods as they move through the supply chain.

TrusTrace co-founder and CEO Shameek Ghosh explains: “We have developed our Material Intelligence Frameworks for certified and non-certified materials, which accelerates a brand’s journey to achieve high levels of material compliance. Our goal is to make sure traceability data is accessible in real-time along the value chain as raw materials become finished products.”

Improving sustainability and traceability in the textile industry is the goal of several innovations Springwise has spotted. These include a platform that helps fashion brands have better control over their sustainability data, and a closed-loop production system for cotton goods.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

49 Sustainability Organizations For Architects Around the World
CategoriesArchitecture

49 Sustainability Organizations For Architects Around the World

By Zarkon Group,

At this point, every practicing architect should know that the design and construction industry accounts for over 40% of global carbon emissions. Over the past few decades, as awareness about how the industry is helping to fuel the climate crisis has risen, the architectural profession has increasingly sought to incentivize green building and to advance alternative construction materials. Knowledge is power, and around the world, countless organizations have emerged to help arm architects with information to help make design decisions that have less impact on the planet. From certification systems to subsidies for sustainable construction, there is no shortage of incentives and signposts to help guide the AEC industry toward a cleaner future.

With our climate evolving at a rapid pace and serious environmental catastrophes occurring on an increasingly regular basis, the need for change has never been more urgent. While architects routinely taut buildings as “sustainable,” it is a challenge to provide a universal measure of sustainability for architecture globally. That’s why Architizer has collaborated with leading sustainability experts to recognize the diverse efforts of practitioners working at the forefront of green design.

Start Submission

By introducing the Sustainability Categories to our prestigious 11th Annual A+Awards program, we aim to continue doing what we do best: recognizing leaders on the vanguard of architectural design and showcasing examples of the buildings that can guide us to a better future. As the A+Awards season warms up, we’re compiling a comprehensive list of resources for our global architecture community.

From free open-source educational materials to passive house guidelines to directories of healthy materials, these organizations are helping to arm architects around the world with more information to help them shape a better, more sustainable built environment. With so many organizations from around the world to choose from, we envision that this growing, centralized list will help connect designers to green-minded networks on local, regional and international scales. If we’ve missed your organization, please let up know!

Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Headquarters by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Shenzhen, China | Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Sustainability

International

Architecture 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the built environment. For nearly two decades, they’ve provided the leadership and designed the actions needed to achieve the CO2 emissions reductions for a high probability of limiting planetary warming to 1.5°C.

Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving its members and other industry professionals who are working to improve energy efficiency to save energy, reduce GHGs, make buildings perform better and help reach global goals for Net-Zero.

BREEAM — BRE generates new knowledge through independent research. This is used to create the products, standards and qualifications that help make sure that buildings, homes and communities are safe, efficient, productive, sustainable and enjoyable places to be.

c40 Cities is a network of mayors of nearly 100 world-leading cities collaborating to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis. Its mission is to halve the emissions of its member cities within a decade while improving equity and building resilience.

City Climate Planner is a program that ensures urban professionals are equipped to support local climate action planning, including developing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventories; climate action planning (low emission development planning); and climate adaptation planning.

EDGE enables developers and builders to quickly identify the most cost-effective strategies to reduce energy use, water use and embodied energy in materials. The strategies that are integrated into the project design are verified by an EDGE Auditor and certified by GBCI.

The Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC)works towards a zero-emission, efficient, and resilient buildings and construction sector through rising ambitions to meet the Paris Agreement goals and mobilizing all actors along the value chain.

Holcim Foundation works to identify, discuss and democratize the latest leading-edge thinking and best practice on sustainable construction from around the globe. They deliver the best ideas and cutting-edge solutions that target the transformation of the construction center.

International Living Future Institute is a community of architects, engineers, manufacturers, builders, business leaders and other stakeholders. Their Living Future Accreditation (LFA)recognizes proficiency in the world’s most ambitious sustainable design standards.

o2 Global Network was established in 1988 to Inspire, Inform and Connect designers. Today, Sustainability has evolved to Circularity and Regeneration, and o2  is demonstrating that design plays a critical role in shaping and healing a world that supports life in all its forms.

Passive House Accelerator is a catalyst for zero carbon building. They cultivate a collaborative platform for practitioners, institutions, manufacturers and more to share innovation and thought leadership in Passive House design and construction.

The Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) is a sustainability-focused framework that ushers landscape architects, engineers and others toward practices that protect ecosystems, including climate regulation, carbon storage and flood mitigation.

WELL Certification spans 108 features and 10 concepts; it is a roadmap for improving the quality of our air, water and light with inspired design decisions that not only keep us connected but facilitate a good night’s sleep, support our mental health and help us do our best work everyday.

Middle East & Africa

Carboun is a non-profit volunteer-based advocacy initiative promoting sustainable cities in the Middle East and North Africa region. It includes resources on sustainable design, reducing and conserving energy and material resources, and protecting/regenerating local ecologies and habitats.

Kenyan Architects Declare seeks to raise awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and the urgent need for action amongst our clients and supply chains, among a list of other goals.

South African Architects Declare advocates for faster change in our industry towards regenerative design practices and a higher Governmental funding priority to support this, among a list of other goals.

World Green Building Council (WGBC) — Africa are focusing on the implementation of the priority areas detailed in the Africa Manifesto for Sustainable Cities and the Built Environment. Their Green Star SA rating tools provide an objective measurement for green buildings in the region.

World Green Building Council (WGBC) — Middle East & North Africa are accelerating the uptake of GBC’s global programmes, and lead tailored regional projects that meet the needs of the local market, helping to achieve sustainable built environments for everyone, everywhere.

Asia Pacific

Australian Architects Declare seeks to establish climate and biodiversity mitigation principles as the key measure of our industry’s success: demonstrated through awards, prizes and listings, among a list of other goals. 

Building Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP)’s central focus is to help India mainstream Energy-Efficient and Thermally Comfortable (EETC) Building Design for both commercial and residential buildings.

Singapore Architects Declare seeks to share knowledge and research to that end on an open source basis, among a list of other goals.

Taiwanese Architects Declare recognizes that contemporary research and technology are sufficient to allow us to begin to make changes if we can build collective will; to this end, they are committed to creating buildings and cities with a more positive impact on the planet.

World Green Building Council (WGBC) — Asia Pacific recognize that creating buildings that are low or net zero carbon is essential to ensure a high quality of life for people, to minimize negative impacts on the environment and to maximize economic opportunities.

Europe

Buildings Performance Institute Europe advocates for designs that minimize buildings’ energy demand for all heating, cooling, lighting and other energy needs, while also addressing energy supply decarbonization.

Danish Architects Declare seek to evaluate all new projects against the aspiration to contribute positively to mitigating climate breakdown, and encourage our clients to adopt this approach, among a list of other goals. 

European Urban Initiative (EUI) funded by the European Union, supports urban areas of all sizes with innovative actions, capacity and knowledge building, as well as policy development and communication on sustainable urban development.

Finnish Architects Declare seek to extend the life cycle of buildings wherever it is possible to repair and improve an existing building. By doing this, instead of demolishing and rebuilding, they aim to reduce the carbon burden of construction, among a list of other goals.

German Architects Declare is an industry recognized initiative, and many signatories are using the simplicity and clarity of the declaration as a catalyst to drive effective change within their organizations.

Irish Architects Declare seeks to include life cycle costing, whole life carbon modeling and post occupancy evaluation as part of our basic scope of work, to reduce both embodied and operational resource use, among a list of other goals. 

New European Bauhaus is reimagining sustainable living in Europe and beyond. In addition to creating a platform for experimentation and connection, the initiative supports positive change also by providing access to EU funding for beautiful, sustainable and inclusive projects.

Norway Architects Declare seeks to adopt more regenerative design principles in our studios, with the aim of designing architecture and urbanism that goes beyond the standard of net zero carbon in use, among a list of other goals. 

Swedish Architects Declare pledges to include life-cycle costing, total life-cycle analysis for carbon emissions (LCA) and operational evaluation as part of the scope of the assignment, to reduce resource use during both the construction and operation phases, among a list of other goals. 

UK Architects Declare seeks to collaborate with engineers, contractors and clients to further reduce construction waste and accelerate the shift to low embodied carbon materials in all our work, among other goals.

North America

Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) (via NIBS) is charged with encouraging optimum energy use of buildings through a better understanding of how complex building components interact with each other and the environment.

Canadian/Turtle Island Architects Declare pledges to design for intergenerational health equity, resilience and mutual flourishing — respecting and actively upholding and uplifting the rights and wisdom of Indigenous peoples.

Carbon Leadership Forum aims to reduce embodied carbon in building materials and construction through collective action. They pioneer research, create resources, foster cross-collaboration and incubate member-led initiatives to bring embodied carbon emissions of buildings down to zero.

mindful MATERIALS is an initiative that made transparency and optimization information easily accessible to designers as they select products. They have digitized the Common Materials Framework (CMF), providing the industry with a consistent sustainability decision-making framework.

Ecological Design Collaborative (EDC) has collectively over 190 years of experience in environmentally-friendly projects. They facilitate the collaborative process to reduce design time and cost through open communication that brings out the best in all team members.

Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes, was founded n 2004 and is the global provider of the Green Globes Professional (GGP), Green Globes Emerging Professional (GGEP) and federal Guiding Principles Compliance certification and assessment programs.

Healthy Building Network works to reduce toxic chemical use, minimize hazards and eliminate exposure in buildings, especially to those chemicals of concern deemed unnecessary or fail to improve product performance.

Healthy Materials Lab is a design research lab at Parsons School of Design committed to raising awareness about toxic chemicals in building products and to creating resources for designers and architects to make healthier places for all people to live.

New Buildings Institute (NBI) works collaboratively with industry market players — governments, utilities and building professionals — to promote advanced design practices, innovative technologies, public policies that improve energy efficiency and decarbonize the built environment.

Northwest Ecobuilding Guild is community concerned with ecological building in the Pacific Northwest. They provide open-source educational materials to encourage building practices that dramatically reduce carbon emissions, are self-sustaining and contribute to local economies.

Resource Renewal Institute is nonprofit and nonpartisan, combining education, advocacy and sustainability analysis. As a lean organization with a small staff, their strategy is to incubate new initiatives focusing on specific issues that grow into separate organizations.

US Architects Declare uses its collective power and intersectional understanding to transform the practice and culture of architecture, in order to achieve climate justice, social equity, ecosystem health, and the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity.

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is transforming how our buildings are designed, constructed and operated through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the world’s most widely used green building system with more than 100,000 buildings participating today.

South America

CEELA will help boost the construction of energy-efficient and thermally comfortable housing and buildings in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, reducing the sector’s CO2 emissions while improving the quality of life, resilience and health of residents and building users.

Chilean Architects Declare is a pledge for designers to minimize waste of resources in architecture and urban planning, both in quantity and detail and to support those working for climate justice and striving to ensure equity and a better quality of life for all.

Programa Ciudades Emergentes y Sostenibles (CES) is a non-reimbursable technical assistance program that provides direct support for urban sustainability plans that address the main obstacles to sustainable growth in emerging cities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

EXPO Austrian Pavilion Dubai by querkraft architekten zt gmbh, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Photo by Dany Eid | Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Sustainability 

Now open for entries, the 11th Annual A+Awards highlights the program’s renewed commitment to sustainable design. Recognizing the pivotal role that architects play in building a more resilient world, Architizer has collaborated with leading sustainability experts to recognize the diverse efforts of practitioners working at the forefront of green design.

Start Submission

Enter the A+Sustainability Awards, a new suite of A+Award categories dedicated to projects that act as a positive precedent for green building practices in specific regions and the wider world. In this article, you can learn more about the importance of these awards, the rationale behind the judging criteria, and the insight of A+Award-winning architects on the critical need for design innovation in this key area.

Are you part of a sustainability organization advocating for a better built environment that isn’t on this list? If so, please reach out to us at: editorial-at-architizer-dot-com; we hope to continue growing this guide! 

Reference

The A+List: 196 Architecture and Design Firms to Watch
CategoriesArchitecture

The A+List: 196 Architecture and Design Firms to Watch

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer’s global architectural awards program, the 11th Annual A+Awards, is now accepting submissions, with a Main Entry Deadline of December 16th this year. As well as celebrating some of the most innovative, recently-completed projects around the globe, the A+Awards also serve as an incredible indicator of which designers will be at the forefront of innovation in the coming year.

In recognition of this fact, Architizer is delighted to present the fourth edition of the coveted A+List, an annual run-down of every firm that scooped an A+Award and A+Firm Award in the previous season. The A+List forms a comprehensive guide to the world’s best architecture firms and is refreshed each year based on the results of the annual A+Awards program. You can see last season’s A+List here.

The A+List is arranged alphabetically, with more information available by clicking on the link to each firm’s profile. We’ve also picked out a selection of featured firms, providing some extra background on their A+Award triumphs.

Get Your Firm On the Next A+List

If you missed entering last season’s program and would like to secure your position on the next A+List, we encourage you to enter your firm’s recent projects in the 11th Annual A+Awards. Every winner features in this definitive directory of high-quality firms, and will also see their work published in a stunning, hardbound compendium on the World’s Best Architecture, as well as gaining continual publicity through our year-round global celebration of design.

Begin A+Awards Submission

Without further ado, explore the work of each of these immensely talented firms below, and good luck with your submissions to this year’s program!

The Fourth Annual A+List

314 Architecture Studio
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Hospitality

35-51 ARCHITECTURE Office
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (L 4000-6000 sq ft)

5+design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Shopping Center

9M Design
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Multi-Unit Housing – High Rise (16+ Floors)

AB design studio
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (M 2000-4000 sq ft)

Adjaye Associates
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Libraries

AECOM
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Sports & Recreation

Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Pavilions

Mission Possible: The ‘UN’ Opportunity Pavilion by AGi architects, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Pavilions

With offices in Kuwait and Madrid, AGi architects is a truly international studio with a multidisciplinary focus. Joaquín Pérez-Goicoechea and Nasser B. Abulhasan first met during their studies and later founded the studio, whose team now comprises more than 50 professionals. AGi’s architecture is based on four founding pillars: innovation, an inherent life component, ecological and social interventions and research. The diversity of their output is exemplified by their two most recent A+Awards-recognized projects: The ‘UN’ Opportunity Pavilion in Dubai, a floating canopy that brings to life the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and Trazas de Pontevedra, a landscape intervention that reinterprets ancient Galician-Roman settlements.

AIDIA STUDIO
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Transportation

AKA – Apostolou Colakis architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Color

Akira Koyama + KEY OPERATION INC. / ARCHITECTS
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in Asia

AL_A
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Community Centers

Alibi Studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Light

APPAREIL Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (<3000 sq ft)

archi5
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Primary & High Schools

Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture
Emergent Technologies & Design (EmTech) Post-Graduate Programme
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Collaboration

ArchSD
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Landscape
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Joy

Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Environment

ARCity Office
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Government & Civic Buildings

asap/ adam sokol architecture practice
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Workspace

ASPECT Studios
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Landscape Design Firm

Atelje Ostan Pavlin (Aleksander Ostan and Natasa Pavlin)
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Transportation Infrastructure

ATRIUM studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Transportation

Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private Garden

Xiaoyunlu 8, MAHA Residential Park by Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM), Beijing, China | Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private Garden

As a locally grown design firm with offices Beijing and Shanghai, Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM) is somewhat of an anomaly. Founded by foreigners in 2007, the design practice rose to prominence as it navigated the changing contemporary Chinese metropolis and rising technological innovations, and the firm became well versed in the ins and outs of breakneck urbanization. These experiences were formative and instilled the firm with the conviction that as societal views of nature are change, architecture must imagine new ways of inspiring healthy relationships with the environment.

Bando x Seidel Meersseman – BxSM
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Showrooms

Barker Associates Architecture Office
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Learning
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Educational Interiors

Bates Smart
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Commercial

BDP Quadrangle 
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Stairs

BERKTOLD WEBER Architekten
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (S 1000-2000 sq ft)

Bernardes Arquitetura
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (XL >6000 sq ft)

BKVV Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +For Good

Büro Ziyu Zhuang
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Facades
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Metal

Candida Tabet Arquitetura
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Multi-Unit Housing – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

CEBRA architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Urban and Masterplan

Chiangmai Life Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Small Firm (1-10 Employees)

Christensen & Co Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Community Centers

CO Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Higher Education & Research Facilities

Featured Firm: Cobe

Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transportation Infrastructure

Ultra-Fast Charging Stations by Cobe, Fredericia, Denmark | Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transportation Infrastructure

Architects today are all well aware that the building and construction sector are are massive contributors to the world’s CO2 emissions, and the Danish firm Cobe has been on the vanguard of those studios who have shaped their practice around challenging this status quo. Though the studio recognizes that no new build is 100% sustainable, they strive to transform these commissions into resilient, long-term buildings and landscapes. By championing innovative aesthetics and intrinsic beauty, Cobe aims to empower and engage inhabitants, inspiring better habits and behaviors from the larger community.

Concentrico
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Retail

Cristina Menezes Arquitetura
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (XS <1000 sq ft)

Crossboundaries
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Community

Cumulus
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in Australasia

Daniel Joseph Chenin
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (XL >6000 sq ft)
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (>3000 sq ft)

DOMANI Architectural Concepts
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Adaptive Reuse

Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Preservation

Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Renovation
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Stairs

Duvall Decker Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Medium Firm (11-49 employees)
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Affordable Housing

Ema Peter Photography
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Photography & Video

ENOTA
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Sports & Recreation

EQ Office
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Workspace

Estudio Santiago Fernández
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Multi Unit Housing – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

Extended Play Lab
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Prefab

Façade Architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Private House (S <3000 sq ft)

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

Faraday Street Studio by Fearon Hay Architects, Auckland, New Zealand

Fearon Hay Architects is a design-led studio that excels at designing buildings that thoughtfully reflect their site and place. Founded in Auckland in 1998, over twenty years later the firm has grown to encompass a studio in Los Angeles as well. From office and workplace design to complex heritage environments to public work within the urban realm or wider landscape, Fearon Hay approaches every project with an inventive sense of creativity, as is reflected in the diversity of forms, materials and typologies in their portfolio.

Félix Michaud － Photographie
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Photography & Video

FGMF
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in Central & South America

FRANKLIN AZZI ARCHITECTURE
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Cultural

Future Simple Studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Apartment

fws_work
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Apartment

FXCollaborative Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Office – High Rise (16+ Floors)

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

General Architecture Collaborative
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Community
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +For Good

Gensler
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Interiors (<25,000 sq ft)

Geoffrey Nees
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Art

Geza Architettura
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Mixed Use (L >25,000 sq ft)

Gisele Borges Arquitetura
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Metal

GOA (Group of Architects)
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (L >1000 sq ft)

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

Gustavo Penna Architects and Associates
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Factories & Warehouses

Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Higher Education & Research Facilities

Nicol Building, Sprott School of Business by Hariri Pontarini Architects, Ottawa, Canada | Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Higher Education & Research Facilities

The Canadian firm Hariri Pontarini Architects has carved out a name for themselves on the global stage by creating exceptional, complex projects as well as cultural landmarks. With a team of 85 professional and technical staff, the firm has won over 60 national and international awards, and currently has nearly 50 institutional, cultural a mixed-use projects on the docket. In particular, the firm’s illustrious portfolio includes a number of outstanding academic buildings that are on the forefront of university campus architecture today.

Hawkins\Brown
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Commercial

Heatherwick Studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Public Parks & Green Spaces

Henriquez Partners Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Multi Unit Housing – High Rise (16+ Floors)
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (L >10 Floors)

HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro + KIDS DESIGN LABO
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Kindergartens

Hooba Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Office – Mid Rise (5-15 Floors)

Hopkins Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Gyms & Recreation Centers

HQ Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best in the Middle East & Africa

ICON
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +New Technology
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Experimental Design

Idaho Design Build
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Collaboration

INFINITIVE ARCHITECTURE
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Coworking Space

iraisynn attinom
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Hospitality

James Corner Field Operations
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Urban Transformation
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Public Parks & Green Spaces

JC Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transport Interiors

JENSEN Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Additions

Jí ARCHITECTS
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Stone

Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Showrooms

Ghost Hangar by John Grable Architects, TX, United States | Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Showrooms

John Grable Architects was founded in 2005 by the eponymous designer who sought to combine his love of craft with an appreciation of technology. Fas forward to the present, and this approach has proved fruitful: the high-performance design firm’s trademark is creating buildings with expressive architectural details that celebrate building materials and the construction trades. While the buildings that John Grable and his team of skilled staff produce may recall the sound building practices of the past, they are achieved by integrating complex building and information management systems and software. This is combined with an approach to the construction process as a continuous dialogue with contractors and the trades that allows the firm continuously modify their designs.

Jonathan Burlow Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Firm

JSa Arquitectura
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Small Projects

JUNSEKINO Architect and Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Office – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

KANVA
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Museum

Kengo Kuma & Associates
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Art

Khmaladze Architects
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Pop-Ups & Temporary

Killa Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Large Firm (50+ employees)

Klein Dytham architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Branding

Koichi Takada Architects
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Multi Unit Housing – Mid Rise (5-15 Floors)

Konstantin Arkitekter
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Pavilions

KRIS YAO | ARTECH
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in Asia

Krueck Sexton Partners
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft.)

L&M Design Lab
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Interior Design Firm

LIGHTING DESIGN INSTITUTE of UAD
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Light

line+
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Landscape
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Private House (L >3000 sq ft)

Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Wood
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Branding

Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO studio, Jiangmen, China | Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Wood

Glancing through LUO studio’s oeuvre, it is immediately clear that the firm champions a spirit of craftsmanship and the principle of caring for nature in all of their work. This firm’s attention to craft and mastery of structural language is evident; their buildings speak with intricate syntax that is elegant but boldly expressed. It’s no wonder, then, that the studio’s found Mr. Luo Yujie also teaches a course in Construction Basics in the School of Architecture at Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). With a creative approach, the firm demonstrates a strong commitment to creating more durable, friendly and quality spaces.

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

MADO ARCHITECTS
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Private House (L >3000 sq ft)

Marble Fairbanks
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Libraries

Mario Cucinella Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Mark Cavagnero Associates
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hospitals & Healthcare Centers

MARS Studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Bars & Wineries
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Bars & Wineries

MAYU architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Adaptive Reuse

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

MGA | Michael Green Architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best North America

Mikkelsen Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hospitals & Healthcare Centers

Mix Architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Environment

Montalba Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in North America

Montforthaus Feldkirch GmbH
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Cultural & Expo Centers

Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Smoke Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Institutional

Murray Legge Architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (S 1000-2000 sq ft)
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Additions

Featured Firm: MVRDV

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

Depot Boijmans van Beuningen by MVRDV, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Gallery & Exhibition Spaces

For nearly 30 years, MVRDV has been providing solutions to contemporary architectural and urban issues, with their reach extending from their home base in Rotterdam to all regions of the world. Their collaborative, research-based design method harnesses the full power of their 250-person strong team, which includes architects, designers, urbanists and official in-house BREEAM and LEED assessors, and involves rigorous technical and creative investigation. The often iconic results represent true outside-the-box thinking that challenges established building typologies and reveal new possibilities for our cities and landscapes.

NADAAA
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Public Projects Firm
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Mixed Use (L >25,000 sq ft)

Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (M 2000-4000 sq ft)
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Preservation

NZI Architectes
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Affordable Design

ORG Permanent Modernity
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Landscape

OYTT Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (S <1000 sq ft)

Panorama Design Group
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Interior Design Firm

Peter Pichler Architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private House (L 4000-6000 sq ft)

PETITDIDIERPRIOUX Architectes
2022 A+Awards Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Residential Firm

PH Alpha Design Limited
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Shopping Center

Plan Architect
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Affordable Housing

PLP Architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Stone

QINGMO Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Cultural
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Mixed Use (S <25,000 sq ft)

querkraft architects zt gmbh
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Architecture +Sustainability
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Retail

RDG Planning & Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Stairs

Rhotenberry Wellen Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Gyms & Recreation Centers

Featured Firm: RIOS

Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Health

Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine by RIOS, Los Angeles, CA, United States | Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Health

RIOS is an international design collective with interdisciplinarity at its heart. From architecture to urban and landscape planning to graphic, interior, exhibit and product design, by blurring the boundaries of traditional distinct disciplines within the profession, Rios’ diverse team amplifies the impact of design. The resulting integrated and comprehensive solutions are irreversibly connected to the narrative of place and the complex order of human culture, creating solutions that are joyful, authentic, and unexpected.

RJRX Urban Planning & Design Consultants
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Masterplan

Roark Studio
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in Europe
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Multi Unit Housing – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

Robert Hutchison Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Small Projects

Rogers Partners Architects + Urban Designers
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Government & Civic Buildings

ruanxiaozhou design studio
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Facades

Salem Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (S <10 Floors)

Sanjay Puri Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Residential Firm
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Color

SBM studio
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Public Projects Firm

Shanghai TIANHUA Urban Planning & Design
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Urban and Masterplan

Shomali Design [Yaser Rashid Shomali & Yasin Rashid Shomali]
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Private House (S <3000 sq ft)

shulin architectural design
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hotels & Resorts

Silvester Fuller
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Educational Interiors

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Sustainability

SML
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Concrete

Snorre Stinessen Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Prefab

Sò Studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (S <1000 sq ft)

Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (L >10 Floors)
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Spa & Wellness

Akumal Monterrey by Sordo Madaleno, San Pedro Garza García, Mexico | Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (L >10 Floors)

Founded in 1937 by Juan Sordo Madaleno, this family-owned architecture firm has remained in the family for three generations. Over the course of just under a century, the firm has built landmarks throughout Mexico, honing its own distinct architectural style while contributing to the country’s rich architectural fabric. A thread woven through all of their work is the desire to improve the city; the firm gravitates towards projects with social and urban impact, including countless pro bono projects, that may regenerate areas, improve quality of life, add value and create new urban conditions. SMA has implemented international environmental impact certifications. Their work represents a significant contribution to the evolution of Mexican design.

SRG Partnership
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Stadium & Arena

STLarchitects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Institutional
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Models & Rendering

Studio 21@CCDI Group
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Office – High Rise (16+ Floors)

Studio Libeskind
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

Studio MK27f
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in Central & South America

Studio O+A
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft)

studio razavi architecture
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Commercial Interiors (<25,000 sq ft)

Studio Seilern Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Hall / Theater

Studio Toggle
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Best Young Firm
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Firm in the Middle East & Africa

Studio+
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Coworking Space

StudioX4 Architect and Associates
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Spa & Wellness

SUP Atelier of THAD
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Brick

Supercloud Studio
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Kindergartens

supermanoeuvre
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Ceilings

SvN Architects + Planners
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Masterplan

Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Mixed Use (S <25,000 sq ft)

FH Office by TA-CHA Design, Bangkok, Thailand | Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Mixed Use (S <25,000 sq ft)

Bangkok-based TA-CHA Studio is self-described as “just ordinary tiny firm doing better thing for our client and society;” however, we’d argue that, to the contrary, they are an extraordinary tiny studio. Time and again, TA-CHA’s projects present innovative way of incorporating passive design approaches: a highly thought-out approach to airflow is at their heart of all their work. Likewise, re-used or locally grown wood and recyclable metal are mainstays in their material palette, while a human-centered approach to floor plan thinks about how space can motivate inhabitants to form healthier behaviors.

TAA DESIGN
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Office – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

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

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

Tegnestuen LOKAL
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Renovation

The Architectural Design and Research Institute of HIT
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hall / Theater

The Design Institute Of Landscape & Architecture China Academy Of Art-Young Designer Studio
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Small Firm (1-10 employees)
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Cultural Firm
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Urban Transformation

The Miller Hull Partnership
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Tommila Architects & Kaleidoscope Nordic
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (S <10 Floors)

TROP : terrains + open space
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Landscape Design Firm
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Private Garden

UAO Design
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Affordable Design
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Small Projects

UNITEDLAB Associates
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Landscape

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

Various Associates
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Commercial Firm

Vaslab Architecture
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hotels & Resorts

Ventura + Partners
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Health

Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Learning
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Hospitals & Healthcare Centers

LIFE Campus by Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Lyngby, Denmark | Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Learning

As the namesake of one of Denmark’s most celebrated modern architects, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects has big shoes to fill. Founded in 1922, the firm has evolved is trademark functional architecture and design rooted in classic Nordic modernism. Today, the team of 150 architects, technicians and administrative staff maintains this spirit of innovation, but are better known for excellence in high-complex typologies, such as airports, hospitals and life science. Despite being a century old, they have embraced digitalisation and development projects within A.I. and blockchain, carrying on Vilhelm Lauritzen’s vision: “Good architecture should be for everyone – never a privilege for the few.”

VISIOARQ ARQUITECTOS
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Wood

Visionnaire
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Water

Vtrilloarquitectos
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Landscape

Walker Warner Architects
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Models & Rendering

WIP ARCHITECTURE
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Water

WIT Design & Research
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Young Interior Design Firm

Woods + Dangaran
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (>3000 sq ft)

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

XING DESIGN
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transport Interiors

Z-one Tech
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Gallery & Exhibition Spaces
Public Vote Winner , 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +New Technology
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Experimental Design

Zaha Hadid Architects
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Large Firm (50+ employees)
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Concrete

ZJJZ
Jury Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Joy

Zone of Utopia + Mathieu Forest Architecte
Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards,Cultural & Expo Centers
Jury & Public Vote Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Glass

You can check out previous editions of the A+List here: First Edition, Second Edition, Third Edition

To secure your position on next year’s A+List, make sure to enter the 11th Annual A+Awards before the Main Entry Deadline on December 16th:

Enter the 11th Annual A+Awards

Reference

“Architects, We Need To Talk.”
CategoriesArchitecture

“Architects, We Need To Talk.”

By Zarkon Group,

Erin Pellegrino and Jake Rudin are the co-founders of Out of Architecture, a career consulting firm helping architects and designers find creatively fulfilling roles beyond the bounds of traditional architectural practice. Nikita Morell is a copywriter for architects and the founder of Architects WordShop. She is on a mission to make architecture websites sound more human, less robot.

Architects, we need to talk.

We need to talk about being overworked, underpaid and undervalued.

We need to talk about how sacrificing your health, sanity and relationships at the altar of architecture and for the glory of good design is not okay. Burnout is like a dormant virus. It incubates in architecture school, spreads through architecture companies and slowly infects your entire life. It sounds grim. Because it is.

We need to talk about the “M” word. Yes, money, money, money. It seems no one wants to talk openly about money and *gasp* profit. Straight out of architecture school, we’re conditioned to believe it’s better to work for peanuts at a Starchitecture firm than to find a role that will help us pay off our student loans.

We need to talk about all the ways we get pigeonholed into exercising only a handful of skills — often the ones we don’t enjoy as much. It’s time we talk about all the skills we have and how they can be applied to roles outside of architecture.

But, why aren’t we already talking about these things…

When your boss gives you a dirty look as you try to leave for the day at 6:30pm. Or when you’re running on coffee and Red Bull as you pull another all-nighter. Why don’t you speak up? Tell your boss to ‘back off’?

Maybe you feel like you’re letting your team down by leaving or that your boss will think you’re not taking your job seriously. Whatever the reason…

It isn’t your fault.

We know not everyone is in a position to talk about feelings of discontentment. You can’t talk with your boss or colleagues (they’ll think I’m ungrateful!). You can’t talk to your family (they’ll question; why do you want to throw away years of study!). You can even post on social media (what happens if my boss/peers see it!).

It’s easier, less awkward, and non-confrontational to quietly daydream about changing your situation or job than to *actually* talk about it. (Come on, be honest, how many times a day do you think: “I can’t do this anymore” or “It’ll get better in the New Year / when this deadline is over / [insert excuse here]”?)

You may not be able to talk about it.

But we can.

We’ve spoken to hundreds of designers, fellow architects and people out there who have come to us in a state of burnout, a state of anxiety and a feeling of helplessness — feeling trapped in a discipline they once loved. We want to speak on behalf of those who have trusted us with these experiences.

And we want to share some insights and possible solutions.

Let’s talk about taking care of ourselves…

Creativity never sleeps… but you should. In fact, you’ll be more productive if you do!. No design solution is perfect, there will always be one more possible iteration. Don’t let your employer pressure or guilt you into putting a project before your wellbeing, your health or your personal relationships.

Architecture companies are structured to glorify long working hours because it benefits their bottom line. At the end of the day, the only person who is going to look after you is… you. Good firms design their business around the need to pay employees well and keep them from burning out in the long run.

If you think it’s impossible — look around. Explore jobs outside of architecture where you can lead rich creative lives and take care of yourself.

Businesses that can afford to take care of employees can also be extremely creative. For example: Design strategy for a software company, computational design for a large hardware producer, community engagement for an education consultant or retail design for a clothing brand.

Let’s talk about better pay…

Why do we feel ashamed about the financial value of the work we do?  We need to get comfortable with speaking about money and understand the financial value our skills bring to their practices and market.

It’s okay to be motivated by financial success.

It’s no secret that we’re driven by passion. We want to enrich lives and make the world a better place. But it’s also okay to want to earn decent money — so you can pay your bills, send your kids to college and buy that gorgeous vintage Eames chair you’ve got the perfect spot for.

Financial gain and passion are not mutually exclusive. You can have both. You can find a job that you’re passionate about and get a solid paycheck —it’s about finding the right company that aligns with your values. And that values you in return.

Let’s talk about doing more of the work you love…

If the work you’re asked to do is not aligned with what you want to do. If 90% of your job isn’t the part of it you love, know that there are other options.

Model making. Rendering. Graphics. Website development. Presenting to clients. Designing that tiny bench in the courtyard. These are all specialty jobs that exist beyond the scope of architecture. You can focus on one thing and this can be your whole job.

Here’s the thing: Not all architects have to be architects. Not everyone wants to be a project architect, project manager or principal. There are other paths you can take.

The skills that you have developed, over the course of your career (no matter if you’ve been working for 2 years or 20 years) can be put to use in hundreds of other roles in dozens of other industries.

If you think you want out, look at your options. Talk to other architects who are out in the world doing other equally amazing things. You owe it to yourself to at least explore what else is out there.

We also realize not everyone has the privilege and the circumstances to quit their jobs or change careers right now. You’ve got families to feed, mortgages, and other financial commitments. All these things may prevent you from taking the leap. And that’s okay.

There’s a whole world beyond the title of Architect…

You can get creative fulfillment, passion and purpose both alongside and beyond the title of Architect. The term ‘architect’ shouldn’t isolate us from other kinds of design. It should celebrate our breadth and versatility across design disciplines. 

You can leverage your skills, discipline, experience and knowledge in other industries. Here are just some of the ways:

You could be a graphic or visual designer at Amazon, a game designer or environmental artist at Rockstar, a design consultant at Doblin or McKinsey, a UX designer at Kayak, a computational designer at Adidas or New Balance, a real estate developer or analyst at JLL. Business development, customer excellence, client-side project manager, set design, service design, workplace design.

These paths and the stories of thousands of people who have transitioned out of architecture and forged pathways into new industries, are documented in our new book Out of Architecture. Instead of tip-toeing around the topic of leaving architecture, we need architects who’ve applied their skills in other industries to share their stories, to show that there are other paths for people who aren’t happy in the field. 

We need to create safe spaces where we can freely discuss our career options. That’s what Out of Architecture stands for, and you can always come to talk with us. 

Take action in your career. Even if that first step is just a conversation.

Architects, it’s time to talk.

References

If you’re thinking about making a career change or looking for support in your job search or negotiation, Out of Architecture is here to help. There are loads of resources including our job board, podcasts, and you can book a free consultation with us all on our website at www.outofarchitecture.com.

Even if you’re looking to stay in the profession, talking about your skills and projects in a different way can accelerate your practice. If you’re looking to reframe your narrative, Nikita Morell specializes in copywriting for architects.

 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

Brilliant Bio-Based Materials Curated for Commercial Interiors
CategoriesArchitecture

Brilliant Bio-Based Materials Curated for Commercial Interiors

By Zarkon Group,

Our esteemed jury is now reviewing the submissions for this year’s A+Product Awards. Stay tuned for the winner’s announcement later this summer.

We are often introduced to biomaterials regarding their application to support medical advancements. A massive amount of research is being conducted globally, with innovations being announced all the time. You’ve probably heard the word bouncing around the design industry too. However, crucially it must be understood that the two subjects, although identical in name, as products are wildly different. In medical terms, biomaterial refers to a substance engineered to interact with biological systems for a medical purpose (like a heart valve or bone graft). In the design industry, when we discuss biomaterials, we are actually talking about bio-based materials, which are derived and manufactured from living organisms.

Bio-based material is a new and fascinating industry that has come to fruition due to the need for more sustainable construction and manufacturing base materials. Across the world, the quantity of furniture, fabrics and materials that end up in landfill is staggering and arriving there at a rate that cannot be sustained. As a reaction to this, many designers are seeking inspiration from nature and natural life cycles.

Forager Foam by Ecovative Images provided by Ecovative

Forager Leather by Ecovative Image by Vasil Hnatiuk

One such company is Ecovative. Ecovative are experts in something called mycelium. Mycelium is an essential part of fungi. It is a web-like substance formed from the pores of fungi. Often residing beneath ground, the probing webs assist in growing the mushrooms we see above ground while interconnecting the fungi from below. The mycelium search for food, passing on nutrients and other information to the fleshy mushrooms above ground. At Ecovative, they have learned how to guide the growth process of the mycelium to create large webs that are almost completely solid. The result is a wide range of natural, biodegradable materials that form textiles, packaging, and even alternative food products.

As a material, mycelium is incredibly resilient, with many other valuable qualities. By studying the growth of mycelium, scientists at Forager Ecovative have drawn out the most useful traits such as tensile strength, waterproofing, fire resistance, pliability and texture. They are producing foams and leather alternatives that rival any on the market. Mycelium hides and foams offer many advantages over traditional leather and plastic materials. Vivid colors and durable, supple textures are possible without the need for caustic chemicals or waste.

Finishing can be achieved with heat, pressure, and bio-based chemicals rather than petroleum-derived coatings, with a wider variety than traditional leather, minus the variability and blemishes that impact price. The foams produced by Ecovative rival any plastic-based alternative in performance and are unmatched in their circularity — mycelium, when thrown away at the end of a product’s life, returns to the earth as a nutrient rather than a pollutant.

Mogu, Mycelium Resilient Floors ©mogu

Mogu, Floor Flex ©mogu

Also working tirelessly with mycelium’s exceptional properties and potential are the team at MOGU. Offering functional, beautiful and meaningful products with a durable and sustainable life cycle, MOGU is committed to introducing the world to industrial processes with the lowest possible environmental impact.

“MOGU was founded on the belief that it is possible to employ nature’s intelligence to radically disrupt the design of everyday product, seeking a finer balance between the man-made and the rhythms of the ecosystem.”

MOGU’s floor finishes are genuinely remarkable. The floor finishes are made of solid and stable mycelium-based core boards coupled with high-performance bio-based coating. Each tile or roll integrates low-value biomasses such as corn crops, rice straw, spent coffee grounds, discarded seaweed and clam shells as an alternative to traditional industrial pigments. This choice in toning allows the natural pigments embedded in the product to appear visibly on the surface, creating a unique look to the materials that is elegant, on-trend and subtle.

That’s Caffeine by Atticus Durnell

Handmade in London by Atticus Durnell, That’s Caffeine is a unique bio-based material created from recycled coffee grounds that feels and looks like granite stone. The bio-based material is a composite of bio binders, minerals and plant-based resin, making it incredibly lightweight compared to its peers. The material is sustainable and biodegradable, water and heat-resistant, and successfully diverts coffee waste from landfills while enabling its distinctive surface finishes and colors.

Totomoxle by Fernando Laposse Images by Fernando Laposse

Bio-based materials do not need to be grown into something, as is the case for mycelium-based products. Mexico-based innovator Fernando Laposse has shown how waste material from our other consumables can also be utilized in making new, beautiful materials.

Totomoxtle is a new veneer material made with husks of heirloom Mexican corn. Ranging from deep purples to soft creams, Totomoxtle showcases the wealth of diversity of the native corns of Mexico.

Unfortunately, the number of native varieties of Mexican corn are in sharp decline. International trade agreements, aggressive use of herbicides and pesticides, and the influx of highly modified foreign seeds have decimated the practice. At the moment, the only hope for saving the heirloom species of maize lies with the indigenous people who continue to plant them out of tradition rather than for financial gain.

Laposse has been working with a group of families from the community of Tonahuixtla, slowly reintroducing native seeds in the village and returning to traditional agriculture. The husks collected from the harvest are now transformed by a group of local women into the veneering material, thus creating much-needed local employment and beautiful saleable materials that are forgiving to the environment.

Brusseleir, Clay Plaster by BC Materials Image by BC Materials

BC Materials work on several bio-based products made for the construction industry from the construction industry’s waste. Using material taken from the ground during excavation, the Brussels-based company has created Brusseleir. This clay plaster alternative regulates the humidity of indoor climates and is also wholly vapor permeable all the while, the plaster alternative is four times more acoustically effective than traditional plaster finishes.

From an environmental perspective, biomaterials are a compelling choice: They are biodegradable and store carbon dioxide, which means they can lower the carbon footprint of a product or a building during its lifetime. These materials can often perform just as well, sometimes better, than less sustainable alternatives. We have barely scratched the surface of the potential of bio-based materials and are in no position to propose bio-based materials everywhere just yet. However, there is an argument that says that is precisely what we should be striving for.

Consider this, across all industries, consumers have changed; buyers no longer need items that last a lifetime, typically trends drive sales, and the majority of people want their surroundings to evolve as they do. In such a society, products manufactured from bio-based materials have a stronger appeal than ever. As their usefulness is met, items can be discarded without concern. Each piece naturally breaks down and returns to the earth while leaving space for something new. No need for landfill, no need for chemicals to break things down, just a product from the earth, going right back into the earth — like a leaf working its way through the seasons year after year. That is the future of bio-based materials; hopefully, with suitable investments, it’s not too far off.

Our esteemed jury is now reviewing the submissions for this year’s A+Product Awards. Stay tuned for the winner’s announcement later this summer.

Reference

Embrace AI Tech And Watch Today’s Architect Shortages Disappear
CategoriesArchitecture

Embrace AI Tech And Watch Today’s Architect Shortages Disappear

By Zarkon Group,

Eitan Tsarfati is a serial tech entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Swapp, an AI-based construction planning company that partners with architects to leverage the power of AI-driven platforms. 

Retaining up-and-coming architects poses an immediate and serious challenge for the entire real estate development industry and for architecture firms in particular. In a December 12, 2021 article, the New York Times wrote about architects at a major firm who were considering whether to unionize. Reading the many comments other architects posted about this article reveals a true crisis in the architectural design and planning industry. Industry leaders must recognize that the rate of architect defections to other careers is systemic. Let’s analyze the problem and then understand the role new AI and machine learning technologies can and should play in achieving a long-term solution.

What factors cause entry-level and associate-level architects’ discontent and even their abandonment of the architect profession? Low pay is always a factor, as are the long hours and slow career growth that architects experience at large and prestigious architecture firms. Additionally, slow career progression often follows three years of graduate study after the bachelor’s degree.

But there is yet another factor: the pervasive assignment to less-experienced architects of the stressful, unedifying design document and construction document development work. Architects want to design. Documenting the design so construction professionals can do their engineering and building jobs may be a necessary part of the process. Still, architects would be happier if someone else, or an AI technology, were to transform their designs into the CD for the architect to review and then stamp.

A construction document generated by SWAPP’s AI

Traditionally, architectural firms have relied on having many “hands” working many hours to develop, complete and deliver sets of complete construction documents (CD). It’s a two-step process that starts with a set of design documents (DD) followed by developing the CD, and both of these steps require a high degree of accuracy and technical skill. Often, these steps are performed in a deadline-driven, pressure-cooker environment, because when the schematic design takes more time to complete than expected, the time frames for DD and CD development naturally must absorb the delay.

What do architects think about after spending long hours for low pay developing a set of construction documents? Do they find value in doing the CD development work? Or are they thinking about the 5-to-10 years they will spend in this role and wondering if it’s worth it?

With a limited number of new architects entering the field each year and the continual pressure from clients to deliver work ever more quickly, architects and architecture firms need a technology solution that relieves architects of the construction document design burden, while still getting this essential work done. The use of new AI technologies for these tasks will not only ensure accurate and quick generation of CDs, but will also result in higher retention rates of valuable architect employees.

Once upon a time, the prestige of architecture as a profession and the intrinsically rewarding nature of architecture attracted professionals by offering a career that spans several creative as well as technical disciplines. However, in today’s world of smart-everything, new entrants to the architecture profession are technically savvy. They expect the tools they use at work to be intelligent. They aren’t willing to spend multiple years doing tasks that a machine can do more quickly and with equal or better accuracy, while they wait for the opportunity to contribute to the aspects of architectural design that attracted them to the profession in the first place.

A construction document generated by SWAPP’s AI

Just as they want to be able to plan all the details of a vacation road trip, then get in a self-driving car and relax while the car takes them where they want to go, architects want to spend the time allotted to their work creating the architectural designs, then “hand off” the design decisions to an intelligent tool that produces the necessary construction documents or revision options. They want relief from the tedious last step of the design delivery process.

Like other professions that used to assume the easy availability of a steady stream of new professionals willing to trade long hours in junior roles for bright futures as principals and industry leaders, architecture firms now face competition from “high tech”. The ranks of future architects — the creative, talented and bright individuals studying architecture and starting careers — may be wooed away by the higher pay, less oversight by older generations and a quicker path to the top that “high tech” offers.

Nevertheless, the good news is that “high tech” is also now solving the architect retention problem! New technologies enable architects to spend most, if not all of their time on design and planning work, and then to simply — and literally — “push a button” to produce clean, accurate and complete construction documents. In addition, architects can use these same technologies to make quick work of the time-consuming tasks of producing design alternatives to meet the needs of change requests and other “curve balls” that cause late-night work crunches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-D5-6koRf8

By utilizing automated tools and artificial intelligence, these new technologies — of which Swapp is proud to be one — can transform architects’ planning decisions into architectural plans and deliverable construction document sets within minutes. No longer are long hours and tedious documenting tasks required.

Are you surprised that machine learning and artificial intelligence can now support your architectural work this way? Or maybe you want to ask why now or why did it take so long for technology to advance to this point. Of course, every advancement has a story behind it. For Swapp, the story involves a small, diverse group of architects, algorithm and AI developers and entrepreneurs from the world of existing computerized architectural tools.

Other teams and companies also know about the retention problem and are building tools for architects in the AI and machine learning space, allowing for collaborations as well as competition. Ready-to-use services, features and options made possible by these new technologies are here now to solve the needs of architects and architectural firms — and more exciting tools are on the way.

 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

The Future of Architecture: Social Housing Projects From Around the World
CategoriesArchitecture

The Future of Architecture: Social Housing Projects From Around the World

By Zarkon Group,

How can architecture be a force for good in our ever-changing world? During Future Fest, we’re pose this question to some of the world’s best architects. We’re hosting daily virtual talks from September 12th to 30th, which are 100% free to attend.  Check out the full schedule!

Diverse housing types are the foundation of better cities. This is especially true across households of different multigenerational and socio-economic backgrounds. Architects and developers have a central part to play in the discussion in providing places to rent, own, and provide shelter for a range of rural and urban communities. Exploring more equitable models of living, we’re inviting experts in housing and development to discuss the future of architecture for an entire week this September. The virtual event, Future Fest, will be 100% free to attend.

Register for Future Fest

Housing is becoming increasingly important as we realize the compounding issues of housing scarcity. Social housing is unique in that the defining characteristics of this architecture aren’t shared across projects. Some models are even defined by open source blueprints, hoping to create similar projects in the future. They can be large or small, a mix of programs or a single residential typology. They also differ widely depending on how the projects are supported and developed. Showcasing how cities are thinking about the architecture of social housing, the following projects represent diverse explorations drawn from around the world. Together, they give a glimpse into the future of urban development and how to equitably design for new ways of living.

Housing Z53

By MICHAN ARCHITECTURE, Azcapotzalco, Mexico

Popular Choice Winner, 2015 A+Awards, Architecture +Low Cost Housing

Addressing a high demand for social housing in Mexico City, this project is located on a rectangular plot with its shortest side facing the street. The 42 units are placed in three towers, generating interior courtyards for views and natural ventilation for each apartment, connecting them with vertical cores and bridges above the patios. The masonry brick walls play an important role on the project as they are part of the structure and re-interpret the traditional brick wall, blurring the boundary between structure and ornament. With the use of a single unit; red mud artisanal brick, the team was able to create walls that respond to light and shadow.

Flor 401 Lofts

By Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Multi-Unit Housing Mid-Rise (5-15 Floors)

At the heart of the Flor project was an effort to try and stabilize the lives of people in the city. As permanent supportive housing, the project features large windows, units with a micro kitchen, and each with their own doorbell to reinforce a sense of respite and privacy. Tree-canopied courtyards and indoor and outdoor activity spaces encourage social interaction to add a sense of wellbeing and community.

The design team also created a trellised entry to welcome residents home. The cascading courtyard anchors daily life and is encircled by the apartments reached by elevator, stairs and bridges. The design converts required hidden egress into a visible circulation path to encourage informal exercise and social interaction, while also augmenting passive security.

71 Social Housing Units

By Mobile Architectural Office and JTB. architecture, La Courneuve, France

For La Courneuve, two buildings and 18 duplex units were designed to provide a diversity of housing. A meticulous architectural style contributes to the regeneration of the Cité des 4000. Built in 1956 by the Ville de Paris, this large-scale operation was designed as an estate composed of blocks sited alongside each other. This siting principle generated undefined and unused free spaces, preventing the appropriation of public spaces which are wasted. The regeneration aimed to suppress the effect of uniform and impersonal blocks to give, once again, meaning to the public space with a true landscape and human dimension. The proposal gives a new identity to the neighborhood while integrating this diversity previously missing at all scales of the project.

CasaNova Social Housing

By cdm architetti associati, Bolzano, Italy

CasaNova was an exploration that began with a competition publicly announced by the Social Housing Institute based on a Detailed Plan for the residential expansion. This is a tool the municipal administration had to face the need of social housing with a settlement pattern clearly recognizable in the peripheral context. The plan provided the creation of blocks, the “castles”, made of three to four buildings located around an open tree lined court. Following the numerous plan restrictions, the building emphasizes the unity of the plot by working on the concept of block and by identifying a single kind of construction for the front.

Social-Housing Units in Paris

By Atelier du Pont, Paris, France

For this innovative project in Paris, the team wanted to embrace the neighborhood. Close to avenue de Flandre and just a stone’s throw from the canal de l’Ourcq, rue de Nantes is a fairly traditional Parisian street of Haussmann and inner-suburb buildings. The project gently inserts itself into a narrow parcel bordered by dense, adjoining housing. On the street side, it extends the building streetscape in a simple manner. On the garden side, the staggering from the 1st to the 6th floors creates large, private, south-facing terraces and allows for an unencumbered view of the sky. The “L” shape and the general volumetrics allowed for the creation of a true, collective garden at the ground level, planted with tall trees.

Multigenerational Housing

By major architekci, Wrocław, Poland

Looking to the future, multigenerational house is a social housing located in Wrocław, Poland. The building design combines three functions for three generations: flats with a care service for the elderly and the people with disabilities, flats for rent dedicated for the young and families, and a nursery school on the ground floor. House generates 117 apartments with different typologies. The building is part of the model housing estate Nowe Żerniki, where local architects collectively tried to respond to the growing housing problems and poor spatial quality. One of the initial assumptions of the project was to create a facility conducive to the integration of all its residents and users, so the multigenerational house was designed as a quarter.

Collective Mine – Housing in Gungjeong

By Gubo Architect, Seoul, South Korea

The ‘”Gungjeong Social Housing’ project was carried out for a new residential space experiment for the millennial generation of Korean society. For the younger generation in Korea, residential space is turning into a private space and, at the same time, a community space in loosely solidarity with people of similar tastes. They are seeking the possibility of living and sharing various convenient spaces together because of the expensive housing costs in Seoul. In this project, community lounge cafes will be planned for use by residents on the first and second floors, while the remaining three floors will have a shared house that can accommodate a total of 11 people. Four people reside on each floor, and there is a shared kitchen with a high ceiling on the top floor.

The Iceberg

By JDS ARCHITECTS, SeARCH, and CEBRA, Aarhus, Denmark

Jury Winner, 2013 A+Awards, Mid-Rise (5-15 Floors)

Creating a new urban model, the Iceberg development aimed to create an opportunity for Denmark’s second largest city to develop in a socially sustainable way by renovating its old, out-of-use container terminal. Looking to the future while creating a distinct district, the area is comprised of a multitude of cultural and social activities, a generous amount of workplaces, and a highly mixed and diverse array of housing types. The Iceberg Project was designed to work within the goals of the overall city development. A third of the project’s 200 apartments are set aside as affordable rental housing, aimed at integrating a diverse social profile into the new neighborhood development.

How can architecture be a force for good in our ever-changing world? During Future Fest, we’re pose this question to some of the world’s best architects. We’re hosting daily virtual talks from September 12th to 30th, which are 100% free to attend.  Check out the full schedule!

Reference