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Architecture

Non-Architectural Challenges Architects Face When Converting Offices into Housing

By Zarkon Group,27/08/2023

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COVID-19 has left many office buildings half-empty in city downtowns across the United States, and as vacancies rise, commercial property values drop. The demand for office space might not rebound to pre-pandemic levels as some observed have augured.

Banks, city governments and property management companies fear the severity of the situation and its potentially dismal economic consequences. At the same time, the housing shortage is becoming a major problem for many cities. Could empty office buildings be the remedy to the housing crisis? What does it take to convert office buildings into housing?

One would think that the idea of converting office buildings into residential would presumably face little-to-no opposition and be promoted by cities and planning authorities as a possibility to mitigate the housing shortage and activate districts. It could be a win-win situation if not for the red-tape bureaucracy — local building and zoning regulations — and the technical difficulties, including structural, energy/mechanical, accessibility and fire safety upgrades, among other requirements. These requirements limit the number of vacant office buildings that could potentially be converted into residential use.

Zoning Regulations

Image by Eloi Smith via Unsplash.

There is no general rule for turning office space into housing, and each building must comply with local building and zoning regulations. Zoning rules vary, but they often share the common purpose of separating occupancies — i.e. separating residential from commercial use. For this specific reason, it is difficult to change the use of an existing building, and developers wanting to undertake such a task will have to apply for a variance, which may face opposition before it is granted. Difficulties don’t end here. In addition to zoning regulations, building codes will influence redevelopment projects.

Generally, building codes applied to residential projects are considerably different from those that apply to office buildings. Adapting an existing structure to a new use will involve the cooperation of different agencies to address the complexities that come with the change of occupancy use. But given the extraordinary situation where on the one hand, we have thousands of vacant office square footage and, on the other hand, an urgent housing shortage, it would make perfect sense to relax these regulations and try to solve both problems. City authorities have in their hands the opportunity to make change recommendations in city zoning regulations. In this respect, New York’s Mayor Eric Adams has been encouraging modifications to zoning and building codes to spur the office-housing transformation.

8899 Beverly Boulevard by Olson Kundig, Los Angeles, California | Image by Nils Timm.

For the time being, zoning and building regulations make it hard for office buildings to be turned into a different use, especially into residential, simply because the requirements for one are so different from the other. Let’s look at some of the specific requirements to turn an office building into housing: Light and ventilation are perhaps the most critical factors that play into the equation.

Light and Ventilation Requirements

One crucial requirement is that habitable spaces need to be provided with a minimum amount of light and ventilation. Oddly, pre-air-conditioning-era office buildings are potentially better suited to office-to-housing transformation. Their size and configuration were dictated by the necessity to provide offices with light and ventilation. When air-conditioning and fluorescent lighting became characteristic features of the office environment, the narrow, rectangular footprint of the typical office building — and its U-, L-, C, and E-wing variations — could expand to larger floor plates filled with rows of offices that no longer needed a window close by. That is when things got complicated for the office-to-housing transformation. The distance from the center of the building to an exterior wall is often so great — even when the center is formed by a circulation and utility core — that it is impossible to create an effective layout where all the units have windows.

Adding to this problem is the type of building envelope. The interiors of modern office buildings are, for the most part, sealed behind curtain walls. To comply with the light and ventilation rule required in residential buildings, the entire glass skin needs to be replaced with a system that incorporates operable windows.

The Structure Lofts by H2 | Hawkins + Hawkins Architects, Inc. San Diego, California | Image by Brent Haywood.

Other factors, including the configuration of the structural grid and the window location, impact the viability of office-to-housing conversion projects and dictate the layout and size of the rooms in new apartments. Above, the Hawkins + Hawkins Architcts‘ office building-turned-apartment complex shows the typical floor plan for all levels above the ground floor with units around a circulation and storage central core. The open plan of all the units allows for natural light to reach every corner.

The design reimagines a four-story, modern office building that served as San Diego’s Blood Bank for nearly 40 years. Offering panoramic views of the city skyline, a central park and a bay, the building inspired the conversion to loft apartments. The goal was to create expansive, energy-efficient living units through adaptive reuse while preserving a landmark. The interior structural elements such as the concrete floors and coffered ceilings, were exposed to create a clean, industrial look. Single-glazed windows were replaced with energy-efficient, dual-glazed, floor-to-ceiling vinyl windows; and new, energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems were installed.

The International Design Center, originally designed by Richard Dorman in 1964 (left) and 8899 Beverly Boulevard by Olson Kundig, Los Angeles, California | Image by Joe Fletcher (right).

Olson Kundig's office to housing tower conversion

8899 Beverly Boulevard by Olson Kundig, Los Angeles, California| Images by Joe Fletcher.

Here is another office-to-housing redevelopment example. The International Design Center, originally designed by Richard Dorman in 1964, is located in today’s heart of West Hollywood’s vibrant arts and design district in Los Angeles. Olson Kundig‘s redevelopment design maintains the building’s original integrity while transitioning its function to a 48-unit luxury condo complex.New additions are set back from the structure to acknowledge the building’s form. The upper levels contain a mixture of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, fifteen of which are designated market rate. Private amenities on the lower level include a residential lobby, fitness room and an adjacent pool area. The building’s new design highlights indoor-outdoor connections through a generous use of glass while maintaining the building’s original concrete balconies. The updated façade incorporates a shutter system to control shade and privacy. Roof terraces on the new penthouse level extend livable areas outdoors, opening to views of West Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills beyond.

Are Large Office Buildings Doomed?

8899 Beverly Boulevard by Olson Kundig, Los Angeles, California | Images by Joe Fletcher.

The way office buildings are designed factors in the suitability for office-to-housing transformation, and for now, large office buildings offer a hornet nest of unsolvable technical difficulties after factoring in cost, profitability and physical limitations. The amendment of local zoning and building regulations is critical to facilitate the redevelopment of offices into homes. In the most extravagant — and extraordinarily expensive — cases, developers can allow their imagination to run wild: carve out portions of a building to create outdoor terraces that bring light and air into otherwise windowless apartments or blow up holes in the floor plates to run lightwells. Mix-use occupancy could be an option worth exploring. In this case, fire separation and exits would be challenging issues that would need to be addressed.

Office-to-housing redevelopment costs can be exorbitant, and most certainly, such projects would only be viable when offered as luxury apartment buildings. At this rate, the office-to-housing redevelopment projects will probably have little positive impact on the housing shortage, at least for now. Code relaxation and economic incentives to allow these conversions to take off are urgently needed.

Reference

Architecture

25 Best Architecture Firms in London

By Zarkon Group,23/08/2023

London is a city that has been forced to redevelop constantly. Like many cities, it has accrued layers of history. However, events like the Great Fire and The Blitz have also torn holes in the urban fabric, necessitating moments of reflection and rethinking. Nowadays, Georgian, Regency and Victorian architecture are intermingled with hulking Brutalist structures and curving glass façades. From John Nash’s influential residential and urban plans to Alison and Peter Smithson’s radical housing proposals to the anonymous steel giants of Canary Wharf, the city has always been at the forefront of the latest city design trends.

Nowadays, the city remains home to preeminent architectural schools such as UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture. In addition, London’s galleries and museums nurture a design culture with thought-provoking exhibitions about space and society, including the ever-popular Serpentine Pavilion. Meanwhile, as a global metropolis, the British city’s diversity is one of its great strengths. So it’s no wonder that the city is home to a bevy of heavyweight firms and up-and-coming studios whose names are known locally and abroad.

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

How are these architecture firms ranked?

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

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

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

Without further ado, here are the 24 best architecture firms in London:

25. Buckley Gray Yeoman

Formed in 1997, Buckley Gray Yeoman is an award-winning architecture and design practice based in Shoreditch, London. Directed by Matt Yeoman and Paul White, the firm provides pragmatic and deliverable solutions to complex design issues. Founded on the premise that outstanding results require careful planning and an intuitive approach, Buckley Gray Yeoman’s designs adapt and respond to the context of each project to create intelligent and enduring architecture.
The practice’s work is driven by the needs and ambitions of its clients.

Some of Buckley Gray Yeoman’s most prominent projects include:

Henry Wood House, London, United Kingdom
Channing School, London, United Kingdom
The Buckley Building, London, United Kingdom
C-Space, London, United Kingdom
Fashion Street, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Buckley Gray Yeoman achieve 25th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	8

24. Jamie Fobert Architects

Since its inception in 1996, Jamie Fobert Architects has had a reputation for innovative and inspiring architectural design in the residential, retail and arts sectors. The practice has demonstrated a consistent approach to resolving client ambitions and site complexities into a tactile architecture of volume, material and light.

Jamie Fobert Architects has garnered several awards, including the RIBA London Award 2014, the Manser Medal and the RIBA and English Heritage ‘Award for a building in an historic context’. The practice has won three major public commissions for cultural organisations: Kettle’s Yard Gallery; the Charleston Trust; and Tate St Ives.

Some of Jamie Fobert Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Jamie Fobert Architects achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	8

23. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) is an award-winning, international architectural practice based in London. Over three decades, RSHP has attracted critical acclaim with innovative projects across Europe, North America and Asia. The practice is experienced in designing a wide range of building types including: office, residential, transport, education, culture, leisure, retail, civic and healthcare. The quality of its designs has been recognised with some of architecture’s highest awards, including two RIBA Stirling Prizes, one in 2006 for Terminal 4, Madrid Barajas Airport and the other in 2009 for Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre, London. RSHP employs around 180 people in offices across the world – London, Shanghai, Sydney and Madrid.

Some of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’s most prominent projects include:

Jean Prouvé 6×6 Demountable House, 1944, Adaptation 2015, Paris, France
One Park Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
International Towers Sydney, Barangaroo, Australia
Conservation and Storage Facility, Musée du Louvre, Liévin, France
Oslo Airport Competition, Oslo, Norway

The following statistics helped Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	2
Total Projects	15

22. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

At Allford Hall Monaghan Morris we make buildings that are satisfying to use and beautiful to look at; an architecture that is defined by the experience of users who should be able to understand and use each building with ease and enjoyment. We design very different buildings, for very different people to use in very different ways and, since our early days in the late 1980s, we have grown from four to over one hundred and fifty people and our budgets from a few thousand to tens of millions of pounds. Through our wide range of projects we search for the opportunities in every site, budget and programme and pursue a pragmatic, analytical and collaborative working method to produce a responsive, intelligent and delightful architecture.

Some of Allford Hall Monaghan Morris’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Allford Hall Monaghan Morris achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	16

21. David Chipperfield Architects

David Chipperfield Architects was founded in 1985 and has offices in London, Berlin, Milan and Shanghai. The practice works internationally on cultural, residential and commercial projects providing full architectural and interior design, master planning, product and furniture design services for both public and private sectors. Our diverse built portfolio includes museums and galleries, libraries, apartments, private houses, hotels, offices, master plans and retail facilities. David Chipperfield Architects has won more then fifty national and international competitions and many international awards and citations for design excellence.

Some of David Chipperfield Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The Hepworth Wakefield, Wakefield, United Kingdom
Cafe Royal, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, London, United Kingdom
Villa Eden, Italy
James Simon Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Nobel Center, Stockholm, Sweden

The following statistics helped David Chipperfield Architects achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	8

20. Eldridge London

London architectural practice Eldridge Smerin was established in 1998 and has since relaunched as Eldridge London. Architect Nick Eldridge’s vision continues to inspire the design and material quality of the practice’s recent projects in the UK and abroad defined by a series of cutting-edge houses including the Stirling Prize nominated Lawns project and the House in Highgate Cemetery. The practice has also completed a number of high profile retail, commercial and cultural projects including interiors for Selfridges Birmingham, Villa Moda Kuwait, O2’s Mobile Applications Development Centre, the Design Council Headquarters, The Business and Intellectual Property Centre and a restaurant at the British Library and the Globe Theatre’s Sackler Studios. The practice demonstrates a consistent approach to producing intelligent and unique solutions to specific client briefs and often constrained budgets with an unerring attention to detail from concept through to completion.

Some of Eldridge London’s most prominent projects include:

Cor-Ten House in Putney, London, United Kingdom
House in Coombe Park, Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
House in Epsom, Epsom, United Kingdom
House in Chelsea, London, United Kingdom
House in Highgate Cemetery, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Eldridge London achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	6

19. FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture)

Architecture has the power to transform environments and quality of life. FORM studio aims to create places that can be inhabited and experienced by people in a natural and instinctive way. Enjoyable places with a tranquil sense of simplicity, which create a supportive and uplifting backdrop for life.

Individual solutions are developed for our clients which are an intelligent, inventive and sustainable response to the complex matrix of issues that shapes each project. Solutions with a lucidity and apparent simplicity which belie their underlying complexity. Listening, analysis, discussion and clarification are at the heart of an inclusive approach that recognizes the fact that some of the best ideas are generated in the space between people rather than by individuals.

Some of FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture)’s most prominent projects include:

Bermondsey Warehouse Loft, London, United Kingdom
Walcot Square mews, London, United Kingdom
Flatiron House, London, United Kingdom
Benbow Yard, London, United Kingdom
Narrow House, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture) achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	7

18. Studio Octopi

Studio Octopi is an award winning architecture practice based in central London and working across all sectors including private residential, arts, education, commercial fit-out and public swimming pools. The practice has completed numerous complex refurbishments including, Bradfield College’s 1,000 seat outdoor theatre and the expansion of the Delfina Foundation, London’s largest artist residency. In 2019 we completed a multi award winning contemporary art installation in collaboration with Turner Prize Mark Wallinger for the National Trust. We’ve also designed the offices of leading advertising agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi and MullenLowe Group ranging in size from 5,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet.

In 2015/2016 Studio Octopi raised over £200,000 on two crowdfunding campaigns for public swimming pools in London. Thames Baths C.I.C. (www.thamesbaths.com) is a self-initiated campaign to design and build a floating lido in Central London. Founded in 2013, the project has attracted global interest since raising £142,000 on Kickstarter. In 2016 Studio Octopi helped the community of Peckham, south east London to raise £60,000 via Spacehive to launch a campaign to rebuild the Peckham Lido. Studio Octopi undertakes private residential refurbishment and new build homes. In 2012 the practice completed a new house in Wiltshire to Code 4 on the Code for Sustainable Homes and in 2021 construction will commence on two new homes for Baobab Developments in Brighton.

Some of Studio Octopi’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Studio Octopi achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	11

17. 6a architects

6a architects was founded by Tom Emerson and Stephanie Macdonald in 2001. They are best known for their contemporary art galleries, educational buildings, artists’ studios and residential projects, often in sensitive historic environments. 6a architects rose to prominence with the completion of two critically acclaimed public art galleries, Raven Row (2009), which won a RIBA Award in 2011 and the expanded South London Gallery (2010). Recently completed projects include a new 68-room hall of residence at Churchill College, Cambridge (2016), which garnered a RIBA Regional East Award (2017), and a new studio complex for photographer Juergen Teller (2016), which was winner of both RIBA London Building of the Year (2017) and a RIBA National Award (2017).

Some of 6a architects’s most prominent projects include:

Tree House , London, United Kingdom
Façade for Paul Smith, London, United Kingdom
V&A Gallery 40, London, United Kingdom
Photography Studio for Juergen Teller, United Kingdom
Cowan Court, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped 6a architects achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	6

16. Levitt Bernstein

As architects, landscape architects and urban designers, Levitt Bernstein creates award winning buildings, living landscapes and thriving urban spaces, using inventive design to solve real life challenges. Putting people at the heart of our work, each of our projects is different but the driving force behind every one is the desire to create an environment that is beautiful, sustainable and functional.

Some of Levitt Bernstein’s most prominent projects include:

Vaudeville Court, London, United Kingdom
Sutherland Road, London, United Kingdom
King’s School, Bruton, Somerset, United Kingdom
The Courtyards, Dovedale Avenue, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France

The following statistics helped Levitt Bernstein achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	10

15. John McAslan + Partners

We create architecture that improves people’s lives. We do it like this: We aim for an architecture which is rational and poetic, robust and delightful; we tread carefully and build with conviction; we tackle problems head on and think laterally; we deconstruct a brief and let a design emerge from close examination of the pieces; we don’t necessarily take ‘no’ for an answer; we believe the power of architecture extends much further than the dimensions of individual buildings; we believe architecture is about making life better. We believe that buildings should be underpinned by a powerful idea; that the idea should be an intelligent and logical response to functionality and a sense of place; and the power of that idea should be embedded in the built form.

Some of John McAslan + Partners’s most prominent projects include:

UK Holocaust Memorial
Void Practice Rooms, London, United Kingdom
King’s Cross Station, London, United Kingdom
Library + Student Hub, Ambleside Campus, University of Cumbria, Cumbria, United Kingdom
Lancaster University Engineering Building, England, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped John McAslan + Partners achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	13

14. Hawkins\Brown

The first time someone decided to mix sweet and salty popcorn, their guests must have been horrified. Minutes later though they would be guzzling the lot. That’s the thing about new combinations – you have to be a bit odd to consider them in the first place, but when they pay off you’re left wondering how you managed before they existed. Admittedly, this isn’t a usual sort of About page for an architectural practice, but we’re not a usual sort of practice. We believe that projects come alive through uncommon combinations of ideas and people. In fact, we think that’s the only way they really come alive at all.

Some of Hawkins\Brown’s most prominent projects include:

1235 Vine Street, Los Angeles, California
Corby Cube, Corby, United Kingdom
Student Village, Royal Veterinary College, Brookmans Park, United Kingdom
Beecroft Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Park Hill, Sheffield, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped HawkinsBrown achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	19

13. Bennetts Associates

Bennetts Associates creates sustainable and enduring architecture. As one of the UK’s leading practices, their diverse portfolio has been celebrated with more than 150 awards over 30 years and covers education, cultural and workplace projects in both the public and private sector, ranging from masterplans to small historic buildings. They are an employee-owned trust of 70 people with studios in London, Edinburgh and Manchester, and have recently earned Building Design’s Higher Education Architect of the Year 2019 Award. Bennetts Associates also leads in their field in sustainability – in April 2019 they became the world’s first architects to secure Science Based Target approval and commit to the UN’s Climate Neutral Now campaign.

Some of Bennetts Associates’s most prominent projects include:

The Royal College of Pathologists, London, United Kingdom
Storyhouse, London, United Kingdom
Jaguar Land Rover Advanced Product Creation Centre, Gaydon, United Kingdom
Bennetts Associates’ London Studio, London, United Kingdom
London Fruit and Wool Exchange, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Bennetts Associates achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	18

12. Alison Brooks Architects Ltd

Founded in 1996, Alison Brooks Architects has developed an international reputation for delivering design excellence and innovation in projects ranging from urban regeneration, masterplanning, public buildings for the arts, higher education and housing. ABA’s award-winning architecture is born from our intensive research into the cultural, social and environmental contexts of each project. Our approach enables us to develop pioneering solutions for our buildings and urban schemes, each with a distinct identity and authenticity. Combined with rigorous attention to detail, ABA’s buildings have proved to satisfy our client’s expectations and positively impact the urban realm. Our approach has led ABA to be recognized with both national and international awards including Architect of the Year Award 2012 and Housing Architect of the Year 2012.

Some of Alison Brooks Architects Ltd’s most prominent projects include:

The Smile, London, United Kingdom
Lens House, London, United Kingdom
Newhall Be, Harlow, United Kingdom
Quayside, Toronto, Canada
Severn Place, Cambridge, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Alison Brooks Architects Ltd achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

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

11. AL_A

Architecture studio AL_A was founded in 2009 by the RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architect Amanda Levete with directors Ho-Yin Ng, Alice Dietsch and Maximiliano Arrocet. Their designs are conceived not just as buildings, but as urban propositions. Spaces that promote reciprocity between nature and neighbourhood; projects that express the identity of an institution, reflect the ambitions of a place, and hold the dreams of a community. Recently completed projects include an undergraduate and outreach centre for Wadham College at the University of Oxford and a new centre for the cancer care charity Maggie’s within the grounds of University College Hospital in Southampton.

Some of AL_A’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped AL_A achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	11

10. Steyn Studio

Steyn Studio is a collaborative architecture practice. We believe that design has the power to solve problems, inspire, and improve lives and work hard everyday to realize this ambition. We always aim to do this honestly and with the freedom to creatively explore meaningful design solutions. Designs that make a real difference to the end-user and the client; culturally and commercially.

Some of Steyn Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped AL_A achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	4
Featured Projects	4
Total Projects	4

9. Studio Seilern Architects

Studio Seilern Architects is a London based international creative practice established in 2006 by Christina Seilern with the intent of producing exceptional architecture that lasts, working across geographies, building sizes and typologies. Our diverse portfolio of built work spans the UK, Europe and Africa.

While we tackle a diversity of projects, it is our conscious decision to keep working on the smaller and larger scales both simultaneously and continuously: from new build to restoration works. Irrespective of size or context, each project we undertake informs another. The smaller scale keeps our pencils sharp on questions of intricate detailing and the unraveling of the human condition both on the living and working fronts.

Some of Studio Seilern Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Andermatt Concert Hall, Andermatt, Switzerland
El Gouna Plaza, Hurghada, Egypt
G.W.Annenberg Performing Arts Centre, Reading, United Kingdom
Boksto Skveras, Vilnius, Lithuania
Kensington Residence, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Studio Seilern Architects achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	9

8. bureau de change

Bureau de Change is an award winning architecture practice founded by architects Katerina Dionysopoulou and Billy Mavropoulos. Its work is a direct product of the founders’ upbringing, passions and experiences — combining the pragmatism and formality of their architectural training with a desire to bring a sense of theatre, playfulness and innovation to the design of spaces, products and environments. The result is a studio where rigorous thinking and analysis are brought to life through prototyping, testing and making.

Some of bureau de change’s most prominent projects include:

The Interlock, London, United Kingdom
Homemade, London, United Kingdom
Folds House, London, United Kingdom
Slab House, London, United Kingdom
Step House, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped bureau de change achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	16

7. Hopkins Architects

Hopkins Architects is an international architectural practice with studios in London and Dubai. Led by its five Principals, the practice’s work is rooted in clear and logical design thinking, a deep understanding of the potential of materials and craft, and consideration of context. A consistent and rigorous approach has resulted in a portfolio of ground-breaking, beautiful and functional buildings across Europe, the US and Asia which have added tangible value for both clients and users. The practice has designed and delivered a portfolio of renowned, award-winning projects, including Portcullis House at Westminster and the London 2012 Olympic Velodrome.

Some of Hopkins Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, Colby College, Waterville, Maine
Buhais Geology Park Interpretive Centre, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Eton Sports & Aquatics Centre, Windsor, United Kingdom
Khor Kalba Turtle and Wildlife Sanctuary, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
London 2012 Olympic Velodrome, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Hopkins Architects achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	11
Total Projects	18

6. Haworth Tompkins

Photo: Philip Vile – © Haworth Tompkins

Haworth Tompkins is an award-winning British architectural studio united by a commitment to integrity, intellectual quality and the art of making beautiful buildings. Founded in 1991 by Graham Haworth and Steve Tompkins, the rapidly-growing London-based studio consists of 70 people, and specializes in bespoke buildings in the public, cultural, private and financial sectors.

Acclaimed projects include the Everyman Theatre, winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2014, Young Vic Theatre, Royal College of Art campus in Battersea, Coin Street housing development and the London Library, for which they received the prestigious American Institute of Architect’s Excellence in Design award. The studio is currently working on a number of highly anticipated schemes including the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Fish Island Village, Bristol Old Vic and Kingston University.

Some of Haworth Tompkins’s most prominent projects include:

National Theatre ‘The Shed’, London, United Kingdom
Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Dovecote Studio, Snape, United Kingdom
Open Air Theatre, London, United Kingdom
Park View School, Birmingham, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Haworth Tompkins achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	10

5. Adjaye Associates

Adjaye Associates, founded in 2000, comprises a multicultural global team. The practice has studios in Accra, London, and New York with work spanning the globe. Adjaye Associates’ most well-known commission to date, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), opened in 2016 on the National Mall in Washington DC. Further projects range in scale from private houses, bespoke furniture collections, product design, exhibitions, and temporary pavilions to major arts centers, civic buildings and master plans.

Some of Adjaye Associates’s most prominent projects include:

Winter Park Library & Events Center, Winter Park, Florida
130 William, New York, New York
Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO, Skolkovo, Russia
Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC
Silverlight, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Adjaye Associates achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	3
Featured Projects	13
Total Projects	31

4. Squire and Partners

Squire & Partners is an architecture and design practice with experience spanning four decades, earning it an international reputation for architecture informed by the history and culture of where it is placed. Their award winning portfolio, for some of the world’s leading developers, includes masterplans, private and affordable residential, workspace, retail, education and public buildings.

In addition, the practice has a series of dedicated teams for model-making, computer generated imaging, illustration, graphics and an established interior design department, which has created a number of bespoke product ranges. Squire & Partners’ approach responds to the unique heritage and context of each site, considering established street patterns, scale and proportions, to create timeless architecture rooted in its location.

Some of Squire and Partners’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Squire and Partners achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	11
Total Projects	48

3. Heatherwick Studio

Heatherwick Studio is a team of 180 problem solvers dedicated to making the physical world around us better for everyone. Based out of our combined workshop and design studio in Central London, we create buildings, spaces, master-plans, objects and infrastructure. Focusing on large scale projects in cities all over the world, we prioritize those with the greatest positive social impact.

Working as practical inventors with no signature style, our motivation is to design soulful and interesting places which embrace and celebrate the complexities of the real world. The approach driving everything is to lead from human experience rather than any fixed design dogma. The studio’s completed projects include a number of internationally celebrated buildings, including the award-winning Learning Hub at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.

Some of Heatherwick Studio’s most prominent projects include:

Coal Drops Yard, London, United Kingdom
Maggie’s Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Hampshire, United Kingdom
1000 Trees Phase 1, Shanghai, China
Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa

Top image: Coal Drops Yard by Heatherwick Studio, London, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Heatherwick Studio achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	11
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	20
Total Projects	13

2. Foster + Partners

Foster + Partners is a global studio for sustainable architecture, engineering, urbanism and industrial design, founded by Norman Foster in 1967. Since then, he, and the team around him, have established an international practice with a worldwide reputation. With offices across the globe, we work as a single studio that is both ethnically and culturally diverse.

Some of Foster + Partners’s most prominent projects include:

Ombú, Madrid, Spain
Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar
The Pavilion at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
House of Wisdom, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Apple Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois

The following statistics helped Foster + Partners achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	6
A+Awards Finalist	8
Featured Projects	42
Total Projects	91

1. Zaha Hadid Architects

Internationally renowned architecture firm Zaha Hadid Architects works at all scales and in all sectors to create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces that work in synchronicity with their surroundings.

Some of Zaha Hadid Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing, China
KnitCandela, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Leeza SOHO, Beijing, China
Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan
Striatus 3D Printed Bridge, Venice, Italy

The following statistics helped Zaha Hadid Architects achieve 1st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in London:

A+Awards Winner	17
A+Awards Finalist	11
Featured Projects	62
Total Projects	64

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

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

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

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

A Guide to Project Awards

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

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

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

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

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

Reference

Architecture

Sustainable Practice: When Will Recycled Timber Have Its Moment

By Zarkon Group,19/08/2023

Architizer is thrilled to announce the winners of the 11th Annual A+Awards! Interested in participating next season? Sign up for key information about the 12th Annual A+Awards, set to launch this fall.

The new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has now been enacted as part of the wider European Union Green Deal. This mandates heightened due diligence on the value chain for operators and traders in various commodities, including soy, palm oil, cattle, coffee and wood.

Between 1990 and 2008, the bloc’s imports in products now covered by the revised rules amounted to 36% of total associated deforestation worldwide. The changes won’t bring an end to this, but any firm that wants to do business in the economic union, no matter where their headquarters, now needs to prove sustainable sourcing of these materials and that products have not contributed to deforestation that occurred after 31st December 2020.

Last October, Construction Europe reported on a lack of EUDR preparedness across built environment sectors within the context of a rise in timber as a building material. The ‘plyscraper’ race is perhaps the most visible sign of this, with several World’s Tallest Timber Building hopefuls topping out in the past few years. Ascent by Korb + Associates currently holds the title in Milwaukee, US, at 284 feet (87 meters). This is followed by the 280-foot (85-meter) Mjøstårnet by Voll Arkitekter, in Brumunddal, Norway, and HoHo Wien by RLP Rüdiger Lainer + Partner, a Vienna mid-rise boasting 18 floors at 275 feet (84 meters).

Shor House by Measured Architecture Inc., Mayne Island, Canada | Photo by Ema Peter Photography

A little shorter, Sara Kulturhaus by White arkitekter AB in Skellefteå, Sweden, is a strong example of the carbon savings good timber design can offer. Housing a library, gallery, museum and hotel, over 50 years this 239 foot (73 meter) cross-laminated timber (CLT) design will sequester more carbon than the total of its embodied footprint from materials, transportation, construction and operation. The carbon negative status is thanks in part to properties of the core structure, but this isn’t always the case.

Two of construction and architecture’s greatest environmental adversaries are steel and concrete. But the widely-trumpeted climate gains from switching to timber aren’t guaranteed. The real test is always in the quality of what is built. In the best case scenarios, impacts from physical construction, ongoing use and material sourcing will be outweighed by carbon sequestration and storage capacity. In the worst, building with wood can be worse for the planet than its alternatives, but recycled timber is often a safe bet in ecological terms.

Measured Architecture Inc’s Shor House, Popular Choice Winner in Sustainable Private House at this year’s Architizer A+ Awards, is a beautiful example of what can be done with reclaimed wood. Completed in 2022, the design focuses on one truth: “The most progressive edge of designing with wood is to recycle it.” Much of the lumber was sourced from the old home and barn that occupied the site at Mayne Island, Canada. The original structures were dismantled rather than demolished, so cladding, floors and frames could be de-nailed, stored and reused.

Shor House by Measured Architecture Inc., Mayne Island, Canada | Photo by Ema Peter Photography

Some timber also came from the remnants of the Englewood Railroad, Northern Vancouver Island, which was decommissioned in 2017. The outside is then clad in Corten raw plate steel, chosen for its low upkeep and long lifespan. Architect and the property owner Clinton Cuddington describes the material as “eminently recyclable”, and its use emphasizes the importance of product diversity in green construction. Without this rust-colored layer, timber would be far more exposed to the elements, increasing the speed of degradation and likelihood of repairs. The steel also has the potential for reuse at a later date.

Of course, however it features recycled timber presents some problems. These woods are often thought of for the rustic aesthetics of a “past life effect.” Surfaces may be marked, nailed or chiseled, giving them stacks of personality but — crucially — often a lack of uniformity.

There’s also a cost issue. Reclaimed wood is usually priced higher than virgin timber because additional resources are needed to bring it back to spec. Toxins, contaminants, natural pests and other risks must be eliminated before it re-enters the supply chain. Nevertheless, the benefits are significant, not least in emissions terms. Recycled timber extends wood lifecycle, and with it the time carbon is stored before decomposition releases it into the atmosphere. At Shor House, dating suggests some lumber can be traced to trees that stood for 1,000 years.

Shor House by Measured Architecture Inc., Mayne Island, Canada | Photo by Ema Peter Photography

The materials certainly pack the aged, historic look people love reclaimed wood for, but elsewhere developments are underway that could bridge a gap between this and the mass timber many new wooden structures rely on, which can be a major cause of deforestation. University College London researcher Dr. Colin Rose won Rambøll’s 2022 Flemming Bligaard Award for his work on CLST, or cross laminated secondary timber, which uses reclaimed rather than virgin wood as the feedstock for ‘new’ CLT stock.

In an interview published when the prize was announced, Rose explains his belief this material can be a viable alternative to steel and concrete in strength, production levels and affordability. He also says built environment professionals have not caught up with CLST yet, and most still see the material as “in lab phase”. He then predicts this will change as embodied carbon begins to define our approach to construction, which CLST performs well on, as do recycled woods generally.

According to his estimates, you could build around 1,000 new homes each year using the discarded wood from building sites in London alone. Widening the lens, every 12 months we create 16 million tonnes of waste wood globally, and currently recycle just 15% of that. These facts emphasize the idea that access and systems are major obstacles to wider use of reclaimed timber, and how urgently change is needed to maximize the way lumber is used to minimize waste and deforestation. Achieving that requires a number of things, including the scaling up of operations and infrastructure, not to mention fresh thinking on the part of architects and designers.

Shor House by Measured Architecture Inc., Mayne Island, Canada | Photo by Ema Peter Photography

Reference

Architecture

20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco

By Zarkon Group,15/08/2023

Unlike many cities, San Francisco’s most iconic structure is not a building but a bridge. While the Golden Gate looms large in popular culture, it casts a shadow over some of the hilly city’s more iconic buildings. Likewise, although bay windows may rival the bridge’s iconic status, the city’s eclectic mix of Queen Anne and Victorian homes with modern architecture is less often remarked upon as noteworthy in and of itself. Yet, designing and building with heritage in mind is just one of many challenges that the city’s architects rise to in any design (steep hills and a meandering waterfront representing other prominent hurdles).

As Silicon Valley has grown, making property prices skyrocket, architects are increasingly pressed to address rising inequality and the affordable housing crisis. At the same time, they have responded to the growth of wealth and business by designing campuses, offices, masterplans and the like. The urban issues that San Francisco faces are both daunting and complex, but the high caliber of local firms makes the city well-suited to rise to the occasion.

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

How are these architecture firms ranked?

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

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

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

20. Fougeron Architecture

Fougeron Architecture is a nationally recognized design firm whose work exhibits a strong commitment to clarity of thought, design integrity, and quality of architectural detail. The firm’s decidedly modernist attitude is the result of founder Anne Fougeron’s vision to create a practice dedicated to finding the perfect alignment between architectural idea and built form. Her work can be defined by three basic tenets:

Architectural space is modulated by the quality and character of natural light,
Innovative use of structure becomes the architectural ornament, and
Exploration into the visual and tactile nature of materials enhances how people engage a building.

Ms. Fougeron’s keen interest in crossing disciplinary boundaries has led the firm to develop a collaborative design process that capitalizes on her relationships with craftsmen and artists who are experts in their fields.

Some of Fougeron Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Fougeron Architecture achieve 20th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	39

19. MWA Architects

At MWA Architects, we approach each project with a holistic design vision because we know that our work can create a positive and lasting impact for both people and the environment. Our primary markets focus on humanity’s essential needs — housing to support our well-being and access to healthy infrastructure – however, we pursue various project types all integral to a thriving community. The common thread in all of our work is that we deliberately take on challenging projects with complex and diverse stakeholder needs as these opportunities can often inspire meaningful change. A West-Coast-based firm, founded in 1988, we strive to create a legacy of beautiful and sustainable architecture that positively impacts the world.

Some of MWA Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Brooklyn Basin Township Commons, Oakland, California
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 2, San Francisco, California
Renaissance Commons, Portland, Oregon
Oak Harbor Clean Water Facility & Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor, Washington
Palo Alto Dewatering & Loadout Facility, Palo Alto, California

The following statistics helped MWA Architects achieve 19th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	17

18. STUDIOS Architecture

STUDIOS believes in the transformative power of design to lift the trajectories of individual lives and entire communities. We’ve seen it happen again and again since our founding, back when the first tech boom was just a spark. As those early innovators changed the way we all live, learn and work, we changed the way they thought about space — as a strategic resource for expressing their unique vision and fueling extraordinary success.
While our impact and expertise have expanded, our flexible approach to design remains fundamentally the same. We push boundaries, guided by the wisdom of close client partnerships and the confidence needed to take big and small steps forward together.

Some of STUDIOS Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Kearny Point Building 78 Annex, Kearny, New Jersey
Dow Jones, New York City, New York
IAC Building, Interiors, New York City, New York
200 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York
Nike – New York Headquarters, New York City, New York

The following statistics helped STUDIOS Architecture achieve 18th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	47

17. Studio O+A

At Studio O+A, our work process combines creativity and flexibility with the technical expertise to realize appropriate solutions for our client. Because our professionals are trained and experienced in all aspects of corporate planning and design, we exercise a degree of control that carries projects from concept to finish with consistency and economy.

Some of Studio O+A’s most prominent projects include:

adidas East Village Expansion, Portland, Oregon
Slack, San Francisco, California
Vara, San Francisco, California
McDonald’s Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois
Facebook HQ, Palo Alto, California

The following statistics helped Studio O+A achieve 17th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	11

16. OPA

Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects is a progressive San Francisco-based office that has been globally recognized for projects ranging in scale from institutions to private homes, as well as interior and object design. Founded in 2004, OPA is an idea-driven office committed to finding design solutions that both expand the possibilities inherent in architecture and resonate within their particular context.

While every project originates as a response to specific requirements of site, program and client, it evolves as an exploration of its own internal potential rather than reflecting a predetermined architectural style. In all the work, there is an emphasis on shaping and choreographing spatial experiences through the consideration of movement, perception and formal logic.

Some of OPA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped OPA achieve 16th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	9

15. Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture

Motivated by a conviction that landscape design has the power to alter perception and ultimately initiate a deeper respect for the environment, ACLA designs spaces that offer opportunities for users to forge new relationships with their surroundings. Through an iterative process, we find simple responses to complex problems, and seek to elevate experiences through layering and choreography of movement. The trust we build with our clients through long-term partnerships is an important foundation of our work, as each new project expands our expression of design and craft.

Some of Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Windhover Contemplative Center, Stanford, California
Richardson Affordable Apartments, San Francisco, California
Los Altos Residence, Los Altos, California
Telegraph Hill Residence, San Francisco, California
Birmingham Residence, Detroit, Michigan

The following statistics helped Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture achieve 15th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	13

14. Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors

We believe that masterful design is unique, relevant and timeless. We really like iconic architecture that is conceptually interesting and also reveals an attention to detail, materiality and authenticity. We admire boldness balanced with simplicity, innovation balanced with functionality and power balanced with precision. We see ourselves as well-traveled creators with a conviction that a talented and experienced team that conscientiously listens is a valuable ally. We are professionally motivated to connect the aspects of artistic ambition, problem solving, environmental responsibility and style within demanding requirements.
‍
We are an award-winning multidisciplinary firm dedicated to design excellence. We were founded in 1992 by Architect Cass Calder Smith and are now comprised of four principals that include Barbara Vickroy, Taylor Lawson and Tim Quayle.

Some of Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors’s most prominent projects include:

Print Lounge, New York City, New York
Diane Middlebrook Studios, Woodside, California
Stairway to Heaven, San Francisco, California
Aptos Retreat, Aptos, California
Mill Valley Residence, Marin County, California

The following statistics helped Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors achieve 14th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	22

13. Rapt Studio

We’re into branding, design, and the spaces that bring them together.
We love connecting things. Sites, design, and strategy — we think it’s better when they all come together.
We’re a group of designers, builders, thinkers, and fans of culture who love creating inspiring spaces, digital places and everything in between. In short, we help companies stand out and stand for something.

Some of Rapt Studio’s most prominent projects include:

Vans Global HQ, Costa Mesa, California
Make, Carlsbad, California
Basalt, Napa, California
J Dawgs, Salt Lake City, Utah
Dropbox HQ, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Rapt Studio achieve 13th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	28

12. Mork Ulnes Architects

With offices in San Francisco and Oslo, Mork Ulnes Architects approaches projects with a combination of Scandinavian practicality and Northern California’s ‘can-do’ spirit of innovation.

Some of Mork Ulnes Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Skigard Hytte, Fåvang, Norway
Mylla Cabin, Oppland, Norway
MOOSE ROAD RESIDENCE, Ukiah, California
MEIER ROAD BARN, Sonoma, California
Troll Hus, Placer County, California

The following statistics helped Mork Ulnes Architects achieve 12th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	9

11. S^A | Schwartz and Architecture

S^A | Schwartz and Architecture is a modern architecture and interior design studio established by Founder + Principal Neal J. Z. Schwartz, FAIA in 1997. Our expertise is in guiding clients through a highly interactive design process tailored to their personalities, budgets and needs. Rather than imposing a pre-conceived aesthetic, we begin our work by thoughtfully analyzing the particular opportunities posed by any site and constraint. We remain involved at every stage of design and construction and thrive working with fixed schedules and resources.

Some of S^A | Schwartz and Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped S^A | Schwartz and Architecture achieve 11th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	23

10. Mark Cavagnero Associates

Mark Cavagnero Associates is a San Francisco-based architecture firm focused on cultural, commercial, education, and civic projects. Since its establishment in 1988, the firm has completed a wide range of architectural and master planning projects, including large and small scale institutional, non-profit, commercial, and residential projects. The firm provides a full range of services, from programming, master planning, site planning and conceptual design, through construction documents and administration.

Some of Mark Cavagnero Associates’s most prominent projects include:

UC San Francisco, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, California
Quest Diagnostics Next Generation Lab, Clifton, New Jersey
Confidential Investment Firm, California
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, California
San Francisco Conservatory of Music – Ute and William K. Bowes, Jr. Center for Performing Arts, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Mark Cavagnero Associates achieve 10th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	9

9. Klopf Architecture

Klopf Architecture brings the outside in. Our firm creates warm, modern designs that admit natural light and allow openness to nature. Our design approach weighs many factors to create custom designs with just the right level of connection to the outside world: clients’ goals and lifestyle, site orientation, views, climate and neighborhood context. Our primary goal is to create spaces people love to inhabit.

Specializing in new warm, modern net-zero energy houses, we are widely recognized for our work remodeling and adding to mid-century modern and Eichler homes. We believe in bringing these wonderful homes back to life for another generation to love, or creating new, green modern homes that provide the same level of warmth and connection to nature that follow a similar philosophy.

Some of Klopf Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Klopf Architecture achieve 9th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	47

8. Arterra Landscape Architects

Arterra is a full-service landscape architecture firm specializing in contemporary, sustainable design. We collaborate with our clients and their design team, providing imaginative solutions and clear communication. The Arterra Team is a diverse and slightly quirky group of creative and nerdy individuals. We are dedicated to the art and the craft of our profession. We consider it an honor and a privilege to do the work we do — and we do it well.

We share ideas and inspiration in our beautiful, open studio space, where design ideas come to life. We are dedicated to doing sustainable work and living sustainable lives. Our greatest achievement is creating a meaningful and sustainable landscape legacy.

Some of Arterra Landscape Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Dry Garden Poetry, Santa Cruz, California
The Painterly Approach, Belvedere Tiburon, California
Farm to Table, Woodside, California
Inspired by the Land, Healdsburg, California
Taronga, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Top image: Art House, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Arterra Landscape Architects achieve 8th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	3
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	15

7. Aidlin Darling Design

With a shared interest in exploring design across a wide range of scales, programs, and disciplines, partners Joshua Aidlin and David Darling started Aidlin Darling Design around a woodshop in 1998. With an emphasis on designing for all of the senses, they have cultivated a diverse and collaborative studio that acts as the creative hub for an extended network of builders, fabricators, artists, engineers, chefs and other collaborators. The firm’s work explores a closely held conviction that design can enlighten the human spirit by engaging all of the senses.

Some of Aidlin Darling Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Aidlin Darling Design achieve 7th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	14
Total Projects	21

6. Jensen Architects

At JENSEN we are passionate about creating buildings and environments that enrich the experiences of organizations and individuals. Guided by a responsibility to achieve the most using the fewest resources and to engage a broader cultural perspective, we develop solutions that embody each client’s values and larger purpose.

Our wide-ranging portfolio — encompassing arts, education, residential, workplace and retail — is underpinned by an abiding interest in how we live and work today, and the pleasure we take in collectively solving design challenges through research, unconventional thinking and a focus on craft. The economy and directness in our work reflects not only a clear concern for ecological sustainability but also a deep appreciation of the inherent beauty that emerges when functional, experiential and environmental goals are efficiently and gracefully resolved. We are recognized for innovative applications of proven building systems and materials and valued for our collaborative approach to design and construction.

Some of Jensen Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Stanford Residence, Stanford, California
The Shed Healdsburg, Healdsburg, California
Blue Bottle Morse Building, Oakland, California
Turner Residence, Larkspur, California
SFMOMA Rooftop Sculpture Garden, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Jensen Architects achieve 6th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	15
Total Projects	25

5. Form4 Architecture

Form4 Architecture believes in returning a sense of humanity to Modernism through emotional meaning and poetic design. The San Francisco-based award‐winning firm measures success by our contributions to society through a 2nd Century Modernist approach that balances expressive design, rigor, empathy and sustainability to create captivating buildings and spaces that resonate with people and enhance their lives.

Some of Form4 Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Form4 Architecture achieve 5th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	12
Total Projects	26

4. Feldman Architecture

Feldman Architecture is an innovative residential and commercial studio known for creating buildings that sit lightly on the earth: beautiful, healthful, and soulful spaces that enhance our clients’ lives, our communities and the environment.

Some of Feldman Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Mill Valley Cabins, Mill Valley, California
Slot House, Los Altos, California
The Sanctuary, Palo Alto, California
Sunrise, Healdsburg, California
Surf House, Santa Cruz, California

The following statistics helped Feldman Architecture achieve 4th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	20
Total Projects	37

3. IwamotoScott Architecture

IwamotoScott Architecture is an award winning architecture and design firm established by Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott. Based in San Francisco, the firm has gained national and international recognition for innovative design with projects around the country and overseas. Committed to pursuing architecture as a form of applied design research, IwamotoScott proceeds from the belief that each project can achieve a unique design synthesis.

IwamotoScott’s client list includes arts organizations, educational institutions, media firms, commercial developers and private clients. Our projects consist of work at all scales including urban design, buildings, interiors, full-scale fabrications, museum installations and exhibitions and theoretical proposals. IwamotoScott has received over eighty design awards and honors.

Some of IwamotoScott Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Pinterest HQ, San Francisco, California
Pinterest HQ2, San Francisco, California
Heavybit Industries, 325, 9th Street, San Francisco, California
City View Garage, Miami Design District, Miami, Florida
Pinterest NY – Scissor Stair, New York City, New York

The following statistics helped IwamotoScott Architecture achieve 3rd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	5
A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	13
Total Projects	39

2. Salter

Salter consults on over 900 worldwide projects each year with headquarters in San Francisco and branch offices in San Jose, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Seattle. In 1975, Charles Salter founded the company on principles of sound engineering, scientific process, inquisitive problem solving, and personal integrity. His motto was simple: to be better every day. Having grown from 1 engineer to a team of 50 that includes acoustical, audiovisual, telecommunications, and security experts, that commitment remains the same.

At Salter, our legacy is 45 years of award-winning projects. We are a team of Professional Engineers, LEED Accredited Professionals, Certified Technology Specialists, Registered Communications Distribution Designers, Fellows of the Audio Engineering Society and Fellows of the Acoustical Society of America.

Some of Salter’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Salter achieve 2nd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	4
A+Awards Finalist	10
Featured Projects	14
Total Projects	42

1. Gensler

Gensler is a global architecture, design and planning firm with 53 locations and more than 7,000 professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the Americas. Founded in San Francisco in 1965, the firm serves more than 4,000 clients across more than 29 practice areas spanning the work, lifestyle, community and health sectors. Gensler designers strive to make the places people live, work and play more inspiring, more resilient and more impactful.

Some of Gensler’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gensler achieve 1st place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	8
A+Awards Finalist	28
Featured Projects	49
Total Projects	163

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

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

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

A Guide to Project Awards

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

Reference

Architecture

Stop the Presses: Can Adapting an Abandoned Newspaper Facility Revitalize the Suburbs?

By Zarkon Group,11/08/2023

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

When you think of the American suburbs, what words come to mind?

No matter how much affection you have for your hometown, one of those words is probably “bleak.” While many millennials, including this author, are still moving out to the suburbs to raise children — a pattern first established by their grandparents in the post-war era — few see these car-centric communities as ideal. The charmless strip malls, the big box stores, the neglected highway medians filled with litter from passing cars — how can one contemplate all this without crying out in despair?

The question isn’t really if the suburbs are bad but why they are this way. Are the people who live in the suburbs really more boring than the people in cities? Or does the archetypal suburban ambiance of loneliness and fatigue stem instead from poor urban planning?

Tract housing in a suburb of Cincinatti, Ohio, 2005. Photo by Derek Jensen via Wikimedia Commons.

My feeling is that it is the latter. Culture happens in places where people have the opportunity to move around, observe each other, and interact. The flâneur, that prototype of the modern artist or bohemian, emerged in mid 19th century Paris at the same time that the arcades were constructed, and this was no coincidence. As Baudelaire understood, the arcades provided the first modern artists with a stage on which to observe la comédie humaine firsthand. He argued that this new way of relating to society produced modern subjectivity as we know it.

It stands to reason that the suburbs, by removing would-be flâneurs from their stage, sapped their creativity as well. A life that moves from home, to car, to cubicle, to drive-through and back provides few chances for people to observe and interact with one another. Over time, the suburbs have led to an epidemic of loneliness in America — a fact that has been recognized since at least 2000, when political scientist Robert D. Putnam published his best-selling book Bowling Alone.

This trend has only been exacerbated during and after the pandemic, as more Americans have begun not only to work from home, but to have their groceries, entertainment and other consumer goods delivered straight to their doorstep, obviating the need to go outside altogether. This has led to a shuttering of retail spaces in the suburbs, among other changes. Suddenly, people are nostalgic even for those commercialized, “fake” public spaces like the mall that were widely derided in the 90s.

The Press won the 2023 A+ Jury Award for Commerical Renovations and Additions.

So how to fix it? What the suburbs need, most of all, are places where people can work, shop, wander and simply be. One project that tries to restore some of this urban energy to the suburbs is The Press, a former Los Angeles Times printing facility in Costa Mesa, California that was “reincarnated as a multidisciplinary workspace with a dining Canteen and a public Rail Trail on its 23.4-acre site” by Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects. Located in Orange County, California, Costa Mesa is a small city with a decidedly suburban feel, a place where people sit in traffic for twenty minutes to reach the In-N-Out Burger drive through.

This project, which won the 2023 A+ Jury Award in the Commercial Renovations and Additions category, stands out for seeming like a truly inviting, interesting place to spend time. Not just an office building, and not just a place to shop or eat, The Press avoids the sense of falseness or contrivance that plagues most suburban workspaces and shopping centers. While this is of course a privately owned campus, it feels more public than, for instance, a mall.

Industrial details elevate The Press above most commercial spaces one finds in the American suburbs.

Part of this is due to the sense of history that is preserved in the space. As the architects explain in their project notes, “precise cuts through precast concrete walls and roofing bring in fresh air, daylight and views. This subtraction exposes the beauty of the existing, reviving what has since been neglected and inviting the landscape to enter in through and around the campus.” Like a repurposed Bushwick warehouse, or even a Parisian arcade, The Press preserves a sense of place that pushes against the anonymity of “cookie cutter” suburbs.

Some of the details in this project are just extraordinary. As the architects explain, “The design celebrates both material and organic markers of time. Paint chips, rail spurs and conveyor belts are left as is and an existing tree is placed to grow through the structure itself — hinting at history, site and context.” My favorite detail is probably the rail trail, a partly shaded walking path that follows the course of a former rail line. Like the now iconic New York High Line, the Rail Trail repurposes outdated infrastructure in a way that both feels perfectly natural and encourages health and interaction.

The Rail Trail gives Costa Mesa, California its own version of the High Line. A stunning feature of the project is that its campus extends over 23 acres.

Time will tell how The Press evolves with its environment. Currently, the complex has fifty-five tenants, including a number of incredible artisans and local restaurants. My hope is that, with this project, Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects have created a template for a new kind of suburban redevelopment, one that works with existing architecture to imprint the faceless suburbs with a vibrant sense of place.

Reference

Architecture

“Architects Are Bad at Business:” Here’s Why and What We Can Do About It

By Zarkon Group,07/08/2023

Evelyn Lee is the Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation at Slack Technologies, founder of Practice of Architecture, and co-host of the podcast, Practice Disrupted. She will serve as the 101st President of the AIA in 2025.

Every architecture and design firm is a business first. It’s easy to forget while celebrating our design awards and the stories of our contributions to the communities where we live, work and play. But to pursue the work that brings us so much joy, it is, first and foremost, essential to have a profitable and agile business that continues to adapt to the changing nature of the economy.

Architects aren’t necessarily known for being good at business or even enjoying having conversations on business operations. We would rather spend our time talking about the projects, the impact of the design, the materials that went into them, and the changes made within the project delivery process to make it so successful.

But the phrase, “Architects are bad at business,” has become a crutch, if not an excuse, to continue to be bad at business and avoid the conversation altogether.

So why are we this way?

OrfiSera by YERCE ARCHITECTURE

Architects are often more focused on the creative aspects of their work rather than business ones.

The problem with focusing only on creativity often means losing focus on things like project management. This means we spend so much time focused on only one aspect of the business, but businesses are systems, and every aspect of the system needs attention to be successful.

Architects are not trained in business practices.

Anyone who went through an accredited degree program could tell you that the one-hour seminar on professional practice taught students more about avoiding lawsuits while practicing than it did about running a business effectively. And even if it was the class was more broadly focused, there’s too much to learn in a single class to be effective.

What’s more, the ongoing education of individuals, once in practice, is often more focused on project work and does not extend beyond that.

Architects are often reluctant to change.

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, it is more important than ever for businesses to be agile. Agility is the ability to adapt quickly to change, and it is essential for businesses that want to stay ahead of the competition (especially the growing competition coming from outside the profession). However, architects, no matter how innovative we are with our projects, are otherwise stuck in our ways and resistant to change.

Good business operations require continuous improvement, and it not only takes a change mindset but a commitment of resources, both time and money, to examine what is and isn’t working.

OrfiSera by YERCE ARCHITECTURE

Architects are not good at selling their services.

How often have you heard an architect say, “The work speaks for itself.” Sure, there was a time when architects were discouraged from advertising their services (from the late 1800s to the early 1960s), but even with advertising being off the table, there are many different ways to sell services that most architects are not using.

Architects don’t like to ask for help.

While it’s easy for us to be good at what we are good at, it’s often harder for us to realize what we are not good at and, more importantly, to not stand in the way of letting other experts do their thing. I don’t know how often I’ve heard an architect say about a business operations consultant, “They just don’t understand what we do and how we do it.”

In many ways, we make ourselves out to be so unique that we get it in our heads that no one else can understand what it is we do and how we do it. We then put it on ourselves to do everything, and in essence, nothing more gets accomplished.

OrfiSera by YERCE ARCHITECTURE

So what can better business operations do for our architecture and design firms? There are many benefits, including:

Better communication and collaboration: Well-designed business operations can improve communication and collaboration within an architecture or design firm. This can lead to faster decision-making, better problem-solving and more efficient use of resources.
Streamlined processes: By streamlining processes, firms can reduce the amount of time and effort it takes to complete tasks. This can lead to increased efficiency and productivity.
Automated tasks: By automating tasks, firms can free up their staff to focus on more strategic and creative work. This can lead to increased efficiency and profitability.
Better use of technology: By using technology effectively, firms can improve their efficiency and productivity. This can include using project management software, cloud-based collaboration tools, and other technology solutions.
A focus on continuous improvement: By focusing on continuous improvement, firms can identify and implement changes that will make their business more efficient. This can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage.

In addition to the benefits above, better business operations can also help architecture and design firms to:

Attract and retain top talent
Increase customer satisfaction
Improve profitability
Expand into new markets

OrfiSera by YERCE ARCHITECTURE

Design thinking has taken hold in many different areas, and architects often share their desire to own the space. I think there’s an opportunity to raise our value there, but to showcase what we can do, we first have to start with what we can do within our firms.

Stay tuned for our upcoming articles offering specific guidance and steps to design and implement better business operations.

In the meantime, we encourage you to download Practice of Architect’s Agile Practice Resource. This free living resource is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to bring more agility to your practice.

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

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Architecture

Liquid City: A Radical New Masterplan in Rotterdam Embraces the River for Resilience

By Zarkon Group,03/08/2023

Popular with hip foodies and craft beer lovers, Fenix Food Factory’s generous outdoor seating area overlooks Rijnhaven. An old industrial harbor, over decades, it has seen shipping disappear under the boot of urban development.

After docklands moved west towards, and now into, the North Sea, a new district has sprung up in this corner of Rotterdam, extending the city center. Shops, residential blocks, floating structures housing offices and hospitality have replaced redundant warehouses and cranes.

The stunning Hotel New York overlooks all of this new development. The iconic building dates to the late-19th century, when it housed Holland America’s headquarters. The ocean liner route to Hoboken, New Jersey, carried close to 500,000 passengers from mainland Europe in its first twenty-five years of operation, and some will be immortalized when the FENIX Museum of Migration opens in 2024.

At the closed end of the quay, early signs of Rijnhavenpark are materializing — if you know what to look for. A large section of the harbor is cordoned off with buoys, and machinery has arrived to start the mammoth task of filling in one-third of the basin to create a huge public park, partly built on dry land, part floating on water, connected by walkways. The scheme is just one of several remarkable undertakings by the municipality of Rotterdam, transforming how the city interacts with its riverfront.

Rijnhaven, Rotterdam by Ossip van Duivenbode/Rotterdam Partners

Artist’s impression of Rijnhavenpark by City Projects/Rotterdam Partners

A delta town, the surrounding region of the Netherlands is home to the huge Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta, and has seen vast amounts spent on flood defences as a result. Known as Delta Works, modern protective infrastructure first broke ground in 1954 and construction only finished around 1997. Rotterdam’s Maeslantkering was one of the final pieces in a jigsaw of sluices, locks and dams. An enormous floodgate that took six years to build, it remains one of the planet’s largest moving structures.

A new masterplan comprising a series of large scale City Projects for central Rotterdam, many of which actively embrace the river itself, serves as a clear reminder of how vulnerable a city is when large parts lie below sea level — however, it also serves as a source of inspiration for design ingenuity. This scheme includes planting flora at different tidal levels, meaning that green spaces change with the time of day and actively supporting aquatic life, mammals and birds in the process.

In total, eight sites have been approved, but the initial series could be the start of something far bigger — a vast ‘central park’ running down both river banks. This vision was creatively displayed on the inside of a disused shipping barge during June’s Rotterdam Architecture Month for the Liquid City exhibition. Should that ever materialize, the network of green waterfronts would line downtown and a good chunk of the former docklands that made up Europe’s largest port.

Interconnected green spaces are shown on the banks of the Meuse at Rotterdam Architecture Month by Martin Guttridge-Hewitt

“Four and a half years ago the decision was made that we need more green, and a lot more. Not just around the Meuse, but everywhere. Of course you can’t do it everywhere. So we were told there would be eight locations in the city centre, and to go away, do some homework quickly as possible, and present a study, with numbers for what it might cost,” explains Emiel Arends, urban planning specialist on City Projects who also works as part of Rotterdam’s climate adaptation programme, WeerWoord [Weatherwise]. “We only had four months to prepare, pitched it, they said OK, here’s €350 million ($387 million), go make it happen as soon as possible.”

In addition to riverside sites, City Projects also include the elevated Hofbogenpark, a narrow 1 mile (2 kilometer) micro-intervention on a former railway viaduct, and Hofplein, where urban greening will transform an already-busy square. Arends’ colleague, Pieter de Greef, senior planner and a key architect of the river-as-park masterplan, says the biggest challenge is Nelson Mendelapark. In partnership with US waterfront specialist SWA/Balsley, work has begun on an area the size of ten soccer fields at Maashaven harbour. Once complete, this will comprise hills, trees, lawns, an event space, and various tidal features, including a pathway designed to help people understand the river’s natural flow and ecosystem.

City Projects Rotterdam Nelson Mandelapark

Artists impression of Nelson Mandelapark by SWA/Balsley

“If you want square meters, Tidal Park Feyenoord is bigger. But that’s all about biodiversity, greening rivers, giving nature new places in the city… it’s not for picnics and other activities,” says de Greef of the largest approved City Projects development. “Mandelapark is much more mixed. There’s a lot of social housing around there, which is good but they do not have many balconies or public spaces. The streets are narrow, filled with asphalt and stones. This project gives 16,000 households a large green space within 10 minutes walk.”

Unsurprisingly, considering the neighborhood’s urgent needs, de Greef says the most significant achievement with Nelson Mandelapark has been keeping all available land public. Other schemes in City Projects have integrated private interests to help finance. For example, at Rijnhavenpark three large residential blocks will deliver 4,500 homes, bringing in revenue to realise the vision. Elsewhere, water companies support schemes where green-blue infrastructure can ease pressure on overloaded drainage systems.

“Each part of the City Projects has a slightly different focus,” says Arends. “So within the inner city, on the north side, a little bit further away from the river, it’s about water storage and heat reduction. Tidal Park Feyenoord is all about biodiversity, but you can walk there as well. There are actions specific to each of the parks. It’s an insane programme. I’ve never seen this before, in any city.”

Hero Image: Rotterdam’s Maeslantkering flood defences by Guido Pijper / Rotterdam Partners

Reference

Architecture

Architectural Drawings: Mexico’s Open-Air Architecture in Plan

By Zarkon Group,30/07/2023

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Mexican architecture is as varied and inspiring as the country itself. From expansive deserts to lush rain forests and towering mountains, local landscapes have shaped architects’ varied approaches to building across Mexico’s temperate to tropical zones. In these climates, a range of open-air architecture is being built that reimagines how to connect people with their surroundings. From small pavilions to large complexes, these structures take inspiration from the places they are built for.

Taking a deeper dive into Mexican architecture through drawings, the following open-air projects are found nationwide. Images of each completed project are juxtaposed with plan drawings to show how the buildings are organized to encourage movement between spaces. While the projects are programmatically and spatially diverse, they each explore views and Mexican culture and how to design for local climates. Made for the changing conditions and shifting light throughout the day, these projects and drawings embody what it means to build in Mexico today.

Telcel Theater

By Ensamble Studio, Mexico City, Mexico

Ensamble’s design for the Telcel Theater was buried underground with a large metallic structure lifted from ground level. This creates a dramatic open-air volume that rises above and below the ground. The structure above appears as a stone of air, supported by the space that comes from a sequence of excavated terraces. Below, the excavated spaces are given to the public and open to the sky, protected by the symbolic metal structure.

As the design team notes, the project confronts the elemental natures with which it is built: the deep density of the negative space, of vertical character; and the horizontal tension of the air contained and supported by the Dovela metal structure. The plan drawing shows the outline of this canopy as it rises above the open excavated lobbies below. Once inside the earth, the Theater appears as the end of a sequence of spaces.

Community Center San Bernabé

By Picharchitects/Pich-Aguilera, Monterrey, Mexico

Designed for the community center of San Bernabé, this project offers a building-street which aimed to transmit civic values inherent to the urban structure of the neighborhood. This building-street was conceived as a framework for the relationship and the expression of individuals and the community, so that it will be getting stronger as the citizens start to discover it and living freely in it.

As seen in the open-air plan drawing, this street built within acts like the backbone of the built bodies that house the functional program of the community center and responds to an urban vision as a whole. The project also includes an allocation for renewable energy production, integrated into the architecture from the system of “solar beams” that make up the shade structure.

Mar Adentro

By Taller Aragonés / Miguel Ángel Aragonés, San José del Cabo, Mexico

Mar Adentro was inspired by the “enormous drive of water under a scorching sun.” This piece of land, located in the middle of a coastline dotted with “All Inclusives,” and the team wanted to challenge what would have been a box similar to other structures in place. The central idea was to take the horizon and bring it into the foreground. Mar Adentro is a kind of Medina that opens out onto the sea.

Describing the project, the team notes that, “the water is an event that borders the entire project; all of the volumes open up toward the sea and turn their backs on the city.” Each floating volume contains interiors that form, in turn, independent spaces. All rooms were prefabricated for construction ahead of time in a factory. The important thing is the versatility of this structure, one that can be entirely factory-made then raised on site in a straightforward manner.

Ecumenical Chapel

By Bunker Arquitectura, Cuernavaca, Mexico

This private chapel was made for a plot of land recently bought on the backside of a weekend house in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The clients wanted an Ecumenical chapel, a non-religious and universal space, to meditate. The chapel is buried underground and a spiraling ramp that surrounds it brings visitors inside. This ramp is flanked with a vegetated wall that functions as a vertical garden.

Outside, a water pond forms the rooftop of the chapel. At its center there is an oculus, a glass covered opening in the metallic plate, that lets sunlight filter through the water, generating light and shadow patterns on the inside. The space is contained by a lattice wall formed by separated glass beams that lets the air flow through its inside. The oculus and simple support structure that connects to the landscape is seen in plan.

Centinela Chapel

By Estudio ALA, Arandas, Mexico

This chapel project was reimagined inside a tequila factory, located in the northeast of the state of Jalisco. The region is known to be one of the most religious areas in the country. This spiritual and social space is a reinterpretation of the mixed use spaces that exist in older haciendas and houses of the region, where people used to have a chapel or oratory in their own houses, adjacent to the terraces and open covered spaces, where social and family events were commonly held.

The team notes that the chapel sits on a cantilevered platform, overviewing the lake, the gardens, the factory and the agave fields. The plan drawing shows how the building is oriented in a way that its closed walls face the southern and western sun, keeping privacy from the patio. A terracotta tile pathway leads visitors from the factory towards the chapel, allowing them to admire the scenery, and enjoy the walk around the lake and gardens, leading them finally into the complex.

Jojutla Central Gardens

By Estudio MMX, Jojutla de Juárez, Morelos, Mexico

After devastating earthquakes in Mexico, this project was designed to rebuild an identity that uses public spaces as its media. At the heart of the design was a close interaction with the inhabitants of Jojutla. The core idea came from the trees. These unique elements survived the earthquakes without damage, therefore, the Civic Centre of Jojutla became the “Central Gardens of Jojutla” evoking the concept of resiliency by means of the vegetation.

As seen in plan, there are arcades that coexist next to the gardens. These structures reinterpret the region’s traditional architecture. They serve as frames for the civic and leisure events required by the city. The selected materials were artisanal ochre brick, basaltic grey stone for pavements, and an extensive array of local flora species. The result was the generation of a civic square with a new identity.

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Reference

The Mobile Joy-city Community Commerce Beijing, China_MAT Office

Architecture

Dense and Sensibility: How Architects Can Help Shape More Sustainable Cities

By Zarkon Group,26/07/2023

How can cities have high urban standards and improve residents’ quality of life? As history has demonstrated, if the choices and strategies to achieve positive results are appropriate, the outcome delivers inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities; if wrong, the outcome is devastating, forcing cities to face challenges such as pollution, high energy consumption, insufficient affordable housing, inequalities and health risks, among many others.

Architecture must generate urban quality and environmental sustainability while reflecting the cultural heritage and empowering residents. The growing process of cities leads to transformations, and such transformations need to be associated with sustainable models to improve the social, economic and environmental conditions of cities, ensuring the quality of life of current and future residents.

The Mobile Joy-city in Jingxi Xiangyun, Beijing, China, offers creative solutions for a community plan that integrates work, home, shopping, transportation and green spaces. The design focuses on three design concepts: “open archipelago concept”, “landscape urban place”, and “community space shaping.” Design and images by MAT Office.

Architecture as a Contributor to the Sustainable Growth of Cities

Architecture can incorporate social and environmental factors as a core part of its design strategy and contribute to cities’ goals as centers of economic growth, culture and innovation, which will translate into improved quality of life. Understanding architecture as an isolated discipline aimed at creating buildings uniquely might lead to a lack of cohesion and functionality. On the other hand, if we see it as one in dialog with other urban domains, such as landscape design and transit, we can build urban areas that are accessible, livable and affordable, ensuring that cities are engines of sustainable economic growth.

Alárò City_Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

SOM‘s master plan for Alárò City lies in the growth path of Lagos, one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities with a population of over twenty million. Alárò City reinforces Lagos as the economic and cultural center in West Africa through a new sustainable community. The master plan highlights the site’s unique conditions enabling long-term resiliency. Design and renderings by SOM.

Co-Living, Transit-Oriented Developments and Sustainability

The examples of projects illustrated below show how different cities address their growth challenges through a mixture of spaces, functions and services that are accessible to the population. Each responds to the specifics of their economic, social and environmental situation differently but with a common goal: achieve quality of life and efficiency.

These examples are mixed-use developments that integrate housing, retail and community spaces to promote urban connectivity and social inclusion while making cities safer for pedestrians, motorized vehicles, and bicycles. Most of them feature an architecture that incorporates green strategies aiming at minimizing environmental impact.

Super Babylon is conceived as a co-living community. The concept prioritizes sustainable living and shared communal spaces while giving privacy equal due. Design and renderings by MAT Office.

MAT Office proposes a series of linked transformable structures inspired by the New Babylon, a megastructure that Dutch visual artist and Situationist Constant Nieuwenhuys developed a half-century ago. MAT Office‘s Super Babylon is a modular structure composed of units that can generate four types of spatial and social relations: individual basic units, small family spaces, communal spaces and collective community buildings with access to commercial spaces at ground level. Following the shared community — or, co-living — model, New Babylon attracts a diverse population of young professionals, retirees, singles, and families, all working together to create a lifestyle that reflects their shared core values.

Periferico 2008 is a residential high-rise with public amenities on the ground floor and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views. Project by BRAG Arquitectos. Image by Felix Fernández.

Periferico 2008 is a multi-unit residential tower close to San Angel, a neighborhood south of Mexico City known for its colonial history, monuments and religious architecture. The abundant greenery in the area set the tone for Periferico’s design: a thirty-story tall parallelepiped with two carved-out sections to make room for green terraces. The building’s 184 apartments — with areas ranging from 700 to 2,690 square feet (65 to 250 square meters) — feature spacious layouts and optimal orientations to maximize views and optimize natural lighting and ventilation. The ground floor amenities include a gym, swimming pool, spa, business center, playroom, library, and a movie theater. The rooftop terrace offers opportunities for relaxation and entertaining with views of the city and beyond.

Connecting Cooksville_SvN Architects + Planners

Connecting Cooksville in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada is a development project that offers many connections for pedestrians and vehicles, highlighting opportunities to prioritize the human scale and overall urban connectivity. Design and renderings by SvN Architects + Planners.

SvN‘s design for Connecting Cooksville is a vision for an integrated transit-oriented development in Mississauga, one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities. The project will transform a site dominated by surface parking into an interconnected, transit-oriented, mixed-use development with interior streets and a regenerative landscape. At nearly 1.7 million square feet (157, 900 square meters) , the development will provide nearly 2,200 new apartment units and close to 100,000 square feet (9,290 square meters) of commercial space, including a community gathering space covering almost half of the site.

Walking trails, outdoor kitchens, classrooms, cafe seating, areas for recreation, exercise and outdoor daycare play zones provide additional ground-level programming. SvN, in collaboration with WHY Architecture Workshop, designed an urban forest as part of the development, which prioritizes climate resiliency by strategically designing the cluster of towers and the landscape responding to the City of Mississauga’s Climate Action and Strategic Plans.

Quayside in Toronto, Canada, is conceived as an electrically powered, zero-carbon community where residents will have easy access to their daily needs, including jobs, education, healthcare, food, and recreation. Design and renderings by Norm Li.

Quayside is a mix of market-rate and affordable housing in Toronto for individuals and families of different backgrounds and incomes. A total of six buildings, including Canada’s largest mass-timber residential building, will also provide commercial and institutional spaces, as well as access to a three-and-a-half-acre public space. Additionally, a one-acre urban farm on the rooftop of the mass-timber building will be accessible to residents and the public. The project was conceived with sustainability in mind resulting in an all-electrically powered, zero-carbon community. The use of environmentally friendly materials and technologies will promote biodiversity and create comfortable and accessible green spaces, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the efficient management of severe weather risks.

Aiming for Sustainable and Livable Cities

The creation of high-density buildings offering easy access to daily needs and the use of sustainable building solutions can be considered good examples of how architecture can bring social and environmental change. City growth is inevitable but manageable with the right tools and the right decisions. The prominent role of the architectural community in envisioning and designing cities demonstrates that it can be beneficial to the betterment of citizens’ quality of life, social equity, health and the environment. Healthier places — no matter what their functions are — will result in healthier people, communities and cities.

Reference

The Press by Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

Architecture

Adaptive Reuse Revolution: 7 Commercial Projects Potently Preserving the Past

By Zarkon Group,22/07/2023

One of the biggest questions architects and designers face is: what do we do with the buildings we inherit? While demolition yields a blank slate, it erases the historic roots of our built environments and is a wholly unsustainable practice. Extending the lifecycles of existing structures dramatically reduces the energy consumption and carbon emissions generated by constructing anew.

The benefits of adaptive reuse are deeply social as well as environmental. Imbuing the fabric of the past with a purpose for the future is a special kind of alchemy. This collision of architectural timelines can result in astonishing spaces that revive a region’s unique cultural heritage.

These seven winning commercial projects from the 11^th A+Awards exemplify how radical reuse can elevate our skylines. Combining reverence for the past with pioneering designs, there’s much to learn from these extraordinary structures…

The Press

By Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects, Costa Mesa, California

Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Renovations & Additions

The Press by Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects Left to languish since 2010, the former Los Angeles Times printing plant has been masterfully reincarnated as a daring commercial workplace. Precise incisions have unfurled the monolithic concrete volume, drawing in daylight, air and views of the picturesque surrounding landscape.

Contemporary adaptations to the building are thoughtful and restrained. In the atrium at its center, an architectural metal staircase pays homage to the original fabric. Historic elements such as paint chips and conveyor belts have been preserved in situ, yet these emblems of industry are softened by biophilic details. Shrublands pepper the floors of the communal spaces and one of the site’s existing trees now grows through the metalwork of the structure itself.

Ombú

By Foster + Partners, Madrid, Spain

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Commercial Building

Ombú by Foster + Partners In another life, this magnificent early 20th-century edifice supplied energy to its local district in Madrid. Having fallen into disuse, it was purchased and saved from the wrecking ball, unlike many of its contemporaries in the region who weren’t so lucky. Fittingly, it’s now the offices of Spanish infrastructure and energy company ACCIONA.

Designed by architect Luis de Landecho, the exquisite building envelope has been preserved in all its glory and sensitively reworked without compromising the original fabric. In a stroke of architectural genius, a free-standing structure crafted from sustainably sourced timber was inserted beneath the breathtaking pitched steel trusses to accommodate new offices. The platform is recyclable and can be dismantled, so the spatial layout can be effortlessly rewritten in the future. Compared to the lifecycle impact of a new construction, this compassionate design reduces the building’s embodied carbon by 25%, while saving a culturally significant local landmark.

SEE MONSTER

By NEWSUBSTANCE, Weston-Super-Mare, United Kingdom

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Pop-Ups & Temporary

SEE MONSTER by NEWSUBSTANCE After 30 years in the North Sea, this retired oil rig was brought ashore and transformed into an astounding public art installation. A challenging feat, the ambitious project channeled the expertise of scientists, engineers and artists. Now, it stands as a poignant catalyst for conversations about our treatment of inherited structures and the potential for creative regeneration.

While it may be anchored on dry land, the rig’s origins are articulated via a 32-foot-high (10 meter) waterfall, which cascades into a shallow pool at the structure’s base. The platform itself is encircled with kinetic wind sculptures and artworks, as well as wildflowers and trees that balance out the angular, metallic form. This unconventional space inspires unconventional circulation. A playful slide snakes through the middle of the rig, offering an alternate way to navigate the platform.

DB55 Amsterdam

By D/DOCK, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Coworking Space

DB55 Amsterdam by D/DOCK Formerly a timber warehouse in the Houthaven neighborhood of Amsterdam, the airy proportions of this vast building have been utilized to create a blended commercial and recreational venue. Flexibility is at the core of the remarkable project – multipurpose work zones and elevated platforms feature furniture on castor wheels for a fluid and easily adaptable floor plan.

It’s not just the warehouse that’s been given a new lease of life. The interior aesthetic was led by the availability of reclaimed materials. The wood flooring planks comprise domestic roof boarding, and the concrete and glass walls were recycled, while the tiling from the bathrooms was salvaged. 70% of the furniture is second-hand too, including the audiovisual and kitchen equipment.

Kabelovna Studios

By B² Architecture, Prague, Czechia

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Interiors (<25,000 sq ft.)

Kabelovna Studios by B² Architecture This ground-breaking project is setting a new precedent for the design of recording studios and post-production spaces. Nestled in the bustling heart of Prague in an old factory building dating back to 1908, the structure has come full circle. Once a place where electrical cables were manufactured, somewhat poetically, it’s now occupied by professionals who utilize an abundance of cables every day.

The scheme fuses the industrial past with modern functionality. The original restored brickwork envelops the work zones is rich in history and texture, offering an ideal acoustic environment for recording. Modern interventions are sensitively negotiated. Large skylights and sleek glass walls flood the studio with light and allow the bones of the factory to shine.

Casa Pich i Pon. LOOM Plaza Catalunya

By SCOB Architecture & Landscape, Barcelona, Spain

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Coworking Space

Casa Pich i Pon. LOOM Plaza Catalunya by SCOB Architecture and Landscape This extraordinary coworking space in Barcelona is an eloquent exercise in unearthing the past. The empathetic remodel is the latest in the building’s long history and sought to create a palpable connection between past and present.

The original heritage skin of the structure has been rediscovered and brought into focus once more. Compelling interior windows offer a portal back in time through the building’s history. Overhead, coffered ceilings and undulating ribbons of brick frame the work zones in an enigmatic canopy. Elsewhere, the prevailing crisp white walls give way to pockets of exposed brickwork. The past is a striking presence in this enchanting reuse project.

GRiD

By Spark Architects, Rochor, Singapore

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Retail

GRiD by Spark Architects Older commercial buildings are often threatened with demolition in the name of urban development. However, this whimsical reuse scheme is a masterclass in reinvention. Once a neglected structure on the corner of a busy thoroughfare, its story has been drastically rewritten.

Far from business as usual, this retail space is now a pulsing hub that draws in content creators and the digital generation. Threads of vibrant neon lights outline the graphic, cubic structure, creating a glowing beacon amid the melee of gray tower blocks. Street food outlets and social zones occupy the staggered levels, while an outdoor staircase, dubbed the ‘social stair’, carves out a space for live performances and screenings.

Reference

inspiration

Zoning Regulations

Light and Ventilation Requirements

Are Large Office Buildings Doomed?

How are these architecture firms ranked?

25. Buckley Gray Yeoman

24. Jamie Fobert Architects

23. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

22. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

21. David Chipperfield Architects

20. Eldridge London

19. FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture)

18. Studio Octopi

17. 6a architects

16. Levitt Bernstein

15. John McAslan + Partners

14. Hawkins\Brown

13. Bennetts Associates

12. Alison Brooks Architects Ltd

11. AL_A

10. Steyn Studio

9. Studio Seilern Architects

8. bureau de change

7. Hopkins Architects

6. Haworth Tompkins

5. Adjaye Associates

4. Squire and Partners

3. Heatherwick Studio

2. Foster + Partners

1. Zaha Hadid Architects

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

A Guide to Project Awards

How are these architecture firms ranked?

20. Fougeron Architecture

19. MWA Architects

18. STUDIOS Architecture

17. Studio O+A

16. OPA

15. Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture

14. Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors

13. Rapt Studio

12. Mork Ulnes Architects

11. S^A | Schwartz and Architecture

10. Mark Cavagnero Associates

9. Klopf Architecture

8. Arterra Landscape Architects

7. Aidlin Darling Design

6. Jensen Architects

5. Form4 Architecture

4. Feldman Architecture

3. IwamotoScott Architecture

2. Salter

1. Gensler

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

A Guide to Project Awards

Architects are often more focused on the creative aspects of their work rather than business ones.

Architects are not trained in business practices.

Architects are often reluctant to change.

Architects are not good at selling their services.

Architects don’t like to ask for help.

Telcel Theater

By Ensamble Studio, Mexico City, Mexico

Community Center San Bernabé

By Picharchitects/Pich-Aguilera, Monterrey, Mexico

Mar Adentro

By Taller Aragonés / Miguel Ángel Aragonés, San José del Cabo, Mexico

Ecumenical Chapel

By Bunker Arquitectura, Cuernavaca, Mexico

Centinela Chapel

By Estudio ALA, Arandas, Mexico

Jojutla Central Gardens

By Estudio MMX, Jojutla de Juárez, Morelos, Mexico

Architecture as a Contributor to the Sustainable Growth of Cities

Co-Living, Transit-Oriented Developments and Sustainability

Aiming for Sustainable and Livable Cities

The Press

By Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects, Costa Mesa, California

Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Renovations & Additions

Ombú

By Foster + Partners, Madrid, Spain

Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Renovations & Additions

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Commercial Building

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Pop-Ups & Temporary

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Coworking Space

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Interiors (<25,000 sq ft.)

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Coworking Space

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Retail