During the last decades ONL has achieved an internationally acknowledged position as a leading expert on nonstandard and interactive architecture. Iconic projects like Waterpavilion, iWEB, NSA Muscle, Cockpit in Acoustic Barrier, Bálna and LIWA Tower are living proof of ONL’s innovative power.
The innovations involve changing the building industry from within by large scale application of uncompromised mass customisation techniques, exploiting CNC manufacturing methods to produce series of unique building components that are dry assembled to form the complex geometries.
As from the foundation of ONL in 1990 we had in mind to merge architecture with art and digital technologies. This initial fascination has never left the office and still is the main driving force for further innovations. The concept of Powerlines clearly stems directly from the merge with art on a digital platform.
Over time techniques have developed into the direction of full parametrization and open design applications with the aim to operate on level basis with other experts, whereas users and clients are considered experts in their own fields of experience, and therefore are considered to be co-designers. This applies to the iconic projects ONL has realised: the client-user always has been a major influencer on the shape and content of the projects.
That is why ONL’s projects look unique from project to project, and yet look so consistent in their design approach. Radical vision is combined with practical considerations. ONL listens carefully to what drives the client, and designs a solution space where both ONL and the client feel completely at ease, neither party has to compromise.
ONL now is focused on a radical rethinking of the building components buildings are made of. Redesigning building components from scratch, based on parametric design methods, open participatory design systems and on web based design applications, which allow the user-consumer to directly play with the shape and content of the project. While ONL sets strong iconic design rules, the client is the player to co-create unique configurations for the projects.