Eric Baldwin
To celebrate the opening of our 4th Annual A+Awards, we’re taking a look back at some of our f avorite projects from 2015. Want to get in on the action? Check out the A+Awards Page to find out how to enter. On September 22, we officially announced the Fourth Annual A+ Awards, the largest awards program…
Architecture can be defined as a poetic assemblage, a collection of parts that together form spatial experience. Mosaics are similar; multiple small pieces of varied material are combined to form an image. Their application can dramatically transform architectural narratives. Generally understood as interior decoration or art, mosaics are typically made of tesserae, small square stone…
Arctic architecture arises from its constraints. Few places across the world have such extreme envir onmental, socio-political, and material demands. While vernacular projects have been designed throughout the region for centuries, the Artic is currently experiencing intense, newfound attention, especially in architecture, planning, and infrastructure. Increasingly diminishing polar ice levels have opened up the Northern Sea…
Natural elements can wreak havoc on buildings. As architects and designers, we are always fighting w ater, solar heat gain, thermal bridging, and a number of different climatic or environmental conditions. Architecture simply does not exist outside its context; every building is sited among unique, broad systems that constantly challenge our “pure” forms. As architecture has…
Architecture and faith are intimately intertwined. Countless religious structures have been erected the world over, buildings designed to venerate our deepest values and beliefs. Carefully studied by architects and occupied by the masses, these powerful monuments stand as symbols within their communities and surrounding contexts. Ranging from synagogues and mosques to cathedrals and cemeteries, religious…
Like great architecture, fine wine can be found the world over. Wineries and vineyards differ greatl y, each with unique cultivation techniques and processes for creation, storage, and distribution. Along with France and Italy, Spain has earned a reputation for exceptional wine. Spanish vineyards are dotted with architecture that values both sensory and social experiences. These…
Cruise ships are a rare spatial typology. Combining transportation with leisure amenities, commercia l spaces, and living quarters, these massive vessels create a unique experiential microcosm. For individuals on these pleasure voyages, ports and maritime architecture are often far from their minds. But it is these structures that must accommodate the cruise ship’s large volume of…
Few places on Earth are as beautiful and remote as Iceland. The country’s architecture is equally un ique, both formally and spatially, but also in terms of the context and communities from which buildings emerge. Both contemporary and pragmatic, the following projects stemmed from careful problem solving and thoughtful response to extreme environmental conditions. This gives…
Building on our previous article representing the best residential projects in the Pacific Northwest , the following collection examines other landmark designs across various typologies. Whether commercial, religious, or educational in nature, each project embodies the dynamic emerging design culture found in this region. Cities like Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver have made great strides in advocating…