Curated lists of the best new building-products, materials and design solutions to inspire your next project.
Cor-Ten steel has become one of the most heavily used cladding surfaces in recent years. There are g ood reasons: it is cheap and easily procured, and its natural patina adds textural flair to any project. Its industrial look makes it well-suited to contemporary renovations, but it’s worth noting that it is not a new phenomenon.…
While many of us have fond memories of treehouses from our youth, they can also make for proper buil dings for grown-ups. Earlier this week, we celebrated Earth Day with a collection of rammed-earth architecture; today, in honor of Arbor Day, we’re pleased to present five treehouses. Although they’re not necessarily supported by the actual trees…
As an eco-friendly alternative to concrete, rammed earth has been trending for a minute; suffice it to say that the sustainable and cost-effective building solution has come a long way from ancient times. By using natural and usually local materials like sand, soil, clay, chalk, lime, or gravel, compressed into blocks, rammed earth buildings have…
Bow trusses were a popular structural system in the early 20th century, especially in America. They consist of an arched beam above and a straight beam below. The engineering feat has historically been popular both for bridges and for industrial architecture such as hangars due to its ability to clear-span large distances. This prefabricated bridge…
One of the most controversial stories in architecture so far this year has to be that of Jean Nouvel , who boycotted the opening of his Philharmonie in Paris. The French architect complained that it had opened its doors — as (much-belatedly) scheduled in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo incident — despite remaining unfinished and…
Given the trend of inhabiting smaller, more modest homes, a proper bathtub is increasingly a rarity if not an outright luxury. But for those individuals who truly value a good soak, these projects show just how a little creativity can go a long way toward having your personal space and bathing in it, too. Haffenden…
The Nordic countries are known for their ability to build wondrous wildness cabins (and make anythin g beautiful out of birch). From perennially snowbound to handsomely patina’d over time, we’ve compiled a collection of six Nordic Cabins that are never short of a spectacular view. Juvet Landscape Hotel by Jensen & Skodvin Arkitektkontor Located on a…
Wood has long been a building material that expresses warmth while acting as a structural element, a s well. The earliest huts and wooden low-rise buildings have given way to steel, but wood is still coveted as a façade material. As technology has progressed, wood can be used in a variety of ways, often defying convention.…
Architects have found a place for polycarbonate panels in the modern home, but only after proving th eir worth in a number of nonresidential settings. Given what we now know about the connection between natural lighting and workplace productivity, it’s no surprise to find these light-permeable panels on the rise in modern offices. In their most…