Architectural case studies and material exemplars to spark your creativity and inspire your next project.
Architecture stands as an inherent act of creation. Materials, forms, and spaces are combined to rea lize the visions of those who design and construct the built environment. There remains a constant tension, especially within cities, between the desire to create anew and the need to respect or repurpose the historic. As Paul Ricoeur once said,…
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is famous for its space-age skyline including Skidmore, Owings and Merr ill’s Burj Khalifa, their twisting Cayan Tower, and outlandish additions such as the O-14 Tower by Reiser + Umemoto. Now, it looks set to gain an emergency service to match these architectural odes to futurism: authorities have unveiled jetpacks for firefighters…
If you’ve been noticing a lot more buildings using screens as a prominent feature of the design, you ’re not alone. The truth is: they’re typically used to serve specific functions, from solar control and privacy to ventilation and delineation. So why not find ways of beautifying buildings with this architectural element? Here are some exemplary…
From Florida to Utah, architects and contractors have found a new way to create innovative designs t hat take full advantage of sunny days. Guardian Industries Corp. — one of the world’s leading manufacturers of glass products — has added SunGuard® SNX 51/23 glass to its SuperNeutral® series that, according to Chris Dolan, Director of Marketing…
Penda is a firm on the up. The experimental studio, a global practice based in Beijing, China, and V ienna, Austria, has gone from strength to strength since winning an A+Award in May 2015 for the distinctive Ice and Snow Apartment in the Chinese capital. In the following six months, the architects have been hard at…
Chile’s spectacular natural landscape is matched only by its remarkable residential architecture. Co mbining rough wooden materials with sharp, elegant lines, Chilean architecture has developed a unique aesthetic. As influential urban architect Alejandro Aravena told the LA Times earlier this year, “it’s a local interpretation of modernism. It’s rougher. But it’s also quite poetic.” Chile’s architectural…
Architecture can be a slow-moving business, and few architects are more aware of this slowness than American Steven Holl. Seven years ago, his firm won an international competition to design the LM Harbor Gateway in Copenhagen, a dramatic new addition to the city’s historic waterfront that would constitute an instant architectural icon for Denmark. The…
The public is often fascinated with disappearing acts when it comes to interiors. After all, space-s aving or camouflaging elements really open up a room, visually, and, in turn, instill a sense of Zen and cleanliness. As natural problem-solvers, architects and interior designers are well-positioned to provide such features for clients. One can design bespoke built-ins completely from scratch, but there are also customizable made-to-order products that can considerably reduce research or installation time — and maybe, even, cost.
King + King Architects of Syracuse, N.Y., has used Vectorworks BIM software for more than 15 years, but, earlier this year, they were given a special opportunity to try something new: Vectorworks Architect 2016. As a beta tester for a variety of innovative new features, King + King Project Manager Luc Lefebvre, OAQ, LEED® AP…