The number of outstanding cantilevered projects have proven to be a highlight of the A+Awards down the years — from the MINI Brand Experience Center in China to stunning Casa Narigua in Mexico, architecture firms across the globe showed that their affinity for dramatic structural overhangs remains undiminished. This love is longstanding: from Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius to Zaha Hadid and MVRDV, renowned designers have been attracted to cantilevers throughout the ages. But what is behind our preoccupation with such precarious proposals?
There can be practical advantages to such structures, of course: a reduced footprint, increased external space at ground level, and wonderful views framed with the right orientation and projection. However, there are many more visceral qualities present within a successfully implemented cantilever: these structures appear in a constant state of tension and can come to symbolize strength, pride, even defiance in the face of gravity.
For these reasons, the cantilever is perhaps best suited to commercial architecture, where the very form of a company headquarters or a satellite studio can represent the bold thinking and philosophies of the business that inhabits it. Here are seven such buildings that possess some truly intrepid overhangs, each one sticking their proverbial neck out to let their commercial prowess be known.
East 11th Mixed-Use by Bercy Chen Studio, Austin, Texas
The stacked forms of this multifunctional building in Austin contain retail, an art gallery, office spaces, and residential apartments. The form is designed to evoke the sculptural presence of the Enchanted Rock, a geological landmark in central Texas that is reminiscent of Australia’s Ayres Rock — clad with Cor-Ten steel, the umber-colored building turns a deep orange in the evening light.
The Avenue by Sheppard Robson Architects, Manchester, United Kingdom
Combining office space and retail, Sheppard Robson Architects created a scissor-like form that reflects the “duality of desire lines,” aligning with a key road and the entrance of the adjacent John Rylands Library. The angular form of the structure is echoed in its dynamic glazing pattern, which animates the elevations and breaks away from the rectilinear rigidity of surrounding façades.
The Gate by Arquitectonica, Abu Dhabi, UAE
This huge mixed-use development in the Middle East incorporates retail, offices, and apartments in six glass towers, three of which are linked by a horizontal band of accommodation that cantilevers out far above ground level. Acting as a symbolic gateway to the Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, its striking silhouette echoes that of Moshe Safdie’s Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore.
River House by Barton Phelps and Associates, Osage County, Mo.
Situated in the beautiful countryside of Missouri, these cantilevered timber forms combine commerce with education, housing a retreat facility and ecological study center overlooking the Osage River. Clad with rich wood and infilled with huge planes of glazing, the structure mimics a huge periscope with perfectly framed views of the surrounding landscape.
Statoil Regional and International Offices by a-lab, Fornebu, Norway
Perhaps the most dramatic set of cantilevers in this collection belong to Statoil, a huge energy company in Norway that sought an iconic structure for their headquarters in Fornebu. A steel superstructure is tied back to four giant concrete cores, allowing overhangs of up to 100 feet.
Fuel Station + McDonalds by Khmaladze Architects, Batumi, Ga.
A humble petrol station and roadside fast-food restaurant was given a striking, sculptural home in Batumi, with a faceted steel and glass structure forming a swooping canopy over the forecourt. The interior of the cantilevered section houses a green carpet of vegetation, acting as an “ecological shield” for the restaurant terrace.
Bonus: Kinmen Ferry Terminal by Urban Office Architecture, Kinmen, Taiwan
Urban Office Architecture submitted this bold vision for the competition to design a significant new transport hub for the Kinmen archipelago between Taiwan and China. The proposal includes numerous cantilevered elements containing a plethora of programs, including domestic and international terminals, shops, cafés, and restaurants, alongside the Kinmen Maritime Museum and Gallery Center.