Architecture is always a reflection on how to interact with and relate to nature. Some architects show a preference for distinctive shapes and materials that contrast with the landscape, while others prefer to mimic the surroundings with organic works. But regardless of the techniques employed, architecture has reached the most remote and incredible places on the planet. Below is a selection of 16 images which show the combination of architecture and landscape by prominent photographers such as Su Shengliang, Sergio Pirrone and Valentin Jeck.
María Francisca González
Architect, photographer, and curator. https://www.instagram.com/m.gonzalezreginato/
The Best Photos of the Week: Architecture in the Most Incredible Places in the World
Peter Zumthor's Kolumba Museum Through the Lens of Rasmus Hjortshøj
In this series of images, photographer Rasmus Hjortshøj has captured the Kolumba Museum by renowned architect Peter Zumthor in Cologne, Germany. The museum, constructed atop the ruins of a Gothic church destroyed during World War II, was a response to a competition that aimed to protect the remains of the Gothic work and create a space to house the art collection of the archbishopric of Cologne. In his winning design, Zumthor fused the existing ruins with modern architecture ideal for religious art in an elegant and minimalist way.
With his photographs, Rasmus Hjortshøj offers a tour of Zumthor's design, portraying the building within its urban context, while examining the architect's dedication to detail.
Materials That Make Construction Details Protagonists: Photos of the Week
We love construction details! That's why this week's photos highlight the art of the synthesis of materials and the varied photographic products we can obtain by looking closer. Photographers like Joel Filipe, Marie-Françoise Plissart and Adria Goula, give us precise and beautiful exposure to wooden joints, steel structures, concrete details, curtain walls and more.
10 Incredible Exposed Structures: Photos of the Week
Putting aside finishes, coatings, and cladding to work with exposed structural elements is not an easy task. Faced with this challenge, architects have demonstrated an eagerness to surpass ourselves and to design increasingly creative structures. In portraying this type of project, there are often opportunities for photographers to create incredible and innovative compositions: from geometric patterns, to the use of symmetry and rhythm, to the possibility of focusing on the textures and details of the materials. Here, we present a selection of photographs of impressive structures by renowned photographers such as Iwan Baan, Julien Lanoo and Yao Li, among others.
Innovative and Beautiful Uses of Brick: The Best Photos of the Week
It can't be denied that architects love brick. The material is popular both for its warmth and for the diversity of expressions that can be achieved by applying it in a creative way—depending on the arrangement of individual bricks or the combination of bonds, it’s possible to arrive at a result that is both original and attractive. That ingenuity is what photographers like Hiroyuki Oki, Gustavo Sosa Pinilla, and François Brix, among others, have attempted to capture in their photographs. In these images, light is a key element of good composition, allowing the photographers to control the intensity of color and the contrast of masses and voids, as well as enhancing the incredible textures of the brick we love so much.
Our Favorite Nordic Photographers: The Best Photos of The Week
Often informed by its harsh climate and stunning landscapes, Nordic design, specifically architecture, has a unique relationship with nature. Photographers of Nordic architecture have benefitted from studying this close connection in their photos that experiment with capturing light, innovative materials, and landscape to create a compelling composition. Below is a selection of images of both public and private architecture by prominent photographers such as Pasi Aalto, Bert Leandersson, Mika Huisman and Åke E: Lindman.
In Seasonal Harmony - The Changing Nature of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater
This month marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of acclaimed American architect, visionary, and social critic Frank Lloyd Wright -considered by many to be one of the greatest architects of his time.
As a pioneer of the term 'organic architecture', one of his most iconic representative works is Fallingwater, set upon a waterfall in rural Pennsylvania. From its unveiling, the scheme has evoked enduring reflection on the relationship between man, architecture, and most prominently in Frank Lloyd Wright's mind - nature.
22 Skinny Houses With a Narrow Footprint and a Broad Impact
Skinny houses have a wider appeal than their footprint would suggest. With cities becoming denser, and land becoming rare and expensive, architects are increasingly challenged to design in urban infill spaces previously overlooked. Although designing within these unusual parameters can be difficult, they often require an individual, sensitive response, which can often lead to innovative, playful, even inspiring results. With that in mind, here are 22 houses with a narrow footprint, and a broad impact.
Storyboard on the Landscape / Ekistics Planning & Design
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Architects: Ekistics Planning & Design
- Area: 1695 m²
- Year: 2016
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Manufacturers: Evonik Industries
Sunshine Canyon House / Renée del Gaudio
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Architects: Renée del Gaudio
- Area: 2760 ft²
- Year: 2013
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Manufacturers: Flatiron Steel, Loewen, Wittus
TPG Village / KIENTRUC O
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Architects: KIENTRUC O
- Area: 635 m²
- Year: 2016