Exploring architectural projects, competition entries and unbuilt works by renowned architects is an important step in fostering innovation and encouraging cross-cultural exchange and the development of diverse design approaches. Analyzing these unrealized concepts can offer insights into the evolution of architectural thinking, exploring a wider spectrum of approaches and design perspectives. This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights designs submitted by established architecture practices.
Featuring internationally recognized offices like Brooks + Scarpa, Penoyre & Prasad, Aedas, Pininfarina, and Opposite Office, this selection exemplifies the wide range of projects and interventions designed by architects at various scales and programs. From creative reimaginings of well-known architectural icons to art museums, urban insertions, and conceptual activist proposals, these projects demonstrate the variety of approaches architects take when designing within a specific context and in response to local constraints, challenges and opportunities.
Read on to discover the 12 unbuilt projects along with their descriptions from the architects.
Reimagining the Dallas Museum of Art 2023 International Design Competition
Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc.
Our proposal to transform the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) was grounded in a deep understanding of the mission and future ambitions of the DMA and the constraints and challenges of the existing DMA building. Guided by these inputs, we proposed a series of strategic alterations and additions that care-fully reshape parts of the existing museum and full city block site to allow the DMA to fulfill its goal of becoming more accessible, transparent, equitable, and sustainable and to be a “space of wonder and discovery where art comes alive.” The competition team included Studio Zewde (landscape architect); Guy Nordenson and Associates (structural design engineer); Buro Happold (MEP engineer); Atelier Ten (sustainability); Joel Sanders Ar-chitect / MIXdesign (exhibition design and accessibility); and Michael Maltzan Architecture (design archi-tect).
TPAO Headquarters
Melike Altınışık Architects – MAA
The new Headquarters designed for Turkish Petroleum A.O., which is also a unique observation space, is located in the area where the Filyos River flows into the Black Sea, named Billaius in ancient times, which is the most crucial point of the western side of the Black Sea coast connecting with the inner regions. TPAO Headquarters, which is planned within the Filyos Port area, has been designed to serve the high-level office spaces of the region while also becoming an observation space on the verge of the breakwater wall.
Renovation of Marcel Breuer's Robert C. Weaver Federal Building
BRUTAL DC is a design exhibition comprising archival documents, recent re-imaginings, and fine art photography that considers the historical underpinnings, current state, and future possibilities of key Brutalist buildings in Washington, DC. As part of the exhibition, Brooks + Scarpa has reimagined Marcel Breuer's Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, a 10-story 700,000-square-foot office building in Washington, D.C., owned by the federal government of the United States. Completed in 1968, it serves as the headquarters of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Oriel
Penoyre & Prasad is delighted, as the Lead Architect, to be part of AECOM’s winning team for the competition to create a new home in St Pancras for Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Project Oriel, which has Moorfields Eye Charity as the third partner, takes a radical approach to the integration of sight related care, research and education. The project’s aims include driving innovation and speeding up the translation of research findings into treatment.
Maldivian Floating Villa
Copenhagen-based maritime architecture studio MAST has collaborated with local NGO ‘The Eco Org’ on the development of an off-grid, floating villa, which was presented to government ministers in August, as part of a new vision for sustainable tourism development in the small island state. The project promises an alternative to the expensive and environmentally devastating practice of land reclamation – all while providing a totally unique experience for guests.
110kV Panyu Square Substation in Guangzhou
Ronald Lu & Partners is redefining the image of substations through considered design. We are highlighting how future designs for municipal public facilities can be sustainable, functional and human-centric. Our proposal for the Panyu Square Substation combines the development of the city with the needs of the community, shortening the distance between municipal facilities and citizens through the power of design. The concept offers the community green urban spaces, sports and fitness facilities, medical care and cultural amenities – this reflects the relationship of coexistence, symbiosis and sharing between the city and its people.
Nord Stream 3 - Transformation of Gas Pipeline into a House of International Understanding and Cooperation
Due to the Russian attack on Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on it, Europe is discussing whether we can afford to shut off Russian gas. Opposite Office goes one step further and already starts to reconstruct and remodel the recently completed „Nord Stream“, a set of offshore natural gas pipelines that run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. The pipeline is rebuilt into a "UN for ordinary people". Nord Stream 3 - A center for international understanding, because only international cooperation and international relationships will secure peace in the long term.
Qianjiang Century City A-07 Plot project
As a host city of the 19th Asian Games, the strategic planning of Hangzhou Qianjiang has facilitated the overall growth of the southern Yangtze Delta. It comprises of an Olympic stadium, a central business district and the Gangli mixed-use project. Aedas Executive Director Wei Li and Global Design Principal Ken Wai jointly led the team to create a mixed-use gateway in Hangzhou Qianjiang, integrating commercial, cultural, retail and residential to accommodate the rapid urban development.
Andare Residences
Leading real estate firm Related Group (Related), in partnership with legendary Italian design house Pininfarina, has launched sales for Andare Residences by Pininfarina (Andare), a new boutique condominium development in the heart of Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard. Featuring a collection of 163 bespoke residences, the 45-story tower is the first luxury condominium development set to rise above Las Olas Boulevard in nearly 20 years. Located just two miles from Las Olas Beach, Andare will offer residents the best of coastal and metropolitan living, providing unobstructed ocean views and seamless connectivity to the city’s urban core.
Parterre 42 Development
Helm Equities, a progressive real estate development, investment and management organization based in New York City and affiliate of New York City-based JEMB Realty Corporation, today announced plans for the $300 million development of Parterre 42, a 500,000-square-foot office and retail building in the heart of the Miami Design District. Designed by award-winning COOKFOX Architects, experts in biophilic design, Parterre 42 introduces Miami’s first seamless indoor-outdoor working experience. With more than 80,000 square feet of functional outdoor space dispersed across all floors of the building, providing both private terraces and shared outdoor experiences, overflowing with lush greenery, Parterre 42 will redefine what is possible in a Miami office experience.
INTERTWINE BRIDGE
The primary aim of the bridge over Fossvogur is to improve the transport connections between Reykjavík and Kópavogur. While the bridge is a unique and iconic structure, its character and essence are rooted in making the shoreline accessible to the community. It is a new gateway from one community to another, activated with programs that showcase the region's cultural and natural features. The bridge is a key project in developing the area’s public space and is designed to be part of the city bigger plan with recreational, ecological, and tourist activities in mind.
AMAR VILLA
Nested in the beautiful landscape of Udaipur, the design proposal is based on capturing breathtaking views of the surroundings, respecting the natural topography whereby the form evolves from contour mapping. The site is very narrow and long, with the dominant views of the beautiful mountains towards the north. This creates a very narrow funnel of view from the site. The design iterations looked at maximizing the view by using the contours of the site and also by maximizing the surface area of the form that overlooks the mountains. A seamless calligraphic curve has been used where the surface area of the form has been increased by 190%. This ensures that the form responds to the design brief of ensuring beautiful views from all rooms.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN UNBUILT PROJECT
We highly appreciate the input from our readers and are always happy to see more projects designed by them. If you have an Unbuilt project to submit, click here and follow the guidelines. Our curators will review your submission and get back to you in case it is selected for a feature.
