AHC Spa Waterful Desert in Soeul by FLYmingo . Image Courtesy of FLYmingo
Sudden lifestyle changes driven by the ongoing pandemic forced many to become well aware that the space they inhabit directly influences their well-being. Living and working spaces have adapted accordingly, incorporating features that promote calmness, health and sensitivity through innovation. Recognizing these new priorities, this year’s ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Interior honoured the most important international design innovations, focusing on products that have special relevance in the context of the pandemic. The German Design Council’s prestigious award is regarded as the trend barometer of the interior design industry, showcasing outstanding appliances and furnishings that respond to four current concepts: Smart together, Less is more, Homo movens, and Material innovation.
Site analysis is a crucial first step in creating a viable building design. Considering site location, topography, zoning regulations, traffic conditions, and climate allows a designer to maximize opportunities and anticipate potential issues. The following four factors are crucial in getting the most value out of site analysis.
Each year, TIME publishes TIME100 Next, a list, inspired by its flagship TIME100, seeking to recognize 100 people from all industries around the world whose careers are on the rise. As a result, the 2022 TIME100 Next list features high-profile musicians and medical professionals, government officials, movement leaders and whistleblowers along with top CEOs, all selected by TIME journalists. However, in this year's list it is possible to recognize the only professional that represents the guild: the Mexican architect Frida Escobedo.
Don't be fooled. Size really does matter. Particularly when it comes to new urban housing developments, where the challenge of squaring housing density with quality of life and sustainability remains key.
As part of a Tec de Monterrey initiative, this year the First Prize of the 213th Traditional Tec Draw is being held with a work by the Chilean architect who won the 2016 Pritzker Prize, Alejandro Aravena. Elemental House, is the second of the Houses of the 75th Anniversary of Sorteos Tec, which is celebrated this year.
Generation Z comprises people born after 1995. They grew along with the popularization of the internet and interact with the world by integrating all forms of available technology.
The diversity of available media, the speed in information traffic, the interactivity in the virtual environment and the daily use of these technological assets common today, influence the behavior of individuals of this generation, inspiring versatility, agility and curiosity.
From an early age, we often hear phrases like “you must sleep a minimum of 8 hours a day.” It’s common knowledge that this brings invaluable health benefits, from reducing stress levels and keeping the immune system strong, to improving concentration, memory and decision-making skills. To guarantee a good night’s rest, having a comfortable bed that suits users’ needs is pivotal, especially considering that humans spend one-third of their entire life sleeping. Thus, when architects, designers and homeowners are faced with different bed options available in the market, the decision must be carefully thought-out and take a number of factors into account, whether related to aesthetics or functionality. But before any stylistic or material decision is made, it is crucial to start with the basics: defining the size of the mattress.
Los Manantiales by Felix Candela. Image Courtesy of Alexander Eisenschmid
Architecture is often an ambitious profession, with many architects hoping to positively contribute to the social life of the communities, create emotional responses, and add moments of delight and solace to our daily experiences. However, market forces have a way of applying constant pressure on this field, often being the deciding factor in many design choices. Costs and economic value are generally a good indicator of how, when, and to what extent certain materials are being used: the standard rule is the cheaper, the better. But materials are only part of the equation. Site labor, management, and design costs are also considered, depicting a complex picture of the balance between the cost of materials and the cost of labor and its effect on the architectural product.
The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week David and Marina are joined by Architect Greg Warner, Principal and Founder of Walker Warner Architects to discuss growing up in Hawaii and its influence on his professional career; co-founding his office and its growth; working in Hawaii; the responsibilities of a principal and the importance of leadership; his philosophy and approach to projects; and more.
Many urban planners predict that by 2050, more than 6 billion people will live in cities, and in places where building outwards isn't an option, the only way to keep up with the growing density is to build up. Building taller always comes with numerous challenges and also a not-so-subtle competition for architecture firms to have their name tied to the biggest buildings. Almost as fast as a building is named one of the tallest in the world, another one makes its way to the drawing board, a few years later taking the title. While the sky’s the limit, how does this impact the constructability of projects, and what feats of construction methods and materials have enabled us to build into the clouds?
In the architectural conversations we are having in today’s world, conversations on materials are widespread. There is discussion on the viability of concrete in the contemporary context, how timber can be more sustainably sourced, and on how biodegradable materials such as bamboo should be more common sights in our urban environments.
But we also need to be talking about what goes into these buildings – that is, the furniture that decorates, enhances, and makes habitable the buildings around us. The materials used to craft these objects have constantly evolved over centuries, and as we approach the end of 2022, it’s worth asking – what does the future hold for what our furniture will be made from?
Looking around, it is clear that the world is developing at a rapid rate, and so are cities. Architects and designers inevitably take on the challenge of building better cities and homes, so time needs to be properly allocated for efficiency. After all, in this industry, time really is money.
For years architects have been accustomed to working in a conventional way: they stick with traditional offline renderers and wait until the modeling part is all done to start rendering from scratch.
This is where software like D5 Render comes in, to resolve such problems and change the game. The market is growing and shifting, and so should the tools architects use.
In a time of global unrest, rising intolerance, and, some might argue, increasing secularization, is the campus chapel relevant anymore? Might it disappear altogether? As it turns out, campus sacred space appears to be transforming to play a more important role as many universities focus on educating their students to be more globally aware.
https://www.archdaily.com/989449/campus-sacred-spaces-are-changingMichael J. Crosbie
Wooden elements have the power to add warmth to a space or building. Through their shades, textures and rustic look, wooden surfaces tend to stand out, especially when used alongside more neutral and sober materials. In the Aldapeta María Ikastetxea School, a project developed by IDOM in the city of San Sebastian, Spain, the architects used the material in a particularly interesting way. Wood panels brought visual comfort and warmth to the building, whose material palette is limited, focusing especially on the use of glass, steel and exposed concrete.
Climate change is becoming more and more real every day: all over the world, we are witnessing a clear increase in climate disasters. Moreover, the latest IPCC report warns us of possible “tipping points” from which the climate transition could become not gradual, but sudden and irrevocable.
The relationship between architecture and nature is complex. If, on the one hand, we enjoy framing nature as art in our homes; on the other hand, we try at all costs to avoid the presence of obstructive "real" nature in our walls and structures, which can be damaged by roots and leaves. At the same time, we use green roofs, vertical gardens and flower boxes to bring cities closer to nature and improve people's wellbeing; but we also construct buildings with materials that are completely dissociated from fauna and flora. Although the advancement of biomaterials and new technologies is gradually changing this, we should nevertheless ask ourselves whether the structures and buildings we occupy need to be separated from the nature that surrounds them. This was the question that led researchers at the University of Virginia (UVA) to develop geometrically complex 3D-printed soil structures on which plants could grow freely.
Günther Domineg’s Steinhaus . Image Courtesy of GERALD ZUGMANN
Domenig was one of Austria’s most radical architects and a major influence on many of architecture’s leading lights but remains widely unknown. A new exhibition aims to change that.
