Victor Delaqua holds a Master's degree from FAUUSP (São Paulo). He is an architect and urban planner from UFSC (Florianópolis) and studied at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. A contributor to ArchDaily since 2012, he is a Content and Community & Social Media editor. Professionally, he also works in exhibition and set design.
We’ve already presented a selection of staircases made from beautiful materials, and are back for round 2! With different types of materials and support techniques, some stairs give us the feeling of being suspended in the air, while others play with the exposed elements that sustain them. In this round-up, we’ve got some seriously spiraling stairs, both in public and private buildings. We’re also showcasing some unique metal staircases so thin they look almost see-through – a feat of architecture and structural design.
Check out ten more unique staircases from our archive below:
Stairs do more than take you up a floor; they represent a journey the architect wants you to travel. The act of ascending and descending extends beyond planning. Projects like Herzog and De Meuron’s expressive staircases in VitraHaus, Sou Fujimoto’s inhabited stairs in Musashino’s Library and even MVRDV’s giant urban staircase allowed individuals to achieve entirely new perspectives of their surroundings or even city. Staircases hold their own as elements of architectural expression. Some blend in; others puncture a space with their unique shape and materials.
Through his sketches, Renzo Piano communicates the true intentions of his projects, pointing to the specific concepts that will become the protagonists of his works, including concern for the human scale and comfort, solar studies, and dialogue with the immediate environment. We compile here ten projects by the architect accompanied by their sketches, through which it is possible to see how the 1998 Pritzker Prize winner takes his designs from paper to reality.
Contemporary Japanese homes are a balance between the country’s traditional values of organizing spaces and architectural innovation that is constantly on the move. They challenge the norms of how to occupy places, pushing the envelope for what it means to have a minimal, “micro-living”. Through experiments small and smaller, residential projects in Japan shed new light on how we go about our daily routines and rituals at home and question urbanites on what we can do with the space we have.
For this reason, we’re inspired to go through our archives and bring out 10 projects that bring out new perspectives on Japanese architecture, be it aesthetic, functional or atmospheric.
The strategic definition of a new cruise terminal had a double objective: improvement of the commercial efficiency and a better urban integration. In this photoset, Fernando Guerra captures the many sides of the Leixões Cruise Terminal, a project that won the 2017 Building of the Year Awardsin the "Public Architecture" category.
Get to know all the facets of this building below.
Like architecture, food has a way of making us feel a sense of time and place. The act of eating together is ingrained in our human rituals surrounding spaces and how we inhabit them. The space that shelters us during our meal can be bustling or intimate, but nevertheless contributes our memories there, and the experience of eating at a good restaurant goes far beyond the food served in it. For it to be truly immersive, everything is thought of - from the shade of timber to the shape of your knife when you sit down to eat.
We’ve gathered 10 examples from our archive of beautiful restaurants worth a visit – check them out below:
In all but the most optimistic architect's career, there will be moments you come across doubts and insecurities about our profession. It is in these moments where the wisdom of the greats who have come before us can help provoke the inspiration needed to face the challenges proposed by architecture and urbanism.
In the tropics, the sunlight falls generously. The leaked elements draw the shadow on floors and walls, an effect that transforms the entire environment for those who see it from the outside and inside. With the changing seasons and throughout the course of the day, natural light comes in different ways as it adds new components to architecture. In the course of the night, the artificial light passes through the small openings from the inside to the outside, making a sort of urban lamp that interacts with the shadows of its users and furniture.
In addition to its function, the cobogó brings a certain poetic feel to any architectural project. Here, we have highlighted this Brazilian creation, to briefly shed light on its history and to present a selection of projects that adopt this element.
Prefabrication is not a new idea for architects, but its usage is arguably on the rise. Using prefabricated materials can keep your costs down, as well as make your project more sustainable and efficient. But for this to happen, there must be a defined process of construction, which respects the architectural intent and integrates the entire structure with the building's facilities. This way, the work can be carried out in the shortest time possible, and the cost of labor and maintenance is reduced, as is the waste of materials.
The five designs selected below adopt prefabricated materials and demonstrate the benefits that it brings to the creative design strategy. Read on to see what each of their architects said about their prefabrication strategy.
Like a reader hooked on a bestselling thriller, the design of libraries has enthralled architects and the general public for centuries. From the classical mahogany grandeur of the world-famous Long Room at Trinity College Dublin to the post-war, brick modernism of the British Library in London, the important role of libraries in our lives has historically demanded a degree of architectural thought and consideration.
In recent times, however, that historic role has changed. With the digital age revolutionizing how we access, research, and communicate information, libraries are no longer reserved exclusively for books. Libraries today must act as ‘information hubs’, with the flexibility to accommodate a diverse range of media and arts. Architects have responded to the challenge of a new era, reimagining how libraries are built, experienced, and utilized, without entirely throwing away the rule book.
Below, we have rounded-up 12 libraries from around the world, all with architecture from the top shelf.
The church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande will be the first church built in France’s Brittany region in the 21st-century. The project has been contracted to the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. Siza’s use of light and white concrete provide a unique ceremonial space that gently folds into the neighborhood south of Rennes, a residential area with five-story housing blocks. The Porto-based Italian photographer, Nicolò Galeazzi, visited the site and shared with us his perspective of Siza’s work in progress.
Last year I had the opportunity to visit Studio Gang, one of the most prestigious and inspiring firms around led by architect Jeanne Gang. I was able to talk with her team about the workspace, some of her projects, about the future of architecture, the role of women in the profession and even about the inspirations behind the United States Embassy in Brasilia.
The Eames are mainly known for their furniture and their house in Pacific Palisades, which they also used as an office. Few people are aware of the Max and Esther De Pree House, a rare venture into residential architecture by the Eames.
This is a story about a girl..... her red tricycle, and of a beautiful house. Inspired by “The Shining” from Stanley Kubrick.
In this film, by architects Spaceworkers and produced by Building Pictures, of Cabo de Vila House instead of using the tricycle and the space to install a sense of madness, the idea of the project is to show that the house has no barriers between the different spaces. The house is set up as an organic geometry that establishes hierarchies between spaces allowing mutual visual contact. What better way to show this than to follow a young girl as she travels through the house on her tricycle.
Check out the full video and more about the project after the break.
It is difficult to understand and quantify the importance of design in our lives. However, when we take a closer look at the pieces that inspire and transform our daily life, innovative furniture brings us new ways of seeing the world, further enhancing the meaning of simple concepts like beauty, comfort, and quality.
Inspired by the increasingly popular micro house trend, these 10 project designs came about for various reasons. In addition to being a cheaper option when compared to larger homes – both for construction and in maintenance – they are an ideal solution for people who want to reduce their material possessions and the space they occupy. Tiny houses have evolved far beyond cramped quarters into a custom being adopted both as a viable alternative to the unaffordability of housing and a source of freedom.
These selected houses, each under 40 square meters, serve as perfect examples of innovative designs that provide a simpler life, while fostering social interaction between people and dialogue with their environment.
On February 10 2017, Netflix will launch a new documentary series—Abstract: The Art of Design—which will present "the most creative designers" from various fields in the design word, with the aim of demonstrating how design influences all aspects of our lives. One of the eight protagonists in the spotlight will be Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, of BIG, who will present his vision of architecture alongside professionals in interior design, graphic design, automotive design, illustration, and set design.
Check out the series feature designers after the break:
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