The downtown skyline of a city is perhaps its most symbolic feature. The iconic cityscapes that we know and love are typically formed by skyscrapers, but much of the surrounding context is made up of other high-rise buildings. Yes, there is a difference between a skyscraper and a high-rise. Research company Emporis defines a high-rise as a building at least 35 meters (115 feet) or 12 stories tall. These high-rise buildings play a major role in the more sprawled urban context of larger cities today.
Read on for Emporis' list of the 20 cities in the world with the most high-rises. You might be surprised by which cities made the cut.
For many, summer brings a sharp increase in time spent outdoors. Whether that be a dip in the pool after a long day at work or a casual stroll to the office, the summer months are best enjoyed outside. Admittedly, there are times when the summer heat can be too intense, and A/C is needed, but why not enjoy the great outdoors while you're at it?
Architecture provides the unique opportunity to meld the comfort of the indoors with the experience of being outdoors. Selected from our project archives, these nine houses offer the perfect combination of indoor/outdoor spaces ripe for summer living.
We absolutely love contemporary homes not only for their smart design but their visual appeal. Architects have a way of varying their design according to several factors such as the local and historical context, customs and cultures of users. The 10 projects below are no exception: open-floor plans, clean lines, minimal clutter, and a neutral color palette...
In a country like Brazil where all these factors vary in contrasting ways, it is possible to see a diversity of projects and architectural design approach adopted to deal with the challenge of building a residence.
French designer, Nathanaël Abeille's metalized pieces in 'Proyecto Reflexión' shows how a building could reflect sunlight and share it with another building in some of the narrow spaces of Villa 21 de Barracas, Buenos Aires. These "metal bricks" came about as a combined team effort with architects Francisco Ribero and journalist Cecilia Fortunato.
The project inscribed inside a gasholder in St. Petersburg, aims to transform an industrial area into an educational and scientific center with a large projection screen. The fun part? It is located in a large geodesic dome.
The geometric model is made up of mainly with wood and metal links for a light and resistant construction.
Uniting the material intelligence of vernacular crafts with the precision and flexibility provided by the new digital design and manufacturing technologies, the Robotic Fabrication LAB of The Faculty of Architecture of HKU has developed the CeramicINformation Pavilion, with the objective of finding suitable levels of automation to be used for emerging and transitioning economies.
Part of an evolving series, each of its 1,000 components is unique and relates specifically to its neighboring units. The elements are constructed through 3D printing and are made of terracotta brick, a material commonly used in modern Chinese construction.
In buildings where openness, brightness, and outward views are highly valued by the users of our projects, glass predominates as an exterior cladding in cities all around the world. This forces us to look for options that can manage the excess of solar radiation and maintain thermal comfort in all seasons, without obstructing the views or darkening the interior spaces.
Prefabricated metal meshes provide certain qualities and flexibility that can work well in conjunction with glass; here we present 8 tips to work with this material and take advantage of its potential.
Far from the noteworthy neighborhoods that often have buildings design by renowned architects, São Paulo's houses capture the modest scale that permeates the identity of its citizens. Alberto Simon, an artist based in the city of São Paulo, photographed the remarkable details of these unassuming housing in his project titled "tamanho_M," which roughly translates to Size M.
Find out more about the project in the artist's own words and see the impressive photos below.
Small spaces sometimes have to host essential functions. How can you incorporate the kitchen into your design in the best possible way when your floor space is limited? We have thoroughly reviewed our published projects to select 7 houses in which the architects have effectively solved this problem, using intelligent and innovative configurations.
These kitchens manage to appear larger than they really are when attached to neighboring spaces such as living rooms or dining rooms. In themselves, they are kitchens that occupy very small spaces, opting for a different approach to the traditional kitchen that normally occupies an independent and exclusive room.
As the profession becomes more aware of the variety of users who will use their architectural creations it is necessary to consider certain basic rules. In the end, the idea is that a building or space can be used comfortably, effectively and (if necessary) quickly by all users. Today the use of BIM technology encourages the incorporation of pre-modeled products in projects, which facilitates the processes. However, if pre-modeled products are not inclusively designed, there is an increased possibility of overlooking these accessible considerations–especially when their architects have no experience or are unaware of accessible design guidelines.
Bradley Corporation USA, a manufacturer of plumbing fixtures and bathroom accessories, has developed standard models of bathrooms for people with disabilities, delivering the basic requirements that must be incorporated according to the guidelines specified by organizations such as the ADA and the ANSI. Below we present an example of an accessible bathroom for a single person, incorporating, among other things, a touchless handwashing sink (all-in-one: soap, water, and hand dryer) and a series of safety bars. Before including it in your project, don't forget to check the local regulations of your country/region.
Seeking to combine traditional education with the responsible use of resources and the development of sustainable human relations, the first sustainable public school in Latin America was created. Designed under a constructive method developed by the North American architect Michael Reynolds, who has now built such schools around the world.
The 270 square meters building is on the coastal portion of Jaureguiberry, Canelones and was raised in only seven weeks. Its construction is made up of approximately 60% recycled materials (covered with plastic and glass bottles, cans, cardboard) and 40% of traditional materials.
Gonzalo Viramonte has released a series of photographs that focus in on the use of bricks by engineer Eladio Dieste in his Atlántida Cristo Obrero church.
Viramonte shows us the essence of the project with an artful register that places the serial yet simple material element (the brick) at the forefront. This gallery also celebrates the potential and versatility of bricks by highlighting the artfully geometric interior and exterior spaces and the apertures that allow natural light to cast upon the walls, floors, and other surfaces.
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is a methodology that allows architects to create digital design simulations to manage all the information associated with an architectural project.
While CAD creates 2- or 3-dimensional drawings that don't distinguish between their elements, BIM incorporates 4-D (time) and 5-D (costs). This allows users to manage information intelligently throughout the life cycle of a project, automating processes such as programming, conceptual design, detailed design, analysis, documentation, manufacturing, construction logistics, operation and maintenance, renovation and/or demolition.
In any design and construction project there are an unlimited number of participants, as well as infinite interactions between parties. The projects are multidisciplinary and include information that is not necessary to all involved. So who is responsible for what in each project? How far does my responsibility go and where does yours start? BIM helps to order the complexity of this process. [1]
Architecture students of the American University of Beirut used an ephemeral design to approach the lack of awareness of marine biodiversity and responsible use of the coast of Tyre. The proposal consists of a lightweight and deployable structure constituting a programmatic point of meeting and information on the sand.
The project materialized with wood, metal ties and ropes, approach the possible application of light and temporary systems to generate a large social impact and at the same time minimum physical impact on the site.
https://www.archdaily.com/889286/how-a-lightweight-deployable-structure-of-wood-and-metal-can-have-a-large-social-impactAD Editorial Team
The use of bamboo in construction is not yet widespread. This is the reason why Eleena Jamil proposes the use of this sustainable material in different configurations, resulting in a resistant, light and permeable structure.
The project, an urban pavilion in Malaysia built mainly with circular bamboo rings, explores the different possibilities of the linear material with a variety of measurements and links of joinery and strings.
https://www.archdaily.com/889273/permeable-bamboo-walls-for-an-urban-pavilion-in-malaysiaAD Editorial Team
With the aim of promoting more efficient ways to isolate and protect building envelopes, the Chilean team Rootman has developed Thermoroot; a biodegradable and 100% natural insulation made from roots without genetic modifications or chemical additives. These roots make up what the company is calling a Radicular Mattress which, in addition to thermally and acoustically insulating the walls, floors, and ceilings of buildings, it is fire resistant.
The hashtag officially became part of the Oxford English Dictionary in 2014, and whether you tend to use them or not, they are a pretty unavoidable internet tool that helps users connect related internet content. Maybe you’re hashtagging photos to get featured on a certain account or to poke some fun at yourself (see Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon)? But serious ArchDaily readers have been using “#” to group beautiful photographs of architecture for the better part of a decade. When Instagram announced that it was possible to follow hashtags, die-hard taggers found a way to discover and like new content without actively seeking it out.
San Diego Airport has unveiled their permanent interactive artwork DAZZLE on the Airport’s Rental Car Centre commissioned by San Diegos County Regional Airport Authority, that features the debut of E Ink's revolutionary prism technology on a large architectural scale. The installation has been designed to manipulate the form of the façade using inspiration from the World War I military technique “razzle dazzle” that camouflaged the outlines of ships. This phenomenon of visually scrambling the shapes to hide from being spotted can be witnessed in nature too, as the stripes on a zebra equally become an optical illusion to disrupt the predator’s perception.
Courtesy of Lapyote Prasittisopin, Chanita Chuaysiri / Siam Research and Innovation
Siam Research and Innovation Company (SRI) is a Thailand-based cement manufacturer that has been developing innovations to push the limits of 3D printing in architecture. Their project 'Triple S' –developed in 2017– is based on traditional Thai craftsmanship to generate Surface, Structure, and Shelter in a single process; its specific artisanal form creating beautiful framework for structural purposes, easily building living spaces.
Ateliereen Architecten has proposed a metal and wood configuration for an observation tower in Peize, Netherlands. Their plan is to construct a resistant, permeable and playful structure.
The project is designed so that people climbing up the tower will have unique viewpoints. This tower is also easily assembled from screws and bolts.
"Exoskeleton" is a pavilion that shows how Computer Aided Manufacturing can create rapid prototypes. This manufacturing process allows for real-scale construction and experimentation with limited resources.
In this project, a system of modules, designed with different dimensions, is put together with simple joints without nails or screws. This allows for different surfaces to be formed and for the pieces to be rotated and assembled at various angles and heights.
Designing public spaces without considering the circulation and parking of bicycles is no longer an option in today's world. Accessibility for the free traffic of cyclists must also be accompanied by adequate security conditions, incorporating these devices in the best possible way to parks, sidewalks, parking lots, and the streetscape as a whole.
Are you designing an urban space, or do the exteriors of your project require a correct link with the circulation of bicycles? Check these support elements that can help you to generate a better city for the urban commuter on wheels.
https://www.archdaily.com/887343/urban-equipment-for-public-spaces-helps-to-build-a-bike-friendly-cityAD Editorial Team
Guidelines and Requirements for Inclusive Architecture Projects. Image via Municipalidad de Rosario
Last year we shared a guide to the United States' ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Given the article's success and the diversity of our audience, we're making available a collection of guideline documents from Latin America and Spain. Whether you're working on projects in these countries or you're looking to broaden your knowledge of universal design, these guides should come in handy.
These documents—published as PDFs—have been made available by institutions and organizations and refer to the requirements and laws of the indicated countries.
This vertical cladding for facades is a high-density laminated panel, composed of a core of paper fibers -compressed at high temperature and pressure- and an outer coating highly resistant to weathering and UV radiation. The wood used in the panels has been treated with Everlook®, a component that - without the need for maintenance - extends the useful life of the panel and the stability of its color regardless of weather conditions.
To generate a ventilated facade with these panels, each unit must be installed on vertical profiles, producing an uninterrupted airflow behind the panel. Here's how to do it.
