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Architectural Design: The Latest Architecture and News

How to Challenge the Design Brief? An Interview with ATELIER XI

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ATELIER XI has been selected for ArchDaily's 2023 New Practices and is one of the few firms still rooted in traditional architectural design. Founded in 2017, ATELIER XI began their practice in Shenzhen, one of the fastest-growing and urbanizing cities in China. Their work represents the current state of a generation of architects, with major projects in small-scale urban architecture, exhibition design, interior design, renovation, and rural architecture. While they may not become urban landmarks, they can still influence the lifestyle of the community through small-scale design.

The studio aspires to create spaces that bring unique poetry and profoundness to contemporary urban and rural environments: "We see architecture as an art of mediation between social, economic, and political interests. We strive to create meaningful places with minimal resources. We aim to convey emotions and memories through spatial poetry. We believe that each space, whether grand or tiny, offers a glimpse into the vastness of our world and serves as a testament to the glory of everyday life. By planting these quiet and resilient spaces one at a time, we envision architecture branching out and flourishing with life and narratives."

Five Ways to Revolutionize the Exploration, Design, and Creation of Buildings

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Architecture encompasses a comprehensive design process that incorporates various steps and considerations for transforming abstract ideas into well-designed and functional projects. While specific approaches may vary, this dynamic and iterative process involves understanding the requirements, goals, and constraints of each case, followed by a conceptual design and detailed development of the spatial organization, relationships, and aesthetic aspects. It concludes with a construction and post-occupancy evaluation. Creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and previous site analysis guide the creation of functional and aesthetically pleasing designs.

As the most impactful part of the process, the concept design stage is where the shape of a project comes together. Utilizing technologies to revolutionize the nature of design processes, Codesign emerges as a pioneering tool that leverages the power of the iPad and the flexibility of sketching to inform and encourage architects in exploring all the angles and potentialities of their ideas. By transforming sketches into 3D building models, Codesign facilitates an iterative process, enabling architects to explore, iterate, and promptly comprehend the downstream effects of their design possibilities. Here are five ways they are helping leading practices and principles design more today.

Four Retractable Shade Solutions for Residential Exteriors

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Shade refers to a region or state where sunlight is partially obstructed by objects or structures. This concept plays a crucial role in architectural design, as it significantly impacts comfort and functionality. It offers relief from direct sunlight, helps regulate temperature, and reduces glare. For these reasons, architects strategically incorporate shading elements to enhance the quality and utility of spaces, especially in outdoor residential areas. In this context, ShadeFX are manufacturers of innovative sun, rain and privacy solutions that are customized for every project regardless of size or complexity.

Making Architecture Through Being Human: A Handbook of Design Ideas

Architecture can seem complicated, mysterious or even ill-defined, especially to a student being introduced to architectural ideas for the first time. One way to approach architecture is simply as the design of human environments. When we consider architecture in this way, there is a good place to start – ourselves. Our engagement in our environment has shaped the way we think which we, in turn, use to then shape that environment. It is from this foundation that we produce meaning, make sense of our surroundings, structure relationships and even frame more complex and abstract ideas. This is the start of

Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design

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Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design - Featured Image
Department of Architecture, University of Hartford

A team of five University of Hartford Master of Architecture (MArch) students recently won the Dream Green, Hartford EcoDesign competition sponsored by the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation and hosted by the City of Hartford Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. The competition requested proposals to improve the city through “pop-up” projects that transform underused city spaces while highlighting green infrastructure and sustainable design.

Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design - Image 1 of 4Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design - Image 2 of 4Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design - Image 3 of 4Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design - Image 4 of 4Hartford Architecture Students Win Urban Sustainability Competition Through “Live, Work, Play” Park Design - More Images+ 6

Urban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS

Urban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS - Buildings
Factory Zone Vego Plaza. Image © Chao Zhang

Urban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS - BuildingsUrban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS - BuildingsUrban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS - BuildingsUrban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS - BuildingsUrban Design and Research of Nantou Old Town / MENG YAN | URBANUS - More Images+ 46

Learning New Design Viz Methods—Is It Worth It?

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Design visualization just keeps reaching new heights. While renderings remain a common part of design presentation, advances in technology have made new types of media not only possible but within the reach of even small teams and firms. These newer types of media require a change in workflow. Is it worth it?

How Real-Time Rendering Can Reduce Your Time and Effort in Architectural Design

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Architects are always trying to be more efficient and adding more value for clients. But with most software, rendering is very time-consuming, impairing efficiency significantly. It is exhausting for designers when the process of visual processing uses energy that would be better invested in design and architecture itself.

With the Enscape plugin, real-time rendering and virtual reality can help to remedy this situation. The plugin integrates as a toolbar in the popular design platforms Rhino, Revit and SketchUp, with a version for Archicad also currently in development. Because the software is a plugin for these popular programs, architects do not need to learn to use new software, but work in their familiar system with some additional features. And since the software runs on the local graphics card, projects do not have to be uploaded to the cloud.

How Real-Time Rendering Can Revolutionize Design - Again

In the 1990s, the field of architectural design was transformed by the widespread adoption of computers and CAD programs. This revolution affected the entire design process from start to finish, including presentation techniques. Traditional watercolor paintings were replaced by computer-generated images that could show the design from multiple angles. A virtual camera could even fly through the design and produce a video tour of the yet-to-be-built concept.

Guangming Exhibition Hall of UABB / CUBE DESIGN

Guangming Exhibition Hall of UABB / CUBE DESIGN - Facade, DoorGuangming Exhibition Hall of UABB / CUBE DESIGN - Courtyard, FacadeGuangming Exhibition Hall of UABB / CUBE DESIGN - Facade, DoorGuangming Exhibition Hall of UABB / CUBE DESIGN - Courtyard, Facade, HandrailGuangming Exhibition Hall of UABB / CUBE DESIGN - More Images+ 13

Shenzhen, China
  • Architects: CUBE DESIGN
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  984
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2017

Call for Submissions: 2016 Furniture Design Competition

Purple Loft is an upcoming Home Decor & Interior Design company. Our primary focus is to create a one-stop decor solution to provide for all needs of our customers. In our quest to develop world class designs, we are conducting an online design competition to nurture the designing talent.

Call for Submissions: Next Step Program and Award

Next Step Program is a new program for emerging design talent in architecture. The initiative by BNA International (Netherlands) and developer SYNCHROON strives to give young designers the opportunity to make a next step in their careers.

Open Call: Competition of Interior and Entrance Design of Tabriz Metro Stations - Station No. 11

Tabriz Urban Railway Organization, which is in charge of design, implementation and operation of Tabriz metro network, announces an open call entitled “Competition of Interior and Entrance Design of Tabriz Metro Stations” to receive the creative proposals aiming at improving the spatial quality of the stations. The competition for Interior and Entrance Design of Station No. 11 (Sa’at square) is organized following the said policy and as the second competition of the competitions series. 

Take AD Magazine’s Women in Architecture Survey for Upcoming Special Edition

In August 1975, Architectural Design magazine published a special edition about Women in Architecture. At the time, director Monica Pidgeon sent letters to 100 architects asking what women can contribute to architecture that men can’t (and vice-versa), as well as the advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in the profession.

Now, 40 years later, a new version of the study aims to repeat Pidgeon’s initiative through an online survey with similar questions.

Architectural Design: Human Experience and Place - Sustaining Identity

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Human Experience and Place: Sustaining Identity is the latest title in the successful and prestigious Architectural Design (AD) series. Officially launched at the Sustaining Identity Symposium in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum at the end of November, this issue features both well-known and emerging practices worldwide.

By drawing on examples from across the world, this issue of AD demonstrates that, in a time of commercial globalisation, it is possible for architects, designers and engineers to create outstanding buildings that retain a sense of local identity, both in terms of cultural heritage and the conservation of the environment.