Tag: christian-kerez | ArchDaily

Disciplinary Reflections for a Planet in Transition and a New Airport Terminal in Casablanca: This Week’s Review

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

This week, architecture presents new visions of the future across a geographically diverse landscape, with landmark projects and renewal initiatives emerging in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Bahrain, Germany, Italy, Australia, Morocco, and Burundi. New platforms for discussing urban futures highlight decolonization and the climate crisis as central priorities for contemporary architectural practice. At the same time, contrasting perspectives on urban regeneration are reflected in both the demolition of recent landmark structures and the large-scale transformation of industrial sites. On another note, the Olympic Games continue to act as catalysts for architectural production, as seen in the proposal for a new sports center in Australia for Brisbane 2032. This momentum coincides with major international infrastructure developments in Africa, including a new airport terminal in Morocco, as well as projects that rethink spaces for research and public engagement, such as a new building for the German Language Forum.

Christian Kerez’s Pearling Path Car Parks Being Demolished in Muharraq, Bahrain

Reyyan Dogan — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Parking structures designed by Christian Kerez along the Pearling Path in Bahrain are being demolished as part of an ongoing redevelopment initiative in Muharraq. Local reports state that the removal of the car parks is tied to a broader plan to reorganize the historic area and improve access to key heritage sites, including the Sheikh Isa bin Ali House. While the full extent of the intervention has not been officially detailed, available information indicates that multiple structures within the four-part project are affected and that work is already underway.

Rethinking the Flat Datum: Designing Space with Incline and Intent

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Historically, architecture and the built environment have insisted on creating flat, hard surfaces. In earlier eras, walking without paved ground meant mud-caked shoes, uneven footing, tripping hazards, standing water after rain, and high maintenance. Hence, as we shaped cities, we prioritized a smooth, continuous, solid horizontal datum. The benefits are real: easier walking, simpler cleaning, and straightforward programming—furniture, equipment, and partitions all prefer a level base. This universal preference for building on flat ground remains the norm and, for many practical reasons, will likely continue to be.

Muharraq Architecture City Guide: 10 Projects Through the Bahraini City's Developing Pearling Path

Hana Abdel — Sat, 31 May 2025 06:30:00 +0000

The Kingdom of Bahrain is being widely acknowledged recently through their worldwide architectural contributions at the Expo 2025 in Osaka, with their Anatomy of a Dhow pavilion by Lina Ghotmeh; or at the Venice Biennale, where the Heatwave exhibition was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation. However, for the past few years Bahraini cities like Muharraq have been lending the stage for regional and international architects to discover their typical Persian Gulf architecture and add their own touches to the local sites. It's through the works of Leopold Banchini, Anne Holtrop, or Valerio Olgiati that the old has been brought back to life, along with the efforts of the local authorities and cultural figures.

Christian Kerez Unveils Winning Design for the Renovation of the Palazzo Rosso in St Gallen. Switzerland

Maria-Cristina Florian — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Christian Kerez was announced as the winner of the competition for the renovation of the Palazzo Rosso in St. Gallen, home to the Textile Museum St. Gallen, in eastern Switzerland. The project, titled “Das Schwere ist des Leichten Wurzelgrund,” or “The Heavy Is the Root of the Light,” responds to the goal of raising the profile of the Palazzo Rosso and increasing its visibility and attractivity. The proposal is currently undergoing further development by order of the Textile Museum Foundation for clarifying questions of feasibility and finance.

First Look into Expo 2020 Dubai: 6 Must See National Pavilions

Dima Stouhi — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 05:30:00 +0000

After a year delay due to the worldwide pandemic, October 1st saw the inauguration of one of the most anticipated events of the year; the Expo 2020 in Dubai. The event, which is being held for the first time in the Middle East, focuses on architecture, culture, and innovation, with over 191 national participants. The pavilions on display are divided into three districts: Mobility, Sustainability, and Opportunity, each showcasing how their country has contributed and will contribute to its respective theme. In addition to the national pavilions, each district has its own thematic pavilion: the Sustainability Pavilion “Terra” by Grimshaw, the Mobility Pavilion “Alif” by Foster + Partners, and the Opportunity Pavilion “Mission Possible” by AGi Architects.

Zürich City Guide: 23 Spots Architecture Enthusiasts Shouldn’t Miss

Virginia Duran — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 04:30:00 +0000

The historical Roman town has been busy at work and new exciting buildings, squares, and public parks have bloomed across the city. Since my first trip to Zürich in 2014, a lot has happened around good old Turicum.

Christian Kerez Designs Parking Structure in Bahrain as Part of the Pearl Path Project

Andreea Cutieru — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 05:30:00 +0000

Since 2002, the historic city of Muharraq, the third-largest in Bahrain, has been the protagonist of a comprehensive preservation and development project meant to highlight its pearling history and improve the urban environment. Building on Muharraq’s legacy are several new structures designed by world-renowned architects to create the framework for the city’s revival, among which are four multistorey car parks designed by Christian Kerez and set to be completed this year. The structures envisioned not as car storage but as public spaces feature curved slabs that create a continuous transition from one level to the other while shaping a constantly changing spatial experience.

The Bahrain Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Unifies the Regenerative Initiatives of Muharraq City

Dima Stouhi — Thu, 27 May 2021 06:30:00 +0000

Titled "In Muharraq", the Bahrain Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, explores the city's architectural and urban heritage, regeneration, and conservation. Curated by Noura Al Sayeh and Ghassan Chemali, the pavilion will be on display at the Arsenale from May 22nd until November 21st, 2021.

Grafton Architects, Anupama Kundoo and More to Design Interventions Alongside Artisans in Chile

Fabian Dejtiar — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 05:00:00 +0000

The Chilean organization Ruta Pais Foundation has invited international architects and local artisans to design a series of architectural interventions in order to create 3 artisan routes in the Chilean Central Valley: Wicker Route in Chimbarongo, Clay Route in Pomaire, and Stone Route in Pelequén.

Think You Know Swiss Architecture? Think Again.

James Taylor-Foster — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 04:00:00 +0000

In one of his 1922 travel essays for the Toronto Star Ernest Hemingway wrote, in a typically thewy tone, of “a small, steep country, much more up and down than sideways and all stuck over with large brown hotels built [in] the cuckoo style of architecture.” This was his Switzerland: a country cornered in the heartland of Europe and yet distant from so much of its history. A nation which, for better or worse and particularly over the course of the 20th Century, has cultivated and become subject to a singularly one-dimensional reputation when it comes to architectural culture and the built environment.

A Combination of Wonder and Structure: Christian Kerez on Swiss Architecture

AD Editorial Team — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:00:00 +0000

In this fourth episode of GSAPP Conversations, third-year GSAPP Master of Architecture student Ayesha Ghosh speaks with Swiss architect Christian Kerez, who delivered the opening lecture of the school's Spring 2017 Semester. Kerez's recent projects include Incidental Space at the Swiss Pavillion of the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, an amorphous structure which raised questions of the limits of imagination and technical feasibility in architecture today.

Peter Zumthor Selected to Design Beyeler Foundation Expansion

Patrick Lynch — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 14:00:00 +0000

The office of Peter Zumthor has been selected to design an expansion to the Beyeler Foundation, located just outside Zumthor’s childhood home of Basel, Switzerland. The Swiss architect was chosen from a prestigious shortlist of 11 firms to add to the existing museum building, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and completed in 1997.

Kerez, Herzog & de Meuron and Studio Gang Shortlisted to Design London's Royal College of Art's Battersea Campus

AD Editorial Team — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 04:15:00 +0000

London's Royal College of Art (RCA) have revealed seven invited shortlisted practices for its new state-of-the-art £108million Battersea South campus. Featuring a smattering of architects from Europe, including Herzog & de Meuron and Lacaton & Vassal, and from the USA, such as Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Studio Gang, the organisation intends to announce the winning scheme in October 2016.

Incidental Space: Inside the Swiss Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale

Sandra Oehy — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 04:00:00 +0000

As part of ArchDaily's coverage of the 2016 Venice Biennale, we are presenting a series of articles written by the curators of the exhibitions and installations on show.

Lisbon Architecture Triennial: Critical Distance – Christian Kerez

Rene Submissions — Fri, 06 May 2016 15:45:00 +0000

Christian Kerez will close the 2nd Critical Distance cycle organized by the Lisbon Architecture Triennale. The Swiss architect is this year invited to represent his country at the 15th Venice Architectural Biennale. In his architecture, Kerez explores the structural elements as the most visible element of his buildings, strongly illustrated in projects such as a school in Leutschenbach, Switzerland, or a skyscraper in China.

A+U 547: Poetry of Modesty

AD Editorial Team — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:00:00 +0000

From the Publisher: The April 2016 issue of a+u introduces 18 works by 12 architects from around the world. The issue begins with one of the masterpieces of modern residential architecture, the Kappe Residence, from Los Angeles in the 1960s. The other works, including houses, pavilions, and a church, differ in scale and program, but they share a common attitude which could be called a commitment to space that is a pure ad of remarkable beauty.

Christian Kerez to Contribute to Swiss Pavilion at 2016 Venice Biennale

Sabrina Santos — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 06:00:00 +0000

The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia has nominated Christian Kerez, a Venezuela-born, Swiss architect, to represent Switzerland at the 15^th Architecture Biennial in Venice in 2016. The exhibition will be curated by Swiss art historian Sandra Oehy, and will be on display at the Biennial from May 28 to November 27, 2016. Switzerland will also be represented by <>, a platform for discussion and debate on contemporary art and architecture.