What insulation materials are needed to meet the challenges facing the modern built environment, including how to create a more sustainable future? What if some of them are already available? Kingspan’s dedicated innovation center, IKON, hosted a panel of experts to discuss some of the key issues and explore solutions. Michael Bol, an architect and Concepting Director at Buro Kade, Benjamin Constant, Director of Development and Partnerships at Neo-Eco Partner, and Sandra Del Bove, Kingspan Group Head of Innovation, each brought a different perspective and shared their experiences of these crucial issues.
Villa Groot, Belgium / Lemaire & Longeval. Image Courtesy of Randers Tegl
Bricks are versatile and long-lasting building materials that combine technical and aesthetic qualities. In a variety of shapes, dimensions, textures, and colors –depending on the manufacturing process and type of clay– incorporating bricks into architecture creates dynamic facades and structures. From traditional to modern styles, these versatile elements can be arranged in different patterns and easily integrated with other building materials, enabling diverse architectural expressions. In addition to these qualities, the use of bricks in contemporary architecture is distinguished by experimenting with placement, orientation, and material textures, as well as embracing minimalistic design principles focused on simple and clean lines.
Among the different types of bricks, designing with a linear or elongated style involves playing with horizontal and vertical arrangements –or a combination of both– creating modular patterns for a rhythmic and harmonious visual appeal. Following this format, Randers Tegl has developed the Ultima waterstruck brick collection, which integrates craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and timeless appeal. By analyzing various projects, we showcase how the aesthetics of linear bricks are applied in contemporary architecture.
Solar Facades on Det Grønne Hus. Image Courtesy of SolarLab
Renovations involve design processes that transform, refurbish and enhance architectural elements. From gentle aesthetic changes to structural additions, building renovation can improve functionality, safety, and energy efficiency. By integrating new technologies, contemporary strategies are giving new life to existing buildings, propelling already-built projects into the future.
Through their energy-efficient, durable, and bespoke solutions, SolarLab leverages architectural heritage by introducing custom energy-producing facades to existing buildings. By seamlessly combining technologies with design freedom, these solar facades adapt to each project’s style while acting as rain screens with a long, maintenance-free service life. Moreover, by producing sustainable electricity, integrating this system into refurbishment projects contributes to the building’s day-to-day operations, effectively reducing its environmental impact.
Within the shifts in architectural movements and styles, furniture design has also evolved throughout the years, transitioning from elaborate curvy lines and opulent materials to simple and functional layouts, and back again, in constant movement. As it continues to evolve, contemporary furniture design is often influenced by technological advances, exploring digital fabrication and user-centered design, while also responding to sustainable strategies. These innovations have elevated custom furniture design, crafting unique pieces tailored to individual needs, preferences, and space specifications.
With the ability to adapt to each user, bespoke furniture design creates unique pieces crafted to meet individual needs, preferences, and space specifications. Delving into augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), Tylko creates customized, long-lasting, and sustainable solutions for sideboards, wall storage, bookcases, wardrobes and TV stands. Analyzing their tech-forward approach to creating endless possibilities of made-to-measure furniture, we showcase their design process experience, along with their intuitive online configurator and augmented reality app.
Image created using AI under the prompt: An emotive and detailed illustration of the texture of various types of architectural insulation. Image via DALL.E 2
Although more related to evolutionary aspects than to architecture itself, the inherent physical fragility of human beings has required, since prehistoric times, that we protect our bodies and our buildings from external elements. As an example, beginning with the primitive huts used in the earliest forms of domestic architecture, furs were employed as an exterior covering to restrict the flow of air and, consequently, regulate the interior environment.
Subsequently, we have observed an evolution that clearly shows advances in insulation techniques, going from vernacular materials such as adobe to an increase in the thickness of walls using stone or brick, finally reaching the cavity walls developed in the 19th century, which left a small air chamber between an exterior and an interior face of the wall. Its later popularization led to the introduction of insulation between both faces, a system that is widely recognized and used today and has laid the foundations for further developments in this field.
https://www.archdaily.com/1008656/a-glimpse-into-the-evolution-of-insulation-materials-in-architectureEnrique Tovar
The small town of Illueca lies in a rift valley, flanked by the massifs of the Sierra de la Virgen and Sierra de la Camamila mountain ranges, which run close to the Moncayo Nature Reserve (Zaragoza, Spain). It is in this setting that Permán & Franco Architects Studio have built a primary-care health center, with a distinctive design and ventilated façade by Faveker.
The Illueca Health Centre stands in a new development area of the town, providing the region with healthcare services, including 11 nearby towns and villages. It was built on an almost 1,400 m2 plot of land featuring an over two-meter drop between the entrance at street level and the land used as a base for the building.
Inspiring applications of the MEM collection in architectural settings inspired by AI. Image Courtesy of Dornbracht
In addition to contributing to the functionality of the space, bathroom fittings underlie the overall aesthetics of a chosen design style. Within their technical features –as well as the possible materials, finishes, and styles–, fittings play a role in both the visual appeal of a space, while also focusing on comfort and user experience. This is part of Dornbracht's continuous re-imagination of bathrooms as living spaces, in which the brand seeks to create innovative solutions based on proportion, precision, progressiveness, performance, and personality.
Among Dornbracht’s series, the MEM collection includes a complete selection of minimalist bathroom fittings for washstands, showers, and tubs. In collaboration with ethical design brand Nature Squared and Italian craft manufacturer Glass Design, the collection’s original design has been enriched with versatile new features for customizing bathrooms. These features are created through the combination of high-quality materials with sustainable craftsmanship and the incorporation of futuristic artistic crystal glass.
As the realm of interior design continues to evolve with new technologies, "living walls" have emerged as an innovative new concept. The new ArtMorph luminous wall panel is a one-of-a-kind product that deftly combines lighting and display technology with the added benefit of a unique texture selection. Its adaptability and customizable solutions allow it to blend into an array of environments, opening up possibilities for interiors that elevate visual storytelling, going beyond the constraints of traditional design.
How can a building be more efficient? It is a concern that architects face on a daily basis, as they try to keep up with the demands of an industry that is increasingly aware of its environmental impact. Today more than ever, there is an effort to design buildings that integrate sustainability, efficiency and thermal comfort, which are fundamental pillars of a healthier built environment.
Having an effective solar control strategy is crucial to achieving a more efficient architecture. In addition to providing solar protection and economic savings, these strategies also carry benefits in terms of aesthetics, acoustics, thermal comfort, durability and maintenance.
Seratech's technology, developed by Sam Draper and Barney Shanks, eliminates the CO₂ footprint of concrete and reduces carbon emissions in construction. This innovative process uses silica, a waste product from flue gases, as a carbon-negative cement replacement in concrete. By incorporating silica, the required amount of Portland cement is reduced by 40%, resulting in the production of carbon-negative concrete. This groundbreaking technology won the 2022 Obel Award for its focus on embodied emissions.
The Obel Award is an international award that promotes architecture in the service of both people and the planet. Seratech was the fourth winner of this new international prize for architectural achievement, preceding this year's 'Living Breakwaters' by SCAPE Landscape Architecture. ArchDaily had the chance to interview Sam Draper, CEO of Seratech, about the company's role in building a sustainable construction industry and their plans for scaling their innovative process.
As society, technology, and architecture have evolved, designers and architects have embraced novel construction systems and innovative approaches to reshape the built environment. This advancement has stretched the boundaries of traditional construction techniques and ignited fresh ideas in building design.
In the past, some architects and artists aimed to question an architectural paradigm deeply entrenched in anthropocentrism. Historically, architecture has been linked to the notion that buildings, being conceived by human beings, must be extremely durable, even imperishable. Considering the principle that the best intervention is the least intrusive, inflatable architecture, in contrast to these human-centric viewpoints —but aligned to our ephemeral nature—, can propose structures that may exist one day and vanish the next, leaving a temporal imprint on the landscape. This architectural approach uses textiles as the primary material and air as the structural system, potentially challenging the traditional Vitruvian ideals of Venustas, Firmitas, and Utilitas.
https://www.archdaily.com/1007496/inflatable-architecture-pneumatic-structures-transforming-built-environmentsEnrique Tovar
Timber, harvested and prepared for construction, is a durable material known for its strength and versatility. It serves as an architectural element in structural systems, framing, cladding, decking, and flooring. Although it possesses a warm and natural character that creates an aesthetic appeal, the inherent humidity of timber can cause wood deformation, leading to bending, mold, and rot once the moisture content reaches 23%. However, with the development of new products and production techniques, Thermowood –also known as Thermally Modified Timber– has emerged as a method for creating natural, chemical-free solutions made from certified raw materials.
By reducing moisture content, it does not rot or mold, it experiences no longitudinal shrinking, and ensures high dimensional stability, resulting in a minimum biological life span of 25 years. After analyzing how to apply these solutions in architecture and design, we will showcase indoor and outdoor spaces featuring Tantimber’s Thermowood products.
VAIA - Brushed Durabrass (23kt Gold). Image Courtesy of Dornbracht
Arguably, kitchens are spaces in which the interplay of elements establishes a delicate balance in their composition; design, materials, and fittings, all of which collaboratively shape the interior environment. It is, therefore, not surprising that they often become the focus of ongoing discussions. The cultural and utilitarian role of kitchens in our lives is so important that their influence transcends mere architecture, becoming an object of artistic and historical exploration. In this way, both kitchens and the elements that comprise them have evolved and changed in style—from the robust kitchens of the 19th century to the innovations that originated in the Frankfurt kitchen in the 20th century.
The domestic landscape can transform on a daily basis, and fittings are no exception as they adapt to changing stylistic influences and needs. Today, kitchens incorporate both, traditional and contemporary elements within the same space, creating a language that connects and seamlessly transitions between these influences, thereby enhancing one another. In this context, Dornbracht has conceived VAIA, a series of fittings developed by Sieger Design, which fuses tradition and modernity in contemporary kitchens through fine lines, stylized silhouettes, and flowing transitions.
https://www.archdaily.com/1006333/classic-and-avant-garde-kitchen-fittings-that-balance-tradition-and-modernityEnrique Tovar
The Helios School / Schilling Architects. Image Courtesy of Eastman
Glass has become a central element in modern architecture with the introduction of new strategies for designing and experiencing buildings. Its transparency and material composition allow for natural light to enter, while creating seamless connections between interior and exterior spaces. However, the prevalence of this material has meant that every year, billions of birds collide into glass structures.
These collisions tend to occur during the migratory pathways of birds, as they fly through cities and are drawn to internal lights in buildings or misjudge outdoor reflections of trees and vegetation, causing a huge number of bird deaths and injuries. In response to this challenge, an increasing number of cities are now introducing legislation that requires new construction to feature bird-friendly glass. Without compromising on the aesthetic appeal of glass, Eastman has developed Saflex™ FlySafe™ 3D Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB) interlayers. This additional layer features a three-dimensional reflective pattern that is highly visible to the bird’s eye from the outside while remaining subtle to the human eye from the inside. Delving into the application of this solution within architectural design, we showcase how The Helios School adopted this strategy.
Bate Borisov Arena / OFIS Architects. Image Courtesy of Euramax
Building envelopes create a physical boundary or shell integrated to the outer skin of a structure, separating indoor and outdoor environments. By assembling architectural components such as walls, roofs, windows and doors, the building is enclosed to provide protection and insulation, playing a determining role in the energy efficiency, comfort, structure, and durability of the project. Through multiple styles and shapes, they are key to giving character to a building, its visual appearance and integration with the surrounding environment.
Maintaining the fundamental functions of an envelope while playing with aesthetic possibilities, Euramax’s tailor-made metal cladding solutions create unconventional, colorful envelopes for designing with innovative geometries, patterns, and configurations.
EQ Dekor Fiber Glass. Image Courtesy of Inkiostro Bianco
With its range of colors, patterns, textures, and materials, integrating wallpapers can enhance the design strategy of a space. It accentuates walls, adding depth to a room, while also elevating its aesthetics and character.
With this in mind, Inkiostro Bianco experiments and develops new and versatile wallpaper material solutions suitable for interior and exterior areas. Ranging from nature-inspired to contemporary geometric shapes, these wallpapers transform abstract ideas into reality, adapting to both modern and classic interior designs. Pushing the boundaries of traditional materials, EQ Dekor fiberglass wallpapers integrate durability, moisture resistance, and aesthetic characteristics to reach new standards for wallcoverings. But how to incorporate this solution into the design of kitchens, bathrooms, and floors?
Agrivoltaic Pavilion prototype & designs in 'Sustainable Architecture & Aesthetics.' Transforming BIPVs with custom 3D-printed filters and panels for site-specific solar collection. Courtesy Sabin Design Lab at Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning and the DEfECT Lab at Arizona State University. Image Courtesy of Jenny E. Sabin
Why research and innovate in architecture? In a conversation with architectural designer Jenny E. Sabin, we delve into the critical link between research and practice in architecture. Seeking the development of a new model, her team incorporates an interdisciplinary approach that introduces connections between these areas, fostering collaboration with both scientists and engineers.
Observing nature’s behavior, the proposed method integrates biological and mathematical discoveries into the design process. After undergoing a systematic testing process, these insights are applied in the project’s generative design phase to create adaptive and responsive material solutions. Analyzing her research and design strategies, we showcase how she translates research into architectural practice.
In an age where humanity's detrimental impact on the environment has become increasingly evident, the concept of rewilding is emerging as a powerful approach to conservation and ecologicalrestoration. In line with growing attention on landscape architecture in recent years, the idea of removing human intervention from our natural surroundings in order to restore a stable equilibrium seems to offer a low-effort, ethereal way to right fundamental climate wrongs. But is a lack of meddling in nature really all there is to rewilding, and how does this relate to architecture and design? We look at key concepts, applications, and examples to find out.
