Now that we’re all spending much more time inside due to the pandemic, we’ve had a chance to truly understand and appreciate the significant impact that windows can have on a space. Views, sun angles, and orientation of windows are all important considerations when designing a new building - and as pleasant as it is to have a connection to the outdoors, windows can also cause issues like glare and heat gain. Of course no one wants a building with windows only on one side or to have the blinds shut constantly to be able to see their computer screen, so one versatile architectural solution is to shade windows using architectural wire mesh.
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Designwall 2000/4000 / Vertical Installation. Image Courtesy of Kingspan
A building’s envelope is the first thing you notice - its defining feature, before even setting foot inside. While indisputably important, there’s much more going on than just aesthetics when designing one. There are unseen aspects and qualities that make the interior of the building safe and comfortable, which architects are constantly balancing with the visual appearance of the exterior.
Building envelopes keep out the weather, contribute to thermal and acoustic comfort, affect fire safety, and the choice of one system over another has economic, sustainability, constructability, and longevity implications to consider. In addition, there are multiple aesthetic factors a building envelope needs to address: context, color, texture, visual comfort, and overall design intent to name just a few.
"When I think about design in general, a story of families always comes to mind, especially in furniture design. Stories of people and families". Flexform has spoken with Antonio Citterio, Italian architect and designer, to delve into the design concepts that shape their 2020 Collection. Learn more here.
IE School of Architecture and Design is announcing the 7th edition of their IE Architecture+ Prize for young architects and designers, looking to attract top talent from around the world to take part in one of the school’s master’s programs for the upcoming academic year. For all those who believe that business and design are stronger together, if you graduated between 2010 and 2020 and were ranked in the top 25% of your class, you are eligible to compete for the IE Architecture+ Prize.
You probably see brick on a daily basis, whether it’s structuring a building, paving the road, or perhaps serving as a fireplace or chimney. But do all these applications use the same type of brick? How are the bricks supporting or being supported? What are these bricks actually made of? Brick’s versatility and ubiquitous nature mean there’s more than one answer to these questions. Even among brick’s most common applications as a building facade and/or structural wall material, there are a variety of types and construction methods employed.
Buildings are static. They serve the purpose they have been designed for. But when cities grow and the needs of the community change, this becomes a problem. Modular construction with engineered wood products like Kerto LVL are the solution, because they enable adaptable, sustainable and cost competitive designs. It is time to provide solutions to the changing needs of our cities. Time to create an urban adaptation.
The window is the architectural element that satisfies our innate need to relate to the outside space, providing us with ventilation and light. The more extensive and clean the window is, the greater the sensation of "being outside". Consequently, opening up spaces to the outside has become a common requirement for people who want and need to inhabit flexible, adaptable spaces, in contact with the air and nature. There are many ways to do this, but not all of them allow an airtight enclosure to become fully open and continuous, clearing the boundaries between both spaces.
Architectural visualizations are only as good as the scene they’re placed into. No matter how fantastic your building model, if it's placed in an environment constructed of low-quality, low-poly assets, it’s not going to shine. That’s one of the reasons architects and designers have long turned to Quixel Megascans to give context to their archviz scenes.
erception Cafe / Haejun Jung - Feelament. Image Courtesy of A' Design Awards
The international A' Design Awardcompetition was "born out of the desire to underline the best designs and well-designed products" of designers, architects, and innovators from all design fields. Entries each year are judged by A' Design Award's jury of hundreds of experts from around the globe including scholars, professionals, and media members. If you are selected as a winner, you'll receive a host of prizes and benefits, in addition to international prestige and recognition. Entries are being accepted now until February 28th, 2021 and a selection of winners will be featured in a post on ArchDaily after they're announced on April 15th, so register your design today for a chance to be included.
Modern timber construction is nothing short of breathtaking. The wooden arches and unique curves delight even the most creative architects. The scale and perception of a wooden building make it blend in with the decor while still remaining noticeable. The inspiration and the possibility of achieving this type of construction are now trending upward, but who has the knowledge and expertise for these projects? The province of Quebec does, a world leader in mass timber construction.
Photorealistic renderings today are the standard. They can be done quickly, cheaply, and clients expect them. But are these renderings truly accomplishing what they set out to do? Those on the forefront of new 3D design techniques argue that, as an industry, we’ve gotten stuck on conveying information, when what we should really bring to the table is emotion. Now that the playing field has evened in terms of technological capability and hyper-realism, what’s the next step? By introducing an emotional layer and creating a sense of place, renderings can provide even more value to a project, firm, client, and community.
Are you an architect or designer living and working in the CEE region? VELUX is honored to invite you to submit your project for the 7th annual Architectural Design Awards, Bringing Light to Life. The Awards seek to find outstanding projects that are examples of good practice in the use of VELUX solutions and that explore in their unique manner the generous theme of daylight.
SCI-Arc convened to present its globally renowned Graduate Thesis Weekend, as the culmination of the 2020 graduate programs curricula. Complete with wall-to-wall livestreamed final reviews, SPIN Room commentary sessions throughout, as well as rich and engaging discourse and feedback from a wide range of experts in the field of architecture, this year’s graduating M.Arch 1 and 2 students took the virtual stage via Twitch and YouTube Live to present their final thesis projects.
Cuisine, culture, sightseeing, and engaging with the locals are all reasons people like to travel. The common factor that draws us to explore new places, however, is simply the chance to experience cities and landscapes unlike our own familiar surroundings. For example, when Chinese tourists can again visit Copenhagen, they may admire the waterside capital’s winding bike paths, lush green parks, and the Scandinavian brick traditions on display in Nyhavn. Likewise, a Danish tourist would surely be blown away by the breathtaking scale of Beijing, with it’s 9 million+ bicycles and the display of ancient Chinese culture juxtaposed with modern society.
The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for its Master of Environmental Design (MEDes) program. Located in the foothills of the world-renowned Canadian Rockies, with easy flight access to Vancouver and Toronto, the University of Calgary offers incredible value to international students when comparing its tuition to similar programs in the U.S, as well as a reasonable cost of living compared to other Canadian and American cities.
Architecture sets the scene and provides the framework, but interior design and furniture can have a strong influence on the vibe and mood of a space. As trends in interior design evolve over time, it’s often expressed in the furniture chosen to fill the room. Interior furniture speaks volumes about our priorities and personalities, as well as the atmosphere we want to convey.
A collection that is thoughtfully designed to represent the wants and needs of the North American market.
The first EGGER Decorative Collection designed specifically for the North American market launched the first of October, offering a full range of matching decorative surface options. Architects, designers, fabricators and distributors exploring this inaugural collection will discover the power of more: more possibilities, more inspiration, more services and more accessibility, thanks to the new collection app.
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.jpg?1602551915 "Shimao Loong Palace Residential Landscape / Shimao Group. Image Courtesy of A' Design Awards")
