On a site that also hosts the Olympic Sports Centre, the 2023 Asian Games complex, UNStudio has unveiled the design of the new Hiwell Amber Centre, a complex of four high-rise towers planned to add a mic of offices, apartments, hotels, art spaces and retail to the city center of Hangzhou, China. Responding to the area’s rapid economic and cultural growth, the new development aims to provide a wide range of services to residents and visitors alike. To open up towards the city, the smooth glass curtain wall of the towers peels apart to reveal a tapestry-like facade that envelops the main plazas and civic spaces, creating an ‘urban living room.’
UNStudio has been selected as the winner of the international competition for the design of a mixed-use development in Düsseldorf, Germany, surpassing other internationally recognized participant offices, including 3XN, BIG, David Chipperfield Architect, and finalists Hadi Teherani Architects, HPP Architekten, and Ingenhoven. UNStudio’s proposal features two mixed-use towers measuring up to 120 meters, surrounded by a low-rise community pavilion. In addition to the office and residential spaces, the scheme also includes multifunctional uses and services such as sports, fitness, medical facilities, gastronomy spaces, a mobility hub, a daycare center, and opportunities for cultural events.
Mixed-Use Development in Nanjing / UNStudio. Image Courtesy of K.Wah
In recent decades, China's residential landscape has undergone a transformation setting primarily informed by social community ties now prioritizes the needs of rapid urbanization and modern lifestyles. Traditional courtyard houses of China once activated the urban realm, harmoniously blending private residential zones with public areas of the neighborhood. Today, the country is speckled with private developments and gated communities that have severed the connection between residential areas and the urban realm. Amidst this transformation, MAD Architects' Baiziwan Social Housing in Beijing emerges as a visionary attempt to reimagine urban living. By embracing a mixed-use program, this residential complex integrates itself with the surrounding neighborhood, fostering a renewed sense of unity with the bustling metropolis. Not limited to China alone, numerous housing endeavors worldwide have embraced this approach, reclaiming their ties to the urban realm.
Nanjing K.Wah G72 / UNStudio. Image Courtesy of K.Wah
UNStudio has been commissioned to create a human-centric mixed-use destination on the waterfront of Nanjing, China. Developed by K.Wah Group, the new complex aims to enhance the working-living environment for the local community while contributing as a hub for culture and finance. The project, set along the central axis of the Hexi New District, introduces high-rise office towers, commercial and cultural functions, two serviced apartment buildings, a headquarters tower, a hotel, and various public amenities.
The Austin Transit Partnership has selected UNStudio, HKS, and Gehl to lead the architecture and urban design of Project Connect, a major expansion of the public transportation system in Austin, Texas, in the United States. The project is set to become a transformative investment, including and integrating the light rail system, expanded bus routes, and connectivity with more services across the city. The initiative is also voter-approved. In November 2020, Austin citizens approved Project Connect, leading to the creation of the independent entity Austin Transit Partnership charged with implementing the project. The citizens of Austin are invited to continue to get involved and provide feedback.
Museums reveal local and shared heritage. As cultural institutions embedded in the fabric of modern life, each museum serves as a window into history and human exchange. Made to promote understanding and provoke new ideas, these monumental buildings are inspired by spatial exploration. With some of the most influential museum projects in the world, Germany is home to a range of diverse institutions showcasing unique approaches to curating, taxonomy and spatial organization.
Doha is the capital of Qatar and the county’s most populated area, accommodating more people than the rest of Qatar combined. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, Doha is a relatively young city, founded in the vicinity of another settlement, Al Bidda, sometime during the 1820s. In recent years, the city has seen rapid population growth, an image reflected in the architectural landscape. During the 1960s and 1970s, many of the old districts in Doha have been demolished to make space for new developments, while a number of schemes have been deployed to advocate for the preservation of the city’s cultural and architectural heritage.
UNStudio and b720 Arquitectos, in collaboration with engineering firm Esteyco, were selected to deliver the integral remodeling for Madrid-Chamartín Clara Campoamor Station and its urban integration. Among the proposals submitted by the world's leading architecture firms, the winning design was chosen for its integral program of efficiency, sustainability, and inclusivity. As "Europe's largest urban regeneration project," the railway hub will extend 2.3 million square meters to become an international benchmark in the Spanish Capital.
Interior view to the Lobby . Image Courtesy of UNStudio
Incorporating the Environmental, social, and corporate governance objectives, the 45,000 m2 Office Tower in the Europaviertel in Frankfurt aims to be one of Germany's most sustainable office buildings. Designed by UNStudio in partnership with Groß & Partner in collaboration with OKRA landscape architects, the project focuses on environmental and social sustainability as an integral part of Frankfurt's green network. The ecological agenda includes a low-carbon load-bearing structure and recyclable construction materials. The architecture program offers a public urban space to add value to its surroundings to encourage communication and gathering.
UNStudio has been announced as the winner of the international competition "Un Iași pentru Viitor" to design a new residential district in the historical center of Iași, Romania. For this competition, organized by Iulius company, four offices have been invited to participate, Foster + Partners, MVRDV, UNStudio, and Zaha Hadid Architects. The main challenge of the competition brief was designing a building well integrated into a complex urban environment marked by historic monuments of different ages, new archeological discoveries, and open public spaces and gardens. The winning proposal, titled „Bridging Time, Bridging Communities,” aims to offer a coherent response to the particularities of the site.
Alphabet of light by BIG x Artemide. Image Courtesy of Artemide
Following two years of delays and cancellations, this year's Milan Design Week saw thousands of designers, artists, and craftsmen put their skills on display and present different solutions for the future of manufacturing, interior design, materials, and the environment. As every year, renowned architects also took part of the week-long event, using products, furniture pieces, and installations to share their professional angle and answer some of the biggest questions of the practice, showcasing how it can contribute to the betterment of the environment and society as a whole.
Focusing on sustainability and environmental awareness with respect to furniture production, this year's architectural contributions at Salone del Mobile saw innovative takes on “inclusive” design.
Only a few days left until the annual inauguration of Milan Design Week 2022, one of the biggest international design events which features the Fuorisalone and Salone del Mobile. From the 7th till the 12th of June 2022, the streets of Milan will be hosting an array of architectural interventions and exhibitions curated by local and international designers as part of the Fuorisalone. And at the Fiera Milano | Rho, Salone del Mobile 2022, the awaited furniture and interior design event of the year, will be celebrating its 60th anniversary with themes and projects that reflect on “inclusive” design, fostering "autonomy, comfort, movement, usability, interaction and safety for all".
After the first years of launching their architectural practice, Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos renamed their practice to UNStudio. Short for United Network Studio, the change of name stands symbolic to the knowledge based, networked nature of the firm, which has grown to expand to 6 offices worldwide today.
For the past couple of years, the metaverse has been gaining prominence, prompting architects to consider its implications for our relationship with the physical environment and how can architecture contribute to this new virtual space. Architecture in the metaverse is no longer a fringe subject, having been embraced by established firms. "The metaverse is where much of the architectural action and innovation will be happening in the coming period,"says Patrick Schumacher. Unbound from restraints such as physics, material properties and construction costs, the metaverse unlocked a new realm of architectural expression. The following looks at some of the various ways the profession engages with the expanding field of digital environments.
UNStudio revealed a mixed-use high-rise building design in Dusseldorf integrated within the new Belsenpark masterplan. The tower, designed in collaboration with OKRA Landscape Architects, results from an international architecture competition held by private developer Pandion and features a diverse ground floor programme tied together by a pocket park. The project integrates prefabrication and modular design, thus reducing the building's environmental impact.
As the new year kicks off, we're taking a look ahead to the projects we're most looking forward to in 2022. With a mix of cultural and commercial programs, the designs are located across five continents, with many under construction for multiple years. Designed across a wide range of scales, they represent a mix of interconnected landscapes, museums, and new skyscrapers.
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.jpg?1656315920 "Soliscape by UNStudio. Image Courtesy of UNStudio")
.jpg?1656315918 "Soliscape by UNStudio. Image Courtesy of UNStudio")
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