Lucy Wang

Brooklyn-based design firm Efficiency Lab for Architecture has recently transformed an existing, three-story commercial office building into the Community Information Center, a marketing center for Avenues: The World School’s new campus in San Jose, California. Located in a former office park, the Community Information Center redefines the nondescript environment with a fresh building entrance framed by redwood trees and a series of artsy concrete portals that […]

International design firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV) has unveiled designs for the Cascina Merlata Lot R7/2, a social housing complex that will function as a “city within the city” where residents can walk or ride their bicycles to everything they need for their daily lives. Created as part of the Cascina Merlata pedestrian-friendly masterplan that ACPV developed back in 2011, the new, 12,600-square-meter residential complex […]

When Czech architecture firm NEW HOW Architects was asked to design a holiday home in the Ore Mountains, it decided to craft a nature-inspired residence that would go against the trend of white-plaster houses in the area. Rather than design a house that stands out in the landscape, the architects opted for a darker facade so that the retreat — dubbed Weekend House Nové Hamry — […]

Vienna-based architecture firm OEOOO has transformed and expanded a disused farmhouse into the Hehl Tenne House, a warm and inviting multigenerational home wrapped in timber inside and out. Located in the rural outskirts of the Lower Bregenzerwald (Bregenz Forest) village of Lingenau, the original agricultural building had sat empty after the family farm shut down decades ago. The adaptive reuse project presented the perfect opportunity to […]

Moscow-based firm Kerimov Architects has crafted a custom, luxury home for a new villa community in Repino, Leningrad that follows Frank Lloyd Wright’s philosophy of organic architecture by knitting the built environment into the natural landscape. Dubbed the House in Repino, the project, which is still in the design phase, will include nearly 11,000 square feet of living space and focus on minimizing the removal of […]

Energy efficiency, Japanese design and an emphasis on low site impact are combined at DOJO Saigon, a new light-filled judo training hall in Ho Chi Minh City. Designed by Southeast Asian design firm T3 Architects, the building has a unique, international character thanks to its design modeled after traditional Japanese dojos and its location in the garden of an old French-style villa in Vietnam’s largest and […]

After 3 years of development, Italian architecture firm Frigerio Design Group has completed fabrication engineering company Zamasport’s new headquarters, a fabric-inspired building that is mostly powered with solar energy. Designed to follow the architecture firm’s philosophy of “slow architecture,” the sustainably minded headquarters prioritizes energy efficiency and worker wellness with the use of natural light, acoustic comfort and greenery incorporated throughout the building. The use of […]

Riverfront revitalization and sustainable adaptive reuse combine at the Beloit College Powerhouse, a Studio Gang-designed student union focused on recreation and wellness. Completed last year, the award-winning Powerhouse project included a complete overhaul of the Blackhawk Generating Station — a collection of historic buildings constructed in the early 20th century along the Rock River — as well as the addition of a new field house. The design […]

Early last year, Mexican architecture firm fabian m escalante h | arquitectos completed a holiday home in the central highlands of Mexico for a family who sought respite from city living. Designed to help its inhabitants recharge in nature, the residence — named Terraza / Rancho Sierra Allende — embraces the landscape from all directions with large insulated glazing and outdoor terraces. The elevated retreat also […]

After living as a modern nomad for years, Ondřej Koníček finally decided to settle down by realizing his dream cabin on a 20,000-square-meter wooded property in southeast Czech Republic. Fueled by his love for the nature, Koníček tapped Czech architecture firm Ateliér Lina Bellovičová to design House LO, an eco-friendly, green-roofed home that not only embraces landscape views but is also built with hempcrete — a […]

With retirement and grandchildren on the horizon, a Manhattanite couple reached out to GRT Architects to design their new home in Upstate New York’s Dutchess County. Since the clients were on the fence about leaving New York City, the architects started by building a small studio that sensitively frames views of the 24-acre site’s pastoral landscape. Simply dubbed the Dutchess County Studio, the 800-square-foot dwelling provides an elegant […]

In Portland’s South Waterfront, the Knight Cancer Research Building at Oregon Health & Science University is using a “team science” approach to help scientists and researchers find cures to cancer. Designed by Seattle-based design firm SRG Partnership, the cancer research facility features wellness-focused workspaces that encourage collaboration and innovation across different disciplines. As a beacon of sustainability, the building has also been certified LEED Platinum for […]

Rotterdam-based architecture office Powerhouse Company has unveiled designs for Valckensteyn, a circular and sustainable building expected to become the largest timber-built affordable housing complex in the Netherlands. Commissioned by housing corporation Woonstad Rotterdam, the pioneering, 12-story project will feature 11 stories built of cross-laminated timber without the use of adhesives to allow the building to be demounted and reassembled elsewhere as needed. Continue reading below Our […]

Community building recently received a boost in Toronto’s bustling downtown core with the completion of the new $65 million Canoe Landing Campus, a social nexus that combines a community recreation center, public and Catholic elementary schools and a childcare center under a massive shared green roof. Designed by local firm ZAS Architects, the new campus provides a much-needed social infrastructure to CityPlace, one of the city’s most […]

Vincent Callebaut Architectures has unveiled a bold vision to transform the heart of Lille, France into a carbon-neutral district capable of producing more energy than it uses. Proposed for the site of the former Lycée Michel Servet, the project is called ‘Archiborescence’ — a combination of the words architecture and arborescence — after its emphasis on biodiversity and solid wood construction. To meet energy self sufficiency […]

Washington, D.C.’s Buzzard Point, a post-industrial stretch of waterfront at the intersection of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers, is getting a new lease on life with the recent opening of Watermark, the area’s first luxury apartment building that is also LEED Gold-certified. Designed by Antunovich Associates, the project began with the renovation of a 1970s 11-story office building — formerly home to the U.S. Coast Guard […]

In the heart of Copenhagen, C.F. Møller Architects has completed the Carlsberg Central Office, a new office of the Carlsberg Group on the same hill that the world-famous Carlsberg Breweries was first established in 1847. Blending historic design influences with a modern aesthetic, the Carlsberg Central Office is a landmark building for the Carlsberg City District, a new 600,000-square-meter, mixed-use neighborhood with residences, offices, retail and […]

Award-winning glamping company AutoCamp has announced plans to bring its design-led Airstream suites and luxurious tent accommodations to three new iconic destinations: California’s Joshua Tree National Park, Utah’s Zion National Park and the Catskill Mountains in New York. Slated to open in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, the new expansion effectively doubles the footprint of the outdoor lodging brand, which was created to immerse guests in […]

In the Swiss municipality of Bussigny, Crissier-based architecture practice Bertola & Cie – SIA has completed the 65 Degree Group Housing project, a collection of low-energy housing units that are deliberately oriented at 65 degrees to optimize solar collection and to ensure private garden spaces for every dwelling. Created as an “alternative to densification,” the housing complex consists of a mix of simplex and duplex typologies that cater […]

In the villa community of “Okolitsa” on the outskirts of Moscow, Kerimov Architects has designed a conceptual luxury home with a total area of over 16,000 square feet. Set inside a forested landscape, the House in Okolitsa takes inspiration from the site’s complex topography for its rhythmic architecture that resembles a series of terraces. The Moscow-based architects designed the home with a natural materials palette to […]

When a family decided to relocate from Silicon Valley to the Utah ski town of Park City, they tapped local design studio Klima Architecture to realize their dream of an energy-efficient home. Known for its carbon-efficient designs, the firm exceeded expectations with its design of the Meadows Haus, a Passive House-certified home with a 10 kW solar shade canopy, airtight construction and recycled and low-VOC materials […]

Furniture startup Staxxiom has unveiled its new “no tools, no hassle” furniture products, a line of patented, click-to-assemble furnishings built from natural, eco-friendly materials. Created with the promise that every product can be assembled in less than 2 minutes, Staxxiom’s flat-pack furnishings were conceived as an easier and higher quality alternative to brands such as IKEA. Staxxiom’s first market launch debuted on Kickstarter in late February. […]

Currently under construction, the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre will soon provide the southern Chinese city with a stunning new hub for contemporary creativity. Located on a lake in the heart of Zhuhai’s Western Ecological New Town in the Jinwan district, the sculptural building combines four cultural institutions under one roof: a 1,200-seat grand theater; a 500-seat multifunctional hall; a science center; and […]

Spanish architecture firm Andrea Solé Arquitectura has given new life to the ruins of Can Tomeu, a historic Catalan building from the 1800s that is now a modern, self-sufficient home. In addition to sensitively restoring and reinforcing the remaining walls from the original construction, the architects expanded the building footprint with an annex and inserted site-sensitive materials that imbue the home with a sense of warmth. […]

Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Stefano Boeri Architetti have won an international competition to regenerate Milan’s Porta Nuova Gioia area with the sustainable renovation and expansion of the Pirelli 39 tower. Commissioned by real estate investment fund company COIMA SGR, the mixed-use project will not only inject new life into the region with the creation of over 5,000 jobs but will also be designed to meet […]

In the misty tea terraces of southwest China, Hangzhou-based architecture practice gad · line+ studio has recently completed an eco-sensitive redevelopment project to help a rural village attract tourism revenue. Commissioned by major Chinese property developer Sunac and the Youcheng Foundation of the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office, the “targeted poverty alleviation” project included 2,400 square meters of renovation, new construction and landscape beautification to transform […]

An eco-friendly architectural solution to quarantining during the pandemic has popped up in Barcelona’s Collserola park. A team of students and researchers from the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) Valldaura Labs recently completed The Voxel, a solar-powered “quarantine” cabin built entirely of hyper-local structural CLT in just 5 months. The cabin accommodates a single occupant in a space that not only offers comfortable self-confinement […]

As part of a design exercise, MEAN* (Middle East Architecture Network) has created three 3D-printed proposals for contemporary majlis, an Arabic architecture term that typically refers to the detached area of a home used as a front parlor for receiving and entertaining guests. Created to push the boundaries of 3D printing in concrete, MEAN*’s three majlis designs — the Capsule Pod, the Fluid Space and the […]

The Burning Man Project and the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) have announced the top 10 proposals in the LAGI 2020 Fly Ranch design challenge, a global ideas competition that invited innovators and creatives to reimagine an off-grid ranch in the Great Basin as a sustainable, year-round incubator for Burning Man culture. MIT designers Zhicheng Xu and Mengqi Moon He took top rank with their ‘Lodgers: […]

In the rapidly developing area of West Los Angeles known as “Silicon Beach,” local architecture firm SPF:architects has recently completed WE3 at Water’s Edge, a 160,000-square-foot creative workspace with a striking, perforated facade that takes inspiration from the play of light on water. This unique design protects the interior from unwanted solar gain. Certified LEED Gold, the six-story structure is optimized for energy savings and low-resource […]

International architectural firm Studio Mortazavi has teamed up with Colorado-based nonprofit Thinking Huts to propose designs for the world’s first 3D-printed school to be located in southern Madagascar. Developed to improve access to education in remote and impoverished areas, the modular concept taps into 3D printing for its low-carbon benefits and ability to shorten construction time from months to a matter of days. The design team, […]

On the edge of the beautiful South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, social enterprise Tribal Textiles has made significant strides in uplifting a small rural community with eco-friendly and ethically crafted textiles. The company, which is now in its 30th year, is one of the biggest employers in the remote area and follows a corporate social responsibility strategy that provides sustainable employment and reinvests a percentage of the […]

Seattle-based SRG Partnership has unveiled designs for Edward J. Ray Hall, a new Oregon State University Cascades Campus building with ambitious net-zero energy targets in Bend, Oregon. Designed to showcase OSU-Cascades’ commitment to sustainability, Edward J. Ray Hall will serve as a scalable and adaptable prototype for future buildings that, in addition to a goal of net-zero energy, will be built from regionally sourced mass timber […]

Beijing’s New China International Exhibition Center — the largest international exhibition center in China — is set to become even larger with Zaha Hadid Architects’ competition-winning Phase II designs. Inspired by traditional Chinese glazed tubular ceramic tile roofing, the new copper-colored buildings feature curvaceous forms and large rounded windows that give the project a futuristic flair. In addition to integrating solar arrays and a smart building management system […]

Just 9 miles from downtown Aspen, one of the world’s best ski resorts will soon welcome the Electric Pass Lodge, a luxury residential building that will run entirely on renewable energy. Designed by Colorado-based 4240 Architecture in collaboration with interior design firm River + Lime, the all-electric condominiums were created as part of the Snowmass Base Village, a LEED-certified, $600 million resort development at the base […]

Global design practice Perkins and Will has raised the bar for sustainable campus design with the award-winning Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, a Ryerson University facility designed to achieve LEED Gold certification. As an example of “vertical campus typology,” the 28-story tower combines academic departments, residences, labs, administrative offices and even a rooftop urban farm in Toronto’s dense downtown core. Completed in 2019 for $104 million […]

Last year, designer Muhammad Khalid of Khawarizm Studio unveiled ‘The Future Catcher,’ a sculptural, 3D-printed smart lamp that placed third in the 2020 3D Printed Luminaire Design Competition, an event hosted by Huda Lighting in partnership with Immensa Additive Manufacturing to boost awareness of 3D printing technology in lighting and interior design industries. The innovative prototype celebrates the designer’s cultural heritage with a form inspired by […]

The Barony NP (UK) Ltd. has tapped British architectural practice Scott Brownrigg to transform the site of an ex-coal mine into The Barony, a 44-hectare wellness and cultural visitor facility in the southeast council area of East Ayrshire, Scotland. The design, which is still in the conceptual phase, draws heavily from the site’s original heritage, including The Barony A Frame, a preserved headgear from The Barony […]

Construction has broken ground on an MVRDV-designed building at San Francisco’s Mission Rock, a multi-phase masterplan that will transform nearly 30 acres of asphalt into a sustainably minded, mixed-use neighborhood and community hub. MVRDV’s LEED Gold-seeking block — called Building A — is one of four Mission Rock Phase 1 buildings designed by high-profile architecture firms and is the second of the four to begin construction. […]

Rural inspiration meets modern minimalism in Zürich-based Gus Wüstemann Architects‘ recently completed Pavilion House, a barn-inspired gabled home that takes cues from the agricultural typology in Buchberg, a rural village near Switzerland’s largest city. Instead of building the new home out of stone and wood like most traditional farm buildings, the architects constructed the residence with a concrete frame and a pre-constructed timber roof. Mostly recycled […]

Mumbai-based architecture competition platform Volume Zero has announced the winners of the 2020 Tiny House Architecture Competition, a call for entries that celebrate sustainability and individuality through innovative design. A jury of international architects — including jurors from U.S.-based Desai Chia Architecture and Norway’s Saunders Architecture — awarded three flexible tiny house concepts with $4,000 in total prize money and also selected 10 entries as honorable […]

International design office Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) and Bouygues Immobilier have revealed designs for ILOW (pronounced ee-low), an experimental and sustainably minded building that aims to bridge two different socio-economic neighborhoods near Paris. Proposed for the commune of Nanterre, the project would be located between La Défense — the financial powerhouse for Paris that’s also Europe’s largest business district — and a neighborhood home to Tours […]

Volvo has just unveiled its second electric vehicle — the C40 Recharge — as part of the Swedish automaker’s global strategy to transition to 100% electric vehicle sales by 2030. Engineered as a sleeker SUV, the C40 uses the same CMA vehicle platform as Volvo’s first electric vehicle, the XC40 Recharge, but features a new front design and is the first Volvo model to be completely […]

Architecture firms 3XN and IttenBrechbühl have won an international competition with their design for the Tilia Tower©, an 85-meter-tall timber high-rise that will serve as a beacon for sustainability and an anchor for the up-and-coming district of Prilly-Malley. In addition to an ambitious wooden building, the pair of architecture firms will also oversee the energy-efficient renovation of two existing buildings for the real estate company Insula SA. The project will […]

Spanish architecture firm Valentín Arrieta Berdasco has recently completed the Pino-Roble House, an architecturally striking home that combines a historic stone facade with a contemporary new build. Completed in 2019, the residence is located in Canicosa de la Sierra. This municipality within the province of Burgos is home to a natural monument called “Pino-Roble,” a pine tree that grows inside a centenary oak that has become […]

European design firm Mask Architects has shared renderings of a proposed luxury villa that resembles a white, seaside café. Informed by local Sardinian architecture and digital modeling software, the project — dubbed the Villa G01 “Rock and Cave” special — has been proposed for one of the most exclusive areas of Northern Sardinia and celebrates indoor/outdoor living with a massive garden, spacious terraces and openings that […]

After more than two years of research and development, Daan Roosegaarde and his team of designers and experts have unveiled GROW, an environmental artwork of “dancing lights” that enhances the growth of leek in a 20,000-square-meter agricultural field. Unveiled as part of the world film premiere by the same name, GROW is the first in a series of dreamscapes by Studio Roosegaarde that explore how the […]

United Arab Emirates-based design studio Bone Architecture has recently completed its latest hospitality project: Café Terra, a courtyard-inspired eatery filled with plants in Dubai. Crafted as an urban oasis, Café Terra provides respite from both the heat and the bustle of the city. Natural materials, handmade goods and a monochromatic palette inspired by nature give Café Terra its welcoming and earthy atmosphere. Continue reading below Our […]

When Portland-based Skylab Architecture was asked by the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services to design an extension of a wastewater treatment facility, sustainability was immediately identified as a key priority. Not only did the architects need to design the public project to meet a minimum of LEED Gold certification, but the building would also have to serve an educational purpose by providing a working […]

In the tropical Vietnamese province of Dong Nai, Southeast Asian architecture firm T3 Architects has completed the Hippo Farm Bioclimatic Dormitories, a cost-effective housing structure that uses locally sourced materials and bioclimatic design principles to stay naturally cool and comfortable year-round. A limited budget and a brief that specified low-impact construction led the architects to explore traditional construction methods such as using Vietnamese bulk rice husk with inspect-resistant diatomaceous earth […]

After finding the perfect plot of land 30 minutes outside of Poznań’s historic city center, Carolina reached out to Polish architecture studio PL.architekci to realize her dream home — a Hollywood Western-inspired abode where she could fulfill her passions for horseback riding and raising cacti. To that end, the architects crafted a handsome residence that resembles the traditional, rural vernacular and features a streamlined, modern appearance […]

Zaha Hadid Architects has been crowned a competition winner for its proposed design of Tower C at Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, a planned business and financial center that will serve the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Informed by 3D-modeling tools, the skyscraper features a futuristic, energy-efficient design with terraced levels, dramatic curves and expansive glazing. The project targets high-performance energy standards […]

This summer, the Chinese city of Jiaxing will welcome an innovative transportation hub that will be topped with a lush “borderless park” to bring nature back to the urban environment. Designed by international design firm MAD Architects, the 35.4-hectare project will feature a new Jiaxing Train Station topped with solar panels, a pair of plazas, a commercial zone, a transit hub and a renovation of the adjacent […]

In southeastern Shenzhen, Beijing-based architecture firm Clou Architects has completed Shenzhen Shuiwan 1979 Life Plaza, a mixed-use development interwoven with green terraces and a “secret garden” to provide visitors respite from the hustle and bustle of the tech megacity. The project, which was completed in 2016, takes inspiration for its name from the 1979 announcement by Deng Xiaoping — the country’s paramount leader prior to Xi […]

NOMAD architects and Karina Aramanda have transformed wood waste into GO[A]T WASTE?, an educational pavilion and animal playground that raises awareness about the merits of upcycling. Installed in the town of Ādaži in Latvia, the eco-friendly project was inspired by the architects’ research into construction’s impact on climate change and environmental pollution; according to Latvia’s Ministry of Environment, the building industry is one of the biggest […]

Los Angeles-based film director and architect Liam Young recently released his latest work — Planet City, a speculative and provocative glimpse into a future where urban sprawl is reversed and the entire world population is housed in a single, hyper-dense metropolis. Launched at the NGV Triennial exhibition, the 15-minute-long animated film was created with input from a global network of scientists, theorists and economists to inform […]

Eager to relax and unwind from city living, a retired aerospace engineer reached out to Seattle-based David Coleman Architecture to design a modern, energy-efficient cabin on a 10-acre rural site in Sultan, Washington. Located about an hour outside of Seattle in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, the idyllic meadow property inspired the client’s vision for a playful home deeply connected to the land with an […]

Begum Aydinoglu of Pada Labs, Mariana Custodio Dos Santos and Juan Carlos Naranjo have been recognized among the 30 finalist teams for their Hyperloop Desert Campus design, a competition entry for a futuristic Hyperloop test center in last summer’s Young Architects Competitions (YAC). The competition brief challenged designers to create an eye-catching building in the Mojave Desert in Nevada that would not only help advance one of the most […]

International design firm MLA+ has unveiled designs for Chengdu Tianfu New Town Landscape, a proposal for a vibrant landscape corridor, as part of an international design competition hosted by the southwestern Chinese city. Inspired by Chengdu’s rich history and strong local character, the architects crafted a 210,000-square-meter linear space that puts a modern spin on local cultural icons such as tea houses and opera. The site-specific […]

Late last year, the state of Washington welcomed its first new ferry terminal in 40 years — the Mukilteo Multimodal Terminal, a contemporary transit building that pays homage to the environment and the region’s Coast Salish tribes. Seattle-based LMN Architects and KPFF Consulting Engineering designed the two-story, solar-powered terminal building, with input from local tribes, to replace the existing terminal built in 1957. In addition to […]

In response to an urgent demand for more student housing at its Clear Water Bay campus, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has tapped Zaha Hadid Architects and local architecture firm Leigh & Orange to design the university’s new residence halls that will house more than 1,500 students once complete in 2023. The student housing buildings also incorporate sustainable design features in line with […]

Foster + Partners has revealed designs for Lusail Towers, a sustainable landmark project in Qatar that targets 4 stars in the regional Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS). Created as part of a larger Qatari masterplan, also designed by Foster + Partners, the 1.1 million-square-meter Lusail Towers development will consist of a pair of 70-story-tall towers and two 50-story-tall towers in a symmetrical layout centered on a […]

Amazon has unveiled images of The Helix, a LEED Platinum-targeted, spiraling tower that will serve as the centerpiece building for the Amazon HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia. Like The Spheres, Amazon’s first headquarters in Seattle, the new building takes inspiration from biophilia with a form that mimics the shape and beauty of a double helix. Designed by international architecture firm NBBJ, the 350-foot-tall building — dubbed The […]

Global architecture company CannonDesign and San Jose-based firm Anderson Brulé Architects have recently completed the award-winning Ohlone Academic Core Buildings project, a new 185,000-square-foot development at the heart of Ohlone College’s Fremont Campus about 40 miles outside of San Francisco. The project comprises three new buildings — the Science Center, the Music and Visual Arts Building and the Learning Commons – Library — that serve as […]

In the riverside village of Sayan, Bali, local architecture firm Studio Jencquel has crafted the Umah Hati — Indonesian for “Tranquil Heart” — a private villa that embraces its lush, jungle environment in more ways than one. Inspired by the Balinese vernacular, the luxury villa is a hybrid of Western and Eastern design influences and features modern amenities side by side with local craftsmanship. A natural […]

Architecture firms Nordic, Grimshaw, Haptic and STUP have unveiled competition-winning designs for the passenger terminal of Delhi Noida International Airport (DNIA) at Jewar, an ambitious LEED Gold-targeted project that could become “India’s greenest airport.” Designed to combine efficiency and hospitality, the airport design will set sustainable benchmarks for airport terminal buildings in India, from its goal of net-zero carbon operations to the infusion of lush green spaces […]

On a steep hillside perched high above the Norwegian city of Molde, Oslo-based architecture firm Rever & Drage Architects has completed the Zieglers Nest, a modern wood cabin punctuated with large glazing to take in sweeping panoramic views of the Moldefjord and mountains beyond. Commissioned for a family of five, the home makes the most of its small plot and minimizes concrete foundations with its tall, […]

Texas-based architecture firm Mark Odom Studio has recently completed the Inglewood Courtyard Residence, a 2,400-square-foot abode that celebrates the homeowner’s deep appreciation for midcentury modern architecture. Carefully designed to preserve existing trees and emphasize indoor/outdoor living, the light-filled abode features a natural materials palette and an abundance of floor-to-ceiling windows to frame views of the courtyard and landscape. The site-specific new build also features energy-efficient elements […]

At the virtual CES 2021, air purification R&D company CleanAirZone showcased its Bio-Based Air Purifier, a new product that it claims can even eliminate coronaviruses, including COVID-19, with natural biotics and enzymes derived from nature. The green technology uses the company’s proprietary BioCAZ solution to capture and neutralize a variety of indoor air contaminants without the need for filters. According to the firm, the product has […]

Hidden in the jungle high above Hermosa Beach near the Costa Rican town of Uvita is the Art Villas Resort, a luxurious and sustainably-minded glamping destination with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Founded by Czech owner Filip Žák, the resort comprises three architecturally striking villas with differing designs. Prague-based architecture firms ARCHWERK and Formafatal completed the resort’s newest addition, the Coco Villa, a set of five egg-shaped houses. […]

Milan-based firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV) has unveiled plans for the sustainable renovation of energy company Enel’s historic Rome headquarters. Guided by innovative and sustainable principles, the redesign will cover a total surface area of approximately 80,000 square meters and infuse workspaces with natural light and greenery to enhance workers’ physical and mental health. The modern, light-filled offices will follow bioclimatic and biophilic principles with […]

When New York-based architecture firm Archi-Tectonics won an international design competition to masterplan the Hangzhou Asian Games Park for the 2022 Asian Games — the largest international multi-sports competition after the Olympics — the architects knew from the start that their design vision would be guided by sustainable legacy use. Unlike the high-cost Olympic venues that are abandoned after the event, Archi-Tectonics designed two stadiums engineered […]

French media company Le Monde Group has recently welcomed its 1,600 employees into its new headquarters, a striking Snøhetta-designed building that’s not only certified BREEAM Excellent but has also been awarded the prestigious French real estate prize, Grand Prix SIMI, in the category “New Office Building Larger than 10,000 square meters.” Located in the city’s 13th arrondissement, the curvaceous office building draws the eye with its […]

Tired of the work grind and eager to slow down and live a more sustainable lifestyle, a Canadian filmmaker decided to build an off-grid cabin from scratch — without any prior building experience. Fortunately, his friends and family helped him design and build his cozy micro-cabin in the remote Canadian forest for just CA$65,000 (approximately $50,000). Powered with solar energy and engineered to harvest and store […]

Los Angeles-based automotive startup Canoo has unveiled designs for two all-electric multipurpose delivery vehicles (MDPV) with prices starting at $33,000. Slated for limited availability beginning in 2022 with a launch planned for 2023, the compact delivery vehicles were designed to meet the needs of small businesses as well as the last-mile delivery needs of larger companies. The first iteration of MDPV will come in two options […]

In the Chiloé Archipelago in southern Chile, a hidden gem of four tiny homes awaits nature-lovers. Remotely located in the commune of Queilén, Tiny Houses Comarca Contuy is a unique retreat that offers isolation in nature, warm hospitality and unforgettable “glamping” — glamorous camping — in four timber cabins elevated into the treetops. These cabins were designed by Chilean architecture firm Utreras Arquitectos. Continue reading below […]

Brazilian architecture firm Studio CK Arquitetura has recently completed the Casa Doce Vida, a custom luxury home that emphasizes sustainable design. Dubbed a “residence with a green soul,” the house embraces views of and connections to nature from every room to give the homeowners a seamless indoor/outdoor living experience. The eco-friendly dwelling is also entirely powered by solar panels installed onsite. The structure captures rainwater for […]

Minneapolis-based prefab purveyors Alchemy Architects has completed the Lake Elmo weeHouse, one of the newest additions to its growing portfolio of weeHouses, a series of eco-friendly homes built with the firm’s patented prefabricated housing system. Named after its location in Minnesota, the Lake Elmo weeHouse demonstrates efficient and space-saving design by fitting three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open layout in 990 square feet without compromising […]

In response to the pressing need for sustainable and affordable housing in Ontario, Canadian design firm Montgomery Sisam Architects has unveiled plans for Durham Modular Supportive Housing, a modular, affordable housing development to be located in the town of Beaverton just outside of Toronto, Ontario. Created to “push the boundaries of affordable housing,” the prefabricated project will provide 49 self-contained bachelor suites in just 12 months […]

Germany-based design firm WertelOberfell has teamed up with material scientists, material suppliers, end-users and manufacturers to develop ESUB Tracks, a conceptual design for a smart bicycle helmet powered by flat-printed organic photovoltaics. Designed to prioritize safety, the proposed smart bicycle helmet is equipped with proximity sensors, a printed piezoelectric microphone that accepts basic voice commands for hands-free use, turn signal indicator lights and printed piezoelectric bone conduction speakers that provide […]

On the outskirts of the town Villeta in Colombia, Bogotá-based architecture firm Arquitectura en Estudio (aRE) has completed Casa 23, a holiday home that relies on passive strategies to save energy and stay naturally cool without air conditioning. Strategically set onto a slope for extraordinary views of the mountainous landscape, the contemporary home is adapted to the existing topography to minimize landscape impact. The home is […]

Seven years after purchasing the water tower next to their childhood home, cousins Ruud Visser and Fumi Hoshino of RV Architectuur have successfully transformed the century-old structure in Nieuw Lekkerland into a stunning home for their families. Built on a relatively modest budget by their own hands, the adaptive reuse project has also been awarded the Dutch Watertowerprize 2020, an annual award that honors the owners […]

In November 2020, the Westlake / Rampart Village neighborhood of Los Angeles welcomed the Rampart Mint Apartments, a new permanent supportive housing project that provides secure and sustainable housing for people who are experiencing homelessness. Designed by Santa Monica-based firm KFA Architecture in collaboration with the West Hollywood Community Housing Corp. (WHCHC) and Affordable Living for the Aging (ALA), the six-story building provides 23 fully accessible […]

In the Copenhagen suburb of Albertslund, the former Vridsløselille prison site will take on new life as an attractive mixed-use district with a strong emphasis on nature. The development plan for the 160,000-square-meter district will combine the design proposal by Danish architectural firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and landscape architects BOGL with the scheme put forth by COBE Architects. The masterplan will center on the adaptive reuse of […]

As part of Long Beach’s largest public-private partnership effort to date, international architecture firm SOM has helped inject new life into the downtown area with the Long Beach Civic Center Master Plan. This 22-acre project celebrated its grand unveiling of multiple LEED-targeted civic buildings late last year. The Long Beach Civic Center Master Plan, which has redesigned the downtown as a new and vibrant mixed-use district, […]

Austin-based Mckinney York Architects has completed its second micro-house for the Community First! Village, a program by Mobile Loaves & Fishes to uplift people experiencing chronic homelessness in Austin with affordable, sustainable tiny homes. As with the firm’s first project for the community, Mckinney York Architects teamed up with Bailey Eliot Construction to design, underwrite and build a permanent new home for a Community First! resident. […]

Stefano Boeri Architetti — the Milan-based architecture firm best known for the Vertical Forest skyscrapers — has partnered with a team of consultants to design and develop the architectural and communication concepts for Italy’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign. All aspects of the project, which was completed free of charge, are united by a floral logo of a pink primrose and the motto “With a flower, Italy comes […]

Locally sourced bamboo and adobe bricks make up the new Meditation Cathedral & Sunset Sala, a cluster of organically shaped buildings on top of a hill in northern Chiang Mai. Commissioned by Khunying Noi, a member of the Thai royal family, the net-zero carbon project provides the client with a space to enjoy the sunset with loved ones as well as a meditation cathedral for the […]

Charleston, South Carolina has raised the bar for inclusive healthcare design with the opening of the new Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion. Designed by Perkins and Will in collaboration with associate architect McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, the new, 625,000-square-foot facility aims to be one of the country’s most autism-friendly hospitals with its welcoming design that emphasizes […]

The University of Oregon recently welcomed the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, a 160,000-square-foot campus built to accelerate groundbreaking scientific discovery and development in a collaborative multidisciplinary environment. Designed by New York-based Ennead Architects and Portland-based Bora Architecture & Interiors, the Knight Campus raises the bar for research facilities with its human-centered design that prioritizes wellness and socialization as well as energy efficiency. The […]

Global architecture and design firm Perkins Eastman has earned WELL Platinum certification for its new Chicago studio, making it the first WELL Platinum-certified project in the state of Illinois and the fourth of its kind in the U.S. Awarded through the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI) WELL v2 pilot, the workplace earned this prestigious distinction with its health-focused design based on 10 categories of building performance. […]

MVRDV has shared its designs for the Matrix 1, an office and laboratory complex to be located in the heart of Amsterdam Science Park. Engineered to meet BREEAM Excellent certification as well as ambitious Amsterdam targets for energy performance (EPC 0.15) and water retention, the innovative building will also house the University of Amsterdam’s new SustainaLab. This will be a specialist facility for researching technologies and […]

Foster + Partners has unveiled its competition-winning designs for Guangming Hub, a new, lushly landscaped Transport Oriented Development that will serve as a “forest gateway” into Shenzhen, China. Strategically located on the high-speed rail link connecting Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the contemporary urban center will feature a sustainable mix of transit options from new metro lines to shared surfaces for cyclists and pedestrians. The design […]

On the steep banks of the Dyje River in the Czech town of Znojmo, Brno-based architecture firm Kuba & Pilař architekti has completed the Family House in the River Valley, a contemporary, geothermal-powered home topped with a lush green roof. Set on a narrow, rectangular plot, the waterfront home complements its neighbors with its simple form, yet it stands out with a modern materials palette that […]

Acclaimed Texan architecture firm Lake | Flato has teamed up with hospitality company Bunkhouse to create Hotel Magdalena, an 89-room establishment that is also the first mass timber hotel constructed in North America. Located on Music Lane in Austin’s popular South Congress neighborhood, Hotel Magdalena takes cues from its surroundings with its landscaping that evokes Barton Springs as well as with programming that celebrates the area’s […]

Vincent Callebaut Architectures has unveiled fantastical designs for the Green Line, a futuristic “inhabited footbridge” in Paris that would run on renewable energy, recycle its own waste and fight urban air pollution all while producing 87,500 kilograms of fresh fruits and vegetables every year. The ambitious proposal was created as an entry in the Reinventing Cities – C40 international design competition hosted by Ceetrus. The Green […]

Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) and Italo Rota have unveiled designs for the Playscraper, a Jenga-like skyscraper that stacks together eight tennis courts for a total of 60,000 square feet of playing space. Developed for RCS Sport, one of Europe’s leading sport and media companies, the 300-foot-tall Tennis Tower is designed to be built with the B-Core slab structure, a lightweight stainless-steel sandwich structure developed by Broad […]

Belgian design firm Polygoon Architectuur and Jouri De Pelecijn Architect have brought to life the dream of four local families: a sustainable collaborative housing project that maintains sufficient privacy while providing shared functions. Dubbed Living Apart Together, the four-unit co-housing development is located within a former police station in Antwerp. The adaptive reuse project emphasizes sustainable design by integrating energy-efficient systems, renewable materials and a green roof. Continue reading […]

Boston’s Financial District will soon welcome the groundbreaking Winthrop Center, a year-round, mixed-use gathering space with a suite of impressive eco-friendly credentials. Designed by Handel Architects in partnership with MIT professors, Winthrop Center will not only target LEED certifications and a WELL certification but is also expected to become the largest Passive House-certified office building in the world. The project takes COVID-19-era concerns into account with […]