A beachfront hotel from Rovinj, a bamboo-roofed school from Bali and the world’s first 3D-printed house made from raw earth from Italy. What follows is a subjective selection of architecture from the last year or two, mostly from buildings we’ve already reported on this year, with a few new additions.
Mario Cucinella | Italy | Tecla, the first 3D-printed house made from raw earth
TECLA (Technology + Clay) is the world’s first 3D-printed house made from raw earth. It is low-carbon, biodegradable, waste-free and requires no electricity. Printing technology allows homes to be manufactured quickly and in mass quantities.
Frank Gehry | France | Skyscraper dedicated to culture
The Luma Tower is part of the Luma Foundation’s Creative Quarter in Arles, which was created on the site of an abandoned railway depot. The 56-meter tower, designed by Gehry, houses exhibition spaces and project rooms, as well as the Foundation’s library and research center.
Atelier Štěpán | Czech Republic | Atrium family home
The house in Nový Jičín, Czech Republic, is opened to the sky by circular cuts. The largest is located in the middle of the building, beneath which is a private inner courtyard, completely hidden from the neighbors.
3LHD | Croatia | Hotel on the beach of Rovinj
Hotels are being built in harmony with nature, local needs and the Yugoslav architectural heritage by Zagreb-based architecture firm 3LHD. Their aim is not only to attract tourists but also to make the local community feel at home in towns where they are no longer in the majority. Grand Park Hotel Rovinj opened two years ago, right on the beach. In order to blend into the surrounding nature, the floors have been shifted to follow the slope of the land, forming a bridge between the water and the park behind.
IBUKU | Bali | School with a bamboo roof
The curved structure, which appears light and weightless, is inspired by nature, and architects define it as a new vein of organic architecture. The bamboo structure gives the impression of a drape, so that entering the building is like folding a curtain in half, easing the transition for children between the outside world and the school building. The central hall of the Green School is connected to several buildings designed for educational and leisure activities, which together form a small village.
MAD Architect | China | Modern kindergarten on the roof of a historic Chinese building
In the spirit of intergenerational coexistence, the architectural firm MAD Architect has been commissioned to build a roof-frame kindergarten over an old Beijing neighborhood. The 9,275 square meter facility, which is a combination of historic buildings, will provide elderly care while the floating roof will be used for early childhood education.
ZAV Architects | Iran | Cultural Residence
Located in the Persian Gulf, Hormuz has an outstandingly colorful, surreal landscape. A beautiful island of strategic tourist and political importance, its inhabitants, face economic hardship. The multifunctional cultural residence, which is part of ZAV Architects’ urban renewal project, is designed to strengthen the local community.
Heatherwick Studio | USA | Recreation Island
Heatherwick Studio designed a unique green oasis on the Hudson River in New York. Called Little Island, the structure rests on 280 concrete piles, topped by 132 “concrete tulips” of varying shapes and weights.
Sou Fujimoto | Hungary | House of Hungarian Music
The House of Hungarian Music has already won numerous professional awards during its construction. The organically designed building will be home to complex music programs.
Foster + Partners | Russia | Copper office building
Foster + Partners designed a monumental office building for the Russian Copper Company. The fifteen-story building in Ekaterinburg consists of modular office units and its cladding allows for energy-efficient operation. The design and choice of materials for the skyscraper were inspired by the crystal lattice structure of copper.
Mario Cucinella | Web | Facebook | Instagram
Atelier Štěpán | Web | Facebook
3LHD | Web | Facebook | Instagram
IBUKU | Web | Facebook | Instagram
Mad Architects | Web | Facebook | Instagram
ZAV Architects | Web | Instagram
Heatherwick Studio | Web | Instagram
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