Block 2, a new office complex across from Parliament Hill, is being designed by Provencher Roy with a focus on Indigenous design elements.

The building’s symbolism is straightforward, but some are concerned that the interior’s intricate architecture may not age well, a decision left to the competition jury.

The Quay Quarter has been recognized as the world's first "upcycled skyscraper," showcasing adaptive reuse as a sustainable approach.

Norman Foster remains deeply committed to the future of architecture and sustainable design.

On World Environment Day, five sustainable workplace design ideas were highlighted to transform spaces into green havens and remind us of our responsibility to protect the planet.

Sourcing locally for furniture and fixtures is key to sustainable design.

Providing green spaces inside and around offices contributes positively to the environment.

Maximizing natural light is another crucial sustainable strategy.

Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards winners over the past decade reflect a broader shift toward sustainable thinking in design.

Sustainability has long been central to good design, with examples such as buildings incorporating solar panels and salvaged materials.

However, some areas of design still require improvement in sustainability.

In tropical climates, opening up buildings helps reduce heat and humidity while providing sun and rain protection, consequently minimizing cooling needs and urban heat island effects.

Sustainable design can act as a catalyst for social change and equity, as discussed by Holcim Award winners.

Guto Requena and other architects are exploring how technology, nature, and diversity can shape architecture, emphasizing connection and innovation.

Experimentation is necessary, with some projects more successful than others, but architects are leading these investigations.

Kinetic architecture using sensors is an emerging trend.

Block 2, a new office complex across from Parliament Hill, is being designed by Provencher Roy with a focus on Indigenous design elements.

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Some of the world’s top architects are competing to transform a downtown space into something worthy of a nation’s capital. The competition ends April 26

When was the last time the federal government commissioned a great building? This hasn’t happened for half a century in Ottawa, where recent public architecture has been unambitious and underwhelming. That is likely to change with Block 2, a new office complex to be built across the street from Parliament Hill.

Some of the world’s top architects are vying to lead the Block 2 design, in an international competition conducted in collaboration with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Next Tuesday, a 25-member jury of parliamentarians, academics and architects, led by the philosopher and novelist John Ralston Saul, will announce a winner from among six shortlisted teams.

These teams unveiled their designs for Block 2 in a public online presentation last week. While they presented a diverse set of visions, whichever is selected will become the most ambitious work of public architecture the capital has seen for many years.

However, it won’t be flashy. Block 2 will be largely an office complex, for the use of parliamentarians and civil servants. It forms part of a 25-year project to rebuild the entire Parliamentary Precinct, the area on and around Parliament Hill. Block 2 is bounded by Wellington, Sparks, Metcalfe and O’Connor streets; this city block currently includes 11 existing buildings and several vacant lots. Two buildings in the middle are reserved for a future Indigenous Peoples’ Space. The remainder will be demolished or incorporated into the new office complex.

The government launched the process in March, 2021, with a request for qualifications from design teams. Twelve of these were invited to develop a detailed design concept. The jury then whittled them down to six, using an exhaustive set of aesthetic and technical criteria. These many constraints, not to mention the challenge of responding to the Parliament Buildings across the street, make it difficult to create an icon.

Instead the shortlisted designs show sophisticated and varied solutions to the competition’s puzzle. The designers include an international who’s who of contemporary architecture. They nod to the materials and detailing of the triad of Parliament Buildings; they include bold modernist form-making and articulation; and they incorporate thinking from Indigenous architecture.

There are commonalities. Several of the schemes extensively use engineered wood, or mass timber, an attractive and low-carbon material. All of them respond to the competition requirements with a mix of office space, meeting rooms and grand atriums.

But there are also some key differences in approach. The team led by London firm WilkinsonEyre imagines a rooftop C-shaped conference space. The team led by Paris-based Renzo Piano Building Workshop takes liberties with the existing heritage buildings to establish a uniform, monumental facade along Wellington Street. And the team led by Montreal’s Provencher Roy bets heavily on Indigenous design to shape Block 2 itself.

Some of these designs stretch the rules of the competition, which is apt; the main benefit of a design competition is to test different ideas and designers, in order to produce an excellent result. Block 2 is likely to deliver on that aim. Its public areas and street facades will send two clear messages: that the work of government matters, and that public architecture can embody the highest cultural aspirations.

Here are early assessments of the six shortlisted schemes, based on the architects’ video presentations.

Zeidler Architecture with David Chipperfield Architects

Of the six proposals, this is the clear standout. David Chipperfield’s London firm is known for its sensitivity to heritage. This proposal “weaves together past, present and future to create a tapestry of forms and styles,” Mr. Chipperfield said during the presentation. The scheme, created by a team that also includes Toronto’s Zeidler Architecture, retains almost all of the exteriors of the existing buildings. The new ones have mass-timber structural systems and are dressed in panels of recycled copper – a poetic nod to the copper roofs of Parliament.

Inside, two large atriums link the existing buildings on site, unifying floor levels to provide accessibility, while a variety of meeting and hallway spaces feature recycled masonry. The team – including Mohawk architect Matthew Hickey of Two Row Architect – has also designed a Peoples’ Square that sits alongside a new Indigenous centre and in line with the Peace Tower across the street. At a small scale and at the scale of the block, this promises complexity and variety that could, as the architects suggest, represent the diversity of the country.

NEUF architect(e)s with Renzo Piano Building Workshop

This project, by contrast, remakes the facades along Wellington Street into two uniform and finely detailed boxes – the kind for which Renzo Piano’s Paris-based firm is globally known. (Its partners on this project include Montreal’s NEUF.) Clad in clear low-iron glass and limestone, these facades present a timeless and beautiful face to Parliament, topped with rooftop groves of large trees. The other main facade, on Sparks Street, restores and keeps elements of some heritage buildings, as is the case with the other schemes. But this design tops them with precisely carved slabs of glass and arrays of solar panels. If the competition jury wants a statement of uniformity, coherence and precision, there is no proposal better suited for the task.

Diamond Schmitt Architects with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), KWC Architects and ERA Architects

This team brings together international stars BIG with established Toronto and Ottawa firms. Its vision includes buildings that are multifaceted, literally: New office blocks facing Wellington are irregular in shape, slanting inward from top to bottom to define new public squares around the future Indigenous centre. (Thoughtfully planted rooftop gardens by the landscape architects PUBLIC WORK provide an additional amenity.) The facades arrange Queenston limestone panels into a forceful modernist grid, contrasting with the remaining restored heritage facades. Windows are sized and arranged to control light and heat gain on each facade. Inside, offices and atriums are consistent, and rather bland, in finish and spatial qualities. This scheme aims to balance architectural flash with Ottawan conservatism.

Provencher Roy

The team led by Montreal’s Provencher Roy focuses hard on the Indigenous component of the project. Working with Indigenous architect and planner Aaron Aubin, it imagines a round Truth and Reconciliation Tower that stands opposite the Peace Tower and houses committee rooms. This attempts to address a fundamental challenge of this block: the decision to put an Indigenous centre in what used to be the U.S. embassy on Wellington. That 1932 building by architect Cass Gilbert speaks a language of neoclassicism that has strong negative connotations for many Indigenous people. It’s an open question whether the Provencher Roy design of rather corporate-feeling spaces within Block 2 meaningfully solves this problem.

WilkinsonEyre with IDEA Inc.

The London architecture firm WilkinsonEyre, which recently completed a new headquarters for CIBC in Toronto, is the dark horse. (Its partners on this project include Ontario firm IDEA Inc.) This team’s design builds on the neoclassicism of the former U.S. embassy building, translating the three-part organization of its facades into an architectural language familiar from contemporary London. To add Canadiana, wooden “trees” of structural timber show up both on the interior and the exterior. Ovoid meeting rooms hang within the building’s large atrium, like berries on stems. This design has a symbolism that is easy to read; however, the busy and mannered approach to the interior architecture may not age well.

Watson MacEwen Teramura Architects with Behnisch Architekten

The German/American firm Behnisch is known for its commitment to sustainability, and that is reflected in the design of this team, which also includes Ottawa-based Watson MacEwen Teramura. A complex series of atriums and winter gardens on different levels aids in the management of light and ventilation, helping the building complex function for part of the year without mechanical ventilation. Like most of the other shortlisted designs, this one breaks up the mass of the offices into smaller pieces. Stefan Behnisch suggested in his team’s presentation that the architecture should “herald tolerance, inclusion, collaboration and communication.” But it goes further than most, covering the exterior with slanted light shelves that provide shade and capture sunlight with solar panels. The effect, inside and out, is very subtle. Is subtlety the right architectural message? That is for the competition jury to decide.

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The building’s symbolism is straightforward, but some are concerned that the interior’s intricate architecture may not age well, a decision left to the competition jury.

The Quay Quarter has been recognized as the world's first "upcycled skyscraper," showcasing adaptive reuse as a sustainable approach.

Title:

Content: Take a look at the world's first 'upcycled' skyscraper that's been crowned building of the year

  • Quay Quarter Tower has been named World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival.
  • The 49-storey skyscraper was partly built around the structure of an existing office building.
  • Quay Quarter has been dubbed the world's first "upcycled skyscraper."

A skyscraper in Sydney, Australia that was constructed around the shell of another structure was awarded World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival in Lisbon, Portugal last week.

The prize is the latest honour for Quay Quarter Tower, which has been dubbed the world's first "upcycled skyscraper" and a more sustainable solution to high-rise construction.

The tower, which opened earlier this year, was based on AMP Centre that opened in 1976 and had reached the end of its viable life.

The AMP Centre at 50 Bridge Street, about halfway between the famous Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, was once Sydney's tallest building.

Its owner, AMP Capital, wanted a more eye-catching and energy-efficient building that could meet the needs of tenants in the 21st century, but was also concerned about the environmental impact of demolishing the structure.

It decided to hold an architectural competition with a sustainable brief, challenging architects to build a new skyscraper without knocking down the existing tower.

The 676 foot, 49-storey Quay Quarter Tower was announced as the winning design in 2014. It was designed by Danish architectural firm 3XN, which collaborated collaboration with Sydney-based firm BVN.

Construction began in early 2018 and was completed earlier this year. Take a look at the building here.

The Quay Quarter Tower is comprised of five stacked volumes.

Kim Herforth Nielsen, founder of 3XN, said her team produced at least 30 sketches while developing the design, as well as numerous 3D digitalizations and physical models.

They wanted to produce a "textured, layered" building, rather than "the homogenous, curtain-wall type towers that are so common."

"By dividing the building into five separate volumes and placing an atrium and terrace at the base of each one, the columns become smaller, more intimate social environments, making it easier for employees to connect and interact with one another," says Herforth Nielsen.

The architects hope it will serve as a "vertical village."

Quay Quarter Tower contains an array of offices and retail outlets.

The building's owners hope that the design will help "redefine the future of work" and "promote human interaction."

The World Architecture Forum judging panel said the "vertical village" created a "sense of community", with the stacked atriums allowing "exceptional views, while also allowing daylight deep into each floor", news.com.au reported.

"The winner was commissioned to provide a building on a world-class site, and to retain a huge proportion of an existing 50-year-old commercial tower," the forum's director, Paul Finch said, per the report. "The result was an excellent example of adaptive reuse."

It has dazzling views of Sydney's harbor and landmarks.

There's multiple rooftop terraces overlooking sights such as the Sydney Opera House, the harbor and its famous bridge.

Architect Carl Elefante famously said: "The greenest building is the one that is already built."

The architects believe the "upscaling" approach saved 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted.

That's the equivalent of powering the entire building for three years — or as much carbon dioxide as produced by 35,000 flights between Sydney and Melbourne.

Retaining the existing structure was key to maximizing space.

The innovative "upscaling" method is about more than just sustainability.

If the AMP Center had been demolished, it's possible a new structure on a similar scale would not have been permitted due to new height restrictions in Sydney, which aim to prevent buildings from overshadowing the city's botanical gardens.

The approach also offered financial savings on the project.

The team estimate the approach saved as much as $100 million.

By retaining the existing structure, construction time was reduced by at least six months.

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Norman Foster remains deeply committed to the future of architecture and sustainable design.

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Content: Architecture

Norman Foster Is More Invested in the Future Than Ever

An extraordinary exhibition on the 87-year-old Pritzker Prize–winning principal of Foster + Partners has just opened at the Centre Pompidou in Paris

“As an architect, you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown,” says Norman Foster, the 87-year-old Pritzker Prize–winning principal of London-based architecture firm Foster + Partners. It’s a mantra that has guided him through the past six decades of his practice—the subject of a retrospective exhibition that opened yesterday at the Centre Pompidou in Paris—and has resulted in some of the world’s most distinctive structures, from the gherkin-shaped 30 St Mary Axe tower in London to Apple’s glassy donut-like campus in Menlo Park, California. A pioneer of the high-tech architecture movement, Foster’s work is generally known for its inside-out approach, façades that reveal buildings’ structures, and systems to allow for column-free or mostly uninhibited interiors. What they also champion, the new show makes clear, is the symbiotic relationship between advanced building technology, future-proof design, and the environment.

Curated by critic Frederic Migayrou and designed by Foster himself, the show explores these concepts in 130 Foster + Partners projects, represented in drawings, sketches, physical models and dioramas, photographs, and videos. Pulling from an architectural oeuvre that encompasses nearly all typologies, from transit to towers, Migayrou organized the retrospective into seven themes: Nature and Urbanity, Skin and Bones, Vertical City, History and Tradition, Planning and Place, Networks and Mobility, and Future. Foster admits that seeing an assembly of his work since he founded his firm in 1967 sparked new realizations of the visual connections between project designs. His emphasis on sustainability and the use of flexible design to achieve it, however, have always been tenets.

For example, “the National Botanical Gardens of Wales (2003) and the Elephant House in Copenhagen (2008) all recede into the landscape, deferring to nature,” says the architect. However, it was his 1997 Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt am Main, Germany—with its multiple sky gardens, emphasis on a workspace with natural light and air flow, and use of new building technologies and methods to reduce heating and cooling needs—that convinced the Pritzker Architecture Prize jury to laud him in 1999 for “Europe's tallest and arguably the first skyscraper with an ecological conscience.” Since 2008 that building has been run entirely on green energy, and its innovative design continues to contribute to lowering its overall requirements.

Though his historic work has already accomplished much in the advancement of mainstreaming “sustainable design,” Foster’s current architectural focus is on the next generation. “An anticipation of the future” is a main driver for his work today, he reveals. In collaboration with MIT’s Center for Advanced Nuclear Systems, he is exploring the urban applications of autonomous clean energy from micro-reactors. At this year’s Venice Architecture Biennial, he is unveiling experiments with Swiss building company Holcim and his nonprofit research institute, the Norman Foster Foundation, showcasing a new low-carbon concrete to create virtually instant refugee housing. Adding water to the material draped over a reusable framework renders it structurally sound in just one day.

“Before this exhibition [at the Centre Pompidou] I was less sensitive to the roots of my design philosophy and its background in systems thinking,” sums the architect. “When I say this it suggests a mechanistic process. Nothing could be further from the reality—the quest is as much of the spirit or soul as the materiality of the built end result.” What Foster’s soul-search does, however, is create architecture that improves all our lives.

On World Environment Day, five sustainable workplace design ideas were highlighted to transform spaces into green havens and remind us of our responsibility to protect the planet.

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World Environment Day: 5 sustainable and eco-friendly design ideas that can transform your workplace into a green haven

Jun 04, 2023 05:47 PM IST

On this World Environment Day, embrace a greener future with these five innovative and sustainable design ideas to transform workspaces into eco-conscious hubs.

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, is a global initiative that raises awareness about pressing environmental issues. It is a reminder of our responsibility to protect the planet. With an increasing focus on environment-friendly practices, "future of workplace" has evolved into a more sustainable approach to design spaces that we work in. Creating a sustainable workspace is not only beneficial for the environment but also for the well-being and productivity of employees. In honour of World Environment Day, let's discover five innovative and practical design ideas that can transform your workplace into a green haven, fostering sustainability and eco-consciousness. (Also read: 5 environment-friendly and cost-effective home design strategies )

Sustainable Workspace Design Ideas

Apoorv Mittal, Architect, Concept Consilio India Pvt. Ltd, shares with HT Lifestyle, five innovative design ideas that not only enhance productivity and well-being but also prioritise environmental sustainability.

1. Use furniture and fixtures that are sourced locally

A huge part of designing a space sustainably is to source all the furniture and fixtures locally. This cuts down immensely on carbon emissions in transportation and in turn, helps in reducing building costs of the project.

2. Provide green areas in and around the office

Pockets of green around the office can create a net positive impact on the well-being of the users as well as give the space a refreshing energy. Furthermore, there can be several HR initiatives that can help support the biophilic nature of this design scheme; such as "adopt a plant" and the use of hydroponic plants.

3. Use of modular meeting spaces and booths

Modular meeting spaces and modular booths are great innovations in truly reusing and recycling not only the waste that we create but also the spaces we use. Using such modular settings enables the design to last longer, which in turn leads to a more sustainable approach.

4. Proper use of natural light

Designing efficiently to maximize the use of natural light can reduce the load of electricity consumed by a space. On similar lines, the use of diffused light should be considered and utilised as much as possible to increase visibility while reducing the heat incurred. This brings down the air conditioning needs of the design as well.

5. Utilizing eco-friendly materials

The utilization of eco-friendly materials involves employing natural alternatives instead of synthetic products, which not only imparts a visually appealing natural aesthetic but also contributes to a more environmentally friendly approach. An example of such an alternative is the use of cork boards as a substitute for synthetic materials in the construction of acoustic panels. By opting for cork boards, we not only achieve a rich natural appearance but also prioritize sustainability and the preservation of our ecosystem.

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Sourcing locally for furniture and fixtures is key to sustainable design.

Providing green spaces inside and around offices contributes positively to the environment.

Maximizing natural light is another crucial sustainable strategy.

Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards winners over the past decade reflect a broader shift toward sustainable thinking in design.

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How businesses learned to embrace sustainable design—and where it’s headed next

We look at the winners of Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards over the past 10 years as a lens onto a broader shift toward sustainable design thinking.

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When Fast Company launched the Innovation by Design Awards in 2012 to honor creativity in business, just two of the winning entries embraced sustainability as a central design thesis.

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This year, roughly a third of the winners prioritize the environment, ranging from a converted coal power plant to a device that transforms salt water into electricity. As the effects of climate change become increasingly visceral, spreading fires, hurricanes, and other disasters around the globe, design is becoming a crucial tool of adaptation. “Designing for human survival will become the new necessary field of design,” says Slow Factory Foundation founder Céline Semaan in a special Fast Company report on where the industry can have the greatest impact in the next decade.

In some ways, eco-friendliness has always been a key aspect of good design. Legendary industrial designer Dieter Rams declared it nearly 50 years ago, as one of his 10 principles of good design. But the parameters of what constitutes sustainable design have shifted over time. Is a plastic coffee maker that lasts 20 years, but ultimately ends up in a landfill, really sustainable? Today, many designers understand that every part of product development, from the materials used to a product’s afterlife, must be carefully considered to limit waste. Others have gone a step further and found creative ways to actively reuse waste. Forust, the winner of this year’s Innovation by Design Award in materials, uses 3D printing to turn sawdust into furniture, bowls, and other accessories. RED, the winner of 2019’s student Innovation by Design Award, explored using red mud, a waste product of aluminum manufacturing, to create gorgeous ceramics and building materials.

Some designs were simply ahead of their time. An early winner of Innovation by Design was the Fisker Karma, one of the world’s first luxury plug-in electric vehicles. It had a solar panel on its roof and sustainable materials inside, like trim made from salvaged wood. “The Fisker shows what you can do by taking risks in sedan design,” judge Erica Eden of Smart Design said at the time. Shortly thereafter, the company went out of business when its sole battery supplier filed for bankruptcy. Intriguingly, the Karma’s design ideas live on in this year’s winner of the products category, Polestar 2. An electric car spun out of Volvo’s skunkworks lab, it has seat backs crafted from old water bottles and carpet made from fishing nets. It also uses blockchain technology to trace the origin of its cobalt, a key component of lithium-ion batteries that is often mined to devastating effect on both people and the planet. Polestar’s investment in these features shows the long tail of bold design.

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Many of the biggest strides in sustainable design over the past 10 years have come from architects. This may be a case of necessity breeding invention: Architecture and construction are responsible for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions, an astonishing footprint for an industry that doesn’t garner nearly the attention of polluters like agriculture (representing 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions) and aviation (representing about 2%). Architects have responded with a range of thoughtful solutions, including offices that usher the outdoors in and buildings that generate more power than they consume, but adaptive reuse may be the profession’s most impactful legacy. It’s the idea that one of the greenest ways to build is to reuse what’s already there. In Long Island City in Queens, New York, the architecture firms SWA/Balsley and Weiss/Manfredi converted an abandoned industrial landscape into a 30-acre park that is designed to protect the area from rising flood waters. The project, called Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park, was an Innovation by Design winner in 2019. Two years later, the Chicago architecture firm Studio Gang has won accolades for another adaptation of industrial space, the Beloit Powerhouse, which transformed a coal power plant into a gym and student center at Beloit College in Wisconsin.

Some areas of design still have a ways to go. Disposable goods remain far too common in retail, and fashion and tech companies are particularly guilty of flooding markets with planned obsolescence in mind. “After nearly 15 years, I am using my fourth iPhone,” Frog Design founder Hartmut Esslinger tells Fast Company in the special report on design’s future impact. “Each time I had to buy a new one because of CPU (central processing unit) performance, [and] I put otherwise perfectly functioning products into my closet.” He calls on designers to extend their thinking beyond products and services to the very economic forces underpinning their work. “Recycling is a good thing, but not enough,” he says. “Design must inspire a new economic model and deliver much more long-term solutions.”

See more from Fast Company’s 2021 Innovation by Design Awards. Our new book, Fast Company Innovation by Design: Creative Ideas That Transform the Way We Live and Work (Abrams, 2021), is on sale now.

About the author

Suzanne LaBarre is the editor of Co.Design. Previously, she was the online content director of Popular Science and has written for the New York Times, the New York Observer, Newsday, I.D

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Sustainability has long been central to good design, with examples such as buildings incorporating solar panels and salvaged materials.

However, some areas of design still require improvement in sustainability.

In tropical climates, opening up buildings helps reduce heat and humidity while providing sun and rain protection, consequently minimizing cooling needs and urban heat island effects.

Title:

Content: 7 Bioclimatic Façade Strategies for Tropical Architecture

When we think of the word "tropic," the image that typically comes to mind is an exotic space, characterized by perpetual warmth and humidity, with frequent and heavy rainfall nurturing lush vegetation. Throughout history, this tropical climate has been romanticized as a paradise and criticized for potentially fostering weakness due to its perceived clemency.

Thankfully, those judgments and associations have been relegated to the past, paving the way for theoretical and practical projects that outline the advantages and disadvantages of living in a tropical climate. These projects acknowledge the various strategies to enhance human adaptability within these distinctive climatic conditions.

+ 15

Certainly, climate is the most pivotal element of the natural environment, as it impacts all geomorphological processes, from soil formation to plant growth. It's this profound interconnection that renders climate change so concerning. Hence, akin to how the natural environment reacts to climate, architecture must also be responsive to it.

In temperate climates, houses typically remain "closed" to shield occupants from harsh weather, retaining warmth. Conversely, in tropical climates, it's essential to "open up" the house to dissipate heat and humidity while shielding it from the sun and heavy rainfall. The abundance of tropical climate and vegetation often encourages outdoor living or greater interaction with nature. The main challenges in tropical architecture involve protecting against rain and direct sunlight, with a focus on strategies to regulate internal temperatures.

Bioclimatic strategies play a crucial role in achieving these objectives. They guarantee that buildings adapt to the local climate, boost energy efficiency, and enhance occupants' comfort. These strategies encompass principles and design techniques that leverage natural elements to establish sustainable architectures. By minimizing buildings' environmental impact and prioritizing occupants' well-being, these strategies collectively contribute to overall sustainability.

Since many of these strategies are implemented at the junction between a building's interior and exterior, we've listed below seven bioclimatic strategies and how they are applied to the facades of residential projects in tropical climates.

Shading Elements

Incorporating shade devices such as brise-soleil, cobogós, or other latticed structures on facades is crucial. These elements effectively block direct sunlight while allowing diffused light and natural airflow. This helps to minimize solar heat gain, reduce glare, and maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.

The Kenz House / Srijit Srinivas Architects

Casa Delta / Bernardes Arquitetura

Vegetation

Introducing vegetation on facades through vertical gardens, living walls, or planters can provide natural insulation, reduce heat absorption, and improve air quality. Plants also contribute to shading and evaporative cooling through transpiration, further enhancing thermal comfort and reinforcing the tropical ambiance within architecture.

Tropical Shed / Laurent Troost Architectures

Stepping Park House / VTN Architects

Ventilation Strategies

In tropical architecture, facades often incorporate operable windows or strategically positioned openings to facilitate cross-ventilation and natural airflow. This design approach effectively reduces humidity levels and improves indoor air quality.

Valley Expansion House / Studio Heya

OF House / Studio Otto Felix

Sun Orientation

Ensuring the correct solar orientation of buildings maximizes natural light penetration while minimizing solar heat gain. In tropical climates, designing buildings with a north-south orientation reduces direct sunlight exposure, particularly during peak heat hours of the day.

The House of Silence / Natura Futura Arquitectura

Country house in Puente Iglesias / Oficina de Arquitectura y Paisaje OAP + MDE estudio

Thermal Mass

Using materials with high thermal mass, such as concrete, stone, or adobe, in facade construction helps absorb and retain heat during the day. The heat stored during the day is gradually released at night, helping to stabilize indoor temperatures and reducing the need for mechanical cooling systems.

Discreet House / Jirau Arquitetura

Earth Farmhouse / Studio Verge

Reflective Surfaces

Using light-colored or reflective materials on facades helps minimize heat absorption by reflecting solar radiation. This reduces the need for cooling and helps mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Nagato House / RASA Architektura

House COVE(R) / TOUCH Architect

Adaptability

By integrating responsive facade systems like adjustable blinds or dynamic shading elements controlled by sensors or automation, buildings can adapt in real-time to environmental conditions. This real-time adjustment optimizes both energy performance and occupants' comfort.

Patio House / Caio Persighini Arquitetura

ABK House / Bernardes Arquitetura

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About this author
Cite: Ghisleni, Camilla. "7 Bioclimatic Façade Strategies for Tropical Architecture" [7 Estratégias bioclimáticas aplicadas nas fachadas da arquitetura tropical ] 10 Apr 2024. ArchDaily. (Trans. Simões, Diogo) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1015392/7-bioclimatic-facade-strategies-for-tropical-architecture> ISSN 0719-8884

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Sustainable design can act as a catalyst for social change and equity, as discussed by Holcim Award winners.

Title:

Content: A Catalyst for Social Change and Equity: In Conversation with Holcim Award Winners Husos, Elli, and Ultrazul

The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction announced the winners of the 2023 edition, celebrating projects that showcase innovative approaches to sustainable construction practices. For the Europe region, the Gold Prize was awarded to Husos, Elli, and Ultrazul for their project “Composition of Knowledge House.” In a video interview with the winners, they explain the details of this rehabilitation project. Developed for the Carasso Foundation headquarters, the project uses an innovative “360° co-design process” to promote inclusivity and community involvement.

+ 2

Situated in Madrid, the project prioritizes the adaptive reuse of a former industrial building, retaining 95% of the existing structure. Additionally, its designed business and management models align with impact investing and open governance, incorporating grants for community art and sustainable food production. Using biomaterials and recycled elements also showcases the project’s sustainability and material circularly commitment. Additionally, over one-third of the total floor area is dedicated to multi-purpose spaces that foster community interaction and permeability.

At the project's core is one of the Carasso Foundation’s visions: to select architects capable of cross-disciplinary work. A substantial bioclimatic approach, a life cycle analysis of the materials, and an emphasis on developing multipurpose spaces that promote community engagement are just a few of the creative solutions incorporated into the design. By merging architectural ideas with a sustainable economic framework, the project seeks to become a model for sustainable building.

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Restoring a Symbol of Collective Memory: Holcim Award Winner Xu Tiantian Discusses the Impact of Adaptive Reuse

From the very beginning, it was clear that we had to be ambitious in ecological terms, respecting the heritage of the city while negotiating design decisions from the constructive detail to the territorial and planetary scale.

Furthermore, the team underlined in the interview how crucial it is to provide communal spaces in European cities that integrate traditionally divided roles like employment, education, and culture. Similar to the multidisciplinary nature of the project, the designers explain that collaborating with different skill sets and having exposure to different lifestyles is what creates strong communities. In fact, according to the speakers, these multifunctional areas are essential for envisioning urban life in the future.

The project redefines sustainable architecture with its embrace of complexity and early integration of community demands. Ultimately, the "Composition of Knowledge House" project's overall goal is to demonstrate how old structures may be renovated to satisfy the needs of contemporary European cities while protecting the region's natural and architectural history. Furthermore, the project highlights how nontraditional and inventive formats for renovating existing structures may be the “key to imagining the future of cities."

Belinda Tato, Co-Founder of Ecosistema Urbano and the chair of the jury for the European Region Holcim Awards praised the winning project for its innovative approach to sustainable construction. She also highlighted the new use of materials and energy efficiency, emphasizing a new design thinking format. Most notably, Tato explains that the winning project offers a solid social approach and acknowledges architecture “as a catalyst for social change and equity.” Overall, the jury particularly appreciated the project’s holistic intervention in an existing building, its mixed-use nature, and the clear presentation of its sustainability metrics.

The Holcim 2023 Europe Region Awards also recognized an Urban Nature Project by Feilden Fowles and J&L Gibbons in the United Kingdom, HAUS 2+ by Office Park Scheerbath in Germany, and High-Rise H1 Zwhatt Site by Boltshauser Architekten in Switzerland. For the Middle East and Africa Award, ArchDaily announced that the founders of Deroché Strohmayer won the gold medal for the design of Surf Ghana Collective. Finally, ArchDaily also had a chance to sit with the Gold Prize Winner for North America for their low-cost modular housing solution for urban living in Toronto.

You can now register on the Holcim Awards 2025 page, where individuals can express their interest and receive notifications when the competition opens.

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Cite: Nour Fakharany. "A Catalyst for Social Change and Equity: In Conversation with Holcim Award Winners Husos, Elli, and Ultrazul" 09 Jul 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1018608/refurbished-readapted-reprogrammed-in-conversation-with-holcim-awards-2023-european-winners> ISSN 0719-8884

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Guto Requena and other architects are exploring how technology, nature, and diversity can shape architecture, emphasizing connection and innovation.

Title:

Content: Technology, Nature, and Diversity in Architecture: An Interview with Guto Requena

Technology, Nature, and Diversity in Architecture: An Interview with Guto Requena

During July, we delved into the Design Process as our monthly topic. Inspired by practices that intersect various uncommon layers in their creations, we talked with architect Guto Requena. When designing, his studio experiments with different digital technologies through a sustainable lens and with a keen eye on social issues, aiming to deliver innovative and emotional experiences. Today, the architect boasts numerous national and international awards, including the ArchDaily Building of the Year and the UNESCO Prix Versailles.

In the interview, Requena shares his journey, highlighting the diversity of his team as a critical innovation point in his firm. He also addresses crucial questions about fostering innovation and creativity with new materials in architecture, among other topics.

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Victor Delaqua (ArchDaily): In architecture schools, we are taught to think about physical space, but in your projects, you mention the creation of a hybrid architecture in which concrete and the virtual world blend together. How does this fusion influence your design process?

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Get to know some of the projects by Estudio Guto Requena

Guto Requena: During college, great mentors taught me to view architecture from the perspective of form, function, flow, the relationship with the street, and aesthetics. However, no professor encouraged me to approach a fundamental question: does architecture have a role in fostering empathy and collectivity?

This question seems to gain more significance when considering that we are increasingly isolated. There's a significant risk of technology isolating us, but humans are inherently social beings. So, how can we create spaces and experiences that invite people to look at each other and connect? Architecture also has this role, and it's not reinventing the wheel, but the contemporary challenge lies in technology. Beyond concrete, brick, and metal, I can incorporate digital technologies to address this challenge – and there is a materiality and infrastructure for this hybrid and interactive architecture to happen: network cables, microcontrollers, LEDs, sensors, Arduino.

For me, the great fascination was discovering another dimension of experience arising from this hybrid architecture. I researched the topic in the Nomads group at USP for nine years with funding from FAPESP, delved deep into theory, created conceptual projects, and finally, after 15 years, collectively got our hands dirty and executed projects. Seeing architecture harness the power of people looking at each other, coming together, and getting to know each other through this analog and digital fusion is incredibly satisfying. It's a moment of experimentation that goes beyond pure functionality. Of course, since it's experimentation, there may be projects that aren't as successful, but we are the first generation to do this and allow ourselves to investigate.

In the Brazilian context, this becomes a challenge-driven architecture. There are no large budgets, and we still don't have a vast pool of computer scientists or programmers. In these circumstances, we tap into something unique in Brazilian creative thinking: turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Sometimes, even with more limited resources, we achieve remarkable results. Something vibrant is emerging from this new Brazilian architecture – kinetic, with projections and sensors – and I believe the world will pay more attention to it. It encourages me to see that many students are increasingly interested in this field. There's now a generation learning programming, and that's the turning point: having architects who understand programming. That's why I strongly advocate for teaching programming in architecture schools. Programming is a language; we must teach its basics to future professionals.

Beyond architecture, should programming be included in elementary education? As you mentioned, it's a language. It does help to see the world from different perspectives...

Absolutely. There's another crucial aspect to your comment, which is this another social inequality that's emerging. Today, we see students in [Brazilian] private schools that include programming, robotics, and computing in their curricula. Unfortunately, in most [Brazilian] public schools, these opportunities are absent. This means there's a modus operandi already ingrained in the education of privileged youth who enter architecture programs already familiar with these subjects. So, we run the significant risk of creating a digital divide that exacerbates social inequalities.

Regarding digital advancements, you incorporate various body and environment stimuli into the design process, along with automotive technologies. You bring together factors whose outcomes you may not necessarily control. How does this idea evolve?

A learning process in working with technology and algorithms involves thinking about architecture beyond the physical material. It's about considering it from the perspective of experience and other sensory opportunities. For example, music and audio can make our brains think about spaces, recall places, and connect the body with the environment.

During my master's studies, I became somewhat disillusioned with architecture because I couldn't find examples and answers to these aspirations of understanding that the human body is undergoing a profound transformation. Sensory perception and cognition are undergoing significant shifts due to new digital technologies. So, I stepped away from architecture and began studying philosophy, arts, and places where I found answers. I encountered the theory of the cyborg body, understanding that we are the first generation with organic bodies increasingly intertwined with machinery. Therefore, we have different sensory perceptions and cognition. This gave me a reason to return to architecture and complete my master's. Before delving into architecture, we need to zoom in on the fundamental pixel, which is the human; understanding this transformation and these new behaviors is crucial before zooming out to think about architecture and cities.

When we work with sensors, we must program them to create kinetic architecture. This requires a transdisciplinary perspective, a programming perspective. Something unprecedented and incredibly enriching in terms of the design process is multidisciplinary teams composed of computer scientists, hardware and software engineers, and programmers, all involved in the creative process. So, it's not just the architect creating a beautiful concept and asking someone to execute it. In this process, the engineer is present at the creation table as we seek to understand other possibilities. This isn't entirely new; architecture has always been a multidisciplinary field, but with digital technologies, I believe we're reaching a rich connection point with other areas. When I assemble multidisciplinary teams to create projects, I've noticed that we achieve a much deeper conceptual depth.

A fundamental point when discussing the future of architecture and technology is the issue of race and diversity. Discussions of technology and architecture should no longer be divorced from the issue of race. I have learned, and still have much to learn, how much more exciting and profound my office has become as I've welcomed more Black architects, non-binary individuals, and transgender people into the team. It might sound cliché, but it's a fact. Our projects have become more interesting when we move away from the creation solely by white individuals, a large portion of whom are privileged. Opening this up to the new generation has taken the office to unimaginable places. For me, innovation is increasingly coming not just from technology but from the power of this union of knowledge.

In such a way, diversity, whether in terms of race or gender and sexual orientation, begins to influence paths distinct from the norm or the standard...

Yes, we have several examples, like the recent documentary "Cabaré Eldorado," that demonstrate how queer culture is at the forefront of cultural transformations. Today, I think a lot about the safe spaces within the queer community, places where Black individuals feel safe, and architecture's power in this context. Something is fascinating when we intersect architecture with issues of race and gender. Through them, there's enormous potential for discussing new architectures. And, of course, technology is intertwined with all of this. So, investigating the possibilities of architecture that deviates from the norms – that can be seen as spaces of collectivity, of connection – historically, these have been the domains of the queer and Black communities. In terms of architecture, these spaces are where a revolution is taking place.

Beyond technology, using natural elements is quite prevalent in your practice. How does nature inspire you amidst digital advancements?

The more technologically immersed I become, the more connected I feel to my ancestry and the natural environment. I grew up in the countryside, and I played surrounded by nature during my childhood. It's an environment that has always profoundly influenced my imagination and creativity. Despite becoming increasingly cosmopolitan later on, I've been reconnecting more and more with nature, which has unfolded in my projects.

When we talk about the future, we look at ancestral peoples, and many of them talk about cycles. So, looking to the future also means looking back, encompassing the present and the past. And that makes sense. For example, when we talk about 3D printing in architecture, and it's done with biodegradable materials, we are essentially doing what was done in the past.

Today, we have knowledge and evidence that there were once large cities in the Amazon. Settlements with over 300,000 people were so sophisticated that they left no traces. Only now, through carbon scanning, are we beginning to uncover this history. Therefore, for us Brazilians, there's something potent in this new and urgent architecture because we are culturally connected to something beyond the material. Brazilians, in general, are highly spiritual and can have an expanded field of vision and connect with ancestral values.

And from this perspective, we must look to nature and understand that the future lies within it. We can't continue to build from non-renewable sources. As Ailton Krenak says, we're killing everything, we're killing the rivers. We can't keep going like this.

The construction industry is the second-largest polluting industry, second only to aviation. What role do architects play in this? We need to spread the message and openly acknowledge that we can't keep building with concrete. It's not enough to create a 'sustainable' house with solar panels, LED lighting, and a bunch of green-certified furniture if the entire house is made of concrete, with Black labor – paid a pittance and working in precarious conditions – to build a high-end home, and then seeking certification to label it as sustainable.

So, this return to nature is about developing renewable architecture and adopting biodegradable materials. Additionally, there's the concept of biophilia. How can we integrate architecture into nature? Why aren't architects investigating this enough? In a country like Brazil, where everything grows, why do the most of new developments ignore this?

In my practice, nature enters holistically, tied to ancestry and as a fundamental factor in discussing the future. In my studio, we reached a point where, two years ago, we stopped building with concrete and started exploring other alternatives.

We see this in some projects, such as the Dolce Gusto Neo and Zissou Flagships. In these projects, material innovation takes center stage. How does this material aspect permeate the design process of your firm?

There's a creative ingredient in my team, and it's the pursuit of innovation. Creating innovation takes time and research. That's why we've opened up a dedicated research front and seen some incredible materials emerging. We need to organize ourselves to support and encourage the companies responsible for these innovations. For instance, cladding blocks are emerging from discarded fabrics, Brazilian startups working with mycelium and producing CNC-cuttable panels, and biodegradable polymers derived from insects.

There's a material revolution that needs to be industrialized and scaled up. As architects, we also need to support these projects. I always emphasize this in meetings with my clients, suggesting that when a brand supports a project like this, it's helping an innovation ecosystem. After all, to create a project like this, you need to activate research, universities, and suppliers. So, when we develop a work with these materials, we stimulate and activate an innovation network. It's not just about making a store look beautiful; it goes beyond that.

You've always been closely connected to technological issues, and there's a current issue that can't be ignored: how do you see Artificial Intelligence influencing the architectural profession?

I think there's a lot of potential, and I believe it will profoundly impact architectural education and the training of architects. I do think it will democratize architecture. Today, I already have clients who come with the image of Midjourney, and I have students from other fields at Sorbonne in Paris who don't know how to draw but can now express themselves through images. And that's the power of democratization. Not to mention how, with a smartphone, people can now scan their environment and get a sense of what can be done with it. So, the clients themselves will carry out part of the design process. Architecture will be profoundly transformed. Some architects are afraid and feel threatened by this. I look at it with a certain fascination because it could take architecture to places we haven't yet imagined.

This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Design Process, proudly presented by Codesign, the first purpose-built iPad app for the concept design stage of the architectural process.

Codesign turns sketches into 3D building models in moments, with the ability to iterate, explore and understand downstream effects immediately. Architects can explore all the possibilities of a project, and spend more time doing what they love the most, designing. (Codesign was previously known as Spaces)

Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.

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Cite: Delaqua, Victor. " Technology, Nature, and Diversity in Architecture: An Interview with Guto Requena" [Tecnologia, natureza e diversidade na arquitetura: entrevista com Guto Requena] 26 Sep 2023. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1007246/technology-nature-and-diversity-in-architecture-an-interview-with-guto-requena> ISSN 0719-8884

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Experimentation is necessary, with some projects more successful than others, but architects are leading these investigations.

Kinetic architecture using sensors is an emerging trend.