Issue

A beacon for modern timber construction

Sawa is a timber building that makes a statement: 55 m tall, comprising more than 100 apartments that ­permit flexible conversion, and intended to contribute to species diversity. A new trailblazer for contemporary residential construction?

Enveloped in willow mats

The small residential building by Atelier du Ralliement sits enthroned on a rocky plateau above a floodplain in the Loire river landscape. Simple willow mats from the hardware store cover the wooden structure.

In this issue, we showcase the beauty and potential of natural building materials; visit a reconstructed “Strickbau”; and examine the timber-earth slabs at Hortus.    

Danish architectural tradition

The Heatherhill Beach House combines Danish tradition with modern design, featuring clean lines, natural materials, and deliberate perspectives that open up spaces to the landscape, creating an understated elegance.

How can architecture deliver on its promises when budgets are tight, tasks are pressing, and resources are limited? In this issue, we hear from architects who have embraced the discipline of doing more with less.    

Strengthening the community

DeRoche Projects' Backyard Community Club in Accra is a pioneer in the use of prefabricated rammed earth systems for construction. It is also helping to develop a tennis culture beyond the elite.

Art instead of coal

The architectural firm Nomos has transformed a former coal-fired power plant into an exhibition space for art. A polycarbonate facade allows filtered daylight to enter the interior.

Colossus in a new shell

Following its renovation, the former administrative building on the outskirts of Brussels now offers space for a hotel and other uses. The appearance of the new glass facades largely corresponds to the original design from the late 1960s.

A profiled glass shell

In this infrastructure project in western Zurich, the building's structure and technical features are visible through a profiled glass facade. Graber Pulver has created a modern cathedral of energy supply. 

What forms of transparency remain desirable amid social uncertainty and urban densification? Do transparent or translucent envelopes still make sense when contemporary energy concepts are applied? The examples in this issue provide numerous positive arguments.  

Protective shell made of stamped concrete

The four-group nursery school in Espalion in south-west France has two radically different faces: on the outside, metre-high tamped concrete walls protect the open spaces and interior rooms. Inside, however, floor-to-ceiling glazing dominates the impression of space.

Careful restoration

NAS Architecture has transformed the former Montpellier Conservatory into a primary school, combining history with modernity through the use of a light-flooded patio and exposed structures.

Tour de force in timber construction

Grafton Architects' first timber construction is located at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. In collaboration with the local firm Modus Studio, they designed a transparent building that brings together workshops, a lecture hall, and design studios under one roof.

Preserving historical heritage

Targeted interventions by Santamaria Arquitectes have secured and revitalised this Romanesque church.

Renovation brings clarity and cohesion

During the renovation of the secondary school, Tectoniques Architectes unified the disparate buildings in terms of structure and design. The labyrinthine layout was reorganised and the building was raised and clad in a new, largely uniform exterior. 

Building in existing fabric conserves resources, saves energy, and reduces carbon emissions – good reasons to choose conversion over new build.  The projects in this issue cast a special light on this theme.    

Lightweight construction on solid foundations

The La Nanihuena residential building in Gorliz, northern Spain, plays with contrasts: four large concrete supports hold up a delicate wooden structure. Red and light green facades envelop the interior, which is largely decorated in wood tones.

Building bridges to nature

The extension of the historic railway station in Santiago de Compostela builds bridges in two ways: it links different modes of transport and it connects the city centre with the southern suburbs surrounding the Ciudad de la Cultura.