Perforated aluminum cladding of the Christchurch Central Library

This New Zealand library beams with luminous aluminum and indigenous motifs

The 2011 Christchurch earthquake devastated much of New Zealand‘s capital city, knocking down or severely compromising civic buildings across the metropolitan area. Located within the cordoned off Central City Red Zone, the Christchurch Central Library was closed to the public for three years prior to its ultimate demolition in 2014. Completed in October 2018, the new Central

The Shui Cultural Center connects to traditional life through copper and concrete

Opened to the public in December 2017, West-Line Studio’s Shui Cultural Center is an imposing complex located in a valley within China’s rugged Sandu Shui Autonomous County. The complex, consisting of three single-gabled halls and a monumental tower, is a formidable display of timber-pressed concrete covered in pitched copper plates. Facade Manufacturer Changsha Di Kai Construction Engineering Co., Chongqing Zhongbo

Onyx Solar’s PV glass comes to the Miami Design District

In May, Spanish Photovoltaic (PV) glass manufacturer Onyx Solar stamped its presence in the Miami Design District with its cladding of Balenciaga’s newest flagship store. Each glass unit measures approximately 10 feet by 5 feet and is capable of providing up to 340 Watts per unit. The crystalline Silicon gels used to convert light into

Copenhagen’s circular Axel Towers reinterpret traditional urban form

Located within Copenhagen’s city center, a new housing development challenges traditional urban form, while offering new possibilities for shared collective space and sensitively-scaled infill development. Designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects, the Axel Towers are a collection of five circular mid-rise buildings, named after their block “Axeltorv” which occupies a site nestled between prominent medieval

Mecanoo interprets Moorish vernacular architecture for Spain’s Palace of Justice

Constructed adjacent to a UNESCO World Heritage site, the new Palace of Justice in Córdoba, Spain delivers a contemporary take on the traditional courtyard typology and Moorish screening techniques found throughout the city. Led by Dutch firm Mecanoo and Spain’s AYESA, the 51,000-square-foot super dense project was initially awarded after a competition in 2006, and after a long