Calgary’s new Central Library has just opened its doors to the public — and it’s a thing of elegant, energy-efficient beauty. International architecture firm Snøhetta teamed up with North America-based multidisciplinary design firm DIALOG to create the new main branch of the Calgary Public Library, one of the largest library systems on the continent. Wrapped in a dynamic, triple-glazed facade […]

During a recent Beijing event focused on the future of housing, Open Architecture, in collaboration with Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi, unveiled a tiny shelter for Mars. It’s very conceptual and there’s no suggestion the dwelling will actually be installed on the Red Planet, but it’s interesting to see architects tackle the idea. The Mars Case prototype is inspired by Henry […]

We’ve covered a lot of shipping container-based architecture projects but this one, by New York City and Naples-based firm Lot-ek, is larger than most. Named Drivelines Studios, it’s a residential project in South Africa that’s made from a total of 140 recycled shipping containers. Drivelines Studios is located on an awkward triangular site in Johannesburg (the city also hosts container-based […]

Treehouses of all shapes and sizes have graced our pages over the years, but the thing about these elevated dwellings is that they tend to be made of timber. Mexican architect Gerardo Broissin paid little attention to this building convention with the design of “chantli kuaulakoyokan,” a transparent treehouse in Mexico City. The treehouse takes its name from the native […]

In the heart of Valencia, Spain, the old convent of San José has undergone a sensitive transformation that has turned the historic site into a vibrant gathering space for civic events, a food market and a soon-to-be hotel. Barcelona-based interior design practice Francesc Rifé Studio was tapped for the adaptive reuse project and inserted modern updates while preserving the property’s […]

Heatherwick Studio has done a stellar job melding old and new with its latest project, Coal Drops Yard. The firm turned two dilapidated Victorian-era coal storage buildings in London into a large new shopping center crowned by a stunning roof structure. Coal Drops Yard is centered around two ornate iron and brick railway buildings dating back to around the 1850s. […]

Completed just last year, the eye-catching Barangaroo House has already become a visual landmark for the inner-city suburb of Barangaroo in Sydney, Australia. The competition-winning design is the work of Australian architecture firm Collins and Turner, which created the sculptural building to house a contemporary restaurant and bar of the same name. Located near the waterfront in a high pedestrian-trafficked […]

High-profile Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has turned his considerable talent to shipping container-based architecture for the first time to produce this new Starbucks. The project is located in Taiwan and will function as a drive-thru in a soon to be opened shopping mall. The Hualien Bay Mall Starbucks consists of 29 shipping containers and has a total floorspace of 320 […]

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) recently won a competition to design a new concert hall in Russia. The forward-thinking firm is rarely satisfied to play it safe, and this once again prove to be the case as it produced an unusual design inspired by sound waves. The new Sverdlovsk Philharmonic Concert Hall will be located in Yekaterinburg, in the foothills of […]