This week, we're sharing projects from Southfield, Mich., to Bolzano, Italy, and from Tianjin, China, to Irvine, Calif., with several stops in between. In addition to the projects that we give more detailed coverage, we like to highlight some of the work that architecture firms share with us every day through the Project Gallery—the user-generated portion of our site. So far, we have more than 14,000 projects, most of which were directly uploaded by firms to share with us and our readers.
In this weekly roundup, we showcase some of the coolest new projects to be added to the gallery—thanks to architects like you.
Central Juncture of Bressanone-Varna Ring Road
Bolzano, Italy
MoDusArchitects
"The newly opened central juncture tract of the ring road is the section of the project that reconnects with the main thoroughfare of the SS12 in proximity to Bressanone city centre. Travelling from the ring road, motorists navigate a roundabout and pass through a short U-shaped tunnel along with its two, respective exposed concrete portals to arrive at a shifted axis with Via Roma – the main road leading directly into town. The sculptural mouth of the new portal facing east takes a sinuous form that contributes to the lexicon of curvilinear elements that characterize many of the design interventions of the original project, steering away from the strictly technical or functional vocabulary typically offered by infrastructural projects."
FLY Modern
Hudson Vally, N.Y.
Studio MM Architect
"The design and programming of the one-bedroom dwelling was planned around an unconventional locus – a twenty-eight foot aerial studio. The studio, complete with ceiling-mounted trapeze, starts on the main level of the home and climbs to the second floor, the verticality of the space emphasized by soaring floor-to-ceiling windows. The central studio is as much about health as it is about creative expression. As physical inversion is known to clear lymph nodes and promote circulation, being suspended upside down on the trapeze encourages internal recovery and healing. The movement on the trapeze is intimately connected with the outdoors, with serene views adding to the restorative experience – physically and emotionally – of the studio."
Veoneer North American Technical Competence Center
Southfield, Mich.
Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED)
"Designed to help shape the company’s future in autonomous driving and active safety systems, the new technical center features both office and automotive testing spaces. Research and testing labs most effectively met on a first-floor ground level location with amenities on the higher floors. This unique stacking of the program allowed the new 180,000 square foot facility to be contained within a very compact, cost-effective four-story volume to maximize the square footage and overall potential of the site."
Tianjin CTF Finance Center
Tianjin, China
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
"By stacking reducing floor plates, the tower tapers dramatically to minimize the surface area exposed to wind, sun, and moisture. The gently undulating curves of the façade subtly denote the integration of the three distinct programs within a singular smooth object. Square in plan with rounded corners, the floor plate geometry enables unique interior fit-outs and customization options for occupants. Research by the architect has shown that lateral forces due to vortex shedding can be controlled by tapering the vertical profile of the tower and softening any sharp corners in plan. The building’s aerodynamic shape greatly reduces this vortex shedding by “confusing the wind” and disrupting the opportunity for any resonating wind forces and loads on the structure."
Helsinki Hamam
New York
Büro Koray Duman
"Located at Pier 36 on east river, Helsinki Hamam is a temporary floating pavilion. The purpose is to explore new ways of socializing around water in New York City waterfront. Commissioned by Finnish Cultural Institute NY for May 2020 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Institution, the pavilion looks at sauna culture in Finland and hamam culture in Turkey while celebrating waterfronts of New York, Helsinki and Istanbul. The structure is formed by two interlocked walls. Each start at 3’ high and raise up to 26’ at the center."
32 on Kloof
Cape Town, South Africa
Dhk Architects
"32 on Kloof, a heritage building situated along popular Kloof Street in Cape Town, has undergone a metamorphosis. Originally constructed in 1922 by prominent architecture firm Parker & Forsyth for the United Tobacco Companies Limited (UTC), the building once housed the company’s administration department. Transformed by multidisciplinary design studio, dhk Architects, 32 on Kloof’s rich history has been respected via a contemporary aesthetic that references, rather than replicates, its existing heritage."
Cobble Hill Townhouse
New York
Joseph Vance Architects
"To enlarge the living space and bring in natural light in what was a dark home, we added a 3-story rear yard addition to this single family house. A new 2-story living room features steel and glass windows from Dover Windows and a balcony overlooking the space. On floors above, bedrooms and the master suite were enlarged, as well as, adding two additional terraces."
Division of Continuing Education Building, University of California, Irvine
Irvine, Calif.
LMN Architects
Designed by the Seattle–based firm LMN Architects for the University of California Irvine, this education project balances nooks for private study with expansive, sun-filled spaces for students to gather. With sustainable details such as a "porous trellis patterned with 25-kW photovoltaic panels," the project exemplifies the firm's innovative mindset. Read more about how LMN Architects funds that innovation with the federal Research & Development tax credit in ARCHITECT's July installation of The Rules, a monthly series covering important regulations in a clear manner, here.
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