Community & Content Editor at ArchDaily. Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture & Master's in Product & Business Development. Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon.
As 2024 comes to an end, a dynamic year that questioned knowledge, tradition, and innovation, we take a look at how global events and trends influenced the design of interior spaces. Last year, architecture practices sparked worldwide discussions, challenging norms and tradition, and embracing overlooked regions. Interior design, on the other hand, took a more reserved, modest approach, favoring simplicity and individuality. Fast forward a year later, the overall architecture and design themes of 2023 remain the same - reinforced if anything - but have embraced "crafted experimentations" through subtle, acupuncture-like interventions.
The world certainly looks different through the eyes of a young child; enormous, intriguing, and somewhat overwhelming, and it has long been believed that what we encounter as children shapes our perspective of the world. When asked about his childhood memories in Switzerland, Peter Zumthor shared that the memories of his youth contain the deepest architectural experience, which has become reservoirs of the architectural atmospheres and images that he explores in his work as an architect today.
Having a complete understanding of how children change and grow physically and psychologically throughout their childhood requires an in-depth observation of different factors, such as their hereditary traits and genetics, the interactions they have with other children and adults, as well as the environment they are living, playing, and learning in. In celebration of World Children's Day on November 20th, we look at how architects and designers stimulated children's autonomy and promoted their mental and physical well-being through architecture and interior design. This initiative aligns with the theme of World Architecture Day 2024: "Mobilizing the Next Generation for Urban Transformation," emphasizing the crucial role that thoughtful design plays in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future for our cities and the communities within them.
The facade of a building often serves as a reflection of both the urban fabric it is set in, as well as what lies behind it. Beyond aesthetics, facades hold important functional, cultural, and sustainable significance, especially in relation to the interior design. Although natural light, views, and spatial organization are influenced by the facade, architects have been prioritizing the relationship between the building's envelope and the quality of the interior, keeping in mind current cultural, economical, and environmental changes influencing the way people design their living space. So responding to these ever-changing needs and habits, along with the focus on overall wellbeing, architects offset the facade and ceiling - and in some particular cases, floors - to create interiors within interiors; secondary envelopes that protect the interior space from the outside environment.
As far as history goes back, art and architecture have always been interrelated disciplines. From the elaboration of the Baroque movement to the geometric framework of modernism, architects found inspiration from stylistic approaches, techniques, and concepts of historic art movements, and translated them into large-scale habitable structures. In this article, we explore 5 of many art movements that paved the way for modern-day architecture, looking into how architects borrowed from their characteristics and approaches to design to create their very own architectural compositions.
As we head towards the end of 2023, an eventful year that could be defined as the year of "shifts", we take a look at how global events and trends impacted the design of interior spaces. Looking back, people questioned everything, and the architectural practice was no exception. A new voice was given to nations often forgotten as architects searched for alternative ways of designing and building. We questioned colonialism, consumer culture, waste, tradition, and authenticity, bringing about new perspectives within the discipline. Interior design in 2023, however, was reserved; explorative, but a lot more modest and subtle compared to previous years. Following years of constant changes, it seems as though people felt the need to pause, slow down, and embrace simplicity, while expressing their individuality through acupuncture interventions.
Some of the most picturesque projects are those built in the mountains; the rustic cabin wrapped with a floor-to-ceiling glass panel that overlooks the snow-covered trees. Visually, the architecture exudes an enchanting feeling, but is it truly a habitable space? When houses are built on an elevation of 3,000 meters, installing a fire element alone is not efficient or sustainable. Spaces on such altitudes or particular geographic locations require to be treated thoroughly, beginning with the architecture itself. Whether it's through hydronic in-floor heating systems or wall-mounted chimneys, this interior focus explores how even the most extreme winter conditions did not get in the way of ensuring optimum thermal comfort.
Today, architecture has become - or is in the process of becoming - more flexible and individualistic to accommodate people's diverse lifestyles and spatial needs. With this adaptation, the residential typology has changed and living rooms have become endangered. Many insist on the need of having a space dedicated to relaxation and leisure, while others claim it is simply a waste of space and money. This debate raised an important question: do we still need living/sitting rooms? In this interior focus, we will look at how living rooms evolved through the years, and how architects readapted and integrated the concept of “gathering space” in contemporary residential architecture.
The world's recent shift towards prioritizing wellness has influenced people to seek healthier lifestyles by understanding the body and the mind collectively. External factors such as the geographic location, the environment, the community, financial status, and the relationships with friends and family have all shown to have considerable impacts on an individual's health. However, it became evident that ensuring physical and mental health was not limited to having access to medical facilities and professional treatments, but was also determined by several factors related to the quality of the built environment.
Architects have a choice to design better and consequently, help people make better choices. So what is considered a good interior design, and what are the factors that make any interior space a good one? In this interior focus, we will explore this "good" side of design, looking at how architects ensured the needs of users by acknowledging accessibility, demographic diversity, economy, and the environment, regardless of aesthetic.
The Republic of Poland boasts diverse geographical territories and cultural tribes that span thousands of years. Its cities and towns reflect a whole spectrum of styles, from Romanesque architecture to Gothic Revival and postmodernist residential and commercial structures. In addition to its unique topography and rich urban fabric, the country houses 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One site, however, has stood out from the rest and given the country a royal status. Tucked beneath the Malinowka stream, just outside the southern city of Krakow, is one of the world's oldest and largest hand-chiseled underground mines that has been transformed into an expansive, all-inclusive complex. From a naturally-healing health center to a secluded church and an underground bungee jumping platform, this colossal adaptive reuse project is the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Kimbell Art Museum / Louis Kahn. Image Courtesy of Xavier de Jauréguiberry
AD Classics presents you with some of the greatest buildings of the past that have influenced and shaped architecture today. Throughout ArchDaily's 13 years, more than 200 classics were published, and for this edition, we have rounded up the top 20 most visited Architecture Classics to date.
The layout of interior spaces has been in constant evolution since the very first residential project. For many years, functionality dictated how they're are organized, but soon after, cultural, social, and economical changes influenced the way people design their living space, bringing about the spacious and versatile open floor plan. A lot has been written - and critiqued - about the open floor plan: who introduced it, how it was developed, its benefits, and/or lack thereof. During the past couple of decades, open floor plans were perhaps among the most requested interior design concepts, but today, architects are leaning towards the opposite.
Renovation of a Village House / unparelld’arquitectes. Image
Perhaps one of the most common phrases you'll hear when talking about interior renovations is "whatever you initially planned on spending, double it, and double the time with it". Renovations, regardless of their scale, can be very time consuming and costly, especially when unexpected changes pop up last minute. However, we are often met with situations where the interior layout is no longer efficient or we feel that the interior design is a little outdated and its time for a change.
Giving your space an upgrade does not necessarily mean spending all your savings, and spending less does not necessarily mean low quality work. From doing the construction work yourself, to giving furniture pieces completely new functions, here are different ways you can renovate residential and commercial interior spaces without breaking the bank.
Spanning over 3 millennia with one of the highest concentrations of architecture in the world, Rome is a transcendental influence on the world's culture. Often called “The Eternal City,” it developed as the capital and seat of power of the Roman Empire, regarded by many as the first Imperial city and among the first ancient metropolises. As a city continuously occupied for over 28 centuries, Rome has maintained its countless layers of history to become a perfect depiction of old meets new. Rich in history, academia, and art, the Italian capital is now one of the most visited cities in the world.
Rome's historic center, which stretches from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia and from the east bank of the Tiber up to Piazza di Spagna, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with its historical significance, the presence of renowned contemporary architects and designers in the city has made Rome an influential design destination. In 2019, it was the 14th most visited city in the world, welcoming over 8.6 million tourists seeking to discover the ways in which the history of the Ancient Romans blends with contemporary life, making it the third most visited city in Europe and the most popular tourist destination in Italy.
Beit Rumman Hotel, Damascus. Image via Tumblr Account syrian-courtyard
We have seen in recent residential projects the need for bringing the outdoors inside, whether it's through green walls, biophilic designs, or interior courtyards, especially in countries with dry and hot climates. When it comes to countries of the Arab world, creating these outdoor-inspired inner spaces is a lot more than just bringing in some sunlight and fresh air, it is an architectural expression of a rich culture that transcended generations and inspired nations beyond their borders. In this article, we will explore how cultural and social norms influenced the creation of traditional courtyard houses in Arabian countries and how their unique architectural features were reimagined in modern contexts.
The rustic village of Vals in the Swiss Alps is one of the country’s most picturesque areas, located at an altitude of 1250 meters above sea level with numerous exceptional projects. The main square is surrounded by original Vals houses roofed with stone tiles made of Vals quartzite. Throughout the years, the village maintained its authentic residential and rural typology, making sure that its agriculture and rural fabric remained intact. Perhaps the most powerful natural resource of the Vals Valley, one that has nurtured its landscape and wilderness, is the water. For millions of years, ice and rain have forged the deeply-cut topography, and provided the village with a 30-degree thermal source, the only one in the Grisons Canton which springs straight from the ground.
One of the most notable architectures in Vals is The Thermal Spa designed by 2009 Pritzker LaureatePeter Zumthor. The secluded structure is built with local quartzite, a stone that blends the elements of water and stone to create “the perfect wellness experience”. Another iconic architecture tucked within the mountains of Vals takes advantage of the local material, structural typology, and topography, a project that leaves the original landscape intact and subtly intervenes to create a one-of-a-kind award-winning vacation home; The Villa Vals.
With the rise of small houses and dense cities, we were forced to sacrifice a good amount of storage space. Ironically, we did not compromise our purchasing habits, so with a few square meters to work with, architects and designers had to come up with efficient storage solutions and make the best of the limited space they have. However, if you were lucky enough to be occupying a large, unobscured space with a generous budget, your storage design possibilities are endless. In this article, we look at how architects and designers found creative ways to store their belongings in spaces with different functions, scales, and spatial constraints, ranging from completely invisible units to sculptural centerpieces.
Light is a key feature in architecture. Centuries ago, the sun and fire were the only sources of illumination, but in today's technology-driven world, artificial lighting and cutting-edge optical technologies have found ways to mimic the qualities of natural light, making it possible to have a naturally-lit-looking space within four walls. LED technologies have even made it possible to embed lighting in furniture, interior surfaces, and facades, altering their intensities and hues to make light a main feature in the architecture's storytelling.
If used effectively, lighting can become a lot more than just an illuminator; it becomes a mood setter, a symbol of a specific emotion the architect is trying to convey. For instance, indirect lighting becomes a floater, levitating the walls from the ground and making the space seem lighter in weight, whereas orange light manipulates the space's temperature, creating the illusion that the users are walking into an intense, overheated room.
There is often an intricate relationship between architecture and the environment. Each part of the world has defined its own architectural techniques based on its unique climatic conditions. However, environmental concerns in the 21st century provoked new techniques, implementing solutions to preserve natural resources and provide thermal comfort. While some opted for a futuristic approach with mechanical and technologically-advanced solutions, others decided to go back in time and explore how civilizations protected their people, architecture, and environment when they had nothing else to resort to but the environment itself. In this article, we look at how Musharrabiyas found their way back into modern-day architecture as significant vernacular features.
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