Archinect - Features

TALLER’s Luis Gil on Balancing Design Idealism and Development Pragmatism

2022-11-15T10:49:00-05:00

For some, architecture is a calling; for others, they're called to the profession in unexpected ways. This is the case for Luis Gil, architect and founder of the LA-based practice TALLER (tah-yehr).

For the latest installment of Archinect's Studio Snapshot series, we connected with Gil to learn more about the firm he established and his journey to architecture. We discuss the challenges and benefits of running your own practice, what he looks for in new team members, and what he strives to change when it comes to the industry's problematic work culture.

A House of Cards: The Miami Condo Collapse Exposes a Dehumanized Mindset in the Built Environment

2021-08-17T08:00:00-04:00

On June 24th, 2021, the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Miami collapsed, killing 98 people. While the causes of the collapse are still under investigation, the building's history of structural deficiencies is likely to have played a part. The Champlain Towers collapse is only the latest in a series of fatal building catastrophes which could have been prevented with proper oversight. In their wake, the continuing deterioration of our buildings and infrastructure causes us to ask if the commodification of buildings as real estate, and exercises in wealth creation, has caused us to lose sight of architecture's primary role as shelter and habitat.

For Affordable Housing, The Revolution Will Be Modularized

2021-07-28T14:51:00-04:00

Across the globe, the design and construction of affordable housing is failing to meet demand, leaving both low and middle income dwellers with little choice but to accept high costs, substandard conditions, or a move away from urban centers. This reality not only presents dangerous environmental and social conditions, but also underpins a fundamental failure of our current processes to design and construct quality affordable housing. In the face of this crisis, architects are finding opportunities for change. In this article, we speak with architect David Wallance FAIA, whose new book The Future of Modular Architecture sets out a paradigm-shift vision for the future of affordable housing. Here, we discuss the details of Wallance’s industrial-scale system, derived from the standard dimensions of intermodal shipping units, as well as the major changes such a system would bring to cities, housing markets, the environment, architectural education, and the business structure of the arch...

Oza Sabbeth Architects on Working Through the Pandemic

2020-07-15T09:00:00-04:00

Oza Sabbeth Architects is a Long Island, New York-based architecture and construction practice founded in 2014 by architect Nilay Oza and artist Peter Sabbeth. The pair runs a 10-person design-build office that focuses almost exclusively on high-end residential projects in the Long Island area. This specific project focus, as well as the firm's in-house construction capabilities, gives the design team an ability to iterate a variety of sumptuous spatial and material approaches with the help of their uncompromising clients. The arrangement has also made working from home a particular challenge for the hands-on team.

We caught up with Oza and Sabbeth to discuss where the firm stands in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, how the practice is pursuing new work, and what the future of the firm's office culture might look like post-pandemic.

Brillhart Architecture’s Eponymous House Pays Homage To Florida's Architectural Vernaculars with a Tropical Modern Flare

2020-03-19T18:52:00-04:00

The South Florida-based architecture practice Brillhart Architecture has cemented itself as the region's experts on Florida's local building traditions by highlighting its roots within the realm of Tropical Modernism. Within Florida's humid, rainy climate, Brillhart founders, Jacob and Mellisa Brillhart, emphasize the importance of incorporating the surrounding landscape into their buildings while also working to fine tune each space's ability to evoke emotional responses from its occupants.

One of the firm’s most recognizable and celebrated works is the duo's own private residence, the Brillhart House. When asked about the details and motivations behind the project, they explain, "The design for our house relies on a back-to-the-basics approach – specifically studying old architectural models that care about good form but are also good for something. Each design decision was organized around four central questions that challenge the culture for building big: what is necessary; how...

Miami's Alexis Cogul Lleonart of Doo Architecture on Picking Up Where Tropical Modernism Left Off

2020-02-19T14:17:00-05:00

Ask anyone who has ever visited Miami and you'll hear that the city has a certain energy and vibrancy that's reflected in the built environment there. When one thinks of this region, for example, it's likely that visions of Tropical Modernism and luxe design come to mind. It's at this delightful intersection that Barcelona-born Alexis Cogul Lleonart is able to apply his dual degree background in urban planning and architecture to help shape Miami's architectural landscape.

After collaborating with various practices, including Miami's Oppenheim Architecture, Lleonart sought out to use his expertise and start Doo Architecture. According to Lleonart, "We believe in the process. We're engaged from inception to execution, and we believe our European roots taught us to develop a dialog with our clients and projects further than 'what is required.'"

For this week's Studio Snapshot, Archinect connected with Lleonart to discuss his intellectually curious practice and what it means to work p...

A Conversation with Audrey Sato on Fostering Hard and Soft Skills in Architecture

2020-01-07T12:27:00-05:00

For architect Audrey Sato, studying architecture may not have seemed like an obvious choice at first, but she eventually realized that her passion for sustainability and a desire to build in parallel with nature made her a natural fit for the job. Sato grew up in Hawaii, and after graduating with a double concentration in Visual Arts and Architecture Studies from Brown University, interned at architecture firms to start off her career.

The experience inspired her to pursue a Master's of Architecture degree at California Polytechnic State University Pomona. After her studies, Sato chose to start an independent practice, Sato Architects, not out of necessity, but because it was "a natural and practical thing" for her to pursue. If you ask Sato now, her plan at the time was to get going and find a way to "do it right later," a vision that, over nearly a decade of practice, Sato admits, "just kept working." Today, aside from running her own firm, Sato is a LEED-Accredited Professional ...

Worrell Yeung On Perfecting The Art Of A Long-Game Architecture Practice

2019-12-05T11:27:00-05:00

There are many reasons for architects to start their own practice, and often, it's no easy task. As New York City-based architects Max Worrell and Jejon Yeung explain, "there's no road map or set course" for architects to follow. However, it's this level of ambiguity that is both daunting and exciting for the pair and their eponymous practice, Worrell Yeung. After spending 10 years working for firms in New York, Worrell and Yeung took the leap towards establishing their studio in 2014.

Since then, the duo has established themselves as a formidable force in residential, public, and commercial design. When running their practice, work/life balance and collaboration is critical. The two express, "it isn't a business or profession quite like a start-up where we are looking to grow quickly and sell the firm. Instead, building an architecture practice is a slow process, but one where we can shape and craft what our firm is."

For this week's Studio Snapshot, Archinect connected with Worre...

Patrick Lam Discusses the Search for Complexity Through Simplicity

2019-05-13T12:04:00-04:00

Hong Kong is known for its skyscrapers and busy urban landscapes. However, within the dense complexity of the city architect Patrick Lam uses Hong Kong's crowded landscape as inspiration to creating simple design solutions for residential living. Skilled in both architecture and fine arts, Lam's design firm Sim-Plex taught him to think of every possibility a small space could offer.

For this week's Studio Snapshot, Archinect chats with Lam about art, living in Kowloon City, and what it means to expand the possibilities of limited space.

From New York to Melbourne, Architect Antony Martin Spills What He's Learned From His Variety of Residential Projects

2018-11-19T12:00:00-05:00

After working in New York City for a number of years, Antony Martin decided to move to Australia and set up a firm of his own. Since it's founding, MRTN Architects has become one of Melbourne’s top residential architects—their work striking a balance between responding to his clients' needs and finding what works best for a specific site.

For this week's Studio Snapshot, Martin talks about what he's learned from building his vast and varied portfolio of residential designs.

Designing AND Developing Is a Fantasy for Many Architects; David Freeland Tells Us How FreelandBuck Did It With the Stack House

2018-09-14T12:00:00-04:00

Nestled in the hillsides of North East Los Angeles, a new four-story home built by the architecture duo FreelandBuck is offering a lucky buyer a taste of quintessential California living. Designed as a series of volumes stacked on top one another to slightly varying orientations, the 2,207-square foot residence comes complete with a wide-open floor plan, seamless indoor-outdoor living spaces, far-reaching views of the San Gabriel Mountains, and an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that can be rented out or used as office space.

Australian firm Breathe Architecture is Changing the Way Residential Development is Done Down Under

2018-09-05T09:00:00-04:00

With a promise that every project would have fresh air and windows in each room, Jeremy McLeod founded the Melbourne-based practice Breathe Architecture almost twenty years ago. Since, the firm has been applying their concept of environmentally and socially sustainable urban design to a range of commercial and residential projects. More recently, McLeod and his team have begun cultivating their own housing projects, changing the model for multi-residential development in Australia. Frustrated with the way architecture was being dictated by developers, market forces, and financial structures, they started the Nightingale Housing movement to support, promote and advocate for high-quality housing that is environmentally sustainable, financially affordable, and socially inclusive.

Here, we talk with Lola Digby-Diercks, the Business Development Lead at Breathe Architecture and Nightingale, about the firm's innovative practices and the differences they are making within residential develo...

Casey Hughes Wants to Create Work That is Simultaneously Intellectually Ambitious and Scrappy

2018-05-14T12:57:00-04:00

Casey Hughes has made a name for himself by building into the famous hills of Los Angeles. His eponymous firm—started by his desire to push against both the academic world of architecture as well as the development-oriented one—specializes in intellectually ambitious residential projects, especially those located on some of the city's tricky hillside lots.

For this week's Small Studio Snapshot, Hughes talks about carving out a niche for himself while allowing room for design exploration.

French Architect Cyril Lancelin Applies Slow Living Concepts to his Small Studio Town and Concrete

2017-09-26T12:29:00-04:00

Cyril Lancelin from Town and Concrete is our latest Small Studio Snapshot. The Paris and Lyon-based architect reinvents domestic spaces using simple shapes and innovative design. We talked with Lancelin about working from home, slow living and Instagram.

Branch Studio Creates a Stunning Residential Extension With Raw Charcoal-Rammed Earth, Timber, Steel and Glass

2017-08-31T00:20:00-04:00

“A Pavilion Between Trees” in Balnarring, Australia stands out nicely in its rural landscape without being overbearing. Designed by the aptly named Australian practice Branch Studio Architects, the 85 m2-building is a new, private residential extension comprising a bedroom, an ensuite, and incorporated ancillary spaces that allow its occupants to take a breather and slow down. The structure's quiet atmosphere reflects on idyllic, simpler times long before the days of our tech-driven lifestyles.

For Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th birthday, we interview Dan Nichols who has been living in and restoring Wright’s Sweeton House in New Jersey

2017-06-08T09:00:00-04:00

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the few architects who needs little introduction regardless of to whom you are talking. With a career lasting over 60 years, and with over 400 homes scattered across the US, his enduring legacy and contribution to the field of architecture is unparalleled. The famed architect would have turned 150 this month.

Mid-Century Surprises: Sam Lubell's 10 Favorite Finds From His New Book "Mid-Century Modern Architecture Travel Guide"

2017-04-20T12:10:00-04:00

The West Coast has one of the greatest legacies of mid-century modern architecture in the world. Everybody knows its legendary icons, like Pierre Koenig’s Case Study 22, the Eames House, and the timber homes of Sea Ranch. But there are so many surprises hiding in plain sight, showcasing the exceptional talent and variety within the modernist movement, and taking you to places you’d never go. Here are a few of the best.

And the Winner of the Hollywood Competition is...Ethos over Categorizable Style

2017-03-11T10:57:00-05:00

With juried first, second and third place winners, as well as an owner's choice winner, the Hollywood Competition has selected four different visions of a potential "house of the future" sited just beneath the Hollywood sign. Here's a closer look at each of the winning projects, and what those designs could portend for the next iteration of residential design.

"The environment we design, designs us back:" A Conversation with Eran Chen of ODA

2017-02-16T12:53:00-05:00

Founded in 2007 by Eran Chen, ODA’s distinctive residential projects seem to ripple and blossom in the urban realm. From housing to libraries to mixed-use structures, ODA’s design philosophy is both socially inclusive and visually compelling. I spoke to Eran Chen about his ideal city, the challenges behind designing “permeable buildings,” and what he learned from his dealings with Donald Trump.

Deciding how to bill clients is complicated. What are the basic fee structures behind residential projects?

2016-07-14T10:03:00-04:00

In the same way that no two designers have the exact same aesthetic sensibility, architectural billing is tailored to the demands of a specific project. Nonetheless, certain industry-wide guidelines do apply. Here, Archinect breaks down common architectural fee structures in the U.S. as they relate to residential construction projects.

Architectural panel tape proves its strength with SPF:architects' Double Stick project

2016-04-09T10:49:00-04:00

The “Double Stick” residence comes by its name honestly. With an impressive anodized aluminum façade held in place by a high performance, two-sided architectural panel tape, this 5,000-square-foot single-family dwelling designed by Studio Pali Fekete architects is a stellar expression of modern design and engineering.

Finding "Shelter" in Los Angeles' housing chaos

2015-09-08T12:00:00-04:00

With all the media attention on California’s drought, the “atoning L.A.” narrative has gotten pretty common. The city’s gluttonous lawns, sprawling infrastructures and indulgent residents – in short, its sinful stereotypes – have become untenable as the drought, a housing crisis and pressing sustainability measures come knocking at the city’s door.

Showcase: A’ House by Wiel Arets Architects

2015-01-05T22:58:00-05:00

Wedged between the narrow alleys and razor-sharp property lines of Tokyo's Nishi-Azabu neighborhood, A' House fits in its dense context like a shiny puzzle piece. Bold yet familiar, expansive yet compact, transparent yet opaque, open to dialogue yet impenetrable like an oyster shell.

Designed by Wiel Arets Architects, the building's innovative system of immense sliding windows responds to varying desires for privacy, air flow, light intake and participation in the neighborhood's social life.

Turns out, where Dutch and Japanese practicality intersect, one might discover concrete poetry.

Showcase: Slate House by Affleck de la Riva architects

2014-11-06T20:27:00-05:00

Suburbia doesn't have to be faceless. Slate House, a proud black sheep in a family of tract houses, manages a demurely chic presence amid the former farmlands of Laval, Montreal's largest suburb.

Show Case: ‘Schapenboeten’ Holiday Home by Benthem Crouwel Architects

2014-07-31T19:03:00-04:00

Slightly quirky, modest and covered in fishnets, Benthem Crouwel Architect’s holiday house turns a piece of Dutch vernacular into a sleek but cozy nest. Modeled after the local ‘schapenboeten’ sheds for storing hay and tools in a windy climate, the home is now part of the landscape on Texel island, a popular tourist destination in the Wandsee known for its fishing and unique sheep breed.

ShowCase: Concrete House by Studio Gil

2014-07-29T14:22:00-04:00

Studio Gil’s extension of a Victorian terraced house in East London works from the inside out. Situated in a conservation area in the Mile End neighborhood, "Concrete House" maintains its exterior cladding while opening up its interior to the outside, knitting together remodeled inner spaces and exterior views.

ShowCase: 10 Hanover St by Squire and Partners

2014-01-08T20:17:00-05:00

ShowCase is an on-going feature series on Archinect, presenting exciting new work from designers representing all creative fields and all geographies.

We are always accepting nominations for upcoming ShowCase features - if you would like to suggest a project, please send us a message.

ShowCase: 253 Pacific Street by James Cleary Architecture

2013-02-11T14:20:00-05:00

ShowCase is an on-going feature series on Archinect, presenting exciting new work from designers representing all creative fields and all geographies.

We are always accepting nominations for upcoming ShowCase features - if you would like to suggest a project, please send us a message.

ShowCase: House in Moreira by Phyd Arquitectura

2012-11-20T20:02:00-05:00

ShowCase is an on-going feature series on Archinect, presenting exciting new work from designers representing all creative fields and all geographies.

We are always accepting nominations for upcoming ShowCase features - if you would like to suggest a project, please send us a message.

ShowCase: House Yagiyama by Kazuya Saito Architects

2012-11-13T13:20:00-05:00

ShowCase is an on-going feature series on Archinect, presenting exciting new work from designers representing all creative fields and all geographies.

We are always accepting nominations for upcoming ShowCase features - if you would like to suggest a project, please send us a message.