TOP 10 lists of 2020 | architecture, art, design, and technology projects

TOP 10 workplaces and offices of 2020

philip stevens I designboom — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 12:14:37 +0000

in a year where many our daily habits and environments have changed dramatically, where we work has never felt so important. here’s a look at some of the diverse ways and places where people worked this year, offering a glimpse at the future of the office. from a cabin that measures less than 50 square meters, to an office for one of the world’s biggest media companies, we continue our annual round up of the year’s BIG stories with a look at the TOP 10 workplaces and offices featured on designboom in 2020.

1 – studio velocity’s own office in okazaki, japan

image courtesy of studio velocity

studio velocity has topped its own office in japan’s aichi prefecture with a large, curved, inhabitable roof. the building itself comprises two levels: workspace areas punctuated by small exterior terraces on the ground floor; and a small communal kitchen and dining area on the upper storey, which opens up toward the rooftop. here, trees protrude above the roof, allowing nature to permeate the entire building.

2 – olson kundig’s cabin is the ultimate work from home office

images by tim bies / olson kundig

with people around the world continuing to work from home, many of us are looking for ways to make remote working suitable for both professional and personal living. providing inspiration, this project by olson kundig is a 500 square foot (46 sqm) cabin on san juan island in the US state of washington that serves as both a writer’s retreat and guest cottage. the owners asked for a secure space that simultaneously felt connected to its island setting — the mild climate, scenic views, and proximity to wildlife.

3 – OMA completes axel springer building in berlin

image by laurian ghinitoiu, courtesy of OMA

exactly four years after the start of construction, the new axel springer building in berlin officially opened in october. designed by OMA, the cube-shaped structure is the latest addition to the publishing company’s campus in the german capital. the building offers 52,000 square meters (559,723 sqf) of work space for more than 3,000 employees and is characterized by its open and transparent architecture. internally, the project is defined by a 45-meter (148 ft) high, light-filled atrium that divides the building into sections. in the valley between, ten terraced stories and 13 bridges seek to provide inspiration for ‘physical encounters in the digital age’.

4 – snøhetta wraps timber office building in austria with a ‘green curtain’

image © christian flatscher

in august, snøhetta completed a timber office building for ASI reisen, an international trekking and adventure travel company. located in natters, just south of innsbruck, austria, the four-story building is surrounded by a lush exterior. this ‘green curtain’ is made up of climbing plants that grow on a suspended metal frame, ensuring that the structure blends harmoniously into its verdant forest surroundings. composed of 17 different warm weather and evergreen species growing in big planters, this curtain also serves as a glare shield and for shading the generous glass surfaces.

5 – arquitectura-G creates a light-filled work space in barcelona

image by josé hevia

barcelona-based studio arquitectura-G transformed a derelict factory into a cultural and creative center entitled ‘acid house’. the project is programmed as a co-working space for entrepreneurship and business innovation. the building is composed of two aisles, the main aisle with a double pitched roof volume and the second with a double height ceiling space. the project is located in the barcelona’s poblenou neighborhood and houses a varied collection of businesses and projects.

6 – hello wood’s ‘workstation cabin’ is a secluded, work-from-home module

image by zsuzsa darab

inspired by the growing desire for a personal office space during a work-from-home era, hello wood presented its ‘workstation cabin’. this tiny, architecturally-minded home-office cabin is designed to fulfill the widespread desire for a secluded, private workspace without the need for a home expansion. while the playfully sculpted timber project introduces a space for work and meetings, its flexible program functions as a guest room or children’s playroom. the workstation cabin serves as a place for work that is tranquil, relaxing, and encourages solitude and creativity.

7 – MIA constructs mirror-clad volume to house its office near liège

image courtesy of MIA architecture

belgian firm MIA architecture designed its own office in beaufays, a municipality near liège. the project consists of a highly reflective volume that houses an architect’s office and a meeting room as well as and technical requirements. elevated on a base of painted bricks, which provides space for a parked car, the structure is embedded into the grounds of an existing house that was built in the 1970s.

8 – brückner & brückner wraps office in a façade of spruce trunks

image © mju-fotografie, marie luisa jünger, hümpfershausen

brückner & brückner architekten realized the ‘hohes holz’ office and administration building for one of the largest sawmills in europe. the project seems to grow organically from the forested clearing — a play of light, shadow and wood. the team designed the building to suggest a continuation of the surrounding woodland, a celebration of the ziegler group’s neighboring betzenmühle sawmill. the structure is built nearly entirely from the wood sourced on-site, architecturalizing the products and philosophy of the company.

9 – foster + partners organizes hankook’s HQ around expansive atrium

image © time of blue

in september, foster + partners completed the new headquarters of south korean tire company hankook. the project follows the ‘hankook technodome’ — the company’s integrated R&D center — which was also designed by foster + partners. the company’s new HQ takes the form of a ten-storey building where floorplates spiral around a central atrium. this results in visual connections across the different levels, encouraging staff interaction, while also letting natural light deep into the heart of the building.

10 – büro ole scheeren reveals a flexible archetype for the future workplace

image © büro ole scheeren

looking toward the future, büro ole scheeren revealed plans for the ‘shenzhen wave’ in september, a building that will serve as the headquarters of one of china’s leading technology companies. the distinctive project, which is located at the entry to the shenzhen bay super HQ masterplan in southern china, has been conceived as a ‘living organism’ that promotes new ways of working and living together.

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TOP 10 private houses of 2020

philip stevens I designboom — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 07:44:48 +0000

in a year when many of us have spent more time at home than ever, designboom has featured a wide range of private residences that offer their occupants a unique retreat from the outside world. despite being diverse in scale, material, and setting, our TOP 10 private houses all offer inventive solutions for spaces that both respond to, and engage with, their contexts — from a scaffolding-clad house in japan, to a brick retreat in a remote region of south africa.

we continue our annual round up of the year’s BIG stories with a look at the TOP 10 private houses and residential dwellings featured on designboom in 2020.

1 – daita 2019 in japan by suzuko yamada architects

image by yurika kono

suzuko yamada designed the ‘daita 2019’ house in tokyo, japan with an inhabitable frame of steel pipes and platforms that can be modified according to the demands of daily life. drawing from the informal architecture of forest habitats, the project blends the inside and outside of the residence through a steel construction that connects the garden and the interior. the construction comprises a cluster of platforms and single pipes, which can be easily attached and detached using clumps to perform as entrances, handrails, plant supports, or hangers, according to the needs of the residents.

2 – house of the big arch in south africa by frankie pappas

image © frankie pappas

frankie pappas, a collaborative architecture and design studio, completed this off-grid brick residence within a nature reserve in south africa’s waterberg mountains. designed for an elderly couple with a deep love of the natural world, ‘house of the big arch’ is just 3.3 meters (11 feet) wide. the narrow home threads itself between the trees that occupy the site — preserving the landscape while becoming part of it.

3 – ochoquebradas house in chile by ryue nishizawa

image © cristóbal palma

photographer cristóbal palma documented a residence that japanese architect ryue nishizawa has completed on the chilean coast overlooking the pacific ocean. the dwelling is topped with an undulating concrete roof that references the waves crashing against the shoreline. the project is located in close proximity to another concrete house designed by alejandro aravena.

4 – north fork house in new york by SO – IL with shenton architects

image © iwan baan

SO – IL completed this new york retreat comprising four gable volumes. located on long island, the home’s four wings each serve a different function and have different relationships with the land. ‘sited into a slope, we organized a simple cruciform of gable volumes to frame a collection of varied views instead of a singular panorama,’ explains SO – IL, who designed the project with shenton architects. ‘the house seeks to sample the lively terrain, bringing together different qualities of light, landscape, and vista to define interior spaces.’

5 – casa elias in mexico by alejandro d’acosta

image © onnis luque

conceived as the ‘prelude to a project to come’, ‘casa elías’ was designed by architect alejandro d’acosta as a temporary cabin with a simple program. located in valle de guadalupe, in baja california, mexico, the residence is sited at the top of a hill, overlooking the undulating terrain below. constructed from recycled building elements, the structure serves as a dwelling for the client to live in until a more permanent home is built.

6 – ha long villa in vietnam by VTN architects/vo trong nghia

image by hiroyuki oki

with the ‘ha long villa’ in vietnam, VTN architects introduced a response to the nation’s rise in unsustainable development. with an abundance of natural landscapes and heritage townscapes, vietnam has seen an economic growth which has raised the standard of living, but has led to development by clearing away nature. to address this growing reality, the design team created a dwelling that connects its occupants with their natural context. the team explains: ‘the main concept of the house is to create space where people can live in a forest.’

7 – sand house in brazil by studio MK27

image by fernando guerra

offering views of the atlantic ocean, ‘sand house’ by studio MK27 almost disappears into its coastal plot in northeastern brazil. surrounded by tropical trees in the state of bahia, the beach house is elevated on a wooden deck that supports five enclosed volumes. the entire deck is covered by a permeable eucalyptus pergola supported by 14 laminated wood frames. both the deck and the overhead canopy are punctured by several trees that provide residents with a constant source of shade.

8 – stairway house in japan by nendo

image © takumi ota

in a quiet residential area of tokyo, nendo has taken the humble staircase and supersized it to serve as the main feature of this striking house. designed for two families, the aptly named ‘stairway house’ has been designed by the japanese studio to afford openness and connectivity, all the while maximizing the parameters of the site to create a contemporary home flooded with natural light.

9 – paramount alma in italy by plasma studio

image by hertha hurnaus

‘paramount alma’ by plasma studio is a faceted space cloaking a previously existing structure in the mountains of northern italy. the tyrolean guest house was originally occupied by six 1960s-era holiday apartments adorned with a pitched roof and traditional timber ornamentation. the project was driven by the heritage building’s need for a common circulation and service core. with the intervention, the underutilized pitched roof space gives way to an angular crown connected to a ground floor reception space and architectural office along the renovated spine.

10 – IHA residence in india by wallmakers

image by anand jaju

designed by wallmakers, ‘IHA residence’ is a two-storey house in the indian state of kerala. located in the city of trivandrum, the home seeks to be simultaneously serene and adventurous. externally, bamboo — reinforced with steel rods — has been used to support a staircase that serves as the entrance to the property. this space doubles as a sheltered outdoor setting for contemplation and relaxation.

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TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020

tim spears I designboom — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 07:45:10 +0000

a year of social-distancing didn’t stop collaborations, customizes and concepts when it came to motorcycle and scooter designs. following the trend of highly sculptural shapes in 2019, our TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020 were ever more dramatic in form, although perhaps a bit more uni-bodied. these ranged from an intricate art deco-covered bike, monoliths with two wheels, and even one that inflates from a backpack. brand new launches – as seen from the likes of BMW – debuted electric mobility innovations whereas makers retuned past classics and their gas-guzzling engines for the modern road.

continuing our TOP 10 round-ups of 2020, we look back at 10 motorcycle and scooter designs that attracted our and, most importantly, designboom readers’ attention over the past 12 months.

1 – kingston custom fashions an art deco, museum-worthy motorcycle

image courtesy of kingston custom, by ben ott

our TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020 start with one that looks so good it belongs in a museum. the kingston custom good ghost was at first a request and now an item in the hass moto museum and sculpture gallery in dallas, texas. it fits the exhibition perfectly: its handcrafted form is shaped in an exquisite art deco style, and completes a trilogy of ‘phantom’ bikes by the german creator.

2 – this is BMW’s scooter of the future, the motorrad definition CE 04

image courtesy of the BMW Group

back in 2017, BMW debuted a zero-emission mobility concept called concept link. three years later, the german automotive giant presents the evolution of this concept titled the BMW motorrad definition CE 04, which will go into production from the last quarter of 2020. aiming to create a link between the analog and digital worlds we now inhabit, this electric scooter is not only a means of transport but also a means of communication for the urban commuter.

3 – new electric vespa 98 scooter reinterpreted as a modern incarnation of the iconic vehicle

image courtesy of mightyseed

mightyseed designs has introduced the ‘vespa 98 electric‘, a bold reinterpretation of the original vespa, produced by enrico piaggio. the concept is much more like a modern incarnation of the iconic vehicle, which now showcases sleek styling cues with streamlining features, but still has a retro feel. although with a wider front, the front mudguard houses the LED headlight like the original.

4 – katalis debuts EV.1000 the arsenale special edition electric motorcycle

image courtesy of katalis

with an intriguing darken and geometric form, the katalis EV.1000 the arsenale special edition is exactly that – special. the electric motorcycle was designed and produced by young designers based in jakarta, indonesia in collaboration with the french automotive gallery the arsenale. it follows the success of its WWII fighter aircraft-inspired predecessor, the katalis EV.500.

5 – fuller moto builds futuristic 2029 electric motorcycle with 3D-printed titanium parts

image courtesy of fuller moto

fuller moto has built the 2029, a futuristic electric motorcycle with a fully enclosed sculptured aluminum body, hub-centric steering, clear polycarbonate wheels and 3D-printed titanium parts. commissioned by the haas moto museum and sculpture gallery, whose expansive collection includes over 190 unique and one-of-a-kind motorcycles from 1901 to present day, the bike is designed in the style of the french 1929 majestic. in keeping with the aesthetic and character of the original majestic design, the fuller moto team set out 100 years later to create another revolutionary kind of motorcycle with their 2029.

6 – poimo, an inflatable electric scooter that fits inside your backpack

image courtesy of poimo

as our list of TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020 blows up, take a look at the poimo — portable and inflatable mobility — which is a soft and transportable personal electric scooter that can be inflated with air. created in collaboration by kawahara lab / niiyama lab of the university of tokyo and mercari R4D of mercari, inc, poimo aims to redefine electric personal mobility by combining it with soft robotics. with a total weight of 5.5kg, it is so compact that it can be folded into an average-sized backpack.

7 – italjet dragster scooter returns with limited edition black and gold

image courtesy of italjet

first conceptualized at EICMA in milan in november 2019, it marked the return of the iconic italjet dragster scooter. the much loved two-wheeler from the late 1990s was given a new re-design that continued its quirky yet performance-driven styling. launched in september 2020, the dragster is available in three bold colorways: anthracite, red and white; anthracite and yellow; and black and gray. the first 499 customers were offered a special black and gold livery to coincide with the return.

8 – eastern spirit garage customs yamaha XS650 into black and gold bobber

image courtesy of eastern spirit garage, by mateusz stankiewicz

polish custom shop eastern spirit garage has transformed a 1980s yamaha XS650 motorcycle into an openwork bobber. the original was a special edition bike which appeared more like a chopper than the workshop’s traditional base models – café racers. the longer wheel base provided a new challenge, with the result unifying an impression of elegance to its inherent muscularity. it was then finished in a black base coating complemented by a double gold pin stripe.

9 – monolithic urbet ego electric moped is designed for urban mobility

image courtesy of urbet

bridged between two distinct wheels, the urbet ego is an electric moped with a unique monolithic design only akin to a bicycle. the spanish brand, first founded in 2016, already has a name for doing things differently. their electric model continues this trend, complimenting its special shape with handling and efficiency performance that is ideal for city life. a 3000 W motor powers it to a top speed of 56 mph and – together with a 72 V lithium battery – for a range of up to 75 miles per charge.

10 – this custom-made BMW R9T by zillers garage is a mad max dream

image courtesy of zillers garage

to close our TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020, moscow-based zillers garage unveiled a steampunk, mad max-like custom-made BMW R9T motorrad. the one-off motorcycle takes BMW’s new R18 cruiser and redesigns the outer body without touching the internal build. this redesign features a shell made entirely from fabricated aluminum parts. from the headlight to the tail-light, everything flows through the metal-finished mass that results in a somewhat post-apocalyptic aesthetic.

see designboom’s TOP 10 stories archive:

2019 — 2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

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TOP 10 lists of 2020 | architecture, art, design, and technology projects

TOP 10 reader submissions of 2020 – public spaces

2019 — 2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

TOP 10 workplaces and offices of 2020

2019 — 2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

TOP 10 reader submissions of 2020 – product design

2019 — 2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

TOP 10 robotic and artificial intelligence stories of 2020

2019 — 2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

TOP 10 videos of 2020

2019 — 2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

TOP 10 reader submissions of 2020 – social impact