We continue our roundup with the best concrete projects of the year, including a 3-D printed tram stop, a concrete house, and a seven-unit apartment complex.
1. Concrete Interior by Le Atelier
Purchased as a shell construction, the client left the interior of this Dubai home and the integration of her substantial collection of contemporary furniture and artworks to the interior planning of Le Atelier’s design team.
2. 3D-Printed UHPC Tram Stop by So Concrete
For this unique tram stop in Prague, So Concrete successfully utilized robotic construction techniques to achieve a maximally efficient structure that uses the principles of internal force distribution or pressures and tensions in the structure. Compared to conventional technologies, the approach saves up to 60% of material in terms of economics and sustainability.
3. Hasenrainstrasse by Kohlerstraumann
Located in Binnigen, a quiet neighbourhood to the south of Basel, Hasenrainstresse designed by Kohlerstraumann, is a modern seven-unit apartment complex. Set against the curve of a hill, all the apartment units offer a panoramic view of the cityscape.
4. Culvert Guesthouse by Nendo
Set amidst Nagano Prefecture’s forested Miyota Machi, Culvert Guesthouse by Nendo is a sublime example of architectural kitbashing. The stacked precast concrete culverts take shape as a gallery space for archiving artwork, products and furniture with an attached guesthouse.
5. House of Concrete Experiments by Samira Rathod Design Associates
Located in the coastal town of Alibaug, near Mumbai, the House of Concrete Experiments by Samira Rathod Design Associates is a project that explores concrete in all its aspects including its use in planning, construction, the structural design, material usage, services, and light. The house is for a graduate of MIT with a progressive outlook and attitude towards innovation.
6. K House by Ronnie Alroy Architects
In Israel, K House by Ronnie Alroy Architects is a celebration of concrete plasticity. The main axis of the house is aligned with the entrance and is defined over three levels with two exposed concrete walls, with an opening that looks towards a terraced garden.
7. CVC House by ESTUDIO MMX
A sequence of open spaces with a gradual degree of intimacy allow residents to move gently from the public street-facing spaces to the private backyard.
8. Casa de Alisa by Stu/D/O Architects
In Nonthaburi, Thailand, Casa de Alisa by Stu/D/O Architects is defined by the material and structural capacity of concrete. Concrete planes frame and contain the interiority, sheltering living spaces, and providing both a visual and sound barrier towards the surrounding neighbourhood and public road.
9. A Cloistered Home that Excites and Invigorates With its Interior by Israelevitz Architects
Cloistered, intricate, and slightly hidden from view, this family home in Israel by Dan and Hila Israelevitz features a tension between interior and exterior and extensive use of authentic materials, primarily concrete.
10. The House Recast by Studio Ben Allen
The House Recast by Studio Ben Allen explores the potential of one key material – pigmented concrete. Located in London, the house experiments with concrete not just structurally but also as an architectural finish. The concept draws inspiration from surrounding Victorian architecture, which is characterized by decorated and patterned load-bearing brick.
