The judging process for Architizer's 12th Annual A+Awards is now away. Subscribe to our Awards Newsletter to receive updates about Public Voting, and stay tuned for winners announcements later this spring.
Biodiversity, net zero and ‘nature-positivity’ increasingly direct conversations around the built environment. Architizer’s own series on Sustainable Practice is a case in point, as are myriad international and national regulations being introduced to try and force more ecological responsibility in the industry.
But just because something has green intentions doesn’t necessarily mean it celebrates the environment. With that in mind, it seems only fair to look away from bold urban redevelopment schemes with their downtown sky gardens and instead pay tribute to architectural gems that opt to spotlight Mother Nature herself. From rainforests in the most unlikely transport hubs to event spaces hanging preciously over world heritage sites and remote rest stops for desert travelers, each of the blueprints below proves that our planet is the ultimate creative force.
Ring of Bjólfur
By ESJA Architecture, exa nordic, Okarheima, ANNA Landscape architect, Arkibygg arkitekar, Seydisfjordur, Iceland
Jury Winner, 2023 A+ Awards, Unbuilt Landscape
If you’ve even glanced at Iceland from a passing plane window you’ll know the country doesn’t do much that isn’t packed with awe. A place seemingly forged in the fires of Mordor, the concrete platform of Seydisfjordur’s Ring of Bjólfor is the perfect position from which to watch the natural drama of the island’s eastern wildernesses play out. Its sharp, minimalist composition contrasts the untamed ruggedness, while also almost disappearing into it.
Khor Kalba Turtle & Wildlife Sanctuary
By Hopkins Architects, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Comprising seven interconnected pods, their geometry inspired by exoskeletons of urchins, Khor Kalba brings visitors into the heart of nature, offering panoramic views across precious mangrove forests and distant mountains, while walking trails provide opportunity to get up close and personal with the area’s biodiversity, including turtles. Although made from concrete — one of the least eco-friendly materials — this choice was made to facilitate easy prefabrication, which is necessary for minimal disruption to ecosystems.
Micro Oasis Tambo Pintados
By CONOR, Pintados, Chile
A great example of old traditions brought into the modern age, CONOR’s Micro Oasis is based on historical Tambo sites, which have pockmarked the Chilean desert since pre-Hispanic times and were first set up to offer weary travelers rest and restoration while on pilgrimages. The concept here relies on the only tree in the vicinity, accentuating just how precious and vulnerable life is out here, with salt and earth walls proving the effectiveness of ancient eco-friendly construction methods.
Ötzi Peak 3251m: Reaching the Peak
By NOA, South Tyrol, Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy
Finalist, 2022 A+Awards, Cultural Pavilions
Sitting at the top of the Schnals Valley Glacier, next to one of Europe’s highest hotels in altitude terms, this Corten steel viewing platform offers a window on the world, and its industrial finish miraculously manages to mirror the tones of surrounding rock faces. NOA’s design follows natural topography of the area, and the individual vertical lamellas break the huge vista down into numerous perspectives, framing the scenery with multiple snapshots each different from the last.
Exosteel ‘Mother Nature’ Modular Prefabricated Houses
By MASK Architects, Orani, Sardinia
A world first, these 3D printed steel houses are being built for the Nivola Museum and take inspiration from the namesake sculptor, architect and designer’s belief that art should be accessible to all, and created to bring communities together. According to MASK, the development takes into account impact on the wider area, allowing the famously fierce Sardinian hilltop winds to pass through the individual structures, which are all renewable energy sources in their own right.
Skyboat
By XinY Structural Consultants, Leye County, Baise, China
Finalist, 2021 A+Awards, Concepts, Architecture + Engineering
Also affectionately known as BigGoose — for reasons that become clear the moment you see the structure — Skyboat is part indoor space for events, and all viewing platform offering a breathtaking look at the 670-yard-deep (613-meter) Dashiwei Tiankeng Sinkhole, a protected heritage site. Remarkably, construction involved grouting a 4-inch-wide (10-centimeter), 437-yard-long (400-meter) crack at the top of the ridge, effectively making this a rather grand and innovative approach to securing and stabilizing the landscape.
Jewel Changi Airport
By Spot Works, Singapore
Major aviation hubs are the hell nature dies in, and the impact of global air travel on the environment is one of the most pressing challenges of the climate crisis. So it’s mind-blowing to even consider Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport for a list of projects that celebrate Mother Earth, but with the terminal’s 130-foot-tall (40-meter) HSBC Rain Vortex — the tallest indoor waterfall on the planet — cascading amid a lush Forest Valley, you can appreciate the inclination. Throw in a top floor Canopy Park, where kids play among treetops, and the project brings into sharp relief just how important it is for humans to spend time in green spaces, even on a long haul layover.
The judging process for Architizer's 12th Annual A+Awards is now away. Subscribe to our Awards Newsletter to receive updates about Public Voting, and stay tuned for winners announcements later this spring.
