Over the years of hosting FuturArc Prize (an international design competition that focuses on Green architectural interventions in Asia), it has often been observed that a substantial number of ideas proposed—and increasingly so—were solutions for waterside communities or water-related concerns, regardless of what the cycle’s theme is about in terms of envisioning a sustainable future. […]
This project comprised a renovation of two existing buildings with two different architectural styles: a streetside café and a portion of a neoclassical wedding hall. Instead of demolishing them, the architects retained the structure, floor plates and the hall. The contrasting buildings were linked together by fluid, curved roofs made of the same material, representing […]
Read More… from A climate-suited junction: MAY Café and Bakery
Called hutong in Beijing, lilong in Shanghai, soi in Bangkok, roji in Tokyo, golmok in Seoul and gang in Jakarta—alleyways are ubiquitous across Asian urban landscapes, each with their own spatial morphology and sociocultural composition. Urban researchers have noted that alleys/lanes are important sites of daily activity, shaped by various forces to present a mix […]
Read More… from The Old Alley’s Way of Life: Architecture Office in Hao Sy Phuong, Vietnam
In the northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam, there is a type of vernacular house called the Trinh Tuong, standing for over 100 years with rammed earth walls (a technique now known as pisé). Such walls are completely handmade by compressing earth into even and flat cubes, which allows houses to be constructed without steel reinforcement. […]
The name of this house refers to the majestic Pongour Falls in Vietnam, a naturally stepped waterfall with terraced cliffs, interspersed by a landscape of wild-growing shrubs and trees. During dry seasons, visitors can climb up the cliffs to marvel at its rocky expanse. “If Pongour represents a natural landscape that looks like an artificial […]
Read More… from The Falls by Akitephile: Recreating a natural marvel
Plastic waste pollution is one of the world’s biggest sustainability problems and presents a direct threat to ecosystems. To reduce single-use plastics and further contribute to changing consumption and production patterns, a resort in Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam developed a small plant to produce drinking water in reusable glass bottles. Aside from serving the needs […]
Read More… from Water Bottling Plant in Ninh Van Bay by Chi.Arch
The lack of green spaces and parks has become a common lament amongst most city dwellers in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. The area of trees per capita (square metre per person) is lower in the country’s largest city—home to more than 8 million people—than in its capital, and even lower when compared to […]
This home for a young family of four exemplifies how “basic is best”, focusing on necessities when faced with constraints. Designed with a limited budget, and constructed remotely during the pandemic with local builders, the architects concentrated on key elements of residential buildings. “The basics are the organisation of daylight, natural ventilation, and creating functional […]
Read More… from Multi-functional basics: Binh Thuan House by MIA Design Studio
It is already common for the single-house residential prototype to be sensitive to local climate and site in their designs, deploying suitably eco-friendly strategies that make sense to do so. For instance, the Tropical Chalet in Da Nang, Vietnam, is defined by its porous design—in form, massing and use of local bricks—that brings in the […]
Read More… from Status Quo: Tropical Chalet & The Terrace Mansion
In line with our ongoing design competition FuturArc Prize (FAP) 2023: Cross-Generational Architecture, we are highlighting projects along the theme for your inspiration. Click here to learn more about the brief! In rural areas, it is important to provide safe spaces for children to receive education—including fulfilling children’s need for play and interaction, be it […]
Read More… from Na Khoang School: Built by and for the community
Sân Chung is a noun phrase that refers to a common space shared by a residential community of a surrounding area. The premise of the team’s proposal is to bring this idea to life by leveraging post-industrial historical assets to restore and redesign them as community and cultural spaces. This will serve to address the […]
Read More… from Sân Chung: From Industry to Community | FAP 2022 Merit
Urbanisation has led to an increasing loss of green areas in Hanoi. This has been exacerbated by traffic congestion and air pollution. And a spike in the number of residents in the city means that the demand for civic and community spaces is increasing too. The team proposed to transform abandoned pedestrian tunnel spaces, which […]
Read More… from Low Garden: Greening Below Ground | FAP 2022 Merit
