In the heart of downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) the new Wilshire Grand Complex - AC Martin rises as the tallest building west of the Mississippi. It was Korean Airlines’ vision to create an iconic tower -a symbol of the friendship between South Korea and the U.S. The building is configured to maximize views with floor-to-ceiling glass to take full advantage. The new tower is a building of “our time”, a glassy expression, a departure from the granite inset windows characteristic of most buildings in DTLA, creating a unique contrast to its neighbors.
In Western Paris, adult education was scattered in various departments connected to the studied topic. It is in this context that the new Western Paris University Continuing Education Building - Ameller Dubois was born. The south façade comes alive with the movements of visitors (train passengers or pedestrians) thanks to the coloured vertical sunscreens of its double skin, gradually shifting as the view rises towards the sky. The new building finds its place between two powerful and fundamentally different architectures by choosing neither the party of one nor the party of the other, but by leading to an impression of manifest architectural unity.
Powell Street House - Robert Simeoni Architects was developed to improve the quiet interior and muted light of the previous house. Views were limited and curated through the new steel windows utilising a combination of clear and opaque glazing, using narrow reeded patterned glass, sympathetic to the original era of the house. The addition forms a double height volume and deliberately incorporates a carefully located hidden high-level window, there to capture the late afternoon wash of sunlight.
To see more amazing entries from this year’s WAN Awards please click here.