Situated in the vibrant, yet dense theater district of Manhattan’s midtown west, ARO - CetraRuddy Architecture demonstrates a keen awareness of its surrounding urban context, utilizing distinctive approaches in massing, organization and exterior expression to create a thoughtful approach to contemporary urban living. Its simple envelope pattern provides a singular graphic visibly expresses its complex programmatic, contextual and structural challenges at a macro level. At the micro level the facade is composed of a collection of details that give scale and proportion while animating the facade.
Nestled into the landscape, the large, undulating canopy of the Cal Poly Pomona Student Services Building - CO Architects shelters three floors of student services and administrative departments. The design draws its inspiration from the San Gabriel Mountains and foothills articulated in the building’s shape and the form of its standing-seam aluminum roof, uniting it with the landscape and demonstrating a commitment to sustainable practices in a dramatic way.
A catalyst high-rise development for the emerging inner-city suburb of Burunda, UniLodge Park Central provides purpose-built student accommodation offering lifestyle, comfort and convenience within a connected location. The built form references the balance of indoor/outdoor living that characterises the area by prioritising communal shade and natural light. The building uses a highly articulated facade, with prominence given to public and communal areas as the building’s main expression. Strategic use of sun shading mitigates solar loads whilst providing texture and colour, and shades of green are used for the facades facing the internal courtyard to promote the idea of an inner sanctuary.
The City of Berkeley's Downtown Arts District has blossomed into a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. People arrive by public transportation, bike or car to frequent bars, shops and restaurants, or attend events, ahe original 1950's garage was insufficient in parking-capacity. Center Street Parking Garage - Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects is a visual feat in response to a challenging brief. Also housing a range of amenities, the mid-block site provides opportunity for two street-frontages, the facades of which are designed as public-art, and the project is definitely a place for cars, but with a face to delight people.
The JW Marriott Nashville -Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart is a luxury hotel nestled among the busy streets of Music City, USA. The hotel’s 33-story elliptical glass design offers stunning views of the city and is an icon in the heart of the city. Sitting at the corner of Eighth and Demonbreun, the JW Marriott Nashville is conscious of its visible connection to the city. It welcomes visitors in and out of the core of the city with its iconic presence, helping Nashville’s visitors sing in the streets today - and for decades to come.
Unhistoric Townhouse - System Architects is a five-story townhouse, built for a family. But the building is only one room deep, and the widest dimension of its footprint is on the street. By embracing the site’s intimate involvement with the street as a central theme of the project: a façade that engages the rhythms of the neighborhood was created. The result is a remarkable new type of building, one deeply rooted in the street life of the historic neighborhood, which also signals that a new era has arrived.
To see more amazing entries from this year’s WAN Awards please click here.