Architecture is clearly an artistic endeavor — as the inventive August 2017 architecture trends show — but it is a unique form of art when compared to others. Whereas painting, writing, filmmaking, or other purely artistic enterprises are products in and of themselves with little to no material function, architecture needs to excel both aesthetically and functionally. The ever-present push and pull of form versus function is crucial to architectural practice.
The August 2017 architecture trends show up on both sides of the form-function divide. On the former, there are buildings like SAMYN and PARTNERS' fire station design, which is designed as a big circle to increase the efficiency of trucks leaving the terminal. For the latter, 'Splendour' is a fictional city master plan designed to highlight China's cultural significance.
Top 75 Architecture Trends in August
75
Hanging Treehouse Homes
The 'Sequoia Shelter' is a Practical Solution for Off-the-Grid Living
74
Self-Constructing Buildings
These Self-Deploying Buildings Can Pop Up in Eight Minutes
73
DIY Prefab Cabin Homes
The Ecokit Prefabricated Cabins Can be Erected without Professional Help
72
Asymmetrical Sloped Roof Homes
The Single Family House by Andrii Ortynskyi is Irregularly Chic
71
Diversity-Celebrating Architectural Installations
WE ARE THE REMIX Represents Fluid Connections
70
Floating Water Cities
The Seasteading Institute Unveiled Plans to Build the First Floating City
69
Timber-Slatted Summer Homes
Kget Has a Spectacular Balcony Overlooking the Meditteranean
68
Disguised Modern Homes
The IVRV House's Standard Front Facade Gives Way to Modern Forms
67
Cantilevered Treetop Houses
The Skywalk Treehouse Lets Inhabitants Walk Right Out to the Canopy
66
Colorful Amorphous Playgrounds
The Mountain Lake Park Playground is a Joyous Playscape
65
Blooming Floral Pavilions
'Look! Look! Look!' is an Artistic Structure in an English Estate Garden
64
Isolated Modern Homes
Waikanae House is a Modern Design in the Midst of Nature
63
Sun-Soaked Oceanside Suites
The Redesigned Porto Fira Suites are Inspired by Monastic Simplicity
62
Cavernous White Homes
'The Cave' is a Stark White Home With Ample Open Space
61
Fitness-Fused Retail Stores
'Runner Camp' Fuses Fitness with Retail in Shanghai
60
Parted Office Buildings
'Chapultepec 500' Looks Like a Curtain Being Drawn Apart
59
Traditional Chinese Hotels
The Ya Gu Quan Shan Hotel is Inspired by Historical Heritage
58
Architectural Home Rentals
BoutiqueHomes Offers Holiday Rentals in Design-Focused Homes
57
Exaggerated Red Brick Houses
31/44 Architects' 'Red House' Teases Victorian Tropes
56
Lawn-Topped Houses
'South Coast of Landes House' Makes Use of All Its Facets
55
Mirrored City Viewpoints
M+ Pavilion Offers Impressive Views of Hong Kong
54
Controversial Iron Ring Sculptures
George King's Walkway at Flint Castle is Bristling Locals
53
Vertical Urban Forests
The Hawthorn Tower is Set to Be Holland's First Vertical Garden
52
Metallic Architecture Posters
These Detailed Posters Celebrate Chicago's Greatest Buildings
51
Salmon-Viewing Centers
The Kvasfossen Visitor Center Offers Views of a Salmon Ladder
50
Urban Architectural Graphic Novels
'No Small Plans' is About Urban Planning in Chicago
49
Meditative Treehouses
The Quiet Treehouse Promotes the Health Benefits of Noise Reduction
48
Stilted Hiking Shelters
Le Haut Perche is on the Banks of a River Outside Bordeaux
47
Sliding Glass Roofs
This Environmentally Friendly Shopping Center is Illuminated by Natural Light
46
Smooth Swiss Cottages
'Swiss House XII' is a Slick Version of Its Neighbors' Architecture
45
Brutalist Victorian Houses
'Soupcon Brut' Has Been Renovated to Reflect a Neighboring Estate
44
Interlocking Timber Funnels
'Y' is a Stretching Timber Funnel Built by an International Team
43
Rusted Steely Housing Developments
Kiel Steel House is Clad in Corten Steel
42
Gradated Translucent Facades
XYZ Formula's See-Through Facade Has a Grid-Like Design
41
Artistic Construction Site Photography
Ben Gowertt's New Project Spotlights Calm Urban Areas
40
Portable Adaptable Dwellings
The 'SCARAB' Remote Living Habitat Can be Placed Virtually Anywhere
39
Inverted Boat Houses
The Houseboat by Mole Architects Resembles a Capsized Hull
38
Japanese Homeware Retailer Hotels
The Ginza MUJI Hotel will Start Welcoming Guests in Spring 2018
37
Sustainable Cannabis Houses
The Walls of This Home in Israel are Made Out of Hemp and Concrete
36
Airy Steel Arches
Oskar Zieta's NAWA Pavilion is Inflated with Air
35
Wind Turbine Residences
The Wind Pecker Residential Spaces are Perched on the Stands of Windmills
34
Multi-Seasonal Covered Gardens
'The Garden of the Four Seasons' Uses Climate-Control Technology
33
Architect-Honoring Kirigami
Marc Hagan-Guirey's Art Highlights Frank Lloyd Wright's Work
32
Pop-Up Train Carriages
AART's Redesigned Train Carriages Serve a Variety of Purposes
31
Shifted Ventilation Towers
The Northern Link Towers Blend Into Stockholm's National City Park
30
Surfing Holiday Homes
Casa Tuman Offers Convenient Access to Chile's Puertecillo Beach
29
Modernist Estate Pavilions
The St. Gerlachus Pavilion is on an Historic 17th Estate in Holland
28
Rain-Inspired Hotels
The Zander K Hotel in Bergen, Norway Embraces the Region's Rainy Weather
27
Dump Truck-Inspired Homes
Budi Pradono's 'Clay House' is Topped With a Titled Shipping Container
26
Concrete Cliffside Homes
g3arquitectos' 'Casa G' is a Cubist Structure Overlooking a Mexican Town
25
Undulating Plastic Pavilions
SelgasCano Designed an Artistic Public Pavilion in Cognac, France
24
Curtain-Wrapped Home Extensions
Matt Gibson's Home Addition is Wrapped in Metal-Mesh Curtains
23
Circular Fire Stations
This Fire Station Design Reduces Vehicle Response Times
22
Updated Industrial Offices
751 creative's Office Marries Vintage Machinery and Minimalist Finishes
21
Treed School Complexes
The Cornebarrieu School Complex Tackles Environmental Challenges
20
Space-Maximizing Museum Revamps
Casson Mann Recently Adjusted the Natural History Museum's Foyer
19
LEGO-Built Concert Halls
'Brickmonkey' Made a Small-Scale Replica of the Hamburg Concert Hall
18
Airy Covered Marketplaces
IMPLUVIUM is an Open-Air Marketplace in Reinosa, Spain
17
Hidden Bunker Museums
BIG's Tirpizt Bunker is Touted as an Invisible Museum
16
Porcelain Public Courtyards
The Sackler Courtyard is the First of Its Kind in the World
15
Emergency Temporary Schools
Portakabin Built a School for Those Near Grenfell Tower
14
Curvilinear Roofline Designs
The Avocado Acres House was Inspired By LA's Case Study Homes
13
Perspective-Shifted Windows
'Modelia Days' Features Windows With Illusive Indentations
12
Serrated Hotel Buildings
M89 Hotel in Italy Has a Sharp Series of Teeth on Its Roof
11
Stark Medieval Museums
The Medieval Mile Museum is in a Renovated 13th Century Cathedral
10
Precariously Stilted Art Centers
Centro Botin was Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop
9
Converted Sex Shop Studios
Persimmon Hills Architects Transformed a Sex Shop into a Tiny Studio
8
Fictional Cultural Capitals
Splendour is a Fictional City Master Plan to Improve China's Image
7
Iconic Landmark Renovations
The Seattle Space Needle Renovation Revealed its Intended Design
6
Ship-Shaped Commemorative Pavilions
The Kohtei Pavilion Honors Those Lost at Sea
5
Capacious Tiny Homes
The Traveler XL Limited Easily Sleeps Ten Guests In An Eco-Friendly Space
4
Smooth Stark Building Restorations
C Plus Architects Renovated a 1950s University in China
3
Colossal Sound Chambers
Studio Gang's 'The Hive' Features Three Massive, Hive-Like Domes
2
Filament-Covered Towers
This Hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects Looks Like a Series of Stacked Vases
1
Anachronistic Concrete Extensions
The National Museum Zurich has a Juxtaposed Modern Wing
Related Ideas
AI-Generated Paper Architecture Series
Tim Fu Tests Out New AI Model for Architectural Design
Venetian-Inspired Museum Designs
The Conceptual Floating Glass Museum is AI-Generated
Ultra-Modern Apartment Designs
No Architects Created a Multi-Functional Modern Apartment
Configurable Nomadic Tiny Houses
The 'PICNIC' House by Mauro Polondak Opens From All Sides
Architectural Luxury Handbags
The Louis Vuitton x Frank Gehry Collection is an Exploration of Form
3D-Printed House Neighborhoods
EYRC and Mighty Buildings Develop the Suburbs of the Future
Cube-Combining Tiny Homes
This Unique Tiny Home Uses Modular Spaces to Enable Flexible Use
Displaced Persons House Designs
The Essential Homes Research Project Has a Bunker-Like Form
Greenery-Sheathed Architecture Offices
This Building Will House the Offices Of 'VTN Architects'
Future Building Material Exhibitions
The Farrell Centre Debuts Its Inaugural Exhibition
Supermarket-Style Pavilions
Venice Architecture Biennale's Latvian Pavilion Has a Familiar Form
Prefabricated Miniature Home Concepts
i29 Creates the Câpsula Concept for Dutch Design Week
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
Kaleidoscopic Kindergarten Buildings
The Tianshui Kindergarten by SAKO Architects is Whimsical
Interior Design Concept Guides
IKEA Unveils its Inaugural Style Guide on Home Design
Contemporary Extravagant Houses
Wittehaus Unveils the Gerendák Residence in North Carolina
Arts and Crafts-Inspired Homes
Rural Office Designs the Middle Avenue House in Surrey
Architecture-Inspired Structural Speakers
Philipp Emrich Designs the Brutalist Agnes Speaker
Mockup-Inspired Garden Structures
New Affiliates & Samuel Stewart-Halevy Create Testbeds
Backyard-Transformed Dwelling Units
Catch Architecture and Obreval Design the ADU Carpintaria
Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
Modern Multi-Purpose Japanese Buildings
Akio Isshiki Architect Overhauls an Old Wooden Building
Stunning Mid-Century Coastal Homes
Design Theory Updates a House from the 1960s
Tactile Fashion Boutique Designs
FOG Architecture Designs a New Xiaozhuo Store Location
Bauhaus-Inspired Pattern Collections
Design En Rogue Architecture Recently Debuted Its New Line
Circus Tent-Inspired Holiday Homes
Cubo Design Architect Designs the Circus Home in Japan
Everchanging Water-Based Theaters
Open Architecture Designs the Yichang Grand Theater in China
Upcycled Object Exhibitions
Nendo and Daniel Arsham Design, Break, and Create Functional Objects
Vibrant Multi-Level Office Designs
Gensler Reimagines the Accenture Office Space in Chicago
Water-Inspired Theatre Designs
Open Architecture Unveils Its Plans for the Yichang Grand Theatre
Architecture-Inspired Legos
Brooklyn Studio & Steve Mayes Debut Brooklyn's Architectural History
Urban Structural Street Furniture
BLUE Architecture Studio Designs the Symbiotic Urban Furniture
Town-Like Classroom Designs
Atelier Apeiron Designs the Kindergarten of Museum Forest Building
Playful Public Seating Designs
The London Festival of Architecture Boasts a Series of Seats
Brutalist-Inspired Suburban Apartments
STUDIOTAMAT Designs the Casa Rude Residence in Rome
Cutting-Edge Design Programming
Triennale Milano Offers an Array of Events for Milan Design Week
Red Brick Music Schools
Colectivo C733's Music School Design is Captivating and Stunning
Red-Brick Raised Timber Homes
Agora Arquitectura Designs the House on a Brick Base in Barcelona
Architecture-Inspired Furniture Capsules
SeungBum Ma Designs the Form-Functional Archi-Furniture
Copper Shell-Enclosed Museums
Wutoqpia Lab Designs the Copper Blockhouse Space in China
Modern-Updated Traditional Homes
KiKi ARCHi Designs the Skip House in the Middle of Beijing
Modern Vibrantly Designed Craftman
Leah Ring Transforms a New Craftsman House with Bright Hues
Bamboo-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Cultural Center Seamlessly Blends Into its Surroundings
Traditional Japan-Honoring Homes
Cubo Design Architects Designs the C4L House in Tokyo
Toy Brick-Inspired Studios
Sukchulmok Designs the Curving Block Photography Studio
Lotus Plant-Inspired Skyscrapers
Aedas Designs the Pair of One Future Buildings Lined with Bronze
Red Concrete-Defined Home Renovations
Atelier Delalande Tabourin Renovates a Home in France
Gallery-Like Elevated Retail Designs
Format Architecture Office Designs the Leica Store & Gallery
Landscape-Concealed Cultural Centers
The Chaohu Natural and Cultural Centre Boasts a Hidden Design
Abstract Art Block-Puzzle Sets
LEGO Introduces a New Colorful 31210 Modern Art Set
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Cylindrical Cog-Stacking Buildings
This Dutch Building's Eyecatching Design Symbolizes Diversity
Sculptural Art-Detailed Store Designs
Halleroed Designs the Flagship Toteme Store in Mayfield
Y-Shaped Community Pavilions
Sam Crawford Architects Creates a Red-Roof Pavilion in Sydney
Playfully Angular House Designs
Takeshi Hirobe Architects Design the Villa MKZ in Japan
Village-Inspired Tapered Stone Airport
Foster + Partners Designs a Set of Stone Buildings
Balanced Grass-Topped Homes
RO_AR Designs a Beautiful Dwelling in the Czech Republic
Conservation Area Monumental Townhomes
The DHaus Company Complete the Arches Row of Townhouses
Youth-Focused Architectural Toys
The Freckled Frog's 'Happy Architect' Toy is for Curious Youth
Charming Angular Contemporary Homes
Studio KUNZ Presents the Trapezium House in Brazil
Inflated Dynamic Design Exhibitions
Vienna Design Week Hosts the Series Exhibition this Year
Viewing Box Cultural Centers
The Center for Arts & Innovation Hosts Events and Education Spaces
Reflective Hemispherical Theater Stages
Muoto Designs the Ball Theater to Evoke a Sense of Utopia
Tactile Gallery Buildings
AMAA Designs the Threshold and Treasure Art Gallery in Italy
Former-Bakery Modern Apartments
Auba Studio Designs the Newly Converted NZ10 Apartment Space
Organic Sculptural Furniture Exhibitions
Gallery Fumi Hosts the Growth + Form Exhibition in London
Multifunctional Vietnamese Homes
H-H Studio Designs the House for Young Families in Da Nang
Memory-Reminiscent Idyllic Homes
Tsuyoshi Tane and Vitra Design the Tane Garden House
Architecture-Inspired Home Sculptures
Origin Made Spotlights the Spiral and Flight Sculptures
Refreshed Red Brick Extensions
Mix Architecture Revamps the Nanjing Combat Machinery Building
Generously Glazed Spiral Buildings
This Building is Inspired By Czech Glassmaking Tradition
Digital Architecture Libraries
My ArchiSchool is Launching a New Resource in Summer 2023
Crystalline Chinese Museum Buildings
The 'Space Crystal' Building Looks Like An Otherworldly Rock
Industrial Architecture-Themed Installations
The Industrial Archaeology Series is Based on Design
Welcoming Prefabricated Student Housing
Ignacio Prego Architectures Designs New Student Housing
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Log Cabin-Inspired Minimal Homes
Gartnerfuglen Arkitkter Designs the Årestua Home in Telemark
Cement Block-Decorated Homes
Bloom Architecture Designs the Small Houses Collection
Self-Cooling Exterior Buildings
Modu Creates the Promenade Building to Control Air Temperature
Locally Sourced Angular Cabins
Juri Troy Architects Designs the Straw Flea House in Murstetten
Metal-Wrapped Exhibition Spaces
Trace Architecture Office Creates a Structural Steel Wrap
Energy-Efficient Museum Complexes
This Museum Uses Innovative Design to Curb Energy Consumption
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Monolithic Sleek Summer Homes
Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter Creates the Vollerup Atrium Home
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Chic Nautical-Inspired Apartments
TENKA ARKITEKTURA Designs a Stylish and Textured Apartment
Sculptural Canteliver Concrete Houses
Espacio 18 Arquitectura Designs the Casa del Alma
Vibrant Apartment Showrooms
&Tradition Designs the Under One Roof Apartment Showroom
Steel Structural Dynamic Workspaces
Skylab Architecture Builds a New Skylab Office in Oregon
Compact Calming Homes
Batay-Csorba Architects Masterfully Designed a Modern Brick Home in Toronto
Desert-Inspired Campground Hotels
BIG and ICON Join Forces to Develop the El Cosmico Project
Inconspicuous Art Museums
Wang Chong Studio Designs a Beautifully Expressive Building
Futile Material Design Exhibitions
Objective Gallery Presents Please Sit for an Alternate Ending
Star-Shaped Structural Pavilions
Mass Studies Unveils the Visuals for the Archipelagic Void
Traditional Garden-Inspired Cultural Centers
Open Architecture Designs the Shanfeng Academy
Geometric African Homes
Gregory Katz Architecture Designs the Great Primary Shapes Home
Wooden Cubic University Buildings
BIG Designs the Makers' KUbe at the University of Kansas
Forested Residential Buildings
GAAGA Designs the Forest Bath Building Framed by Tree Trunks
Structural Concrete Arts Center
DUO Finishes the Nanchang OCT Contemporary Arts Centre
Sustainable Cubic Homes
Appels Architekten Designs a New Wooden Home in Germany
Geometric Colorful Residential Spaces
Office S&M Designs the Vibrant Graphic House in London
Log Cabin-Inspired Modern Homes
Balbek Bureau Renovates a Home in Ukraine with Steel and Concrete
Red Concrete Exhibition Centers
Mix Architecture Designs the Red Box Exhibition Center
Renovated Asymmetric Building Projects
Formation Association Designs the Atwater Canyon Building
3D-Printed Public Pavilion Prototypes
Hassell Works with Nagami on a New Public Pavilion
Minimal Urban City Apartments
GRT Architects Designs the East Village Apartment in NY
Bright Red Timber Buildings
Office ParkScheerbarth Designs the Compact Haus 2+ in Berlin
Duplex-Appearing Home Designs
Atelier ST Designs the Duplex House for a Family in Leipzig
Modern Museum Versatile Cafes
Tate Modern Unveils a Corner Cafe Designed by Holland Harvey
Spine-Based Central Design Buildings
Foster + Partners Designs the Hangzhou Center
Lighthouse-Functioning Concrete Structures
Lin Architecture Creates the Concrete Pavilion in China
Circular Design-Themed Exhibitions
Audi Joins Dezeen on the Domino Act Installation
Modern-Tinged Traditional Furniture
Sonal Tuli Designs the New Jaipur Furniture Collection
Pale Yellow Minimal Townhomes
i.B. Archstudio Designs the VVV Townhouse with Pastel Hues
Latticed-Steel Transport Hub Columns
Tremend Designs the Metropolitan Station in Lublin
Subway-Lined Waved Panels
Ateneo Used 3D Tech to Form Sculptural Walls Around Wuyuanwan Station
Contemporary Art Puzzle Sets
LEGO's Modern Art Building Set is a Great Buildable Decor
Pale Tonal Brick Homes
Fletcher Crane Architects Designs the Kingston Villa in Richmond
Atrium Stacked Toronto Courthouses
Renzo Piano Building Workshop Creates a Justice Building
Mass-Timber Transport Hubs
BIG and A+ Architecture Build the Marengo Multimodal Transport Hub
Clear Glazing Compact Residences
IGArchitects Designs the Check Patterned House in Japan
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
Renovated Contemporary Industrial Apartments
TENKA ARKITEKTURA Designs the Burgatoi Project
Architectural Pottery Museums
1+1>2 Architects Designs the Bat Trang Pottery Museum
Multifunctional Cross-Disciplinary Buildings
The BLOX Building in Represents Joint Thinking
Lantern-Like Tea House Pavilions
Grau Architects Designs the Tea House Pavilion by the Lake
Industrial Warehouse-Inspired Offices
Carr Designs a New Office Block with Industrial Themes
Sculptural Timber Gathering Spaces
Lina Ghotmeh Designs the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion
Nomadic Community-Themed Pavilions
Joar Nango Designs Girjegumpi: The Sámi Architecture Library
Terracotta-Clad University Faculties
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios Completes New Art Faculty
Geometric Prefabricated Pavilions
Heams & Michel Architectes Presents the 7 Kiosks Project
Translucent Chinese Concert Halls
This Venue Boasts a Glowing Aesthetic & Pleasant Acoustics
Lantern-Topped Sleek Workshops
Cabinet Designs the Gardeners House in a Park in Geneva
Water Flow-Inspired Art Buildings
MAD Designs the Waterfront Nanhai Arts Center in Guangdong
Curved Sculptural Skyscrapers
Kengo Kuma Designs the Alberni Residential Skyscraper
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Geometric Red-Brick Suburban Homes
OFIS Arhitekti Designs the Frame House in Ljubljana
Futuristic Factory Rooftop Extensions
MAD Transforms a Factory with the Ark Extension in China
Distinctive Airlifted Structures
Arête Architects and Makers Fabrication Design the Karka Tower
Black Terracotta Office Buildings
SOM Creates the New 28&7 Building in Manhattan's Chelsea