The top August 2019 architecture designs offer an exploration of repurposed spaces, temporary structures and even future-proof building concepts. To make the most of abundant and sustainable materials, architects are exploring the use of materials like cork and even single-use water bottles to form hurricane-proof structures.
Shipping containers remain a popular shell for living and commercial spaces alike and East London will soon be home to the world's tallest shipping container building once the construction of the 118 VR has been completed.
Moving away from conventional rectilinear forms, designers are turning to the natural world for inspiration to create eye-catching designs that reference everything from clouds and icebergs to stingrays to form organically inspired modern structures centered on sharing art and entertainment experiences.
Top 40 Architecture Innovations in August
From Sustainable Cork Houses to Futuristic Concert Halls:
Laura McQuarrie — Sep 2, 2019 — Art & Design
40
Shipping Container Micro Homes
Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects Has Permission to Build in the UK
39
Compact High-Tech Prefab Offices
The PLACES Studio Cube 'OFFICE' Features Solar Glass and More
38
Low-Cost Furniture Designs
Esrawe Studio's Project is Intended to Improve Living Conditions
37
Rapper-Backed Housing Projects
Kanye West's Yeezy Home Project is Focused on Social Good
36
Minimalist Sloped Concrete Residences
Yalin Architectural Design Uses Materials in Their Entirety
35
Versatile Fiberglass Sheds
Richard John Andrew's Practice Will Operate from a Garden Shed
34
Accessible Multi-Generational Households
AZL Architects Designs a House That is Not Age-Specific
33
Playfully Colorful Kindergarten Designs
Kientruc O Designs a Dynamic Facade for a Kindergarden
32
Multi-Generational Housing Designs
Marshall Homes' FlexHouz is Spacious and Strategically Divided
31
Illusory Brick House Facades
For This Bold Project, Brooks + Scarpa and Studio Dwell Collaborate
30
Sculptural Seaside Residences
The 'On the Rocks' House by David Tajchman Has a Wave-Like Design
29
Apartment-Inspired Hotel Designs
Studio Tamat and Sabina Guidotti Curate a Boutique Hotel in Rome
28
Ivy-Covered In-Garden Studios
Matt Gibson's Writer's Shed is Compact, Sweet, Functional & Tranquil
27
Incredibly Tiny Rooftop Buildings
El Sindicato Arquitectura's Casa Parásito is Ultra-Compact
26
Cockpit-Themed Hotel Rooms
Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu's 'Superior Cockpit Room' is a Cockpit Replica
25
Whimsical Kid-Friendly Cafes
The Fairyland Premium Kids Cafe Has a Carousel, Ball Pit & Slide
24
Sustainable Bamboo Meditation Temples
The Luum Temple Offers a Tranquil Space for Mindfulness
23
Sustainable Cork Houses
This Cork House Project is on the Shortlist for the 2019 Stirling Prize
22
Politically-Charged Architectural Proposals
Vilius Vizgaudis Debuts a Sustainable Utopian Concept
21
Naturalistic European Observation Towers
The 'Ascension' Concept Observation Tower is Organic
20
Sculptural Dancer-Friendly Pillars
Concrete Choreography is a Stunning Project by ETH Zurich
19
Temporary Worship Space Proposals
Gensler Pushes for a Temporary Pavilion Alongside Notre-Dame
18
Elevated Chilean Retreat Homes
Guillermo Acuña Outfits This House with Sizable Wooden Entry Stairs
17
Illusory Entertainment Bars
Unlocked's Board Game Bar Includes Its Own Escape Room
16
Seaweed-Based Prefab Panels
Kathryn Larsen is Interesting in Utilizing Seaweed for Construction
15
Iceberg-Inspired Opera Buildings
Henning Larsen Designs a Waterfront Performance Venue in China
14
Futuristic Concert Hall Designs
Steven Holl's Zinc-Clad Building is a Future-Forward Addition
13
Repurposed Historic Post Offices
OMA New York is Creating a New Entertainment Space in Houston
12
Future-Proof Building Complexes
Perkins and Will is Designing the European Commission Office
11
Dreamy Architectural Explorations
Peter Tarka Embraces Pastel Colors, Geometry and Surrealism
10
Stingray-Inspired Cafe Kiosks
Mizzi Studio Embellishes Hyde Park with a Place to Grab a Coffee
9
Eco Hurricane-Proof Houses
JD Composites Created a Home Made from 600,000 Plastic Bottles
8
Removable Roof Tiny Homes
The 'Tiny House Franck' by Optinid Has a Sliding Sunroof
7
Extended Museum Sculpture Gardens
The NOMA Extension by Reed Hilderbrand is Wholesome and Artistic
6
Ethereally Bubbly Pavilion Sculptures
The Very Many's 'Pillar of Dreams' Looks Like Clouds
5
Repurposed Adaptable University Buildings
Grimshaw Overhauls a Herman Miller Factory from the 70s
4
Record-Breaking Shipping Container Offices
The 118 VR Building will Feature a Sustainable Design
3
Waste-Powered Thermal Baths
June Tong Proposes an Thermal and Eco-Friendly Bath for the Arctic
2
E-Commerce Office Towers
A New Amazon Skyscraper Wll Come to a Seattle Suburb
1
People-Centric National Football Stadiums
Tabanlioglu Architects Focuses on the Use of Space
Related Ideas
Industrial-Inspired Homes
Glassbrick Apartment by Studio Karhard Alters a Flat with Nightclub DNA
Triple-Story Prefab Tiny Houses
The DQTower Maximizes Land Usage by Building Upwards
Floating Canopy Homes
The Holocene House Concept Integrates Water & Architectural Geometry
Disaster-Resilient Hospitality Concepts
Margot Krasojević Presents an Emergency Hotel Concept
Contemporary Rural Dwellings
StudioAC's South Bay House Reinterprets Rural Canadian Architecture
Climate-Responsive Prefab Homes
The Drop Pod House Adapts to Floods and Unexpected Guests
Cob Building Revivals
CobBauge HouseBlends Ancient Techniques with Modern Standards
Container Workplace Complexes
Agrosemillas Offices by Impepinable Studio Reuse Shipping Containers
Greenhouse Office Pavilions
Office for Roundtable + JXY Studio Create Multifunctional Office
Luxury Exhibition Concepts
Louis Vuitton Unveils 'The Louis' Vessel Concept in Shanghai
Shape‑shifting Retreats
This Modular Off‑Grid House Adapts to Natural Sites with Expandable Walls
Modern Ethereal Residential Projects
Philipp Architekten Collaborates with Bruzkus Greenberg
Floating Art Museums
Tadao Ando’s Dubai Museum of Art Embraces Light, Water and Heritage
Pointy Modular Hospitality Architecture
Roman & Dmytro Seliuk Designs the Futuristic Namety Cabins
Contemporary Wooden Dwellings
MJARC Arquitectos Designs House Douro Wood in Portugal
Sustainable Cork Installations
Forest for the Trees Showcases Cork Sustainable Furniture
Eco Living Vertical Towers
The Eden Rise Vertical Eco Living Community Integrates Food Production
Timber-Centric Non-Profit Headquarters
S9 Architecture Designs for The Cleveland Foundation
Metal-Clad Coastal Homes
The Corrugated Casa 144º Sits Above the Barcelona Coast
Contemporary Amphitheatre Designs
Revery Architecture Designs PNE Amphitheatre/Freedom Mobile Arch
Mahogany Intergenerational Homes
The Mahogany House by R ARCHITECTURE is Chic and Contemporary
Converted Industrial Homes
A 1960s Warehouse Transforms into a Residence Honoring Its Raw Design
Immersive Design Studio Showcases
Fritz Hansen Presented 'Shaping Lasting Design' in Copenhagen
Curved Green Roof-Topped Museums
Atelier Alter Architects Designs the Sunner Museum in China
Portuguese-Inspired House Designs
A+Architecture Relies on Portuguese Design Principles
Rerfeshed Historic Workspaces
Daytrip’s Cloisters Interiors Boasts Modern Furniture Design
Architectural Lighting Solutions
Flos Emphasized Lighting Innovation and Artistic Expression
Wooden Ship-Inspired Housing Complexes
Steven Holl Architects Present the Meander Housing
LA Affordable Housing Complexes
Lorcan O'herlihy Architects Completes Isla Intersections
Triangular Concrete Houses
Trim House by KWK Promes Uses Angular Plan Shaped by Constraints
Living Landscape Homes
Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright Merges Garden and Architecture
Kinetic Interaction Pavilions
The Transmutation Observatory Makes Architecture Responsive
Modernist Home Renovations
The Bauhaus Budapest Apartment Receives a Contemporary Refresh
Eco‑tiny Sanctuarys
The TIGÍN Tiny Homes Reimagine Starter Living with a Hemp-Clad Design
Minimalist Concrete Complexes
Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture Completes a Residential Project in Tokyo
Architecturally Stunning Cultural Landmarks
OPEN Architecture Designs the Functional Sun Tower
Architecturally Inspired Exhibition Displays
Cecilia Szalkowicz Collaborates with Studio MATER
Contemporary Home Renovation Projects
Ofisvesaire Completes the Renovation of the S House
All-Glass Mesmerizing Compact Homes
Elsewhere Pods Designs the Tiny Beaufort Bushland Retreat
Compact 3d-Printed Housing
The Tiny House Lux is Helping Address Luxembourg’s Housing Shortage
Minimalist Beach House Designs
ARP - Architecture Research Practice Tackles a 1980s Beach House
Sustainable Modern Chair Designs
ZEITRAUM Explored Sustainability Through Material & Craftsmanship
Wood-Framed Housing Blocks
Common Woods Housing by Space&matter Places Timber at the Core
Compact Sustainable Homes
Quadrapol Introduces the Cabana as a Tiny Dwelling That Rethinks Space
Reflective Architectural Artwork
Audi Origin by Zaha Hadid Architects Shapes Spatial Light Portal
Forest-Edge Timber Homes
Timbertop House by Atelier Kastelic Buffey Anchors in Canada’s Woods
Elevated Flood Refuge Homes
The Lift House Reimagines a Red Cottage That Rises with Flood Waters
Industrial Café Interiors
Blue Bottle Coffee West Bund Adds a Timber Frame to an Industrial Shell
Compact Public Art Kiosks
The Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition Kiosks Appear as Small Structures
Ceramic Modern Houses
The Hillsborough Residence Blends Modern Design with Sculptural Ceramics
Sustainable Canopy Pavilions
The Casa Solai Frames Ocean and Jungle Through a Dual-Pavilion Design
Renovated Parisian Flats
Hauvette & Madani Architecture Uses Nature as a Frame in Paris Apartment
Urban Layered Homes
The Salmon House Layers Warmth and Sculptural Form to Melbourne’s Suburbs
Compact Urban Dwellings
Miami Tiny House Applies Modern Design to a Small Residential Footprint
Modular Workplace Architecture Trends
DualSpace Studio Debuted the Adapatable 'ELIT Office'
Sustainable Educational Architecture Projects
CURA Architekten Presents a Project in Switzerland
Parisian Social Housing Projects
PietriArchitectes Built 34 Units for Social Housing
Ocean-Overlooking Perched Residences
Field Architecture Presents the Big Sur Residence
Bamboo Forest Structures
This Amazon Rainforest Pavilion Explores Biomimicry in Architectural Form
Adaptive Reuse Offices
Felix Lewis Architects' the Works Repurposes an Industrial Site
Adaptive Workspace Designs
Twobo’s SALT HQ Highlights Material Reuse in a Community-Ready Office
Glass Pavilion Architecture
Diller Scofidio + Renfro Design Cartier’s New Miami Flagship
Coastal Resilience-Focused Residential Projects
STRANG Completes the Van Der Vlugt Residence
Contemporary Wooden Winery Designs
Foster + Partners Presents Legacy of Bodegas Faustino Winery
Emirati-Inspired Towers
The Symphony Tower Introduces a Woven Façade to Dubai’s Skyline
Harbor-Inspired Storage Trolleys
Harbor 051 Trolley Stacks and Rotates Like Shipping Containers
Innovative Steel Laneway Houses
Weiss Architecture & Urbanism Limited Presents a Striking Project
Lighthouse-Resembling Urban Buildings
Safdir Architecture Designs the Old Port Square in Portland
Ancient Gymnasium-Inspired Residential Buildings
Triptyque and Architects Office Build AGE360
Glowing Sphere Art Pavilions
RAU Architects and Tellart Preset the Netherlands Pavilion
Timber Screen Ventilated Homes
House in Corjeum Field by Atelier Roots Home Within Rural Context
Cost-Conscious Installation Competitions
The Tallinn Architecture Biennale Debuts Budget Bougie
Cork Cladding London Homes
Nina+Co and ROAR Architects Complete Nina's House
Reconfigurable Timber Pavilions
Arkhive is a Pavilion by Students That Uses Reversible Joinery
Multi-Functional Waterfront Complex Designs
Akihisa Hirata Architecture Office Presents Ray Garden
Architecture Education Hubs
The Aia Global Campus for Architecture and Design Opens in Washington
Hilltop Modern Retreats
The Cloud House Transforms a Hudson Valley Site into a Serene Eco Home
Organic Cliffside Retreats
The Intaaya Retreat by Pablo Luna Studio Draws on Oceanic Forms
Detroit Tower Redevelopments
SHOP Architects’ Hudson’s Detroit Highlights Civicr Regeneration
Contemporary Wooden City Halls
BGLA Designs the La Pêche New City Hall
Organic Coastal Homes
Diachok Architects' Coastal Villa Brings Sculptural Living to Brisbane
Segmented Lightflow Art Pavilions
Marine Tabassum Creates a Capsule in Time Pavilion
Scenic Sustainable House Designs
ONUS Architecture Studio Presents the Breathtaking Horizon House
Climate-Adaptive Tropical Homes
The Ocean Eye House Influenced Today’s Climate-Responsive Design
Interactive Architectural Pavilions
The Folding Landscape Pavilion Turns Design into a Living Lens
Coastal Sculptural Events Spaces
TAO Introduces the Echo Hall Design in the Shandong Province
Lighthouse-Inspired Urban Tall Structures
Safdie Architects Designs the Old Port Square Building
Illuminated Curved Home Extensions
Cereus House Blends Heritage with Luminous Curved Additions
Modern Football Museum Headquarters
Arena Liga Portugal blends Various Amenities in Porto
Modern Vietnamese Dwellings
Tien Giang House by Tropical Space Honors Traditional Architecture
Airborne Concert Halls
Ark Nova Inflatable Concert Hall Honors Temporary Performance Spaces
Sea Sponge Skyscrapers
595 West Georgia Tower Introduces Vancouver’s First Supertall Design
Craftsmanship-Focused Design Exhibits
August Sandgren & Origin Made Presented the Maker's Gallery
Adaptive Corner Houses
Ian Moore Architects’ Corner House converts a former shop into a residence
Adaptively Reused Office Buildings
Park Associati and Snøhetta Collaborate on Pirelli 35
Sophisticated Government Office Designs
Agata Kurzela Tackles a Heritage Building in Abu Dhabi
Outdoor Living-Focused Tower Designs
OODA Designs the Miramar Tower in Porto, Portugal
Climate-Responsive Housing
The Cielo Residential Building Uses Screens by Indian Architecture
Water-Centric Residences
Cubo Design Architect Creates the 10M Home Surrounding Light on Water
Gap-Focused Living Rooms
one-aftr Unveiled The 'Pavilion TEUM' Architectural Concept
Container-Built Restaurants
Petti Restaurant by Wallmakers Stacks Shipping Containers Vertically
Biomaterial Interior Design
Spring Studio Forms Sustainable Interiors for World Heritage Centre
Bright Urban Apartments
Ooiio Architecture’s House 64 Renovation Transforms a 1960 Flat
Education Architecture Expansions
Rainbow International School Extends with Nature Spatial Design
International Civic Landmarks
Nobel Center by David Chipperfield Architects Will Anchor a Space
Bright Creative Office Hubs
This Sauvage TV Office Supports Collaboration with Flow and Light
Topology-Conscious Architectural Interventions
The Oeiras House by OODA is Contemporary
Sleek Spiralling Ramp Pavilions
Apropros Architects Designs the Czech Pavilion for Expo 2025
Stone Building Auditoriums
The Centre De Congrès Fuses Sculpture with Immersive Color and Light
Sustainable Chrome Furniture
The Cork Collection by Studio AHEAD Pairs Cork with Futuristic Chrome
Eco Cork Organizers
The Stackable Cork Boxes Offer Eco-Friendly and Tactile Storage
Adaptive Backyard Studios
Love Shack Adapts Reclaimed Materials into a Multifunctional Pavilion
Traditional Sailing-Inspired Pavilions
Kengo Kuma and Team Design From the Coastline We Progress
Sustainable Pendant Lights
The Corka Pendant Light for Zero Uses Cork to Create Soft Illumination
Serene Waterfront Pavilions
The Lake House Life Experience Pavilion Blends Architecture and Nature
Sculptural Inverted Homes
Fala Atelier’s Porto House Flips a Roof for an Expressive Architecture
Residential Timber Houses
The Arbour House is a Wood House Designed by Andrei Saltykov in London
Pavilion-Style Art Homes
Casa Galeria by BLOCO Architects Merges Living and Gallery Space
Kindergarten Renovation Projects
Archikon Transforms Gyöngyszem into Budapest’s First Smart School
Green Roof-Topped Circular Villas
Sou Fujimoto Designed the EARTH Villa in Okinawa Prefecture
Interactive Public Pavilions
The Radius Transformation Pavilion Lets Visitors Shape Space
Sun-Inspired Disc-Topped Museums
SMAR Architecture Studio Designs the Science Island Museum
Textured Glass Landmarks
Helsinki Design and Architecture Museum Designed as Clear Public Pavilion
Earthened Architecture Pavilions
Khalil Morad El Ghilali & El Mehdi Belyasmine Design a Pavilion
Curved Green Towers
The Island Introduces Gaudi-Inspired Balconies to a Residential Building
Industrial Office Designs
Steel House by Morris Adjmi Architects Rethinks RiNo Warehouse Typology
Red Concrete Museums
Vila Do Bispo Museum by Spaceworkers Adds a Bold Volume to Historic Granaries
Lakeside Lab Hub Designs
The Boathouse Zuka Lab Adapts a Heritage Boathouse as a Research HQ
High-Rise Design Renos
The Watergate Pied-à-Terre Renovation Boasts Mid-Century Curves
Goan Heritage Homes
A 160-year-old Goan residence is reimagined as Toybox through adaptive design
Adaptive Bunker Housing
The SAR Residence by OAD Converts Military Bunkers into a Coastal Home
Minimal Cork Residences
Atelier Local House in Valongo Rethinks Heritage and Simplicity
Vibrant Tropical Guesthouses
The Bi Design House Guesthouse Blends Local Design with Modernity
Reimagined Riverside Hubs
Gate M West Bund Dream Center Transforms a Former Cement Complex
Climate Awareness Artful Pavilions
The Heatwave Pavilion Won This Year's Golden Lion Award
Harbor Opera Landmarks
The Hamburg State Opera Project Reimagines Performance Architecture
Mud Clad Restaurants
Petti Restaurant by Wallmakers Uses Earth and Marine Waste Construction
Wave-Inspired Civic Halls
The Sail Congress Centre in Big Normandy Curves into Public Architecture
Container Observation Towers
The Lookout Above Litomyšl now Functions as a Lookout Space
National Park Visitor Centers
Arkís Architects Designs an Icelandic National Park Visitor Center