2020 review and a new direction for 2021
While for me 2020 was riddled with lockdowns, isolations and social restrictions, it did present some positives – namely this blog. I launched Four Facades back in May, uploading architectural and urban planning content for the world to see. I did have a four month hiatus from September to December where I didn’t post (university applications and A-level studying understandably took priority), but I aim to be back on the regular monthly posting schedule in 2021.
As and when Covid restrictions ease up, I plan to do some travelling which will certainly inspire posts. From potential UK road trips to European city breaks, I can hopefully review more projects first-hand. But for now, this blog post will be all about looking back on a selection of 2020 architectural projects – some of which I admire and some of which puzzled me.
2020 in architecture: My favourite projects
We shall start off with three projects from this year that I loved. I shall keep the architectural analysis brief otherwise this post will go on forever! There is no ranking or order of preference among the projects but they all exhibit creative ingenuity and stunning design practice.
Project #1: Maggie’s Centre Leeds (Heatherwick Studio)
I am a big advocate for natural design and in Maggie’s Centre it is this sense of serenity and tranquillity you derive from the design that makes it work so well. With the context of the design being a space for cancer patients, having nature flow into the design creates a welcoming and peaceful building. The frame is built from sustainably sourced wood and all across the project are a plethora of plants and shrubbery. Encircling the building are a series of landscaped gardens by Balson Agius which spatially interact with the building with natural elegance.
Project #2: The Parchment Works (Will Gamble Architects)
Nestled beautifully into the ruins of a 17th century Northamptonshire parchment factory, ‘The Parchment Works’ is a great example of blending repurposed space and historical architecture. The extension, designed by Will Gamble Architects, fuses weathered steel and wood with salvaged bricks and the original, untouched stone walls. The unique design elicits a sense of homely and honest charm, something many modern residential projects lack.
Project #3: Bevan Road Terrace (Peter Barber Architects)
I was initially drawn to this project, situated in South London, by the playful and dynamic nature of it. While I am not entirely convinced by the slightly sage green window frames (the hue seems a little incongruous to me), the juxtaposition of angular rooflines and curved entrances creates a uniquely interesting façade composition. The set of houses were designed for over 60 residents and it is this creation of a community where the architecture complements and aids the user function that makes the project so successful.
How was architecture in 2020 affected by Covid?
In its most immediate manifestation, Covid affected the architecture and construction sector by bringing the industry to a halt. Projects in design stages had to be reworked around new, often stricter, budgets and projects in construction stages were left in limbo – an array of steel beams and masonry stuck in the void.
Those projects have seen workers return and albeit at a slower pace, architectural designs are being realised by construction teams across the world. When looking at Covid’s impact on the sector it is imperative to delve into what best design practice looks like in the future. In terms of office and commercial space, there is now a greater emphasis on integrated touch-free technology in what is referred to as ‘contactless architecture’. After all, if we can command our phones and hoovers by voice, why can’t we control elevators and toilets in a similar fashion. By reducing the need for tactile connection and through a greater use of easy to wipe-down building materials, architects can create designs which mitigate viral transmission.
2020 in architecture: Peculiar and quirky projects
To conclude this whirlwind review of 2020 architecture I want to share some of the quirkier designs we have seen this year. These projects certainly make a statement and while I wouldn’t go as far as saying they’re bad designs, I’m not their greatest fan.
Project #1: Stairway House (Nendo Architects)
Located in Tokyo, Stairway House is a controversial design for me. Designed to unite three generations of a family in one house I like the open-plan and minimalist style of the house. The problems lie for me in a) the apparent lack of privacy across all three stories and b) the huge faux staircase which cuts through the house. The huge windows may let in a lot of light, but unless the residents are exhibitionists I can’t grasp the lack of curtains or privacy integrated into the design. Moving on to the faux staircase. Inside what could be described as a concrete tribute to Led Zeppelin, are the actual staircase and storage rooms, so it is somewhat functional in that regard. Perhaps if the concrete structure was covered in plants or grass I would be more accepting of it, but currently it seems totally incongruous and over-exaggerated.
Project #2: The Crystal (Safdie Architects)
On first glance the design looks like a series of towers with a gigantic, ribbed drainage pipe slotted through them. I get a conflict of impressions from this design – one being a futuristic presentation of a connected city, the other being an industrially mechanical aesthetic. To clarify, ‘The Crystal’ is the horizontal structure connecting the towers and serving as a series of sky bridges. I do like the idea of connecting skyscrapers with horizontal pathways, but for me this just isn’t the way to do it. In recent years Safdie architects seem to have an obsession with horizontal structure on skyscrapers. Not only do we have this project, but also the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, and both just look like a series of towers with a basic and geometric shape slapped on top of them. The design looks clunky and dated, something which I imagine wasn’t the intended effect.
That was a quick summary of the architecture sector in 2020 – there are lots of incredible projects I am excited to see next year (Check out this B1M video for more on that). Thank you to everyone who reads the articles I post on the blog, I look forward to posting more content in 2021.