Wild Bunch dévoile un teaser pour le prochain film d’animation de Sylvain Chomet : Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol. Le long-métrage revient sur le parcours de Marcel Pagnol, son enfance, sa passion pour le théâtre, ou encore la révélation que fut pou

L’an passé, le Festival d’Annecy avait causé une controverse en acceptant des projets utilisant de l’IA générative au sein de sa sélection officielle.Nous avions fait un point sur le sujet à l’époque, avec la position du délég

These annual rankings were last updated on June 13, 2025. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking. New Zealand is a one-of-a-kind island in the Pacific, famous for its indigenous Maori architecture. The country has managed to preserve an array of historical aboriginal ruins, such as marae (meeting grounds) and wharenui (meeting houses), despite its European colonization during the 19th century. Apart from the country’s ancient ruins, New Zealand is also home to several notable architectural landmarks like the famous Sky Tower piercing the Auckland skyline to the organic forms of the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in Wellington. Renowned architects like Sir Ian Athfield, whose works blend modernist principles with a deep respect for the natural landscape, have left an indelible mark on the country’s architectural legacy. Being home to a stunning tropical landscape, New Zealand architects have developed eco-friendly residential designs that harness the power of renewable energy as well as visionary urban developments prioritizing livability and connectivity. A notable example is Turanga Central Library in Christchurch, a project that exceeds all eco-friendly design standards and benchmark emissions. Finally, concepts like passive design are increasingly becoming standard practice in architectural circles. With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in New Zealand based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge. How are these architecture firms ranked? The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority: The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2025) The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2025) The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2025) The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2025) The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2025) Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of New Zealand architecture firms throughout the year. Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in New Zealand: 30. CoLab Architecture © CoLab Architecture Ltd CoLab Architecture is a small practice of two directors, Tobin Smith and Blair Paterson, based in Christchurch New Zealand. Tobin is a creative designer with a wealth of experience in the building industry. Blair is a registered architect and graduate from the University of Auckland. “We like architecture to be visually powerful, intellectually elegant, and above all timeless. For us, timeless design is achieved through simplicity and strength of concept — in other words, a single idea executed beautifully with a dedication to the details. We strive to create architecture that is conscious of local climate (hunker down in the winter and open up in summer) and the environment (scale and relationship to other buildings and the natural environment).” Some of CoLab Architecture’s most prominent projects include: Urban Cottage, Christchurch, New Zealand The following statistics helped CoLab Architecture Ltd achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 29. Paul Whittaker © Paul Whittaker Paul Whittaker is an architecture firm based in New Zealand. Its work revolves around residential architecture. Some of Paul Whittaker’s most prominent projects include: Whittaker Cube, Kakanui, New Zealand The following statistics helped Paul Whittaker achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 28. Space Division © Simon Devitt Photographer Space Division is a boutique architectural practice that aims to positively impact the lives and environment of its clients and their communities by purposefully producing quality space. We believe our name reflects both the essence of what we do, but also how we strive to do it – succinctly and simply. Our design process is inclusive and client focused with their desires, physical constraints, budgets, time frames, compliance and construction processes all carefully considered and incorporated into our designs. Space Division has successfully applied this approach to a broad range of project types within the field of architecture, ranging from commercial developments, urban infrastructure to baches, playhouses and residential homes. Space Divisions team is committed to delivering a very personal and complete service to each of their clients, at each stage of the process. To assist in achieving this Space Division collaborates with a range of trusted technical specialists, based on the specific needs of our client. Which ensures we stay focussed, passionate agile and easily scalable. Some of Space Division’s most prominent projects include: Stradwick House, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Space Division achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 27. Sumich Chaplin Architects © Sumich Chaplin Architects Sumich Chaplin Architects undertake to provide creative, enduring architectural design based on a clear understanding and interpretation of a client’s brief. We work with an appreciation and respect for the surrounding landscape and environment. Some of Sumich Chaplin Architects’ most prominent projects include: Millbrook House, Arrowtown, New Zealand The following statistics helped Sumich Chaplin Architects achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 26. Daniel Marshall Architects © Simon Devitt Photographer Daniel Marshall Architects (DMA) is an Auckland based practice who are passionate about designing high quality and award winning New Zealand architecture. Our work has been published in periodicals and books internationally as well as numerous digital publications. Daniel leads a core team of four individually accomplished designers who skillfully collaborate to resolve architectural projects from their conception through to their occupation. DMA believe architecture is a ‘generalist’ profession which engages with all components of an architectural project; during conceptual design, documentation and construction phases.  We pride ourselves on being able to holistically engage with a complex of architectural issues to arrive at a design solution equally appropriate to its context (site and surrounds) and the unique ways our clients prefer to live. Some of Daniel Marshall Architects’ most prominent projects include: Lucerne, Auckland, New Zealand House in Herne Bay, Herne Bay, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Daniel Marshall Architects achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 2 25. AW Architects © AW Architects Creative studio based in Christchurch, New Zealand. AW-ARCH is committed to an inclusive culture where everyone is encouraged to share their perspectives – our partners, our colleagues and our clients. Our team comes from all over the globe, bringing with them a variety of experiences. We embrace the differences that shape people’s lives, including race, ethnicity, identity and ability. We come together around the drawing board, the monitor, and the lunch table, immersed in the free exchange of ideas and synthesizing the diverse viewpoints of creative people, which stimulates innovative design and makes our work possible. Mentorship is key to engagement within AW-ARCH, energizing our studio and feeding invention. It’s our social and professional responsibility and helps us develop and retain a dedicated team. This includes offering internships that introduce young people to our profession, as well as supporting opportunities for our people outside the office — teaching, volunteering and exploring. Some of AW Architects’ most prominent projects include: OCEAN VIEW TERRACE HOUSE, Christchurch, New Zealand 212 CASHEL STREET, Christchurch, New Zealand LAKE HOUSE, Queenstown, New Zealand RIVER HOUSE, Christchurch, New Zealand HE PUNA TAIMOANA, Christchurch, New Zealand The following statistics helped AW Architects achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Finalist 1 Total Projects 9 24. Archimedia © Patrick Reynolds Archimedia is a New Zealand architecture practice with NZRAB and green star accredited staff, offering design services in the disciplines of architecture, interiors and ecology. Delivering architecture involves intervention in both natural eco-systems and the built environment — the context within which human beings live their lives. Archimedia uses the word “ecology” to extend the concept of sustainability to urban design and master planning and integrates this holistic strategy into every project. Archimedia prioritizes client project requirements, functionality, operational efficiency, feasibility and programme. Some of Archimedia’s most prominent projects include: Te Oro, Auckland, New Zealand Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand Hekerua Bay Residence, New Zealand Eye Institute , Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand University of Auckland Business School, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Archimedia achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 25 23. MC Architecture Studio © MC Architecture Studio Ltd The studio’s work, questioning the boundary between art and architecture, provides engaging and innovative living space with the highest sustainability standard. Design solutions are tailored on client needs and site’s characteristics. Hence the final product will be unique and strongly related to the context and wider environment. On a specific-project basis, the studio, maintaining the leadership of the whole process, works in a network with local and international practices to achieve the best operational efficiency and local knowledge worldwide to accommodate the needs of a big scale project or specific requirements. Some of MC Architecture Studio’s most prominent projects include: Cass Bay House, Cass Bay, Lyttelton, New Zealand Ashburton Alteration, Ashburton, New Zealand restaurant/cafe, Ovindoli, Italy Private Residence, Christchurch, New Zealand Private Residence, Christchurch, New Zealand The following statistics helped MC Architecture Studio Ltd achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 2 Total Projects 19 22. Architecture van Brandenburg © Architecture van Brandenburg Van Brandenburg is a design focused studio for architecture, landscape architecture, urbanism, and product design with studios in Queenstown and Dunedin, New Zealand. With global reach Van Brandenburg conducts themselves internationally, where the team of architects, designers and innovators create organic built form, inspired by nature, and captured by curvilinear design. Some of Architecture van Brandenburg’s most prominent projects include: Marisfrolg Fashion Campus, Shenzhen, China The following statistics helped Architecture van Brandenburg achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 1 Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 21. MacKayCurtis © MacKayCurtis MacKay Curtis is a design led practice with a mission to create functional architecture of lasting beauty that enhances peoples lives. Some of MacKayCurtis’ most prominent projects include: Mawhitipana House, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped MacKayCurtis achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 1 Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 20. Gerrad Hall Architects © Gerrad Hall Architects We aspire to create houses that are a joyful sensory experience. Some of Gerrad Hall Architects’ most prominent projects include: Inland House, Mangawhai, New Zealand Herne Bay Villa Alteration, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Gerrad Hall Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 2 Total Projects 2 19. Dorrington Atcheson Architects © Dorrington Atcheson Architects Dorrington Atcheson Architects was founded as Dorrington Architects & Associates was formed in 2010, resulting in a combined 20 years of experience in the New Zealand architectural market. We’re a boutique architecture firm working on a range of projects and budgets. We love our work, we pride ourselves on the work we do and we enjoy working with our clients to achieve a result that resolves their brief. The design process is a collaborative effort, working with the client, budget, site and brief, to find unique solutions that solve the project at hand. The style of our projects are determined by the site and the budget, with a leaning towards contemporary modernist design, utilizing a rich natural material palette, creating clean and tranquil spaces. Some of Dorrington Atcheson Architects’ most prominent projects include: Lynch Street Coopers Beach House, Coopers Beach, New Zealand Rutherford House, Tauranga Taupo, New Zealand Winsomere Cres Kathryn Wilson Shoebox, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Dorrington Atcheson Architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 2 Total Projects 14 18. Andrew Barre Lab © Marcela Grassi Andrew Barrie Lab is an architectural practice that undertakes a diverse range of projects. We make buildings, books, maps, classes, exhibitions and research. Some of Andrew Barre Lab’s most prominent projects include: Learning from Trees, Venice, Italy The following statistics helped Andrew Barre Lab achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 17. Warren and Mahoney © Simon Devitt Photographer Warren and Mahoney is an insight led multidisciplinary architectural practice with six locations functioning as a single office. Our clients and projects span New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Rim. The practice has over 190 people, comprising of specialists working across the disciplines of architecture, workplace, masterplanning, urban design and sustainable design. We draw from the wider group for skills and experience on every project, regardless of the location. Some of Warren and Mahoney’s most prominent projects include: MIT Manukau & Transport Interchange, Auckland, New Zealand Carlaw Park Student Accommodation, Auckland, New Zealand Pt Resolution Footbridge, Auckland, New Zealand Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch, New Zealand University of Auckland Recreation and Wellness Centre, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Warren and Mahoney achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 2 Total Projects 5 16. South Architects Limited © South Architects Limited Led by Craig South, our friendly professional team is dedicated to crafting for uniqueness and producing carefully considered architecture that will endure and be loved. At South Architects, every project has a unique story. This story starts and ends with our clients, whose values and aspirations fundamentally empower and inspire our whole design process. Working together with our clients is pivotal to how we operate and we share a passion for innovation in design. We invite you to meet us and explore what we can do for you. As you will discover, our client focussed process is thorough, robust and responsive. We see architecture as the culmination of a journey with you. Some of South Architects Limited’s most prominent projects include: Three Gables, Christchurch, New Zealand Concrete Copper Home, Christchurch, New Zealand Driftwood Home, Christchurch, New Zealand Half Gable Townhouses, Christchurch, New Zealand Kilmore Street, Christchurch, New Zealand The following statistics helped South Architects Limited achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 6 15. Pac Studio © Pac Studio Pac Studio is an ideas-driven design office, committed to intellectual and artistic rigor and fueled by a strong commitment to realizing ideas in the world. We believe a thoughtful and inclusive approach to design, which puts people at the heart of any potential solution, is the key to compelling and positive architecture. Through our relationships with inter-related disciplines — furniture, art, landscape and academia — we can create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. We are open to unconventional propositions. We are architects and designers with substantial experience delivering highly awarded architectural projects on multiple scales. Some of Pac Studio’s most prominent projects include: Space Invader, Auckland, New Zealand Split House, Auckland, New Zealand Yolk House, Auckland, New Zealand Wanaka Crib, Wanaka, New Zealand Pahi House, Pahi, New Zealand The following statistics helped Pac Studio achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 8 14. Jasmax © Jasmax Jasmax is one of New Zealand’s largest and longest established architecture and design practices. With over 250 staff nationwide, the practice has delivered some of the country’s most well known projects, from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa to major infrastructure and masterplanning projects such as Auckland’s Britomart Station. From our four regional offices, the practice works with clients, stakeholders and communities across the following sectors: commercial, cultural and civic, education, infrastructure, health, hospitality, retail, residential, sports and recreation, and urban design. Environmentally sustainable design is part of everything we do, and we were proud to work with Ngāi Tūhoe to design one of New Zealand’s most advanced sustainable buildings, Te Uru Taumatua; which has been designed to the stringent criteria of the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge. Some of Jasmax’s most prominent projects include: The Surf Club at Muriwai, Muriwai, New Zealand Auckland University Mana Hauora Building, Auckland, New Zealand The Fonterra Centre, Auckland, New Zealand Auckland University of Technology Sir Paul Reeves Building , Auckland, New Zealand NZI Centre, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Jasmax achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 21 13. Condon Scott Architects © Condon Scott Architects Condon Scott Architects is a boutique, award-winning NZIA registered architectural practice based in Wānaka, New Zealand. Since inception 35 years ago, Condon Scott Architects has been involved in a wide range of high end residential and commercial architectural projects throughout Queenstown, Wānaka, the Central Otago region and further afield. Director Barry Condon (ANZIA) and principal Sarah Scott (FNZIA) – both registered architects – work alongside a highly skilled architectural team to deliver a full design and construction management service. This spans from initial concept design right through to tender management and interior design. Condon Scott Architect’s approach is to view each commission as a bespoke and site specific project, capitalizing on the unique environmental conditions and natural surroundings that are so often evident in this beautiful part of the world. Some of Condon Scott Architects’ most prominent projects include: Sugi House, Wānaka, New Zealand Wanaka Catholic Church, Wanaka, New Zealand Mount Iron Barn, Wanaka, New Zealand Bendigo Terrace House, New Zealand Bargour Residence, Wanaka, New Zealand The following statistics helped Condon Scott Architects achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 17 12. Glamuzina Paterson Architects © Glamuzina Paterson Architects Glamuzina Architects is an Auckland based practice established in 2014. We strive to produce architecture that is crafted, contextual and clever. Rather than seeking a particular outcome we value a design process that is rigorous and collaborative. When designing we look to the context of a project beyond just its immediate physical location to the social, political, historical and economic conditions of place. This results in architecture that is uniquely tailored to the context it sits within. We work on many different types of projects across a range of scales; from small interiors to large public buildings. Regardless of a project’s budget we always prefer to work smart, using a creative mix of materials, light and volume in preference to elaborate finishes or complex detailing. Some of Glamuzina Paterson Architects’ most prominent projects include: Lake Hawea Courtyard House, Otago, New Zealand Blackpool House, Auckland, New Zealand Brick Bay House, Auckland, New Zealand Giraffe House, Auckland, New Zealand Giraffe House, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Glamuzina Paterson Architects achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 5 11. Cheshire Architects © Patrick Reynolds Cheshire Architects does special projects, irrespective of discipline, scale or type. The firm moves fluidly from luxury retreat to city master plan to basement cocktail den, shaping every aspect of an environment in pursuit of the extraordinary. Some of Cheshire Architects’ most prominent projects include: Rore kahu, Te Tii, New Zealand Eyrie, New Zealand Milse, Takanini, New Zealand The following statistics helped Cheshire Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 3 10. Patterson Associates © Patterson Associates Pattersons Associates Architects began its creative story with architect Andrew Patterson in 1986 whose early work on New Zealand’s unspoiled coasts, explores relationships between people and landscape to create a sense of belonging. The architecture studio started based on a very simple idea; if a building can feel like it naturally ‘belongs,’ or fits logically in a place, to an environment, a time and culture, then the people that inhabit the building will likely feel a sense of belonging there as well. This methodology connects theories of beauty, confidence, economy and comfort. In 2004 Davor Popadich and Andrew Mitchell joined the firm as directors, taking it to another level of creative exploration and helping it grow into an architecture studio with an international reputation. Some of Patterson Associates’ most prominent projects include: Seascape Retreat, Canterbury, New Zealand The Len Lye Centre, New Plymouth, New Zealand Country House in the City, Auckland, New Zealand Scrubby Bay House, Canterbury, New Zealand Parihoa House, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Patterson Associates achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 5 9. Team Green Architects © Team Green Architects Established in 2013 by Sian Taylor and Mark Read, Team Green Architects is a young committed practice focused on designing energy efficient buildings. Some of Team Green Architects’ most prominent projects include: Dalefield Guest House, Queenstown, New Zealand Olive Grove House, Cromwell, New Zealand Hawthorn House, Queenstown, New Zealand Frankton House, Queenstown, New Zealand Contemporary Sleepout, Arthurs Point, New Zealand The following statistics helped Team Green Architects achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 7 8. Creative Arch © Creative Arch Creative Arch is an award-winning, multi-disciplined architectural design practice, founded in 1998 by architectural designer and director Mark McLeay. The range of work at Creative Arch is as diverse as our clients, encompassing residential homes, alterations and renovations, coastal developments, sub-division developments, to commercial projects. The team at Creative Arch are an enthusiastic group of talented professional architects and architectural designers, with a depth of experience, from a range of different backgrounds and cultures. Creative Arch is a client-focused firm committed to providing excellence in service, culture and project outcomes. Some of Creative Arch’s most prominent projects include: Rothesay Bay House, North Shore, New Zealand Best Pacific Institute of Education, Auckland, New Zealand Sumar Holiday Home, Whangapoua, New Zealand Cook Holiday Home, Omaha, New Zealand Arkles Bay Residence, Whangaparaoa, New Zealand The following statistics helped Creative Arch achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 18 7. Crosson Architects © Crosson Architects At Crosson Architects we are constantly striving to understand what is motivating the world around us. Some of Crosson Architects’ most prominent projects include: Hut on Sleds, Whangapoua, New Zealand Te Pae North Piha Surf Lifesaving Tower, Auckland, New Zealand Coromandel Bach, Coromandel, New Zealand Tutukaka House, Tutukaka, New Zealand St Heliers House, Saint Heliers, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Crosson Architects achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 6 6. Bossley Architects © Bossley Architects Bossley Architects is an architectural and interior design practice with the express purpose of providing intense input into a deliberately limited number of projects. The practice is based on the belief that innovative yet practical design is essential for the production of good buildings, and that the best buildings spring from an open and enthusiastic collaboration between architect, client and consultants. We have designed a wide range of projects including commercial, institutional and residential, and have amassed special expertise in the field of art galleries and museums, residential and the restaurant/entertainment sector. Whilst being very much design focused, the practice has an overriding interest in the pragmatics and feasibility of construction. Some of Bossley Architects’ most prominent projects include: Ngā Hau Māngere -Old Māngere Bridge Replacement, Auckland, New Zealand Arruba, Waiuku, New Zealand Brown Vujcich House Voyager NZ Maritime Museum Omana Luxury Villas, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Bossley Architects achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 21 5. Smith Architects © Simon Devitt Photographer Smith Architects is an award-winning international architectural practice creating beautiful human spaces that are unique, innovative and sustainable through creativity, refinement and care. Phil and Tiffany Smith established the practice in 2007. We have spent more than two decades striving to understand what makes some buildings more attractive than others, in the anticipation that it can help us design better buildings. Some of Smith Architects’ most prominent projects include: Kakapo Creek Children’s Garden, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand New Shoots Children’s Centre, Kerikeri, Kerikeri, New Zealand Gaia (Earth) Forest Preschool, Manurewa, Auckland, New Zealand Chrysalis Childcare, Auckland, New Zealand House of Wonder, Cambridge, Cambridge, New Zealand The following statistics helped Smith Architects achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 23 4. Monk Mackenzie © Monk Mackenzie Monk Mackenzie is an architecture and design firm based in New Zealand. Monk Mackenzie’s design portfolio includes a variety of architectural projects, such as transport and infrastructure, hospitality and sport, residential, cultural and more. Some of Monk Mackenzie’s most prominent projects include: X HOUSE, Queenstown, New Zealand TURANGANUI BRIDGE, Gisborne, New Zealand VIVEKANANDA BRIDGE EDITION Canada Street Bridge, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Monk Mackenzie achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 4 Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 17 3. Irving Smith Architects © Irving Smith Architects Irving Smith Jack (ISJ) has been developed as a niche architecture practice based in Nelson, but working in a variety of sensitive environments and contexts throughout New Zealand. ISJ demonstrates an ongoing commitment to innovative, sustainable and researched based design , backed up by national and international award and publication recognition, ongoing research with both the Universities of Canterbury and Auckland, and regular invitations to lecture on their work. Timber Awards include NZ’s highest residential, commercial and engineering timber designs. Key experience, ongoing research and work includes developing structural timber design solutions in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes. Current projects include cultural, urban, civic and residential projects spread throughout New Zealand, and recently in the United States and France. Some of Irving Smith Architects’ most prominent projects include: SCION Innovation Hub – Te Whare Nui o Tuteata, Rotorua, New Zealand Mountain Range House, Brightwater, New Zealand Alexandra Tent House, Wellington, New Zealand Te Koputu a te Whanga a Toi : Whakatane Library & Exhibition Centre, Whakatane, New Zealand offSET Shed House, Gisborne, New Zealand The following statistics helped Irving Smith Architects achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 13 2. Fearon Hay Architects © Fearon Hay Architects Fearon Hay is a design-led studio undertaking a broad range of projects in diverse environments, the firm is engaged in projects on sites around the world. Tim Hay and Jeff Fearon founded the practice in 1993 as a way to enable their combined involvement in the design and delivery of each project. Together, they lead an international team of experienced professionals. The studio approached every project with a commitment to design excellence, a thoughtful consideration of site and place, and an inventive sense of creativity. Fearon Hay enjoys responding to a range of briefs: Commercial projects for office and workplace, complex heritage environments, public work within the urban realm or wider landscape, private dwellings and detailed bespoke work for hospitality and interior environments. Some of Fearon Hay Architects’ most prominent projects include: Bishop Hill The Camp, Tawharanui Peninsula, New Zealand Matagouri, Queenstown, New Zealand Alpine Terrace House, Queenstown, New Zealand Island Retreat, Auckland, New Zealand Bishop Selwyn Chapel, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped Fearon Hay Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 17 1. RTA Studio © RTA Studio Richard Naish founded RTA Studio in 1999 after a successful career with top practices in London and Auckland. We are a practice that focuses on delivering exceptional design with a considered and personal service. Our work aims to make a lasting contribution to the urban and natural context by challenging, provoking and delighting. Our studio is constantly working within the realms of public, commercial and urban design as well as sensitive residential projects. We are committed to a sustainable built environment and are at the forefront developing carbon neutral buildings. RTA Studio has received more than 100 New Zealand and international awards, including Home of The Year, a World Architecture Festival category win and the New Zealand Architecture Medal. Some of RTA Studio’s most prominent projects include: SCION Innovation Hub – Te Whare Nui o Tuteata, Rotorua, New Zealand OBJECTSPACE, Auckland, New Zealand C3 House, New Zealand Freemans Bay School, Freemans Bay, Auckland, New Zealand ARROWTOWN HOUSE, Arrowtown, New Zealand Featured image: E-Type House by RTA Studio, Auckland, New Zealand The following statistics helped RTA Studio achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in New Zealand: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 6 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 16 Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking? With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year. Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York. An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted A Guide to Project Awards The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award. The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status: Project completed within the last 3 years A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value High quality, in focus photographs At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings Inclusion of construction photographs There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.     We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com. The post 30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in New Zealand appeared first on Journal.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" The São Paulo International Architecture Biennale is one of the most important venues for the promotion and discussion of Brazilian architectural culture. Its history begins in 1951, when it was part of the São Paulo Art Biennale as the International Architecture Exhibition. There were eleven editions between 1951 and 1971. Under 1973, the first BIAsp under the current format was conducted. Over two million individuals are thought to have attended the 13 biennales since then; certain editions, such as the 12th, had over 300,000 guests.This year, the 14th São Paulo International Architecture Biennale will take place from September 18 to October 19, 2025, at the Oca Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, an iconic building designed by Oscar Niemeyer.The curatorial proposal is "Extremes: Architectures for an Overheated Planet", emphasizing the problem of climate extremes. The point of no return challenges us to reconsider how we live on Earth, looking for solutions not just in production studies and scientific discoveries but also in the knowledge of Indigenous villages, quilombos (traditional communities of enslaved people who have escaped), and urban peripheries. By offering tangible solutions to global warming and methods for adjusting to the extreme occurrences we are already seeing, the Biennale will act as a meeting place for various knowledge systems.The 14th BIAsp's curators have identified five thematic axes that will direct the event's talks, ideas, and proposals, drawing inspiration from the IPCC's (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) findings, especially the AR6 report:–Preserving Forests and Reforesting Cities–Embracing Water–Refurbishing More and Building Green–Moving and Reaching Places Together with Renewable Energies–Ensuring Climate Justice and Social HousingSix architects—Renato Anelli, Karina de Souza, Marcos Cereto, Clevio Rabelo, Marcella Arruda, and Jerá Guarani—are part of the collective curatorship for the 14th BIAsp this year. Through their professional activities, they represent many regional contexts throughout Brazil.The top image in the article courtesy of São Paulo International Architecture Biennale.> via São Paulo International Architecture Biennale

GodGraviel Member May 29, 2024 222 luca Member Oct 25, 2017 19,484 That's funny. I just purchased the entire series to have them on physical media. I've only beat the first 3 back when they first came out, but I'm gonna do the next three including Double Agent - the OG Xbox version - next. I'll be over the moon if they announce a new game. And I think I'll be interested in a Splinter Cell 1 remake (since it's the one that's a bit rough), but would prefer a sequel.  Last edited: Today at 8:54 AM charlieonhere Member Jul 11, 2018 99 That's a very Splinter Cell 1 looking Sam Fisher   Kadzork Has got mad skills!! Member Oct 27, 2017 24,279 Crossing all possible apendages.   Yerffej Prophet of Regret Member Oct 25, 2017 29,516 They better gimme it. I've been waiting. They know I've been waiting. Give me it. Also that is PS2 ass cutscene loookin Sam.  Sargerus ▲ Legend ▲ The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 22,507 Remake/Remaster incoming.   Heliex Member Nov 2, 2017 3,568 Is this one of those remake remasters I keep hearing about   SofNascimento cursed Member Oct 28, 2017 24,948 São Paulo - Brazil Give me my Blacklist remaster!   Uzzy Gabe’s little helper Member Oct 25, 2017 34,567 Hull, UK Sam Fisher is back, in Fortnite form!   vestan #REFANTAZIO SWEEP Member Dec 28, 2017 27,635 If it's a game and not just some social media post then it's the Blacklist remaster. Apparantly the remake of the original being developed by Ubisoft Toronto isn't in great shape right now so I expect this to keep people placated until that's ready to be shown.   Apathy Member Oct 25, 2017 13,534 Dude, its been a hot minute since I played some splinter cell. I'd be down   HellofaMouse Member Oct 27, 2017 8,461 if its a remaster collection, ill take it. if its just the remaster of 1, ill still take it but wont be happy, lol  2CL4Mars Member Nov 9, 2018 2,577 Damn man just give us a remaster of the OG games. I'm happy that Ubi announced a SC 1 remake but a new game in the series would be preferable, hell I take a reboot.  Patitoloco Member Oct 27, 2017 28,284 One of these days. I believe.   XR. Member Nov 22, 2018 7,706 Netflix Anime incoming   Oddhouse Member Oct 31, 2017 1,178 Not sure I'm a fan of that art style. Will reserve judgement until full reveal.  Vico Member Jan 3, 2018 8,223 vestan said: If it's a game and not just some social media post then it's the Blacklist remaster. Apparantly the remake of the original being developed by Ubisoft Toronto isn't in great shape right now so I expect this to keep people placated until that's ready to be shown. Click to expand... Click to shrink... What? I thought for sure we were close.  Kinthey Avenger Oct 27, 2017 25,536 2CL4Mars said: Damn man just give us a remaster of the OG games. I'm happy that Ubi announced a SC 1 remake but a new game in the series would be preferable, hell I take a reboot. Click to expand... Click to shrink... With them using an image from the original I hope it means a remaster is coming. I feel like with the originals being easily avaible it would also give them more space to go new directions with the remake  Bony Manifesto Member Oct 27, 2017 4,410 That guy certainly looks like he chews Airwaves gum.   Patitoloco Member Oct 27, 2017 28,284 Oddhouse said: Not sure I'm a fan of that art style. Will reserve judgement until full reveal. Click to expand... Click to shrink... What artstyle? That's a screenshot of the original 2002 Splinter Cell.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 28,115 I mean timing makes sense if it's out in 2026.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 28,115 2CL4Mars said: Damn man just give us a remaster of the OG games. I'm happy that Ubi announced a SC 1 remake but a new game in the series would be preferable, hell I take a reboot. Click to expand... Click to shrink... We all better buy this remake to show that we want all that lol   Turnabout Sisters The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 2,728 I really thought that was fortnite   Mobius and Pet Octopus Member Oct 25, 2017 16,916 For some reason, stealth gameplay for splinter cell clicked for me and I'm not that into stealth gameplay. But I never really got that into the series though a couple were fun.   Last_colossi The Fallen Oct 27, 2017 4,656 Australia It won't be anything meaningful, just a skin or something in one of their live service games or someone elses. Even if it was a remake or remaster of the original 3, I have absolutely zero confidence Ubisoft would do them justice. They would most likely have just outsourced them to the cheapest bidder.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 28,115 vestan said: If it's a game and not just some social media post then it's the Blacklist remaster. Apparantly the remake of the original being developed by Ubisoft Toronto isn't in great shape right now so I expect this to keep people placated until that's ready to be shown. Click to expand... Click to shrink... According to who? Last_colossi said: It won't be anything meaningful, just a skin or something in one of their live service games or someone elses. Even if it was a remake or remaster of the original 3, I have absolutely zero confidence Ubisoft will do them justice. They would most likely have just outsourced them to the cheapest bidder. Click to expand... Click to shrink... We already know officially they're making a remake of 1.   DinkyDev The Movie Critic Member Feb 5, 2021 9,379 Is that image AI-generated? Looks like it.   ConflictResolver Member Jan 1, 2024 5,067 Midgar I'm a huge MGS fan and have never played this lol Is it time?  Oddhouse Member Oct 31, 2017 1,178 Patitoloco said: What artstyle? That's a screenshot of the original 2002 Splinter Cell. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Did not know this! That's a relief !  Derbel McDillet ▲ Legend ▲ Member Nov 23, 2022 24,656 Cryptic?   Ld007 Member Jun 1, 2024 7,535 4 polygon models are back   Kalentan Member Oct 25, 2017 50,741 DinkyDev said: Is that image AI-generated? Looks like it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Is it not just from the first games cutscenes?  2CL4Mars Member Nov 9, 2018 2,577 Mr Evil 37 said: We all better buy this remake to show that we want all that lol Click to expand... Click to shrink... For sure, I never actually played the OG trilogy so I would love to have a collection of the first three so that I can experience them. For some reason the last few weeks I have been craving to play a new Splinter Cell, the gameplay is unlike any other stealth game and Sam Fisher and his tool set is to damn cool. What a franchise, to bad Ubisoft has abandoned it in the last decade and hopefully that will change next week.  Last_colossi The Fallen Oct 27, 2017 4,656 Australia Mr Evil 37 said: We already know officially they're making a remake of 1. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They've also been working on Beyond Good & Evil 2 for 17 years.  Wallace Member Oct 25, 2017 28,162 Midwest Shadow drop sam time.   SuperOctopus Member Apr 22, 2020 3,606 Is Ubi still doing a non-E3 conference with a Just Dance segment this year?   DinkyDev The Movie Critic Member Feb 5, 2021 9,379 Kalentan said: Is it not just from the first games cutscenes? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Maybe, I don't know.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 28,115 Last_colossi said: They've also been working on Beyond Good & Evil 2 for 17 years. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I'm just saying it's not a rumoured or speculated project. It was officially announced three and a half years ago. If it's a 2026 game, 4-5 years is plenty for a remake.   Last_colossi The Fallen Oct 27, 2017 4,656 Australia Mr Evil 37 said: I'm just saying it's not a rumoured or speculated project. It was officially announced three and a half years ago. If it's a 2026 game, 4-5 years is plenty for a remake. Click to expand... Click to shrink... You would think so, but this is ubisoft we're talking about. If it really is far along in development at this point then hopefully they at least show a trailer or some footage during SGF. But again I still have zero hopes or expectations from anything that ubisoft puts out anymore.  Convasse Member Oct 26, 2017 4,270 Atlanta, GA, USA I've been waiting for 84 years, Ubisoft.   Dukie85 Chicken Chaser Member Oct 25, 2017 3,151 I don't care which/what game it is in the series, I just want one.   Siresly Prophet of Regret Member Oct 27, 2017 7,478 Damn it Fisher, I'm pulling you in!   SolidSnakex Member Oct 25, 2017 28,141 DinkyDev said: Is that image AI-generated? Looks like it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's just a cutscene from Pandora Tomorrow View: https://youtu.be/TkwCjCJpFm4?t=145  Last edited: 51 minutes ago Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 28,115 Last_colossi said: You would think so, but this is ubisoft we're talking about. If it really is far along in development at this point then hopefully they at least show a trailer or some footage during SGF. But again I still have zero hopes or expectations from anything that ubisoft puts out anymore. Click to expand... Click to shrink... If EA can remake Dead Space in less than 3 years, Ubisoft can remake Splinter Cell in 5 years lol   Level 7 Boss Member Jun 19, 2018 1,025 And Splinter Cell fans, we haven't forgotten about you, we have some exciting news. Sam Fisher is back! As a new skin in Fortnite launching in Q4.   Dyno AVALANCHE The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 16,856 Gonna be honest I kinda forgot the IP existed and I was quite a fan at one time   Healthy_Gamer Member Jan 18, 2023 406 It's finally happening (hopefully)   Bishop89 What Are Ya' Selling? Member Oct 25, 2017 42,844 Melbourne, Australia Sam Fisher DLC for Asscreed Shadows Calling it  MarcelloF "This guy are sick" Member Dec 9, 2020 9,579 Last_colossi said: You would think so, but this is ubisoft we're talking about. If it really is far along in development at this point then hopefully they at least show a trailer or some footage during SGF. But again I still have zero hopes or expectations from anything that ubisoft puts out anymore. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They just put out Assassin's Creed Shadows and it was great.   LAA One Winged Slayer Member Oct 28, 2017 3,264 Feels like they've teased it a bunch of times, and it's really just been a collab or something. I'm not sure this is just a screenshot from an older game either, but could be indicative of an announcement sure, I did enjoy the first 3 games, so would be interested in even just remakes/remasters of them. 

Architizer’s Vision Awards are back! The global awards program honors the world’s best architectural concepts, ideas and imagery. Start your entry today, and take advantage of the Main Entry prices! As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the creative industries, Architizer’s Vision Awards jury reflects the design world’s most forward-thinking voices. This year’s panel includes pioneering architects, educators, researchers, and visual storytellers at the forefront of generative design. From fostering ethical innovation in global practice to exploring the cultural implications of machine intelligence, each juror brings a unique perspective on how AI, computation, and creativity intersect. Start Vision Awards Entry Collectively, they represent a paradigm shift in architecture — one in which designers are not just users of new technologies, but active participants in defining their purpose. Their influence spans continents and disciplines, proving that the tools of tomorrow can still be wielded with vision, intention, and humanity. Niknaz Aftahi Founder of aecplustech Niknaz Aftahi is the CEO and founder of aec+tech, an all-in-one innovation platform and community that connects professionals in Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AEC/O) with cutting-edge tools and technologies. Before launching aec+tech, Niknaz worked as both a design professional and a design technology director at architecture firms in the Bay Area, California. Niknaz is passionate about advancing technology and innovation in the AEC space and is a frequent speaker at national and international AEC-tech events. She serves on the AIA San Francisco Design Technology Committee and is a member of the AIA’s first-ever AI Task Force, a national initiative exploring how artificial intelligence will shape the future of architecture and the built environment. In addition to her work in tech, Niknaz is committed to educational equity. She has developed and taught online architecture courses for Baháʼí students in Iran, who continue to be denied access to higher education in their home country. Ismail Seleit AI Influencer, Foster + Partners Ismail Seleit is a design architect at the industry-leading Foster and Partners, specializing in design technology. With extensive experience in architecture and computational design, Ismail has contributed to diverse projects, ranging from design competitions to the realization of buildings on various scales. Actively supporting design teams, Ismail leverages his expertise in BIM and Computational Design to navigate complex challenges. His primary focus is on enabling project teams to achieve efficient, informed, and collaborative design outcomes. Collaborating across departments, Ismail works to implement innovative methodologies to manage the design process from urban planning to product scale. Simultaneously, Ismail engages in applied research, exploring new opportunities for implementing cutting-edge design workflows. His research specifically focuses into the integration of generative AI image-generating tools, with a keen interest in the combination of Stable Diffusion and ControlNet. This unique approach offers various techniques for generating controlled image compositions based on diverse user-defined inputs. Beyond his architectural pursuits, Ismail is an ambient-electronic music producer, with a focus on film scores. He has composed and produced soundtracks for architectural short films and contributed to the music and sound design of various independent films. Ismail’s passion for creative thinking, coupled with his dedication to design problem-solving, continues to drive his multifaceted and innovative endeavors. Hamza Shaikh Creative AI Lead at Gensler Hamza Shaikh is a creative AI leader at Gensler, pioneering a human-first approach to generative artificial intelligence in design. With a multidisciplinary background as a digital artist, architect and published author, he brings a proven track record of driving creative innovation at scale. His work focuses on integrating AI into the design process and storytelling, ensuring that emerging technologies enhance rather than replace human creativity and design. June Chow Principal Architect and Founder of JUN Architect Licensed architect based in Malaysia and AI specialist with expertise in Generative AI for architecture, urban design, and conceptual visualization. Trainer and consultant for architectural firms and academic institutions on AI-driven design workflows. Speaker at local and global forums and workshops on AI in architecture. Active on LinkedIn as one of the top 100 AI Creators. Andy Shaw Architect and Managing Partner at AMA Design, Chair of RIBA Gulf Chapter Andy Shaw RIBA is an architect based in Dubai. Andy is passionate about how combining innovative technology such as AI and sustainable design can improve the built environment for all citizens. He is the Managing Partner at AMA, a boutique design studio, designers of the landmark ‘Yacht Club’ in Dubai Harbour, the Nobu Hotel and Residences in Abu Dhabi, and over 2000 homes for the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority. He is currently working on large urban PIF projects in Riyadh, KSA and new hotel resorts and housing communities in the UAE. He is the Chair of the RIBA Gulf Chapter, from 2019 till 2025, helping to grow the design community and create events including the regionally focused Sustainability Series, and led the team delivering the Sustainability – Past, Present and Future exhibition in London and Dubai during COP28. He has been using AI technology to further the design process in the studio, and has his AI generated work featured in the RIBA Journal and Building Design Magazine. He has lectured about AI and city design at the Big 5, various tech conferences and run panels and workshops in Design Week, INDEX and Everything Architecture focused on AI and the future of construction industry. He is active online and in practice promoting architecture for the benefit of all the community of designers and citizens. Follow Andy on Instagram. Hassan Ragab Media Artist / Interdisciplinary designer / Architect at HSNRGB Hassan is an interdisciplinary designer, architect and conceptual artist exploring the intersection of art, technology, and humanity. His work delves into themes of identity, heritage, and the evolving role of creativity in a rapidly changing world. Combining generative AI with traditional design processes, he challenges conventional aesthetics while raising questions about the societal and cultural implications of technology. Driven by a desire to provoke thought and inspire dialogue, Hassan’s practice focuses on using innovation as a tool to reimagine how we perceive ourselves and the environments we create. Social Media Handles (@hsnrgb) via Instagram, LinkedIn, X and Bluesky, Marcelo Coehlo Director of MIT Design Intelligence Lab Marcelo Coelho is director of the MIT Design Intelligence Lab and faculty at the MIT Department of Architecture. Spanning a wide range of media, processes, and scales, his work explores how we embody and physically interact with computation, creating new forms of expression and collaboration between human and machine intelligence. Marcelo’s work has been exhibited internationally, including places such as the Rio 2016 Paralympic Ceremonies, Times Square, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and Ars Electronica, and can be found in museums, private collections, and billions of products sold all over the world. Recognition for this work includes two Prix Ars Electronica awards, Design Miami/ Designer of the Future Award, Red Dot Design Award, and Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award. Marcelo holds a doctorate degree from the MIT Media Lab and is also a Design Tech Innovation Fellow at Cornell University. He teaches graduate and undergraduate studios in industrial design, human-computer interaction, and artificial intelligence. Architizer’s Vision Awards are back! The global awards program honors the world’s best architectural concepts, ideas and imagery. Start your entry today, and take advantage of the Main Entry prices! The post Creative Code: 7 Multi-Hyphenates Guiding This Year’s Vision Awards Jury appeared first on Journal.

Peace Garden at UNESCO | © INFGM Located within the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, the Peace Garden by Isamu Noguchi emerges not merely as a landscape installation but as a profound meditation on postwar diplomacy and cultural synthesis. Commissioned in the mid-1950s, the garden symbolizes the United Nations’ commitment to peace through mutual understanding and cultural dialogue. Peace Garden at UNESCO Technical Information Artist1-2: Isamu Noguchi Location: 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris, France Client: Marcel Breuer / UNESCO Area: 2,400 m2 | 25,800 Sq. Ft. Project Year: 1958 Photographs: © INFGM and Flick Users, See Caption Details It should be a quiet, moving place. – Isamu Noguchi 3 Peace Garden at UNESCO Photographs © INFGM © INFGM © INFGM © INFGM © INFGM © INFGM © bbonthebrink, Flickr User © Patrice Todisco © bbonthebrink, Flickr User © bbonthebrink, Flickr User © Dalbera, Flckr user © Dalbera, Flckr user Park View Park View Context and Commission Noguchi, a Japanese-American sculptor and designer, was a poignant choice for the task. His biography embodies a convergence of East and West, as well as a lifelong engagement with public space as a vehicle for social commentary. By the time of his UNESCO commission, Noguchi had already engaged with landscape-scale sculptures, memorials, and playgrounds. The Peace Garden offered an opportunity to distill these threads into a singular work situated at the crossroads of global diplomacy. His selection was shaped by the broader architectural ethos of the UNESCO campus, designed by an international team including Marcel Breuer, Pier Luigi Nervi, and Bernard Zehrfuss. The ensemble called for a complementary but ideologically rich intervention, a space that could resonate as much with symbolic gravitas as with formal clarity. This garden was Noguchi’s first realized landscape design, and its execution was made possible through a personal introduction from Marcel Breuer, the chief architect of the UNESCO headquarters. Breuer not only facilitated the commission but also supported Noguchi’s experimental vision, which would challenge prevailing notions of diplomatic landscaping. Notably, the garden was completed in 1958 and spans approximately 2,400 square meters. It was constructed by renowned Kyoto-based master gardener Sano Toemon, marking a cross-cultural collaboration between modernist sculpture and traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Design Philosophy and Symbolic Intent Noguchi approached the Peace Garden as both sculptor and spatial thinker. He resisted creating a traditional memorial or a didactic allegory of peace. Instead, he crafted a contemplative void, a space that, through its absence of overt narrative, invited personal reflection and multiple interpretations. Drawing on the vocabulary of Japanese rock gardens and Zen traditions, Noguchi created a space of abstract expression that nonetheless maintained universal accessibility. The garden is composed of roughly hewn granite stones, a central water basin, and minimal vegetation. Each element is carefully positioned, creating an orchestrated tension between natural materiality and deliberate composition. This spatial language evokes notions of impermanence, balance, and introspection. The garden does not dictate how peace should be understood; rather, it sets a stage for experiencing peace as a spatial and emotional condition. In Noguchi’s words, the garden was to be “a quiet, moving place” rather than a monument. While inspired by Japanese garden typologies, particularly the stroll garden (池泉回遊式), Noguchi chose not to replicate tradition. Instead, he abstracted and reinterpreted elements such as Mt. Horai rock formations, stepping stones, and a crouching basin. These forms subtly allude to symbolic motifs without prescribing a singular reading. Noguchi negotiated directly with the Japanese government to secure donations of ten tons of stone and plant materials including camellias, maples, cherry trees, and bamboo. This act itself underscored the garden’s role as a diplomatic gesture, embedding it with botanical references to Japanese identity while maintaining a universal design language. Material and Spatial Composition Set at the base of the UNESCO building, the Peace Garden establishes a counterpoint to the architectural massing surrounding it. Its recessed layout forms a kind of spatial cloister, shielding visitors from the city’s rhythm and inviting a slower, more inward pace. The materials, chiefly unpolished granite, gravel, and water, speak to both permanence and mutability. The granite stones, irregular yet intentional in placement, recall tectonic forms and ancient spiritual markers. The central water feature introduces subtle movement and sound, enhancing the sensory richness of the space. The garden’s compositional core is its sculptural use of stone, each placement a spatial decision echoing both tectonic memory and sculptural intentionality. Noguchi collaborated on-site with Sano Toemon, whose craftsmanship adapted in real-time to the artist’s rapidly evolving vision. According to Sano, it was only after intense on-site dialogue and shared experience that he could fully comprehend and execute Noguchi’s aesthetic strategy, a testament to the garden’s improvisational and relational genesis. Spatially, the garden is organized not around pathways but around moments. There is no linear procession or axial symmetry; instead, it offers a field of relationships. Voids and solids, shadows and reflections, horizontality and vertical interruptions all work together to create a space that must be experienced slowly and from multiple vantage points. The absence of overt hierarchy in the layout allows users to construct their own narratives. It is a non-prescriptive space in which silence, texture, and light become the principal mediums of meaning. Peace Garden at UNESCO Plans Floor Plan | © Isamu Noguchi Floor Plan | © Isamu Noguchi Peace Garden at UNESCO Image Gallery About Isamu Noguchi Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was a Japanese-American sculptor, landscape architect, and designer renowned for his fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics. Trained under Constantin Brâncuși and deeply influenced by Japanese traditions, Noguchi’s work spanned sculpture, furniture, stage sets, and public spaces. His practice was rooted in a belief that art should be integrated into everyday life, often blurring the boundaries between art, architecture, and landscape. Notable for his minimal yet emotionally resonant forms, Noguchi’s legacy includes iconic works such as the Noguchi Table, the UNESCO Peace Garden in Paris, and the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum in New York. Credits and Additional Notes Style: Stroll Garden, Contemporary Japanese Garden Main Contractor: Sano Toemon, in collaboration with Uetō Zōen Listening to Stone: The Art and Life of Isamu Noguchi by Hayden Herrera Torres, Ana Maria. Isamu Noguchi: Studies in Space. Tokyo: Marumo Publishing, 2000. pp. 96–109. Sasaki, Yōji. “What Isamu Noguchi Left Behind.” Japan Landscape, no. 16, Process Architecture, 1990, p. 87. Treib, Marc. Noguchi in Paris: The UNESCO Garden. San Francisco: William Stout Publishers and UNESCO Publishing, 2004. Overseas Japanese Gardens Database. “UNESCO Garden.” Accessed May 2025.

Expansion of the Banco dos Cajuais Visitor Center - Aquasis / Rede ArquitetosSave this picture!© Igor RibeiroVisitor Center•Praia de Picos, Icapuí, Brazil Architects: Rede Arquitetos Area Area of this architecture project Area:  55 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Architectural design: Bruno Braga, Luiz Cattony, Bianca Feijão, João Marcello Torquato, Maria Vitória Vasconcelos (estagiária) More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The Banco do Cajuais Visitors Center was a project carried out for the NGO Aquasis at Picos Beach, Ceará. The construction, completed in 2021, was designed as an exhibition space to showcase the institution’s projects. The growing demand for the NGO and the increasing use of the space by a diverse and expanding audience led to new needs and improvements to enhance the site's usability. Therefore, a growth plan for the complex was conceived, initially proposing the construction of an annex to the original building.Save this picture!The new building, positioned beyond the original visitors center, serves as a gathering space for a larger number of people while also providing restroom facilities for the complex. It references the main building with a similar roof structure and wall materials. However, it is more open and features a more robust structure due to its wider spans. A notable aspect of this extension is the opening in its front wall, offering a view of the original building and the surrounding green areas.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Access to the new building is provided through a pathway that extends the route established by the original visitors center. This creates a transition space between the structures, adapting to the site's topography and functioning as a connecting element between the two buildings. At the same time, this intermediate space grants autonomy to each structure and conceals the pre-existing cisterns through the use of a stone wall and landscape design elements.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Praia de Picos, Icapuí, Ceara, BrazilLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this office Published on May 24, 2025Cite: "Expansion of the Banco dos Cajuais Visitor Center - Aquasis / Rede Arquitetos" [Ampliação do Centro de Visitantes Banco dos Cajuais - Aquasis / Rede Arquitetos] 24 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027214/expansion-of-the-banco-dos-cajuais-visitor-center-aquasis-rede-arquitetos&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Artificial intelligence keeps on taking the community at large by surprise, especially the large language models with the advanced capabilities they tend to offer, surpassing expectations. Tech giants like OpenAI are increasingly focused on bringing more efficient AI models and pushing the potential of the technology further to do many of the mundane tasks on consumers' behalf. While we have been hearing about the vast application of the tools in varied domains, a recent study evaluated how these models tend to perform on emotional intelligence, and the results are not something you would be expecting. A team of researchers conducted a study with findings suggesting that AI is capable of processing and understanding human emotions even better than humans Companies and researchers are increasingly invested in finding ways in which artificial intelligence can be used to bring more efficiency and different ways it can be used in institutions. OpenAI and many other tech giants are arduously working towards making their models feel more natural with capabilities like contextual understanding. A recent study has been conducted by University of Geneva and University of Bern researchers to find out about AI's empathetic capabilities. The study that has been published in Communications Psychology delivered some interesting findings that pointed towards generative AI models like ChatGPT not only demonstrating emotional intelligence but also outperforming humans in emotional intelligence tests. The study involved a series of tests with the six leading large language models, including ChatGPT-4, ChatGPT-o1, Gemini 1.5 Flash, Claude 3.5 Haiku, Copilot 365, and DeepSeek V3. The study further involved five emotional tests that were generally used in academics and professionally to see emotional understanding, regulation, and management. The situations presented were realistic and emotionally charged ones to see how the models would respond based on the emotional context provided. The results left the researchers baffled as all the LLM models outperformed the human participants significantly. The researchers even went a step ahead by asking ChatGPT-4 to create new EI test items, which were validated by human participants as well, and the results remarkably remained the same, with the AI models demonstrating a high level of contextual understanding. One of the Senior Researchers, Marcello Mortillaro,  had the following to say on the findings: LLMs are therefore not only capable of finding the best answer among the various available options, but also of generating new scenarios adapted to a desired context. This reinforces the idea that LLMs, such as ChatGPT, have emotional knowledge and can reason about emotions. These findings are vital, especially if we see how the technology is increasingly exceeding expectations in domains previously exclusive to humans. This could have great broader implications in terms of augmenting human skills in sensitive fields such as conflict management or coaching. Deal of the Day