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Bricks are the only non-natural building material that can look back at several thousand years of history. And as Mies van der Rhohe stated: "Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins". Buildings made of this fabric from very different epochs and cultures all over the world are always astonishing, and the world's best architects have explored the qualities of brickwork. A key characteristic for its success since time immemorial has always been easy planning through the standardization of production and the resulting harmonized construction process. Amazing constructive qualities, inexpensive and at the same time environmentally friendly production as well as the longevity are among the qualities that are particularly valued today. In this volume, historical and contemporary brick edifices are featured showing the wide range of possible applications and design possibilities.

The aim to live in a mini house can have various reasons: For many it stands for a better, more livable existence on the basis of what is necessary, possible and desired, making one's life easier, more economical and more sustainable. The limitation of the floor space promotes concentration on the essentials in order to integrate what one needs for life. With well thought-out planning, cleverly organized floor plans and intelligent, compact concepts, a lot of space can be created in a small area. By now, in addition to do-it-yourself protagonists, established architects and hip design studios have taken on the interesting task of developing sophisticated solutions for small homes and tiny houses. This volume presents very different projects in terms of architectural style, construction method and interior design.

For many people home ownership is one of the most important goals in life and the biggest private investment. In Germany about two thirds of the residential building stock consists of single-family homes. With 80.000 to 90.000 new residences built every year it is by far the most important construction task for architects in this country. For this volume, the author has selected outstanding contemporary concepts and designs that deserve to be noticed and appreciated much more. Neither luxury villa not mass housing, all homes are within a middle-class budget. Apart from ground plans and elevations, key figures on square meters, building price and construction duration, facts on ecological aspects, materials used and, last but not least, the respective architects offer the potential builder exeedingly practical benefits.

The adaptive reuse approach is gaining ground also in the hotel industry. The careful and respectful handling of the building fabric is as important in this process as the creative extension. Converting old structures is a great way to offer an authentic experience for guests, while also conserving land, reducing urban sprawl and preserving the originality of historic buildings. The featured architects show different possibilities how stations, warehouses, churches and offices can be coverted into hotels. Whether through striking contrast with the new creation or reinterpretation of the existing architecture - or indeed both together - all featured projects are defined by their respectful and thoughtful stance towards the sites they occupy and establish an enthralling relationship between the old and the new.

In almost no other European region the connection between nature and design is as pronounced and at the same time as varied as in the Scandinavian countries. The rugged wilderness and dark days require comfortable interiors with warm colors; while lovely landscape scenarios and long mid-summer nights are juxtaposed to functional-minimalist and timeless design. This title presents the impressive wealth of Scandinavian interiors, locally inspired and international successful. It shows for example how designers rely on the tradition of using local materials and natural shapes which they apply in a successful mix, often with current building technologies, to develop design concepts that make the Nordic style so popular and unique.

Housing shortages and building dereliction are fundamental challenges, concerning also the current architectural landscape. That these problems can be overcome by addressing them together has been proven by the increasingly successful reactivation and conversion of existing real estate in both urban and rural contexts. Real-world examples show that these measures can also make sense economically and from an urban planning perspective. In this way, the most extraordinary living spaces are created from old silos or depreciated office buildings, vacant churches, former station buildings or obsolete infrastructure buildings with the creative appropriation of the existing substance. The careful and respectful handling of the building fabric is as important in this process as the creative extension of the existing structures. This volume shows the exciting variety of reuse possibilities and provides new insights into and perspectives on a highly topical subject.

The design of open spaces around a company headquarters or within a company premises are increasingly important - and in some cases now also lucrative - fields of activity in landscape architecture. On the one hand, company gardens fulfill the function of a signboard advertising the company. On the other hand, in times of flexible working hours, work-life balance and global networking, they are increasingly emerging as projection screens for innovative workplace concepts. The implementations are remarkably diverse, their conception often depending on whether the company garden is directed to the outside world or rather designed for the employees. It can serve the public as a city park, act almost as a calling card as part of the corporate identity, be designed as a quiet oasis for breaks from work or as a place for informal meetings and collegial communication. Through selected examples of company gardens from around the world, this volume reveals the great diversity present within this field of architecture.

In the world of architecture and construction there is a general consensus that many existing residential buildings will have to be substantially renovated within the next few years – not only because they are technically outdated but also because their functionality and esthetics are no lon - ger in line with contemporary demands and requirements. For each venture of this type, the owners and architects must deal and come to terms with the existing structures. Some projects consist of only a few square meters within an old building while others exceed the size of the previ - ously existing living space. Based on more than 100 carefully selected works, the whole scope of possibilities for extensions and conver - sions is presented – from multi-floor annexes, via newly designed existing spaces, to additional sections or merged spaces. Some of the interventions are understated, while others are preeminent, utilizing matching or contrasting materials, and exhibiting a great variety of different styles – whether minimalist, rustic, elaborate, elegant ...

Buildings and spaces bearing traces of the past that are integrated into new functional and artistic concepts are galvanizing the architecture and design scene. As a result of the increased awareness of sustainability issues and growing appreciation for existing building structures more and more often the decision is being made to convert rather than demolish - sometimes also because of economic considerations. This volume explores the question of the functional and creative possibilities emerging from revitalization that respects existing structures. The projects carefully selected for this volume demonstrate their worth through sophisticated concepts of utilization and ingenious approaches to design. The existing building structure is not renovated or even restored, but rather left as it is found with traces of past uses, often of its demise, preserved, sometimes carefully enhanced. Whether through aggressive contrast with the new or an interpretation of the existing spaces and surfaces, the interventions always show respect and consideration and establish an enthralling relationship between the old and the new.

Decadence is fun - especially in architecture This is not about minimalism and understatement! Quite to the contrary, the velvet-covered volume is a celebration of opulence. Each page presents a balanced and harmonized cornucopia of high-quality interior design concepts. The selected contemporary interiors indulge in an exuberance of shapes, colors, materials, furniture, decorations – and ideas. Sometimes inspired by past eras from the Baroque to the Empire style, or by exotic influences from around the world, the designs appeal to all senses. Each of the presented projects features a different high-quality aspect of the world of luxurious abundance.

Pallets are a universal symbol of the globalized world. The properties of this transport platform standardization, stability, simplicity and internationality are carried over into the work of architects and designers who use pallets as the material for their own creations. This book shows the variety of possibilities that can emerge from the creative interaction with an inconspicuous everyday article. The aspects of their simple design can be expressed by stacking pallets or contradicted in fragile structures. All around the world furniture items and interior design systems are created along with entire buildings based on the predetermined proportions of pallets. Sometimes the mass product is also demolished and only used in parts: for example, when bisected pallets serve as sideboards or individual boards are recycled as facade cladding."

Seit 2008 leben weltweit erstmals überhaupt in der Menschheitsgeschichte mehr Menschen in Städten als auf dem Land. Der suburbane Siedlungsbau gehört dementsprechend zu den wichtigsten Bauaufgaben unserer Zeit. Architektur und Stadtplanung stehen vor der Herausforderung, an der Peripherie beziehungsweise im Umfeld der modernen Städte Wohnraum und die dazugehörige Infrastruktur zu schaffen. In kleinen wie auch in großen Dimensionen lassen sich hier die Vorteile von Stadt- und Landleben verbinden. Während viele dieser Siedlungsbauprojekte in der Vergangenheit isoliert konzipiert und lieblos gestaltet worden sind, gibt es heute zunehmend ausgesprochen gelungene Projekte, die als Vorbilder für zukünftige Bauvorhaben dienen können. Der inhaltliche Schwerpunkt dieses Bandes liegt auf den architektonischen Aspekten von Reihenhäusern, Wohnparks, Gated Communities und Großsiedlungsanlagen.

The term "Blob Architecture" was first used in 1995 by Greg Lynn to describe biomorphic buildings, whose complex forms were created with the help of computers. Initially only used to describe organic, rounded objects "Blobitecture" today comprises and inspires many variations: from the classic, computer-generated blob to the experimenting with new, sprawling shapes, up to the combination with deconstructive elements or parametric architecture. On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of blob architecture, this volume features the best contemporary projects and provides an extensive survey of current developments. Buildings from all around the world are presented, created by famous architects and promising newcomers and ranging from large-scale projects to temporary installations. They all have one thing in common even after twenty years blob architecture remains as freshly interesting and promising as ever."

"Less is More" is one of the most frequently quoted and most influential principles of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It demands abstraction, functionality and clarity. The minimalist design approach applies to space and light, rhythm and texture, shape and color. "Less is more" is also the common denominator of the projects that were carefully selected for this volume. The presented contemporary minimalist residential designs from around the world focus on the essence of life, of purely being, while placing the residents at the center of the work. The synopsis proves that nowadays in particular, a focus on the most essential is an important interior design theme that can lead to outstanding results.

Gone are the times when offices were either huge factory-like spaces or tiny cell structures that were unimaginatively designed. Nowadays, they represent the identity of a corporation while also offering an inspiring workplace at the same time. Office design has developed into a complex discipline, which always tries to find new solutions to meet the needs of employees working in a diverse environment while supporting their motivation and productivity. This volume shows examples from around the world that not only incorporate the defining characteristics of an employer but also apply the latest findings of workplace research. The results are veritable office landscapes, ranging from the creatively designed work space of a start-up via a multi-functional subdivided office without fixed work stations, to elaborately equipped and prestigious office spaces. All projects contribute to understanding the future of office life.

Individual life scripts are most clearly reflected in a persons home. The home s envelope and the arrangements within it represent its inhabitants character and identity; sometimes each component on its own, sometimes as a complementary or contradictory combination, and sometimes as a synthesis of both. The focus can be on the spaces created by the walls, the ceilings, the floors, to the distribution and partition of rooms, to the furnishings and details like sorting the spines of the books on the shelves by color. This volume presents single-family houses, apartments, villas, chalets, townhouses and lofts for singles or couples, for small or big families, or other forms of cohabitation. Featuring more than 100 projects, the most different kind of habitats from around the world are displayed. It shows that indeed every home and every living style is very special and unique."