Architecture in Focus – serie

Movie theatre architecture is an architecture of night. Evening screenings take place in buildings that seek out the attention of passers-by using their form and light. The interiors of this less-than-a-century-old building type are also very manifold. The range of design is especially evident in the execution of foyers, which span everything from the strict, modern and refined to the opulent, voluminous and luxurious. Next to classical, individual cinemas, large multiplex centres have appeared in recent years, becoming an integral component of large amusement parks.

Architectural competitions date back centuries, today they play an important role in architectural practice as they offer architects vital opportunities to pitch their work across the globe. Competitions also allow previously unknown designers to demonstrate their ideas and their potential by gaining exposure in the world of architecture. 100 richly illustrated projects displayed in this volume cover a wide scope of contemporary building types and concepts, that range from commercial to residential and educational, whilst also incorporating extravagant futuristic visions of urban planning for various town sections and cities. Renderings, structures in their planning phase and unrealized projects show the exciting scope of architectural possibilities. This book delves into the heart of unrestricted architectural creativity and offers astounding insights into the unique work of both established as well as up-and-coming designers.

For too long, kindergarten architects have been seemingly preoccupied with the principles of durability, maximisation of space, and minimisation of cost. This, however, also meant forgetting that these environments should promote fun, learning and creativity. However, the field has been experiencing a revolution and this volume showcases 60 of the most outstanding recent innovations worldwide. The chosen projects prove especially that collaboration between educationalists and designers can be uniquely fruitful for the planning and building of kindergartens. From the contents: Kindergarten in Sighartstein, Austria (Kadawittfeldarchitektur) Els Colors Kindergarten in Barcelona, Spain (RCR Architectes) Taka Tuka Land in Berlin, Germany (Baupiloten) Bubbletecture M in Shiga, Japan (Shuhei Endo) Kindergarten in Ramat-Hasharon, Israel (Lev-Gargir Architect)

Parking garages and gas stations as species of architecture and showrooms whose exhibition spaces and display windows are markedly different from the usual businesses have decisively changed the cities. This book is dedicated to this type of architecture, showing esthetic and technical solutions of the past few years.

This book compiles contemporary designs worldwide that break through the stereotype of doctors’ practices as cold and often stressful environments. All projects aim at balancing medical technology and functionality with the need to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for the patients, visitors and staff. Apart from general practitioner’s offices, those of dentists and a wide variety of specialists are also presented. The solutions range from practice design in an existing building to entirely new buildings for one or more offices. Doctors’ Practices demonstrates today’s architectural responses to the complex demands of healthcare – a very fast-developing field.

Since signage systems are created to provide orientation, they must be universally legible and understood by people of all ages and culture. Signs must show the way, and also present the proper information at the proper location. By making effective use of graphics, colors and shapes, a signage system helps to create an identity for spaces. Signage Designs showcases a great variety of current examples from across the world, indoor and outdoor, ranging from individual buildings like museums, hospitals and stadiums, to larger contexts like subway systems, town districts or entire cities. This title is an essential reference for designers involved in communications, architects, interior designers and indeed for creative persons in all sectors.

Pharmacies constitute a special form of commercial architecture. The market for medicines, which is heavily regulated in most countries, has led to a veritable competition of the “atmosphere of space”: since where product and price can no longer provide a competitive advantage, customer loyalty must be created with other means. In addition to professional competence and familiarity with the customers, that becomes above all the ambiance. That in turn translates to the modern and hygienic pharmacy, together with a friendly and assuring spatial experience. The selected examples show the design sophistication with which pharmacies today, from a functional as well as atmospheric standpoint, set themselves apart from the historical chemists’ shelves – and the competitors.

As life expectancy is extended, medical procedures continually advance and competition between health care providers intensifies, hospital design becomes increasingly important. The idea that patients benefit from their surroundings has been acknowledged for some time, but it is only now that this concept has become the key to architectural solutions when building or redesigning hospitals and health care facilities. Drawing on over 60 examples from across the world, this volume illustrates the contemporary approach to hospital architecture. Today, architects and interior designers are striving to combat the typical sterile hospital atmosphere with innovative and exciting concepts, whilst still, of course, maintaining a high level of hygiene and functionality. The projects chosen range from new private clinics to extensions and conversions of large inner-city clinical centers and specialized hospitals.

Buildings for the police, fire brigades and ambulance stations have lost their often purely functional and shed-like appearance and have begun to strive for recognition as an equitable architectural typology since Zaha Hadids trailblazing Vitra fire station in Weil am Rhein. This title shows the diversity of emergency architecture.

Although convention and conference centers are in high demand, the competition is tough, so fresh concepts are constantly being developed. They come in a range of forms, shapes, sizes and contexts. They can form part of a hotel, an airport, a skyscraper, a mountain-chalet or stand completely on their own. This title deals with this topic.

Public urban spaces vary widely in type, form and size, encompassing plazas, squares and streetscapes. This volume features projects from various continents, showing the different approaches and solutions to this sophisticated design task at the intersection of architecture, landscape design and urban planning.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the department store developed from markets and urban arcades, from which the shopping mall evolved in the post-war period. The operators of department stores and shopping centers are coming under increasing pressure from the competi - tion of the continuously growing internet trade. By the same token, however, there is also an increasing tendency for the internet trade to become involved with real shops. The challenge is to optimize the quality of the customer’s stay. This is accomplished by the interspersing of the offer by cultural institutions, a variety of dining opportunities and exciting leisure activities. The time spent in a depart - ment store or a shopping center must be conceived as an experience, separate from the consumption of goods, which engages all the senses. Which is where architectural quality as well as a targeted design can play an increas - ingly important role