ILOW by Carlo Ratti Associati
01 / 22
International design and innovation office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and Bouygues Immobilier have unveiled the design of ILOW, a new building in Paris that aims to act as a bridge between La Défense, the French capital’s financial powerhouse, and the nearby Tours Nuages (Cloud Towers), one of the most iconic social housing projects of the postwar era.
From the architect: The building, designed in collaboration with Agence d Architecture Willerval et Associés, is shaped like two open arms connecting two different socio-economic neighborhoods. Moreover, it leverages parametric design to generate a facade that reinterprets the Tours Nuages.
Dezeen s top 10 architecture trends of 2020
Prefabricated cabins
Factory-made homes are a hot topic in discussions of addressing global housing shortages, but 2020 was the year that architects explored their dreamier qualities. Perhaps it was the seemingly endless isolation, but prefabricated cabins that can be packed off to remote locations for living out an off-grid fantasy were very popular this year.
Muji was first out of the gate with Yō no Ie, a single-story dwelling designed for rural areas that features an expansive deck – complete with a sunken conversation pit – to encourage outdoor living.
Italian architects Massimo Gnocchi and Paolo Danesi provided a romantic vision of modular construction with Mountain Refuge, a concept for a plywood micro home designed for relaxing in the wild.
Copy
CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and a team led by Australian real estate group Lendlease have imagined the new science campus of the University of Milan. The proposed project, a winning entry from the international competition will extend over 190,000 square meters and is due to open in 2025.
Serving almost 23,000 researchers and students specializing in natural and formal sciences at the University of Milan, the design of the newest campus addition is developed by CRA in collaboration with architect Italo Rota. “
Exploring how a historical institution of higher education can be transformed for the digital age”, the winning proposal is located in the MIND-Milano Innovation District, an innovation park whose masterplan was also developed by CRA, on the site where Expo 2015 was held. Created around a network of green courtyards, a series of uninterrupted walking paths, and five brick buildings, the campus also encompasses a large central square with an adjacent lake.