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2011’s top architecture projects give us a peek into the future of style and design of buildings and other infrastructures. It can be observed that these projects by forward thinking visionaries such as Foster + Partners, BIG Architects, Zaha hadid, and MVDRV involved massive iconic structures that will create new spaces.

Solo Houses by Pezo Von Ellrichshausen Architects
Encapsulating emerging architects design philosophies, monolithic concrete form rises above the landscape providing unobstructed views of the Matarranya region of Spain. This project was conceptualized by Chile-based firm Perzo Von Ellrichshausen Architects.

21st Century Oasis by Sou Fujimoto Architects
This proposal by Sou Fujimoto Architects, which also topped the Taiwan Tower International competition for Taichung city, is a structure that will become a symbolic landmark and urban retreat. The ornate structure will frame a semi-outdoor interior space reintroducing the beauty of nature into the urban fabric.

St. Petersburg Pier by BIG Architects
BIG Architect’s master plan of St. Petersburg Pier will organize and harmonize a variety of individual events along a network of paths. The iconic pier structure will gradually merge into the waters of Tampa Bay, USA, containing a ‘tributary park’ that will host native plants of diverse color schemes highlighting the programmatic sectors including a museum, observation deck, playground and forested areas.

Kuwait Airport by Foster + Partners
This state-of-the-art terminal building, conceptualized by Foster + Partners, intends to provide ultimate comfort despite its positioning within the arid desert amidst one of the hottest habitable climates on earth. The trefoil plan will accommodate the projected increased influx of transient visitors, growing from an initial 13 million to over 25 million per year with future development to accommodate 50 million annual travelers.

Barcelona Rock by UGO Architecture
This project by UGO Architecture, hostel in the mountainous region outside Barcelona, aims to become both a symbol for the city and a welcoming, place for young travelers.

National Gallery of Greenland by BIG Architects
The National Gallery of Greenland project by BIG Architects is a courtyard building that combines a comprehensive layout with a sensitive adaption to the landscape.

NYbillboard by Prechteck
The proposal of NYbillboard by Prechteck recognizes the necessity for architects to address the issues of density and sustainability within Manhattan, USA. The design seeks to recognize the conventional solution of a high-rise by creating a horizontal layer that provides elevated links between towers.

Apple Campus by Foster + Partners
Apple Campus by Foster + Partners aims to provide a unified headquarters that promotes collaboration and communication. The building is a simple circle form that has been extruded to four stories above grade to maintain a human-scaled sense of space.

China Comic and Animation Museum by MVRDV
The application of one of the most iconic cartoon motifs – the speech bubble – allows this building to be instantly recognized as a place for comics, animation and cartoons. The proposal includes a series of parks, a public plaza and an expo center in the Hangzhou area of China.

Hongqiao Soho / Linkong Economic Park by Zaha Hadid
This project was conceived as a meandering ribbon-like form, the design aims to bring together the surrounding community with this mixed-use ‘park’. Iconic and bold the design creates a series of dynamic spaces that reflect the energy of the city, standing out from other neighboring plots with a highly visible identity.

Photo Credits:
solohouses
Taiwan Tower International Competition and Sou Fujimoto Architects
BIG Architects
Foster + Partners
UGO Architecture
Bjarke Ingels Group
Prechteck
Apple Inc.
MVRDV
Zaha Hadid Architects