spotlighting the top 10 public spaces of 2024 by our readers As 2024 comes to an end, we continue our review of the projects that have been submitted over the past year by our readers, with designboom’s top 10 public spaces picks. This year, the world of architecture and design has once again showcased innovation in reimagining public spaces that bring communities together and redefine urban living. Through our submissions portal, we got to distribute thousands of projects that balance functionality, and cultural resonance. From a brick-laid spiral shell library residing in the rural landscape of Zhejiang Province, to post-modern-inspired public restrooms in Fribourg, and a huge sustainable urban surf pool in the heart of Rotterdam, these spaces demonstrate how thoughtful design can transform shared environments into meaningful experiences. Highlighting a diverse spectrum of design approaches, our roundup of the TOP 10 public spaces of 2024 captures some of the most intriguing BIG stories submitted by our readers. Read on to explore the designs that reshaped public interaction in 2024. HCCH STUDIO STACKS HUNDREDS OF RED BRICKS FOR SPIRAL SHELL LIBRARY IN CHINAimage by Qingyan Zhu | courtesy of HCCH Studio In the rural landscape of Zhejiang Province, China, HCCH Studio has crafted a brick spiral shell to serve as a conceptual library for the local community. Situated within a high grass field, the structure spans approximately 10 meters in diameter and rises 5 meters high. The project aims to merge contemporary formal expression with vernacular material culture. Constructed using red bricks cast in situ rather than through traditional masonry, the structure presents a continuous surface formed by two intersecting semicircles. This design choice intentionally blurs the boundary between the interior and exterior spaces. The interior is illuminated by natural light filtering through an opening at the top, while small holes in the walls allow visitors to read text inside acrylic balls, fostering a connection between the observer, the mind, and the natural surroundings. read more here SNØHETTA’S REVISED LANDSCAPING ENCIRCLES ARCHED PETAL CANOPY IN AUSTIN’S BLANTON MUSEUMimage by Casey Dunn Snøhetta unveils the redesign of the recently completed three-year transformation of the Blanton Museum of Art campus at The University of Texas at Austin. Announced in 2021, the 200,000 sqft (18,580 sqm) initiative revitalizes the museum‘s entryways, central courtyard, and landscape, creating a cohesive and visually compelling presence. The redesign includes updates to two existing buildings and the integration of Ellsworth Kelly’s ‘Austin’ within the museum campus. The new landscape and reimagined entrances establish a prominent connection between the Texas Capitol Complex and the university campus, enhancing the museum’s role as a public art hub in Austin. The design, characterized by inclusive gathering spaces, links the civic core of the city to the historic university fabric. A canopy of petal-shaped sculptures, each rising 40 feet and spanning 30 feet in diameter, provides shaded areas with dappled light, creating a shaded microclimate with dappled light. Constructed from perforated panels, these petals manage drainage, allowing passive irrigation into the subgrade. Their curved outlines, inspired by the arched vaults of the museum’s loggia, frame dynamic views of Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin and the Capitol. read more here SKYBOWL ROOFTOP AMPHITHEATER BY SOPA INTEGRATES QINGDAO’S URBAN FABRIC WITH THE BAYFRONTimage courtesy of Society Particular (SOPA) The SKYBOWL project by Society Particular (SOPA) at Hisense Plaza in Qingdao‘s Fushan Bayfront transforms the mall’s rooftop into an accessible public space. Once inaccessible, the mall now engages with the city’s bay views and temperate climate. Originally conceived as an exclusive VIP lounge, the project evolved into an amphitheater that functions both as a communal hall and a public observatory. SKYBOWL aims to bridge commercial spaces with the public realm, fostering community and inclusivity. By integrating the amphitheater into the urban fabric, the design enhances the mall’s connection to its surroundings, enriching Qingdao’s cultural and social landscape, while demonstrating architecture’s role in urban vitality. The amphitheater’s lightweight and transparent structure minimally intrudes on the existing architecture. It functions both as an independent volume and an integrating interface with the landscape. This design prioritizes programming and organization over mere form, incorporating elevation changes to introduce natural light into a previously dim interior. Featuring a spatial steel structure system, the design minimizes columns and employs a hyperbolic paraboloid shell for enhanced structural efficiency. Z-shaped beams reduce the need for secondary supports. read more here CIRCULAR PATTERNS AND BRIGHT COLORS GUIDE VISITORS THROUGH 100ARCHITECTS’ PUBLIC HUB IN EGYPT
2024, 11.12
