JK House / João de Barro Arquitetura

Located in a gated community in the countryside of Minas Gerais, this residence is a prime example of contemporary architecture that seeks to blend rustic and minimalist elements. The project stands out for its palette of refined, natural materials. The façade and living area feature charred wood using the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique, which provides the material with a unique aesthetic and increased durability. The house is clad in natural concrete slats, while the cumaru wood slatted ceiling extends through the entire social area and the couple’s bath suite, adding warmth and sophistication.

Bois Harel Tertiary Complex / ALTA

Alta unveils an ambitious office project located on the Chemin du Bois Harel, a site undergoing transformation on the edge between Rennes and Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande. Once a market gardening area marked by the Crublé greenhouses, closed in 2004, this reconfigured territory lies between countryside and urban periphery.

Heartwood End Terrace House Renovation / Knox Bhavan Architects

Knox Bhavan completes Heartwood, an inside-out reimagining of an end-of-terrace property in Notting Hill. Set within the Colville Conservation Area in Notting Hill, Knox Bhavan has completed the extensive renovation of a previously confined and deteriorating end terrace house into a finely crafted, light-filled home. Named Heartwood, the four-bedroom home has been rebuilt from within and carefully designed for the rental market, pairing architectural character and elegant detailing with robust, low-maintenance finishes and modern sustainability.

How Not to Build: Architecture by the Absence of Intervention

Whether for design competitions or architectural awards, buildings are often judged for what they offer–the programmed functions, the form, or the visual delight. In a minority of cases, it is the absence or the reduction of intervention that made a project successful. In 1971, a high-profile architectural competition in Paris was won by a proposal that only utilized half the available site, giving the rest as an urban space to the city. In London, a proposal to convert a disused power station with minimal additions, leaving large spaces untouched, won a design competition in 1994. The Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious architectural award, in 2017 was won by a proposal that was little more than an empty platform. These examples of cultural buildings from Northwestern Europe illustrate how the absence of intervention can provide more.

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