Godwin Austen Johnson Designs Projects that Transform Daily Life While Honoring the Past

Established in the UAE in 1989 by Chairman Brian Johnson and now led by Managing Director Jason Burnside, Godwin Austen Johnson draws on a British design lineage dating back to 1847 and has contributed to the development of the Middle East's built environment for over three decades. Its 110 multinational professionals, based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the United Kingdom, work across disciplines, combining technical rigor, contextual analysis, and digital methodologies within a collaborative design process.

Shenzhen Art High School / O-office Architects

Spatial Superposition as Resolution for the Density

Luohu, as the east node of Shenzhen's linear urban development, failed to prioritize the relationship between the city and its natural environment in its early urban planning and construction. Instead, it simply and crudely implemented modern functional and transportation planning. Buildings and urban living spaces were arranged on the land according to the demands of functionality and efficiency, with nature serving only as a backdrop to the man-made city. In this process, people (regardless of individual differences such as age, identity, gender, and background) and their activities were merely functional objects of efficiency planning.

DOM House / DAO studio

DOM is a villa located on the outskirts of Hanoi, designed as a weekend retreat for an extended family — a permanent residence for the grandparents, with space for children and grandchildren to visit and relax. The site itself is unique: a narrow frontage that expands toward the rear, forming a distinctive T-shape. From the beginning, both the client and our team agreed that the house should include a large garden. Living spaces and primary views were oriented inward to enhance privacy and minimize the impact of traffic noise from the street.

Casa RIMA / Cristián Romero Valente

Located on the coast of Los Vilos, in northern Chile, this residence is conceived as a refuge in close dialogue with the landscape. The aim was to create architecture that frames the horizon and allows the sound of the sea to be heard, while providing shelter from the southern winds characteristic of the area. This intention defined both the site placement and the use of a continuous wall that protects the interior spaces without interrupting the full opening toward the ocean.

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