The WOW list (works of wonder) 2023 presents a selection of the year’s 20 most remarkable projects in architecture, art and design, chosen by the international editorial teams of AD magazine, our agency’s press partner.
Spotlight on 5 projects chosen by the Architecture de Collection team!
Maison Owl, Junya Ishigami, Japon
©Yashiro Photo Office
Hollowed out of the earth, the Owl House, which looks like a fake cave, was imagined by chef Motonori Hirata and architect Junya Ishigami. This one-of-a-kind gourmet restaurant plunges guests into bright, warm, underground spaces. Aware of the unprecedented nature of this architecture, the site emphasizes the timelessness into which anyone immersed once on site: “It looks like it’s been here for 10,000 years and will still be here in 10,000 years’ time”. The rooms wind beneath the ground, like organic material shaped by time. From the sky, the whole takes the form of a concrete slab with curved edges, whose skylights are reminiscent of the eyes and beak of an owl.
Biosphère à Treehotel, Bjarke Ingels Group, Suède
© Mats Engfors / Fotographic
In the heart of the Swedish forest, perched in the trees, the architects of BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, in collaboration with ornithologist Ulh Öhman, have designed an unusual spherical suite. Surrounded by 350 nesting boxes placed in the trees to feed the birds of the forest, this original design is reminiscent of bird observatories camouflaged in nature, offering total immersion in the heart of the birds’ natural habitat, while enjoying the comfort of a luxury room.
Rosewood Hotel, Jean Nouvel, Brésil
© Courtesy of Rosewood Sao Paulo
Adjacent to the original neo-colonial building, the new green tower of the Rosewood Hotel in Sao Paulo rises into the sky. Designed by star architect Jean Nouvel, this green tower is made up of several terraced gardens, creating a haven of greenery right in the heart of the city. With an interior design by Philippe Stark, the Rosewood hotel brings together the great names of contemporary architecture and incorporates current environmental and local issues. The hotel features site-specific installations by Brazilian artists.
Smritivan Earthquake Memorial & Museum, Rajeev Kathpalia, Inde
© Smriti Van
This memorial and museum to the victims of the 2001 earthquake in the Gujarat region of India was designed by architect Rajeev Kathpalia of Vastushilpa Consultants. An illustration of resilience, rebirth and hope, the mountainside structure comprises 7 blocks with 7 different themes designed to follow a memorial path: rebirth, rediscovery, restoration, reconstruction, rethinking, revival and renewal. The park surrounding the museum features a network of monumental water tanks engraved with the names of the victims;
Dépôt d’art à Rotterdam, MVRDV, Pays-Bas
© Ossip van Duivenbode Munch
With this 40-metre-high reflective tower in the shape of a bowl, the architects of MVRDV are completely reinventing art storage. This repository, open to the public, makes more than 150,000 works formerly stored in the reserves of the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum or in private repositories visible and accessible. This project is a world first. Inside, 14 air-conditioned compartments spread over 6 floors group all the works of art into different categories. On the roof terrace, a restaurant completes this unusual glass structure;
Discover the 20 projects selected by AD Magazine, our agency’s partner:
© Architecture de Collection, février 2023
