A Look At 'Firm Of The Year' MVRDVs Latest Architectural Projects

Dutch studio MVRDV – founded by Nathalie de Vries, Winy Maas, and Jacob Van Rijs in 1993 – was recently named Architizer’s 2018 ‘Firm of the Year’ as part of the annual A+ Awards. From China to Poland to Taiwan, here’s a look at the winning firm’s most recent projects.

Tianjin Binhai Library in Tianjin, China

Completed in 2017, the Tianjin Binhai Library is part of a master plan to provide a cultural district for the Chinese city of Tianjin. The futuristic library is MVRDV’s “most rapid fast-track project to date,” according to their website, and went from a sketch to a fully realized building in only three years. Structural and design highlights include vaulted arches, a luminous, spherical auditorium called ‘the Eye’ and floor-to-ceiling bookcases.

Silhouette in Moscow, Russia

Located in Moscow, Russia, Silhouette is a mixed-use building with flexible workspaces, a sky deck, residential apartments, a sports center, and retail space. The design concept won best proposal by developer GK Osnova and features a red ceramic façade that complements Le Corbusier’s neighboring Tsentrosoyuz Building, built in the Constructivist style in 1933. The 78-meter-tall building is slated to become a “symbolic gateway to Moscow.”

(W)ego House for China’s Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture

Debuting at Dutch Design Week 2017 and again at Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\ Architecture, (W)ego House is an installation of several rooms designed to fulfill “idealistic but egoistic perspectives in a limited space”. The eye-catching, playfully colorful ‘house’ was designed in collaboration with think tank The Why Factory and showcases alternative ways to optimize urban space through adaptable housing.

IJburg Agora in IJburg, The Netherlands

Located in the heart of IJburg in The Netherlands, IJburg Agora is a programmatic concept inspired by the Greek Agora, which translates to ‘a gathering place’. Led by principal architect Jacob van Rijs, the design proposal for IJburg Agora features public indoor and outdoor spaces that allow for recreational social interactions in the port city. The concept includes a hotel, cultural center, family houses, rental apartments, an art-film house, food hall and sports facilities.

JUT Group Lecture Hall in Taipei, Taiwan

In collaboration with Argentinian artist Alexandra Kehayoglou, MVRDV transformed JUT Foundation’s 240-square-meter lecture hall into a verdant landscape. The large-scale, wall-to-wall textile installation is made up of hand-tufted recycled threads that mimic natural textures such as moss, water, pastures and trees. The JUT Group Lecture Hall in Taipei was completed in 2017.

The Milestone in Esslingen, Germany

MVRDV’s new mixed-use office building in Germany features a transparent, interactive crystal-rock façade and open geometric core. The 12-story building was selected by RVI developers to become a “new milestone” and focal point in the historic city of Esslingen, with an anticipated construction start date of 2020. “This building shows Esslingen to all people who pass by on trains and will become a new symbol to reflect its past heritage and future,” says Winy Maas, MVRDV’s co-founder. “The façade with fritted glass will have QR codes integrated on to it informing visitors about Esslingen’s people, landscape, and histories which makes the building an interactive library for all.”

Bałtyk in Poznan, Poland

Balancing “‘old’ and ‘new’ architecture,” Bałtyk features a concrete, glass-fronted façade and an unusual, staggered yet linear form. Completed in 2017, the 25,000-square-meter mixed-use tower is located on the site of the former Bałtyk cinema, from which the building takes its name. All four sides of the structure are entirely different, making the new landmark tower a refreshing addition to Ponzan’s historic site.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.