Outstanding Modern Buildings Dictating Contemporary Architecture Trends

Architecture design trends have evolved tremendously over the centuries, shifting from focusing on functionality to incorporating pleasure and aesthetic appeal. Architects have been creating functional works of art since Vitruvius famously outlined the three elements of architectural design — firms, utilities, and venustas (stability, functionality, and delight).

Here are some outstanding modern buildings and the contemporary architectural trends they dictate.

Harpa Music and Concert Hall

Beside the water in Reykjavik, Iceland, the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre sparkles brightly against the Northern sky. This stunning example of neo-modernism was designed by Olafur Eliasson in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects of Denmark and Batteriid Architects of Iceland. The trend dictated by this modern marvel is light as a core element of design. 

"Lighting is considered a cornerstone of modern architecture. We see outstanding illumination designs or a prominent light-up letter sign that catches people's attention," exterior design experts at Front Signs believe. The Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre takes this trend to the next level by invoking the Northern lights.

The geometric crystalline facets of the glass exterior walls are illuminated at night to represent the stunning aurora borealis, often visible overhead during the winter months. Its reflective nature was also designed to blend into the surroundings, capturing light particles from the sea and city. 

While the design focus is on light and transparency, functionality isn't sacrificed for the sake of aesthetics. The internal layout of the building places the three concert halls in the same region, with separate entrances and office areas for employees.  

This trend has also expanded into other artistic architectural installations in recent years. Designer Tokujin Yoshioka recently created a structure called Rainbow Church in Seoul. His goal with this piece was to inspire others to incorporate light that people can feel in architectural design with all of their senses. This 26-foot-tall prismatic window encompasses viewers in rainbows in an otherwise stark, colorless room.

Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant 

Sustainable building practices have become a priority for many designers in recent years. Leading the charge is the Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant, designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and Gottlieb Paludan Architects of Denmark. Not only will this gargantuan building burn 5,000 tonnes of garbage each day, but it's designed to be contained and completely self-sufficient.

In leading the sustainable building trend, the Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant will contain the entire power plant and incinerators within its walls. Additionally, the 66,000-square-metre roof is covered in enough solar panels for the plant to generate enough energy to power its daily operations.  

While focusing on a modern design scheme, the teams at Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Gottlieb Paludan didn't forget Virtuvius's element of utilities; everything is functional. The compact design is a burgeoning part of the sustainable architecture trend, which promises to reduce emissions by limiting travel around the facility. The walls are designed with both noise and odor-proof facades, and the slanted roof allows for greater storage volume as needed. 

This trend goes hand-in-hand with carbon-neutral architecture. Developers at C Change Labs have teamed up with construction company Skanska to help designers and contractors calculate the impact of material used in their building design.

Another example of self-sustainable design in postmodern architecture is the Bee'ah headquarters in Dubai. Proposed by Zaha Hadid Architects — known for adding eye-catching curves to their plans — this self-contained environmental facility is designed to withstand the desert heat and extreme winds while harvesting and using that energy to power the building.  

EDEN 

Adjacent to sustainability in design is the biophilic architecture movement. Heatherwick Studio spearheaded this recent trend to reveal their 20-story residential skyscraper EDEN. This lush, green tower is teeming with life, setting it apart from the sterility of concrete and glass surrounding it. Each apartment has multiple access points to its overgrown balconies, which are essentially giant planters with adequate drainage and organic growth.  

In addition to creating a private oasis for all residents of the aptly named EDEN complex, the greenery plays a functional role in cross-ventilation, air quality control, and noise dampening. 

EDEN isn't Heatherwick Studio's only foray into biophilic architecture. These award-winning designers also created Maggie's Centre at St. James's University Hospital. This charity building in Leeds, UK, allows cancer patients and their families to seek support. The goal was to instill a sense of calm by pivoting away from the traditional, sterile hospital setting. Maggie's Centre is shaped like a collection of mushrooms, uses all sustainable and repurposed materials, and is covered with living plants, both inside and out.

Steinway Tower 

Designed by Property Markets Group, JDS Development Group, and Spruce Capital Partners, the Steinway Tower has been distinguished as the world's skinniest skyscraper. At 1,428 tall, Steinway Tower is 24 times as tall as wide, and this tower has recently surpassed the Central Park tower, which is similarly designed. 

Both buildings are designed based on a controversial real estate loophole called "Transferable Air Rights," You can buy unused airspace from a neighboring building. For example, say your building permit only allocates you and the six neighboring buildings 1000 feet in height, based on your plot of land. Each adjacent developer builds 900-foot tall skyscrapers, and you could then buy the unused airspace above their buildings and build a 1500-foot tall skyscraper.

While this movement started in New York, the "pencil tower" architectural design trend is quickly being adopted by developers in other parts of the world. This design strategy circumvents limited space in dense urban areas. For New York, it could mean casting Central Park into a permanent shadow.

The Pencil Tower Hotel in Sydney, Australia, is set to be built in downtown Sydney with a facade of only 6.4 meters (21 feet). Designers Durbach Block Jaggers claim that this skyscraper, which will become the narrowest in Australia, will have a height-to-width ratio of 16:1.  

Perhaps the most fascinating about this architectural design trend is that it's happening simultaneously with the micro-apartment trend — the middle and lower class's answer to the housing market crisis and pandemic-related recession. However, these residences are located along Billionaire Row in New York City, hitting the market at the brink of the luxury housing meltdown.

While the pencil skyscraper design trend will likely continue for the years to come, it's difficult to say whether the focus on luxury residences will follow suit.

Final Thoughts

The overarching trends of contemporary architecture are sustainability and a reduced environmental footprint. As the world population grows at an exponential rate, these trends are expected to be around for the long haul.