Architizer News
And the Winners Are…
October 17, 2011
The jury deliberated long and hard last week, challenged to pick a winner amongst a veritable cash crop of amazing workspaces, all built in 2011. The jury eventually prevailed, and today we’re happy to announce that the winner of this year’s World’s Coolest Offices, sponsored by AutoDesk, Architizer, and Inc.com, is…
The offices of Obscura Digital in San Francisco, by IwamotoScott Architecture.
Judging by design alone, the project is remarkable: a geodesic dome presentation room, a black-box CNC-milled conference room, double-curved transparent office divisions – all situated within the framework of a 70-year-old warehouse. Yet it’s the details regarding construction and payment that really strike us as radical. When Obscura Digital commissioned IwamotoScott to build the offices, the architects suggested that they be “paid in space.” They bartered their design services in exchange for office space within the Obscura building.
Earlier this year, curious about the project, we interviewed Craig Scott, who commented that “We’re very much interested in their integration of technology and media with space and form, and they are interested in opportunities for such integration to be realized in less temporary manifestations than the projects they’re often commissioned to do.” The two companies work together often – a model for how collaboration, networking, and how unconventional business thinking can leverage the value of both client and architect.
Congratulations to both Obscura and IwamotoScott!
As we mentioned, it was an incredibly daunting task to choose a winner – here are the other Finalists. You can check out all of the work on Inc.com. Check back for more coverage on our blog, since we’ll be featuring all of the category winners throughout the week.
Hub Offices in Madrid, by ch+qs arquitectos.
Vakko Fashion Center, by REX.
Bastard Store, by studiometrico.
Atelier Tenjinyama, by Ikimono Architects.
Living Social Offices, by Aaron Rinaca.
Creative Use of Materials
Office 04 by i29 interior architects.
Thornton Tomasetti Offices by Koning Eizenberg Architecture.
Missing Link by Missing Link, Capital 5.
Coolest Design of Small Spaces
Washington Square Park dental by Montalba Architects, Inc..
Best Incorporation of Product Identity Into Design
Adidas Laces by kadawittfeldarchitektur.
Getty Images London by Bluebottle.
Boeing Offices by Auerbach Halevy Architects & Engineers.
Wilson by Gensler, Carlos Martinez, Steve Meier.
Bringing the Outdoors Inside
Panoramic Garden of CCIS by SADAR + VUGA.
Thinkgarden by alessandro pierandrei, fabrizio pierandrei, stefano anfossi.
Sugamo Shinkin Banks by emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design.
HOK London by HOK London.
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