What exactly is contemporary architecture?

It is usually defined as the architecture of the present

day.

As you can imagine, this definition can lead to confusion. One might think that any recently
constructed building counts as an example of contemporary architecture, but this is clearly not
the case.

Contemporary architecture is based on a principle that is shared by all those who practice it: the
desire and the will to design and build things that are different from what was done in the past
and what is usually done today. Contemporary architecture aims to break away from the
processes and ways of thinking that have become standard. It is innovative.

1. What Contemporary Architecture Is Not

Contemporary architecture isn’t an architectural movement. Architectural movements, like the
Baroque, Futurism, or Modernism, are always associated with a precise historical period. An
architectural movement is a particular architectural choice that claims to act as the precise
reflection of a society.

Since contemporary architecture is not an architectural movement, it is not subject to this

constraint. It is not a school of thought. This means that contemporary architecture can offer a
multitude of architectural choices, provided that they stand out from what is normally done.
However, the high level of variety doesn’t stop some common traits from being observable
within contemporary architecture. This is what we will examine now.

2. Form
All we need to do is to look around to see that the dominant line in architecture is the straight
line. Contemporary architecture tends to distance itself from this habit by opting more often for
curved lines, instead. In some cases, a building is entirely designed around curved lines. In other
cases, both curved and straight lines are used in the same building.

3. Composition of Volumes
The use of curved lines also makes it possible to create spaces that are not simply cubes, as is the
case with straight lines. So, in contemporary architecture, one sees building with rounded shapes.
When contemporary architecture does make use of straight lines, meaning that the unit of
volume is a cube, it attempts to assemble these cubes in surprising ways so as to create a
distinctive composition of volumes. Like rounded shapes do, this composition also allows for the
creation of interior living spaces with unusual layouts. If you aren’t shy about flaunting your
difference and if you like the idea of living in a nonstandard living space, contemporary
architecture is for you.

4. New Materials
Another feature of contemporary architecture today is the use of new materials for both the
interior and the exterior. Traditional materials like glass, wood, brick, and metals are preferred.
Plants also have their place within contemporary architecture, particularly on roofs, but also,
increasingly, on the walls. If you have a green thumb, you can take advantage of this trend
towards revegetation and grow a vertical garden; for example, by growing climbing tomato
plants all over a wall.

5. Windows
Larger and more plentiful windows are also a characteristic of contemporary architecture.
Multiple openings and their uncommon positioning, panoramic windows, window walls, and
skylights have all entered the playing field. One of the consequences of this kind of fenestration,
beyond creating spectacular views, is that it makes full use of the sunlight: first of all as natural
lighting, and secondly, to take advantage of passive solar heating. If you love natural light or
enjoy spectacular views, contemporary architecture is for you. But be careful! If you care about
privacy and are planning to build in an urban setting where there are neighbours nearby, some
clever thinking is required when it comes to windows.

6. Environmental Considerations
Ecohousing is a characteristic that isn’t restricted to contemporary architecture. Many
conventional buildings incorporate sustainable elements, or, at the very least, energy efficiency.
But in contemporary architecture, these elements are required. The use of photovoltaic cells,
geothermal

heating, heat pumps, heat exchangers, and thermal collectors is considered, with the goal of
producing heat in new ways and conserving it. In the field of residential construction, for
example, the aim is to integrate the home perfectly into its natural surroundings. The purpose is
not only to protect the surroundings from disturbance, but to turn them into one of the
architectural elements that gives the home its own, special character. If environmental
responsibility and the reduction of greenhouse gasses are among your priorities, contemporary
architecture will satisfy you because it allows you to build a home that far exceeds current
environmental standards.

7. Animated Architecture
For lack of a better term, animated architecture is the name given to another characteristic of
contemporary architecture that exists in several forms: sophisticated exterior building lighting,
projections on facades that are often capable of interacting with passers-by or the users of the
building, and water, which has reappeared in the form of fountains of every type, waterfalls, and
jets of water that may even be coloured. The idea is to make the building feel more alive and to
make its outer portions more animated.
Some Examples
First of all, here are some examples of institutional or commercial buildings. The reason for this
choice is that these buildings, with the benefit of a large budget, put spectacular architectural
ideas on display and clearly demonstrate the key elements of contemporary architecture.

The Capital Gate tower in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This circular, 35-story tower has
an 18-degree tilt in the middle, making it the most inclined building in the world. What’s more,
the interior layout provides spaces that are all different; none of the rooms are identical to each
other. A design by the Scottish architecture firm RMJM.

The Auditorio de Tenerife, an auditorium with a rounded form and an arched canopy
overhanging it, which also has a rounded form and appears to defy gravity. Created by the
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

The Sydney Opera House, whose form is reminiscent of a ship’s sails or a collection of giant
stacked seashells. Although it was inaugurated in 1973, this structure remains a reference point
of contemporary architecture. It is the work of the Danish architect Jorn Utzon, now deceased.

Those who watched the 2008 Olympic Games will no doubt remember the Beijing National
Stadium, nicknamed the Bird’s Nest, which incorporates both straight and curved lines. An
achievement of the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron.
And don’t forget to add the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain to the list. Covered in
titanium, it is the work of Frank Gehry, an American architect born in Canada.

But don’t imagine that contemporary architecture is absent from residential construction. It is
there, for sure, but since residential buildings are more modest, they are less spectacular. They
are still very much contemporary. Here are a few examples.

The EKO apartment building in Montpellier, France. Note the irregular shapes chosen for the
building and its windows, despite the use of straight lines and cubic spaces. Designed by ECDM
Architects.
A house in Grenoble, France that architect Gérard Gasnier renovated according to the principles
of contemporary architecture. Note the use of natural materials, rounded forms, and extensive
fenestration.
The Long House, created by the British architecture firm Hopkins Architects, is located in the
Norfolk countryside in Great Britain. This house is essentially constructed lengthwise. Note how
this architectural choice allows the interior living spaces to be given an unconventional layout.
The main thing to remember about contemporary architecture is that it tries to distinguish itself
from conventional architecture through new architectural ideas. For example, the goal of giving a
building an unusual form is obviously to surprise, to astonish, and to alter perspectives. The use
of volumes other than cubes makes it possible to create different interior spaces. But regardless
of the architectural idea, the name of the game in contemporary architecture is audacity.

https://bonestructure.ca/en/articles/7-things-to-discover-about-contemporary-architecture/