Architecture in 2012, Buildings of the Year, Architects, Designs, Images

Building Designs of 2012 : Architecture of the Year

e-architect Selection of Key Architecture from 2012

Major Buildings from 2012

e-architect have selected some key buildings and designs from 2012.

Our parameters? Architecture that stimulates, buildings that question, designs that show innovation.

We aren’t saying these are the ‘best’ building designs of 2012, simply they are a selection of ones that have interested us at e-architect.

We asked a selection of architecture critics to pick out the key buildings of the year but we’re deliberately not considering the complex task of selecting ‘winners’.

Adrian Welch, e-architect editor

Buildings of 2012 – Part 1

Building Designs of 2012 – Part 2:

Menis Arquitectos, Canary Islands
Sacred Museum & Plaza, Adeje
Sacred Museum Adeje Building
photo ® Simona Rota

Casa Syntes Pinto, Madrid, Spain
Design: dosmasuno arquitectos
Casa Syntes
photograph : Miguel de Guzmán

Architecture News Apr 2012

MAAVC, Portugal
Design: Camilo Rebelo and Tiago Pimentel
MAAVC Building
photo © Cláudio Reis

Easter Sculpture Museum, Albacete, Spain
Design: Exit Architects
Easter Sculpture Museum Albacete Salburúa
photograph : Fernando Guerra

University Senate Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
Design: Chyutin Architects
Be'er Sheva Building
photograph : Ardon Bar Hama

Iglesia de la Consolacion Cordoba, Spain
Vicens + Ramos, Architects
Iglesia de la Consolación Córdoba Parish Church of Solace in Cordoba
photo : Vicens + Ramos

Kilden Performing Arts Centre, Norway
ALA Architects with SMS Arkitekter
Kilden Building
picture : Tuomas Uusheimo

Spira Performing Arts Center, Sweden
Wingårdh Arkitektkontor
Spira performing arts center Building
photograph : Ulf Celander

City Hall Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
3XN Architects
City Hall Nieuwegein
image © Adam Mørk

Victoria Tower, Kista, Sweden
Wingårdh Arkitektkontor
Victoria Tower Kista Building
photograph : Tord-Rickard Söderström

Mestia Buildings, Georgia
J. MAYER H. Architects
Mestia Building
photo from architects

Sandworm, Wenduine coastline, Belgium
Marco Casagrande / C-Laboratory
Sandworm Structure
photograph : Nikita Wu

The Scarab Building, France
SAREA Alain Sarfati Architecture
The Scarab Building
photo © Philippe Ruault

La Maison Hermès Dosan Park Seoul, Korea
RDAI
La Maison Hermès Dosan Park Seoul
picture © Masao Nishikawa

Olive Oil Factory Marmelo Mill, Portugal
Ricardo Bak Gordon
Oil Factory Herdade do Marmelo
FG + SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

Vila Tugendhat Renovation, Czech Republic
originally Mies van der Rohe
Tugendhat Villa Brno
image : Colin Eaton

Hatert Tower, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
24H>architecture
Hatert Tower Building
photograph © Boris Zeisser

New York by Gehry, NYC, USA
Frank Gehry
Rippling Building New York
picture : dbox

House in Juso, Portugal
ARX Portugal + Stefano Riva
House in Juso
photograph : Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

OASIS voestalpine, Linz, Austria
xarchitekten
Oasis voestalpine building
photo : David Schreyer

Sumatrakontor, Hamburg, Germany
Erick van Egeraat
Sumatrakontor Building
photo : J Collingridge

Military History Museum, Dresden, Germany
Daniel Libeskind
Dresden Military History Museum
photo © Hufton+Crow Photography

Hansar Bangkok, Thailand
WOHA
Hansar Bangkok
photograph © Patrick Bingham-Hall

Jameson House, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Foster + Partners
Jameson House
photograph : Nigel Young, Foster + Partners

Origami Building, Paris, France
Manuelle Gautrand
Origami Building
© photoVincent Fillon

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Design: Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW)
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Building
© Nic Lehoux / Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Timmelsjoch Experience, Austria
Werner Tscholl
Timmelsjoch Experience Building Designs of 2012
photo : Alexa Rainer

Oshikamo House, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates
Oshikamo House
photograph : Toshiyuki Yano

Natural History Museum of Utah, USA
Ennead Architects, LLP with GSBS
Natural History Museum of Utah Building Designs of 2012
photograph © Jeff Goldberg/Esto

Roca London Gallery, England
Zaha Hadid Architects
Roca London Gallery
image from architects

London 2012 Velodrome, England
Hopkins Architects
London Olympic Velodrome Building Designs of 2012
photo from fd

Central Saint Martins, London, UK
Stanton Williams
Central Saint Martins Building Designs of 2012
photo © Hufton+Crow

Busan Cinema Centre, South Korea
COOP HIMMELB(L)AU
Busan Cinema Center Building Designs of 2012
photo © Woochang Choi Korea

Evelyn Grace Academy, south London
Zaha Hadid Architects
Evelyn Grace Academy
picture : Luke Hayes

Museum of Liverpool, England
3XN Architects
Museum of Liverpool Building
photo © Philip Handforth

Universiade in Shenzhen, China
von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp)
Universiade in Shenzhen Building Designs of 2012
photo © Christan Gahl

Hotel Lone, Rovinj, Croatia
3LHD architects
Rovinj Hotel Croatia Building Designs of 2012
photo : 3LHD

Porta Fira Hotel, Barcelona, Spain
Toyo Ito & Associates / b720 Fermín Vázquez
Porta Fira Hotel Building Designs of 2012
photo from FCC

Riverside Museum, Glasgow, Scotland
Zaha Hadid Architects
Riverside Museum Glasgow
photograph © Tom Manley Photography

Cais das Artes Project, Brazil
Paulo Mendes da Rocha + Metro Arquitetos
Cais das Artes Project Building Designs of 2012
picture : Metro Arquitetos

The Hepworth, Wakefield, UK
David Chipperfield Architects
The Hepworth Building Designs of 2012
photograph © Iwan Baan

Harpa, Reykjavik, Iceland
Henning Larsen Architects + Olafur Eliasson
Harpa Building Designs of 2012
picture Courtesy of Harpa © Hörður Sveinsson

Museo Soumaya, Mexico
FREE | Fernando Romero EnterprisE
Soumaya Museum Building Designs of 2012
photograph : Adam Wiseman

Bitexco Financial Tower, Vietnam
AREP Architects
Bitexco Financial Tower
image : AREP Architects

One Hyde Park, London, England
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
1 Hyde Park
picture © mattchungphoto.com

Guangzhou Opera House, China
Zaha Hadid Architects
Guangzhou Opera House
photograph : Virgile Simon Bertrand

Las Arenas Barcelona, Spain
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Las Arenas Barcelona
picture : Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Future Buildings

One World Trade Center, NY, USA
SOM Architects
One World Trade Center
photo : Wrightstyle

Peruri 88 Jakarta, Indonesia
Design: MVRDV / Jerde / Arup
Jakarta Tower Building
image from architects

Kasumigaoka National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
Zaha Hadid Architects
New National Stadium Tokyo Building Designs of 20122
© Zaha Hadid Architects

Sliced Porosity Block, Chengdu, China
Design: Steven Holl Architects
Sliced Porosity Block Building Designs of 2012
image : Steven Holl Architects

425 Park Avenue, New York, USA – news
Designs by the four shortlisted Architects
425 Park Avenue New York Building Designs of 2012
image from architects

House for Naomi Campbell, Moscow, Russia
Design: Zaha Hadid Architects
Moscow house
picture from architects

PHTV International Media Center, Beijing
BIAD UFo
Phoenix International Media Center
photo from architects

Elbphilharmonie concert hall, Hamburg, Germany
Herzog and de Meuron
Elbe Philharmonic Building Designs of 2012
© José Campos josecamposmoreira(at)gmail.com

Cross Towers Seoul, Korea
BIG
Cross Towers Building Designs of 2012
image : MIR

Scotts Tower, Singapore
UNStudio
Singapore Tower Building Designs of 2012
picture © UNStudio

Duo Towers, Paris, France
Jean Nouvel
DUO Tower Building Designs of 2012
image © Ateliers Jean Nouvel

V&A Exhibition Road Project, London, UK
AL_A
V&A Boilerhouse Yard Building Designs of 2012
render © Amanda Levete Architects

Stonehenge Visitor Centre, England
Denton Corker Marshall Architects
Stonehenge Visitor Centre Building Designs of 2012
image from architects

Copenhagen Arena, Denmark
Architects: 3XN
Copenhagen Arena Building Designs of 2012
image © 3XN

Addis Ababa Stadium, Ethiopia
LAVA with JDAW
Addis Ababa Stadium Building
picture from architect

Diagonal Tower, Seoul, South Korea
SOM
Diagonal Tower Building
image © SOM/Crystal CG

MÉCA Bordeaux, France
BIG + FREAKS freearchitects
MÉCA Building Bordeaux
image from architects

Mineirão Stadium, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
BCMF Arquitetos
Mineirão Stadium Building Designs of 2012
image : BCMF Arquitetos

Design Museum, London, UK
John Pawson / Rem Koolhaas
Design Museum London Building Designs of 2012
photo © Luke Hayes

Columbia University Medical Center, NY, USA
Design: Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Gensler
Columbia University Medical Center Building Designs of 2012
image from architects

Musée des Beaux-arts Rheims, France
David Chipperfield Architects
Musée des Beaux-arts Rheims Building Designs of 2012
image © David Chipperfield Architects

Yongsan Tower Building, South Korea
REX
Yongsan Tower Building Designs of 2012
image : Luxigon

The Leadenhall Building, London
RSH+P
122 Leadenhall Street Building Designs of 2012
image : Cityscape

Birmingham Library, England
Mecanoo
Birmingham Library
courtesy BCC

SFMOMA Expansion, San Francisco, USA
Snøhetta – news
SFMOMA Expansion Building Designs of 2012
image © Snøhetta

Vejle Harbour development, Denmark
Studio Olafur Eliasson + others
KIRK KAPITAL
image © Olafur Eliasson

Yingkou Convention and Exposition Center
2DEFINE Architecture
Yingkou Convention and Exposition Center Building Designs of 2012
picture from architects

Angkasa Raya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Ole Scheeren
Angkasa Raya Tower
image © Buro-OS

Emmen Theatre and Zoo, The Netherlands
Henning Larsen Architects
Emmen Theatre Zoo Building
picture from architects

Chicago Navy Pier Competition, USA
James Corner Field Operations
Chicago Navy Pier Building Designs of 2012
photograph Courtesy Navy Pier, Inc.

Expo Yeosu Pavilion, Korea
soma architecture
Expo Yeosu Building Designs of 2012
image from architect

Yuan Ze University Buildings, Taiwan
Santiago Calatrava
Yuan Ze University Building Designs of 2012
rendering courtesy of Santiago Calatrava, LLC

Hôtel de Police Charleroi, Belgium
Ateliers Jean Nouvel / MDW Architecture
Hôtel de Police Charleroi Building Designs of 2012
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel / MDW ARCHITECTURE

Museum of Bihar, Patna, India
Maki and Associates
Museum of Bihar in Patna Building
image from competition organisers

Dancing Dragons, Seoul, South Korea
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Yongsan Towers Seoul
image © AS+GG

Scitech Redevelopment Beijing, China
UNStudio
Scitech Building Designs of 2012
image : UNStudio

Green Climate Fund Bonn, Germany
Design: LAVA
GCF Bonn Building Designs of 2012
image : MIR

The Blade, Seoul, South Korea
Dominique Perrault Architecture
The Blade Building Designs of 2012
image : 2012 © Luxigon / DPA / Adagp

Beach and Howe Tower, Vancouver, Canada
BIG
Beach and Howe Tower
picture from architects

Union Station Masterplan, Los Angeles, USA
UNStudio + EE&K
Los Angeles Union Station Proposal Buildings of 2012
image : UNStudio

Dancing Towers, Seoul, South Korea
Studio Daniel Libeskind
Dancing Towers Building Designs of 2012
picture © Crystal

Harmony Tower, Seoul, South Korea
Studio Daniel Libeskind
Harmony Tower Seoul Building Designs of 2012
picture © Crystal

VCU Institute for Contemporary Art, VA, USA
Design: Steven Holl Architects
VCU Institute for Contemporary Art Building Designs of 2012
image courtesy of Steven Holl Architects

Datong Art Museum, China
Foster + Partners
Datong Building
image : Foster + Partners

Kingdom Tower, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Kingdom Tower Building Designs of 2012
image © Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

Velo Towers Seoul, South Korea
Asymptote Architecture
Velo Towers Korea Building Designs of 2012
picture © Asymptote Architecture

Maggie’s Centre in Aberdeen – building news
Design: Snøhetta, Architects
Maggie's Aberdeen Building
picture from architects

The Rock Stadium, Al Ain, UAE
Design: MZ Architects
Al Ain Stadium Building
image from LA

DUO Towers Singapore
Ole Scheeren – building news
DUO towers Singapore
image © Buro-OS

International Music & Dance Centre, NL
Neuteling Riedijk Architects
Internationaal Dans en Muziek Centrum Den Haag Building Designs of 2012
© Neutelings Riedijk Architects

Neubau FOM Hochschule Düsseldorf, Duesseldorf
Design: J. MAYER H.
Neubau der FOM Hochschule Duesseldorf Building Designs of 2012
image from architects

Buildings of 2012 – Part 1

Architecture News – current global building news highlights

World Architectural News

Architectural News is added on the site daily. We cover completed buildings, new building designs, architectural exhibitions and architecture competitions across the globe. High profile buildings + projects appear on this page. Additions and comments welcome.

Key Architectural Links – Major International Architects

Zaha Hadid

Herzog de Meuron

Frank Gehry

Comments / photos for the Building Designs of 2012 page welcome