Sustainability

The making of a place is not a difficult thing in principle; it is enough for people to come together in a regular set location for a purpose or activity, and a space becomes. This does not disregard the fact that a physical element needs to accompany this gathering for a space to become sheltering, accommodating, and alluring. This idea of the space that emerges from intent can most definitely be seen in one of the most ancient of functions, which is food or produce markets.

In the quiet landscape of Prapashticë, Kasollet e Zanave—literally “Fairy Huts”—nestles where people, animals, and nature share the land, and simple architectural gestures gently build upon existing farm structures. The design approach developed by Maden Group is rooted in the concept of environmental interconnection; architecture acts as a mediator between people, nature, and tradition. Rather than replacing what existed, the project builds upon it, using natural materials and spatial strategies that emphasize continuity and authenticity.

Designed to respond to the crucial challenges of the environment, energy, climate, and health, the Maison des solidarité du Département in Langon (Gironde) completed by ABF-LAB, is based on a radical environmental scenario where bioclimatism, passive systems, and total use of natural materials are combined to implement a new construction approach.

Studio Schicketanz designed this unique, multi-family architectural compound for studio founder Mary Ann Schicketanz and her son and his young family. Encapsulating a small home for his family of four and an ADU for Mary Ann, the compound is located within a planned community adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest. Mary Ann’s family collaborated with her team to create the affordable, energy-efficient homes so that they would sit lightly on the land. Method Homes was selected for its exceptional manufactured housing capabilities, which allowed her team to achieve an efficient, high-quality and precise design with environmentally responsible sourcing on a quick turnaround.

As the year culminates, it’s once again time for the ArchDaily team of curators to reflect on the best-performing projects of 2025 and consider what readers were most interested in. Through this diverse overview, we assess the cross-continental similarities and differences in trends and construction development. This year brought us many grand cultural and public spaces by Lina Ghotmeh, BIG, Zaha Hadid Architects, DnA, and Serie Architects, who populated events like Expo Osaka and the Venice Biennale, as well as a surprising number of museums and public or landscape works in China and the rest of the Asian continent. However, while these were sought-after projects, the leading works remained, unsurprisingly, residential projects.