IMG_6414.JPG

Hi there!

I'm Jen, a writer, editor, and content creator. Want to chat? Drop me a line here or via social media below.

10 Best Architects to Follow on Instagram Right Now

10 Best Architects to Follow on Instagram Right Now

Though based in far-flung locales from Ljubljana to Buenos Aires, these world-class architectural firms are united by their mastery over design.

Without a doubt, Instagram is a nearly endless resource of breathtaking design inspiration, and we’ve discovered some visionary feeds to follow from around the world. From minimalist dwellings to architectural feats, here are some award-winning ‘Grammers to add to your daily scroll. 

1. OFIS | @ofis_architects

OFIS, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, consists of Rok Oman and Spela Videcnik. Their impressive repertoire of projects seems to defy gravity: structures teeter on the edges of cliffs, like the Winter Cabin on Mount Kanin and Alpine Shelter on Mount Skuta, or balance like Jenga pieces, as seen in their Parisian Basket Apartments and 3Shoebox House in Slovenia. Each design takes on a sleek, organic form, such as the writhing, snake-like Football Stadium Arena Borisov in Belarus and the smooth curves of the renowned Farewell Chapel

Alpine shelter on Mount Skuta. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Alpine shelter on Mount Skuta. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Football Stadium Arena in Borisov, Belarus. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Football Stadium Arena in Borisov, Belarus. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Alpine Barn apartment in Bohinj, Slovenia. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Alpine Barn apartment in Bohinj, Slovenia. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Villa Bled under-extension in Bled, Slovenia. (Courtesy of OFIS)

Villa Bled under-extension in Bled, Slovenia. (Courtesy of OFIS)

2. Luciano Kruk | @lucianokruk.arquitectos

Buenos Aires native Luciano Kruk melds structured, modern design with the great outdoors in his individual and collective housing projects. His materials are concrete and wood, creating a balance of cool and warm tones complemented by greenery. Think blackened wood-wrapped walls, reflection pools, sand dunes against pine and acacia, timber-imprinted concrete, and massive sheets of glass.  

Casa Golf. (Courtesy of Luciano Kruk)

Casa Golf. (Courtesy of Luciano Kruk)

Casa L4. (Courtesy of Luciano Kruk)

Casa L4. (Courtesy of Luciano Kruk)

Casa H3. (Courtesy of Luciano Kruk)

Casa H3. (Courtesy of Luciano Kruk)

3. Pitsou Kedem | @pitsou_kedem_architect

The Tel Aviv–based firm, led by Israeli architect Pitsou Kedem, creates user-friendly and accessible spaces that nevertheless bring a sense of drama. The team creates a continual motion between void and volume—barely there floating stairs, wood or metal panels pieced just tightly enough to be considered walls, an all-white room with texture from floor to ceiling. In everything there is an opening, a place to see through, and yet the space feels safe and enclosed.  

Bathroom in Ko House. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

Bathroom in Ko House. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

BP Penthouse. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

BP Penthouse. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

Proposal for commercial center on the beach of Herzliya. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

Proposal for commercial center on the beach of Herzliya. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

N2 House. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

N2 House. (Courtesy of Pitsou Kedem Architects)

4. Studio Saxe | @studiosaxe

If you’re seeking exotic resort vibes, look no further than the feed of Costa Rica–based Studio Saxe. Using sustainably sourced, local materials, they strive to build sensory experiences. Though contemporary in design, their stunning projects are one with the forest canopies and ocean stretches of the lush Central American getaway. One of the projects they’re currently working on are cocoon-shaped pods in the tiny coastal town of Santa Teresa. Situated in the treetops on a steeply inclined site, the structures are like fruit or nests hanging from a tree. The strategic development allows for the hotel to be above ground, while maintaining an environment that can be shared with the local wildlife. 

The "Floating House" in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, consists of living pods that float above the forest floor, connected by flying bridges that hover over the landscape.

Andres Garcia. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Andres Garcia. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Joya Villas. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Joya Villas. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Cocoon-shaped pods. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Cocoon-shaped pods. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Canopia is a series of enclosed terraces that meld living spaces with nature. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

Canopia is a series of enclosed terraces that meld living spaces with nature. (Courtesy of Studio Saxe)

5. Nicholas Szczepaniak | @nicholas_szc

London–based Nicholas Szczepaniak can be best described as a bold minimalist. From bright, airy spaces like the updated Union Wharf in London with floor-to-ceiling windows and light wood, to the pitchy Chaps & Co Barbershop in Dubai with smoked oak wraps and black leather furnishings, their portfolio always maintains a luxurious elegance. They specialize in bespoke individual and commercial projects including buildings, interiors, furniture, and products. Just recently, they partnered with L’Occitane to create an sensory installation blending light and smell: over 2,000 Fresnel and Plano-Convex lenses were suspended to create a delicate veil that refracts and converges light, while scent diffusers emitted L’Occitane’s fragrance "Terre de Lumière."

Union Wharf in Islington, London. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Union Wharf in Islington, London. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Chaps & Co Barbershop in Dubai. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Chaps & Co Barbershop in Dubai. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Shower rooms at Goswell Road in Clerkenwell, London. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Shower rooms at Goswell Road in Clerkenwell, London. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Cattle & Co location in King's Cross, London. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

Cattle & Co location in King's Cross, London. (Courtesy of Nicholas Szczepaniak)

6. Reiulf Ramstad Architects|@reiulframstadarchitects

Scandinavian culture permeates the bold, yet simple, designs of Reiulf Ramstad Architects. The Oslo–based firm creates structures with a sci-fi edge: a spiky roofline perched on the pine-clad Romsdal Folk Museum; the zig-zagging pathways of the Trollstigen Visitor Centre leading to concrete, steel, and glass viewing platforms in the mountains; and the geometric wonder that will be the Røldal Cabin, clinging to a steep, forested hillside. 

A wooden staircase contrasts with bare, concrete walls in Pilestredet P77. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

A wooden staircase contrasts with bare, concrete walls in Pilestredet P77. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

Romsdal Folk Museum. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

Romsdal Folk Museum. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

Røldal Cabin. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

Røldal Cabin. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

Trollstigen Visitor Centre. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

Trollstigen Visitor Centre. (Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects)

7. Steffen Welsch Architects@steffenwelscharchitects 

Combining art with technology and social responsibility, Aussie practice Steffen Welsch Architects uses sustainable materials like hemp and rammed earth while embodying the ideals of Bauhaus architecture to staggering results. Just take a look at their underground pool created by harvesting rainwater. In addition to rammed-earth houses that generate their own energy and capture their own water, they also build gorgeous, modern abodes like the Glen Iris House.

This underground pool was created by harvesting rainwater. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

This underground pool was created by harvesting rainwater. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

Sustainable plaza made out of plywood. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

Sustainable plaza made out of plywood. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

Connect Parkville House kitchen. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

Connect Parkville House kitchen. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

Glen Iris House. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

Glen Iris House. (Courtesy of Steffen Welsch Architects)

8. Kengo Kuma and Associates | @kkaa_officialKengo

Architect Kengo Kuma is also an author and professor who runs research projects involving architecture, urbanity, and design with his own Kuma Lab. His firm spans over 150 architects in Tokyo and Paris, and their work is the stuff of dreams. They create with a goal to recover Japanese tradition in buildings and reinterpret them for modern-day structures. Kuma brings a sense of zen into his projects, as reflected in his seminal text Anti-Object: The Dissolution and Disintegration of Architecture, which discusses architectural relations, and respecting surroundings rather than dominating them. Some of his major projects include Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo, the Bamboo Wall House in China, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) Group's Japan headquarters, and Besançon Art Center in France.

House in Tokyo. (Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates)

House in Tokyo. (Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates)

Installation at Milan Design Week 2018. (Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates)

Installation at Milan Design Week 2018. (Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates)

Suntory Museum of Art. (Courtesy of Suntory)

Suntory Museum of Art. (Courtesy of Suntory)

Bamboo Wall House in China. (Courtesy of Commune by the Great Wall)

Bamboo Wall House in China. (Courtesy of Commune by the Great Wall)

9. Omar Gandhi |@og_architect

Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto, Ontario, Omar Gandhi’s firm has become a leading studio with an innovative, minimalist approach. The team begins with the landscape and delves into how the building can enhance it; if something needs to be cleared, they consider how the natural beauty can be salvaged or restored—and when there’s an interesting natural element, they incorporate it into their plans. With a belief that good architecture need not be expensive and that all structures should be "thoughtful, healthy, and elegant environments for its occupants," it’s no wonder that they’ve captured the hearts of design aficionados everywhere.

Sluice Point in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

Sluice Point in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

Rabbit Snare Gorge in Inverness, Nova Scotia. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

Rabbit Snare Gorge in Inverness, Nova Scotia. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

Fyren in Purcell's Cove, Nova Scotia. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

Fyren in Purcell's Cove, Nova Scotia. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

The Lookout at Broad Cove Marsh. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

The Lookout at Broad Cove Marsh. (Courtesy of Omar Gandhi)

10. Saunders Architecture | @saundersarchitecture

Founded by Canadian architect Todd Saunders, the Norway–based firm has worked on residential and cultural projects across the country as well as England, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Canada. Honing in on architecture to attract people to remote and beautiful communities around the globe, the team creates anything from a base camp boutique hotel for backcountry skiers to personal projects like a two-building compound on Fogo Island for friends and family. 

Villa S+O in Paradis, Norway. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

Villa S+O in Paradis, Norway. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

A high-end base camp boutique hotel in the works. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

A high-end base camp boutique hotel in the works. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

Villa Grieg overlooking Nordaas Lake. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

Villa Grieg overlooking Nordaas Lake. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

Fogo Island Inn. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

Fogo Island Inn. (Courtesy of Saunders Architecture)

See the full story on Dwell.

Rising Woodworker Aleksandra Zee Carves Out an Earthy Oasis in the Bay Area

Rising Woodworker Aleksandra Zee Carves Out an Earthy Oasis in the Bay Area

10 Best Places For Design Nerds to Dine in Mexico City

10 Best Places For Design Nerds to Dine in Mexico City