Architecture is more than real estate
Urban nomads can live anywhere, but most of us want to live somewhere. This is why we design contemporary buildings with a strong character, that not only react to their context but shape it. We search to understand the qualities of a location and we cherish its historical traces to generate designs that add to its unique character. In this way we shape identity and create a somewhere for the growing number of urbanites.
Social interaction is important
OZ designs for life in the city, transforming areas into new places to live. We combine programs to create synergy. Social interaction is essential in our architecture. We make spaces for people to meet, places to relax and work. We believe that it is our job as architects to create those spaces, public or collective, in and around our buildings, wherever possible.
We believe in density
If we don’t want to succumb into endless sprawl, traffic jams and pollution, we must embrace density. For us, densifying cities creates a very interesting challenge. Because of its complexity, density creates new solutions, new opportunities, new cultures, new communities, new art, new music and new architecture. Sprawl is boring, density is exciting.
Clever architecture
On the path towards designing Paris Proof buildings, we believe, the large dependence on technical installations will become counter effective. We want to make projects thoroughly sustainable and also feasible. We embrace the idea of buildings without mechanical heating or ventilation, exchanging technical hardware for software, using bio based materials and so reducing the carbon footprint of our designs not because we are idealists but because we are realists.
Stimulating nature with architecture
To transform parts of our city in new thriving places for people to work and live, we have to look beyond buildings. There can be no good densification of the city without intensifying urban nature in the form of greens and parks for people and green roofs and walls for fauna. As the countryside, in a sense, becomes more mono-functional the city has the potential to enforce natural diversity, to bring people and nature closer together.