Sustainability has become a major focus for architects, and as 2021 draws to a close we take a look back at some of the best, most interesting, and most innovative examples of sustainable architecture that caught our eye throughout the year.
If we were going to take a strict approach to sustainable architecture, we should keep our list focused primarily on projects like timber towers and existing buildings that have undergone an energy efficient renovation – the greenest building is one that's already built, after all – but that wouldn't make for a particularly interesting list.
Therefore, we've widened our scope to cover everything from a shipping-container-based stadium that could reduce waste when countries host major sporting events, to a wooden restaurant built on an awkward site that would usually be deemed unsuitable for construction – plus there's a residential project that isn't actually complete but promises to be very energy efficient once it is.
The projects range from Europe, China, the US and the Middle East, and differ in style, budget, and purpose, but all showcase some element of sustainable design. So let's get to it.
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![The Sara Cultural Centre, by White Arkitekter, reaches a maximum height of 75 m (246 ft)]()
September 13, 2021Work has been completed on one of the world's tallest timber towers. Reaching an impressive height of 75 m, the Sara Cultural Centre, by White Arkitekter, is also very sustainable and the firm expects it to become carbon negative after 50 years. -
![FOR, by Powerhouse Company, is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and is part of an ongoing redevelopment of the Rijnhaven harbor]()
September 08, 2021Floating Office Rotterdam, the world's largest floating office, is designed to rise with the tides of climate change, will get all of its electricity needs from a solar array, and can be easily recycled once it reaches the end of its useful life. -
![TECLA is the very first eco-sustainable housing model to be constructed entirely from 3D-printing technology using local raw earth materials]()
May 13, 20213D-printing company WASP and partner Mario Cucinella Architects have completed the TECLA 3D-printed house, which is the first eco-sustainable housing model to be constructed entirely from local raw earth materials using 3D-printing technology. -
![The HiLo unit has been installed on top of the existing NEST research building in Dubendorf, Switzerland]()
October 08, 2021The construction industry is a big producer of CO2, and ETH Zurich has been working on new techniques that help clean up the industry's act. The result is the HiLo, which was built using minimal concrete and has impressive sustainability features. -
![The Nodi is located in Gothenburg, Sweden, and consists of just five floors. Its interior measures 4,659 sq m (roughly 50,000 sq ft)]()
November 23, 2021White Arkitekter recently completed an ambitious timber building named Nodi. The mixed-use office has an unusual overall form that increases in width as it rises and looks almost like it has been turned upside-down. -
![Casamia Community House's intricate ceiling reaches a maximum height of 9 m (2]()
July 30, 2021VTN Architects' Casamia Community House is the latest example of the firm's skill with bamboo. It's designed to be durable and withstand severe weather, and features an intricate arched ceiling that reaches a maximum height of almost 9 m. -
![Garrison Architects has joined forces with sustainable developers South End Development to create the very first triple net-zero mixed-use project in the United States]()
April 22, 2021Garrison Architects has joined forces with sustainable developers South End Development to create the very first triple net-zero mixed-use project in the United States, a mixed residential and business development dubbed the Seventy-Six. -
![974 Stadium, by Fenwick Iribarren Architects, consists of a steel framework and a roof, with the containers slotted in and used to host seats, concession stands, and toilets]()
December 02, 2021As the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar approaches, Spain's Fenwick Iribarren Architects has completed a novel demountable soccer stadium, named 974 Stadium, that was constructed using almost 1,000 shipping containers. -
![The Pavilion is situated on top of a tunnel that hosts an underground light rail track and had to be relatively lightweight as the ground couldn't support a heavy structure]()
October 07, 2021Tasked with designing a restaurant on an awkward site that couldn't support much weight, Acme used engineered wood to create an attractive and lightweight building. It also includes solar power, a green roof, and nesting boxes for birds and bats. -
![The Xuhui Runway Park, by Sasaki, is situated on the former runway of Shanghai's Longhua Airport, which closed in 2011]()
January 14, 2021Sasaki has transformed a dilapidated airport runway in Shanghai, China, into a public park. The project retains elements of the original airport while integrating sustainable design like recycled materials and rainwater collection.
