BD+C's 2023 Design Innovation Report

Building Design+Construction’s Design Innovation Report presents projects, spaces, and initiatives—and the AEC professionals behind them—that push the boundaries of building design. This year, we feature four novel projects and one building science innovation.

From an airport terminal that takes biophilic design to new heights, to a rural health clinic that is optimized for harsh conditions using AI tools, these projects offer a fresh perspective on commercial architecture and building design.

We hope you enjoy BD+C’s 2023 Design Innovation Report!

Reinforced concrete walls and fins stiffen and shade the National Bank of Kuwait skyscraper

National Bank of Kuwait

When the National Bank of Kuwait first conceived its new headquarters more than a decade ago, it wanted to make a statement about passive design with a soaring tower that could
withstand the extreme heat of Kuwait City, the country’s desert capital. Read the article.

HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India

Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India. Read the article.

Meet The Hithe: A demountable building for transient startups

The Hithe, near London, is designed to be demountable and reusable. The 2,153-sf building provides 12 units of business incubator workspace for startups. Read the article.

India's mammoth new airport terminal takes ‘back to nature’ seriously

On January 15, 2023, Phase 1 of the Kempegowda International Airport’s Terminal 2, in Bengaluru, India, began domestic operations. The 2.75 million-sf building, designed by
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), is projected to process 25 million passengers annually, while providing its travelers with a healthier environment, thanks to extensive indoor-outdoor
landscaping that offers serenity to what is normally a frenzied experience. Read the article.

Watch: Trends in urban design for 2023, with James Corner Field Operations

India's mammoth new airport terminal takes ‘back to nature’ seriously

Isabel Castilla, a Principal Designer with the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, discusses recent changes in clients' priorities about urban design, with a
focus on her firm's recent projects. Read the article.

Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands

HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile
that acts as a water collector and evaporator. Read the article.