Dynamic, surprising and visually stunning, the winners of the 2013 World Architecture Festival awards represent the very best in recent architecture across a range of categories, from hotels and transit terminals to mosques and private homes. Here are 12 of those standout buildings, including the winner of the coveted World Building of the Year title.

Shopping: Emporia, Sweden – Wingardh Arkitektkontor

This striking golden glass structure is about as far from a typical suburban mall as a shopping center can ever get. The sprawling Emporia shopping center in Sweden features a cut-out amber glass entrance, color-coded atriums throughout the building that help with navigation, and a rooftop park with outdoor dining and a spa.

House: The Left-Over-Space House, Australia –  Cox Rayner Architects

Proving that virtually no lot is too small for a comfortable, well-designed home, Cox Rayner Architects took a narrow space just 3 meters wide and created a spacious residence. The Left-Over Space House in Brisbane consists of stacked orthogonal forms made mostly of wood. Situated between two public buildings, the house makes use of what seemed like an unusable space. Iron screens offer privacy, and narrow courtyards enable access to nature.

Housing: 28th Street Apartments, USA – Koning Eizenburg Architecture

A historic four-story concrete building in Los Angeles, originally built in 1926, was temporarily abandoned and in a state of disrepair before Koning Eizenburg Architecture gave it a stunning update that restores its beauty while also playing old against new in dynamic and surprising ways. It now contains 24 studio apartments as well as common facilities, and features a modern roof deck with patterns abstracted from the ’20s bas-reliefs found in the main entrance.

Office: Statoil Regional and International Offices, Norway – A-Lab

A-Lab aimed to create a massive commercial building complex for Norwegian energy producer Statoil that would somehow also blend in with the idyllic shoreline on which it’s located. The result is a series of narrow, stacked volumes, each oriented to optimize daylight conditions and views of the fjord landscape. The propeller-shaped glass roofs are filled in with structures inspired by soap bubbles to stand up to loads of heavy snow.

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12 Worthy Winners 2013 World Architecture Festival Awards

Geometry lies at the core of every design process, and as computer-aided design becomes more common, the patterns that can be found in architecture, furniture and home decor grow increasingly complex. The use of fractal geometry, in which a geometric pattern is repeated at smaller and smaller scales to produce irregular shapes and surfaces, is among the most visually interesting. Here are 12 fractal (and fractal-inspired) designs, from tables to the canopy over a train station.

Fractal Table by Platform Wertel Oberfell

(images via: platform-net.com)

Mimicking fractal growth patterns found in nature, the Fractal Table by Platform Wertel Oberfell features legs that resemble tree trunks that divide over and over again until they’re dense enough to form a patterned surface.

Homune Table by Michael Young

(images via: design boom)

36 individual hand-blown glass fractals – six forms repeating six times – come together in this amber-colored geometric table by Michael Young. Says the designer, “over the years we have experimented with fractal structures creating endless constructions, not art but design experimentation,  studies into the unknown and transpired this research into the new lasvit glass table. we discovered that by blowing glass into only one metal tool and cutting it at different lengths, we could make logical and functional structures, the first thing being this special edition table.”

Ornamented Columns by Michael Hansmeyer

(images via:  design boom)

These columns are so complex, at first they don’t seem as if they could possibly be real. Michael Hansmeyer first designed his ‘ornamented columns’ using algorithms and subdivision processes that result in incredibly varied topographies. The designs were then created in three dimensions using 1mm grey board sheets that were individually cut using a mill or laser, then stacked together on poles that run through the core.

>Cellscreen by Korban/Flaubert

(images via: korbanflaubert)

Made of anodized aluminum, this room screen by Korban/Flaubert takes its inspiration from the fractal shapes of honeycomb.

Diffusion Vessels by David Sutton

(images via: dezeen)

These unusual vessels were created by digitally fabricating the fractal growth patterns of natural phenomena like lightning and snowflakes through a process called ‘Diffusion Limited Aggregation’.

Embedded Project by HHD_FUN<

(images via: hddfun)

Architecture firm HHD_FUN created a pavilion in Beijing that features a pattern based upon a triangular fractal pattern. The faces of the pavilion were designed using a recursion algorithm, sub-dividing or ‘cracking’ each triangle into smaller and smaller triangles. At each ‘cracking’, new triangles are raised from the surface to create a three-dimensional pattern.

Absent Nature by Arik Levy

(images via: dezeen)

More than a thousand light tubes make up ‘Fractal Cloud’, a light installation by Arik Levy. “In the shadow of the Fractal Cloud light an enormous hexagonal ring of powerful light has been created from over one thousand light tubes woven onto another to become a single light-emitting textile projecting two small ricochets, one in colour and one in warmer white light.”

Fractal LED by Arik Levy

(images via: dezeen)

Arik Levy also completed this ‘Fractal LED’, another in his fractal LED light series.

Lisbon Oriente Station by Santiago Calatrava

(images via: wikimedia commons)

Lisbon’s Oriente Station by Santiago Calatrava is a dazzling example of mathematically inspired architecture. Calatrava is known for designs that are often rooted in natural patterns and forms, particularly sea life and birds.

Helios House

(images via: wikimedia commons)

Its design may not technically be fractal, but the Helios House gas station in Los Angeles definitely has the look of a mathematical pattern to it, with its faceted stainless steel facade.

Fractal LiveBook

(image via: design boom)

This unusual design is a notebook computer that can be broken into smaller pieces, each of which is a reduced-scale copy of the whole. Says designer Pedro Calle, “Fractal LIVEBOOK is everything you need, it can be split into pieces each of which can work individually as laptops, pads, music players and tweak them with apps and widgets. It also can work together as a console with different touch-screens with programs, menus, tools, palettes, brushes and audio samplers, separating physically the workspace. Find all the fun on customizing your LIVEBOOK’s fractals, share them with your friends and enjoy making the digital realm a more analogous experience.”

Hive Mind Office Table

(images via: omcdesign)

Offering more privacy and adaptability, and certainly better looks, the ‘Hive Mind’ office desk system is an alternative to conventional cubicles that can create fractal working spaces in various configurations.

Home appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, irons and blenders are concerned, first and foremost, with practicality. But should we expect more? This year’s Electrolux Design Lab challenge asked international design students to come up with appliances that engage the senses in new and surprising ways, drawing inspiration from ‘experience creators’ like professional chefs and interior designers. The top 30 semi-finalists have been announced, and ten finalists will present their entries in Milan on October 25th, 2012. Here are 5 of the most intriguing entries.

Hurricane by Kuan-ting Ho

The wheel-shaped ‘Hurricane’ by Kuan-ting Ho looks like a cool addition to a space-age tablescape. But it’s much more than just decor – it’s a blender that produces the perfect mixed drink. Browse a programmed library, choose your drink and a recipe will instruct you to insert certain ingredients into a spout on the top of the gadget. The mixer will do the rest.

Treat by Amy Mon-Chu Liu

Tree + Eat = Treat. Amy Mon-Chu Lu’s ‘Treat’ is a tree-shaped device that helps you store food properly and keep track of its freshness using mobile technology. Vacuum-sealed pods serve as food containers that change color to warn you when your food is nearing its use-by date, and they’re actually dropped from the tree when they expire.

Touch by Markus Marks

Throwing on an outfit, only to find that it’s wrinkled and needs to be ironed, is the worst when you’re in a hurry to get out the door – and especially when you’re traveling and don’t have a lot of extra clothes with you. ‘Touch’ by marks Marks ensures that you look presentable at all times. It’s a portable ‘iron’ that uses infrared light rather than heat to smooth the fabric of your clothes while you’re wearing them. It doesn’t even need to be turned on or off – it automatically starts working when it senses the fabric.

Wine Steward by Roman Blahnyka

Wine connoisseurs go through a lot of trouble to be sure that the wine they’re drinking is served at precisely the right temperature, but most casual wine drinkers don’t have the time or inclination to follow suit. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy wine to its fullest potential. The Wine Steward by Roman Blahnyka maintains the perfect temperature for any type of wine, also creating a vacuum within the bottle to ensure that your leftover wine never goes to waste.

Memory by WenYao Cal

You like your coffee balanced and fruity, while your partner prefers it dark and intense. This gadget uses your handprint to remember exactly how you like your coffee, so you don’t have to compromise. ‘Memory’ by WenYao Cai scans your hand and then serves your coffee just right – perfect for people who can barely function until they’ve had a cup.

There was a time when modernism was at odds with the organic designs of nature. As eco-consciousness has taken over the minds of the public, it has also spilled over into the design world, resulting in a new realm of modernist, green designs. From eco-friendly building materials to designs that minimize water and electricity use, these eight homes elegantly combine the stylish and sustainable.

Cozy Concrete Home

With concrete walls and living roofs, this stunning home by A Cero combines modern aesthetics with eco-friendly touches. The result is a seamless blending of contrasts: vivid earth tones balance the somber gray, white and black interior tones while lush grass softens the edges of  hard concrete.

Reclaimed Rough Lumber House

Using reclaimed old-growth softwood beams from buildings that no longer stand, this design by Omer Rarbel blends the old and the new in an unforgettably eye-catching manner. The rugged lines from the massive, colorful wood beams provide a perfect contrast with the hard, gray concrete walls. The end result is a home that resembles an old-growth forest sprouting up beside a rocky cliff face.

Cantilevered Bio Villa

While this design appears somewhat basic from the outside, it is actually a complex feat of bio engineering. The architects of Cloud 9 worked to make the building appear to be made from one single wall that twists and turns from the underground garage all the way to the concrete sloped roof. The softly titled ceiling allows the building to be open throughout the home, letting in ample natural light. It also provides easy access to the rooftop plants, so watering is as simple as walking outside.

Pool Cooled House

The water in this gorgeous home is so stunning that it makes the design itself a work of art, but rather than just serving as a design gimmick, the architects at Wallflower opted to use the ponds as a simple way to cool the house as it sits under the hot Singapore sun. The ponds flow silently and beautifully throughout the home, acting as a heat sink keep the bedrooms and kitchen cool throughout the year.

Sustainable Rainforest Retreat

While this home looks incredibly contemporary, it was actually constructed with a concrete foundation and steel frame that were already in place, but long abandoned. The architects at SPG incorporated these factors into the design, along with the timber that was initially displaced for the building’s construction. To make the home even more eco-friendly, the house also has its own solar panels and a rainwater recycling system.

Recycled Steel, Concrete and Wood Townhouse

Like the Costa Rican retreat, this townhome reused part of the foundation from the building site to create a modernist, sustainable home. The architects at Studio A77 used discarded guard rails, highway dividers, bridge supports and recycled doors to remodel and rebuild this stunning townhouse. The new design is industrial, but eco-friendly and wonderfully open, offering ample natural light.

Wood Pallet Cargo Container Homes

Designers everywhere have been turning to recycled shipping containers to create inexpensive and sustainable homes and offices. But the creative minds at Infiniski decided to take the trend a step further by incorporating recycled wood pallets into the mix. The pallets aren’t only aesthetically pleasing, they are also a good way to add shade to the designs while still letting in light and ventilation.

Minimalist Desert Retreat

Designing a naturally climate-controlled home in the middle of the desert is no easy task, but its not beyond the skills of architect Lloyd Russell. He opted to use a rusted metal canopy to shade the house and patio, while still allowing wind to roll over the roof in order to let the home to cool naturally. The  rusty coloring is a perfect compliment to the desert setting, allowing the building to flow seamlessly with its natural environment.

The tiles that line your bathroom might be nice to look at, but what do they actually do? The color-changing tiles from Moving Color take a regular bathroom and make it into an ever-changing work of art.

(image via: Apartment Therapy)

Moving Color’s products turn their environments into dynamic and ever-changing spaces by reacting to ambient temperatures. They start out as one color when cool, then slowly change color as they warm up.

(image via: Moving Color)

The glass tiles, made of 20-80% recycled materials, change colors in gradual steps through the color spectrum as they warm up. Whether the warmth is applied through hot water, the touch of a warm hand or simply the rising air temperature in a room, the changes result in a spectacular hypercolor display.

(image via: BrainStorm)

Although the obvious applications would seem to be wall coverings in bathrooms and kitchens – the two rooms in the home that undergo the most extreme temperature changes – the heat-sensitive tiles could be used in a multitude of applications. The manufacturer suggests using them for artful displays on walls or floors, or even as creative elements in children’s books.