Diller + Scofidio (+ Renfro) are living proof that if you enter enough design competitions (and submit strong enough designs) that you will eventually get the recognition you deserve. Diller + Scofidio's breakthrough (competition winning) Blur Building at the 2002 Swiss Expo proved that they were more than theoretical architects who could produce interesting renderings, more than mere installation artists, they were actual architects producing thoughtful, interesting, fun and important buildings.

Blur Building at expo.02
(2002) Yverdon-les-Baines, Switzerland

You missed your chance to see Diller + Scofidio's breakthrough Blur Building, as close to being inside a cloud as you could probably ever to expect. The building itself (really just a frame, some stairs and a hell of a lot of nozzles) hosted a water bar on its top deck and, well, did I mention the water bar yet?

Click here to go to whatever's still left at the expo.02 site

Slither
(2000) Gifu, Japan

If all housing projects were dessigned by Diller + Scofidio, then maybe they would all at least have cool names like Slither. The apartments are aptly named- Slither is an undulating building with slightly different elevations and flexible interiors, a rethought housing project from a firm known for its thinking.

Eyebeam Atelier
(2008) New York City, United States

Diller + Scofidio's competition winning entry for Eyebeam Atelier (beating firms such as Asymptote, Neil Denari, MVRDV and Foreign Office Architects) includes a continuous, folding floor plate and a robotic, voyeuristic camera that scales the outside windows.

Click here to visit the Eyebeam site where you will probably get the feeling that 2008 may be optimistic for the completion of this building

Slideshow | Blur Building at expo.02

See more of the Blur Building (and fifteen more places) at the ArBITAT Places page... (go to places.ArBITAT.com)

ArBITAT FutureWatch

The best of Diller, Scofidio + Renfro is yet to come. Eyebeam, Lincoln Center and ICA Boston (all winning competition entries) will establish Diller + Scofidio as a truly unique voice. Follow their progress at ArBITAT FutureWatch... (go to ArBITAT FutureWatch)