Girl with a red bag

A lot has already been written and said about how architectural renderings tend to look alike. Often inhabited by young people with backpacks, balloons, kites and birds in the air, they give away the impression of a light-hearted future to come.

However, it seems that lately this has gotten even further when this inevitably bright future started to be represented by the exact same people all over again. Despite the beautiful diversity the world offers, many architectural offices from various places seem to have the same taste.

What a pity.

When a Swedish Skalgubbar web page was launched, some of its catchy and easy to download characters apparently got into the favour of architects around the world and started uniting their visions of our shared environment.

Such as the girl with a red bag.

Heatherwick Studio’s Pier 55
Image © Pier55, Inc. and Heatherwick Studio, Renders by Luxigon

OMA’s Convention Center Entry; Courtesy of OMA

Herzog & de Meuron’s New Vancouver Art Gallery Image © Herzog & de Meuron

Youth hostel in Munich
Image Courtesy of GRAFT Architects

Wadden Sea Center © Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter

Lützow 7’s competition winning project
Image by Lützow 7

High tech campus
© Bramberger [architects]

Frank Gehry’s tallest Berlin tower
© Gehry Partners, Courtesy of Hines

Apparently architecture studios give her a hard time. She seems to always be walking around their buildings, attending exhibitions and visiting all different kinds of restaurants. Once you get to know her, you realize she is almost always around, even here or here on 3nta. She is so busy making these spaces alive that she doesn’t even have time to get changed!

Luckily, it is always warm and sunny in the future.