Domino Sugar Refinery / PAU - Practice for Architecture and Urbanism
In the same way that societies transform, times change, and cities evolve, industrial architecture modernizes and technifies, sometimes reaching a state of abandonment or ruin. Understanding its value as a built legacy and being vestiges of technological, social, and cultural changes, the renovation and/or conversion of numerous factories and industrial warehouses can lead to the revitalization, recovery, or growth of various areas in large cities, incorporating new uses and spaces for the enjoyment of their citizens.
Architecture is the design of spaces for human occupation. Despite architects’ skill in designing spaces to influence human behavior there often is a shortfall in anticipating and reacting to occupants’ behavior. To create environments that boost well-being, productivity, and social engagement, a symbiotic relationship between buildings and human behavior must be fostered. The intersection of architectural and anthropological studies forms an insightful framework for the design of physical spaces informed by human behavior and cultural context.
Qatar Museums has released renderings showcasing the future Lusail Museum, designed by Swiss architecture office Herzog & de Meuron. The museum will house one of the largest collections of Orientalist art, exploring the movement of people and ideas across the globe and over the centuries. The new institution also strives to provide opportunities for high-level study for scholars, academics, policymakers, and curators. Consequently, the building is conceived as “a vertically layered souk, or miniature city contained within a single building,” aiming to encourage conversations, debates, and meditation on global issues.
Courtesy of MVRDV | Ucharm | MVRDV Gate M West Bund Dream Cente
MVRDV has just introduced its comprehensive plan and architectural vision for the construction of the Gate M West Bund Dream Center in Shanghai. Formerly home to a cement plant factory, the design uses the existing structures for cultural programs and combines them with new structures to house new functions. The Dream Center aims to revitalize the riverbank area into a thriving cultural and recreational district.
On the 3rd of February, this year's Lagos Biennial opened at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, an emblematic venue that was once the site of Nigerian independence celebrations in 1960. As the 4th edition of the art fair, it continues with its objective of using art to activate historic landmarks that have lost significance either through functional use or symbolic meaning to the residents of the former capital city.
The previous editions of the Biennial have explored various aspects of the city's architecture, its symbolic significance, political implications, sovereignty, ownership, notions of belonging, and its relationship with the public. This year, the theme of "Refuge" at the Tafawa Balewa Square takes this exploration even further. Curators Kathryn Weir and Folakunle Oshun highlight that this theme prompts the square to address the concept of a nation-state. It also brings together artists and architects from different disciplines to explore alternative approaches to constructing renewable communities and promoting climate justice.
With more than 70,000 votes, gathered up till now, ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards has shown to be, one of the most relevant and democratic in the architecture community.
You still have the opportunity to shape the outcome until February 14th at 00:01 (EST). Your vote is a powerful tool to honor the architecture that resonates with you most. Together, our collective intelligence will carefully sift through a vast array of over 4,000 projects, ultimately selecting only 75 finalists to stand in the spotlight.
Throughout history, rivers played a crucial role in the social structures of cities. Along riverbanks, communities often congregated for socializing, swimming, and fishing. Swimming in rivers was a popular summertime activity enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether it was the Thames in London or the Seine in Paris, rivers were bustling with swimmers; integrated into urban lifestyles.
The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design share advice and tips for clients with a project that is small and/or has a tight budget. The two discuss the things to look out for when hiring an architect/designer, a contractor, and engineer; material and design constraints; client involvement; workflows; and more.
The private space is usually associated with hiding what goes on inside, allowing people to have certain moments of intimacy. Habitually, bathrooms have been designed for this purpose, reducing openings to a minimum or — sometimes — eliminating them completely.
However, being such an important space within a building, bathrooms have become an object of new exploration for architects. By blurring the limits of privacy — without losing it completely — these spaces are open to the outdoors, allowing the breeze to enter. How does this new experience feel? Check out 30 open bathrooms that play with the feeling of exhibitionism, without fully revealing what is happening inside.
Living in cities built on geographical slopes is a unique and challenging experience. While these areas can offer panoramic views and impressive landscapes, the steep topography presents a series of challenges in terms of urban planning, structural safety, and socio-environmental risks. These cities require special care and solutions in the design of streets, buildings, and infrastructure, as well as an understanding that, for reasons of environmental safety and population well-being, not all areas should be occupied.
When Brenda Mendoza told an NPR reporter about her commute to work, she became the face of the housing crisis in Los Angeles today. Mendoza, a uniform attendant at a Marriott hotel, was living with her family in an apartment in Koreatown, where she had grown up, 10 minutes from her job. The landlord raised the rent, so she moved to a less costly place in Downey. When that rent also rose out of reach, she moved to Apple Valley, and now gets up at 3:30 a.m. to drive 100 miles to her job, dropping off her husband and son at their jobs on the way. She did not move to Apple Valley to invest in a house she could love. She simply found an equally unstable, but slightly more affordable, rental hours from her workplace.
Spanning continents and cultures, architecture-focused events serve as platforms for the gathering of diverse groups of professionals to share innovations and embark on dialogues regarding some of the most pressing matters faced by our profession. Embodying the spirit of collaboration, highlighting local cultures and practices, and fostering open debates, this year’s list of events covers a diverse range of biennales, forums, city-wide celebrations, international fairs, and awards.
The influence of design on our physical and mental health has been largely explored in various contexts, ranging from spatial configuration to furniture. The topic has gained notoriety due to the growing awareness of human well-being, especially in recent times. An example of this bond between design and health is the emergence of concepts such as Neuroarchitecture, which seeks to understand the built environment’s potential in our brain. Another case that illustrates this approach, this time in furniture design, is the Paimio Sanatorium, where Alvar Aalto designed the tuberculosis sanatorium and all its furnishings. The chair created for the patient’s lounge —the Paimio Chair— facilitated their breathing due to its shape and the inclination of the backrest.
These approaches are examples of how design can be applied in a specific way to enhance people's well-being through gestures like spatial organization, color and shapes, thereby promoting architecture that contributes to health, care, and recovery, In this context, and as a result of explorations in this field, HEWI has developed ICONIC, infusing emotionally appealing color concepts for its design icon, the 477/801 barrier-free sanitary range. An essential element of this range's design was the concept of "healing architecture" within healthcareand daycare buildings and its influence on not just the physical and mental well-being of patients but also the welfare of other users, such as relatives and staff.
https://www.archdaily.com/1012377/healing-architecture-for-care-and-recovery-iconic-design-with-colorful-conceptsEnrique Tovar
RSHP has unveiled the urban and architectural design for the new Bayeux Tapestry Museum. The intervention is created to house and display the Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth measuring 70 meters in length and depicting the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. The almost 1000 years-old artifact is also included in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” list. The project proposes a contemporary extension of the 17th-century seminary where the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux is located.
Returning for its third edition, Desert X AlUla 2024 invites artists to engage with the landscape, nature, and heritage of AlUla. The exhibition aims to position AlUla as the hub for monumental art experiences in the region. This year’s theme, “In the Presence of Absence,” challenges the concept of deserts as “empty spaces.” Artists worldwide are encouraged to investigate conceptual ideas of the invisible, engaging in a dialogue with AlUla’s environment.
The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and urban planning holds significant promise for creating more intelligent, efficient, and sustainable cities. This fusion entails the integration of cutting-edge technologies that can guide decision-making, enhance resource allocation, predict trends, engage citizens, and more. In this framework, where AI is seen as a tool for advancing various urban aspects, there has been a surge in the development of applications, software, and other technological systems tailored to support urban planning. Below, we have highlighted some global studies and technologies applied from urban morphology to community involvement.
Unlike the air, the temperature in the subsoil varies very little during the year or according to geographical position. A few meters below the surface, the ground temperature is between about 10 to 21°C (50 to 70°F) depending on the region. Dig deeper, and the temperature increases between 20 to 40 degrees centigrade per km, reaching the Earth's core, which approaches 5000 °C. In fact, thinking about how we inhabit a sphere that is orbiting through space with a glowing center can be distressing for some. However, it may be helpful to learn that using Earth's forming energy to generate electricity is a sustainable and efficient way that is already common in some countries. At the same time, we can also take advantage of the mild temperature found a few meters under the ground to acclimatize buildings, whether in hot or cold climates.
Often associated with an industrial aesthetic, metal has become more prevalent in residential and commercial architecture. Its reflective quality has broadened the scope of texture and color combinations, giving rise to a fresh aesthetic for interior design. Consequently, architects and designers increasingly incorporate metallic surfaces to define floors, benches, and other furniture elements, thereby defining spatial layouts and infusing them with a contemporary vibe. To inspire this trend, we explore various methods for incorporating aluminum or similar materials into your space.
Cortesia de SolarLab, Photo by doublespacephoto.com
Autonomy and freedom during the design process are invaluable resources for architects, especially when defining a volume and choosing materials, systems, and solutions for a building. The flexibility of these elements must not only promote their harmonious integration within a structure but, above all, allow architects to incorporate them without the need to change their initial concepts. This design freedom becomes even more crucial in the context of facades, specifically in building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facades. This is due to the unique challenge of incorporating the energy capture function into the design of the building envelope, simultaneously demanding adaptation to the designer's aesthetic preferences and effective performance, as well as the entire infrastructure for capturing and transporting energy.
MAD Architects has announced the completion of the Jiaxing Train Station, the first transportation infrastructure project developed by the architecture office. Located in the historic city of Jiaxing, 100 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, the project involves the replacement of a dysfunctional station that had stood at the site between 1995 and 2019. As China has developed significantly in terms of urbanization, its train stations have grown into complicated, widespread, and uninviting infrastructures. Through their project, MAD Architects strive to return to a human scale, to create a facility that responds to the newest developments in transportation technology, while creating spaces that are comfortable and easy to navigate for its users.
