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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, Partners at FAME Architecture & Design discuss the livability of designer homes. The two cover designing for function and aesthetics, material resilience, lifestyle changes, space efficiency, designing based on reference images, and the benefits of adapting to design-forward living environments.

Designing a good chair is a much more challenging task than we might think. To begin with, several factors must be addressed, such as ergonomics, aesthetics, materials, functionality and durability. In addition, it is essential to define the purpose for which it will be used: an office chair has different requirements than a reading armchair or a dining chair, for example. Only when all these elements are carefully balanced and thought-out can you achieve a truly excellent chair. And often, a good design can end up triggering many other variations throughout the years.

The 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, titled The Laboratory of the Future, will hold its official inauguration on Saturday, May 20^th, and will remain open to the public until November 26^th, 2023. The pre-opening events happening on May 18^th and 19^th include the awards ceremony, during which an international jury led by Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli as president will award the official prizes: Golden Lion for best National Participation, Golden Lion for best participant, and Silver Lion for a promising young participant in the biennale. The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement will be awarded to Demas Nwoko, Nigerian-born artist, designer, and architect, during the inauguration ceremony on May 20^th.

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The tropical climate is famous for its exuberant flora. It's no wonder that architectural projects in the region maintain a constant dialogue between nature and the built environment. Biophilia's benefits to users are not news, after all. However, high temperatures, frequent rains, and high humidity levels present unique challenges for reconciling the connection between the interior and exterior with the construction of houses that are comfortable and efficient over time. In the search for solutions that meet needs and demands, we have selected residential projects that appropriate the context to become unique in this environment.

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The Graham Foundation has announced the award of 64 new grants to individuals exploring innovative and interdisciplinary ideas that contribute critical perspectives on architecture and design in 2023.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

When San Francisco’s MUNI spent big money on a “central subway” to Chinatown, I was doubtful. One recent Saturday, though, I revived the gallery-hopping I did before the pandemic, taking the train from Berkeley into the city, walking to one gallery near Embarcadero Station, then taking a tram past the ballpark to the CalTrain Station, where I switched to another tram to head south to Minnesota Street’s Dogpatch cluster of galleries and artists’ studios.

One of the primary functions of architecture is to provide shelter, fulfilling the physiological and safety needs at the base of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of human motivation. Throughout history, the need for shelter has been evident in our ancestors’ behavior, who sought refuge in caves to protect themselves from weather conditions and predators. As societies shifted from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle and basic needs were easily met, shelters became more advanced, evolving into purpose-built spaces. These early shelters withstood the elements of their time and laid the foundation for modern architecture as we know it today.

Today, extreme weather conditions due to climate change are testing cities, buildings and materials. Venice is flooding, and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is experiencing melting ice. Without action, conditions will continue to worsen, increasing the need for efficient strategies that allow us to coexist with the environment and to develop more resistant materials for our buildings. An example of these materials of the future is NATURCLAD-B, a high-quality, maintenance-free wood panel system designed for architecture, interior design and construction.

Though lesser known, the Hungarian city of Veszprém is one of the oldest and most important cities in the country. Designated as the European Union Capital of Culture for 2023, Veszprém boasts a longstanding history, visible through its evolving, yet well-preserved architectural monuments. In fact, one of the first notable observations as one walks through the city streets is its eclecticism and layers of historically diverse buildings, that sporadically arise. Despite the difference in styles and architectural languages, they collectively tell the story of the county and its spiritual and political relevance. Its pedestrian-friendly streets, many parks and public spaces, connect the Veszprém monuments, as one delves into a historic promenade.

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As one of the most important and visited contemporary architecture exhibitions worldwide, the Venice Architecture Biennale extends beyond the grounds of the Giardini and the Arsenale, and at Forte Marghera to engage the whole city in discussing relevant issues, challenges, and opportunities of the architectural profession. To explore more diverse perspectives of the overarching theme, “Africa: The Laboratory of the Future,” 9 collateral events have been officially announced as part of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.

The events, which are admitted by curator Lesley Lokko and promoted by non-profit national and international bodies and institutions, take place in several locations scattered around the city. They offer a wide range of contributions and participations that contribute to the diversity of voices represented at the exhibition in Venice.

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The infamous Unite d' Habitation, the first in Le Corbusier's new line of housing projects that emphasized community living for all the residents, was completed in 1952. For its 70^th anniversary, world-renowned photo artist Paul Clemence reveals a unique photo series of the building as it stands today. The photographs honor the construction that initiated the brutalist movement and showcase the infamous project's current condition.

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Making a space more practical, facilitating daily tasks, creating unity in interior design, providing different possibilities for an area without modifying it, and adding beauty are not easy tasks. Still, some elements are essential for achieving them: cabinets and shelves.

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On the occasion of the sixth edition of the AHI European Heritage Intervention Award, the 26 selected projects within the categories of Built Heritage and Outdoor Spaces have been announced, among a total of 241 projects submitted from 28 different European countries.

Solid wood, which has been used since prehistoric times and is still highly valued today, is extracted directly from trees without undergoing any lamination, pressing, or gluing processes. While it remains a universally used material in architecture, its widespread use has led to an increased demand and less efficient resource management. Therefore, solutions are being sought to optimize its use in production processes and reduce its consumption without losing its capabilities and characteristic beauty. To address issues such as warping, aging, and high environmental costs associated with solid wood, materials like Technowood have been developed. Combining technology and super-strength composites with natural wood veneers, Technowood maintains the beauty and characteristics of solid wood, but with greater durability and a sustainable approach, making it a suitable alternative.

When designing bathrooms, maximizing space is key for creating functional layouts that meet user needs and enhance their well-being, while also being aesthetically pleasing. In addition providing guidance on where to best place each element, AXOR’s bathroom collection elevates these spaces through an array of features, including mixers, showers, wash basins, bath tubs and accessories. These elements seamlessly blend with carefully chosen color schemes, materials and finishes to build the space.

Being one of the most intimate spaces in our homes, the creation of personalized bathrooms has a direct impact on our daily lives. With Make it yours!, AXOR dives into customized luxury and how to apply it in bathroom design. Exploring diverse styles, powerful colors, and individualized detailing, their collections are able to reflect multiple personalities by designing unique spaces through the inspiration of unique bathroom concepts from leading designers. In collaboration with London-based Barber Osgerby, AXOR developed the ‘Skyline’ concept, a customizable project designed with individual distinction.

The National Pavilion of the Czech Republic presents the exhibition “The Office for a Non-Precarious Future” at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition investigates current pressing issues faced by the architectural profession and especially by young practitioners by asking the initial question: ”How can architects design a better world if they themselves work in a toxic working system?.” The pavilion is commissioned by Helena Huber-Doudová and will present the works of exhibitors Eliška Havla Pomyjová, David Neuhäusl, and Jan Netušil. As the Czech ad Slovak Pavilion at the Giardini della Biennale is under reconstruction, the Czech Republic will exceptionally use the Arsenale in the Artiglierie section as its exhibition space. The Czech and Slovak Pavilion in Giardini will serve only as a digital hub to complement the main presentation.

The Copacabana calçada (Copacabana sidewalk) is one of the greatest symbols in the stunning landscape of Rio de Janeiro. What not everyone knows is that its history (and design) precedes the intervention of Roberto Burle Marx in the 1970s. The origin of the design, as well as its stones, is Portuguese.

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For the 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, the South African Pavilion explores the architectural representation of social structures through an exhibition titled “The Structure of a People.” Prior to the exhibition, the pavilion curators, Mr. Stephen Steyn, Dr. Emmanuel Nkambule, and Dr. Sechaba Maape, conducted a national architecture competition titled “Political Animals,” aimed at gathering artifacts crafted by lecturers and architecture students to represent the structures of their schools or universities. The resulting models and miniature architectures, produced by ModelArt, will be exhibited within Zone III, Political Animals, as part of the South African Pavilion.

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