Architect, Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and KU Leuven. Based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Luxe Lakes Arts Center, Chengdu, China. . Image Courtesy of Wide Horizons Development
Internationally recognized architect, writer, and professor Antoine Predock passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 2, 2024, at the age of 87. Throughout his career, Predock developed a unique style, working outside of urban centers and seeking to find a connection between the landscapes and the human experience of space. In addition to serving as a long-term faculty member at the University of New Mexico, he is also the architect behind some well-known projects, including the Nelson Fine Arts Center, the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
We Caught A UFO! by Xavier Madden and Katja Banovic, Croatia and Australia. Image Courtesy of Winter Stations
Winter Stations, now in its 10th year, has unveiled the winning designs selected from a pool of hundreds of submissions worldwide. Following an international design competition launched in November 2023, designers, artists, and architects contributed with bold proposals to reimagine the lifeguard stations along Toronto’s east-end beaches for the winter. Launched by RAW Design, Ferris + Associates, and Curio in 2014, the event aims to gather an international design and art community to join in this playful exercise of rethinking public spaces through bold temporary interventions. The winning designs were realized with the support of Anex Works, a Toronto-based fabrication group, and will be on display until the end of March.
For its 10th anniversary edition, the chosen theme for this year is “Resonance,” hoping to challenge designers to reflect on the artistic legacy and enduring impact of the Winter Stations and to embark on a journey of reinvention and reimagination. The projects were invited to recreate and reinvent installations from previous Winer Stations editions, offering moments of contemplation and remembrance. The event also continues the tradition of the Lifeguard Sands, inviting designers to incorporate them into their designs without structurally altering the stands in any manner.
The field of architecture and design is a dynamic one, often managing large-scale investments and involving a wide array of professionals. It stands to reason that, in this type of environment, success is not simply defined by just the quality of the completed structures, but also by the internal ability of architecture firms to effectively manage their business operations. For architects and designers, measuring performance goes beyond financial metrics; it encompasses a diverse range of factors that reflect the firm's efficiency, creativity, and impact within the industry.
Several key metrics can be measured, from financial goals to client relationship management, innovation, influence, and professional development, all helping architects and designers gauge their performance from different perspectives. As the famous saying goes, “What gets measured gets managed.” To help in this effort, Monograph's 2024 Architecture Business Benchmarks Report offers a thorough examination of five key metrics.
The Joslyn Art Museum in Nebraska announced that the restoration and expiation works led by Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture (APMA) are nearing completion, as the transformed institution is scheduled to reopen on September 10, 2024. The new 42,000-square-foot Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion, designed by Snøhetta and APMA will add new gallery spaces to Nebraska’s largest art museum, becoming the centerpiece of the large-scale project for reimagining the visitor experience.
UNStudio, in collaboration with local partner HYP Architects, has won the competition for the design of the Kyklos building in Luxembourg. The project is part of Beval, a large-scale redevelopment initiative aiming to transform a former industrial site into an urban center complete with a university and technological center, in addition to residential, office, and retail spaces. When designing the Kyklos building, which will occupy a central position in the district's main square, the architects set out to find solutions to create the smallest carbon footprint for both operational and embedded metrics.
New York-based architecture office WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism has been named the 37th recipient of the Louis I. Kahn Award, offered by DesignPhiladelphia. The firm, founded by Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi, is recognized for its wide range of projects, from cultural institutions to urban landscapes, all demonstrating and responding to contextual conditions, sustainability standards, and centered around the human experience.
Snøhetta’s Beijing City Library has opened its doors to the public, introducing a unique space for learning and knowledge-sharing in Beijing’s cultural scene. As one of the most anticipated projects of 2024, the library features the world's largest climatized reading space, in addition to various facilities aimed at creating a vibrant cultural destination in the city. Snøhetta was awarded the Beijing City Library in 2018 through an international competition and the project was completed with local partner ECADI.
While not entirely dependent on one another, the relationship between architecture and mental well-being is an important topic, as designers and architects can contribute to creating a more enjoyable environment for everyone. From strategies to enhance mental health in shared workspaces to the ways in which architecture can contribute to preventing cognitive decline, understanding the potential impact of environmental neurosciences and the ways they apply to architecture is an essential skill for our profession.
The Indonesian parliament has approved a bill to relocate the capital from the city of Jakarta to a completely new city to be built on the island of Borneo, 1,300 kilometers from the current capital. The decision, first announced in 2019, comes as a reaction to the myriad of challenges faced by Jakarta, including pollution, traffic congestion, and, perhaps the most threatening, rising sea waters. As a consequence of excessive groundwater extraction, rapid urbanization, and rising sea levels, 40% of the city is currently below sea level, making it increasingly difficult for the infrastructure to protect the residents. President Joko Widodo proposes an alternative: relocating the administrative center of the country to a new green metropolis, to be named Nunsantara, meaning ‘archipelago’ in ancient Javanese.
Doha is the capital of Qatar and the county’s most populated area, accommodating more people than the rest of Qatar combined. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, Doha is a relatively young city, founded in the vicinity of another settlement, Al Bidda, sometime during the 1820s. In recent years, the city has seen rapid population growth, an image reflected in the architectural landscape. During the 1960s and 1970s, many of the old districts in Doha were demolished to make space for new developments, while several schemes have been deployed to advocate for the preservation of the city’s cultural and architectural heritage.
During the period 1925–1975, Danish society underwent significant changes. As a result, the architects were called upon to help shape the daily lives of the citizens in modern Denmark. The role of women was also changing, following the 1915 constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote. In the following years, the first generations of women completed their educations within the design disciplines. During 1925-1975, women have had an important, if other overlooked impact, shaping the everyday environment by designing and reimagining kitchens, public buildings, housing, landscapes, and urban areas, among other things.
The Women in Danish Architecture project aims to offer a more complete understanding of Danish architecture history and to present it in a more engaging and inclusive way. The aim is to contribute to an understanding of architectural history as not created by great individuals but through mutual and creative collaborations. The project is anchored in the Section for Landscape Architecture and Planning at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen.
In an effort to find effective strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, the Biden-Harris administration has released a draft of a new legislative initiative that strives to impose a National Definition for Zero Emissions Buildings. Overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the draft proposes a standardized and verifiable base for defining the common minimum conditions for such buildings, as well as pathways for transparent verifications by public and private entities. DOE has now launched a ‘request for information' asking for feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, and other stakeholders before finalizing the document.
The project for implementing a fourth metro line in the Greek capital began in 2021, with the purpose of reducing the need for automobiles in the crowded city. As the 15-station new line is estimated to transport 340,000 passengers a day, up to 53,000 cars could be taken off the roads each day. While the opening of the line may be five years away, work has now begun to refurbish seven urban squares which will become stations. Despite public support for the initiative, the project has also led to some controversy, with residents fearing gentrification.
Throughout history, San Diego has been a canvas for visionary architects who have left enduring legacies on its built environment. From iconic landmarks like the Geisel Library and the Salk Institute to the dynamic spaces of the San Diego Central Library and the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, each piece of architecture reveals hidden aspects of the layered history and the spirit of exploration of San Diego.
emple of Together by Caroline Ghosn, 2024. Design rendering by Maissa Sader. Image Courtesy of Burning Man
The annual festivalBurning Man has revealed the design of the 2024 Temple at Black Rock City, which will become the central installation during the festival happening between August 25th and September 2nd, 2024, in Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Titled “The Temple of Together,” the proposal is designed by Caroline Ghosn, the first BIPOC, female Temple lead artist. The proposal takes cues from neo-gothic religious architecture, combined with Art Deco styles and Lebanese Khaizaran weaving techniques to create a symbol of unity and respect. The design was selected following an international competition that seeks to find novel interventions that fit within the Burning Man tradition.
Salone del Mobile.Milano has announced the opening dates and events program, expanding the trade fair event to encompass more narratives and projects relevant to the design community. The 62nd edition will take place at Rho Fiera Ilano from April 16 to 21, 2024. It is expected to include over 1900 exhibitors from around the world, with contributions from emerging designers and several design schools under the recurring SaloneSatellite, now in its 25th-anniversary edition. The cultural program also includes immersive installations, like David Lynch’s “Thinking Rooms.”
Located along Manhattan’s East River waterfront, the Freedom Plaza sets out to create a new civic and cultural hub, introducing a new open and green space in the crowded area, with plans to add an in-park Museum of Freedom and Democracy. Additionally, the scheme designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group includes affordable housing units, two hotels, retail, and restaurants. Developed by Soloviev Group and Mohegan, the Freedom Plaza development reimagines one of the largest undeveloped plots in Manhattan, measuring 6.7 acres located south of the United Nations headquarters in the Midtown East neighborhood.
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.
