Contour Crafting Picks Up Speed
In 2006, Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis, professor at the University of Southern California, introduced the world to Contour Crafting: the idea of applying Computer Aided Design and 3D Printing to homes and eventually larger buildings. As Dr. Khoshnevis explains in this TED Talk, Contour Crafting uses a giant 3D printer that hangs over a designated space and robotically builds up the walls of that building with layers of concrete. The robot can paint the walls and tile surfaces and even knows to construct plumbing and electrical wiring as it goes (Dvice). The idea is that by automating the construction process – one of the only processes humans still do largely by hand – homes will be cheaper and more quickly erected, with significantly lower labor costs. More importantly, Khoshnevis believes that Contour Crafting is essential to creating a more “dignified” architecture by eliminating slums in developing countries and aiding areas in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.
While Dr. Khoshnevis continues to develop Contour Craft, Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars has already come up with the first house design that can be printed using this up-and-coming technology.
More after the break… (more…)
Architectural League Announces 2013 Winners of Emerging Voices Award
Emerging Voices is an award developed by the Architecture League of New York that annually selects eight practitioners in a juried portfolio selection. Award recipients are selected from the disciplines of architecture, landscape design and urbanism and display the sensibility of the profession in light of the larger issues related to the built environment. This year’s selection includes: SO-IL, PRODUCTORA, Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects, MASS Design Group, graciastudio , dland studio, DIGSAU, and cao | perrot Studio.
Details after the break.
Ghost Cities Around the World
This post is by Cian O’ Driscoll, the writer of a lifestyle blog called Raconteur Living that explores architecture and popular culture. Cian is currently undergoing a Master of Science in Architecture at Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland.
Abandoned cities are an unfortunate consequence of life and growth on our planet. The reasons for abandoning a city are as varied as the people who once inhabited their buildings and walked their streets. Many of these cities are forgotten and simply line the pages of history. Some are examples of poor urban planning; some the result of the depletion of natural resources, while others are poignant reminders of the fragility of life in a nuclear world.
Below are some striking images of abandoned cities from around the world. Many of these cities have been abandoned for decades, however, due to rapid growth and expansion, particularly in China, we are now in an era of “modern” abandoned cities.
Read the stories behind these modern-day ghost towns, after the break…
AECOM Announces Urban SOS Winners
AECOM has announced ‘Unslumming Kibera’ as winner of the fourth annual Urban SOS competition.
The student competition received submissions from 118 universities in 41 countries. Three projects were shortlisted for a presentation to a panel of judges in New York on Jan 16.
Read about the finalists and their projects after the break
Happy 115th Birthday Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto, born February 3,1898, would have turned 115 years old today. Known for his humanistic approach to modernism, Aalto was concerned about creating a total work of art. He did not simply design buildings but also paid close attention to their interior features including furniture, lamps, and glassware design.
His architectural style began with Nordic Classicism and moved to International Style Modernism, and eventually evolved into a more synthetic and personal Modernism. He was one of the first and most influential architects of the Scandinavian modern movement. Aalto remains one of the greatest names in modern architecture.
To celebrate Aalto’s birth, we invite you to look back at his impressive collection of works:
• AD Classics: Villa Mairea
• AD Classics: MIT Baker House Dormitory
• AD Classics: Jyvaskyla University
• AD Classics: Muuratsalo Experimental House
• AD Classics: Wolfsburg Cultural Center
Icon selects San Rocco as Emerging Architect of the Year
San Rocco have been announced as the recipients of the inaugural Icon Award for Emerging Architectural Practice of the Year.
However, San Rocco is not your typical architectural practice. Departing from the traditional model, San Rocco is a collaboration of firms with different disciplines; Instead of buildings, they are known for their publishing projects.
The Shard Opens to the Public
Today, six months after the laser light extravaganza that marked the completion of The Shard in London, the controversial glass tower celebrated its official opening to the public. Architecture enthusiasts and residents were welcomed to join the mayor of London 244 meters above the capital on the 72 floor observation deck for the official ribbon cutting.
Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the 310 meter needle-point structure is currently the tallest in Western Europe. The two million square meter mixed-use development offers ample office space, restaurants, a five-star shangri-la hotel and residences.
2013 Rudy Bruner Award Finalists Announced
Celebrating those who transform urban problems into creative solutions since 1987, the biennial Rudy Bruner Award (RBA) has announced the 2013 finalists. The prize aims to illuminate the complex process of urban placemaking by seeking out often overlooked urban exemplars whose existence heightens the richness and diversity of American cities.
In celebration of their achievement, one $50,000 Gold Medal award and four $10,000 Silver Medals will be awarded to the finalists in May.
The 2013 Rudy Bruner Award finalists are:
Studio Gang Breaks Ground on Ecologically Diverse Urban Mecca
For the past several years the Chicago Park District and the City of Chicago have been working on appropriate uses for Northerly Island, a 91-acre man-made peninsula in Chicago, Illinois. The lakefront site branches off from Museum Campus, a section along Lake Michigan that is home to the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. Serving as an expansion to these cultural programs, Studio Gang Architects, in collaboration with SmithGroupJJR, have created an innovative design that integrates educational, cultural, social, and recreational activities into Northerly Island.
Read more about Northerly Island’s future after the break!
Le Corbusier: The Patron Saint of Skateboarders
We here at ArchDaily are big fans of Roman Mars’ radio program 99% Invisible, and just had to share the latest show: “In and Out of Love.” In it, Mars explores the changing face of Philadelphia’s JFK Plaza (more commonly known as LOVE Park), why its Modernist characteristics made it perfect for skateboarding (although city officials certainly didn’t feel that way), and why Le Corbusier truly is the patron saint of skateboarders (more about the episode at 99% Invisible).
And, if you like this, check out Why Skateboarding Matters to Architecture, and follow the jump for some very cool, very innovative skate-friendly homes, stores, and parks…
Libeskind Shortlisted for Ohio Statehouse Holocaust Memorial
Daniel Libeskind is among three semi-finalists competing to design the Ohio Statehouse Holocaust Memorial in Columbus. The privately funded memorial will be built south of the Ohio Statehouse on the grassy 10 acre Capitol Square, just east of the Scioto River.
As stated in the competition brief, “The memorial itself must help everyone who visits and works in the Statehouse understand not just the history of the Holocaust, but also the fact that today we must continue to stand against evil. Artists are asked to create a piece that will serve as a permanent memorial in remembrance of all victims of the Holocaust (1933-1945) and those Ohioans who participated in the liberation of the death camps during World War II. The memorial should provide enlightenment on man’s inhumanity to man and inspire people to think and act differently in the face of discrimination, hatred, antiSemitism and genocide.”
The three semi-finalists are:
Finalists for Mies van der Rohe Award Selected
The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the five finalists who will compete for the 2013 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, also known as the Mies van der Rohe Award. Out of 355 works submitted from 37 countries, five have been short-listed, including BIG‘s Superkilen (also up for an ArchDaily Building of the Year Award for best public facility).
The overall winner of the Prize, as well as the ‘special mention’ award for best emerging architect, will be announced in May, with an award ceremony on June 6th at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona, Spain.
See all 5 finalists, after the break…
Oiio Reveals Proposal for Guggenheim Expansion
With many museums worldwide seeking to extend to accommodate larger collections, Athens-based Oiio Architecture Office has asked: “What if we decided we needed a little more of Guggenheim?”
Their solution is to stretch Frank Lloyd Wright’s original building skywards, by continuing its iconic ramp, creating an additional 13 floors.
More on the design after the break…
Foster + Partners To 3D Print Structures on the Moon
Foster + Partners, in conjunction with the European Space Agency (ESA), has undertaken a study to explore the possibilities of using 3D printing to construct lunar habitations on the moon’s southern pole (where there is near perpetual sunlight). The firm has already designed a lunar base that could house four people, and has begun to test the structure in a vacuum chamber that echoes lunar conditions.
The shell of the base, which has a hollow closed cellular structure inspired by natural biological systems, should be able to protect potential inhabitants from “meteorites, gamma radiation and high temperature fluctuations.” According to Xavier De Kestelier, Partner at Foster + Partners, the firm is ”used to designing for extreme climates on earth and exploiting the environmental benefits of using local, sustainable materials – our lunar habitation follows a similar logic.”
The study will also address the challenges of transporting materials to the moon, and is investigating the use of lunar soil, known as regolith, as the potential building matter.
More details from Foster + Partners‘ Press Release, after the break:
The 8 Things Domestic Violence Shelters Can Teach Us About Secure School Design
In our last Editorial, “Post-Traumatic Design: How to Design Schools that Heal Past Wounds and Prevent Future Violence,” we discussed how architects must conceptualize school design in the wake of the tragic shootings that have affected our nation. Rather than leaning towards overly secure, prison-like structures, the Editorial suggested a different model, one better suited to dealing with student needs (particularly for those who have experienced trauma): domestic violence shelters.
While the comparison may seem bizarre at first, shelter design is all about implementing un-invasive security measures that could easily make schools safer, healthier spaces for students. To further elaborate this unlikely connection, we spoke with an Associate at Mahlum Architecture, Corrie Rosen, who has worked with the The Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence [WSCADV] on the Building Dignity project, which provides Domestic Violence Shelters advice to design shelters that empower and heal.
Find out Mahlum’s 8 strategies for designing schools that can improve security and student well-being, after the break…
Calatrava Criticized for Valencia Complex
Praised for his masterful blends of architecture and engineering, yet criticized for rarely sticking to a budget, Valencia-native Santiago Calatrava is no stranger to controversy. His latest project making headlines is the largest landmark in Valencia and the second most-visited cultural complex in Spain: the City of Arts and Sciences.
The controversy after the break… (more…)
Karakusevic Carson and David Chipperfield to Design Residential Towers in London
Karakusevic Carson and David Chipperfield have been announced as the “preferred bidder” for a pair of residential towers the East London district of Shoreditch. As reported on BDOnline, the £25 million project at Colville Estate will rise up to 14 and 20 stories high to replace the existing 1950‘s low-rise buildings. This will be the second and last phase of the largest council-backed housing development in London and the first UK mass housing project for Chipperfield.
Grimshaw Reveals Aviation Vision for London
Grimshaw Architects are the latest practice to add their voice to the debate surrounding the capacity problem of London’s airports. Their innovative proposal, entitled ‘London: Hub City’, bucks the trend of recent ‘superhub’ proposals, which are frequently suggested as a solution to the problem.
Instead of creating a large ‘airport hub’ on a single site separated from the city, Grimshaw’s design prioritizes construction of new express lines by creating a ‘City Hub’ that allows passengers to transfer between London’s existing airports via the city center. The benefit being that expansion could be spread amongst its four existing airports incrementally, as needed, instead of being concentrated on the construction of one ‘super-hub’.
More on Grimshaw’s aviation proposal for London after the break.
Video: Rob Montgomery & Pernilla Ohrstedt, The Hot Seat
Two leading London creatives meet for a chat and a chop in an East End hair salon.
Why The Recession Was Long Over-Due
Yesterday, we featured an article by Yale faculty member and AutoDesk Vice President, Phil Bernstein, about the increasing opportunities for architecture students graduating in 2013. Today, Scott Simpson, a senior fellow of the Design Futures Council and co-author of the books How Firms Succeed and The Next Architect, offers his perspective on our recovering economy, and what it will mean for architects in the future.
Simpson starts off by putting the Crisis in perspective: “From 2008 to 2011, the profession took a tremendous hit, both financially and in terms of lost intellectual capital. The old way of doing business is not coming back, nor would we wish for it. [...] Rather than complaining about tough times, let’s start with the realization that many of these changes are long overdue.”
After reviewing what the Recession has meant and what we can learn from it, Simpson makes one final, and empowering, claim: “For those willing to take up the challenge, there has never been a more exciting time to be an architect.”
Read all of Simpson’s article, which originally appeared on DesignIntelligence, after the break…
Alberto Campo Baeza Awarded Heinrich Tessenow Gold Medal 2012
Following in the footsteps of Pritzker-Prize laureates Eduardo Souto de Moura and Peter Zumpthor, the distinguished Spanish architect Alberto Campo Baeza has just been awarded the Heinrich Tessenow Gold Medal for 2012 by the Alfred Toepfer Foundation in Hamburg. The award, given since 1962, is a recognition of work that, like that of German architect Heinrich Tessenow (1876-1950), is “uncompromising, sober and essential.”
The awards ceremony will take place on the 30th of January, 2013, in Hamburg. In his honor, the Hafeb City University in Hamburg will also be exhibiting some of Campo Baeza’s works.
Read the full Press Release, after the break.
