1. ArchDaily
  2. Public Art

Public Art: The Latest Architecture and News

Digital Art and Architecture: Beyond Billboards and Spheres

In July, Las Vegas unveiled an extravagant spectacle - a colossal LED-wrapped spherical structure, standing 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide. This entertainment event venue instantly captured the public's gaze, becoming a local landmark and attracting global attention through extensive news coverage. Similar spherical concepts have been proposed in London and at a smaller scale in Los Angeles. These massive display structures open up questions about facades as digital canvases. What role can architecture take as an urban canvas other than as a billboard? And what are different ways for architecture to engage the public through digital art besides gigantic LED spheres?

Digital Art and Architecture: Beyond Billboards and Spheres - Image 1 of 4Digital Art and Architecture: Beyond Billboards and Spheres - Image 2 of 4Digital Art and Architecture: Beyond Billboards and Spheres - Image 3 of 4Digital Art and Architecture: Beyond Billboards and Spheres - Image 4 of 4Digital Art and Architecture: Beyond Billboards and Spheres - More Images+ 2

Utopian Practice, Political Power, and Community in Architecture: An Interview with Olalekan Jeyifous

After being awarded the prestigious Silver Lion for his contribution to this year's Venice Architecture Biennale, Brooklyn-based artist Olalekan Jeyifous shows no signs of slowing down. Currently in the midst of preparing his entry to the next Sharjah Architecture Triennial, he also recently celebrated the opening of Climate Futurism, a group exhibition that highlights the power and efficacy of artists’ methods and processes to imagine a more equitable future – and is working on a public monument to former United States Representative Shirley Chisholm as part of New York City's She Built NYC initiative, among other projects.

Utopian Practice, Political Power, and Community in Architecture: An Interview with Olalekan Jeyifous - Image 1 of 4Utopian Practice, Political Power, and Community in Architecture: An Interview with Olalekan Jeyifous - Image 2 of 4Utopian Practice, Political Power, and Community in Architecture: An Interview with Olalekan Jeyifous - Image 3 of 4Utopian Practice, Political Power, and Community in Architecture: An Interview with Olalekan Jeyifous - Image 4 of 4Utopian Practice, Political Power, and Community in Architecture: An Interview with Olalekan Jeyifous - More Images+ 3

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped to Be Recycled by Parley for the Oceans

Two years ago, on September 18, 2021, Christo and Jeanne-Claude's L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, 1961–2021, was inaugurated. The monumental public artwork wrapped the Parisian monument in over 25,000 square meters of silvery fabric tied in place with 7,000 meters of red rope. The materials, all made out of woven polypropylene, a type of thermoplastic, are now being reused, upcycled, and recycled, following the artists’ vision. Most of the materials will be transformed to serve practical uses for future public events in Paris. The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation is also collaborating with Gagosian to bring Christo’s early works to London’s East End for an exhibition open from October 6-22, 2023.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped to Be Recycled by Parley for the Oceans - Image 1 of 4Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped to Be Recycled by Parley for the Oceans - Image 2 of 4Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped to Be Recycled by Parley for the Oceans - Image 3 of 4Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped to Be Recycled by Parley for the Oceans - Image 4 of 4Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped to Be Recycled by Parley for the Oceans - More Images+ 5

Public Art Circuit Passages Insolites 10 Proposes a Retrospective Route to Explore Quebec City, Canada

The 10th edition of Passages Insolites is taking place from June 22 until October 9, 2023, bringing together artists from around the world. The public art circuit is presented by the City of Quebec and created by EXMURO arts public to showcase a retrospective artistic path through the city, recalling the event’s previous editions. The public art event takes place every summer in Quebec City in in the Place Royale, Petit Champlain and Old Port districts. This year, the event presents works of art from 40 artists, headlined by Felice Varini, who presents a monumental three-dimensional work at Place-Royale.

Public Art Circuit Passages Insolites 10 Proposes a Retrospective Route to Explore Quebec City, Canada - Image 1 of 4Public Art Circuit Passages Insolites 10 Proposes a Retrospective Route to Explore Quebec City, Canada - Image 2 of 4Public Art Circuit Passages Insolites 10 Proposes a Retrospective Route to Explore Quebec City, Canada - Image 3 of 4Public Art Circuit Passages Insolites 10 Proposes a Retrospective Route to Explore Quebec City, Canada - Image 4 of 4Public Art Circuit Passages Insolites 10 Proposes a Retrospective Route to Explore Quebec City, Canada - More Images+ 20

Expanded Public Art within Media Architecture(s)

Toronto’s digital billboard-laden Yonge and Dundas Square is owned by the city but managed through a public-private partnership. While primarily hosting commercial content and activities, the spaces and screens of the square are often used for cultural events and artistic content. As cities, arts organizations, governments, and corporations increasingly seek to engage people in public spaces through combinations of media and architecture, what are some of the possibilities and pitfalls associated with their approaches individually and in concert with one another? How does media architecture modulate civic, creative, and commercial interests and impacts?

A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community

Public spaces are the beating heart of our cities. They act as the hubs of social and cultural activity where people congregate, interact, and escape the clamor of the city. These areas are crucial in determining a city's identity, character, and citizens' well-being and standard of living. Public spaces can define our communities and significantly impact how we live, work, and interact with one another through their architectural designs, facilities, and activities. Furthermore, they provide leisure, exercise, and recreation opportunities, allowing individuals to escape the confines of their daily routines and connect with nature.

This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights projects submitted by the ArchDaily community showcasing different proposals made to enhance public space. Ranging from reimagining central squares to placing massive land art in the urban epicenter, these public spaces enhance the quality of life for the city's locals. In Germany, the redesign of the entire Memorium Nürnberger Trials reimagines this as a place to come together, grounded in its history, while in Havana, the new Cuban Square reimagines the metaphor of unity in the city center. The design and accessibility of public spaces significantly impact our well-being and quality of life. Thoughtfully planned and inclusive spaces with seating, greenery, and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure can promote physical activity, mental health, and community engagement in a city.

A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community - Image 6 of 4A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community - Image 42 of 4A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community - Image 43 of 4A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community - Image 44 of 4A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community - More Images+ 40

Anish Kapoor Unveils His First Permanent Public Artwork in New York City

On January 31st, construction scaffolding and barriers were disassembled from the site at 56 Leonard Street, revealing Anish Kapoor’s first permanent artwork in New York City. The 48-foot-long, 19-foot-tall, 40-ton sculpture is nestled partially beneath the Herzog & de Meuron-designed residential building in the Tribeca neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. The mirrored sculpture is reminiscent of Kapoor;’s work called Cloud Gate, also known as “The Bean,” in Chicago, US.

Anish Kapoor Unveils His First Permanent Public Artwork in New York City - Image 1 of 4Anish Kapoor Unveils His First Permanent Public Artwork in New York City - Image 2 of 4Anish Kapoor Unveils His First Permanent Public Artwork in New York City - Image 3 of 4Anish Kapoor Unveils His First Permanent Public Artwork in New York City - Image 4 of 4Anish Kapoor Unveils His First Permanent Public Artwork in New York City - More Images+ 11

Temporary, but with Long-Lasting Effects: 6 Ways in Which Architecture Festivals Can Revitalize a City

Biennales, exhibitions, and architecture focused festivals provide a platform for opening debates, conducting research, and driving innovation, but they can also contribute to the incremental changes that shape the image and the character of a city. Through temporary installations and experiments, this type of events have the opportunity to open lines on inquiry into the quality of urban spaces, inviting visitors and residents to slow down, break away from their daily routine and interrogate their local environments. The effects might not be immediate, but by cumulating these impressions and moments of contemplation, architecture and design festivals can have a long-lasting impact on the cities that welcome them.

Temporary, but with Long-Lasting Effects: 6 Ways in Which Architecture Festivals Can Revitalize a City - Image 1 of 4Temporary, but with Long-Lasting Effects: 6 Ways in Which Architecture Festivals Can Revitalize a City - Image 2 of 4Temporary, but with Long-Lasting Effects: 6 Ways in Which Architecture Festivals Can Revitalize a City - Image 3 of 4Temporary, but with Long-Lasting Effects: 6 Ways in Which Architecture Festivals Can Revitalize a City - Image 7 of 4Temporary, but with Long-Lasting Effects: 6 Ways in Which Architecture Festivals Can Revitalize a City - More Images+ 6

Media Architecture Biennale -- Call for Awards

We invite you to submit your contribution to the Media Architecture Biennale 2023 (MAB23), which will take place June 14 - June 15 (online) and June 21-23, 2023 (in-person/hybrid) featuring an online programme as well as on-site events in Toronto, Canada.

Media Architecture Biennale -- Call for Student Awards

We invite you to submit your contribution to the Media Architecture Biennale 2023 (MAB23), which will take place June 14 - June 15 (online) and June 21-23, 2023 (in-person/hybrid) featuring an online programme as well as on-site events in Toronto, Canada.

Media Architecture Biennale -- Call for Papers, Workshops, and Explorations and Prototypes

The Media Architecture Biennale features keynotes, workshops, symposia, panels, awards, and exhibitions based in Toronto with additional programming online. The event aims to offer a platform for communities of research and practice concerned with media and the built environment. MAB23 will bring together students, academics, and professionals from architecture, art, design, urban planning, media and communication, urban informatics, interaction design, and public policy to share new ideas and shape this evolving field.

How Public Art Shapes Cities

“Art aims to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance”, Greek polymath Aristotle remarked. Public art in cities worldwide seeks to pursue this aim by offering a sense of meaning and identification to its residents. Taking the form of murals, installations, sculptures, and statues, public art engages with audiences outside of museums and in the public realm. This art presents a democratic manner of collectively redefining concepts like community, identity, and social engagement.

How Public Art Shapes Cities  - Image 1 of 4How Public Art Shapes Cities  - Image 2 of 4How Public Art Shapes Cities  - Image 3 of 4How Public Art Shapes Cities  - Image 4 of 4How Public Art Shapes Cities  - More Images+ 1

“Thunderhead” Announced as Winning Proposal for Canada’s LGBTQ2+ National Monument

Canada’s Department of National Heritage, along with the Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien, as well as the LGBT Purge Fund have unveiled “Thunderhead” as the winning concept of Ottowa's LGBTQ2+ National Monument competition. The winning design symbolizes a thunderhead cloud, which embodies the "strength, activism and hope of LGBTQ2+ communities, and will be a lasting testimony to the courage and humanity of those who were harmed by the LGBT Purge, homophobic, and transphobic laws and norms".

“Thunderhead” Announced as Winning Proposal for Canada’s LGBTQ2+ National Monument - Featured Image“Thunderhead” Announced as Winning Proposal for Canada’s LGBTQ2+ National Monument - Image 1 of 4“Thunderhead” Announced as Winning Proposal for Canada’s LGBTQ2+ National Monument - Image 2 of 4“Thunderhead” Announced as Winning Proposal for Canada’s LGBTQ2+ National Monument - Image 3 of 4“Thunderhead” Announced as Winning Proposal for Canada’s LGBTQ2+ National Monument - More Images+ 5

Quebec City's Annual Public Art Circuit Reimagines the City's Urban Fabric

EXMURO arts publics and the Ville de Québec have inaugurated the the 8th annual PASSAGES INSOLITES art event, the annual Quebec City art walk that showcases over 20 unusual urban interventions by local and international artists. The event will run from June 26 to October 11, 2021, and will focus on reimagining the urban fabric and transforming how we see the city and its historic landmarks.

Quebec City's Annual Public Art Circuit Reimagines the City's Urban Fabric  - Image 1 of 4Quebec City's Annual Public Art Circuit Reimagines the City's Urban Fabric  - Image 2 of 4Quebec City's Annual Public Art Circuit Reimagines the City's Urban Fabric  - Image 3 of 4Quebec City's Annual Public Art Circuit Reimagines the City's Urban Fabric  - Image 4 of 4Quebec City's Annual Public Art Circuit Reimagines the City's Urban Fabric  - More Images+ 15

Has the Pandemic Changed the Experience of Encountering Art in Public?

Public art is an innate cultural privilege for New Yorkers. Top-notch art can be found across the city’s boroughs everywhere from parks, squares, alleys, and rooftops—sometimes to the jaded disdain of passerby. While permanent staples, such as Robert Indiana’s Love on 6th Avenue or George Segal’s Gay Liberation at the Stonewall National Monument are ingrained in the urban texture, others are more ephemeral. Public art has the power to swiftly take over Instagram feeds but also has a history of sparking polarizing interpretations at town hall hearings.

Jonathan Tate Talks Hurricanes, Homes, and Hotels

Architect Jonathan Tate was living and working in Memphis, Tennessee, when Hurricane Katrina ensnared New Orleans in 2005. Instinctively drawn to the Big Easy, he later moved there for the opportunity to observe the reconstruction effort and investigate architecture’s role in it.

Camille Walala Unveils Public Urban Interventions in London

"Les Jumeaux" or The Twins is a new large-scale public urban intervention by French artist and designer Camille Walala in White City, West London. The project encompasses two pedestrian crossings and seven striking murals, created with geometric patterns and primary colors, Walala’s signature style. Moreover, Camille Walala also unveiled this month her East London intervention, a giant work of art aiming to breathe new life into the street and boost the local economy, entitled "Walala Parade".

Camille Walala Unveils Public Urban Interventions in London - Image 1 of 4Camille Walala Unveils Public Urban Interventions in London - Image 2 of 4Camille Walala Unveils Public Urban Interventions in London - Image 3 of 4Camille Walala Unveils Public Urban Interventions in London - Image 4 of 4Camille Walala Unveils Public Urban Interventions in London - More Images+ 8