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Public Spaces: The Latest Architecture and News

How Barcelona, Medellin, and Rotterdam Have Generated Public Space Where It Seemed Impossible

CityMakers, The Global Community of Architects Learning from Model Cities and Their Makers is working with Archdaily to publish a series of articles about Barcelona, Medellin, and Rotterdam. The authors are the architects, urban planners, and/or strategists behind the projects that have transformed these three cities and are known in the "Schools of Cities" and "Documentary Courses" made by CityMakers.

There is currently a broad consensus on the importance of public space in the city. Although it may seem quite logical, its significance is not as old as human settlements, which have existed for millennia. The Athens Charter, written just 91 years ago, did not speak so much about the city as a place to live but as a functional machine. Almost a century later, the paradigm has shifted: the city is, above all, its public space. But what happens when public space is threatened by car proliferation, insecurity, or even water?

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Transforming Public Spaces Through Art: An Interview with Antonio Ton

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How do we give new meaning to degraded public spaces? Vibrant colors, geometric patterns, and community collaboration. That could describe the approach of Rio de Janeiro artist Antonio Ton. Drawing inspiration from interactions he finds on the streets and engaging in dialogue with local communities, his works extend beyond revitalizing sports courts and skate parks. Ton demonstrates how art fosters the creation of a space for gathering and leisure. We spoke with him to delve into his artistic process and explore the outcomes his paintings offer.

Athens Plans to Grow Its Metro Infrastructure by a Third to Reduce Automobile Traffic

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.

BIG Designs Cantilevered Towers Surrounding the Freedom Plaza on Manhattan’s Waterfront

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.

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Architecture and Design Festival Concéntrico 10 Announces Winning Projects

Now in its 10th edition, Concéntrico, the international festival of architecture and design in Logroño, has announced the winners of the open calls for urban interventions. Responding to the call to ‘Celebrate the City,’ the winning proposals will be temporarily built in Plaza Escuelas Trevijano, in Viña Lanciano of Bodegas LAN, and in Paseo del Espolón in the Spanish town of Logroño. The Festival welcomes visitors between April 25 and May 1, 2024, to explore the city through installations, exhibitions meetings, and performances.

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WXCA Revitalizes Former FSO Factory, Aims to Design "Green District of the Future"

Last week, WXCA Architects unveiled the design for a new “green district of the future,” to be developed on a former FSO car factory site in Warsaw. Covering over 60 hectares, the project aims to accommodate more than 17,000 residents and provide employment for approximately 13,000 individuals by 2050. The Polish automotive FSO factory will be transformed, outlined in a master plan envisioning a multi-functional and environmentally conscious district.

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Water in Public Spaces: 15 Urban Projects That Incorporate Water Resources in Their Designs

Water is indispensable for all forms of life on Earth, as it plays a vital role in maintaining biological processes, supporting ecosystems, and contributing to human well-being. Additionally, water holds cultural significance in many societies, being associated with rituals and ceremonies and carrying diverse symbolic meanings.

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MVRDV and Orange Architects Design an Adaptable Mixed-Use District in Kyiv, Ukraine

MVRDV and Orange Architects collaborate on the NUVO project, a new mixed-use complex to be built in Ukraine’s capital, the team of architects has revealed their design for three of the buildings that will become part of NOVO. Commissioned by Kovalska, the project is now restarting after work was put on hold due to the active conflict in Ukraine. The two firms are collaborating to refine the master plan initiated by APA Wojcehowski Architects.

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Socially Just Public Spaces Are Crucial to Flourishing Societies

One of the most radical instances of public space transformation happened recently. During the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, public space transformed into “a medical resource, a distribution hub, an overflow space, a center of protest and resistance, a gym, a senior center, a community center, a daycare center, a schoolyard, a night club, a transportation corridor, an outdoor restaurant, a shopping mall, a children’s playground, an outdoor theater, a music venue, a nature center, and a place of belonging and ‘being at home.’”

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OMA / Chris van Duijn Wins Bid to Design Hongik University's New Campus in Seoul

OMA / Chris van Duijn won the competition to design a new campus for Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. The proposal introduces a cluster of low-rise buildings interconnected by a network of public spaces molded on the existing topography of the site. The design aims to reemphasize the university’s connection to the city and its neighboring areas and to introduce greenery and various open spaces creating a seamless connection between roof terraces, outdoor courtyards, and sunken plazas. The winning proposal was chosen from the entries from established international practices, including SANAA, Herzog & de Meuron, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and David Chipperfield Architects.

Can Architecture Fight Intolerance?

Respecting others seems like something still distant from prevailing in humanity. In a world where news bombards us with various forms of violence, it is always necessary to find ways to recognize the worth and dignity of each person and to respect differences. We need to cultivate tolerance towards what we don't know, and in this regard, architecture can be an important ally.

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“Architecture Can Be Bigger Than Its Own Scale or Temporality”: An Interview With Diogo Aguiar Studio

As tragic as they may be, crises often foster adaptability and resilience. In architecture, they challenge professionals to adapt their production to smaller and less frequent orders. That is the case of Diogo Aguiar Studio, a Portuguese studio based in Porto founded in 2016, in the recovery from a profound economic crisis, which, since its emergence, has been forced to reinvent ways of operating within the field of architecture.

Interested in varied scales and typologies, the studio works between the fields of architecture and art, carrying out small-scale architectural projects and spatial installations, temporary or not, for public spaces. Formed by Diogo Aguiar, Daniel Mudrák, Adalgisa Lopes, João Teixeira, Cláudia Ricciuti, and Marta Bednarczyk, the studio bases its practice on the belief that "there are no small projects and, above all, that there are no smaller projects." The ability to respond inventively to diverse demands and contexts earned the studio a place on ArchDaily's 2023 Best New Practices list.

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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?

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