J. Mayer H. Architects has just won the competition for their “Cheongdoam Tower” design in Seoul. As part of the Seoul City Urban/Architecture Creation/Innovation Design Project contest, the competition was initiated by the city of Seoul, aiming to enhance urban qualities and improve the quality of life for residents. Chosen from numerous submissions and six shortlisted projects, Cheongdam Tower emerged victorious.
Renowned French architect Jean Nouvel has unveiled his design for Samsung’s pop-up store on the iconic Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. The store aims to represent the company’s role as a Worldwide Olympic Partner, offering visitors a space where they can engage with the newest mobile technologies and Olympic-related activities. The first images by architectural photographer Jad Sylla highlight Jean Nouvel’s design of the immersive retail space.
Simone Farresin is the co-founder of Formafantasma, a research-driven design studio exploring the ecological, historical, political, and social influences that shape the design industry. Most recently, the studio participated in Milan Design Week 2024 and Salone del Mobile.Milano with various products and exhibitions. Onsite in Milan, ArchDaily had the chance to speak to Simon Farresin about the studio’s installation for Cosentino at the historic Teatro Gerolamo, and the broader Formafantasma design practice.
The Harvard Graduate School of Design (Harvard GSD) has announced the Class of 2025 Loeb Fellows. Ten practitioners and activists from around the world have been selected to join the Loeb Fellowship program to expand their careers and advance their programs and initiatives focused on equity, resilience, and collective action.
The ten selected practitioners are mid-career professionals coming from diverse backgrounds. Each one has been recognized for initiating practices that are transforming public spaces and urban infrastructures, addressing public health concerns and environmental injustices, as well as housing needs and efforts to preserve the cultural, natural, and architectural heritage of diverse regions from all continents.
The controversial London Wall West redevelopment project, which involves the demolition of the former Museum of London and Bastion House, is set to proceed. The redevelopment, designed by architecture firms Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Sheppard Robson, will replace the landmark 1970s buildings with a modern office complex. The City of London has confirmed that the Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing, and Communities, Michael Gove, has decided not to call in the plans to reevaluate the former museum, allowing the project to move forward.
In an open competition, ICON’s Initiative 99 requested participants to design a home using ICON’s 3D printing technologies while keeping the construction budget under $99,000. Among the three selected winners for the Open Category, New Zealand-based office MTspace Studio proposes a robust flood-resistant design, in response to the housing crisis in New Zealand’s flood zones. Titled “Wai Home” after the Māori word for water, the concept revolves around the idea of working with this essential natural element. The design features innovative rainwater collection and storage systems, along with elements to increase the resilience of the construction in the face of increasing threats.
Neutelings Riedijk Architects and ARS Architects Urbanistes have just won a competition to design the Cité des Imaginaires and Grand Musée Jules Verne in Nantes, France. Selected from 160 entries, their design seeks to revitalize the historic “Moulins de Nantes” mil, also known as CAP44. This industrial heritage site, notable for its unique Hennebique concrete structure, is set to be transformed into a sustainable structure within the Garden Extraordinaire. Additionally, the museum will celebrate the legacy of the renowned author Jules Verne, born in Nantes.
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming June workshops in collaboration with our ArchDaily Supporters partner, Parametric Architecture. These workshops have been thoughtfully curated to empower architects, designers, and enthusiasts by providing them with the latest insights and skills in the dynamic realm of parametric design. Guided by industry experts and visionaries, these immersive sessions will explore cutting-edge techniques, innovative tools, and practical applications, creating an inspiring and dynamic learning environment where participants can take their design expertise to unprecedented levels.
In Copenhagen, during the 2024 UNESCO International Day of Light, The Daylight Award has announced Spanish architect and professor Alberto Campo Baeza as the laureate for the architecture category and German professor of chronobiology Till Roenneberg for his scientific research regarding the impact of daylight. The two categories create an interdisciplinary bridge between fields, grounding architectural thinking with high-level research. The two winners have been commended for scientific investigations into issues like circadian rhythms and dependencies in the case of Professor Roenneberg, and the poetic qualities obtained through the use of daylight in Alberto Campo Baeza’s architectural works.
Seoul-based Korean architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies have been selected to design the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion, to open on June 5, 2024, in London’s Kensington Gardens. Titled “Archipelagic Void,” this iteration of the iconic commission will consist of five ‘islands’ displayed around an open space, breaking down the structure into a series of smaller elements intertwined with the park’s natural ecology. The pavilion will be open to the public from June 7, until October 27, 2024, with a press preview two days before the opening.
Delving into the realm of unbuilt architectural projects by renowned offices offers a peak into the design principles and ethos of the studios. The curated list of unbuilt projects submitted by established architecture practices has the potential to reveal new perspectives on the socio-cultural and environmental factors shaping contemporary architecture. These designs often respond to complex challenges such as sustainability, urbanization, and cultural preservation, reflecting architects' efforts to navigate and contribute meaningfully to the built environment.
Within this curated selection, one standout project is Rafael Viñoly Architects' Médano El Pinar, marking the late architect's last contribution to the architectural landscape. Other projects such as Aedas' Ellinikon Commercial Hub explore the opportunities of new developments, such as the disused airport transformed into Europe's largest coastal park in the periphery of Athens, while others are highlighting natural landscapes or offering spaces for creative and innovative programs. Featuring internationally recognized offices like SOM, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Gensler, or GAD Architecture, the selection showcases the unrealized concepts and architectural experimentations of renowned offices.
The Serbian Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 emerges as a compelling example of sustainable architecture infused with cultural storytelling, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology and emotional resonance. Designed by Aleatek Studio, the pavilion takes inspiration from Belgrade's protected Ratno Ostrvo (Great War Island) to realize the concept of a "Floating Forest." It stands out as the only Expo pavilion featuring a living façade, with over 95% of its materials recyclable and 80% intended for reuse in future construction. The design strategy also aligns with the theme "Play for humanity" of the upcoming Specialised Expo 2027 to be held in Belgrade.
The Wayfarers Chapel, known locally as "The Glass Church," was designed by Lloyd Wright, the eldest son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and completed in 1951. Located in the Palos Verdes peninsula in Los Angeles, its design aimed to blend the lines between architecture and nature, with large-span glass panels opening up to space toward the redwood canopies. Last year, the structure was designated a national historic landmark. Now, due to “accelerated land movement” in the area, the structure, which has been closed off to the public since February, was announced to be disassembled to protect it from further damage.
Powerhouse Company has revealed the design for the largest timber-built affordable housing complex in the Netherlands. “Valckensteyn” is a circular design featuring a 12-story timber structure and 82 homes. Situated within Pendrecht, a post-war neighborhood in Rotterdam, it sits on the site of a residential flat bearing the same name, demolished a decade ago. The timber structure seeks to be circular and sustainable in its design, creating a nature-inclusive environment that is accessible to all.
A new exhibition presenting the works of artist Zeng Fanzhi has opened in the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia in Venice, Italy. Running from April 17 to September 30, 2024, concurrent with this year’s edition of the Venice Arts Biennale, the “Zeng Fanzhi: Near and Far/Now and Then” exhibition showcases the latest breakthroughs in the artist’s practice in a space adapted by architect Tadao Ando.
IE University has just announced the establishment of a new Creative Campus to be inaugurated in 2025 in Segovia, Spain. Situated within the historic Palacio de los Condes de Mansilla, this new campus will serve as an extension of the IE School of Architecture and Design. Developed to become an Innovation Hub, the project spans more than 5,000 square meters and boasts a Fab Lab, construction workshops, biomaterials, textile research laboratories, experimentation spaces, digital fabrication classrooms, and an exhibition venue. The amenities are designed for creative minds from different disciplines to collaborate, fostering a platform that provides real solutions for different challenges.
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has been announced as the winner of the international competition for the design of the Riga Ropax Terminal in Latvia. Collaborating with Latvian practices Sarma Norde Architects and Alps Landscape Architects, as well as Sweco Finland, ZHA’s proposal includes the repurposing of an existing shipping warehouse, to be transformed into a key multi-modal transport hub for the city, located along the Daugava River. The competition was open to anyone who qualified. Out of the ten registered entries, the third prize was awarded to US-based Berenblum Busch Architects, the second prize went to R-Konsult from Estonia.
Foster + Partners has unveiled plans for the Changfeng mixed-use development in Shanghai, China. Designed as a component of the Shanghai Science and Technology Finance cluster in Putuo District, the project is part of the broader Shanghai 2035 Masterplan. The mixed-use scheme integrates with existing public green spaces to promote well-being and revitalizes an industrial area into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood.
Populous has just unveiled a comprehensive design for the new Belmont Park modernization project. Situated in the iconic venue in Nassau County known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the project seeks to usher in significant economic benefits, including the creation of thousands of jobs. Under the oversight of the New York Racing Association (NYRA), the project is set to be completed in the fall of 2026.
MVRDV has unveiled its design for a new mixed-use building in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Situated in the heart of the vibrant Strijp-S district, the design was created in collaboration with the Trudo housing association. Titled “The Tribune,” the architecture boasts a stepped tribune-like structure, offering residents and visitors access and views onto the public square below.
Ma Yansong/MAD Architects has unveiled their design for the Cloud 9 Sports Center, a 6,000-square-meter athletic complex in the city of Shijiazhuang, China. The venue is proposed to become the focal point of CBD's Central Park, marking the public space surrounded by residential, commercial, and recreational amenities. The center is designed to showcase a soft and fluid exterior to fit into its surroundings, mirroring the landscaped park while offering a range of facilities including a gym, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and commercial spaces. The new sports center broke ground in March this year and is expected to be completed in 2025.
Carlo Ratti, the curator of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, along with The President of La Biennale di Venezia, Pietrangelo Buttafuocco, have just revealed highly anticipated details for the upcoming edition. Titled "Intelligens," the exhibition will be running from May 24th to November 23rd, 2025 in Giardini, the Arsenale, and various landmark locations throughout Venice.
Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, construction group WeBuild, in collaboration with design office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and engineer Michel Virlogeux, has revealed an updated design for a replacement bridge. The new cable-stayed design aims to redefine the entrance to the Baltimore Harbor and offer an improved version of this symbol of the city.
