Built on a former airport site in Hong Kong, Snøhetta Asia has unveiled its latest project in Hong Kong, Airside. This mixed-use landmark was actually Snøhetta’s first project in the country and serves as a central hub in a redeveloped business district. The project boasts ample public areas and gardens, including outdoor plazas and rooftop gardens that may be used for events, dining, urban farming, and leisure. As the first project in Hong Kong to obtain five of the highest green building certifications, this development integrates several sustainable practices.
The Royal Academy has named Mexican architect Gabriela Carrillo as the overall winner of the Royal Academy's Dorfman Prize 2023, an award that rewards architecture from around the world, looking towards the future of architecture and architectural practice. Taller Gabriela Carrillo was selected in recognition of the clarity and precision of her work.
The design by heneghan peng architects, Dublin, with Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Berlin, was awarded 1st prize in the international competition for the replanning and expansion of the Old Tower of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The competition’s purpose was to redesign the original West Tower, which was partially destroyed during a bombing by the Allied Forces in 1943, and return it to the tourist circuit as a war memorial and exhibition space.
Foster + Partners has been selected as the winner of an international competition to design a new center for Hangzhou, the capital of China's Zhejiang province. The master plan envisions a green and interconnected mixed-use quarter situated in the heart of the Yuhang District. In its essence, the project aims to foster a strong connection between nature and people’s daily lives, creating a sustainable urban quarter.
Copenhagen-based philanthropic association re:arc institute has announced the cohort of nonprofit organizations, people, and practices they will support throughout 2024. The organization founded in 2022 works at the intersection of climate action and architectural philanthropy, aiming to support the development of solutions that address the root causes and consequences of climate change.
The architectural field often adheres to conventional industry models, either client-based or competition-based, which can perpetuate problematic or extractive motivations. The re:arc institute hopes to rethink the architecture discipline’s potential for addressing social and environmental concerns by providing a blueprint for pioneering philanthropic projects. To do so, they provide funding to nonprofits, individuals, and community-led projects exploring innovative approaches that prioritize planetary well-being. Their focus is on hyper-local, grassroots initiatives that address climate crises with a strong emphasis on the unique needs of specific places and communities.
WORKac has just initiated the construction of a new cultural center in Inwood, New York. Led by immigrants and women of color, “The People’s Theater: Centro Cultural Inmigrante” is dedicated to supporting immigrant New Yorkers through various artistic programs. Spanning multiple languages and generations, their unique form of theater serves as a dynamic platform for immigrants and members of the Latin, Black, and Queer communities.
The Türkiye Design Council (TDC) has gathered 13 design practices, including Foster + Partners and Bjarke Ingels Group, to contribute to the revitalization of the historic province of Hatay, an area severely damaged by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in February this year. Foster + Partners has been selected to lead the design and planning of the new master plan for the city of Antakya, known to antiquity as Antioch, while several other offices including Turkish practices DB Architects and KEYM (Urban Renewal Center) will work together to create a vision for the rebuilding of the city. The master plan is expected to be revealed in its entirety in 2024.
Courtesy of Plomp, Rendering Courtesy of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners
The DetroitMusic Hall has just announced an expansion project designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. As a cherished cultural institution in the heart of Detroit’s vibrant performing arts community, the project aims to become a central and accessible hub for music programming, production, and education. Ushering a new era of cultural enrichment, the project is focused on revitalizing downtown Detroit and the surrounding area.
MAD Architects has unveiled the project for the renovation of the "Wanmicang" warehouse on the southside of the Shanghai Zhangjiang CementFactory. The building is set to be transformed into a multifunctional public waterfront space for culture, creativity, and commerce. The project maintains the character of the former industrial site but introduces a new addition in the form of an ark-like metal 'floating' volume, creating a stark contrast between the old and new structures. The project is scheduled for completion by 2026.
The designs for the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, have been unveiled by Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism. Designed by global firm Buchan, the scheme celebrates Australia’s natural beauty. Under the theme “Chasing the Sun,” the pavilion is aligned with Expo's larger theme: developing and adopting the best practices to drive sustainable co-creation. In essence, the theme is meant to capture the confident optimism the nation possesses, inspiring creative solutions and international cooperation.
Courtesy of Nuevo Pudahuel. At the time, the project was included in ArchDaily's selection of the 22 most anticipated projects of 2022.
Granted annually at UNESCO since 2015, the Prix Versailles consists of architecture awards that showcase the finest contemporary achievements worldwide. Today, alongside the announcement of the World Selections in the categories of airports, campuses, passenger stations, and sports spaces, the 2023 edition is officially inaugurated.
WXCA Architectural Design Studio has won the international competition for the reconstruction of the Saxon Palace, a heritage site located in the historical city center of Warsaw, Poland, that was significantly damaged during the Second World War. The competition, organized by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in cooperation with the Association of Polish Architects, aimed to create a concept for the restoration of the monument, which is set to be rebuilt in its external Neoclassicist form of 1939.
MVRDV has been selected as the winner of a competition to design three new buildings at Václav Havel AirportPrague. In collaboration with NACO (Netherlands Airport Consultants), the project will be the largest airport in Prague and the Czech Republic. The expansion of Terminal 1 will house a central security facility, business and VIP lounges, and a vertiport. Referred to as “Czech Lanterns,” the exteriors are illuminated with programmable satellite images of the Czech Republic.
The year 2024 brings forth an intriguing array of Color of the Year selections from renowned paint manufacturers, each offering a unique perspective on the hues that will influence our living spaces. Striving to capture the moods and aspirations of the coming year, color experts have veered towards soft and calming shades, hoping to bring a sense of serenity to counter the hectic and tumulus passing year. Countering the bold color chosen by Pantone in 2023 as their previous Color of the Year, Benjamin Moore embraces a softly saturated and nuanced shade, AkzoNobel emphasizes calmness and stability, Sherwin Williams aims to inspire mindfulness, Graham & Brown fosters warmth and tranquility, and C2 Paint focuses on freshness and sustainability.
Henning Larsen has revealed the designs for Europe’s largest timber logistics center. Located in Lelystad, on the Dutch island of Flevopolder, the center is a testament to the future of timber structures. Serving as Bestseller’s new 155,000 sqm Logistics Center, the design is committed to reduced emissions, fair working conditions, and following circular design principles in order to minimize waste.
Following an international competition, AMDL CIRCLE has been selected to create the pavilion which will represent the spirit and vision of the Nordic Countries at the Expo Osaka in 2025. Their proposal takes a sustainable and circular approach, as the structure is purposely designed for disassembly and reuse. Technically developed and engineered by Rimond and conceived by AMDL CIRCLE, the pavilion aims to showcase the Nordic people’s respect and connection with the environment while offering ample space for the display of technological innovations.
Seven architecture studios, including MVRDV, have designed separate buildings in the long-anticipated master plan for the Lake Side development in Brussels. To introduce diversity, the master plan has been designed by MVRDV and aims to bring about a denser and more vibrant life on the Tour & Taxis side, offering various amenities for its residents. The newly designed site also includes different workspaces and a nine-hectare park that promotes a more car-free communal environment. The project’s entirety is supervised by MVRDV, who also designs one of the 17 buildings within the new master plan.
On a site that also hosts the Olympic Sports Centre, the 2023 Asian Games complex, UNStudio has unveiled the design of the new Hiwell Amber Centre, a complex of four high-rise towers planned to add a mix of offices, apartments, hotels, art spaces and retail to the city center of Hangzhou, China. Responding to the area’s rapid economic and cultural growth, the new development aims to provide a wide range of services to residents and visitors alike. To open up towards the city, the smooth glass curtain wall of the towers peels apart to reveal a tapestry-like facade that envelops the main plazas and civic spaces, creating an ‘urban living room.’
From October 12 to 18, NYCxDESIGN presents the Design Pavilion, a prominent public architectural exhibition in New York. Occurring during Archtober, a month-long celebration of architecture, this year's Design Pavilion highlights three imaginative installations spanning materiality, sustainability, social justice, and more.
Two tangible installations have been designed to transform Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District into urban retreats, while the third exhibit offers a digital art projection at the World Trade Center Podium, addressing the nation's history of enslavement and the quest for healing. Along with the pavilions, the Design Talks program highlights and opens discussions on relevant issues of the profession, centering around themes of sustainability, repurposing, and waste reduction.
Henning Larsen has revealed the design proposal for Bolzano’s Industrial Zone. The concept revitalizes and reconnects part of the city through prioritizing adaptive reuse, urban mining, and timber construction. The proposed design will transform the post-industrial area into “Pone Roma Quartier,” an inviting, multigenerational, mixed-use neighborhood with a solution to the city’s pressing housing crisis.
Architect, researcher, and architectural theorist Anthony Vidler passed away last night, on October 20, 2023, at the age of 82, according to Princeton University School of Architecture. Vidler had a distinguished career at the prestigious institution, where he served as the inaugural director of the Doctoral Program in History and Theory. His passion for architecture, nurtured in Essex, England, led him to earn both an undergraduate and a master's degree in architecture at the University of Cambridge. Later, he obtained a doctorate in Architectural History and Theory from Delft University of Technology. His influential career spanned over 50 years, leaving a profound impact on architectural research and education.
Bjarke Ingels Group has revealed the design of Park Rise residences, a new development the Little Athens neighborhood of Ellinikon, featuring modern homes, greenspace, retail, office, and hospitality. The Ellinikon is an ambitious urban regeneration project that reimagines the grounds of Athens' old international airport and transforms it into a 6.2 million-square meter smart city. Within this development, the Little Athens neighborhood aims to become an integrated part of Ellinikon's smart urban ecosystem and bring over 1100 new residences to the northwestern coastline of the development.
San José De Nueva Venecia School School refurbishment enabling flexible community use in Sitio Nuevo, Colombia, by FP Arquitectura. Image Courtesy of Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction has unveiled the list of 20 finalists for the Holcim Awards 2023 competition. The jury, composed of five independent expert panels worldwide, has selected the projects to showcase contextual and practicable approaches to sustainable construction, exemplifying a diverse range of scales, budgets, geographies, and forms. The ranking of the nominees will be announced at the Holcim Awards 2023 Ceremony scheduled for November 18 in Venice, Italy during the final weeks of the Biennale Architettura 2023 - 18th International Architecture Exhibition.
