Van Alen Institute announced just last week the finalists for Ground/Work: A Design Competition for Van Alen Institute’s New Street-Level Space. Continuing the Institute’s more than century-long legacy of supporting architectural innovation through design competitions, research and public programs, Ground/Work called on emerging architects to take on the task of designing an engaging and accessible venue for the Institute as it reimagines both its physical space and intellectual agenda at its New York City headquarters.

The selected finalists are Collective-LOK (Jon Lott, William O’Brien Jr., and Michael Kubo); EFGH (Hayley Eber, Frank Gesualdi, Spencer Lapp, Pat Ruggiero, and Ani Ivanova); and Of Possible Architectures (Vincent Appel, Ethan Lay-Sleeper, Jaime Magaliff, Paul Miller, Heather Murtagh, Franklin Romero Jr., and Emily Ruopp, in collaboration with Jay Atherton). More images and information after the break.

The University of Cambridge Library, with the Department of Architecture, recently launched a landscape design competition to transform the space surrounding Cambridge University Library. Open to professionals and non-professionals alike, they are looking for bold submissions that reimagine the open spaces and environment of the iconic Giles Gilbert Scott building. A monumental presence both within the University and the city, entries to the competition will be judged on their innovative interpretation of the site, its context, use and history – as well as their ability to integrate contemporary ecological research. Entries should also promote new visibility for the Library and encourage people to think about the role of the site on the western edge of the city. The registration deadline is September 30, and the deadline for submissions is November 30. For more information, please visit here.

STUDIO magazine recently announced their Call for Papers for their forthcoming Issue #5: 'IMPORT><EXPORT,' which is set to examine how these two concepts linked to architecture modify the way to conceive, think and project our cities. This issue aims to explore the unceasing exchange among different realities which has produced a hybrid and heterogeneous urban landscape in which architectural experiences of different sources meet and combine. Structurally organized in different ways of contribution - essays, insights, experiences, images - the issue is meant to be investigated by a multi-disciplinary global perspective in order to define its complexity. The submission process involved two stages with the Stage One deadline on August 31, Stage Two September 30, and publication in November. For more information, please visit here.

RIBA Competitions just announced the six teams that were selected to take part in the design stage of the competition for The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to design their New Global Centre for the Social Sciences. The shortlisted teams include: Grafton Architects, Ireland; Heneghan Peng, Ireland; Steven Holl Architects, USA; Hopkins Architects; OMA, The Netherlands; and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. This new building will have a vital role to play in cementing the LSE’s position as a world renowned educational establishment and will become a place that inspires existing LSE students and will help attract new high calibre students and staff to the School.

Free and open to the public at the ZEZEZE Architecture Gallery in Tel Aviv, the Architactics exhibition by SAYA Design for Change summarizes the approach of SAYA’s mission-based practice. Rather than diving into the details of their specific proposals, it illustrates the channels of influence this practice has defined for design in peace making. SAYA’s pioneering approach termed by its founders as “Resolution Planning” was developed a decade ago to reclaim the architectural responsibility in designing peace. Its goal is to redefine the role and responsibility of architects in conflict resolution, to re-include the city, the people and their joint future space back into the picture. The exhibition will continue to be on display until August 24. More architects' description after the break.

Currently on view until August 30, Unit Architects is presenting their 8-week exhibition in the entrance space of Buro Happold's 17 Newman Street offices as part of Buro Happold’s Emerging Architects event program. A great way to show off some of the upcoming talent in architecture and design, the contribution by Unit Architects to this series focuses on a selection of their work that shares a common approach of engagement with scale, contextual symbology, material presence and considered detailing. More images and architects' description after the break.

Conducted by RARE directors on behalf of the Architectural Association in Singapore, the 'Objectify' workshop at Singapore Polytechnic's School of Design will sample starchitecture to suggest and respond to the city's idea of growth through image forging. Can architectural objects define a city? Singapore’s territorial enclave is punctuated with signature buildings designed by the worldwide architectural stardom. The exaggerated objectification of the architect’s status and designs is embedded in the city’s culture and apparent belief in their value. Taking place August 21-30, the workshop will explore these conditions, sampling icons to extract novel proposals. More information after the break.

Designed as a sustainable master plan, the concept of water, waste, and energy management are integral to the concept of the Kanpur Riverfront Development project. Proposed by Studio Symbiosis, conservation of energy on the basis of transport management has been designed as an active design element in the master plan, which is a part of an overall scheme for rehabilitation of the Ganga river and the Ganga riverfront. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Launched by Floornature, the winners of the second edition Next Landmark competition were just announced. Originality, environmental sustainability and all the ideas that exploit relations between people, architecture and landscape were the main determinants of the winning projects. For the first time, the 3 winning projects and the 6 special mentions were announced in a live streaming event conducted by anchor-architect, Pietro Polidori with the participation of all the big names on the judging panel. Next Landmark 2013 was an all-women edition, with two women winning first prize for the First Work and Research categories, Shoko Murakaji from Japan and the Russian, Nataly Abramova respectively. The first prize for the new Photography section went to the very young photographer and designer, Hugo Soo from Canada. More images and information on the winning projects after the break.

Instead of perceiving water as something to defend against, The Open Workshop took on the challenge of repositioning the water as a performative feature that connects across the obstructions currently on Arvene East of Far Rockaway. Taking the logic of the stabilizing rock jetties, the 'Recon-Figure' proposal utilizes a series of nested figures to augment the existing coastline. The figures engage the water, functioning as groynes and breakwaters that also offer recreational spaces, stabilize the coast, and concentrate wave action and associated energy capture. More images and architects' description after the break.

As part of the 2013 AIA Global Dialogues, (un-covered) Connections, 'Leaning Out: Women in Global Practice' will discuss what it means to be a woman in the construction industry practicing globally in our time. Taking place this Thursday, July 25th, from 6-8pm EST at the Center for Architecture in New York, key speakers include the most significant women in their field - over 3 generations, which will be moderated by Cathleen McGuigan – Editor-in-chief at Architectural Record. Organized by AIA NY Global Dialogues and AIA NY Women in Architecture, the main question of the event is,'What are the challenges and the opportunities that women who choose this path face and how do their successes and shortcomings affect the next generation?' For more information, please visit here.

Designed by Irlenbusch von Hantelmann Architekten, their proposal for the Museum of Bavarian History in Regensburg accentuates its significance through its single urban block concept. The aim of the urban layout is a sensitive implementation of the new building in the world heritage surrounding, without disregarding the importance of the museum. Therefore the historical layout with its unique alleys is continued with the new setting. More images and architects' description after the break.