The annual Seattle Design Festival, created by Design in Public, is an event that encourages all to ‘engage our world’ by offering the public an opportunity to better understand design and how it adds value to our lives, our city, and our region. This fun-filled weekend, which takes place September 20-23, is a collaboration among ten nonprofit partners that created an ambitious set of offerings: more than 35 events, including tours, films, speakers, exhibits, installations, and family programs—all aimed at a public audience. For more detailed information, including a complete list of events going on that weekend, please visit here.
GREENHOUSE TALK, a comparison of design cultures in the great countries of Eastern Asia and Europe, will be taking place August 28 from 9-11am as part of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition at la Biennale di Venezia. Promoted by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Rome and supported by Image, the main protagonists of this meeting are Pritzker Prize Laureate Wang Shu of Amateur Architecture (China), Rahul Mehrotra of RMA architects (India) and Francine Houben of Mecanoo (the Netherlands). The meeting, introduced by Pippo Ciorra and commented by Ole Bouman, will be an informal discussion in the Serra dei Giardini in Venice. For more information, please visit here.
With a seating capacity of 46,000, the Pernambuco Arena will host the games in the group stage and quarter-finals of the World Cup 2014. Designed by Fernandes Arquitetos Associados, the main peculiarity of the project, and what makes it stand out from other projects of cities hosting the FIFA World Cup 2014, is that it is not being built in a consolidated urban area. The design challenge of this project is the creation of a building that is fully integrated into the natural environment and that in a second moment can establish a relationship of unity with the future urban development planned for the region. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Google recently released a new, intriguing type of software, which allows programmers to make a room come alive with interactive spaces. The new software framework, which is called ‘Interactive Spaces’, works by providing a high-level architecture for building activities that respond to events in a room through ‘blob tracking’. As seen in the image above, an Interactive Spaces installation was used where ceiling-mounted cameras tracked the position of individuals in a room so that the software could display colored lights on the floor where they are standing. The source code, which will open the door for creative and design oriented minds everywhere, is distributed under the permissive Apache license and is available for download from a Mercurial repository hosted on Google Code here.
modeLab is putting on a two-day workshop August 18-19 on the topic of Parametric Patterns with Grasshopper for Rhinoceros. In a fast-paced and hands-on learning environment, we will experiment with the materiality, craft, and effects of patterning through the distribution of simple and repeatable material events (the cut, the fold, and the perforation). Coupling Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication workflows, we will iteratively test our patterns while learning best practices for use of a large-format Laser Cutter. Prototypes will range in material palette (fabric, paper, plastic) based on participants’ interests and will be used to discuss issues of craft, detailing, and the assembly process. For more information, please visit here.
With the aim of transforming the town of Ameno, Italy for two days in a centre where spaces, art and sociality could guide people through the territory, ES-arch, in partnership with Legnotech S.p.A., present CASsAPANCA . As the 5th edition of the “Paesaggi Mirati” exhibition invited architects and designers to work on the idea of “diffuse museum”, they created an experience of a journey dedicated to multi-sensible tourism, made by cultural, responsible, sustainable and artistic choices. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The design for the 2014 World Cup Final Stage Stadium by Fernandes Arquitetos Associados will provide a feeling of continuity as if the Maracanã, which is the original conception of the Journalist Mario Filho stadium, has scarcely changed. Once inside the main public areas, the old and the new will work together to create a modern yet familiar look and feel. The pinnacle of which occurs upon reaching the stands, revealing an entirely new stadium carved out of the original. The facade will be preserved, ensuring that, from the outside, the Maracanã appears almost untouched. The roof is one of the main new elements introduced, but will not bring any visual impact as it will not be visible from the outside. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Taking place Saturday, August 18 from 10am-2pm, the Society of Architectural Historians/Southern California Chapter will explore the transformative power of architecture, art and design at Culver City’s Hayden Tract, where award-winning architect Eric Owen Moss has been creating innovative structures for 25 years. In creating a vibrant community for creative workers in what was once a bleak industrial area, we begin to ask ourselves, ‘Can architecture be used as a catalyst for positive social change?’
Unfolding around Meixi Lake, the Meixihu Culture & Arts Centre, designed by Hans Hollein & Partner, incorporates a carefully conceived mix of functions nerved generously with waterways, underground traffic roads, and boulevards. In a prime position, overlooking the waters and the ceremony island, the project will become the largest multifunctional world class culture and art centre of international standing in the Hunan province. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Zawia, a periodical publication and online forum on design, architecture, and urbanism, just released their first issue which features contributions from Saskia Sassen, Stefano Boeri, Joseph Grima, WAI architecture think tank, Carlo Ratto, Markus Miessen and many others. Their ‘Change’ volume will attempt to demonstrate if architects are ready to embrace the changing ideals and the new modes of operation, and if they are willing to help better people’s lives rather than focusing on glorifying design or architecture. It is targeted towards discussing the significantly changing realities imposed on all social, political and economic systems and their influence on design disciplines. For more information, please visit here.
Internationally acclaimed artist and architect Paul Raff just unveiled a permanent sculpture at the opening of the Waterfront Toronto Underpass Park on August 2. Suspended overhead of pedestrians, large scale mirror-like surfaces create an illusory appearance, which bends light rays to produce a displaced image much like a mirage. More images and architects’ description after the break.
As a collaborative effort involving urban designers, architects, economists, and developers, the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan was assembled as a video to present to the public. Led by the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) in New Zealand, which is part of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), the plans for the central city rebuild was released earlier this week as a response to the earthquake sequence in Canterbury which destroyed most of the building stock in the CBD. This distinctive, vibrant, and green 21st century city has been met with overall positive feedback, which demonstrates the importance of shared ideas on rebuilding after natural disasters. On a global scale, all cities ad towns are at risk for natural disasters, and as many of us know, preparation is key to recovery. Like the video above, the power of public opinion can really have a major impact on these types of plans and give us both a feasible and optimistic view of the future.
The design concept for the National Museum of Afghanistan is centered around the Afghanistan flowered arch. TheeAe LTD finds this design opportunity as a way to bring the lost heritage back to the present. The major concern for the architecture was not only about the collections but also emotional realm of space that requires a place to give a rest and the joy of the nature in its heritage safe and secured. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Taking place August 17 from 10am-6pm in Brooklyn, Intro Lab is a one-day workshop put on by modeLab on the topic of Parametric Design with Grasshopper for Rhinoceros. In a fast-paced and hands-on learning environment, we will cover introductions to Algorithmic Design, Computational Geometry, and Parametric Modeling. Additionally, participants will explore concepts such as Object Attributes/Parameters, Part to Whole Relationships, and Data Flow. Emphasis will be placed on consistent organization of data through Lists and Data Trees and best practices for Creative Project Workflow Integration, File Modularity, and Data Visualization. For more information, please visit here.
Opening up September 4 at 5pm with a lecture by 2012 Pritzker Prize Winner, architect Wang Shu, the exhibition of projects of Chinese architects focuses on the theoretical research on architecture and design as well as building practice currently found fertile ground in any contemporary China but particularly in the city of Shanghai. Organized by La Triennale of Milan and the Degree Course in Engineering/Architecture from the University of Pavia, yhe center of the debate will be on urban development and architecture thanks to the cultural milieu linked to Tongji University. More information on the exhibition after the break.
Located on a prominent corner of Bainbridge Island, Washington, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is not only the anchor tenant of the Island Gateway development, but it will soon become the cultural center of its community. Designed by Coates Design Architects, an inspiring and creative experience is provided to residents and visitors alike. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The proposal for the NUK II National Library, designed by BARCODE Architects, presents a clever and pure univocal shape despite the great complexity of the given plot. By making the design compact and by moving volume from its base to the top, the building makes way and shows the characteristic ruins of Roman Emona on site, while at the same time this creates a public square along the important city junction. Prominently sited at a junction in the heart of perhaps the most important academic centre in Eastern Europe, the 20.000m2 project seeks to become a compelling architectural landmark. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The ContemPLAY pavilion project is a student-led initiative by the Directed Research Studio (DRS) of the McGill School of Architecture, in coordination with the Facility for Architectural Research in Media and Mediation (FARMM), investigating new methods of practice. The project presented a unique opportunity for the students to learn through hands-on experience in an academic context. The pavilion occupies an 8.8m x 6.7m footprint with a total height of 3.7m in front of the Macdonald-Harrington building on the McGill University campus in Montreal, Quebec. More images and architects’ description after the break.
