Architecture News

Japanese architect, teacher, and theorist Arata Isozaki (born 23 July, 1931) helped bring Japanese influence to some of the most prestigious buildings of the 20th century, and continues to work at the highest level today. Initially working in a distinctive form of modernism, Isozaki developed his own thoughts and theories on architecture into a complex style that invokes pure shape and space as much as it evokes post-modern ideas. Highly adaptable and socially concerned, his work has been acclaimed for being sensitive to context while still making statements of its own.

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Keeping up with the software used in architecture is not only a massive task but a necessary one to showcase the diverse skill set of anyone involved in design and construction. With today's wide range of available programs, which of these could be the "best"?

Fortunately, TechRadar, the tech-focused online publication, gives us a clue with its announcement of the best architecture software of 2019. While this list may rank the software from "best to worst," it is important to remember that each program is designed to serve a different purpose, not necessarily to perform better than the others.

Bee Breeders has revealed the winners of the Gauja National Park Footbridge competition. The Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia paired up with Bee Breeders to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Latvia's largest national park. Teams were asked to create a footbridge marking the park's entry to serve as an architectural landmark that adds to the park's existing collection of 500 cultural and historical monuments, including medieval castles and towns.

Bee Breeders has announced the winners of the Abu Dhabi Flamingo Observation Tower competition. Situated in the Al Wathba Reserve, 40 kilometers southeast of Abu Dhabi, the competition site oversees five square kilometers of wetlands, salt flats, and fossilized sands and dunes.

With the popularization of virtual reality and augmented reality, new ways of exploring architectural representations have become available to professionals and students. Immersion in three-dimensional digital models is increasingly common, whether through a computer screen, smartphone or VR headsets. In light of this reality, which seemed overly futuristic up until a few years ago, the online platform Tour Fácil has launched a free plugin that can view exported 360-degree images from SketchUp in virtual or augmented reality.

This month we presented a grim future for the world's urban centers: the temperature increase of 520 cities by 2050. The warning that "Madrid's climate will resemble Marrakech's today" highlights not only a major concern but an urgent call to action, especially for designers of the built environment.

In a timely response, the Higher Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE) issued an institutional declaration of climate and environmental emergency, committing to establish and reinforce measures to halt global warming and transition the country to a low-environmental-impact economy.

The following is an overview of the declaration issued by the CSCAE.

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As part of an initiative to restore and reactivate the cultural spaces of the city of Oaxaca in Mexico, the Ministry of Cultures and Arts (SECULTA) has announced the winners of the competition for the Conceptual Design of the Álvaro Carrillo Cultural Center: architects Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo, Alberto Kalach, and Tatiana Bilbao. The project will provide green spaces and adapt to the city's environment, complying with all regulatory specifications.

Argentine-American architect César Pelli, known for designing some of the tallest buildings in the world, such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Torre de Cristal in Madrid, and the Costanera Center Building in Santiago de Chile, died today at the age of 92 years, according to Juan Manzurel, governor of the province of Tucumán.

Argentine architect César Pelli, known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings, such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Torre de Cristal in Madrid, and the Costanera Center building in Santiago, Chile, passed away today at the age of 92, as confirmed on social media by Juan Manzur, governor of the province of Tucumán.

John Wardle Architects has unveiled the design for the first building of the University of Tasmania's new $334 million Northern Transformation Project. Located at the university's Inveresk campus in Launceston, Tasmania, the project will include a library and student experience building as the centerpiece of the precinct plan. Working with Tasmanian practice 1+2 Architecture, the design will feature a sawtooth roof to reference the area's industrial heritage.

Installed about three years ago, the vertical gardens occupying the blind walls of several buildings near the Minhocão have lacked maintenance for over a year and have become a nuisance for residents. According to an article published in Folha de S. Paulo, the green walls went from being an attraction to a liability for the buildings that chose to adopt the system.

EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture has revealed their design for Alcantara Gardens in Lisbon, Portugal. The 23,000-square-meter scheme contains residential, apartments, office spaces, and public amenities behind facades inspired by vernacular design.

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The Royal Institute of British Architects has published the 2019 Stirling Prize shortlist for the UK’s best new building. This year’s shortlist features six projects that vary vastly in type, scale, budget, and location, from a Scottish whisky distillery to a major London transport hub.

Istanbul based Tabanlioglu Architects have designed a new national stadium for Kosovo. Located in Drenas, the 30,000-seat stadium will be built 12 miles from the country's capital of Pristina and become the new home for the Kosovo national football team. Made to bring people together, the urban project aims to reflect the contemporary culture and multi-ethnic identity of Kosovo.

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In Bogotá, the mayor's office has launched an initiative to build seven public Happiness Centers (CEFE), where residents of each sector of the city will have access to cultural spaces, Olympic and recreational pools, gyms, and leisure areas. The competitions have been managed through the Colombian Association of Architects (SCA). The CEFE Chapinero—named after the locality where it will be built—will be located in the El Retiro neighborhood.

A group of Iranian architects have come together to announce the inaugural Isfahan Prize and Architect of the Year in Iran. Designed to recognize young architects 40 years old or younger, the prize competition aims to bring awareness to those who are positively impacting architecture, Isfahan and the natural environment. It explores how Isfahan and its built environment have become grounds for contemporary architecture and design.

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Superspace has designed a system of energy-harvesting balloons for Abu Dhabi. The project, titled “solarCLOUD” formed part of the LandArt generator competition and is intended as the city portal of Masdar City. The system consists of a group of solar balloons woven with solar fabric, creating a shaded park during the day while tracking and harvesting solar energy. At night, the system settles down to become a kinetic light art show.

David Chipperfield's James-Simon-Galerie has opened on Museum Island in Berlin. The project serves as a new entrance between the Kupfergraben canal and the Neues Museum. The design was made to welcome large numbers of visitors while housing all the additional facilities needed by the museum. Featuring an iconic colonnade above a stone plinth, the project was made to express a classical piano nobile.

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