Author: Collin Abdallah | ArchDaily

Zhu Pei Named Dean of School of Architecture at Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing

Collin Abdallah — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 14:00:00 +0000

The Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing, China, has tapped award-winning Chinese architect Zhu Pei as its next dean of the School of Architecture. Zhu Pei founded his firm Studio Zhu-Pei in 2005 known for its cutting-edge integration of cultural roots and contemporary innovation in design. Zhu Pei has taught at Harvard GSD and Columbia University GSAPP, two of the leading graduate programs in the world.

The Most Important New Tool for Architects: Instagram

Collin Abdallah — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 09:30:00 +0000

In the current iteration of our digital age, Instagram is king in the social media. Boasting 1 billion (yes, with a "b") active monthly users, if you are a business and not on Instagram, you are missing out.

What Are the Best Lenses for Architectural Photography? (Including Mobile)

Collin Abdallah — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 08:00:00 +0000

In a world rapidly transitioning toward primarily digital content creation, more and more people are beginning to experiment with various digital media. There is undoubtedly an intimate relationship between architecture and photography, and many architects enjoy experimenting with taking pictures, both of their own work and of their surrounding environment. But how do you know if you have the right gear needed to start off on the right foot? And more importantly, how can you get the most out of your equipment?

A Guide to Drone Photography/Cinematography for Architecture

Collin Abdallah — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 09:30:00 +0000

Drone photography has been one of the biggest advancements in aerial photography and cinematography. Drones began making a huge impact on filmmaking in the early 2000s, but vast advancements in aerial and camera technology have dramatically increased the use of and demand for aerial footage in nearly every industry focused on digital content.

The SOM Foundation Announces New Research Prize Focusing on "Humanizing High Density"

Collin Abdallah — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 08:00:00 +0000

People are moving into urban centers at an unprecedented rate. According to the United Nations, the world's urban population has increased from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion in 2018. By 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people are expected to reside in urban areas. In response to this rapid urban growth, designers are challenged to create sustainable and resilient spaces that accommodate complex human needs, both necessary and desired.

4 Steps That Will Help Set You Up for Success in Architecture School

Collin Abdallah — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 09:30:00 +0000

The beginning of the fall semester is quickly approaching, and prospective architecture students are gearing up for the beginning of their future careers. While the next step may seem daunting, the first year of your architecture education helps set the pace for the remaining four to five years. So it's important to get started on the right foot.

The Prolific Career of an Early Bauhaus Innovator: Laszlo Moholy-Nagy

Collin Abdallah — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 09:30:00 +0000

The Hungarian artist László Moholy-Nagy was one of the most influential thinkers, designers and art educators of the first half of the twentieth century. His experimentation with light, space and form generated international attention. Among those impressed by Moholy-Nagy's work was Walter Gropius, German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School, who made Moholy-Nagy one of the youngest instructors in the history of the Bauhaus. In his time at the Bauhaus, Moholy-Nagy utilized multi-disciplinary art practices to revolutionize abstract artistic media.

4 Principles of Designing with Indigenous Communities

Collin Abdallah — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 09:30:00 +0000

Indigenous co-design—a more specific form of the general concept of co-design in which an architect collaborates with a stakeholder community—is a collaborative design process between architects and the Indigenous community as the client. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) recently released a unique resource aimed at designers, clients, funders and policymakers looking for a guide in Indigenous co-design.

This Proposed Music Center Honors the Unique Birthplace of Polish Composer Frédéric Chopin

Collin Abdallah — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Located in a small village in Poland, this proposed music center honors the birthplace of famous Polish composer and pianist, Frédéric Chopin. Designed by ELEMENT as a part of an international competition, the Chopin Music Center captures the picturesque landscape of endless forests through "leisure and relaxation."

These Alabama Architecture Students are Designing and Building Low-Cost Homes for Rural America

Collin Abdallah — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Rural Studio, a student-centered design/build program at Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction, has announced a collaboration with the mortgage loan company Fannie Mae to support the school’s 20K Initiative. This initiative continues to contribute to the development of "beautiful, healthy and resilient houses that afford financially vulnerable homeowners the ability to live in dignity, security and well within their means."

Jeanne Gang Cut the Wage Gap at Studio Gang and Is Challenging Others to Follow Suit

Collin Abdallah — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Studio Gang founder Jeanne Gang has long been an advocate for change within the architecture field. Her studio's designs push boundaries all over the world, but Gang has recently used her firm to transform architectural practice in a different way—attacking the gender wage gap.

This Public Transit Series Celebrates Moscow's Contemporary Metro Stations

Collin Abdallah — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Beautifully integrating graphic design and architecture, the newest release from Blue Crow Media's transit series recognizes a selection of the most unique public transit stations in Moscow. Moscow Metro Architecture & Design, the second installment in the series, was curated by architectural historian Nikolai Vassiliev with photography by Alexei Narodizkii. It features the most unique and influential examples of architecture and decoration across what is widely considered to be "the most impressive network of stations in the world."

MIT Students Team With Nonprofit to Flip a Prison Into an Agricultural Community Center

Collin Abdallah — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Group Project, a student group from MIT, is helping GrowingChange, a non-profit that works with previously incarcerated youth, to transform an old North Carolina prison into an agricultural community center. GrowingChange looks to take advantage of the small, decommissioned prisons scattered throughout the state's landscape. They see these sites as "places where communities can work together to provide clinical support, education, and vocational training as a means to divert youth from the criminal justice" system.

MoMA to Host Exhibit Celebrating the Radical Brutalist Architecture of Socialist Yugoslavia

Collin Abdallah — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 08:00:00 +0000

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is set to open a new exhibition exploring the architecture of the former country of Yugoslavia. Toward a Concrete Utopia: Architecture in Yugoslavia, 1948–1980 will be the first exhibition in the United States to honor the peculiar architecture of the former socialist nation.

CTBUH Announces the Initial List of Speakers for the 2018 Middle East Conference on "Polycentric Cities"

Collin Abdallah — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 16:50:00 +0000

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has named the initial list of speakers for the 2018 Middle East Conference, Polycentric Cities: The Future of Vertical Urbanism. The list features men and women from some of the most influential businesses in the industry, such as HOK, Safdie Architects, Kohn Pederson Fox, Gensler, Perkins+Will, SOM and many more.

This Instagram Celebrates a Unique Style of Architectural Illustration

Collin Abdallah — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Instagram and social media are fundamentally changing the way we design in the 21st century. There is an inspirational component to the content we see and cite on the internet, but beyond the pretty pictures lies an opportunity for growth and learning. Zean Macfarlane (@zeanmacfarlane) has found his niche on Instagram somewhere in the middle. The "daily architecture" posts feature process sketches, articulated elevations, and graphic design; but the fun doesn't stop there.

Chicago Architecture Foundation's New Home, the Chicago Architecture Center, to Open in Late August

Collin Abdallah — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 14:00:00 +0000

The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) has announced the opening date for their new home, the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC). Set to open August 31 of this year, the CAC will be the "home to everything architecture in Chicago." The 20,000-square-foot structure is located at 111 East Wacker Drive, just above the dock for the River Cruise offered by the CAF.

This Crowdsourced and Crowdfunded Pavilion in Ukraine Embodies the Collaborative Spirit

Collin Abdallah — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 04:00:00 +0000

In Dnipro, Ukraine, sits a unique multi-purpose pavilion rich with historical roots and design influence. Stage is a collaborative project between architects from Ukraine, Poland, Denmark and Italy, crowdsourced and crowdfunded by the citizens of Dnipro. The site for the pavilion has been centered around community involvement throughout the complex history of Dnipro, but it has laid unused for over 70 years.