The emphasis on light and lighting now is more than ever and this is evident from the global initiative by UNESCO to declare and celebrate 2015 as the International Year of Light. With this in mind, Nightscape 2050 is a unique exhibition dedicated to Lighting and is aimed to explore a completely new horizon of lighting design. This exhibition aims to explore the interactions between people, light, and cities in the year 2050.
This summer the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA) will be hosting a 10-day workshop in Aarhus, Denmark. The programme, which is a part of the AA's Visiting School Programme focuses on the role of digital fabrication in design by exploring patterns in complex geometries as a response to lighting conditions. The event is scheduled to take place between August 21-30, 2015.
In a fast-paced and ever expanding city, looking at time as measure and inspiration will be this year's challenge. The workshop will investigate novel techniques of design for a crucial architectural and urban condition: time.
As a part of its #ILookUp campaign, the American Institute of Architects has announced its Look Up Film Challenge, a competition that invites filmmakers and architects to collaborate on a short film that illuminates how architecture enriches our lives and our communities.
The Estonian Centre of Architecture has launched its two-stage public international curator competition to decide Estonia’s project at the next Venice Biennale. The first stage of the competition will close August 31, 2015, with three proposals moving onto a second stage and the winner being announced on November 10, 2015. Proposals are open to art theorists, art historians, architects, designers, interior designers, historians or curators of fields related to architecture. Entries must be in either Estonian or English and international entries are expected to include team members familiar with Estonian architecture. Although the general theme of the 15th Venice Biennale has not been revealed yet the proposal should reflect current global issues and important aspects of the ideas and practice of modern Estonian architecture.
In collaboration with the Van Alen Institute and 100 Resilient Cities, AECOM has announced its international Urban SOS: All Systems Go competition for undergraduate and graduate students.
The competition “calls on multidisciplinary teams of students to envision more resilient food, water, and energy systems for supplying cities and regions today and in the future.” Teams should “identify an urban population facing the possibility of disruption to its food, energy, or water systems, and offer strategies that strengthen these systems’ ability to withstand future shocks or stresses, while also making them more efficient, equitable, and accessible to diverse populations.” All “proposals must be located in one of 67 cities that currently make up the 100 Resilient Cities network.”
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and DBR | Design Build Research School are now seeking entries for TREEHOUSING, an international wood design competition. Housing for the world’s growing urban population and the threat of deforestation are two of the most significant issues facing humanity today. TREEHOUSING challenges architecture students, professional architects and designers to develop innovative wood housing and urban building solutions through two distinct open competitions: TREEHOUSING DURBAN | Tall Wood Housing and TREEHOUSING GLOBAL | Affordable Wood Housing. Read on to learn more.
The Alvar Aalto Symposium gathers together top names in contemporary architecture. This year’s international figures include American architect Greg Lynn, one of the Symposium’s keynote speakers. In line with the theme of the event – DO! – speakers will be rolling up their sleeves and personally opening up about what architects and urban planners really do. The symposium will be held on 7–9 August 2015 in Jyväskylä, Finland.
This August, Building Trust will host a Design + Build Workshop in Umbria, Italy, in collaboration with local artisan collective Terraepaglia. Combining innovative building design with natural construction methods, the workshop will focus on the creation of functional spaces through sustainable means and materials. Over the course of 12 days, participants will work closely with Building Trust and Terraepaglia to learn hands-on construction methods including adobe brick making, straw bale and rammed earth construction, natural plastering, and wood flooring. Learn more about the project and how to get involved here. Our previous coverage of Building Trust's workshops can be found here.
On Thursday, the Aedes Network Campus Berlin (ANCB) Metropolitan Laboratory hosted a symposium to mark the opening of the exhibition "Seoul: Towards a New City," in collaboration with the City of Seoul. The city has identified three key objectives to help them strike a balance between restoration and change when moving forward with future development: revival of history, restoration of nature, and renewal of people's lives. Seven projects that reflect these goals are on display at the exhibition. For more details, continue reading after the break.
LEGO® Architecture Studio, a new concept of the LEGO Architecture line, makes his appearance in Italy in an innovative context of architecture and music. The LEGO Group chose Italy and the prestigious setting of the Sicilian "Villa Pennisi in Musica" event for the launch of the new set of building blocks.
On the twentieth anniversary of South Africa’s re-birth, the UIA Congress will celebrate the African profession as a meaningful contributor to world architecture and thought leadership in city development; as well as the continent’s contribution in the affairs and evolution of architecture globally.
In light of the strong responses to their Lodge on the Lake competition, organized in collaboration with the University of Canberra and won by Henry Stephens, Nick Roberts and Jack Davies in May, the Gallery of Australian Design is hosting an exhibition of the submissions to the competition, including models of the entries created specially created for the exhibition.
Two themes – Dreams Deferred and On the Boards – frame the collection of thought-provoking photographs, original drawings, renderings and models that make up Unbuilt San Francisco: Grand Visions. The exhibition juxtaposes outlandish unbuilt work with existing plans which will, in time, have a major impact on our city.
Featured content includes Vincent Raney's drawings of a United Nations at the foot of Twin Peaks; OMA's designs for Prada's West Coast headquarters, located near Union Square; Fougeron Architecture's envisioning of a future San Francisco with agriculture woven directly into the urban framework; and an early look at the revitalization of Pier 70's Waterfront Site. Unbuilt San Francisco is the theme of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Architecture and the City festival.
More information and images after the break.
Once labeled 'an empty useless city center,' by architectural commentator Norman Day, the city of Melbourne's transformation since the 1980s has been dramatic. Today, Melbourne is internationally recognized as one of the world’s most liveable cities, with a vibrant, urbane downtown. Currently on show until December 21st at City Gallery in Melbourne, this exhibition examines the impact and legacy of the Postcode 3000 planning policy. Curated by Rob Adams, the exhibition looks at the genesis and typologies of this change and its ongoing impact on the form and vitality of central Melbourne. It asks the question: do we fully comprehend the impact of this latest boom? For more information, please visit here.
The Latvia Association of Architects recently announced the launch of their international competition for the best concept of an architectural idea and architectonic solution for the object, 'Food Supermarket with Additional Services.' Construction of the food supermarket is primary foreseen in St. Petersburg or its' closest proximity. For this reason it is essential that competition participants take into consideration climate conditions of St. Petersburg while choosing relevant materials and developing technical and constructive solutions. Submissions are due no later than October 15.. For more information, please visit here.
Known to be the longest running architectural drawing competition in the work, the 2013 KRob Architectural Delineation Competition, invites professionals and students to enter this exciting competition for an opportunity to win great prizes, gain recognition across the industry and open up new opportunities with the publication of their ‘Award Winning’ work. Organized by the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects since 1974 and sponsored by Doghouse Computer Systems, the competition culminates in an award ceremony and event night with refreshments and a lecture by the jury panel on November 14th.
All entries must be of an architectural nature, and must be authored by one individual. Entries can be elevations, sections, or perspectives, and can be conceptual or final renderings. Exploration and innovation in unique techniques are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is October 28th. For more information, please visit the official website here.