Heatherwick Studio has revealed their first public library design, planned for Howard County Libraries in Maryland, United States. The building will serve as a community center and was designed to reflect the changing and complex role of libraries within cities. The program expands beyond book lending services, providing spaces for cultural events, collective learning, workshops and lending of objects of use. Construction is expected to begin in 2024, and the library is scheduled to open to the public in 2027.

“A city built for speed is a city built for success.” This phrase, attributed to Le Corbusier, one of the most influential urbanists of the 20th century, condenses one of the most significant social developments of that era.

Mobility is a central aspect of shaping the social fabric. According to Eduardo Bericat, Professor of Sociology at the University of Seville, every form of society implies a system of mobility. Consequently, transformations within this system entail anthropological changes of immense significance.

Japan's Pavilion has announced its exhibition “Architecture, a place to be loved – when architecture is seen as a living creature” curated by Maki Onishi, for the 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Centered around our post-pandemic reality of faceless developments taking over cities globally, the intervention's main question explores how people can once more find amazement in architecture and joy in shared physical spaces.

Gender is an undeniable layer of inequality in cities, which distinctly and effectively marks the experience and daily life of men and women in urban environments. Public lighting is crucial to ensure more inclusive and equal spaces, and often it is not planned from a gender perspective.

Poorly lit public spaces reinforce feelings of fear in these environments and must be rethought to promote safer cities, especially for women. With more than half of the world's population living in urban areas – a scenario expected to increase – how can we make public spaces safer and more comfortable so that they can be fully enjoyed and accessed by everyone?

With offices in Zürich, Barcelona and Majorca, the work of Gus Wüstemann Architects is a constant evolution between matter and context. From the strong heritage of timber and concrete construction in Switzerland, to the blurry boundaries of inside and outside found in Mediterranean architecture, Gus' work always put an emphasis on the core values of the local construction and craftsmanship, mixed with the cross learnings of working across different regions.

Currently working on projects such as A Barn, for Demna’s Atelier and Loïc’s Studio, and a mixed use hybrid concrete/timber in Feldmeilen, along with several residential projects in Italy and the Balearic Islands, Wüstemann's architecture can be seen as archetypical, essential or even raw. The interiors are a direct expression of these core concepts, with a brut aesthetic.

Founded in Shanghai in 2018, XISUI Design is currently a boutique, close-knit team that encourages every member to realize their full potential and enjoy a healthy work-life balance. We have accumulated extensive experience in delivering projects driven by digital design and construction technologies, encouraging practical actions that turn groundbreaking innovation and imagination into reality. In integrating digital technology into the design and construction fields, our completed works currently focus on spatial design, installation art, children's playscapes, and landscape structures. We offer schematic design, strategic planning, and construction administration services. Our office is located in the Jing'an District of Shanghai, near Jing'an Sculpture Park and within walking distance of Metro Lines 1, 2, and 13. We welcome pragmatic individuals who aspire to shape the future to join us and grow together.

Upholding the design philosophy of “Cutting-edge, Joy, and Creativity,” we leverage advanced digital design and fabrication technologies to create richer imaginative spaces and narrative environments. Our design pursuits combine pioneering modes of expression with a continuous exploration of intrinsic essence, allowing users of different ages, family structures, and cultural backgrounds to experience the genuine emotion, local heritage, and profound care for life embedded in our work.

“How to give your home: Dark Academia vibes” reads the title of a popular YouTube video targeted at homeowners fascinated by the aesthetics relating to liberal education and the arts. A subculture born in the age of social media, Dark Academia is one of many internet aesthetics that have gained prevalence in the last decade. Image-based platforms like Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok have amplified internet aesthetics, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media allows users to support and create their own trends that rapidly amass a following. Today, the creation of aesthetic trends lies in the hands of the general public and will dictate the way interior design trends develop.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

George Smart is an unlikely preservationist, almost an accidental one. The founder and executive director of USModernist, a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and documentation of modern houses, Smart worked for 30 years as a management consultant. “I was doing strategic planning and organization training,” he says. “My wife refers to this whole other project as a 16-year seizure.” Recently I spoke with Smart about his two websites, the podcast, the house tours his organization conducts, and why documentation is such a power preservation tool.

The relationship between architecture and its various mediums of representation, reproduction, and publicity is nothing new. Drawings, blueprints, and photographs published in books, magazines, and newspapers have historically been an integral part of the profession's trajectory. Over the last decade, with the rise of social media—particularly platforms centered on visual communication—architects have adopted these tools in myriad ways, incorporating them into their professional practice. Yet while these networks can produce and popularize content for diverse audiences, does architecture risk becoming a hostage to its own representation in this era of engagement?

The Government of the Province of Neuquén, along with Region 1 of the Neuquén Association of Architects (CAN) and the Argentine Federation of Architects' Organizations (FADEA), launched a national competition for ideas and preliminary designs for the Neuquén Memory and Identity Park. The park will be developed on a four-lot federal plot belonging to the Argentine National Army in this region of Argentine Patagonia.

The transition of human settlements from a nomadic to a settled lifestyle transformed the conception of dwellings, extending beyond their primary use as shelter. Over time, each housing typology that developed around the world acquired unique characteristics that defined its identity and materiality, shaped by the culture and geographic region where it emerged.

In North America, the ancient city of Tenochtitlan was a benchmark for the technological and construction advancements of its time, distinguished by the use of native materials, such as earthen/stone floors, adobe walls, and local wood/cane posts. Over time, dwellings in Mexico have managed to preserve their identity while incorporating high-quality materials. The development of new technologies and the sophistication of the manufacturing process for architectural materials led to the rise of porcelain tiles, such as those developed by Firenze, which became a valuable resource due to their versatile aesthetics, high strength, and durability.

For those considering a career in environmental design –as an architect, landscape architect, urban designer, or city planner–, an immersive summer program in architecture and sustainable design might be the way to go before making a more long term commitment. Intensive summer programs are a great way to explore a career interest in architecture and environmental design. The College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley offers a variety of immersive summer courses, emphasizing hands-on studio design and teaching a multitude of relevant foundational design skills. By attending these programs, students gain professional clarity, competency, an increased network of peers and experts, and an empowering experience.

The Danish Pavilion has announced Josephine Michau as the curator of the exhibition “Coastal Imaginaries” to represent Denmark at the 18^th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition highlights nature-based design solutions to alleviate global challenges like rising sea levels and storm floods. The team behind the exhibition represents a collaboration between the landscape architectural firm Schønherr and researchers, artists, Danish trade organizations, and scientific institutions. The selected subject aligns with the biennale’s overarching theme of Laboratory of the Future, running from May 20^th to November 26^th, 2023, in the Giardini, at the Arsenale, and at various locations around Venice.

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MVRDV has won a competition to design the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) Campus in Heilbronn, Germany. The campus will be transformed into a world-leading site for developing AI technologies. The design will include a variety of business campus laboratories, a startup innovation center, housing, a communication center, and many amenities, such as a restaurant and a kindergarten. Moreover, the scheme also embeds interactive touchpoints for curious visitors to see the development of these world-changing technologies firsthand and interact with the minds behind their creations.

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Within various - if not all - architectural programs, there is a function that is an essential and common requirement: the bathroom. A residence, office, commercial space, theater, museum, religious space, park, or school can only be designed with it. In some countries, public toilets are part of urban infrastructure like public transport or waste collection. A fundamental human right, although denied to a considerable portion of the global population, the toilet follows a historical evolution. Modernity brought with it the separation between public and private, and the room became increasingly reserved in Western society.

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From fire in caves to street lighting in cities, lighting has evolved steadily alongside technological advancements—and in recent years, it has begun to change even more significantly due to a growing awareness of its impact on the environment and human health. Today, automated LEDs are commonplace in workspaces and homes, improving both energy efficiency and well-being and comfort. Meanwhile, public squares and streets are increasingly integrating sensors and software configurations to enhance safety and mobility. With the global urban population projected to reach 68% by 2050, urban lighting will undoubtedly become an even more critical factor to consider.

However, to make the most of these opportunities, we must view lighting as part of a holistic vision and work together to create better solutions. What does the future of lighting look like? We posed this question to our readers. After reviewing a vast number of comments and opinions from construction professionals, students, and architecture enthusiasts alike, it was surprising to find so much common ground and shared visions. There is a clear consensus on the importance of going a step beyond the status quo without increasing light pollution—while being more mindful of all living things. Discover the main perspectives below.

Organized by the College of Architects of the Province of Córdoba (CAPC) and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architects' Associations (FADEA), the Provincial Ideas Competition was held for Freyre Central Park, located on the former grounds of the Argentine Central Railway in the town of Freyre, Córdoba, Argentina.

In 2021, Spanish architect Fernando Menis won the public competition to build the two Essential Services Buildings (ESE) of the Canary Islands, to be located on each of the archipelago's largest islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Gran Canaria. By implementing a project focused not only on operational safety but also on hyperconnectivity, functional flexibility, worker well-being, and environmental regeneration, the Government of the Canary Islands aims to enhance public safety, risk prevention, and emergency management to address potential natural hazards, climate change, and other threats such as pandemics, cyberattacks, or terrorism.

Menis's proposal, which features two identical yet autonomous buildings, is expected to achieve greater economic sustainability through lower long-term maintenance and operating costs. Energy-efficient and adaptable to external factors, the Essential Services Buildings (ESE) will provide citizen services year-round.

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As part of a new initiative of the multidisciplinary laboratory based in Mexico, dérive LAB presents "Shared Streets", a project with a focus on urban design that seeks to spatially transform the street so that it is governed by human relations, rather than using traffic control devices; this suggests that the street is not only a space for transportation and mobility but one in which many other social, economic and cultural activities take place.

Foster + Partners, working in collaboration with Petrolina Group, has revealed the design of a new master plan to transform the seafront of Larnaca, Cyprus, into a sustainable and enjoyable area for the city residents, future generations, and new visitors. The resort town of Larnaca aims to redesign one of its main arteries, the Larnaca-Dhekelia Road, to become more pedestrian-friendly, along with its seafront. Foster’s proposal aims to enhance the land’s ecological value and to double the length of the waterfront accessible to the public.

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Among the updates to the new Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV) program, recently launched by the Brazilian Federal Government, is the inclusion of a "housing improvement" modality. This is a necessary addition, as it addresses historically underserved populations—precisely those most vulnerable to the increasingly frequent and severe impacts of climate change. A new path toward sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and low-carbon development must be established. This transition depends not only on access to quality housing, but also on infrastructure and public services.

At this year’s International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, the Australian Institute of Architects will present Unsettling Queenstown. Tackling themes of decolonization, the exhibition is a multi-faceted and multi-sensory installation. Creative directors Anthony Coupe, Julian Worrall, Emily Paech, Ali Gumillya Baker, and Sarah Rhode have curated this exhibition as a response to the overarching theme of the Biennale – "The Laboratory of the Future." Moreover, Unsettling Queenstown will encourage audiences to imagine the future and its possibilities.

Exposed pipes highlighted in architecture are not a novelty. Classics like Centre Pompidou and Sesc Pompeia already adopted infrastructure elements as objects that helped compose the building's aesthetics. Solutions inspired by the industrial architecture of the 50s, urging to remodel industrial sheds for other uses, made their facilities apparent to make the work more cost-effective and less complex. After a few decades, we find this idea at different scales.

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It’s true that all trends are circular, and what was once seen as old and outdated becomes new and modern again- in fashion, music, art, and especially architecture. From the mid 20th century, brutalist architecture rose in popularity before reaching its peak in the mid-1970s, when it was disregarded for being too stylistic and non-conforming to the needs of clients who wanted their buildings to feel timeless. But the love for these concrete beasts is facing a resurgence, and a renewed appreciation for this architectural style is on the rise.

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