The architecture of governments has long been tied to shared ideals. Built to reflect regional aspirations and communal organizations, parliaments are a unique type of design for legislative bodies. Generally speaking, they include various kinds of deliberative, consultative, and judicial assemblies. Exploring new ideas on the design of government buildings, parliaments are being reimagined to reflect contemporary life.
It is believed that copper was the first metal to be found by men and used in the manufacture of tools and weapons. This occurred in the last period of prehistory, more than 10,000 years ago, in the so-called Metal Age, when groups, until then nomadic, started to become sedentary, developing agriculture and starting the first urban settlements. Copper has since been used in diverse ways. Used for decorative objects, jewelry, automotive parts, electrical systems, and even for dental amalgams, the material has had huge demand. In architecture, copper coatings are greatly appreciated for their aesthetics and durability. But a factor worth mentioning is that copper can be recycled infinitely, practically without losing its properties.
In a time where space grows more and more limited and people increasingly spend time at home, flexibility presents itself as an underutilized strategy of interior design. With flexible furniture, residents can optimize square footage and easily reshape configurations according to specific requirements and shifting needs. Below, we discuss the benefits and variations of furniture on wheels, closing with 7 example projects illustrating their creative and practical application.
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has launched Destination Architect, a new educational STEAM resource for aspiring architects. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of the architect’s role and how to earn an architecture license through a video-based format. The resource also highlights data-driven tips to help shorten the path to licensure.
The Architectural Review has announced that Sala Beckett by Flores & Prats is the winner of the 2019 AR New into Old awards. The project was selected by a panel of judges for its inventive re-use, and it was awarded alongside two Highly Commended and three Commended buildings for sustainable alternatives to building anew. The AR New into Old awards celebrate the creative ways buildings are adapted and remodeled to welcome new contemporary uses.
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Often informed by its harsh climate and stunning landscapes, Nordic design, specifically architecture, has a unique relationship with nature. Photographers of Nordic architecture have benefitted from studying this close connection in their photos that experiment with capturing light, innovative materials, and landscape to create a compelling composition. Below is a selection of images of both public and private architecture by prominent photographers such as Pasi Aalto, Bert Leandersson, Mika Huisman and Åke E: Lindman.
Finnish practice OOPEAA has been awarded the 2017 Spotlight Prize for emerging architects. First given in 2009, the award was established by the Rice Design Alliance to celebrate the work of architects from around the world within their first 15 years of professional practice.
Past winners of the award have included Cadaver & Sola-Morales, OUALALOU+CHOI, 5468796, Interboro Partners, Pezo von Ellrichshausen, LA DALLMAN, Sou Fujimoto, and Anton García-Abril.
The European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation have announced the 40 shortlisted works that will compete for the 2017 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award. The jury has chosen from 355 nominated works and the shortlist highlights the opportunities and the trends of today’s European territory: cities, housing, heritage, and memory. The five finalists will be announced in mid-February and the winner and the Emerging Architect in mid-May.
A third of the works tackle the challenge of contemporary architecture in relation with built heritage and a third of the work tackles the contemporary challenges of housing. The management of the historic urban landscape will be among the priorities highlighted by the ‘European Year of Cultural Heritage' in 2018.
"I would want the shortlisted schemes to demonstrate an interest in making places, in exploring convention and known typologies, in celebrating the pleasures of everyday use by a consideration of detail and an unspoken resistance to the current global tendency towards a self-referential architecture, one that belies context and the act of inhabitation." - Stephen Bates, Chairman of the Jury.
Seen the shortlist after the break.
_Tuomas_Uusheimo_(2).jpg?1535465026 "© Tuomas Uusheimo")
.jpg?1539785884 "© Mika Huisman")
.jpg?1539785986 "© Mika Huisman")
.jpg?1539786050 "© Mika Huisman")
.jpg?1539785973 "© Mika Huisman")
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.jpg?1495807208 "Kärsämäki Church / OOPEAA. Image © Jussi Tiainen")
