Architecture News: The Latest Architecture and News

The curvaceous undulating towers designed by MAD Architects for Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, Canada, are under construction. Set for completion in 2011, the towers mark the architects’ first international win back in 2006. Located at the intersection of two main streets, the towers serve as a gateway to the city beyond. The textured band-like facade is created by a continuous balcony that wraps the entire building . The building is also shifted off its core by varying degrees to provide views of the surrounding scenery, keeping city dwellers attune to the natural environment. The architects explained, “This building is more than just a functional machine: it responds to the significance of being located at the junction of two main streets, elegantly bearing its landmark status and acting as a gateway to the city beyond. It is something beautiful, sculptural and human.”

More images after the break.

Built on Taylors’ Island, Kieran Timberlake‘s Loblolly House is nestled into a grove of loblolly pines and responds in an “environmentally ethical” way to its surroundings. Lifted on skewed wooden pillars in order to rest lightly on the site, the residence seems to float amidst the trees and aims to put the focus on the natural environment, such as the sun, the trees and the Chesapeake Bay. The video shares some of the thought process, assembly and construction process as well as the finished project. We find the project extremely thoughtful and hope you enjoy the video!

The debate on what constitutes quality in architecture is as old as architecture itself. In architecture the notion of quality can be approached on several levels. Building-technical quality standards are becoming more and more dominant, aiming mostly at avoiding mistakes. When it comes to the quality of the architecture per se, there is less agreement than ever before. How can such a contested notion become the main goal in national architecture politics?

The AIA 2010 National Convention starts tomorrow in Miami and ArchDaily is there to bring you all the news. But we want you in the conversation also so if you’re there or you’re following the convention online, make sure you tweet using the hashtag All the tweets using it will be featured in our Twitter box located on the top of ArchDaily’s homepage.

We are thrilled to announce that Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA) will be receiving the American Institute of Architects Los Angeles Chapter’s (AIA|LA), Firm of the Year Award for 2010. The formal announcement is expected to be released in July. The AIA|LA Firm of the Year Award is given annually and recognizes a practice that consistently has produced distinguished architecture.

Born this day 143 years ago, Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator. He completed more than 500 works, including his famous Fallingwater House and Guggenheim Musem, and was a leader of the Prairie School movement of architecture.

Last week, we introduced Atelier Altern and their landscapping vision for the historic French town of Toulouse. Today, we bring you their second chosen work for Amiens which is for the islands of the Hortillonnages. The project, ‘On vous raconte des salades’, which translates to mean ‘to spin a yard’ is about the installation telling a story of forgotten varieties of salad.

More about the proposal after the break.

Studio 8, a group of young Hanoian architects, designed a competition proposal to transform a street in Hanoi, Vietnam. The project earned third prize and focuses on finding a contemporary solution to bring the street life of Trangtien “to its gracefulness in the near future.”

More about the proposal after the break.

Often regarded as the greatest architect of our time, Frank Lloyd Wright has left several stunning works students, practitioners and even those unrelated to the field of architecture study, visit and appreciate. Yet, as Wright’s projects suffer the telling signs of age, dozens of restorative efforts have tried to preserve his masterpieces. Thanks to design firm Zünpartners, we can rest assured that Wright’s works will remain in perfect condition for years to come. The firm, who just earned a Webby, has designed a complete virtual tour of the Robie House using a special digital restoration process.

More about the website after the break.

We are always excited to see what the Solar Decathlon entries bring to the table. It is an extremely intense competition, rooted in the belief that highly efficient homes can be sustainable without sacrificing aesthetics or comfort. Throughout the months spent preparing their final houses, students from some of the best universities in the world strive to fuse technological innovation, sustainability and design into a functional entity.

The competition challenges students to think beyond the systems and strategies that are currently in use, thus, each proposal attempts to find innovative ways to approach the issues of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The University of Florida’s Project RE:FOCUS combines its Floridian vernacular language with a ‘back-to-basics’ approach to sustainable living. As such, the 800 sqf house rethinks traditional practices and “hopes to communicate the need to RE:FOCUS how, and in what, we live.”

More about the project and more images, including some great construction shots, after the break.

Our friends at Inhabitat shared Patrick Nadeau‘s Wave House with us to enjoy. Situated in Reims, France, the house features a new take on a green roof – a cascading green surface that blankets the artificial to disguise it as a grassy hill. While we enjoy the addition of any green roof, Nadeau’s approach of a roof that is integrated with the overall form of the house and is then blended into the larger landscape is a nice strategy.

More images and more about the home after the break.

Huge recognition for Foster began 20 years ago. He was knighted in 1990 and appointed to the Order of Merit in 1997. He was awarded with the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1999. In Germany he received the Order Pour le Mérite and most recently, in 2009, he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award in the Arts category.

Last week, we attended a forum on urbanism held in Goldman Sach’s brand new building in downtown Manhattan. The forum specifically discussed the role of the mega project and its significance on the future of American urban development. The panel included Daniel Libeskind, Richard Kahan (the former Chairman and CEO of Battery Park City Authority) and Paul Goldberger, the architecture critic for The New Yorker.

Fast Company just announced this year’s 100 Most Creative People. The list includes a variety of professions and the selection is proof “that creativity is alive and well in 2010.” While the most creative person was deemed Miss Lady Gaga, followed by Eddy Cue (the VP of Apple Internet Services), we were excited to find not one, but three architects making the cut. The 19th spot was awarded to Jean Nouvel, particularly for his take on the Louvre’s Abu Dhabi and his design for the Philharmonie de Paris. The 64th spot went to BjarkeIngles for his fresh designs. And, our last architect, KazuyoSejima rounded in at 88th, for her contextual and minimalistic approach to creating a holistic environment.

After a suggestion from one of our readers (thanks Greg!), we were introduced to the unique architectural pair of Shusaku Arakawa (who ironically passed away a few days ago) and his partner Madeline Gins. The duo has outright declared that they have decided not to die, and have attempted to reverse the aging process and prevent death. Let’s see if you can follow their logic for creating an Architecture Against Death. The pair explains that “an ethics that fails to take a stand against what counters it must be seen to have been subverted by it. It is illogical for an ethical system that values life not to see mortality as fundamentally unethical.”

More about Architecture Against Death after the break.

For those of us not able to experience the Shanghai 2010 Expo in person, we hope these great photos by IODICEARCHITETTI of the Italian Pavilion will help convey the spirit of the project.

Check out more photographs after the break.

Being awarded the Pritzker means you’ve hit it big. Having that ribbon placed around your neck proves you’re top dog in the architecture world and you’ve practically become a household name….doesn’t it? While that may seem that case for Gehry and Hadid, even Piano and Meier, the Pritzker’s seventeenth honoree, (France’s first laureate, in fact) Christian de Portzamparc sometimes feels forgotten.