Shopping malls and retail centers are dead- or so they say. Although much of how we shop was put on pause by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we experienced the surge in e-commerce focused purchases, some of your favorite stores are faced with reimagining themselves in a new way. As the pressure for high-density housing continues to rise, and big-box centers and shopping malls are left empty, is there a way that the place where you once purchased a new outfit could be transformed into your next apartment?
After ongoing uncertainties about the future state of the The Nakagin Capsule Tower Building, Kisho Kurokawa Architects and Urban Design Office Chiyoda-ku, have decided to dismantle the iconic architecture and regenerate its capsules as accommodation units and museum installations across the world. The regeneration plan follows the initial concept of "Metabolism", re-configurating the elements instead of complete demolition.
Foster+Partners has unveiled its design for Marina Tower, a residential project set to become the tallest building in Greece. Located in Ellinikon, on the outskirts of Athens, the project is part of a larger development plan meant to transform the site of the former airport into several new neighbourhoods centred around a large coastal park. The 200-metre tall tower at the heart of the masterplan showcases a permeable relationship between interior and exterior spaces in tune with the Mediterranean climate while also featuring various water elements and extensive greenery.
Briefly, structural masonry is a construction system in which the walls of the building perform a structural function, using masonry units arranged in a way that is self-supporting and load-bearing. The walls will evenly distribute the load to the foundation and later into the ground.
Stacked in layers, the bricks, blocks, or stones may or may not be connected by a binder (mortar) and steel reinforcements that heavily influence the mechanical properties of the wall, dimensioned to resist active forces.
Zaha Hadid Architects has been invited to exhibit at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia. Titled ‘High-performing Urban Ecologies', the installation responds to the theme of Resilient Communities by displaying the Alis Meeting Pod, a modular structure of ZHA’s Unicorn Island Masterplan that is currently under construction in Chengdu, China. The installation is on display at the Giardino delle Vergini at the entrance of the Italian Pavilion.
Amancio d'Alpoim Miranda Guedes, known as Pancho Guedes was an architect, painter, sculptor, and educator that is revered as one of the earliest post-modernist architects in Africa. Throughout his career, he has contributed to more than 500 building designs which were often characterized as eclectic, bringing together Lusophone African influence with his unique surrealist and experimental artistic style. It is said that having worked mainly in Mozambique, Angola, South Africa, and Portugal, Pancho Guedes was less well known than he ought to have been in the rest of the world, as he is a leading figure in modern African architecture.
Courtesy of Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism
Under the theme of "Crossroads: Building the Resilient City", the 2021 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism explores cities through architecture, design, and urban planning by highlighting "the virtues and dialogue of crossroads of knowledge" through exhibitions, installations, and events, that tackle the city of tomorrow led by architect Dominique Perrault. With more than 100 participating cities across five continents and installations by world renowned architects and designers, the Seoul Biennale will take place at various locations across the city from September 16 until October 31st, 2021.
Products with natural germ-repelling properties—like certain woods and copper—and those with textures that help avoid bacterial growth will be common materiality considerations for commercial interiors specification following the COVID-19 pandemic.. Image Courtesy of Marin Architects
In this week's reprint from Metropolis, Amanda Schneider, president of ThinkLab, the research division of SANDOW, explores how "designers can help create healthy, safe interiors with thoughtful surface and filtration selections". Asking how we can have sanitized surfaces, without having to deep clean them regularly, the author discusses the materiality of healthy safe interiors.
The first exhibition by Zaha Hadid Architects 'ZHA Close Up – Work & Research' at the Modern Art Museum in Shanghai is now open to visitors. The exhibition displays an in-depth look at the evolution of Zaha Hadid Architects’ projects over the last 40 years, from the MAXXI Museum and the Leeza SOHO in Beijing, to the studio’s current ongoing projects across the world. The exhibition is the first by the architect to be held in in mainland China and will run until August 29, 2021.
MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, has unveiled its design for the Aranya “Cloud Center” in Qinhuangdao, China. The floating-like design will offer Aranya, a vibrant seaside arts and culture community, a new multi-purpose public space with a a variety of functions and sculptured landscapes imagined as a “white stone garden".
Trahan Architects broke ground on the new Chapel of St. Ignatius and Gayle and Tom Benson Jesuit Center at the Loyola University in New Orleans. The new spiritual site and the community gathering space draw on elements of the Jesuit tradition, central to the University's heritage. Through the circular design, the light-filled interior space and the predominance of natural materials, Trahan Architects creates a space of universal spirituality at the heart of the campus.
If we ever wonder what the future could look like, all we have to do is take a look into our past, and observe how far we have come since thousands, a hundred, or even ten years ago. Life was radically different back then and it will be just as different in the future. And since we are well aware that the future merely resembles the present, we have the possibility to shape our future the way we want to. TASCHEN's latest BIG book installment Formgiving. An Architectural Future History explores the past, present, and future, drawing a timeline of the built environment from taking shape to giving form.
Herzog & de Meuron's rehabilitation of Porta Volta took up themes of Milanese urbanism and architecture, which has defined the city's urban fabric throughout the years. The project's design was developed after an intensive historical analysis of the site - a site which dates back to the 16th century and holds remains of when the Romans defined the city's boundaries. Architectural photographer Bahaa Ghoussainy captured Herzog & de Meuron's Lombardian-inspired structure, highlighting its modernized nod to historic architecture.
Gmp has won a competition to redesign a disused stainless steel factory that would accommodate the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. In tune with China's newfound interest in adaptive reuse, the project retains the core structure of the 860-meter long industrial building, as well as its ventilation towers. At the same time, it redesigns the façade and accentuates the central axis through a mix of social spaces. The design is part of a larger redevelopment plan to transform the former industrial site into an art district.
JMZ Architects is a firm realizing both long-term visions and local spatial needs. With a background in planning and architecture, they are a Women-owned business creating campuses and new structures alike. Practicing from a single office of 23 employees in Glens Falls, New York, they have focused exclusively on architecture and planning for higher education institutions, primarily public colleges, and universities, and state higher education systems.
Titled "Reflections", the Swiss Pavilion at the 2020 Dubai Expo showcases Switzerland's unique duality of scenic landscapes and technology, as part of the Opportunity district of the expo. Designed by OOS Architekten, along with Bellprat Partner for the scenography, and Lorenz Eugster for the landscape, the creative team behind Reflections created a bold architectural statement with the pavilion's facade and immersed visitors in an exploration of Switzerland's scenic landscapes and state-of-the-art innovations.
Aguascalientes is a small state in the heart of Mexico, located 480 km northeast of Mexico City and nestled between the states of Zacatecas and Jalisco. With just 5618 km² of territory, it is Mexico's third smallest state. It's capital and most populated city is Aguascalientes, or "hot waters" in English, is named for the numerous hot springs found throughout the area.
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