Around the world, a passionate community of bird watchers, from novice observers to seasoned ornithologists, is drawn to the subtle movements, distinct calls, and remarkable migrations of birds. This global fascination has led to the creation of thoughtfully designed spaces by architects and designers, enhancing the bird-watching experience while respecting the ecological landscapes in which they are placed.
Curated by Anneke Abhelakh, the Albania Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, titled "Building Architecture Culture", explores how the country's architecture embodies its political, cultural, and social transformations. Albania's built environment reflects a layered history, from Ottoman and Italian rule to communist isolation and post-socialist transformation, each leaving visible marks on its cities and public spaces. The pavilion examines how architecture both responds to and shapes collective memory, public space, and civic engagement, framing these questions through past, present, and future perspectives.
In December 2016, BIG unveiled the first images of a concrete superstructure for Los Angeles' Arts District. The project, a mixed-use complex called 670 Mesquit, was originally projected to cover 2.6 million square feet (242,000 square meters) and include office space, residential units, and two hotels, marking BIG's first project in Los Angeles. In July 2025, nearly nine years after the original proposal, the Los Angeles City Council approved the project to be eventually built in multiple phases.
In the complex ecosystem of architectural development, where innovative concepts meet market realities, a distinct role exists to bridge diverse professional interests and realize impactful spaces. Elisa Orlanski Ours exemplifies this function. This is the domain of Elisa Orlanski Ours, a designer, educator, and industry leader. As Chief Planning & Design Officer at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, Elisa founded her department two decades ago. Now, her extensive portfolio spans condominium skyscraper master plans and individual branded villas across continents, including significant New York City developments like Hudson Yards and 220 Central Park South, as well as international developments in collaboration with prominent architectural firms like SHoP Architects, BIG, Herzog & de Meuron, Adjaye Associates, and SO-IL. Her strategic perspective on bringing projects from schematic phase to final sale provides valuable insights into the industry's intricate workings. ArchDaily's Managing Editor, Maria-Cristina Florian, had the opportunity to discuss these critical topics with Elisa in the following interview.
At the Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, designed by Peter Zumthor, the construction process involved the direct participation of residents from the small Swiss village of Mechernich. Using an internal formwork made of vertically placed wooden logs, concrete was prepared in small batches and poured manually, day after day, forming layers marked by subtle variations in the mix and application. At the end of the process, the wooden structure was reduced to ashes, leaving the chapel's interior impregnated with traces of fire and revealing a dark, tactile surface. The result was a quiet and deeply meaningful space, where collective action, time, and material transformation became part of the architecture. Centered on locally available resources and manual techniques, this construction method highlights how the choice of materials and building system can shape the experience of a space, reveal the time invested, and embed the culture of a place into the very matter of architecture. In doing so, it offers an example of how construction itself can become a regenerative act, restoring meaning, connecting communities, and honoring material cycles.
As climate instability reshapes design priorities, architecture is increasingly drawn into ecological debates not as a spectator but as a participant. Among the concepts gaining traction is rewilding, a practice rooted in the restoration of self-sustaining ecosystems through the reintroduction of biodiversity, the removal of barriers, and the rebalancing of human presence in the landscape. Though often associated with conservation biology, rewilding also opens up new spatial and architectural imaginaries — ones that challenge conventional notions of permanence, authorship, and use.
BIG, artist Doug Aitken Workshop, NIRAS, Volcano, and RWDI have won a competition to redesign three public spaces surrounding major music venues in Ørestad, Copenhagen. The initiative, titled Byens Scene ("The City's Stage"), aims to revitalize the areas around DR Koncerthuset, Bella Arena, and Royal Arena, transforming them into an interconnected landscape for everyday use and public performances.
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, in collaboration with HNTB, has broken ground on its first-ever realized Major League Baseball stadium, marking a new chapter for the Athletics as they relocate to Las Vegas. The new A's Ballpark is scheduled to open ahead of the 2028 MLB season and will serve as the team's permanent home in the city. The architectural vision is supported by a broad team of collaborators, including Thornton Tomasetti, Henderson Engineers, CAA ICON, Mortenson, and McCarthy Building Companies. Located in what is widely known as "The Entertainment Capital of the World," the project reflects the growing presence of major sports infrastructure in Las Vegas.
Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19th, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States, marking a moment of liberation and reflection on a complex and often overlooked history. Originally celebrated in Texas, Juneteenth has grown to symbolize broader themes of freedom, resilience, and cultural identity, fostering conversations about justice and representation. This day also presents an opportunity to highlight the ways in which architecture can serve as a medium for preserving and presenting African American history and cultural values.
Architecture, beyond its functional and aesthetic qualities, can reflect and collect narratives, values, and hidden histories, giving a tangible and visual presence to communities often underrepresented in cityscapes. Buildings dedicated to African American history and culture become physical landmarks that anchor these stories within the daily life of cities. They serve as places of learning, reflection, and celebration, creating meaningful spaces that engage the public and foster a sense of communal identity.
The desire to see the world from above transcends cultures and time — an almost instinctive impulse to seek new horizons, gain perspective, and momentarily step outside everyday life. Observation towers embody that desire: built in forests, mountains, urban parks, or coastal landscapes, they invite us to pause, look closely, and discover the surroundings in a quiet or playful way. These structures offer more than just views; they offer experiences. As we climb their steps or ramps, our bodies take part in a ritual of transition — from ground to sky.
Under Carlo Ratti's curatorship, the Venice Biennale's 19th International Architecture Exhibition delves into the theme "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective," with the explicit aim of transforming the city of Venice into a "Living Laboratory." In addition to the 65 national participations and a wide range of educational and collateral events, the exhibition features independent projects that directly respond to the overarching theme. With most of the exhibits showcased in the historic Corderie building, stretching along the south side of the Arsenale, the event offers a dynamic exploration of emerging architectural ideas and urban strategies.
The proposed mixed-use tower at 175 Third Street is the fifth building planned across four sites within the Gowanus Wharf development in Brooklyn, New York. With views toward Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, the 1,080,000 sq ft proposal includes affordable housing, retail and artist spaces, fitness areas, social and entertainment spaces, culminating in a rooftop with lounging zones and an outdoor pool. The project also envisions a 28,000-sq-ft public waterfront esplanade designed by Field Operations, intended to contribute to the ecological rehabilitation of the Gowanus Canal, continuing the broader transformation of this industrial neighborhood. Other project collaborators include dencityworks | architecture, AKRF, bucharest.studio, DeSimone, Ettinger Engineering Associates, Fried Frank, Hatfield Group, Impact Environmental, and Jenkins and Huntington.
BIG–Bjarke Ingels Group was commissioned by A.R.M. Holding to design the transformation of Dubai's Jebel Ali Racecourse into a new urban district measuring 5 square kilometers. The design aligns with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which focuses on enhancing pedestrian mobility as a pillar for promoting sustainable urban development. The master plan is anchored by a central park, reconnecting the racecourse site to the city.
The World Architecture Festival (WAF) is set to host its 17th edition in Miami, marking the event's first appearance in the United States. This year's festival theme, announced as Hearts and Minds, will explore the intersection between rational design strategies and emotional resonance. Through a series of talks and panel discussions, speakers will examine how architecture operates both as an intellectual pursuit and a sensory experience, engaging perception, memory, and affect. Scheduled from November 12-14 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida, the festival will gather architects and designers from around the globe for a three-day program featuring talks, awards, exhibitions, and fringe events. The event will highlight international practices, showcase new projects, and facilitate discussions on key issues shaping the built environment.
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition, organised by La Biennale di Venezia under Carlo Ratti's curatorship and the theme "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective," is set to transform Venice into a "Living Laboratory" of experimentation and collaboration. This year's special projects extend beyond the exhibition grounds, integrating into various city locations and Forte Marghera in Mestre, providing an alternative perspective that expands the reach of architectural discourse.
The Biennale promises to be a dynamic platform uniting over 750 participants from diverse backgrounds, including architects, engineers, mathematicians, climate scientists, and artists. Such a broad coalition of over 280 projects underlines the Exhibition's focus on inclusivity and interdisciplinary collaboration, an essential aspect for adaptation. The selection process proposed a bottom-up, open call approach through the Space for Ideas initiative, which ran between May and June 2024. It encouraged participation from global teams, from Pritzker Prize winners and Nobel laureates to emerging architects and scientists.
The 2025 edition of Milan Design Week took place from April 8 to April 13, 2025. During these five days, the city of Milan hosted special events, exhibitions, installations, and discussions centered on the creative disciplines, including the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile at Fiera Milano fairgrounds. Among the numerous activities, the event serves as an ideal opportunity to introduce the latest trends and showcase upcoming pieces from brands and designers worldwide. Among the new releases and product launches, the ArchDaily team identified a selection of products designed by architects, ranging from lighting and furniture systems to materials and small objects.
In recent weeks, a number of architecture firms have unveiled new projects that reflect an ongoing shift toward integrated, environmentally responsive urban planning. From Europe to the Middle East and North America, these proposals balance spatial innovation with long-term sustainability, whether through car-free living, passive performance strategies, or adaptive modular construction. While some projects reimagine infrastructure and public institutions, others explore how urban density can coexist with natural ecosystems. This edition of Architecture Now highlights a selection of recently announced masterplans, cultural buildings, and residential communities that offer new models for ecological and social resilience in the built environment.
The 2025 edition of Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile.Milano, spanning April 7th to 13th, brought together a diverse range of temporary installations at the intersection of architecture, design, and material innovation. Spread across historic sites, courtyards, and exhibition venues throughout the city, these site-specific works explored concepts such as sustainability, impermanence, sensory experience, and spatial interaction, in line with the theme of this edition of exploring the deep connections between humanity and design. Architectural studios, designers, and artists collaborated with brands and institutions to create environments that responded to context while proposing new approaches to how spaces are designed, experienced, and constructed. The following selection highlights ten installations presented during the week, reflecting a range of design approaches, materials, and spatial concepts.
