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Interview: The Latest Architecture and News

Blizzard Entertainment's Philip Klevestav on Designing Built Environments in Video Games

Realistic images and walk-throughs have become an integral part of project presentations. Designers are using cutting-edge softwares and constructing precise 3D models to showcase their work as authentically as possible. As for the world of video games, it is not just about the quality of the graphics or how accurate these graphics are, but rather the immersive experience of visual designs and how the players are communicating with the virtually-built environment.

In an exclusive interview with ArchDaily, Philip Klevestav, principle artist at Blizzard Entertainment, the gaming development company known for Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo, shares his insights on video game designs and the influence of architecture on the designing process.

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Co-creating Architecture no. 1 – Nord Architects

Co-creating Architecture is a bookseries project that takes a look at the vast potential and use of co-creation within Danish architecture.
It portrays a generation of Danish architects who set a new international standard for Danish architecture with their ability to offer sustainable answers to societal and social challenges in the shape of innovative and lasting design solutions. The key to this was and still is co-creation: a collaborative approach that opens up the creative process, inviting users, decision-makers and experts from a wide range of fields to participate in and inform the development of projects. Co-creation stimulates interest, sense of

Co-creating Architecture no. 2 – Effekt

Co-creating Architecture is a bookseries project that takes a look at the vast potential and use of co-creation within Danish architecture.
It portrays a generation of Danish architects who set a new international standard for Danish architecture with their ability to offer sustainable answers to societal and social challenges in the shape of innovative and lasting design solutions. The key to this was and still is co-creation: a collaborative approach that opens up the creative process, inviting users, decision-makers and experts from a wide range of fields to participate in and inform the development of projects. Co-creation stimulates interest, sense of

In Praise of Tokyo: in Conversation With Junya Ishigami

In this short video by Louisiana Channel, Junya Ishigami talks about Tokyo and what he sees as the defining traits of the vibrant and diverse metropole. Discussing what he likes about the city, the renowned Japanese architect underlines Tokyo’s polycentrism and explains how being made up of different small town allows the city to preserve its very local characteristics.

On the Process of Architecture with Piers Taylor of Invisible Studio

The first episode of Practice, a new series of documentaries about the process of architecture, takes an in-depth look into the design thinking of Invisible Studio's founder, Piers Taylor. The short film follows the architect as he builds a small cabin, alternating visually compelling imagery with pieces of conversation about his early years in the profession and the beginning of Invisible Studio. Taylor also shares his thoughts about building with volunteers and working with wood. The rhythm, the sound design (created by Simon James) and the cinematic quality of the film make of the short documentary an immersive experience.

Working with Contradictions: In Conversation with Alireza Taghaboni

In this interview by Parametric Architecture, NEXT Office's founder, Iranian architect Alireza Taghaboni, talks about his approach to design, describing how he reinterprets the principles of traditional Iranian architecture and translates the cultural and climatic context into his work. The interview covers the conceptual thinking behind several projects, as the architect discusses dichotomies such as mass-void, introversion-extroversion as being the recurrent themes of his designs.

Where Will the Children Play? How to Design Stimulating and Safe Cities for Childhood

'Cities for Play' is a project whose main objective is to inspire architects and urban planners to create stimulating, respectful, and accessible cities for children.

Natalia Krysiak, its creator, is an Australian architect who believes that children's needs should be placed at the center of urban design to ensure resilient and sustainable communities. In 2017, she produced 'Cities for Play,' studying examples of cities that are concerned with providing environments that are capable of promoting the health and well-being – physical and emotional – of children through a focus on play and "active mobility” in public spaces.

Flores & Prats: "We Draw with the Responsibility to Build"

When we approached the Flores & Prats firm, we wanted to focus on their precise drawing just as much as their detailed mock-ups. We wanted to see a project that not only "values the time invested and accumulated in it but also sees said time as a virtue and not a defect;" an indication of paying attention to the process as well as the unexpected. (In this sense, it reminds me of reading about how to draw a forest, among other things, in "Las tardes de dibujo en el estudio Miralles & Pinós").

We conducted a long-distance interview with the Eva Prats and Ricardo Flores studio for this reason; to get a better idea of their thoughts on the impact of drawing on architectural representation.Their input makes clear the "why" of their decisions, and explains not only how they operate in a contemporary context but also indicates their relationship with construction among other disciplines.

“Architecture is an Extension of Life”: An Interview with Balkrishna Doshi

India’s uprising from a dependent to an independent governance altered the way it was perceived by the world. The country’s evolution left architects and urban developers with important questions: How can they solve the economic and environmental disparities in India, and how can they implement an understanding in people about the potential of what they can achieve with their country’s culture and resources.

In a new extensive video interview by Louisiana Channel, Indian Pritzker Prize-winner Balkrishna Doshi narrates how he became an award-winning architect, his traditional Hindu beliefs and culture, and India’s juxtaposition of having nothing to keeping up with a world that is creating everything.

Architect Moon Hoon on his Supernatural Take on Architecture

Seoul is considered one of the most densely-populated and over-priced cities in the world, reaching a staggering $ 80,000 per square meter. The extreme conditions of the city have forced local architects to operate, design, and build framing the city's urban issues, traditions, and history. This approach by architects has created the the theoretical basis of “The Condition of Seoul Architecture”, a publication by multidisciplinary practice TCA Think Tank which sees the point of view of 18 innovative South Korean architects. In this interview, Pier Alessio Rizzardi, founder of the practice, interviewed whimsical architect Moon Hoon, explaining his unique take on architecture and how his work has the ability to inspire people into another dimension.

"Less, but Better": Kelly Sawdon of Atelier Ace Explains the Design Behind Sister City Hotel

Between New York's towering buildings and cramped streets, Atelier Ace developed a project unique to its surroundings. Located in Manhattan's Bowery neighborhood, the Sister City Hotel project included a four-floor extension to an existing 10-storey structure, as well as a complete renovation of the interior space. The interior design draws inspiration from Scandinavian and Japanese architecture, providing visitors with complete tranquility within New York's bustling neighborhood.

In an exclusive interview with ArchDaily, Kelly Sawdon, Chief Brand Officer and Partner at Atelier Ace/Ace Hotel Group describes her take on minimal design and explains the approach and inspiration behind the Sister City Hotel project. 

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A Closer Look at the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Winners

On the 13th of September 2019, the six winning projects of the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) were honored at a ceremony held at the Kazan’s Musa Jalil State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. After the ceremony, ArchDaily managed to get exclusive comments from all the awarded teams and from the director of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Farrokh Derakhshani. Read on to discover what they had to say about this cycle of prizes.