As cities grow and available land becomes more limited, high-rise architecture plays an important role in addressing urban density while shaping new ways of living and working. Tall buildings are evolving beyond their traditional functions to integrate environmental strategies, enhance public engagement, and contribute to the urban fabric. Architects are exploring new materials, energy-efficient technologies, and spatial configurations that make towers more adaptable to their surroundings. Some projects incorporate green spaces and shared amenities to create a stronger connection between the built environment and its users, while others introduce innovative construction techniques to improve sustainability and efficiency.
Among this selection of projects submitted by the ArchDaily community, The Residences at 1428 Brickell by Arquitectonica in Miami, United States introduces a solar-powered facade that contributes to the building's energy needs. In Dubai, UAE, AVA by SOMA creates a transition from the city into a more enclosed, water-defined environment with a focus on luxury living. In Bangkok, Thailand, HAS Design and Research proposes the Bangkok Civic Center Tower as a new type of public space, combining green landscapes with mirrored surfaces to connect the city with nature. These projects reflect different approaches to vertical architecture and highlight how designers are responding to the challenges and opportunities of dense urban environments.
The International Day of Cooperatives, celebrated on the first Saturday of July each year, is an opportunity to raise awareness and celebrate the cooperative movement. Celebrated on this day by the United Nations since 1992, the cooperative movement is a social and economic movement empowering individuals and communities by creating enterprises that are collectively owned and democratically controlled by members. This year's theme is "Cooperatives: Partners for Accelerated Sustainable Development." Underscoring the critical role cooperatives play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, it also emphasizes the unique typology of cooperatives in exploring new ways of living together. With a belief in community growth, cooperatives believe in communal development, prioritizing people and supporting them to improve collective well-being.
Sheikh Zayed National Museum / Foster + Partners. Image Courtesy of Foster + Partners
As 2024 comes to an end, the architectural world looks ahead to 2025, a year set to unveil transformative projects across the globe. From cultural landmarks in Asia, such as Sou Fujimoto's "Grand Ring" for Expo 2025 Osaka and MAD Architects' Hainan Science Museum in China, to dynamic urban developments like OMA's Harajuku Quest in Tokyo and David Chipperfield's Elbtower in Hamburg, these projects reflect a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and preserving cultural heritage.
In North America, Studio Gang's Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles highlight architecture's role in fostering community connections. Meanwhile, Europe anticipates Shigeru Ban's hybrid residential tower in Antwerp and Kengo Kuma's Visitor Center at Albania's Butrint National Park, showcasing the intersection of contemporary design and local context. As these projects take shape, they offer a glimpse into architecture's power to redefine spaces and inspire communities.
Architectural Classics featured on ArchDaily serve as a record of significant works that have influenced the evolution of architecture and design. These projects represent a range of styles, purposes, and contexts, offering insight into how architecture responds to cultural, social, and environmental factors. By revisiting these influential works, one can better understand the principles and ideas that have shaped the built environment globally over time. These classics highlight moments of design innovation while also providing a broader perspective on architecture's role in reflecting and shaping the world around us.
The "Garden Futures" exhibition, currently showing at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam until April 13, 2025, explores the multifaceted history and future of the modern garden. Curated by Maria Heinrich and spatially designed by Frank Bruggeman, the exhibition presents the garden not only as a personal refuge, but also as a site reflecting broader political and commercial forces. The show's structure, divided into four thematic chapters, allows for a comprehensive exploration of the garden's evolution and its potential for future development.
Ammodo Architecture has just revealed the first 23 recipients of its inaugural Ammodo Architecture Awards, an annual recognition dedicated to advancing socially and ecologically conscious architecture worldwide. The awardees, chosen for their exemplary contributions, will receive financial support ranging from €10,000 to €150,000 to further their work and projects across three categories: Social Architecture, Social Engagement, and Local Scale.
The winners of the "Europe 40under40®" program for 2023-2024 have been announced, celebrating promising talents in architecture and design. This recognition highlights projects from emerging professionals under the age of 40, including architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and industrial designers. The program, initiated by The European Centre, aims to showcase a new generation of designers who are poised to impact the future of living and working environments, cities, and rural areas.
All winning projects will be displayed in the exhibition titled "40 Young European Architects with New Visions," scheduled for December 2024 at The European Centre, located in Athens, Greece. The exhibition will coincide with an awards ceremony. Moreover, a special edition publication by Metropolitan Arts Press will feature this year's cohort of talented architects and designers, aiming to reach an international audience of architecture enthusiasts.
As the architectural landscape continues to evolve in response to pressing global challenges, events such as biennales, design weeks, and fairs play an instrumental role in shaping the profession's future. These gatherings facilitate the exchange of innovative ideas, the exploration of sustainable practices, and the fostering of collaboration among architects, designers, and urban planners. They serve not only as platforms for showcasing cutting-edge designs but also as forums for critical dialogue about the built environment's impact on society and the planet.
Happening worldwide from September to December 2024, a variety of significant events hope to engage the architectural community. The World Urban Forum in Cairo focuses on local sustainable actions, while Dubai Design Week showcases innovative design in the Middle East. The World Architecture Festival in Singapore features live project presentations, and the Architecture & Design Film Festival in New York offers compelling narratives critical to contemporary discourse.
Contemporary architecture in UNESCO World Heritage contexts presents a unique challenge: revitalizing historically significant sites while adhering to strict preservation guidelines. From urban centers to natural landscapes and intangible cultural traditions, these projects demonstrate the delicate balance between innovation and heritage conservation. Whether working in a mega city, a protected landscape, or a culturally rich rural area, architects are tasked with reimagining these spaces without compromising their historical value. Each project offers a fresh perspective on how heritage sites can evolve and remain relevant in modern times.
Designed by MAD Architects, the FENIX Museum of Migration is scheduled to open in Rotterdam's City Harbor in 2025. Currently under construction, the museum is set to explore the global narrative of migration through art, architecture, photography, and history. Situated in a 16,000-square-meter warehouse built in 1923, once part of the world's largest warehouse, the building has historical significance as a key storage and shipping hub for the Holland America Line. New construction photographs showcase the assembly of the metallic helix, named The Tornado, taking shape above the historical warehouse.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands's pavilion, presented at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, features the theme, "Common Ground: Creating a New Dawn Together," emphasizing the Netherlands' dedication to fostering mutual understanding to address global challenges. Designed by RAU Architects, the pavilion's circular design features a prominent illuminated sphere at its center, symbolizing a new era of unlimited clean energy, akin to a "man-made sun" signaling a future powered by sustainable resources.
The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB) has announced the finalists for the European Prize for Urban Public Space 2024. Selected from a total of 297 projects corresponding to 35 European countries, the 2024 edition nominates 5 finalists in the General category, promoting quality public spaces throughout the European territory, and 5 in the Seafronts category, addressing coastal cities' climate vulnerabilities. The European Prize for Urban Public Space is an honorary biennial competition aiming to highlight best practices and innovations in the creation, transformation, and recovery of public spaces in European cities.
As the first edition to include a dedicated category for Seafronts, this year’s awards recognize the importance and particular challenges faced by coastal cities. This is aligned with the Cultural Regatta, a schedule of activities running parallel to the America's Cup sailing competition in Barcelona. For this edition, the International Jury was presided over by the urbanist architect, landscape, and industrial designer Beth Galí, and made up of Sonia Curnier, Fabrizio Gallanti, Žaklina Gligorijević, Beate Hølmebakk, Manon Mollard, Francesco Musco, and Lluís Ortega. The winners of the 12th European Prize for Urban Public Space will be announced during a ceremony at CCCB on October 29, 2024.
Over the years, the nocturnal landscape of cities has witnessed a significant transformation, marked by the emergence of more than 80-night mayors globally, a trend that has been on the rise since the early 2000s. Andreina Seijas, currently working as an Associate at Gehl, has analyzed these shifting dynamics of night-time governance in her research and during her doctoral studies at Harvard GSD. Seijas speaks in the interview about this development, challenges, and opportunities with night mayors, global differences, and the role of climate change. Seijas' upbringing in Caracas, Venezuela, where safety concerns dictated strict curfews, ignited her passion for creating safer, more inclusive urban environments, particularly for the youth. Her quest for a better future for the urban night explores the potential for cities to become safer, more inclusive, and more productive by creating spaces for work and leisure after dark.
3XN GXN has revealed its design for Mahler 1, a 15-storey mixed-use office building. The structure, developed in collaboration with Victory Group, Icon Real Estate, and Erik Dhont Landscape Architects, features a hybrid-timber construction system that creates a stepped volume, breaking down the building’s mass. At the street level, the development offers a wide variety of public amenities, striving to become an active hub for both residents and office workers. The project is expected to begin construction in the first half of 2025 and conclude in late 2027.
Powerhouse Company has revealed the design for the largest timber-built affordable housing complex in the Netherlands. “Valckensteyn” is a circular design featuring a 12-story timber structure and 82 homes. Situated within Pendrecht, a post-war neighborhood in Rotterdam, it sits on the site of a residential flat bearing the same name, demolished a decade ago. The timber structure seeks to be circular and sustainable in its design, creating a nature-inclusive environment that is accessible to all.
MVRDV has unveiled its design for a new mixed-use building in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Situated in the heart of the vibrant Strijp-S district, the design was created in collaboration with the Trudo housing association. Titled “The Tribune,” the architecture boasts a stepped tribune-like structure, offering residents and visitors access and views onto the public square below.
Formally, transparency usually takes the shape of a window, a door, a curtain wall, or a skylight. These are commonly created through rectangular punched openings or in the form of glass curtain wall systems or translucent screens. The following projects play with traditional notions of transparency and window-making in playful and unconventional ways. They create visually striking facades and dynamic relationships between their exterior and interior. They filter light and frame views through their glazing and opening articulation to craft memorable architectural experiences.
