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Sustainability: The Latest Architecture and News

The Nubian Vault: Reviving Ancient Techniques for Modern Solutions

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The colorful houses of Aswan in the south of modern-day Egypt attract tourists who venture that far up the River Nile. Accessed by small river boats, islands like Suheil West are the homes of Nubian communities, some of whom had had to relocate after the building of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. Behind the picturesque views of plastered walls covered in murals and motifs, perched on rocky hills overlooking the Nile, is a construction technique used locally for centuries. It uses locally sourced materials, conserves nature, and regulates internal temperatures against the heat in the day and the cold at night.

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First Look at the LACMA David Geffen Galleries Designed by Peter Zumthor

The first photographs of the long-anticipated David Geffen Galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) have been unveiled, captured by architectural photographer Iwan Baan. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building marks the culmination of a process spanning more than two decades. The museum recently offered an exclusive preview of the building in its raw architectural state, ahead of the installation of artworks. Major construction was completed at the end of 2024, and portions of the lower levels are already accessible to visitors. The galleries are scheduled to officially open in April 2026, when they will house LACMA's permanent collection.

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Snøhetta and Hassell’s Harbourside Redevelopment Moves Forward with Public Domain Approval in Sydney

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has approved the public domain works for Sydney's Harbourside redevelopment, marking a significant milestone for the project designed by Snøhetta in collaboration with Hassell and Mirvac. First unveiled in December 2021 as the winning entry in an international design excellence competition, the scheme aims to transform Harbourside at Darling Harbour into a new, iconic destination at the heart of the city. The proposal reimagines the waterfront at Tumbalong / Darling Harbour with more than 11,200 square meters of renewed public space, featuring significant trees, planted areas, sculptural sandstone pathways, and integrated public artworks.

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Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for New Arrivals Terminal at Vilnius Airport, Lithuania

Lithuanian Airports has announced Zaha Hadid Architects as the winner of the international competition to design the new arrivals terminal at Vilnius Airport. Conceived as an integral part of the airport's evolving infrastructure, the new terminal will complement the recently completed departure terminal, enabling Vilnius Airport to accommodate up to 10.6 million passengers annually. The project marks a significant step in the airport's long-term development strategy, addressing future growth in passenger demand while enhancing Lithuania's role as a key gateway in the Baltic region.

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Concéntrico 2025 Opens in Logroño, Spain, With 24 Urban Interventions

The 11th edition of Concéntrico, the International Festival of Architecture and Design, is currently taking place in Logroño, Spain, from June 19 to 24, 2025. This year's edition broadens the scope of the festival with a multifaceted programme that includes not only temporary installations but also permanent projects, exhibitions, educational initiatives, and traveling events. Through 24 urban interventions, Concéntrico 2025 explores themes such as material reuse and circular design, food as a collective practice, the recovery of water-related spaces, the activation of urban voids, and interspecies connections in the urban context, while emphasizing the need to imagine new ways of inhabiting the city, placing care, sustainability, empathy, and active listening at the core of public architecture.

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Populous Reveals Designs for Shah Alam Sports Complex Redevelopment in Malaysia

Populous, in collaboration with Malaysian practice HIJJAS Architects + Planners, has released the design for the new Shah Alam Sports Complex in Selangor, Malaysia. Anchoring the Kompleks Sukan Shah Alam (KSSA) masterplan, the stadium sits at the heart of a 188-acre redevelopment led by Populous that aims to transform the site into a major public and civic destination. Originally opened over 25 years ago, the existing Shah Alam Stadium has been a significant venue in the country's sporting history. The new proposal retains the original stadium's silhouette while introducing contemporary architectural and technical upgrades to support current and future needs. Redevelopment works, including the demolition of the aging structure, are planned over 48 months, with completion targeted for 2029.

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Zaha Hadid Architects, COX Architecture, and Woods Bagot Complete Western Sydney International Airport in Australia

The first photos of the recently completed Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) have just been unveiled, marking the delivery of Australia's first major airport in over half a century. Designed through a collaborative process by Zaha Hadid Architects and COX Architecture, and delivered by Woods Bagot and Multiplex, the terminal presents a new model for airport design, one that is grounded in its setting, responsive to its context, and oriented toward the future of travel. Located in Badgerys Creek on the Cumberland Plain, the terminal is positioned to serve as a long-term gateway to Greater Sydney. While major construction has concluded, final fit-outs of the terminal's retail precinct and airline lounges will be completed closer to the airport's official launch, as commercial agreements continue to progress. Western Sydney International Airport is on track to begin operations, including domestic, international, and air cargo services, in late 2026.

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AI and Architecture Software at AIA25: From Code to Concrete in the Digital Future

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The future of architecture isn't just being drawn—it's being coded. Since mathematician John W. Tukey coined the term "software" in 1958 in The American Mathematical Monthly, its influence has steadily expanded, from revolutionizing science and engineering to quietly transforming architecture. What was first embraced as an innovation for structural calculations and drafting has since revealed a much broader potential, becoming a creative driver in architectural narrative and practice.

While that transformation has already taken root—software now embedded in the way we design and think—it continues to evolve. At the recent AIA Conference on Architecture & Design in Boston, current innovations made it clear that we're entering a new chapter: one where software and artificial intelligence aren't just enhancing workflows but actively shaping sustainability, regulation, and decision-making. Architects and software developers now treat code with the same logic as a material—shaped not by modeling or carving, but through parameters, cycles, constant evolution, and feedback. At the same time, architects are working with AI as a co-pilot in the design process, collaborating with it to support decision-making and enhance the design.

ADEPT Wins Competition to Transform Former Warehouse Into Haus Der Musik in Braunschweig, Germany

Copenhagen and Hamburg-based architecture office ADEPT has won first prize in the international competition to transform a former Karstadt warehouse in the historic center of Braunschweig, Germany, into the Haus der Musik. The 18,000-square-meter cultural complex will include a new concert hall, a public music school, and community-oriented spaces. Emphasizing adaptive reuse, the project retains the existing load-bearing structure and architectural rhythm, positioning the intervention as a continuation rather than a replacement.

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Letting the Sky In: 4 Case Studies of Daylight Solutions in Aquatic Architecture

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Condensation, maintenance, and humidity are three familiar challenges that continue to test the buildings we design and construct. Whether stemming from climate conditions, limited airflow, or the specifics of construction detailing, these factors affect not only the durability of materials but also the everyday comfort and performance of inhabited spaces. When the setting is an aquatic center or an indoor swimming pool, the demands are even greater. The constant presence of steam, moisture accumulation, and the risk of mold can compromise both energy efficiency and the user experience. In such environments, ventilation and access to daylight, beyond their aesthetic value, become essential tools for maintaining equilibrium, enhancing indoor comfort, and ultimately improving how the space is perceived and utilized.