Architecture
Design and urbanism practice NLÉ, led by Nigerian architect Kunlé Adeyemi, is building a new multilevel school in Makoko – a region of Nigeria's most populous city, Lagos. While that doesn't sound too unusual, the difference here is that in an effort to address the issues of land scarcity and poor waste management that affect the flood-prone area, this school is being built on floating platforms. Read More
Edgeland Residence is a modern dwelling designed by the Bercy Chen Studio which sees the company rehabilitating land once considered unsuitable for occupation. Claimed to set a new standard for sustainability, it draws inspiration from the Native American Pit House, and is designed to impact the environment as little as possible. Read More
Engineering firm ARUP has asked us to imagine the building of the future in its latest Foresight publication. In the article entitled “It’s Alive,” the design team envision a city building in the year 2050 that includes flexible modular pods, urban agriculture, climate-conscious facades and intelligent building systems. ARUP hopes the proposal will ultimately answer the question, "As city living takes center stage, what will we come to expect from the design and function of urban structures and buildings?". Read More
Bamboo understudy fills in for future Hong Kong opera house
Standing, temporarily, on the site of Hong Kong's yet-to-be Xiqu Centre opera house, the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre has returned for a three-week program of Cantonese opera. Read More
On Monday, international architect schmidt hammer lassen announced the inauguration of the Cathedral of the Northern Lights in Alta, Norway, some 500 km (311 miles) inside the Arctic Circle. The metallic spiral form of the building, actually clad in titanium, almost resembles a piece of industrial rather than architectural design. Read More
Cantilevered residential heliostat takes shape in Sydney
A major urban redevelopment is taking place in Sydney, Australia, as it attempts to become one of the word’s most liveable green cities within a 20-year time-frame as part of the “Sustainable Sydney 2030” vision. One remarkable inner city project passed a major milestone this month as part of its contribution to the eco plan. The development, named “One Central Park,” had its 110-tonne steel heliostat frame hoisted into place during the early hours of February 1st. Read More
Pop-Up Office re-invents the workplace with reclaimed pallets
Thanks to the prevalence of powerful laptops and cloud-based infrastructure, dreary office cubicles can increasingly be jettisoned in favor of dynamic spaces which encourage collaboration and innovation. The Pop-Up Office installation by Dubbeldam Architecture and Design is an example of this, delivering an office space concept which seeks to re-invent the workspace for the Post-PC era using reclaimed wooden pallets. Read More
A peek inside Google's new Tel Aviv offices
At the end of 2012, Google opened its new Tel Aviv offices, which feature an array of creative and uniquely themed office landscapes. Covering 8,000 square meters (86,111 sq.ft), the offices are spread across seven floors with each floor designed around a different theme. These include Culture & Heritage, Friends & Family, Joy & Optimism, Energy & Vitality, Innovation & Hospitality, Dream & Delight and Humor & Fun. Read More
The city of Phoenix wants to mark its place on the map, quite literally, with a new observation tower dubbed “The Pin.” Designed by Danish architecture studio BIG, the new addition to Arizona’s capital city will manifest itself as 430 ft (131 m) high tower topped by a giant sphere sliced into a spiraling open air observation deck that enables visitors to enjoy 360-degree views of Phoenix and the “Valley of the Sun.” Read More
Stockholm Design Week: it's more than flat-packed furniture
New York, Paris and Milan have fashion weeks, but this year during a cold week in February, Stockholm hosts a design week where you can view the latest offerings from Scandinavian artists, designers and architects. The event showcases the latest design must-haves for the archetypal loft apartment, in addition to some impressive art installations, and proves that there is more to Swedish design than IKEA flat packs. Read More
