In an interview with The Indian Express, Rahul Mehrotra—conservationist, architect and author of Kumbh Mela: Mapping the Ephemeral MEGACITY—talks to Shiny Varghese about his belief that the current notion of a 'smart city' is about "blanket replication, [which] will result in gated communities and flattening of the city, driven by infrastructure and investment." He argues that this approach "will create a form of exclusion."
Rahul Mahrotra Discusses the "Flawed" Notion of 'Smart Cities'
RE-AINBOW / H&P Architects
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Architects: H&P Architects
- Year: 2015
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Professionals: H&P Architects
Is Architecture Necessary?
Short answer: No. Some people will always be strong enough to make it anyway.
Long answer: We can be uplifted by a beautiful and harmonious view of a city even though we know that, just like every other city, it is full of wretched, bickering, greedy, and dishonest people. But the shortcomings of its inhabitants do not spoil the joy of a divine urban scene. Likewise, you can grow up in an impoverished environment and still be an outstanding person. And even the most well-designed environment provides no guarantees about the quality of life. To believe otherwise is a form of determinism. As Winston Churchill said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Luckily, this is not always true. We push back, suppress the dreadful, mask over it, or we rebuild. If the architecture isn’t there from the start it will come, as long as people get the chance to make their mark.
Good Food Matters / Geraghty Taylor Architects
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Architects: Geraghty Taylor Architects
- Year: 2013
Lima Duva Resort / IDIN Architects
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Architects: IDIN Architects
- Year: 2015
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Professionals: PERGOLAR
Srithai Super Outlet / FOS [Foundry of Space]
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Architects: FOS
- Area: 4000 m²
- Year: 2015
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Professionals: B.Grimm Trading Corporation Limited, FOS [Foundry of Space]
2015 AIA|DC Emerging Architects Thesis Showcase
The AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee (AIA|DC EAC) is excited to announce our presenters for the second-annual Thesis Showcase. Five recent B.Arch and M.Arch graduates from schools around the world will present their thesis projects to members of the AIA|DC and the public. The showcase event aims to bridge the gap between recent graduates and local practicing architects, by providing an opportunity for practitioners to view a sample of the work hailing from architecture schools around the country and abroad. The selected presenters will showcase their work at AIA|DC’s District Architecture Center (DAC) on August 27, 2015 at 6:00pm. Following the presentations a networking reception will occur at DAC’s gallery space in Penn Quarter.
Automobile Design Studio / SJK Architects
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Architects: SJK Architects
- Area: 25000 ft²
- Year: 2015
Winscombe Extension / Preston Lane Architects
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Architects: Preston Lane Architects
- Area: 260 m²
- Year: 2014
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Manufacturers: Paco Jaanson
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Professionals: Burbury Consulting, Preston Lane Architects
Foster Teams with Nissan to Envision Fuel Station of the Future
By 2020, almost one million electric vehicles are expected on the road. "It seems to be clear," says David Nelson, head of design at Foster + Partners, "that electric vehicles will be a major feature of the urban landscape." Thus, Foster + Partners has teamed up with Nissan to develop the Fuel Station of the Future.
Imagining how zero emissions technology will influence our cities, the innovative brands are centering their design on the understanding that "connected communities, autonomous drive and the Internet of things" are drastically changing our infrastructure models. Their concept is expected to showcase the benefits of a "smart electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem," harnessing the potential of battery storage and vehicle-to-grid systems.
The "PopCraft Kiosk" / André Vieira + Flávio Serpa
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Architects: André Vieira + Flávio Serpa
- Year: 2014
Santiago Calatrava Tops Out on Dallas' Margaret McDermott Bridge
Santiago Calatrava has topped out on his second Dallas bridge - the Margaret McDermott Bridge - two years after completing the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. The steel arch, reaching a height of 275 feet, is the first of two that will support the 1311-foot-long bridge that is intended to provide access to pedestrians, bicyclists and cars over the Trinity River. The $113 million bridge is part of the massive $798 million Dallas Horseshoe Project that aims to alleviate traffic and enhance accessibility downtown. It is scheduled to complete by the summer of 2017.
Siete Hábitos Advertising Agency / HO Arquitectos
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Architects: HO Arquitectos
- Year: 2015
Leong Leong to Design New Mixed-Use Campus for Los Angeles LGBT Center
Leong Leong has been chosen over four others to masterplan and design the Los Angeles LGBT Center's new mixed-use site in Hollywood, California. The Los Angeles-based practice will design a new 183,700-square-foot building that, together with the Center's existing facility across the street, will form a block-wide campus that will include a unique mix of 140 affordable housing units, 100 beds for homeless youth, a new senior center and a center for homeless youth, as well as a new administrative headquarters and cultural arts center.
Bahia Azul House / Felipe Assadi + Francisca Pulido
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Architects: Felipe Assadi Arquitectos, Francisca Pulido
- Year: 2014
Why Ancient Cities Can Still Teach Us About Urban Planning
In the 20th century, urban planning went through some big changes, creating much of our current urban environment in a mold that is now widely seen as anti-human. Fortunately, in recent decades urban planning has changed again - partly revising and partly reverting the theories espoused by the 20th century. In this article, originally published on Autodesk’s Redshift publication as "What the Future of Cities Can Learn From Ancient Cities," James A Moore looks at why old models for creating cities have proved so timeless, and the role that they will play in creating 21st century cities.
As legend has it, upon leaving Carnegie Hall after a dissatisfying rehearsal, violinist Mischa Elman ran into two tourists looking for the hall’s entrance. They asked, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
Without missing a beat, Elman said, “Practice.”
It’s an old and simple joke, but it points to an important reason why people are drawn to cities. Why do people move to Hollywood? They want to be in movies. Why do they move to Wall Street? They want to be in finance. In the best cases, cities enable citizens to pursue their aspirations.
Lisbon Falls / Marcelo Dantas
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Architects: Marcelo Dantas
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Professionals: EuroStand
This 3D Printed Pavilion Provides Shade During the Day and Illuminates at Night
The Solar Bytes pavilion, designed by assistant professor at Kent State University Brian Peters, is a temporary structure which highlights the potential of new techniques available to architecture: robotic arms, 3D printing, smart technologies such as lighting sensors, and solar energy.
Leveraging the strength and range of motion of a robotic arm, the pavilion was printed in three dimensions with an experimental extruder, resulting in a structure composed of 94 unique modules that capture energy during the day, and shine at night. After their initial function, the plastic modules making up the pavilion will be completely crushed and reused in a new structure.