Historic art movements and their visual characteristics have considerably paved the way for modern day architecture. For years, architects have been borrowing techniques and stylistic approaches to create their own architectural compositions, merging both disciplines together. Cubism, one of the most influential styles of the twentieth century, and heavily criticized for its experimentation with its non-representational art approach, is perhaps the most significant architecture inspiration. Just as the radical art movement rejected the then-rooted concept that art should mimic nature, architects found themselves following suit and designing structures that borrow Cubism’s avant-gardist features, creating buildings that, to this day, stand as iconic landmarks of the practice.
Architecture News
The 23rd Triennale Milano International Exhibition Opens to the Public with an Exploration of the World's Mysteries
The 23rd Triennale Milano International Exhibition has officially opened its doors to the public today. Titled Unknown Unknowns. An Introduction to Mysteries, the Triennale is displaying a selection of artwork and installations designed by 400 international architects and designers, questioning "what we don’t know we don’t know". Celebrating 100 years since its foundation, this year's exhibition presents a new way of looking at the mysteries of the world, seeing it as an opportunity to investigate subjects such as the furthest universe to dark matter and the origin of our conscience.
Grimshaw Launches a Charitable Foundation Focused on Creative Education
The Grimshaw Foundation is a charitable organization aiming to bring access to creative learning tools to a diverse range of young people. The organization was established by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, in partnership with the partners of international architecture practice Grimshaw. The central purpose is to bring together a globally linked educational community of artists, architects, and designers to support and empower young people. It hopes to reach them at the stage of navigating their career options and help them discover the varied options and opportunities that the creative industry can offer. The Foundation officially launched on 6 July 2022 at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Will the Past Dictate the Aesthetics of the Future?
The current architectural production faces several paradigms and one of them is aesthetic. In a scenario of constant uncertainty, buildings with projections, holograms, or completely automatic ones that science fiction has shown so much, seem more and more distant from reality. Nowadays, the search for greater identification with the built space has been amplified instead of idealizing the new for the new. Therefore, looking at the past has presented different perspectives and it is in this scope that perhaps we can imagine a new futuristic aesthetic.
The Veranda: A Disappearing Threshold Space in India
An ancient Indian folktale narrates the story of a demigod, Hiranyakashipu, who was granted a boon of indestructibility. He wished for his death to never be brought about by any weapon, human or animal, not at day or night, and neither inside nor outside his residence. To cease his wrathful ways, Lord Vishnu took the form of a half-human-half-animal to slay the demigod at twilight at the threshold of his house.
Threshold architectural spaces have always held deep cultural meaning to the people of India. In-between spaces are found in the midst of daily activities as courtyards, stairways, and verandas. The entrance to the house is revered by Indians of all social backgrounds. Throughout the country’s varied landscape, transitional entry spaces are flanked by distinctive front verandas that merge the street with the house.
In London, a Venturi-Scott Brown Masterpiece Is Threatened
This article was originally published on Common Edge.
Despite its dazzling collection of masterpieces, London’s National Gallery has been cursed with a series of ill-advised architectural schemes over its two-century existence. Only once have its leaders made a truly inspired and visionary choice: in the mid-1980s, the gallery held a competition, won by Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown (VRSB) of Philadelphia, to build a special collections building.
The addition was constructed from 1988 to 1991, using funds donated by the Sainsbury family as a gift to the nation and was immediately hailed as one of the finest buildings of its type erected in the 20th century. It has remained popular with Londoners and has served well as an expansion of William Wilkins’s undistinguished classical building ever since. Experts on the work of Robert Venturi, John Rauch, and Denise Scott Brown consider it one of their masterpieces. Apparently, the National Gallery has a different opinion.
Venice Authorities Introduce Ticketing and Entry Fees to Solve Over-Tourism Crisis
Following several initiatives to tackle the tourism and architectural heritage crisis, Venice authorities have announced that as of January 16th, 2023, visitors will have to book a visiting slot and an entrance fee to see the historic canal city. The newly proposed ticketing system, which is claimed to be the first of its kind in the world, hopes to control its "over-tourism" crisis, a challenge that has been affecting the lagoon's ecosystem, urban development, and local population.
Vantem, a Startup Founded by Bill Gates, is Building Cost-Effective Net Zero Housing
Vantem is a startup construction company manufacturing high-efficiency, net-zero homes at competitive costs and low embodied carbon. The company recently raised a Series A round of investment from the Bill Gates-founded firm Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Net-zero homes, buildings that produce as much energy as they use, are typically cheaper to own than standard housing. Still, they often involve high construction costs since they require advanced building technologies and engineering. Vantem aims to change this dynamic by employing modular construction technology.
How to Design a Window Display?
Window displays are the means of communication with the customers, the transition layer between the street and the store. From its emergence in the 2nd century, in the Roman Empire, until today, many changes have taken place until we reach the current windows, which not only display products, but also the identity of brands. Here is what to consider when designing a showcase.
Contextual Architecture, Geospaces, and the Metaverse: An Interview with Alper Derinboğaz
Along with the thousands of designers and craftsmen that took part in this year's Milan Design Week to showcase their innovative creations, renowned architects from across the world were also present in the Italian city to share how they tackle the challenges faced by our environment and societies today.
During the week-long event, ArchDaily had the chance to speak with Alper Derinboğaz, architect and founder of Istanbul-based Salon Alper Derinboğaz, selected among ArchDaily's 2020 Young Practices, to discuss the firm's responsibility towards the environment, seeing architecture as part of the Earth within Geospace's framework, challenges facing the new generations of architects and their access to information, and experimenting with the Metaverse.
Ai Weiwei’s Arch Installation Opens in Central Stockholm
Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei unveiled the Arch, a cage-like sculpture in front of the National Museum of Stockholm. The 12-meter-tall stainless steel structure features at its center silhouettes of two people holding one another, appearing to break through the steel bars of the cage. The artwork was created to symbolize refugee stories and is seen as an ode to freedom. The sculpture is installed outside Nationalmuseum national gallery on the Blasienholmen peninsula in Stockholm’s archipelago. It will remain there for one year, after which, it will be moved to a yet undisclosed location in the city.
How to Decorate the Living Room Walls?
An empty wall is not always a breath of air, at times it can give a cold feeling of missing something. And that is why it presents itself as a space to be occupied to bring more originality and greater character to your space. The question is: how can we intervene in it? Below, we have gathered some ideas from various projects to inspire you.
Yemen’s Ancient High-Rises: How Conflict Erases Heritage
Skyscrapers are an unmissable characteristic of contemporary settlements. From São Paolo to New York, from Seoul to Dubai – these towering structures are a ubiquitous part of the urban fabric. The conventional image one has of these structures is of curtain-walled facades, but in Yemen – an ancient example goes against this trend. Central Yemen is home to the city of Shibam, surrounded by a fortified wall. It’s also home to a dazzling example of architectural ingenuity – tower houses that date back to the 16th century, stretching up to seven stories high.
Wenk Associates: Working with Water
The need to rapidly adapt to climate change has rightfully taken center stage. But the connections between climate change and stormwater management are often overlooked. Climate change impacts the hydrological cycle by increasing water scarcity and the frequency and intensity of flooding while contaminating waterways. Better managing stormwater is key to managing water resources and protecting our safety and the health of our environment.
10 Years from Now, Will You be Working in a Profession That Does Not Exist?
Imagine explaining to someone 25 years ago what the professions of social media manager, uber driver, or drone operator are all about in 2020. Technology combined with population demands, resource scarcity, urbanization and other factors have created a number of new jobs and radically changed others. Research claims that 65% of children entering elementary school today will end up working in jobs that don't yet exist.
World Architecture Festival Reveals the 2022 Shortlist
The World Architecture Festival (WAF) revealed the 420 shortlist for this year’s festival, with entries from all around the world, including Portugal, Malaysia, Finland, Mexico, Turkey, Australia, Japan, India, and the UK. The awards program celebrates the best new completed buildings and landscape design projects, ranging from rural villas to contemporary religious buildings and healthcare facilities built during the pandemic.
Interior Design: Houses in Mexico That Include Bathtubs
Over the years, interior design has evolved according to the needs that arise, but above all according to the experiences it seeks to evoke in the user. In the last two years we have witnessed a radical change and a special interest in this subject because the pandemic forced us to pay specific attention to the configuration of the places we inhabit. This brought about much more holistic designs that seek to address the wellbeing of the user, combining colours, sensory experiences, technology and natural elements that promote health.
Argentinean Houses with Less than 100 m2: 40 Examples of Floor Plans
Achieving the best use of space, reducing the footprint of the buildings that are constructed and designing an optimal distribution that can meet the needs of their inhabitants are some of the requirements and challenges faced, day after day, by architects around the world. Through the implementation of certain materials, the definition of the morphology or even the geographical and natural conditions of the terrain, it is possible to carry out various strategies that make it possible to design homes with the comfort that their users need and in the smallest amount of square metres possible.