The new biennial event Architekturwoche Basel (AWB) will debut this May as a platform for discussing architecture and urban development through the lens of sustainable construction and the circular economy. The inaugural edition also marks the launch of the first Basel Pavilion, a temporary structure meant to showcase new possibilities for environmentally-friendly building practices. The winning design, “Loggia Basileana”, created by architecture practice isla, is made of reused building components and features a series of modules that form a continuous pedestrian passageway along the train tracks on the Dreispitz site.
Architecture News
Architekturwoche Basel Reveals the Design of Inaugural Basel Pavilion Made of Recycled Building Components
Luminaires: Models and Possibilities in Residential Projects
The elaboration of an architectural project is a complex process that involves different scales, from structure to small refinements, such as the choice of coatings, paint colors, baseboards, metals, ware and, of course, lighting.
In addition to the issues of power and shade of lamps, the design of the luminaires is also essential in the project process. It can contribute to the appreciation of spaces and the comfort of the inhabitants.
Online 3D Walkthroughs are Taking Over From Image and Video Renderings
A rendering image, beautiful as it can be, is a cutout, a small sample of what it feels like to be in a place. A video rendering adds some extra action, but it still is just a predetermined visual journey from A to B, leaving the person who interacts with the rendering as just a spectator. Renderings can be much more immersive than that.
LandLAB Selected as the Winner of the Sirius Seafront Promenade Competition
Landscape architects and urban planning team LandLAB was selected as the winner of the international competition for the seafront promenade development in Sirius federal territory. The New Zealand-based team was chosen among 68 practices and 48 countries for offering the most "efficient use of the limited space available and respecting the distinctive features of the area". The winning proposal blends the Olympic heritage with the landscape, and transforms the area into a dynamic interface that provides a stimulating environment for residents and visitors.
How to Match the TV With Your Living Room?
The TV is one of the main elements that make up the living room, especially in most Brazilian homes, where the living room is the place both for receiving visitors and for enjoying rest and leisure. However, it is not always easy to position this equipment, which varies so much in size and especially to combine it with the rest of the space.
Designing Physical Spaces to Support a Virtual World
All aspects of society today are becoming increasingly more digital. Our interconnectedness and speed at which we are able to search and transfer information have made us more accustomed to exploring new ways that technology can impact our lives. Over the last few years, the rise of bitcoin, blockchain, and now the metaverse, has caused architects and designers to reconsider the notion of physical and virtual space. But beyond that, there’s an “in-between” of spaces that will be designed to support the technological escapism that the metaverse and web3 offer. While these virtual worlds are on the frontier of the digitization of everything, architects will play a huge part in designing the real-world physical spaces that can support them.
Last Days to Vote for the 2022 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards Finalists
It has been a vibrant few days of voting for the Building of the Year Awards. With more than 100,000 votes, gathered up till now, this prize has shown to be, one of the most relevant and democratic in the architecture community.
Until February 9th at 00:01 (EST), you have the chance to reward the architecture you love. It is your collective intelligence that will filter over 4,500 projects down to just 75 finalists.
The 2022 Building of the Year Awards is brought to you thanks to Dornbracht, renowned for leading designs for architecture, which can be found internationally in bathrooms and kitchens.
BIG's Wildflower Studios Project in Queens Receives Construction Green Light
BIG's Wildflower Production Studio has received its building permit from the Department of Buildings (DOB), indicating that the project’s construction will now commence. In late 2019, American actor, producer, and director Robert De Niro’s Wildflower Development Group and BIG revealed the first images of their 650,000 square foot (approx. 60,400 sqm) production studio design proposal, located in the Astoria neighborhood of northwest Queens, New York. Once complete, the project is set to become the first vertical commercial film, television, and creative studio in the world.
Snøhetta and White Arkitekter Transform an Old Quarry in Sweden into a Sustainable Residential Development
Construction broke ground on the Wendelstrand residential development that will transform an old quarry outside Gothenburg into an environmentally friendly and socially sustainable neighbourhood. Developed by Next Step Group and designed by Snøhetta and White Arkitekter, together with Tham & Videgård, Andreas Martin-Löf Architects and Liljewall, the project will feature 1000 homes of various typologies and a series of amenities. The first stage of the development debuts with the Snøhetta-designed Lakehouse, a communal building that blends with the landscape.
The Spanish Government Approves the Law on Quality in Architecture
How can the quality of architecture be protected, promoted and encouraged? A question on which progress was made today in Spain. On the 18th of January, the Council of Ministers approved the Draft Law on Quality in Architecture for its subsequent submission to the Spanish Parliament, thus initiating its parliamentary procedure.
This is a new legislative proposal, promoted by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, currently under the direction of Minister Raquel Sánchez Jiménez, who aims to protect, promote and encourage architectural quality as an asset of general interest, promoting links that encourage the rapprochement of architecture with society.
Chile’s Pavilion at the Venice Biennial 2021 Arrives at Santiago’s Museum of Contemporary Art
Testimonial Spaces, the theme of Chile's pavilion at the recent Venice Biennial 2021, opened to the public on the 18th of January at Santiago's Museum of Contemporary Art.
Curated by architects Emilio Marín and Rodrigo Sepúlveda, Testimonial Spaces brings together 525 paintings based on testimonies and everyday stories from the José María Caro neighbourhood in Santiago, in line with "How will we live together?", the theme of the biennial curated by Lebanese architect Hashim Sarkis.
The Graphic Novel as Architectural Narrative: Berlin and Aya
The comic strip, la bande dessinée, the graphic novel. These are all part of a medium with an intrinsic connection to architectural storytelling. It’s a medium that has long been used to fantasise and speculate on possible architectural futures, or in a less spectacular context, used as a device to simply show the perspectival journey through an architectural project. When the comic strip meshes fiction with architectural imagination, however, it’s not only the speculation on future architectural scenarios that takes place. It’s also the recording and the critiquing of the urban conditions of either our contemporary cities or the cities of the past.
New Two World Trade Center Renders Reveal a Mirrored Revamp
Is the third time truly the charm for Two World Trade Center? New renderings spotted by New York YIMBY on February 1 seem to reveal the long-delayed tower’s new look, a marked departure from what was first unveiled by Foster + Partners back in 2005.
That’s not too much of a surprise. Although Foster + Partners was awarded the project 17 years ago and the foundation was laid in 2013, work has been proceeding at a slow clip and the original team was replaced by BIG in 2015 after developer Silverstein Properties decided to take a more contemporary approach and position the tower as the future home of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation and 21st Century Fox.
The Value of Integrated BIM Project Information
For many design teams, logging into multiple applications a day to access BIM information is the norm. Yet the information contained in each of these applications tends to be siloed, making it difficult for project teams to make informed decisions, collaborate, and share information.
The Second Studio Podcast: Interview with Sarah Whiting
The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week, David and Marina are joined by Sarah Whiting, Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Co-Founder of WW Architecture to discuss her early interests in architecture, communicating the value of architecture to the public, the GSD, social and environmental issues in architecture, the future of architecture practice, movements in architecture, and more.
Are Buildings Alive?
This video explores the case for understanding buildings as non-human creatures. While this might sound absurd at first, the concept has a long history and potentially very positive tangible outcomes. Buildings need to be cultivated like a garden; they require maintenance and care. If they are alive, the need for this care becomes more obvious and second nature. This conceit also prompts us to empathize with the people that conceived of and built the building, treating the human labor of its construction with admiration and reverie.
Paul Clemence Captures Miami's Tallest Residential Building, the Elysee Edgewater by Arquitectonica
Miami’s long-awaited landmark, the Elysee Edgewater has finally reached construction completion. Designed by Arquitectonica, the 649-foot-tall glass tower features 57 storeys of luxury residences, as well as recreational and fitness amenities across its tiered floors. Architectural photographer Paul Clemence released images of the newly-completed tower, which now sits as the tallest residential building in the Edgewater district.