Disney, the multinational entertainment and media conglomerate announced its new addition to its Signature Experiences Program. Titled "Cotino", part of its new Storyliving by Disney venture, the master plan is Disney's first master-planned community project, and will feature distinctly-designed housing units and neighborhoods, along with commercial and civic amenities and man-made beaches in the heart of Rancho Mirage, California's Coachella Valley.
Architecture News
Disney Proposes "Magic in the Californian Desert" with New Mixed-Use Communities Project
Alison Brooks Architects, Adjaye Associates, Henning Larsen and SLA to Develop Toronto's Waterfront
A consortium comprising developers Dream Unlimited and Great Gulf together with lead architects Alison Brooks Architects, Adjaye Associates, Henning Larsen and landscape design practice SLA were selected to develop Toronto's Quayside into a new neighbourhood containing affordable housing, robust public spaces and new business opportunities. The design for the 4.9 hectares site on Toronto's waterfront proposes over 800 affordable housing units, together with an 8,000 square-metres forested green space and an urban farm, accompanied by arts venues and flexible educational spaces.
Why Are Some Houses Elevated off the Ground?
The strategy of raising houses off the ground gained popularity in the 1920s when Le Corbusier announced structures on pilotis as one of the 5 points of modern architecture. A great contribution, especially in the urban issue, as it enables the creation of a free space with greater connection between the public sphere of the street and the private sphere of the building. His iconic Villa Savoye is a paradigmatic example of the use of pilotis that preserves the natural terrain and, as Le Corbusier himself said, places the house on the grass like an object, without disturbing anything. In addition, the pilotis also served as a strategy for the flow of vehicles, which can be seen in Lina Bo Bardi’s equally emblematic Casa de Vidro and its slender steel tubes. Arranged in a modulation of four modules in width by five in depth, they maintain the house as a transparent floating box in the midst of nature, respecting the terrain and assisting in the building's thermal comfort by allowing air circulation.
10 Iconic Buildings that Changed Our Perception of Raw Materials
The history of architecture shows that the use of raw materials has always been somewhat common, whether in ancient vernacular techniques or within the Brutalist movement, to name a few. It is evident that the language of a project is often linked to its material, as various sensations and the perception of space are directed by the aesthetic and physical quality of the given element. For this reason, we have gathered ten buildings that highlight the quality of their materials, whether to make a statement, reinterpret a technique from the past, or to re-signify the potency of some of these elements.
Photographic Language for Impermanence
Photography is often likened to a visual language. The “most literary of the graphic arts”[i] is after all a formal system with commonly accepted structure and recognizable motifs.
The Second Studio Podcast: Interview with Jason Somers
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 Jason Somers, President and Founder of Crest Real Estate to discuss the role of the building Expeditor, when an Expeditor should be used and why, how an Expeditor can help with attaining building permits, the benefits of creating property development analyses at the start of a project, and more.
The Confusing Reality of Building Styles
What style is it? This is a common initial question people ask to learn more about a building. For architects, this seems like a poor entry point and the initiating question can seem naive and trivial. This varying degree of attentiveness to a building’s style leads to an impasse between the public—that wants to understand the built environment—and architects eager to share the nuances of their discipline.
Reimagining the Possibilities for Affordable Housing in a Climate Risk Environment
Affordable housing has become an increasingly dire global issue. Be it rent or homeownership, the unaffordability of homes has been on the rise. A look at U.S. Census data illustrates a sharp decline in homeownership in recent decades. Although Millennials were the most populous generation by 2019, they only contributed to homeownership at a rate of 47.9%. Contrastingly, Gen-X’s homeownership rate stood at 69%, following the silent generation at 77.8%. Trends of generational decline in homeownership are mirrored in other parts of the world, such as in the U.K. where rates have steadily dropped from 71% in 2003 to 64% by 2018. Many experts point to affordability as a large reason for this decline.
Online Exhibition by the Hong Kong Design Institute Explores Zaha Hadid Architects' Vertical Urbanism
As part of their ‘Essence of Design’ programme, the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), and the HKDI Gallery present “Zaha Hadid Architects: Vertical Urbanism”, an online exhibition that showcases ZHA's innovations in architecture through a display of technical drawings, computer-generated visualizations, architectural models, video projections, and VR experiences. The immersive exhibition is now online and enables visitors to explore the world of ZHA, offering them an insider look into the details of the office's formative projects.
MAD Unveils Design for Sanxingdui Museum
MAD Architects unveiled the design for the Sanxingdui Ancient Shu Cultural Heritage Museum, a project meant to immerse visitors in the still largely unknown Shu civilization. Comprising a series of curved wooden structures scattered within the existing environment of dense greenery and clear waters, "The Eyes of Sanxingdui" weaves together architecture and landscape into a cultural public space.
The House on the River: Restoration after Eight Decades of Attacks
It was designed and built between 1943 and 1946 by Amancio Williams and Delfina Galvez Bunge over the Las Chacras Stream in the city of Mar del Plata. It eventually became known as "The House on the River" or "The Bridge House". However, it ceased to have a stream, and thus to be a bridge, in 1957 when the watercourse on which it rested was interrupted for sanitation reasons. It was used as a radio station between 1970 and 1977, but the last military dictatorship in Argentina ended up shutting it down. It remained closed, maintained by its owner until their death in 1991. Studied by all, but cared for by none. It suffered two major fires, in 2004 and 2008. Abandoned during the whole succession process, it was recovered by the Municipality of General Pueyrredón in 2012.
A Series of Renders That Explore Three Unbuilt Projects of Frank Lloyd Wright
More than 60 years after his death, Frank Lloyd Wright's story remains relevant and arduously studied because of the great legacy he left to architecture. Considered the first truly American architect and the first superstar of his craft, Frank Lloyd Wright lives on through his buildings, his influence and his collective imagination. Surprisingly, more than half of Wright's 1171 architectural works were never erected.
Sea-Level Rise: Could The Netherlands’ Polder System Work in the U.S.?
This article was originally published on Common Edge.
In April 1782, just six years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, John Adams arrived in Amsterdam as the first U.S. Ambassador to The Netherlands. Three months later, a consortium of Dutch bankers provided a 5 million guilder loan (equivalent to $150 billion today) to the new republic, a clear sign of my country’s confidence in the U.S. While I can’t provide a loan, as a Dutch water engineer I can offer something else to Americans: my country’s five centuries of experience living, working, and thriving below sea level. This is surely knowledge and knowhow that the U.S. will desperately need as water levels continue to rise and countless coastal communities are threatened.
The 15 Winners of the 2022 Building of the Year Awards
With over 100,000 votes cast during the last three weeks, we are happy to present the winners of the 2022 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards. This peer-based, crowdsourced architecture award showcases projects chosen by ArchDaily readers who filtered thousands of projects down to the 15 best works featured on ArchDaily in 2021.
As in previous years, the winners showcase a wide spectrum of different types of building, giving an insight into how diverse the profession has become in recent decades. High-profile practices take their place as ever, with winners such as MVRDV's Housing project in Bordeaux and Kengo Kuma's Casa Batllo's installation, showing that establishment firms are still able to make their mark, as in more traditional award systems. Alongside these are previously unsung heroes, such as PALMA and HANGHAR with their project, Types of Spaces. Among the winners, we also find Ca'n Terra House by ENSAMBLE STUDIO and Plaza of Kanagawa Institute of Technology by Junya Ishigami + Associates, extremely creative projects that today challenge their typologies.
But for all their many beautiful differences, the winners share a crucial element in common: they represent the values of our mission, to bring inspiration, knowledge, and tools to architects everywhere. Neither ArchDaily nor the Building of the Year Awards would be possible without the continued generosity of the firms that choose to publish their projects with ArchDaily every year, or without the engaged readers who take part in the voting process.
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.
Daylight and Architecture: New Series of Daylight Talks Announced
Daylight and Architecture, a global knowledge-sharing initiative focusing on exploring the limitless potential of daylight in architecture, has announced the new series of ‘Daylight Talks’.
AIA Announces Recipients of the 2022 Architecture Awards
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected 11 projects as winners of its 2022 Architecture Awards. The annual Architecture Award program celebrates the best contemporary architecture, and highlights how spaces can cater to their residents and context and include a sense of place, purpose, history, and environmental sustainability. The selected projects include commercial, residential, and civic typologies, all designed by US-licensed architects.
CHYBIK + KRISTOF's Ostrava Tower Set to Become the Tallest Skyscraper in the Czech Republic
CHYBIK + KRISTOF revealed the design of a skyscraper in the Czech Republic city of Ostrava. The project reframes the typology of the skyscraper as a dynamic social hub and activates public space in support of the post-industrial city’s reactivation and socio-economical transformation. Upon completion, the 235-metre Ostrava Tower will be the tallest building in the country.
São Paulo: 468 Years of History and Construction of the State Capital
468 years ago, at Pateo do Collegio, the largest city in Latin America was born: São Paulo. A metropolis in constant movement that, among so many complexities and conflicts, presents both cultural and human diversity, which makes it deeply rich.
What Building Materials Can Be Harmful to Our Health?
In each of our nostrils, two types of nerves play an essential role in our health. The olfactory and trigeminal nerves capture odors and send information to the brain, more specifically to the olfactory bulb, for interpretation. In turn, this communicates with the cortex, responsible for the conscious perception of odors, but also with the limbic system, which controls mood and unconscious emotions. This is the body's defense against bad smells or irritating or strong odors, creating aversion to those that could harm us in some way.
But not all pollutants can be detected through this sophisticated system, and they have an intrinsic ability to positively or negatively influence our health. In fact, research has shown that air quality can be quite poor and even worrying in many indoor environments, where we spend about 90% of our lives. This is usually caused by inadequate ventilation of the space, external pollution, and biological contaminants; but mainly chemical contaminants from internal sources. That is, the building materials used in space. Therefore, there are some products that should be avoided whenever possible.