In this week's reprint from Metropolis, the National Gallery of Victoria, a thought-leading institution surveys the ever-expanding fields of speculative and critical design in Australia, through the work of Formafantasma.

As architects face up to the need for ethical, sustainable design in the age of climate change awareness, timber architecture is making a comeback in a new, technologically impressive way. Largely overlooked in the age of Modernism, recent years have seen a plethora of advancements related to mass timber across the world. This year alone, Japan announced plans for a supertall wooden skyscraper in Tokyo by 2041, while the European continent has seen plans for the world’s largest timber building in the Netherlands, and the world’s tallest timber tower in Norway.

The potential for mass timber to become the dominant material of future sustainable cities has also gained traction in the United States throughout 2018. Evolving codes and the increasing availability of mass timber is inspiring firms, universities, and state legislators to research and invest in ambitious projects across the country.

After a year of absence in light of the pandemic, Milan Design Week, one of the most anticipated design events to take place in Italy, will finally open its doors to visitors. From the 5th to the 10th of September, more than 350,000 architects, designers, artists, and craftsmen from all around the world will have the chance to explore new design innovations and exchange ideas about the interior design, furniture, and lighting. During the week-long event, Salone del Mobile, the awaited furniture and interior design event of the year, will be hosting local and international exhibitors at the Fiera Milano, Rho, along with interventions by world-renowned architects across the city.

ArchDaily will be attending the Salone del Mobile so stay tuned for exclusive interviews and collaborations, and read on to discover what to expect during the week-long exhibition and how architects are taking part of the event. 

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Developer 3Strands and construction company ICON have completed new 3D-printed houses for sale in the United States, showcasing the possibilities of additive manufacturing for mass-market housing. Located in Austin, Texas, within a fast-growing neighbourhood, the East 17th St Residences development is designed by Logan Architecture and comprises four units with 3D-printed ground floors whose tectonics reflect the construction technology.

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Morelos is a state nestled in the south-central region of Mexico, surrounded by the states of Puebla, Guerrero, Estado de México, and Mexico City. With just over 4,893 km² of territory, it's Mexico's second smallest state. It's capital and largest city is Cuernavaca.

The second round of voting has decided three winners of the ArchDaily & Strelka Award. The grand prize winner will be announced on September 7th at the Future Architect Conference

The historical Roman town has been busy at work and new exciting buildings, squares, and public parks have bloomed across the city. Since my first trip to Zürich in 2014, a lot has happened around good old Turicum.

After a compelling trip organized by Visit Zürich and my friend Philipp Heer, we were able to visit some of the newest, most interesting and uplifting places of the city. Flitting hither and thither, Roc Isern, David Basulto, and I enjoyed the privilege of a tailored itinerary, access to Zürich's gems, and perhaps the most inspiring, the architects behind these amazing structures.

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This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights private residential projects submitted by the ArchDaily community. From futuristic private retreats on the coast of Hawaii to a mini-housing concept on the rocky cliffs of Montenegro, this article explores residential architecture and presents projects submitted to us from all over the world.

Featuring a secluded private residence that sits between a Persian mountain and river, an interior renovation of an 80's Mediterranean house, and a minimalist forest retreat, this round-up explores the diversity of private homes and how each design responds to its site's topography, context, and to the occupants spatial needs. The selection also includes villas in Lebanon, Iran, Tanzania, Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, and Vietnam.

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In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote “Familiarity breeds contempt”. By definition “local” is “familiar”. Why are humans so thrilled to go beyond the familiar, the local, and reach for what is new, universal, and salvational? The word “local” has the weight of true value, like “density” or “sustainable” But the lure of connection between all humans is powerfully seductive, and that desire to connect almost always falls short of our hopes.  

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CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati has merged architecture with urban agriculture in the firm's newly-unveiled Jian Mu Tower in Shenzhen, China. The 218-meter high building incorporates a large-scale vertical hydroponic farm across its entire facade, producing vegetation that can feed up to 40,000 people per year. The 51-storey tower will also include housing offices, a supermarket, and a food court with inner gardens for recreation and social gatherings.

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UNStudio has recently published a report exploring the broader scope of community building and placemaking in the post-pandemic urban environment. Through examples from their practice, UNStudio highlights various design strategies currently incorporated in architecture and urban planning that cater to the universal and crucial need to connect socially. In addition, the practice stresses the importance of “ third spaces” and human-scale connectivity, as well as the blending of digital and physical spaces of interaction.

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A building stands out along the maritime walkway in Palma, Mallorca's capital. Designed by José Ferragut Pou and completed in 1960, the building was a poster child for the modern architectural movement sweeping the globe at that time. Today, like many of its brethren, it stands in abandoned  disrepair. 

Lluís Bort is the Spanish architect and photographer behind "Empty Architecture," a photographic compilation of abandoned buildings from throughout the island of Mallorca, Spain.

Few materials are as timeless, durable and beautiful as terracotta. With a range of inherent properties, terracotta is being specified to redefine building envelopes. Used for its many colors and textures, as well as its flexibility, this ceramic can be constructed as cladding, rain screens and a variety of components. Dating back to the Babylonians, terracotta has been used throughout history, and it continues to be a material selected for diverse building types around the world.

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Design consultancy office AUTHOS and Swiss multidisciplinary Interactive Designer Stella Speziali have collaborated to create a unique spatial intervention at the Zurich Design Biennale 2021. Titled NEBULOSUS, the installation uses mist and augmented reality as an immersive and intangible 'structure' that changes the spatial boundary of Zurich's botanical garden and creates and explorative experience for visitors.

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Prolonged heatwaves have been increasingly common in recent years, and cities are devising various strategies for combating the urban heat island effect. As Sydney experienced blistering summer temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius, the authorities have recently banned dark roofs on new homes and mandated lighter-coloured alternatives to reflect solar radiation. In Europe, Athens has taken the example of Miami and hired a Chief Heat Officer, tasked with finding coping strategies as the city confronts with heatwaves and wildfires that prompted a large number of residents to vacate the capital.

The term “mid-century modern” conjures up images of a sharp-suited Don Draper, slender teak cabinets, and suave chairs from Scandinavia. That is, at least, one perspective of the design movement and a view more of 1950s-era Manhattan offices than anything else. But in Britain, mid-century modernism manifested as something slightly different, coming in the form of schools, cathedrals, housing, and an era-defining festival, all eloquently described and illustrated by the prolific architectural historian Elain Harwood in Mid-Century Britain: Modern Architecture 1938-1963.