Throughout the world's cities, in the midst of current and projected crises-- environmental, health, economic, and otherwise--one question looms: How can we prepare our urban centers' most vulnerable sectors?

Current data paints a bleak picture of cities and the impact of climate change. With urban populations skyrocketing as people around the globe seek opportunities for a better life in the world's urban centers, cities have become gluttons for energy and other resources while simultaneously producing more emissions than ever before. On top of this, 3 out of 5 cities are at high risk for natural disasters.

In this week's reprint from Metropolis, Amanda Schneider, president of ThinkLab, the research division of SANDOW, explores how "designers can help create healthy, safe interiors with thoughtful surface and filtration selections". Asking how we can have sanitized surfaces, without having to deep clean them regularly, the author discusses the materiality of healthy safe interiors.

Twelve big-picture architectural initiatives addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges have won the first of this year’s World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards. The 2021 WAFX Awards celebrate project proposals from across the world tackling today’s global issues, ranging from pandemic control and the climate emergency, to social equity, cultural identity, aging populations, and food supply.

The first exhibition by Zaha Hadid Architects 'ZHA Close Up – Work & Research' at the Modern Art Museum in Shanghai is now open to visitors. The exhibition displays an in-depth look at the evolution of Zaha Hadid Architects’ projects over the last 40 years, from the MAXXI Museum and the Leeza SOHO in Beijing, to the studio’s current ongoing projects across the world. The exhibition is the first by the architect to be held in in mainland China and will run until August 29, 2021.

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MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, has unveiled its design for the Aranya “Cloud Center” in Qinhuangdao, China. The floating-like design will offer Aranya, a vibrant seaside arts and culture community, a new multi-purpose public space with a a variety of functions and sculptured landscapes imagined as a “white stone garden".

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Curved shapes have always sparked architects' fascination for evoking nature's beauty, fluidity, dynamism, and complexity. To replicate these shapes, however, is no easy task. From their two- or three-dimensional representation to their execution in their final materials, this represents an enormous difficulty, which requires technical expertise and a great amount of knowledge to achieve strong results. Thinking of new ways to produce organic shapes from natural materials is even more complicated.

In addition to this, working with a natural material such as wood carries its own set of peculiarities. Factors such as the species of wood, where the tree grew, what climate it faced, when it was cut, how it was sliced or dried, among many other variables, largely influence the final result. But it's hard for other materials to compare to the beauty and warmth that wooden surfaces bring to the built environment. If the appropriate processes are used, wood can be curved and remain in the desired shape - and for this, there is a number of known techniques which Australian company, Sculptform, has perfected.

Trahan Architects broke ground on the new Chapel of St. Ignatius and Gayle and Tom Benson Jesuit Center at the Loyola University in New Orleans. The new spiritual site and the community gathering space draw on elements of the Jesuit tradition, central to the University's heritage. Through the circular design, the light-filled interior space and the predominance of natural materials, Trahan Architects creates a space of universal spirituality at the heart of the campus.

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As Africa's cities grow, architects and urban planners in charge of development must face the challenges brought on by a lack of infrastructure. 

Benedetta Tagliabue - Miralles Tagliabue EMBT participates in the 17th International Venice Architecture Biennale with an installation detailing the design thinking behind Plateau Central Masterplan at Clichy-Montfermeil, Paris. Entitled Living within a Market - Outside space is also Home, the exhibition showcases a series of models, drawings, prototypes and collages which illustrate the principles of community building and social integration that underline the project. The installation also brings to Venice a display structure designed by Enric Miralles in 1996, reproduced for the first time this year for the Miralles series of exhibitions in Barcelona.

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Integrating metal panels into exterior architecture can result in a unique building that is both performative and beautiful. Metal panels customized in tandem with adaptive solutions, proprietary technology, and skilled project managers and designers create a perfect opportunity to make a statement in the surrounding built environment. Arktura provides services, resources, and materials to support endless creativity with exterior metal wall panels that give the flexibility to achieve virtually any design preference.

Herzog & de Meuron's rehabilitation of Porta Volta took up themes of Milanese urbanism and architecture, which has defined the city's urban fabric throughout the years. The project's design was developed after an intensive historical analysis of the site - a site which dates back to the 16th century and holds remains of when the Romans defined the city's boundaries. Architectural photographer Bahaa Ghoussainy captured Herzog & de Meuron's Lombardian-inspired structure, highlighting its modernized nod to historic architecture.

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Gmp has won a competition to redesign a disused stainless steel factory that would accommodate the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. In tune with China's newfound interest in adaptive reuse, the project retains the core structure of the 860-meter long industrial building, as well as its ventilation towers. At the same time, it redesigns the façade and accentuates the central axis through a mix of social spaces. The design is part of a larger redevelopment plan to transform the former industrial site into an art district.

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Videos

Rooftop water tanks are a familiar part of the New York City skyline, persisting through generations of the city's rapid growth. Yet despite their nostalgic affect and somehow endearing states of relative decay, their decrepit outward appearances may belie their water's quality. In 2014, it was found that many of these weathered containers had actually built up layers of grime and that some even contained E. coli. In 2019, the city finally passed legislation mandating annual inspection reports for all drinking water tanks, though these changes are still nascent.

Titled "Reflections", the Swiss Pavilion at the 2020 Dubai Expo showcases Switzerland's unique duality of scenic landscapes and technology, as part of the Opportunity district of the expo. Designed by OOS Architekten, along with Bellprat Partner for the scenography, and Lorenz Eugster for the landscape, the creative team behind Reflections created a bold architectural statement with the pavilion's facade and immersed visitors in an exploration of Switzerland's scenic landscapes and state-of-the-art innovations.

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Videos

Wood-based materials manufacturer EGGER continues to develop and improve its matt and high-gloss PerfectSense Lacquered Board - a range of surfaces that has been on the market for five years and that provides high-quality visual and haptic properties.

Aedas has unveiled the design for a tourist leisure resort that takes the form of an organically-spaced 266-meter tower in the harbour city of Zhanjiang. Located at the intersection of three distinct urban areas, the Zhanjiang Yun Hai No. 1 Tower becomes a portal for the city and a symbol of its development. With a tower design inspired by the motion of koi fish, and a podium echoing the shape of waves, the project creates an allegory of Zhanjiang’s harbour culture.

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Aguascalientes is a small state in the heart of Mexico, located 480 km northeast of Mexico City and nestled between the states of Zacatecas and Jalisco. With just 5618 km² of territory, it is Mexico's third smallest state. It's capital and most populated city is Aguascalientes, or "hot waters" in English, is named for the numerous hot springs found throughout the area.

Basel-based HHF Architects have been invited to exhibit at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia as part of the "How Will We Play Together?" exhibition. Titled "The Playful Eight", the 8-piece installation extends the biennale's brief to adults, and gives visitors "unsolicited elements that offer the possibility to escape control and productivity in order to play together".

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"Deck parks are increasingly in vogue in the Southwest’s downtown cores but aren’t a good fit for El Paso," writes Sito Negron. Recently a lot of cities around the world have been rethinking urban spaces dedicated to transportation, introducing public areas over highways while expanding the vehicular realm. In this week's reprint from the Architect's Newspaper, the author explores the limits of this trend and questions its implementation in some cases.