1. ArchDaily
  2. Architecture News

Architecture News

Focus on the Fundamentals: 10 Metrics of High Performing Architecture Firms

 | Sponsored Content

With 38% of projects over budget and 35% behind schedule, according to the 42nd Annual Deltek Clarity Report, architecture firms are focusing on the fundamentals. This includes tracking metrics and adopting new technology to keep a closer pulse on performance and profitability. Many architecture firms have a ways to go as only 25% currently see their business as digitally mature, but 76% of firms envision firm digital sophistication in five years, according to the report.

Barozzi Veiga Completes the First Building of London's Design District

Barcelona-based studio Barozzi Veiga has completed its first UK project, which will house Ravensbourne University’s Institute for Creativity and Technology. The building, whose interiors are designed by Brinkworth, is also the first to be completed within the Design District, London’s new purpose-built creative hub at the heart of the Greenwich Peninsula. Featuring a polished aluminium-clad façade that reflects the neighbouring buildings, the design engages with the surrounding context, while also referencing the area’s industrial past.

Barozzi Veiga Completes the First Building of London's Design District - Image 1 of 4Barozzi Veiga Completes the First Building of London's Design District - Image 2 of 4Barozzi Veiga Completes the First Building of London's Design District - Image 3 of 4Barozzi Veiga Completes the First Building of London's Design District - Image 4 of 4Barozzi Veiga Completes the First Building of London's Design District - More Images+ 27

Artificial Lighting in Interior Design

Natural or artificial, lighting is one of the most important elements in architecture, directly affecting our perception of spaces. It is capable of defining volumes, enhancing colors, textures, and therefore, contributing to the overall relationship between dimension, proportion, and contrasts. One of the many challenges of architecture is to shape spaces based on light and shade, and sometimes natural light is not enough, requiring additional light sources to be installed and controlled.

Artificial Lighting in Interior Design - Image 1 of 4Artificial Lighting in Interior Design - Image 5 of 4Artificial Lighting in Interior Design - Image 8 of 4Artificial Lighting in Interior Design - Image 14 of 4Artificial Lighting in Interior Design - More Images+ 21

Holography: How It Could Change Architectural Space

Although holograms have been a possibility for decades—the first hologram was developed in the early 1960’s following the development of laser technology—many might still associate them more with science fiction, the term conjuring up images of high-tech superhero gadgets and spaceships in the distant future. Yet as we inch closer to the reality of a hyper-technologized future, and a variety of industries—including architecture and construction— begin to embrace new forms of increasingly advanced technology, holography, too, has a chance of completely reshaping the way we conceptualize and experience architecture. While it is impossible to predict exactly how holographic technology will be used in the future, below, we list several examples of existing projects that use holograms and other types of holography to create atmospheric environments, fantastical scenes, and practical visualizations. These examples move beyond the use of holograms to visualize structures and sites during the design phase; they utilize holography to shape the completed architectural space itself, completely altering the sensory and spatial experience of their environment.

Gabled Roofs Experience a Revival Across North America

Gabled Roofs Experience a Revival Across North America - Featured Image
Nova Scotia–based MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects has built several steel-clad gabled houses like the East Dover House, shown here, because the material blends in with cliffside landscapes, rusts to fit geology, and needs zero maintenance.. Image Courtesy of James Brittain Photography

In this week's piece by Metropolis, author Kelly Beamon explores in her original article "the patriotism associated with pitched roofs and shares how architects are reimagining this staple of suburban house styles". According to its definition, a gable roof is a classic roof shape, usually in cold or temperate climates, consisting of two roof sections sloping in opposite directions and placed such that the highest, horizontal edges meet to form the roof ridge. Emblematic of the US, this article discusses its return to the urban fabric.

Reinventing the Platform Lift as a Design Statement for Accessibility at Home: Aritco

 | Sponsored Content

Platform lifts. Swedish manufacturer ARITCO shows how architects can integrate them into residential properties without them looking like an afterthought – but rather a serious design statement.

The 20th Serpentine Pavilion Designed by Counterspace, to Open on June 11th 2021

The 20th Serpentine Pavilion, designed by Johannesburg-based practice Counterspace, directed by Sumayya Vally, will finally open on 11 June 2021. After its 1-year postponement due to the global pandemic, the temporary pavilion will stay on display until 17 October 2021, on the Serpentine Gallery’s lawn in Kensington Gardens.

The 20th Serpentine Pavilion Designed by Counterspace, to Open on June 11th 2021 - Image 1 of 4The 20th Serpentine Pavilion Designed by Counterspace, to Open on June 11th 2021 - Image 2 of 4The 20th Serpentine Pavilion Designed by Counterspace, to Open on June 11th 2021 - Image 3 of 4The 20th Serpentine Pavilion Designed by Counterspace, to Open on June 11th 2021 - Image 4 of 4The 20th Serpentine Pavilion Designed by Counterspace, to Open on June 11th 2021 - More Images+ 2

Henning Larsen Designs Active Community Hub as their First London Project

Located in the heart of Westminster, a short distance away from the Buckingham Palace, Henning Larsen are building a community hub that reimagines traditional office and commercial spaces. 105 Victoria Street will be the architecture firm's first ever project in London, providing visitors with an urban plaza that enables an active and social working environment both indoors and outdoors. The project is being developed by BentallGreenOak and is designed in collaboration with Adamson Associates Architects and KPF.

Henning Larsen Designs Active Community Hub as their First London Project  - Image 1 of 4Henning Larsen Designs Active Community Hub as their First London Project  - Image 2 of 4Henning Larsen Designs Active Community Hub as their First London Project  - Image 3 of 4Henning Larsen Designs Active Community Hub as their First London Project  - Image 4 of 4Henning Larsen Designs Active Community Hub as their First London Project  - More Images+ 1

"We are Not the Protagonists, Architecture is Just the Background": In Conversation with Alejandro Aravena

The 17th Venice Architecture Biennale invited architects to ponder the question “How will we live together”, eliciting a variety of answers, readings and interpretations. The International Exhibition unfolding in Giardini, the Arsenale and Forte Maghera presents 112 participants in the competition, coming from 46 countries, whose contributions are organized into five scales: Among Diverse Beings, As New Households, As Emerging Communities, Across Borders, and As One Planet. Answering “How will we live together as a community? “ is Chilean office ELEMENTAL and Archdaily met in Venice with Alejandro Aravena to discuss the idea behind the project KOYAÜWE, which creates a space that recovers the tradition of parleys, as a means to address the historical Chilean-Mapuche conflict.

"We are Not the Protagonists, Architecture is Just the Background": In Conversation with Alejandro Aravena - Image 1 of 4"We are Not the Protagonists, Architecture is Just the Background": In Conversation with Alejandro Aravena - Image 2 of 4"We are Not the Protagonists, Architecture is Just the Background": In Conversation with Alejandro Aravena - Image 3 of 4"We are Not the Protagonists, Architecture is Just the Background": In Conversation with Alejandro Aravena - Image 4 of 4We are Not the Protagonists, Architecture is Just the Background: In Conversation with Alejandro Aravena - More Images+ 3

Urban Heat Islands Are Increasingly Dangerous, But Planners and Designers Have Solutions

For this month, The Dirt and author Jared Green share with us a study about urban heat islands, exploring new approaches that have been designed to both reduce urban temperatures and help communities adapt to a hotter world, In three cities: New York City, Copenhagen, and Abu Dhabi.

Monochromatic Pastel: New Collection of Porcelain-Stoneware Tiles by Casalgrande Padana

 | Sponsored Content

The new Atelier collection from Italian manufacturer of porcelain-stoneware tiles Casalgrande Padana shows the power of softer colour tones.

Zaha Hadid Architects to Design New Italian Hyperloop

Zaha Hadid Architects is collaborating with Hyperloop Italia to co-design the next phase of works of the transport vehicles, marking a turning point for the future of transportation. The collaboration aims to merge transformative architecture, engineering, and urban planning with the most efficient and sustainable transport network to improve accessibility, connectivity, and well-being in cities.

KPF Reveals Design for New Office Tower in Manhattan

After completing One Vanderbilt, the tallest office building in New York, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates has unveiled plans for a new skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan. The 320-metre high office tower at 343 Madison Avenue makes the most out of its relatively small plot and the silhouette mandated by the New York City zoning laws, featuring a series of receding volumes that leave a way to gardens and terraces at different levels. When completed, the project will also create an important new transit entrance to the Long Island Rail Road and the Grand Central Complex.

Cyclopean Concrete and Its Many Diverse Uses and Applications in Architecture

Historically, "cyclopean" referred to a building technique that superimposed large stone blocks together without any mortar. This allowed for a diverse array of structures across various civilizations, including defensive walls, talayots, navetas, nuraghes, temples, tombs, and forts. Nowadays, the term applies to any ancient structure consisting of large stones superimposed to form a polygonal shape.

"I Wanted to Dance Here!": In Conversation with Antoine Predock about Bahías, a Community of 13 Houses in Costa Rica

Vladimir Belogolovsky speaks with Antoine Predock about the soon-to-be-built Bahías, a community of 13 houses in Costa Rica, inspired by a vision of manmade foliage.

"I Wanted to Dance Here!": In Conversation with Antoine Predock about Bahías, a Community of 13 Houses in Costa Rica - Image 1 of 4"I Wanted to Dance Here!": In Conversation with Antoine Predock about Bahías, a Community of 13 Houses in Costa Rica - Image 2 of 4"I Wanted to Dance Here!": In Conversation with Antoine Predock about Bahías, a Community of 13 Houses in Costa Rica - Image 3 of 4"I Wanted to Dance Here!": In Conversation with Antoine Predock about Bahías, a Community of 13 Houses in Costa Rica - Image 4 of 4I Wanted to Dance Here!: In Conversation with Antoine Predock about Bahías, a Community of 13 Houses in Costa Rica - More Images+ 9

"Dissecting the Politics and Mechanics of Institutions": In Conversation with Russian Pavilion Curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli at the 2021 Venice Biennale

To answer the Biennale's question of "How Will We Live Together", curators of the national pavilions explored what the future would look like in an architectural, cultural, and environmental context. Many saw the future as an entirely virtual environment whereas other highlighted the cruciality of physical coexistence with neighbors. ArchDaily met with Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, curator of the Russian Pavilion, to discuss how the idea of the pavilion came together throughout the year as a virtual platform for interdisciplinary creative thinkers, the role of cultural institutions across physical and digital spaces, and how digitalization is always part of the conversation.

"Dissecting the Politics and Mechanics of Institutions": In Conversation with Russian Pavilion Curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli at the 2021 Venice Biennale   - Image 1 of 4"Dissecting the Politics and Mechanics of Institutions": In Conversation with Russian Pavilion Curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli at the 2021 Venice Biennale   - Image 2 of 4"Dissecting the Politics and Mechanics of Institutions": In Conversation with Russian Pavilion Curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli at the 2021 Venice Biennale   - Image 3 of 4"Dissecting the Politics and Mechanics of Institutions": In Conversation with Russian Pavilion Curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli at the 2021 Venice Biennale   - Image 4 of 4Dissecting the Politics and Mechanics of Institutions: In Conversation with Russian Pavilion Curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli at the 2021 Venice Biennale   - More Images+ 26

Herzog & de Meuron to Convert Former San Francisco Power Plant into Mixed-Use Project

Construction work began for Herzog & de Meuron’s transformation of a former power plant building in San Fransico into a mixed-use project. Designed in collaboration with California-based practice Adamson Associates, the adaptive reuse of iconic Station A is part of the Portrero Power Station project, the redevelopment of a 29-acre industrial site into an extension of the Dogpatch neighbourhood. Herzog & de Meuron’s design retains and repurposes various features of the industrial building while adding a lightweight, steel-framed structure on top, thus giving new life to one of San Francisco’s landmarks.

Modular Components in Industrial Architecture

Modular Components in Industrial Architecture - Image 1 of 4Modular Components in Industrial Architecture - Image 2 of 4Modular Components in Industrial Architecture - Image 3 of 4Modular Components in Industrial Architecture - Image 4 of 4Modular Components in Industrial Architecture - More Images+ 22

Industrial architecture usually requires fast installation, low-maintenance components, and flexible spaces that can be used for different purposes. Therefore, modular solutions are very common in this type of construction, also adding a powerful visual language to the building.

5 National Pavilions at the 2021 Venice Biennale that Explore Sustainability and Climate Change

The 17th Venice Architecture Biennale is currently unfolding, revealing a wide range of answers to the question "How will we live together". With 60 national pavilions, numerous contributions of invited architects from all around the world and several collateral events, this year's edition restates the Biennale's role as a platform for inquiry, exploration, and disruptive thinking in architecture. Curator Hashim Sarkis' original statement called upon architects "to imagine spaces in which we can generously live together." Recent circumstances have made the question even more relevant, prompting a holistic re-evaluation of how the world as a collective can face changes and challenges of an unprecedented scale from the disrupting role of technology, to inequality, mass migration and climate change. The following national contributions reflect on "how will we live together" amidst climate change, exploring ideas for a more sustainable future.

OMA Will Build Out the First American Pompidou Center in Jersey City

Three years after OMA was selected by the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) to design a new museum in Journal Square, the city’s downtown hub, it was revealed this morning that the building would be home to none other than the Pompidou Center’s first North American satellite: The Centre Pompidou × Jersey City.

OMA Will Build Out the First American Pompidou Center in Jersey City - Image 1 of 4OMA Will Build Out the First American Pompidou Center in Jersey City - Image 2 of 4OMA Will Build Out the First American Pompidou Center in Jersey City - Image 3 of 4OMA Will Build Out the First American Pompidou Center in Jersey City - Image 4 of 4OMA Will Build Out the First American Pompidou Center in Jersey City - More Images+ 3

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.

In alliance with Architonic
Check the latest Architecture NewsCheck the latest Architecture NewsCheck the latest Architecture News

Check the latest Architecture News