Designed by MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects, engineered and built by WASP, TECLA is a prototype of an on-site 3D printed habitat, launched near Bologna, Italy. The innovative model creates future housing solutions and re-questions the idea of living in the city. It provides a shelter for everyone, through a sustainable, low-cost and efficient method.
Architecture News
MCA and WASP Design TECLA, a 3D Printed Sustainable Habitat
Nike's LeBron James Building Designed by Olson Kundig in Oregon
Nike has announced that the latest building in its World Headquarters (WHQ) campus expansion will be named after LeBron James. The new building is designed by Olson Kundig and will be home to Nike’s Beaverton-based Advanced Innovation team. The project will include a state-of-the-art Sport Research Lab and explore the future of sports science.
Spotlight: Paulo Mendes da Rocha
All space must be attached to a value, to a public dimension. There is no private space. The only private space that you can imagine is the human mind.
– Paulo Mendes da Rocha, May 26, 2004
Paulo Mendes da Rocha is one of Brazil's greatest architects and urbanists. Born in Vitória, Espírito Santo in 1928, Mendes da Rocha won the 2006 Pritzker Prize, and is one of the most representative architects of the Brazilian Paulista School, also known as "Paulista Brutalism" that utilizes more geometric lines, rougher finishes and bulkier massing than other Brazilian Modernists such as Oscar Niemeyer.
Concrete Seoul Explores Brutalist Architecture in South Korea
Blue Crow Media has released its latest map exploring brutalist concrete architecture in Seoul, South Korea. The map is edited by Korea University-based architectural historian Professor Hyon-sob Kim, with original photography by Yongjoon Choi. The guide offers a unique look at Seoul’s unsurpassed history of concrete architecture from the 1960s to today.
Tamayouz Announces the Winners of Women in Architecture and Construction Award
The Tamayouz Excellence Award revealed the winners of its Women in Architecture and Construction Award 2019, a prize that honors the achievements of female architects in the Near East and North Africa, under 2 categories: Rising Star and Woman of Outstanding Achievement.
Public Works: South Africa’s New Cultural Projects
South Africa’s architecture is defined by a multicultural history. Located at the southernmost tip of the continent, the county has built upon past traditions and building techniques in a range of modern architecture and cultural projects. These structures showcase new design approaches in South Africa and experiment with diverse formal and spatial strategies.
Architectural Softwares: Tips on How to Choose and Discover the Right Programs
The Midnight Charette is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by architectural designers David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features a variety of creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions. A wide array of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes provide useful tips for designers, while others are project reviews, interviews, or explorations of everyday life and design. The Midnight Charette is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week David and Marina discuss software in design and architecture. It's not as boring as it sounds! The two cover the more pragmatic and specific issues and the more conceptual ones: everything from what programs you need to know to design and to get hired different offices; how to learn programs; balancing technical skillsets with conceptual thinking; why working in the computer is both advantageous and dangerous; 2D drafting versus 3D modeling; things to consider when choosing a software; the failures of successes of BIM programs for employers and employees; key issues to consider before transitioning to BIM; what BIM programs are best (Revit or ArchiCAD) for small and large offices and which project types (the more office-focused and BIM-focused conversation starts at 37:30) and workflows between different programs. If you have any questions or advice about portfolios or any other design-related topics, leave a voicemail at The Midnight Charette hotline: 213-222-6950.
GMP and BBP Refurbish Concert Hall at Kiel Castle
Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp), together with bbp, obtained the commission to refurbish the concert hall at Kiel Castle, dating back to the early 1960s, according to the established conservation principles.
Italy Reveals its CRA-Designed Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai
Italy has just unveiled its national pavilion, conceived by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, Italo Rota Building Office, matteogatto&associati and F&M Ingegneria. In collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.A.E, the project is a metaphor for the journey from Italy to Dubai.
Promoting Biophilic Design in Commercial Spaces with Authentic Natural Veneers
Biophilic design enhances occupant connectivity to the natural environment and continues to influence commercial architecture and interior design. Biophilia, the idea that humans innately seek connections to nature, can be reflected in a broad range of elements when it comes to design; daylighting, views of nature, and the use of organic patterns are examples of ways to include biophilic design in a space. A designer may also incorporate the careful use of natural materials such as wood products, stones, and leathers. This design aesthetic’s proven effects on building occupants’ wellbeing is evident in reduced stress for office workers, faster healing times for healthcare patients, and higher test scores for students.
Harvard GSD Announces Loeb Fellowship for Class of 2021
The Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design is now accepting applications for the Loeb Fellowship Class of 2021. The Fellowship program offers a year of study in residence at Harvard GSD and a worldwide network of over 450 colleagues. The Loeb Fellowship encourages applications from a wide range of exceptional practitioners whose work is advancing positive social outcomes through the shaping of the built and natural environment in the US and around the world.
What is the Future of Concrete in Architecture?
Concrete is the second-most used material on earth. It is also the second-largest emitter of CO2, with cement manufacturing accounting for 5 to 7 percent of annual emissions. The continued popularity of concrete as a material of choice in the design and construction industry, coupled with increasing unease of the environmental consequences, has put concrete firmly in the spotlight of innovation and experimentation. As a result, designers, architects, and researchers around the world are generating multiple visions for what the future of concrete in architecture could look like.
Spotlight: Paul Rudolph
One of the United States' leading architects of the Modernist era, Paul Marvin Rudolph (October 23, 1918 – August 8, 1997) was known for his contributions to modernism throughout the latter half of the 20th century. He served as the Chair of Yale University’s School of Architecture for six years and famously designed the Yale Art and Architecture Building, one of the earliest examples of Brutalist architecture in the United States.
Art Biotop Water Garden Recognized with Inaugural Obel Award
The inaugural Obel Award has been awarded to Art Biotop Water Garden by Junya Ishigami+Associates. Announced at a ceremony at the Utzon Center in Aalborg, Denmark, the award recognizes architectural achievement and is presented annually by The Henrik Frode Obel Foundation. The prize is 100,000 Euros and an artwork by leading artist Tomás Saraceno.
City of the Future Shares Thoughts on Retail and Vibrant Streets
City of the Future is a bi-weekly podcast from Sidewalk Labs that explores ideas and innovations that will transform cities.
In the second episode from season 2, hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss the future of retail with author Mark Pilkington, social entrepreneur Sarah Filley, Sidewalk Labs’ Director of Development Carrie Jackson, and others.
OMA / Iyad Alsaka and Reinier De Graaf Uncover Conceptual Design for their First Project in Kuwait
Led by Iyad Alsaka, Reinier de Graaf, Jad Semaan, and Adrianne Fisher, OMA’s proposal was selected as the winning entry for a residential project on Kuwait City’s waterfront. In collaboration with local partner Kuwait-based consultant Pace, The Wafra tower will be OMA's first venture in the country upon its completion.
Spotlight: Peter Cook
As one of the founding members of Archigram, the avant-garde neo-futurist architecture group of the 1960s, the British architect, professor, and writer Sir Peter Cook (born 22 October 1936) has been a pivotal figure within the global architectural world for over half a century; one of his most significant works from his time with Archigram, The Plug-In City, still invokes debates on technology and society, challenging standards of architectural discourse today.
The Strange House that Niemeyer Designed for Himself
Oscar Niemeyer was a revolutionary of modernism, with an architectural language characterized by audacious curves and elaborated structures. The Brazilian architect established an architectural vision of a future utopian Brazil, one that ultimately has not come to pass. While public attention is often drawn to his masterpieces in Brasília, somewhat hidden from the architectural discourse is a house that Niemeyer designed for himself; a colonial-style scheme offering a radical departure from the expressive forms of his more noted works.
Kaleidoscopic Gateways to Celebrate the Holiday Season in New York
Every holiday season, architects, designers, and urban planners set up vibrant installations in cities around the world, to serve as beacons of joy and interactive points of attraction. On the 18th of November, Hou de Sousa will install Ziggy in New York City to celebrate the upcoming holiday season with vibrant hues and playful gateways.
How Maggie’s Centres Help Cancer Patients Find Strength from Within
The rapidly growing cancer care provider uses big-name architects and designers to create comfortable, hospitable spaces.
Since the first Maggie’s Centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996, the innovative psychological and social support facilities for people with cancer and their caregivers, friends, and families have been designed and built at an impressive clip.
Spotlight: Sir Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren (20 October 1632 – 25 February 1723) is one the most significant architects in British history, and was a recognized astronomer, scholar, and physicist-mathematician. Wren was classically trained at the University of Oxford in physics and engineering where he developed his interest in architecture. He is perhaps most famous for designing London's iconic St Paul's Cathedral, however he is credited with the design of dozens of other churches, government buildings, and hospitals in England. Wren was knighted in 1673.