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The Top 10 Design Cities of 2019

Design trends are often the result of foreign cultural influences, avant-garde creations, and innovative solutions for people's ever-evolving needs. Although the design world seems like one big mood board, some cities have managed to outshine the rest with their recent projects.

As part of their annual Design Cities Listing, Metropolis Magazine has highlighted 10 cities across 5 continents with intriguing projects that have harmonized contemporary urbanism with traditional and faraway influences.

How Renderings Can Contribute to Architectural Projects: The Lumion Example

Over the past two decades, the role of representation and rendering has changed dramatically in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. New rendering technologies, techniques, and programs, such as Lumion, have been contributing to this change. By including 3D rendering tools, architects and designers can take advantage of easy-to-use, multifunctional visualization technology that serves to strengthen creativity rather than stifle it.

Day-VII Architecture: How the Architecture of Polish Churches Developed in a Secular Socialist State

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In the mid-to-late 20th century, a secular, socialist Poland served as the backdrop for the construction of thousands of Catholic churches. In their book Day-VII Architecture, Izabela Cichonska, Karolina Popera, and Kuba Snopek analyze the paradoxical facets of this architecture born at the intersection of secularity and religion, charting how its development was influenced by liturgical reform, political movements, and the growth of postmodernism. In the excerpted introduction below, the authors unfold this history, touching on the Second Vatican Council, Solidarity, the Iron Curtain, and more in relation to the development of Day-VII Architecture's ultimately unique postmodern style. The publication has collected photographs of 100 Polish churches built after the year 1945, accompanied by interviews with their architects. To read more about the authors' original Day-VII documentation project, which served as the groundwork for this book, be sure to visit the original article "These Churches Are the Unrecognized Architecture of Poland's Anti-Communist 'Solidarity' Movement."

Old Doors and Insulation Foil: 5 Projects that Derive from Russian Culture

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© Archstoyanie

Russia is an enigmatic country known for its sublime constructivism developed during Soviet times, its greatness and enormous scale. It comes as no shocker — architects, such as Ivan Leonidov and his student Leonid Pavlov, and artists like El Lissitzky, have definitely contributed to the history and image of a strong Russian personality.

Considering the prevalent poverty in Russia, the reason for the fixation on cheap construction is rather clear. However, even local leading architects find something attractive and beautiful in the suburban barns and flimsy dwellings. Creating authentic installations in the shape of houses or changing and enhancing the experience of existing structures with materials at hand, Russian artists and architects express the country's skill of turning the ruined and inhabitable into the lively and cozy.

Bee Breeders Announces Winners of SKYHIVE Skyscraper Challenge

Bee Breeders have announced the winners of the SKYHIVE Skyscraper Challenge. The purpose of the competition was to allow architects, design students, engineers, and artists from all over the world to generate design ideas for iconic high rise buildings in cities around the globe. As part of this design series, participants were encouraged to incorporate new technologies, materials, forms, spatial organizations, and construction systems in their designs for a skyscraper.

An Ornamental Shade and a Desert Sauna for Burning Man 2019

This year’s theme for the famous annual Burning Man festival revolves around the notion of “Metamorphosis”. Taking place in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, from the 25th of August till the 2nd of September, each year artists and architects from around the world get creative and imagine installations and pavilions responding to one general question.

For the 2019 edition, Burning Man has already revealed the design for the Central Temple by Geordie Van Der Bosch. Read on to discover more about 2 interventions, taking part in this year's event, an Ornamental Shade from San Francisco and a Desert Sauna from Finland.

India Approves World’s First Passenger Hyperloop System

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The Government of Maharashtra has deemed Virgin Hyperloop One a public infrastructure project, setting it up to become the first hyperloop project in the world. The announcement brings the hyperloop transportation system in India closer to reality, recognizing hyperloop technology alongside other more traditional forms of mass transit. Dubbed the Pune-Mumbai Hyperloop, the project will link central Pune to Mumbai in under 35 minutes, as opposed to the current 3.5+ hours by road.

We Need More Wheelchair Users to Become Architects

When famed architect Michael Graves contracted a mysterious virus in 2003, a new chapter in his life began. Paralyzed from the chest down, the pioneer of Postmodernism would be permanently required to use a wheelchair. Graves could have been forgiven for believing that having fought for his life, having been treated in eight hospitals and four rehab clinics, and needing permanent use of a wheelchair, that his most influential days as an architect were behind him. This was not the case. To the contrary, he would use this new circumstance to design trend-setting hospitals, rehab centers, and other typologies right up to his death in 2015, all with a new-found awareness of the everyday realities of those in wheelchairs, and what architects were, and were not doing, to aid their quality of life.

Santiago Calatrava receives a fine for negligence on his bridge in Venice

Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was fined by the Court of Accounts of Venice to pay 78,000 euros for errors that increased the cost of the construction of the Constitution Bridge on the Grand Canal of Venice.

GROUPWORK + Amin Taha Architects Win Motion Against Demolishing 15 Clerkenwell Close

After a 2-year trial, GROUPWORK and Amin Taha Architects won the motion against demolishing the 15 Clerkenwell Close building.

The architects behind the RIBA award-winning project have been in an ongoing battle with local planning authorities over attempts of demolishing the 7-storey building in the city of Clerkenwell, UK. Taha has also received an enforcement notice last year, claiming that "the structure does not reflect the building that was granted planning permission and conservation area consent in 2013".

However, a planning inspector overturned the council’s demolition request, granting the architects planning permission regardless of the differences between what was proposed and what is developed.  

What Sydney Harbour Bridge Could Have Looked Like

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Insurance brand Budget Direct has released a series of commissioned images showcasing six alternative visions for Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge. Standing at 134 meters high, it‘s the largest steel arch bridge in the world. The design by Dorman Long was selected in a worldwide design competition back in 1924, but what if another entry had been chosen? The project brings to life different visions for the landmark structure and how they may have shaped The Emerald City.

Burning Man's ORB Through the Animated Lens of Another :

One of the main attractions of 2018’s Burning Man Festival was the ORB, designed by Bjarke Ingels, Iacob Lange & Laurent de Carniere. The inflated spherical mirror was created as a conceptual representation of Earth and human expression, leaving no trace after its deflation. The project consumed 30 tons of steel, 1,000 welding and sewing hours, and $300,000 of personal funds to make the ORB come to life.

As part of their mini-film series, creative duo another : have collaborated with music composer Yu Miyashita and released a short video that explores the process of creating the ORB in an otherworldly way.

Universal Signage: The First Step in Making Cities More Accessible

Of all the steps a city can take to make itself more pedestrian-friendly, developing a integral system of signage is both a quick and easy improvement that makes a world of difference--as shown by initiatives like Legible London, New York's WalkNYC, or Rio on Foot, in Río de Janeiro.

Architects Support Global Climate Strike

The Global Climate Strike is set to happen on the 20th of September 2019, just before the UN emergency climate summit, where people will disrupt their work to protest and advocate for actions against climate breakdown. Architects are joining on the march, through “Architects Advocate”, a movement encouraging the professionals of the industry to stand in solidarity with the rally.

Carlo Ratti Associati and Olafur Eliasson Design World's Largest Crowdsourced Mosaic

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Carlo Ratti Associati's spin-off company Scribit has partnered with leading artist Olafur Eliasson's Little Sun non-profit to draw a crowdsourced illustration of the sun's path in thousands of people's homes. Write&erase robot Scribit works as a smart vertical plotter to create illustrations inspired by sun path charts. The two teams hope to bring the climate crisis center stage and instigate change for the future of the planet.

MVRDV Designs Facade of Potted Plants along Dommel River in the Netherlands

MVRDV has designed an office and residential building on a corner lot next to the Dommel river in the Dutch village of Sint-Michielsgestel. Made with a facade that takes the form of potted plants, the project uses a gridded “rack” system to cover the building’s entire exterior in a variety of plants. Designed with MVRDV’s co-architect, Van Boven Architecten, the team wanted to create a landmark project for the village while also being socially conscious and environmentally progressive.

Iconic Awards 2019: David Chipperfield Win “Architects of the Year”

The winners of the ICONIC AWARDS 2019: Innovative Architecture competition, have been announced. The “Architects of the Year” went to David Chipperfield Architects, and “Interior Designers of the Year” was granted to Snarkitecture. As for the “Architects’ Client of the Year” prize, it was presented to the city of Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany.

Stufish Entertainment Architects Design the Chimelong Theatre in China

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Inaugurated recently, The Chimelong Theatre, a circus hall on the island of Hengqin, in Zhuhai, China, was conceived to replace the Chimelong Hengqin International Circus City, damaged by a typhoon in 2016. Imagined by Stufish Entertainment Architects, founded by the late Mark Fisher, the project is one of many permanent entertainment spaces designed by the studio in China.

What are Kinetic Facades in Architecture?

For most of the history of architecture, interesting facades were achieved through materiality or ornamentation. From the elaborately painted friezes of the Parthenon to the glass exteriors of modern skyscrapers, architecture was primarily static, only ‘changing’ as the environment would change and affect the material of the façade in differing ways, be it rain, light, rust, etc.

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8 Urban Elevators That Bring Connectivity and Continuity to Cities

When working in an urban area with a complex topography, one of the biggest challenges is urban integration. Worldwide, many socially deprived neighborhoods are situated in complicated geographical locations surrounded by steep slopes. Such areas complicate mobility for pedestrians, cyclists, and the elderly, with a lack of accessibility often excluding them from taking part in city life effectively.

In this context, urban elevators can be a novel solution which combine elements of both functional connectivity and sculpture. With some rising up to 30 meters in height, they become urban and touristic landmarks, creating new viewpoints and walkways. Additionally, in many cases, they can help to uphold the historic legacy of the city.

Below we have collected some interesting examples of urban elevators that have been key in the spatial planning of the urban environment.

ArchDaily & Strelka Award: Last Day to Vote and Decide the Winners

Readers of ArchDaily and Strelka Mag have selected a shortlist of 15 architectural projects nominated for the joint ArchDaily & Strelka Award, which celebrates emerging architects and new ideas that transform the contemporary city. The second stage of voting, which will last until August 15, will decide the three winners.



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