Miami-based architecture office Arquitectonica, headed by Laurinda Spear and Bernardo Fort-Brescia, has been selected as the 2019 winner of the American prize for architecture. The firm, known for its “Trendsetting Modernist Miami Style”, was launched back in 1977.

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Christophe Benichou's latest project is the architectural animated short film Windbracing that pays homage to a French science fiction book by Alain Damasio, entitled “La Horde du Contrevent” or Windwalkers. The movie offers “a sensory dive” in a universe freely inspired by the author of the novel, and challenges the spectators’ prejudices.

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Arquivio Architects from Spain have won the architectural competition to design the National Concert Hall in Vilnius, Lithuania. The international competition was endorsed by the International Union of Architects and organised by the Lithuanian Union of Architects and the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture. The winning design by Arquivio was selected from nearly 250 entries across the globe.

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The American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Center for Architecture have announced new and expanded programs for the ninth annual edition of Archtober, the official New York City Architecture and Design Month. The festival, now in its ninth year, brings together more than 80 partners throughout the city’s five boroughs to celebrate the importance of design and the built environment.

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The Collective, a global network of co-living that creates private spaces with communal facilities has announced its recent partnership with Sou Fujimoto Architects in New York City. Located in 1215 Fulton Street, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, the building will start welcoming its first tenants in 2022.

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Nikken Sekkei has been selected as the winner of the international design competition for the Sberbank Business Complex and cultural center in Moscow. The competition was hosted by Russia largest bank, Sberbank. The project is planned to become a new TOD model of Moscow, connected to multiple railway stations, including the metro adjacent to the site. The proposal was based on the concept of two evolving cities that complement and speak to one another through Moscow City and Sberbank City.

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Customization, within the context of interior architectural design, is a resurfacing topic among cross-disciplined design firms focused on interior architecture. Since the reemergence of the Localism trend, individuals and organizations increasingly seek one-of-a-kind experiences, objects, and spaces that can help deepen their connections to their communities.

The London based Heatherwick Studio, have unveiled plans to design their first venture in the Czech Republic, in historic Prague. The project consists of regenerating an important site and create a mix of retail, office and public spaces.

The world winners of the Prix Versailles 2019 were announced at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, celebrating 12 projects in the categories of Shops & Stores, Shopping Malls, Hotels and Restaurants.

The world jury was composed of David Adjaye, Kazuyo Sejima, Francesco Bandarin, Iris Van Herpen, Philippe Starck, Alondra de la Parra, Ferran Adiá and Thomas Vonier. Read on to see the selected projects.

Already in its 7^th edition, the Oslo Architecture Triennale opened this week, exploring “the architecture of a radically transformed society in which cultural and ecological flourishing matter more than economic growth”. Under the title of Enough: The Architecture of Degrowth, the festival is questioning the damage caused to the environment by the constant economic growth.

Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) have been awarded first prize in the competition to modernize Hans Scharoun's Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library). Restructuring the library, their proposal for the golden “ship of books” was made to meet the demands of 21st century institutions while celebrating the existing building. The new project aims to showcase the history of Scharoun building and its development.

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Morphosis has unveiled new images of the proposed 15-story mixed-use development along the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Spanning along Sunset Boulevard between San Vicente Boulevard and Larrabee Street, the 369,000-square-foot building is designed with a gym, movie screening room, and a rooftop pool. The project would include a new home for the landmark Viper Room, as the sinuous residential tower and hotel redefines one of L.A.'s most iconic streetscapes.

Adjaye Associates have been selected as the winners of The Abrahamic Family House competition, in Abu Dhabi. The landmark project, on Saadiyat Island, is a space where 3 religions will come together with the implementation of a mosque, a synagogue, and a church.

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Architecture is inherently linked to policy, politics, and power. With responsibility for the design and perception of the built environment, architects have a distinct role in shaping the human urban experience. As the world confronts issues of climate change, forced migration, and affordable housing, architects are increasingly putting themselves on the front line of the debate, using a variety of tools and avenues to clamor for change, and indeed design for it. However, while many official avenues exist for architects to advocate for social and environmental reform, there is an under-theorized method of resistance, a ‘road less traveled’ for social progress beyond officialdom.

Foster + Partners has created in partnership with Luye Medical and Cleveland Clinic, a healthcare facility, challenging the traditional hospital prototypes. The design of the general medical hospital in Shanghai’s New Hong Qiao International Medical Center aims to generate a new type of patient experience.

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The construction of a new 150,000m2, 320m tall tower is underway in Guangzhou, China under the leadership of Mexican architect Francisco Gonzalez-Pulido: FGP Atelier. The project, titled the Guangzhou International Cultural Center (GICC), takes a holistic approach to design, combining architectural, engineering, environmental, functional, and technological principles to create a landmark for the ages.

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) have designed One Vanderbilt the soon to be tallest contemporary office facility in Midtown Manhattan, at 427 meters in height. The tower’s spire was recently raised and upon its completion, the building will offer a new type of experience in the Grand Central District.

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There’s a lot of buzz going on in terms of technology-driven innovation in the AEC industry. Especially the increasing use of 3D renderings and virtual reality for architectural projects is hitting every architect’s newsfeed. Photorealistic images and virtual reality walk-throughs seem to be turning into the new industry standard. That being said, for many architectural firms it seems to be hard to keep up with quickly developing new tech and thereby find ways to differentiate themselves from the competition.

Robert De Niro’s Wildflower Development Group, with the architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), have revealed first images of their proposal for a 650,000 square foot film, television, and creative studio, in in the Astoria neighborhood of northwest Queens, New York.

Global smart phone brand OPPO teamed up with Japanese architect Kengo Kuma to create a large outdoor installation at 2019 London Design Festival. Called ‘Bamboo (竹) Ring: Weaving into Lightness’, the project is installed in the John Madejski Garden at the V&A Museum for the duration of the festival. Inspired by the Garden and curated by Clare Farrow, the doughnut-shaped structure has been created by weaving rings of bamboo and carbon fiber together.

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