Amazon has revealed more details of its new $620-million expansion in Culver City, California. Designed by Gensler to rethink the The Culver Studios, a 100-year-old film studio in Downtown, the project will become the new home of Amazon's Los Angeles area operations. Made for Hackman Capital Partners, the expansion broke ground last year building upon the film studio typology.
Architecture News
RPBW on the Roles of Architects and What Makes their Office Unique
Past, Present, Future is an interview project by Itinerant Office, asking acclaimed architects to share their perspectives on the constantly evolving world of architecture. Each interview is split into three video segments: Past, Present, and Future, in which interviewees discuss their thoughts and experiences of architecture through each of those lenses. The first episode of the project featured 11 architects from Italy and the Netherlands and Episode II is comprised of interviews with 13 architects from Spain, Portugal, France, and Belgium.
The goal of the series is to research these successful firms and attempt to understand their methods and approaches. By hopefully gaining a clearer picture of what it means to be an architect in the 21st century, the videos can also serve as inspiration for the next generation of up-and-coming architects and students as they enter the field.
OMA, Hopkins and LDS Among Finalists to Reimagine Higher Education Design in the UK
Five finalist teams have been selected in the MK:U International Design Competition to create alternative masterplan visions for a proposed new model university in the United Kingdom. The proposed new university, will focus on digital economy skills and practical, business-oriented courses; it also plans to offer fast-track two-year degrees. MK:U, a partnership between MKC and Cranfield University, will use the new University Quarter and the wider city as a ‘living lab’ to test out new concepts and ideas while inspiring students and citizens.
Shortlist Revealed for World Architecture Festival 2019
Architects grapple with some of the world’s most pressing challenges in the twelfth edition of the World Architecture Festival, the world’s biggest architectural awards programme, which announces its shortlist today.
Following the establishment of ‘Architects Declare’ a collective of some of the most renowned practices who have come together to announce a state of climate emergency, this year’s World Architecture Festival shortlisted entries include designs that demonstrate how buildings can play a major role in a more sustainable future.
George Orwell x Leonardo da Vinci / Daan Roosegaarde for the Shenzhen Biennale (UABB) 2019
What happens when the sensor-imbued city acquires the ability to see – almost as if it had eyes? Ahead of the 2019 Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB), titled "Urban Interactions," ArchDaily is working with the curators of the "Eyes of the City" section at the Biennial to stimulate a discussion on how new technologies – and Artificial Intelligence in particular – might impact architecture and urban life. Here you can read the “Eyes of the City” curatorial statement by Carlo Ratti, the Politecnico di Torino and SCUT.
Stanton Williams Inserts "Jewel Box" Library into Historic French Hospital
Stanton Williams has been appointed to design the Clermont-Ferrand Metropolitan Area Library in France, seeing off competition from OMA, Snohetta, Wilmotte & Associes, and Christian de Portzamparc. Designed in collaboration with local practice Marcillon Thuillier Architectes, the new library will act as a social and creative hub in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand, with its 11,500 square meter area making it the largest in central France.
It’s Time to End the Reign of Single-Family House Zoning
This article was originally published on Common Edge.
Practicing architects live and die by zoning regulations. We begin routine projects by reading ordinances and calling local officials to reassure clients that their desired outcomes will be possible under current land-use laws. If we’re lucky, the project will be built without troublesome variances and hearings before stony-faced zoning boards. Increasingly, however, what seemed straightforward and responsible 15 years ago is today considered controversial enough to merit a public hearing, and perhaps the assistance of high-priced attorneys. Often, the issue is protecting the “rights” of nearby homeowners, who see their property values threatened by any new development.
School and Daycare Projects for Different Climates
European children spend approximately 200 days a year at primary school. Even though the academic year in most parts of the world is not as long as in Europe, the place where children and adolescents spend the most time, following their own homes, is usually in educational institutions. These can be places for learning, playing and socializing, and as sad as it may be, they can also be safer places for children living in environments of abandonment, hunger, and violence, providing them with opportunities and even meals. A United Kingdom-wide survey found that the differences in physical characteristics of classrooms accounted for 16% of the variations in learning progress over the course of a year. In other words, the better a classroom is designed, the better children perform academically. According to the study, the factors that most affect children are sunlight, indoor air quality, acoustic environment, temperature, the design of the classroom itself and the stimulation within it.
Patrik Schumacher on Parametric Design and the Early Days of Zaha Hadid Architects
Design:ED Podcast is an inside look into the field of architecture told from the perspective of individuals that are leading the industry. This motivational series grants unique insight into the making of a successful design career, from humble beginnings to worldwide recognition. Every week, featured guests share their personal highs and lows on their journey to success, that is sure to inspire audiences at all levels of the industry. Listening to their stories will provide a rare blueprint for anyone seeking to advance their career, and elevate their work to the next level.
In this episode of Design:ED Podcast, Patrik Schumacher — the company director and Senior Designer for the esteemed Zaha Hadid Architects — sits down to discuss the future of parametric design, the early days of Zaha Hadid Architects, and how the firm is continuing the legacy of Zaha Hadid after her passing in 2016.
Step Inside a 360° Virtual Tour of the 2019 Dulwich Pavilion
The 2019 Dulwich Pavilion by Pricegore and Yinka Ilori has opened in London this June. Dubbed the “The Colour Palace”, the project was made for the Dulwich Picture Gallery as a a celebration of color, pattern, and light, drawing from European and African cultural traditions. Now you can step inside the pavilion with a 360° virtual tour by Nikhilesh Haval.
World's Tallest Modular Buildings Completed
Construction company Bouygues Batiment International, in collaboration with their modular construction laboratory Dragages Singapore, has celebrated the completion of the tallest building tower ever built from modular construction, the Clement Canopy buildings in Singapore.
Carlo Ratti Associati Unveils World’s First Crowdsourced Graffiti
Carlo Ratti Associati has unveiled the world’s first crowdsourced graffiti, designed by thousands of people and painted by a swarm of drones in the city of Torino, Italy. The UFO-Urban Flying Opera project was created by four UAVs flying simultaneously over two consecutive days. Each drone carried a tank of sustainable spray paint and sketched the individual designs on the canvas. The final painting was divided into three layers: a grey one to set the story, magenta one to represent Torino’s communities, and a light blue one to visually wrap the story.
Hamonic+Masson Reimagine Suburban Paris with New Neighborhood Plan
Architecture practice Hamonic+Masson & Associés have designed a new neighborhood development to reimagine suburban Paris. As the winning entry in the Inventons la Métropole du Grand Paris 2 competition, the "High Garden" project was made to propose a metropolitan-scaled architecture on one of the sites proposed within the greater city limits. Responding to the brief, it was designed to be a dynamic and attractive neighborhood in a new eco-district.
Photographer Captures Shanghai's Disappearing Streets
Between Shanghai’s crowded meat markets, bundles of wires, vivid neon lights, and dense smogs, lie the historic ‘Shikumen’ lane houses. Built between the end of the 19th century and World War II, these houses were inspired by French and British Colonial and Art Deco styles and the Chinese ‘Hutong’ housing style. But time for these aged ornate structures is running out, as all the Shikumen lane houses across Shanghai are being torn down.
As part of his Shanghai Streets series, photographer Cody Ellingham has set out on a mission to freeze time and capture these historic streets before they are completely demolished and forgotten.
Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira Design New Haishang Museum for Shanghai
Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira have announced a new project for the Haishang Museum in the Jiading district of Shanghai. The proposal includes a building for the museum and three other smaller structures; a pavilion, a tea house and a bridge. As Castanheira says, the project will be many projects within one.
Museum of London Unveils Expansion into Historic Farringdon Buildings
The Museum of London has unveiled the design for their new West Smithfield home. Designed by Stanton Williams, Asif Khan, and Julian Harrap Architects, the plans showcase the transformation of a campus of beautiful yet dilapidated market buildings into a 24-hour cultural destination. The scheme celebrates the historic buildings of West Smithfield, while creating a unique, memorable visitor experience.
Pedro and Juana Launch their 'Hórama Rama' at MoMA PS1
"Hórama Rama" by Pedro & Juana (Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo & Mecky Reuss) has been inaugurated as part of The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1’s 20th annual Young Architects Program. This year’s architectural installation is an immersive junglescape set within a large-scale cyclorama that sits atop MoMA PS1’s courtyard walls. Selected from among five finalists, Hórama Rama will be on view through the summer, serving as a temporary built environment for MoMA PS1’s pioneering outdoor music series Warm Up.
3 Trends Inspiring New Architectural Surfaces
World leading engineered surfaces manufacturer shares three trends influencing next-generation decorative surfaces
For years, interior surface designers have drawn inspiration from their environments in order to create delightful and innovative engineered surfacing materials specified in architectural spaces. From familiar and traditional to futuristic and contemporary, design inspiration can be found all around structures, elements, and styles that surround us every day.
Sidewalk Labs Unveils Full Quayside Master Plan for Toronto
Sidewalk Labs has released the full 1,500 page development proposal for its Quayside neighborhood in Toronto. After announcing plans to create a model smart city, Sidewalk Labs has been working to pioneer a new approach to future urban developments. Plans for Quayside were first revealed last summer as an interconnected smart neighborhood for the city. The Master Innovation and Development Plan (MIDP) proposes a comprehensive planning and partnership model to set a new standard for urban development in the 21st century.
Remains of Genoa's Morandi Bridge Demolished
The remaining structure of Genoa’s Morandi Bridge has been demolished. The motorway bridge collapsed on Tuesday 14th August, when one of the bridge’s structural components, comprising of pre-stressed concrete stays and trestles, collapsed onto a railway line and warehouse 150 feet (45 meters) below. 43 people were killed in the incident.
Urban Refuges and Interspecies Seeing / Sarah Mineko Ichioka for the Shenzhen Biennale (UABB) 2019
What happens when the sensor-imbued city acquires the ability to see – almost as if it had eyes? Ahead of the 2019 Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB), titled "Urban Interactions," ArchDaily is working with the curators of the "Eyes of the City" section at the Biennial to stimulate a discussion on how new technologies – and Artificial Intelligence in particular – might impact architecture and urban life. Here you can read the “Eyes of the City” curatorial statement by Carlo Ratti, the Politecnico di Torino and SCUT.
First, let me declare my unambiguous aversion to the envisioned future in which “any room, street or shop in our city can recognize you, and autonomously respond to your presence.” Despite this, can I see any positive potentials in pervasive systems of urban surveillance and response?