As founder of the “Do Tank” firm ELEMENTAL, Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena (born on June 22, 1967) is perhaps the most socially-engaged architect to receive the Pritzker Prize. Far from the usual aesthetically driven approach, Aravena explains that “We don’t think of ourselves as artists. Architects like to build things that are unique. But if something is unique it can’t be repeated, so in terms of it serving many people in many places, the value is close to zero.” [1] For Aravena, the architect’s primary goal is to improve people's way of life by assessing both social needs and human desires, as well as political, economic and environmental issues.

Mainly known outside of his home country for his design of the 2014 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, architect Smiljan Radić (born June 21, 1965) is one of the most prominent figures in current Chilean architecture. With a distinctive approach to form, materials, and natural settings, Radić mostly builds small- to medium-sized projects that flirt with the notion of fragility.

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Design practice Studio Precht has created a series of truncated timber treehouses for eco-building start-up Baumbau. The concept was created by Chris Precht and his wife Fei Tang Precht as a family of modular houses that are shaped by playfulness. Called Bert, the project was conceptualized as a treehouse shaped by the forest itself. Bert invites people to experience architecture and nature through the eyes of children.

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Uber Elevate and Related Companies have unveiled their Foster + Partners-designed vision for a future Skyport in Santa Clara. The 240-acre site illustrates the benefits aerial ridesharing could provide for the Bay Area and other cities in the future.

Videos

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.

EID Architecture has revealed their design for OCT’s Second Headquarters in Kunming, China. One of three winning schemes selected from a shortlist of six international firms, the EID proposal aims to create a headquarters that responds to the cultural and natural characteristics of the city, while reflecting the ethos of OCT’s commitment to innovation in technology, art, and cultural tourism.

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There’s no doubt that architects spend a lot of time in front of a desktop, be it virtual or three-dimensional. In fact, although this statistic is not exclusive to architects, the average time a person now spends sitting down per day is 7.7 hours; in the United States the average is an unbelievable 13 hours. Of course this includes time spent on the train, watching a movie on the sofa, or a whole range of other seated activities, but the vast proportion of this time is likely to be spent working by a desk or laptop.

How can you improve the quality of that time, so it’s both well spent and, ideally, minimized? To have a more efficient, productive—and most importantly, more pleasant—time at work, here are 13 ways to improve your physical and digital workspace.

Architecture practice zU-Studio has created a proposal for a floating pavilion in Amsterdam's historic shipyard. Designed atop an old Dortmunder Ship, the project was made to be a sculptural object that creates connections between cultures. The structure is inspired by Richard Serra´s sculpture in Museumplein in Amsterdam. The pavilion aims to create a unique Dutch floating experience that brings art and history together.

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Known as both an architect and an engineer, Pier Luigi Nervi (June 21, 1891 – January 9, 1979) explored the limitations of reinforced concrete by creating a variety of inventive structural projects; in the process, he helped to show the material had a place in architecture movements of the coming years. Nervi began his career in a time of technological revolution, and through his ambition and ability to recognize opportunity in the midst of challenge, he was able to have an impact on several disciplines and cultures.

Chicago-based FGP Atelier and Taller ADG have completed the new Diablos Rojos Baseball Stadium in Mexico City. The monumental project was made to be the country's premier baseball stadium. Working with team owner Alfredo Harp Helú, the project's roof takes the form of a devil’s tail to reference the home team’s devilish name.

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Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), Architectus, and Dexus Property Group have celebrated the completion and opening of 100 Mount Street, a 35-story mixed-use tower in North Sydney’s Central Business District. Inspired by the city’s rich architectural landscape, and shaped by SOM’s legacy of innovation in architecture and engineering, the scheme features a cross-braced exoskeleton structure surrounding a glass-enclosed interior.

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XTU architects have published their competition entry for the Founder’s Memorial in Singapore’s Bay East Garden. Inspired by the mangroves and banyans of Singapore which stand tall along the coastal regions of tropical areas, the memorial dives its routes into the ground, before shooting skywards.

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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.

Automation has finally reached our desks. If just a few years ago we believed that technology (including robots) could replace the work done by humans, minus the design specifications and some 'creative' aspects, we were wrong.

Lake|Flato and Shears Adkins Rockmore have broken ground on the University of Denver's new Burwell Center for Career Achievement. Designed as a campus hub for the university, the project was made to be a gathering place for the extended DU community. Sited at a key nexus between the campus's traditional core and its growing urban edge, the new 23,000 square foot center combines student career development with alumni engagement and programming.

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Terrazzo is made by combining a cement base (sand, water, and cement) with a mixture of ground minerals - like marble, granite, and quartz - and can be applied to almost any surface, vertical or horizontal. The technique, produced using a completely hand-crafted method, was used worldwide in the construction of modern buildings and is noted for its durability, resistance (to water and abrasion), and easy maintenance. This made it a go-to material in the creation of flooring for houses and the common areas of residential and office buildings.  

Today, terrazzo is experiencing a revival as one of the key trends in contemporary architecture. Here, we will discuss the whats and hows of terrazzo and illustrate some of its uses in current projects. 

Videos

Bjarke Ingels has featured in a new documentary about BIG’s Amager Bakke waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen. Known for its iconic ski slope, the hybrid plant produces district heating for 60,000 households annually from waste generated in Copenhagen, and electricity for 30,000 houses.

The Obama Presidential Center by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects and Interactive Design moves forward as a federal judge tossed out the lawsuit against it. The planned $500 million, 20-acre campus faced an initial ruling from a district judge that allowed the lawsuit to proceed and stalled construction for four months. Now U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey stated there will be no halt in construction.

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami's 2019 Serpentine Pavilion is taking shape in London. A series of photographs by Laurian Ghinitoiu showcase the project and its flowing, free-form roof. Ishigami is the second-youngest designer of the pavilion, and his work is known for a light and ephemeral approach. The design for the 2019 pavilion takes the form of a slate sheet rising from the landscape of the park, held up by pilotis that form an interior field.

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Second Home, a London-based creative business, is set to open its first location the U.S. Designed by Madrid-based Selgascano, the project will see the transformation of the historic site of the Anne Banning Community house in East Hollywood through a 90,000-square-foot urban campus.

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