Foster + Partners, led by Norman Foster, has revealed designs for a new “vertical creative office” campus on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, overlooking Hollywood. Developed by real estate firm The Star LLC, the tower is wrapped in spiraling gardens, giving the project its distinctive image and introducing generous outdoor areas throughout. Dubbed “The Star,” the project strives to use active and passive design strategies to bring a welcoming and comfortable space for all future users.
Pelli Clarke & Partners has just completed the Mori JP Tower, now standing as Japan’s tallest building. Situated in the recently revitalized Azabudai Hills district, the tower emerges at the center of this development. Establishing a new focal point for Tokyo’s skyline, the building soars 330 meters at the heart of this dynamic new mixed-use district in the city center.
MAD Architects has just unveiled the design for Lishui Airport in China. Dubbed the "forest city,” Lishui is known for its green landscapes and valleys in the Southwest Zhejiang Province. Situated amidst hilly terrain, approximately 15 kilometers southwest of the city, the airport is envisioned as a domestic, regional transportation hub seeking to harmonize with the natural surroundings.
The State of Kuwait has revealed the design of the upcoming Kuwait Pavilion to take shape at World Expo 2025 in Osaka. Designed by architectural firm LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture), the temporary structure is envisioned as a “Visionary Lighthouse” representing Kuwait’s embrace of Arab cultures, arts, and social works. The pavilion, developed with main partner and contractor NUSSLI, also offers a response to the exhibition’s overarching theme, "Designing Future Society for our Lives", striving to strengthen the relationship between Kuwait and Japan and foster conversations about visions of a sustainable future.
Construction is currently in progress on “The Grid,” a new office complex by Foster + Partners. Located in Marousi, an established business hub that boasts connectivity to central Athens, the project spans an entire city block. The project features modern, adaptable workspaces, along with landscaped green areas that integrate with a public park. The scheme hopes to revitalize Marousi and attract new business to the existing area.
Sightseeing is an activity closely intertwined with architecture and cities. So much is that Guiliana Bruno adapts the term to site-seeing in her comprehensive book Atlas of Emotions: Journeys in Art, Architecture and Film, emphasizing the link between tourism and the urban landscape. Traveling and exploring new places is not something only architects like, it's among the most enjoyable activities for anyone. It's no coincidence that city guides are consistently among the most visited articles on ArchDaily, offering curated collections of iconic buildings for people to explore.
Now, some of our most popular city guides will not only provide a list of buildings, but also feature interactive maps that position each of the architectural masterpieces within the territory. Powered by Felt, these maps cater to the needs of the architects and curious travelers alike.
Architecture is about giving form to the places where people live. It is no easier, and no more complicated, than that. There are three key words here: “form,” “place,” and “life.” As soon as one reflects on these terms, one immediately comprehends that these things are not all that easy. - Alejandro Aravena
With this phrase in the foreword to ArchDaily’s Guide to Architecture, Alejandro Aravena reflects on the underlying complexity of architecture. Something that is essential to our life, but that with the ever growing complexities of our world, becomes a challenging task.
That is why for the 4th consecutive year we embark on a global survey, evaluating the work, ethos and mission behind innovative practices from all over the world. They represent the diversity that is reshaping our field, working across the spectrum between the essence of architecture and its blurry boundaries, ranging from studios to activists, startups and other forms of production, research, and thinking.
These 20 practices, half led by women or as a mix, coming from Europe, South America, North America, Asia and the Middle East, represent the diversity among those who are setting an example of the direction architecture should be heading. At the center of their mission there is a clear forward looking agenda that shapes their work, that reveal a practical consciousness towards the challenges of our world.
Meet ArchDaily’s 2024 Best New Practices:
German-based architecture and design studio Beta Realities has developed the “Collective Parts” initiative, a design and technology platform for enabling the construction of affordable 3D printed housing. The project has been recognized as one of the winners of Inititative99 by ICON, a global architecture competition aimed at reimagining affordable housing that can be built for under $99,000. The other winners of the open category are MTspace Studio from New Zealand and For Everyday Life from the United Kingdom. The competition also highlights contributions from students as a separate category, featuring Casa Fami by IAAC from Spain, Juan Felipe Molano from Colombia, and Victoria Roznowski from Germany.
Cobe Architects has just unveiled its winning design for the future Danish Parliament in Copenhagen. Aiming to revitalize Denmark’s historic administrative center, the studio envisioned an inviting, accessible space, “where everyone can experience democracy up close.” The design features an underground visitor center, leading to facilities within the Parliament Courtyard, and an interconnected pathway uniting historic buildings formerly used by the Danish National Archive.
TRANSFER Architecture Video Award 2023 has just announced the winners of this year's edition of the innovative architecture short film competition. Due to the high quality and the diversity of the entries, the jury has decided to award 4 winners ex aequo and 2 honorable mentions.
The TRANSFER Architecture Video Award 2023 ceremony took place on February 22 in Lausanne, as part of the film festival Écrans Urbains. You can discover the winning, finalist, and shortlisted videos in TRANSFER.
Commissioned by Diriyah Company, HKS Architects have revealed the design for a new multisport arena in Diriyah. Envisioned as a catalyst for the local culture and the entertainment sector, the 20,000-seat venue will be located in the center of The City of Earth, a 76,000-square-meter development aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, aimed at becoming one of the most attractive venues for tourism in the Middle East.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now home to the world’s first 3D-printed mosque, spanning an area of 5,600 sqm. Located within the Al-Jawhara suburb of Jeddah, the mosque stands as a tribute to the late equestrian Abdulaziz Abdullah Sharbatly. The project by Forsan Real Estate utilizes cutting-edge 3D printing technology from Guanli.
Zaha Hadid Architects have unveiled a large-scale project for the redevelopment of the Al Khuwair waterfront in downtown Muscat, the capital of Oman. The $1.3bn project covers an area of 3.3 million square meters. It aims to revitalize the area through sustainability-led design principles to accommodate the expected population growth, which is expected to almost double by 2040. The plans are developed in collaboration with Buro Happold to incorporate and transform the existing buildings on site, introduce coastal and climate resilience measures, and create an efficient transit-oriented infrastructure.
Pioneering advanced construction and large-scale 3D Printing, ICON was selected as ArchDaily’s Best New Practices of 2021 due to its boundary-breaking technology that is advancing capability in the built environment. The Texas-based startup has just unveiled various toolkits and products to modernize construction processes further. Dubbed “Domus Ex Machina,” the event showcased a range of innovations, such as an AI Architect created for home design and construction, a digital library containing over 60 pre-designed home plans, a new eco-friendly building material, and a robotic printed facilitating multi-story construction. Together, these developments aim to offer a quicker, more environmentally friendly way to build high-quality, affordable housing globally.
Last week, Japanese architect and social advocate Riken Yamamoto was announced as the 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, becoming the 9th Japanese architect honored with the profession’s most prestigious award. Throughout the 45-year history of the Pritzker Prize, Japan stands out as the nation with the highest number of laureates. While geography is not a criterion in the selection of the laureates, Japanese architecture consistently impresses with its interplay of light and shadow, the careful composition of spaces, soft transitions between interior and exterior, and attention to detail and materiality. An ingrained culture of building also celebrates diverse designs and encourages global dialogue and the exchange of ideas and best practices. Read on to rediscover the 9 Japanese Pritzker laureates and glimpse into their body of work.
Foster + Partners has just unveiled the designs for the Xicen Science & Technology Center at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta Region in Shanghai, China. The project is strategically located along the Shanghai – Huzhou development axis, ensuring connectivity to the city center through high-speed rail links. Drawing inspiration from the timeless allure of the surrounding water towns, the center blends new and existing waterways to create a community featuring residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.
