The American Institute of Architects has announced David Lake and Ted Flato, the founders of Texas-based firm Lake|Flato Architects, as the winners of the 2024 AIA Gold Medal. The pair was selected by the jury for their ability to make "sustainability exciting in a way few other architects have accomplished." Founded in San Antonia in 1984, their office set out to make environmentally conscientious design both accessible and exciting, by finding ways to strengthen he bond between humans and nature.
Stefano Boeri Architetti has revealed the designs for the Ramagrama Stupa in Nepal, a master plan intended to enrich this sacred Buddhist location. The proposal features a Biodiversity “Ring Garden” and a Peace Meadow, which encircles the revered Bodhi tree. Situated in Nepal’s Parasi district, the Ramagrama municipality holds immense cultural and religious significance, sheltering a preserved portion of Buddha’s relics.
Paris MayorAnne Hidalgo has been awarded the 2023 ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development, one of the most respected honors in global land use and community development. The honor comes in recognition of Mayor Hidalgo’s vision for a more inclusive and sustainable Paris and the global impact of her policies. Hidalgo, the first female Mayor of Paris, is credited with advancing ambitious policies that have reduced Paris’ carbon emissions by 40% in ten years and have increased the percentage of affordable housing. Hidalgo has also been named among Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020.
Dana Awartani, Where The Dwellers Lay, Desert X AlUla 2022, photo by Lance Gerber,. Image Courtesy of Royal Commission of AlUla
Desert XAlUla has just announced its return in 2024 in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula. Marking the significant highlight of the AlUla Arts Festival, Desert X AlUla is a transient, site-responsive, and inclusive open-air art exhibit that takes place bi-yearly in the desert region of the country. Launching on February 9th and continuing until March 23rd, 2024, this edition is curated by Maya El Khalil, renowned for her art advisory and MENA-focused curation, and Marcello Dantas, an award-winning curator known for his interdisciplinary practices.
COP28, or the 2023 United Nations Conference of the Parties, was held in Dubai between November 30 and December 13. The annual meeting gathers representatives from 198 countries, as well as industry leaders to discuss and establish strategies to limit the extent of climate change and its adverse effects. The ultimate goal of these meetings is to find ways to limit the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. At the moment, the global temperature rise is already at 1.2 degrees Celsius. As the construction industry at large accounts for 39% of global emissions, architects and planners have a shared interest in the results of thee international summit, Read on to discover some of the key takeaways of COP28.
Diamond Schmitt and Lemay Michaud have just revealed the plans for a significant revitalization and expansion project for McGill University. Based at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital Site for the University, the project aims to create a sustainability research and innovation center. The New Vic project is slated to open its doors in 2027, breathing “new life” into several historically significant buildings.
In his latest photographic journey, Paul Clemence explores the architectural essence of SwissMuseums at Le Salon Suisse, Miami Art Week. Delving into the architectural artistry of the region and the museum’s significance in today’s urban landscape, the photographer showcases a comprehensive exhibition. Titled “Shapes, Rhythm, Abstraction: Swiss Museums,” the photo series includes Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Zurich, and St. Gallen.
Studio Libeskind, working in close partnership with the Memorialization Working Group, has unveiled the preliminary design for the memorial for the 11 killed on 27 October 2018 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, United States. The design was developed in a process led by the victims’ families, communal leaders, and concretional representatives. The building’s official groundbreaking is expected in 2024.
Inaugurated on September 21st, 2023, The Chicago Architecture Biennial is a city-wide festival that will continue until the end of the year. Titled “This is a Rehearsal,” the event is set up as a love letter to Chicago, activating ongoing dialogue around and in the city. One month after the biennial started, events are still ongoing, with open houses, theater performances, and virtual conferences happening throughout this week.
In April 2019, a devastating fire engulfed the 860-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral in Pars, severely damaging its wooden roof and leading to the collapse of the 19th-century spire, originally designed by Viollet-le-Duc. Immediately after, French President Emmanuel Macron promised that the iconic monument would be restored in just 5 years, an ambitious deadline. As the restoration of the roof structures nears completion, in February 2023, the scaffolding for the reconstruction of the spire has been assembled. The Spire is expected to be finished by the end of the month.
Tashkent: Appropriating Modernism, installation view showing a reproduction of the columns and canopy of the Zarafshan restaurant at 1:2 scale, original and contemporary forms. Photo: Ivan Erofeev.. Image Courtesy of Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation
The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation and Wael Al Awar have jointly unveiled “Tashkent: Appropriating Modernism” at the Sharjah Architecture Triennial. The showcase spotlights three essential instances of modern architecture in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Crafted by Wael Al Awar, founder and principal architect of waiwai, the initiative presents the three case studies and their significant evolution.
Designed by Powerhouse Company, the BaanTower has started construction in the remodeled Baan Quarter neighborhood of Rotterdam. The residential tower strives to promote a sustainable architecture based on the well-being of its residents. Upon completion, the high-rise will house 427 apartments available for rent. Seven years after the original draft, the project has recently received its building permit, and is expected to be completed by 2026.
Pantone has just just announced “Peach Fuzz” or PANTONE 13-1023,” the 2024 Color of the Year. Known for its color standards and digital solutions in the design community, Pantone announced the color aiming to move towards empathy and understanding. A hue between pink and orange, the color is soft and inviting and offers “tenderness and communicating a message of caring, community, and collaboration.”
Lake Tonle Sap is a part of Cambodia’s inland water system that’s connected to the flooded forests that purify water and buffer communities from storms—an important benefit as climate change makes extreme weather more frequent. Every year from June to November, the Mekong Delta backs up into Lake Tonle Sap, creating water-depth fluctuations of up to 10 meters. The result is that land-based buildings are inundated during the rainy season, then refurbished and reoccupied again after the water recedes.
The MPavilion represents one of the most important architectural events happening annually in Melbourne, Australia. Initiated and founded by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, the event was first launched in 2014 and has since brought internationally recognized architects to design a temporary structure in Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens in a system similar to London’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion. From Sean Godsell's solar-actioned panels to Studio Mumbai‘s experimental bamboo structure, each pavilion explores craftsmanship and contemporary design while fostering a rich cultural program for several months before being disassembled and donated to one of the city’s parks. As the latest pavilion was recently inaugurated by Tadao Ando, we look back at the previous editions of Australia’s most famous annual structure.
CHYBIK+KRISTOF has won an international competition to design a multifunctional tower as a significant part of Tirana’s evolving landscape. The structure is situated in the heart of the capital city’s culture hub within the New Boulevard, reflecting a shift in Tirana’s urban development. With its distinctive red concrete silhouette, it aims to create a new landmark, signaling the commencement of various other projects outlined in the masterplan.
Sir John Soane’s Museum has announced French architecture practice Lacaton & Vassal as the recipient of the 2023 Soane Medal. The award comes in recognition of the office’s work spanning over 3 decades. Through an honest design approach, the office became known for the resourceful repurposing of materials and existing structures to prioritize the needs of residents and local communities. For this approach, the office has been previously awarded as the 2021 Pritzker Prize 2021 Laureate.
Foster + Partners has unveiled the plans for a new multi-purpose design in the heart of Miami Beach. “The Aalton” is a six-story building encompassing ground-level retail, offices, and residential spaces. Positioned at the intersection of Aalton Road and Lincoln Road, the renowned pedestrian shopping street, the building embraces Florida’s architectural heritage.
