When it comes to architecture, scale is inevitably mentioned for graphic and two-dimensional representation of the built area, land size, and city extension. Architecture is a grand discipline with robust constructions and large areas, but the field of action is vast, encompassing "smaller" scales: essential housing, restricted land, and small cities.
Augmented reality (AR) software has been a common feature in professional design toolkits for a while. But the recent release of Apple’s Vision Pro glasses shows the mixed-reality wearables sector is making serious inroads in consumer markets too, as one of the world’s biggest names in consumer design and technology enters the market.
A major reason for the immense hype surrounding Apple’s foray into AR/VR hardware, however, is the decision to position it as ‘spatial computing.’ By taking the complexity of augmented reality, and using it to heighten a familiar consumer sector – personal computing – the Cupertino-based brand has simplified the whole experience, widening its understanding and appeal.
Architecture is likely to exist in any place or physical space inhabited by human beings. Moreover, our inherent curiosity and exploratory spirit constitute an integral aspect of our humanity. Fueled by our inventive capacity, drives us to venture into future scenarios that we can explore as individuals and as a society. Consequently, the possibility of a future in space has sparked the imagination of scientists and designers, resulting in conceptual and science fiction designs where human beings inhabit space.
The inventive and imaginative human capacity can be traced through the work of artists such as Jean-Marc Côté, who, in the early 20th century, envisioned a series of retro-futuristic illustrations depicting what life would be like in the year 2000. There are also notable literary references, such as the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, renowned for her speculative fiction exploring humanity's journey as a spacefaring species. Undoubtedly, the future and space are two captivating topics that have inspired the development of a long-term vision for society in space.
Ever since humans started building (about 10,000 years ago), settlers looking for sites to build new villages or homesteads have kept a simple list of criteria: access to water, proximity to arable land, and, ideally, as flat as possible. Modern development sites instead look for industry and transport links rather than water and farmland, but a level site is still the preferred option.
Whether you cut and fill into the landscape by digging in a retaining wall, or balance the structure above the hillside on stilt supports, building on sloping ground always adds time, cost, and difficulty to the project. With immense views and extra space both inside and out, however, the results can be worth the extra effort.
After a three-year break, Hello Wood’s builder festival returns to welcome students, architects, and young professionals from all across the world to join the 10-day builder camp to test their wooden construction abilities, learn to collaborate, and participate actively in on-site design and construction. For the first time in Hello Wood’s 13-year history, this year’s workshop takes place at a new location, in the crater of an abandoned basalt quarry on Haláp Mountain in Hungary. The workshop also aligns with and supports Veszprém’s title of 2023 European Capital of Culture, which also includes over a hundred other villages and towns across the Bakony-Balaton region. The event took place between July 6 and 15, ending in a two-day music festival open to all.
In her 1959 debut by Mattel, Barbie became a doll that transformed the toy industry and has been a popular culture icon ever since. 3 years later, the first accompanying Barbie Dollhouse was created, a home for Barbie representing her domestic, habitual, and day-to-day life. Over the past 60 years, Barbie Dreamhouses have changed and evolved, each iteration adopting the architectural and design fads of the eras in which they were produced. In fact, each dollhouse is an artifact of the unique blend of history, politics, popular culture, trends, and design styles that define architecture as we know it.
Within architecture, water evokes sentiments of calmness and wellbeing. The element has influenced design through its dynamic and fluid nature. With recent technological advances, architects have created some of the most strategic, innovative, and unexpected intersections of design and H2O.
Below, we have provided a roundup of indoor pools that highlight the application of water in different spaces, showing its relationship to materiality and use.
Milan’s urban fabric has long been defined by change. In a city known for its historic monuments, from the Piazza Duomo and Milan Cathedral to works like Velasca Tower, contemporary architecture must balance many existing contexts. Emerging as a global center for design and culture, Milan has become home to new buildings and structures addressing this condition as iconic landmarks and expressive forms. Actively building upon its legacy, Milan has turned its attention to the sky.
In Lagos, a city with a complex urban fabric that includes historical buildings and vast interpretations of contemporary architecture, lies PatrickWaheed Design Consulting (PWDC). This design practice, Co-led by Adeyemo Shokunbi, aims to contribute to a Nigerian architectural language through the renaissance of local materials. Through explorations anchored in local laterite, they have developed the material as a modern finishing technique, investigated its potential as a natural dye, discovered new ways to employ its thermal properties, and now build the research prospect of other local materials. I had the opportunity to speak with Architect Shokunbi, who discussed the initial inspirations and investigations during the construction of two building projects (Mad House & Abijo Mosque) in Lagos. These projects brought the Laterite finishing technique to life and now help build the case for a Nigerian architectural language.
Nowadays, homes are built in increasingly smaller spaces in densely populated cities. The kitchens, which today serve not only to prepare meals but also as meeting spaces where we receive guests, are the places that have undergone the most transformations in recent decades. Whether by integrating with other living areas or by the super functional design of a single counter, there is an increasing search for innovation in this fundamental part of a home.
The idea of integration between art and architecture dates back to the very origin of the discipline, however, it took on a new meaning and social purpose during the Avant-Garde movement of the early twentieth century, becoming one of the most defining characteristics of Modernism. This close relationship is evident in the works of some of the greatest modern architects, such as Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Oscar Niemeyer, to name a few.
This article was originally published on Common Edge.
Recently I traveled to Ljubljana, Slovenia, in search of the religious architecture of the celebrated (but largely unknown in the U.S.) Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik (1872–1957). I write a lot about the architecture of spirituality, and I was curious about Plečnik’s churches and chapels—what the architect’s idiosyncratic form of classicism said about faith in a Modern age. What I didn’t expect to find was the universal nature of Plečnik’s work as an urbanist: a re-maker of the Slovenian capital that holds lessons for us today.
Light is a key feature in architecture. Centuries ago, the sun and fire were the only sources of illumination, but in today's technology-driven world, artificial lighting and cutting-edge optical technologies have found ways to mimic the qualities of natural light, making it possible to have a naturally-lit-looking space within four walls. LED technologies have even made it possible to embed lighting in furniture, interior surfaces, and facades, altering their intensities and hues to make light a main feature in the architecture's storytelling.
If used effectively, lighting can become a lot more than just an illuminator; it becomes a mood setter, a symbol of a specific emotion the architect is trying to convey. For instance, indirect lighting becomes a floater, levitating the walls from the ground and making the space seem lighter in weight, whereas orange light manipulates the space's temperature, creating the illusion that the users are walking into an intense, overheated room.
The geological period we currently inhabit is known as the Anthropocene, defined by the substantial human impact on Earth's ecosystems and geology. In contrast, the Symbiocene, a term coined by Australian philosopher and environmentalist Glenn Albrecht, presents a vision of the future characterized by a positive and symbiotic relationship between humans and the natural world. In the Symbiocene era, humans actively collaborate with nature, acknowledging their interdependence with Earth's ecosystems and striving to regenerate and restore the natural environment, thus creating a more harmonious and sustainable world.
In midtown Manhattan, the street crossings surrounding the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel were once some of the most challenging in the city. A mess of highway ramps, missing sidewalks, and concrete barriers made the corner of Dyer Avenue and 30th Street an area to avoid.
Now with a new $50 million elevated connector, pedestrians can safely move 30 feet above the intersections using a 600-foot-long L-shaped bridge from the High Line to Moynihan Train Hall.
Rock salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms through the evaporation of water, as minerals dissolve and settle down. When excavated directly from the earth, it maintains a cube-shaped crystalline form. With its diverse textures, compositions and structures, this natural element has captivated human interest for centuries. Depending on the region and environmental conditions, salt rock has been found in diverse applications in architecture, such as a construction material that uses blocks of salt to build structures, bricks, or tiles. Often translucent, these bricks allow diffused light to enter interior spaces, creating a unique atmosphere and aesthetic appeal.
Giving this ancient material a modern twist, Casalgrande Padana uses rock salt as the inspiration for its new Supreme porcelain stoneware tile collection. By replicating the colors, texture and brightness of natural sedimentary rock, this collection can be seen as a fascinating journey to discover the unique features of the center of the Earth.
Designing a bathroom requires careful attention to detail to remain beautiful and organized. The amount of hygiene and health products typically stored in this environment requires functional cabinets and other strategies. Increasingly, we see the solution of using niches to create a recess in the wall. This allows optimizing the available space and, as a bonus, makes the environment more aesthetically pleasing. That's why we bring you some examples of bathroom niches and tips for their installation. In addition, we bring you other examples beyond traditional soap dishes.
Landscape architecture is having a moment. The latest proof: last week, the US Department of Homeland Security decided to accredit the field with its prestigious STEM designation. As part of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational disciplines that fall under this category, landscape architecture students can now spend an additional 24 months seeking employment and training post-graduation in the United States after an initial period of a year granted to all graduates. The title also promises more prestige, higher entry salaries, and additional career flexibility. Torey Carter-Conneen, CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), calls the development a significant advancement for 'landscape architecture education and practice, and that is great for America and the global community.'
The news corresponds to a growing emphasis on landscape architecture as a pivotal practice around the globe in recent years – one that is closely connected to notions of public health, environmental design, biophilia, sustainability, and re-wilding. It also underlines the intimate relationship between technology and the discipline. Landscape proposals increasingly rely on advanced science and technology to predict how ecological interventions might alter an existing terrain and determine what measures will yield the highest benefit for both humans and nature. The contemporary ideal of wild meadows and biodiverse forests may exist free from external influence, but the path to get there requires assistance.
The work of the French-Swiss architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret is, among many other adjectives, comprehensive. Le Corbusier explored a wide range of scales in his work, from furniture design to urban planning for entire cities. His diverse portfolio also encompassed painting, varied projects, and writing books. One thing that isn't talked about as much, however, was the color theory he developed and applied to several of his architectural designs and artistic endeavors. Deeply rooted in his belief that color plays a significant role in evoking emotions and creating spatial illusions, Le Corbusier's color theory was described in his book "PolyChromie Architecturale" (polychrome architecture), published in 1931. There, he introduced his concept and a carefully curated range of colors that were intended to be used in specific architectural contexts.
Architects and builders often opt for metal panels due to their exceptional qualities: durability, affordability, and versatility. These attributes hold immense value for construction professionals, who constantly seek cost-effective solutions. Moreover, when a product seamlessly merges desired aesthetics with optimal performance, it becomes a highly sought-after choice for a diverse range of projects.
Biophilia, or love for life and nature, inspires architects around the world to create spaces that deeply connect with natural elements. These architectural projects seek to reintroduce nature into built environments, resulting in spaces that promote well-being, health, inspiration, and even productivity. In Brazil, the possibilities are even broader, given the country's exuberant climate and the vegetation found in various biomes. In this article, we will explore seven projects from different programs that embrace this concept and allow for a symbiosis between architecture, humans, and nature.
At first, adding a mezzanine floor to a layout either seems like a complete waste of good floorspace or a clumsy attempt to squeeze two stories into one – like wearing skinny jeans after Christmas – both spaces end up feeling constricted and uncomfortable.
But whether the intermediate-level floor is achieved by addition – erecting an extra level in a high-ceilinged room, or by subtraction – removing part of the floor to connect with the one below, mezzanines are a relatively simple way to dramatically change and improve how we use and interact with our existing environments.
There is often an intricate relationship between architecture and the environment. Each part of the world has defined its own architectural techniques based on its unique climatic conditions. However, environmental concerns in the 21st century provoked new techniques, implementing solutions to preserve natural resources and provide thermal comfort. While some opted for a futuristic approach with mechanical and technologically-advanced solutions, others decided to go back in time and explore how civilizations protected their people, architecture, and environment when they had nothing else to resort to but the environment itself. In this article, we look at how Musharrabiyas found their way back into modern-day architecture as significant vernacular features.
