Pre-leasing for the 31-story high rise residential tower ARQ is set to begin in West Los Angeles. Designed as part of the Cumulus District development, the project is sited between Culver City and West Adams. In creating ARQ, architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz and interior design firm Rodrigo Vargas Design created units with panoramic views of Los Angeles spanning from the Pacific Ocean to Downtown.
Eric Baldwin
Senior Editor at ArchDaily based in Los Angeles.
New 31-Story ARQ High Rise Set to Lease in West Los Angeles
Plant Prefab Announces Flexible ADU Line for Sustainable Living
Prefabricated design and manufacturing company Plant Prefab has announced their new lightHouse line, a set of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) available in multiple sizes. Working with designers Alchemy Architects, the LivingHomes concept joins a roster of work with partners that include KieranTimberlake, Koto Design and Brooks + Scarpa. With a size ranging from 310 square feet to 600, the newest line was inspired by Alchemy’s previous work on small-space living.
MASS Design Group to Lead Willamette Falls Tribal Engagement Process
MASS Design Group has been selected to lead the tribal engagement process of the future Willamette Falls Riverwalk. The partnership was announced by the Willamette Falls Trust, with the team working to ensure that the Riverwalk centers on indigenous experiences and educates the greater Portland community on the Native stories of the region. The project will focus on public space that celebrates the human and natural history of Willamette Falls.
Rothko Chapel Set to Reopen this September
The Rothko Chapel in Houston is set to reopen this September. As one of the world’s most celebrated sacred spaces, the chapel recently underwent restoration as part of the first phase of Opening Spaces, a $30-million master plan for its campus. The work is being completed to more closely align the building with the original vision of the Chapel’s founders Mark Rothko and John and Dominique de Menil.
Nvard Yerkanian Brings Armenia's Modernist Architecture to Life
Armenian graphic designer and illustrator Nvard Yerkanian has created a new series exploring modernist architecture in Armenia. The illustration series aims to reveal the beauty and value of modernism to the public through the power of colors that accentuate the simple yet fantastic forms of these monuments. The series is an ode to the architectural heritage that has been lost and undervalued.
Miller Hull Studio Earns Nation's First Living Building Challenge 4.0 Certification
The Miller Hull Partnership has earned a Living Building Challenge Petal Certification for the renovation of its San Diego studio. The renovation is the first project certified under the fourth version of the Living Building Challenge (LBC 4.0), which continues the standard’s mission of visionary building goals. Now all of Miller Hull’s offices are Petal certified.
Cobe Creates "Chamber of Secrets" for Automaker in Sweden
Architecture practice Cobe has created a new design center concept for multinational organization and automaker Geely in Sweden. The 14,000-m² project is made in part to form the setting for Geely Design’s development of the new electric car brand Lynk & Co. The center will be a multi-purpose building designed to perform as a four-story machine.
Henning Larsen, Snøhetta and Studio Gang Shortlisted for Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
Henning Larsen, Snøhetta, and Studio Gang were selected as finalists to design the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota. The teams were selected from 12 firms, and the final design will need to respond to the ecology of the Badlands and embrace the complexities of Theodore Roosevelt’s life.
SPACE10 Creates Open-Source Bee Homes for World Bee Day
IKEA’s research and design lab SPACE10 has created a new open source Bee Home. Working with Bakken & Bæck and designer Tanita Klein, the team has launched the free Bee Home project to coincidence with the United Nations International Bee Day. The project takes advantage of digital fabrication and parametric design so that people can design and fabricate their own Bee Home locally.
London Design Biennale Postponed to 2021
The 2020 London Design Biennale has officially been postponed until 2021. Established in 2016 by Sir John Sorrell CBE and Ben Evans CBE, London Design Biennale promotes international collaboration and the global role of design. The third edition of London Design Biennale, will now take place in June 2021, curated by Artistic Director Es Devlin.
Gold Medalist Tadao Ando Explores Design and the Creative Process
With over 300 architectural designs to his name, Tadao Ando is treated as a national treasure in his home country of Japan. Renowned for his work with concrete and light, his œuvre has received international recognition, including the UIA Gold Medal in 2005 and the Pritzker Prize in 1995. In an interview with the UIA / International Union of Architects, Ando explores design philosophy and creative process.
Mecanoo Designs Marktkwartier Neighborhood Masterplan for Amsterdam
Mecanoo has designed a new masterplan for the Marktkwartier neighborhood in Amsterdam. The plan aims to rethink the city's Food Center as the project makes room for the new residential neighborhood. The Marktkwartier is designed to be "a neighborhood for all Amsterdammers; families, singles, students and seniors will be accommodated in a varied residential program of around 1700 units."
Designing for Curiosity: Alan Maskin on Building New Worlds Together
Architecture begins with curiosity. For Olson Kundig principal Alan Maskin, designing critical and creative spaces starts with how we imagine new worlds together. Drawn to the strange and extraordinary, Alan leads an interdisciplinary team of architects, designers and visual artists on bringing narrative-based projects to life. Based in the Pacific Northwest, he has built a range of inspiring cultural projects around the world.
Million-Pound Sculpture at National Geographic Slated for Demolition
The MARABAR stone project by American sculptor Elyn Zimmerman is slated to be demolished at the National Geographic headquarters. Located in Washington D.C., it includes more than a million pounds of placed granite. Sited within buildings by Edward Durell Stone and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the publicly accessible plaza would be demolished to accommodate a new pavilion.