The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) has announced the winner of the fifth MCHAP.emerge award: the Community Production Center Las Tejedoras in Guayas, Ecuador, designed by Natura Futura architect José Fernando Gómez and architect Juan Carlos Bamba. The project offers a hub for local women artisans, providing them with spaces to learn, create, and showcase their textile creations. The winner announcement was made at the Conference on Critical Practice held at Mies van der Rohe's S. R. Crown Hall, an inaugural event that brought together the four MCHAP.emerge finalists to open up conversations about the future of the architecture profession across the Americas.
Maria-Cristina Florian
Architect, researcher, assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning UTCN, Master’s Degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and KU Leuven. Based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
MVRDV Unveils Design for a Colorful Office Building Clad in Pretty Plastic Shingles in Germany
MVRDV has revealed its design for Monaco, a six-story office building situated in Munich's transforming Werksviertel neighborhood. This region, previously known for its industrial past and later as a cultural hotspot, has been evolving into a dynamic work-and-leisure district since 2016. Positioned near MVRDV's earlier project, WERK12, the Monaco building uses recycled materials and distinctive shapes to create a balanced "work and play" office environment, inspired by the color and creative spirit of the Kultfabrik era.
Musée du Louvre Selects WHY Architecture and BGC for Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art Expansion
The Louvre Museum in Paris has announced the American-French consortium WHY Architecture -BGC as the winner of an international competition for the exhibition design of the museum's ninth department, dedicated to Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art. The 5,500-square-meter project aims to offer a more balanced and connected narrative of the Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic civilizations, fostering a greater understanding of the influences and relationships between artistic expressions of these historical regions. The spaces are expected to open to the public in 2027.
SOM and Weiss/Manfredi Break Ground on New Campus for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced a three-year redevelopment of its 2-acre downtown Newark campus. The project, designed by architectural firms Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), and Weiss/Manfredi, has recently broken ground and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2027. It integrates 350 mixed-income residential units, retail spaces, and a dynamic education and community center, in addition to rehearsal spaces, a new headquarters for jazz public radio station WBGO, and various outdoor gathering areas.
Harvard GSD Inaugurates Polinature, a Plug-In Public Space to Transform Urban Climates
Architects Belinda Tato and Jose Luis Vallejo of Ecosistema Urbano have designed a plug-in public space designed to address the effects of climate change in ill-equipped urban environments. Titled Polinature, the installation has been funded by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard, and is now installed in the backyard of the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities. The pavilion, featuring native plans set into a scaffolding, with an inflatable bioclimatic canopy, aims to demonstrate how small-scale interventions can create compound positive effects for the local micro-climate and biodiversity.
Barcelona Completes First Phase of a Multiyear Renovation of La Rambla
La Rambla, a 1.2-kilometer-long promenade in Barcelona, was established in 1766 along the old city walls. Embraced by locals, it became the only spacious area for strolling in a city of narrow streets and grew into a central meeting place for all social classes. Over time, leisure and cultural sites, like the Gran Teatre del Liceu and Boqueria Market, emerged, making it a vibrant, cultural hub. In 2017, Barcelona's local government launched a competition for the revitalization of this beloved urban space. Km_ZERO, a 15-member interdisciplinary team that also relied on the input of community groups was declared the winner. Now the first phase of the urbanization process has been almost completed, led by Lola Domènech and Olga Tarrasó. A hundred trees still remain to be planted in this phase, postponed due to drought conditions. The entire project is expected to be finished in 2027.
Fondation Cartier Reveals Plans to Move into a Historic Landmark in Paris Reimagined by Jean Nouvel
Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain announced plans to move into a historic building in Place du Palais-Royal in Paris. Originally built in 1855, the Haussmannian building will be reimagined by architect Jean Nouvel and is scheduled to open in 2025. The collaboration between Fondation Cartier and Jean Nouvel dates back to 1994 when the architect designed the "Parisian Monument," a glass and steel building on Boulevard Raspail that serves as the institution's current headquarters.
MVRDV Wins Competition for Badminton Training Center in China
MVRDV, in collaboration with Huayi Design, has been awarded the design contract for the Shenzhen Pingshan Sports Park in eastern Shenzhen, China. The sports park will feature a wide range of facilities, including an arena for badminton and other competitive sports, the new Chinese National Badminton Training Centre, and a National Fitness Centre, alongside various amenities for public use. Central to the project is the inclusion of 100 badminton courts, which also inspired the architectural design, particularly exemplified by the 240-meter-long roof shaped like a badminton racket head.
Colin Fournier, Co-Founder of Archigram, Passes Away at 79
British architect and planner Colin Fournier, co-founder of conceptual architecture studio Archigram and Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bartlett School of Architecture, has passed away at the age of 79. Fournier was best known for his co-design of the Kunsthaus Graz in Austria, also known as the "Friendly Alien." This project, completed together with Sir Peter Cook, is celebrated as one of the most distinctive cultural landmarks of its time. For his contributions to this work, Fournier was awarded Austria's Goldener Ehrenzeichen medal in 2005, a recognition of his impact on the architectural landscape.
SOUR Unveils Community-Driven Regeneration Project for Post-Earthquake Hatay Province in Türkiye
Following the devastating earthquake that hit central Turkiye and northwest Syria in February 2023, the province of Hatay, Türkiye, was left with large sections of its urban fabric destroyed and thousands of residents displaced. Türkiye Design Council has commissioned design studio SOUR to contribute to the regeneration initiative as part of a wider design-led revitalization process.
An Interconnected Mushroom Grove and a Shelter from the Desert Sun: 8 Installations at Burning Man 2024
Known for its unconventional art installations and striking desert setting, the Burning Man festival has concluded this year with an array of temporary installations spread across the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. The festival's 2024 theme, "Curiouser & Curiouser," inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, encouraged participants to embrace wonder and whimsy.
At Burning Man, a tapestry of themes emerges through diverse installations, from reflections on connectivity and isolation to explorations of time and space. Installations like Nebula Shroom Grove and the Temple of Together emphasize community and unity, inviting interaction and participation. Pieces like "I'm Fine" and Tree Circle delve into universal emotions and humanity's connection to the infinite, while works like Matter Out of Time and The End of Time play with perceptions of time and reality.
Beta Architecture Biennial 2024 Opens in Timișoara to Explore Concepts of 'Cover' and Originality
In Timișoara, Romania, Beta Architecture Biennial opens to the public today, September 13, under the curatorial direction of Oana Stănescu. Now in its 5th edition, thus celebrating 10 years since its inauguration, the 2024 biennial proposes a wide-ranging program of debates, exhibitions, guided tours, and artistic performances. The two main components of the biennale are the Main Exhibition, cover me softly, led by Stănescu, and the Beta Awards, aiming to highlight architects and professionals from Romania, Hungary, and Serbia who actively contribute to the improvement of the built environment. The biennale is open between September 13, and October 27, 2024.
Pioneering Change: The Obel Award Recognizes Transformative Innovations Since 2019
The Obel Award is an international prize seeking to highlight unconventional and original initiatives within the architectural profession. Supported by the Henrik Frode Obel Foundation, each annual award is centered around a specific theme. By exploring a different challenge of the built environment each year, the award remains open to a wide range of solutions and architectural innovations, honoring those contributions that have a positive impact on both people and the planet.
"Architectures WITH," the recently announced theme of the 2024 edition, explores participatory design, co-creation, and interdisciplinary collaboration, challenging traditional roles in architecture to foster inclusive, adaptable environments. It aims to empower all stakeholders and enhance collective intelligence in architecture.
Shigeru Ban Receives the 2024 Praemium Imperiale for Architecture
Japanese architect and humanitarian Shigeru Ban has been named the 35th Laureate of the Praemium Imperiale Award for Architecture. Established in 1988 by the Japan Art Association, the annual award seeks to recognize exceptional achievements in Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music, and Theatre/Film. Shigeru Ban's contributions to architecture have been significant, not only for the distinctive design aesthetics but also for the innovative use of materials, particularly in the context of emergency interventions and humanitarian work.
Graham Foundation Reveals 2024 Grants for Organizations Researching Emerging Architectural Ideas
The Graham Foundation, based in Chicago, has allocated $390,000 in grants to support 33 innovative projects worldwide. These initiatives include exhibitions, publications, and presentations aimed at enriching the discourse in architecture and its role in society. The projects, undertaken by architects, artists, curators, and educators, span various cities such as Johannesburg, New York, Chicago, and others, reflecting a global perspective on contemporary architectural issues.