After the earthquake in Skopje in 1963, a slew of foreign architects worked to change the capital into an architecturally dynamic urban landscape. Now, that vision may be obsolete. In Architects of Modernist Skopje Decry Retrograde Remodel, Bojan Blazhevski investigates the overwhelming number of buildings enduring "Skopje 2014" — a remodeling of existing buildings in the capital city. More than 20 modernist buildings have already been made over. Described as "kitsch" by a hostel manager in the city, the project, which aims to draw in more tourists and regain historical elements, has culminated in a neo-classical display. The imitation buildings, however, have produced controversy, with opinions divided on the aesthetic quality of the project.
Natalina Lopez
Skopje 2014 is a Controversial Project Aimed at Remodeling the European City
Built by Associative Data Architects to Design Mixed-Use Project in Lebanon
Built by Associative Data, showcase their acclaimed data analysis with K1299, a new mixed-use project in Lebanon. The site was addressed through various different lenses: traffic noise, view perspectives, solar radiation, and market potential.
How Ecologically Detrimental is Concrete?
Concrete has long been considered particularly harmful to the environment. However, Architect Magazine recently published an article on Nature Geoscience, which may offer some concrete (pun intended) findings regarding the issue.
OMGEVING and Partners Win Design Competition to Restore Riverfront in Vietnam
‘Green corridor,' ‘green connections,' and a ‘green program’ are coming to Vietnam's third largest city, Da Nang. Antwerp-based design company OMGEVING and partners was awarded a joint first place prize — out of 39 applicants —for the design competition for Da Nang's Han Riverfront master plan that has an estimated cost of 85 million euros.
Adidas' New World of Sports Campus is Star Themed
LOLA Landscape Architects have won the Adidas Competition to design the sportswear corporation's "World of Sports" campus. While Adidas had already chosen a design architect prior to this competition, LOLA will be adding four star-shaped central spaces on the grounds of the campus.
Ricky Gui Documents Over 600 Hidden Doors Around Singapore
Ricky Gui showcases a stunning series of "Hidden Doors" located behind shophouses in Singapore. Working for over a year, Gui highlighted over 600 "Hidden Doors"in his documentation. These doors are usually looked over as they hide behind shophouses and alleyways where people are unlikely to venture into.
NSK Ltd's "Sense of Motion" Exhibit Celebrates its 100th Anniversary
"Sense of Motion," NSK Ltd's stunning new exhibition at the Omotesando Spiral, celebrates the prominent manufacturers' 100th anniversary — with lots of color. Designer Emmanuelle Moureaux uses "color mixing" to illustrate the movements of colors.
Office Ou Designs New National Museum Complex Master Plan in South Korea
Chosen from 81 entries, Office Ou, a Toronto-based architecture and landscape design firm, has been announced as the winner of South Korea's International Competition for the National Museum Complex Master Plan of the New Administrative City (Sejong City). As a proposed self-sustaining city of 500,000 people, Sejong City will serve as South Korea's administrative city, transferring multiple national government functions from Seoul. The Museum Gardens will amplify the cultural landscape of South Korea's new metropolis.
Rubell Family Collection's New Museum to Be Designed by Selldorf Architects
The Rubell Family Collection/Contemporary Arts Foundation announces its move to a newly design space by Selldorf Architects, a 100,000 square foot museum in Miami's Allapattah District that will open in December 2018. With 40 exhibition galleries, a research library, lecture hall, event space, sculpture garden, and restaurant, the Rubell Family will be able to expand their programming and showcase a large proportion of their collection.
“A Burglar’s Guide to the City” to be Adapted into a Television Pilot
CBS has announced they will produce a television adaptation of the 2016 book, “A Burglar’s Guide to the City,” with a storyline that centers on modern-day Robin Hoods led by a talented architect. Written by futurist Geoff Manaugh of BLDG BLOG, the book serves a blueprint to the urban fabric’s various potentials for crime. Manaugh uses architecture to study structures and their weak points that could allow for a possible break-in (i.e. elevator shafts, walls of high-rise apartments, gaps in museum surveillance).
Realrich Architecture Workshop's Brava Casa is a Philosophy of Life and Form
Realrich Architecture Workshop's Brava Casa 99 Percent Sumarah was inspired by an Indonesian form of meditation centered on the philosophy of life. Sumarah is defined as a "total surrender," allowing the partial ego to give way to the universal self.
HKS-Designed L.A. Stadium Will Be the Largest in the NFL
After 21 years of playing in St. Louis, the Rams are moving back to Los Angeles — and a new stadium will greet them. Slated to open in 2019, HKS's new LA Stadium will be the largest in the NFL (covering three acres) in addition to the home of the Los Angeles Rams. Beyond sports usage, the structure will also host a performing arts center and sweeping public gardens.
New Map Celebrates Berlin's Modernist Architecture
Blue Crow Media in collaboration with editor Matthew Tempest has produced another alluring map — this time for modernists. The city of choice? Berlin. With its abundance of 20th-century architecture, the Modern Berlin Map highlights the details of fifty prominent buildings.
CnT Architects Provide Two Options for Design of Aurobindo Pharma Towers in India
A competition for the design of the Aurobindo Pharma towers in the center of Hyderabad, India has declared CnT Architects as the winner. The 300-meter site is located in the center of Hitech City of Hyderabad. Two options exist for the final towers: one intends to accentuate the building's verticality while the other amplifies the horizontality of the site.
The House of Knowledge is a Gorgeous New School Above the Arctic Circle
Gallivare, Sweden might be known for its reindeer, but it's gradually undergoing an urban transformation. Liljewall Architects in collaboration with MAF architects have created Kunskapshuset (House of Knowledge), a new school, for the archetypal "arctic city."
Trans-Siberian Pit Stops Competition Showcases Structures that Interact with Frigid Environment
Competition organizers Bee Breeders have just announced the results of their Trans-Siberian Pit Stops Competition. At 9,289 kilometers, the Trans-Siberian Railway connects Moscow to Russia's far eastern cities. While it historically attracted many adventurers who would later write about their journeys, the railway is largely used for domestic travel today.
Studio Ossidiana Translates Elements of Persian Gardens Into Lively Materials Exhibition
Studio Ossidiana, founded by Alessandra Covini and Tomas Dirrix, investigates architectural materials through experimental research projects. Their recent work "Petrified Carpets" explores the "ideal garden" found in Persian carpets and will be showcased at the Dutch Design Festival of 2016 along with other exhibitions.
JTP and Ed Barsley Win the Resilient Home for the Future Award
The Sunday Times British Homes Awards has selected the recipient for its Resilient Home for the Future Award: "A Home for All Seasons" by JTP Architects and environmental design specialist Ed Barsley. JTP and Ed Barsley's proposal was chosen from four other entries by means of a public vote. Competition requirements asked for designs to respond to potential flooding and overheating — two of climate change's impending variables.