As global urbanization accelerates, the demand for forward-thinking urban development and construction strategies is more pressing than ever, with an estimated 80% of the world's population expected to live in cities by 2080—particularly in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. From 26 to 29 November, Big 5 Global, together with co-located events LiveableCitiesX, GeoWorld and Future FM, will host five strategic summits, bringing together 1,500 leaders from both government and the private sector to shape the future of urban communities.
Highlighted submissions. Image Courtesy of Buildner
Buildner is pleased to announce the results of its second annual Architect's Chair Competition, which received excellent ideas from around the globe. As this competition series gains traction and interest, Buildner is excited to announce the launch of the Architect's Chair Edition 3 competition with a registration deadline of January 15, 2025. Buildner has also published its first book on the topic, highlighting key ideas and outstanding projects past editions.
By now, most people in the construction industry know that addressing the carbon emissions that come from the built environment is key to solving the climate challenge. Yet, knowing where to start can be a challenge for many professionals. That's why education and upskilling across the value chain—from architects to urban planners, and real estate developers to engineers—are essential to fostering sustainable construction practices.
With a longstanding dedication to empowering designers and beautifully bringing their ideas to life, SketchUp software offers an intuitive, comprehensive 3D modeling toolset straight out of the box. Still, users can supercharge its capabilities with a range of powerful extensions.
SketchUp's Extension Warehouse features hundreds of plugins for everything from animation and urban planning to interior design and architecture. These tools eliminate repetitive tasks, improve accuracy, and streamline workflows, allowing designers to customize and enhance their SketchUp experience. But with so many extensions to choose from, diving in can feel daunting. Get started with this list of the top 11 SketchUp extensions to extend and customize your workflows.
Fresh/Salt: Design Thinking for Coastal Adaptation
Jeffrey Huber: Jeffrey Huber, FAIA, ASLA, NCARB, LEED AP, WEDG is a principal and manages the South Florida studio of Brooks + Scarpa. In addition to practice, Huber currently serves as a Professor of the School of Architecture at Florida Atlantic University. He holds master's degrees and licenses in both architecture and landscape architecture. A distinguished architect and landscape architect, Huber's work specializes in public realm projects that combine ecological, landscape, urban, and architectural design. He has advanced sustainability initiatives in soft cities, agricultural urbanism, green school design, missing-middle housing, transit-oriented development, low-impact development/green infrastructure, and adaptation/transformation design methodologies to address emerging and future climate disruptions.
Buildner has announced the results of the Kharkiv Housing Challenge, the first competition in a two-part series focused on rebuilding Ukraine. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, has been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict, and this competition is part of a broader effort to rebuild its housing and public spaces.
Over the past two decades, the Holcim Foundation Awards has committed USD 20M to spotlight transformative projects by architects, designers, and engineers who pioneer sustainable design and construction practices. To capture these stories, the Foundation launched a short film series titledWords withWinners.
This series provides an in-depth look at award-winning sustainable design projects through exclusive interviews with their creators. It includes one of the first films to showcase the BIG U, also known as the DryLine, in its built form, featuring an exclusive one-on-one with Bjarke Ingels, Creative Director and Founder of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
Serapool, a leading brand in porcelain pool tiles and complementary porcelain products, has been innovating and producing sustainable design solutions for residential, spa and wellness centers, hotels, water parks, and Olympic-size pools globally for 40 years. The brand's holistic approach to pool design has led to a comprehensive porcelain collection that includes pool tiles, stair nosings, pool copings, porcelain pool grates, infinity tiles, concealed overflow handles, terrace nosings, and rain channels. With years of expertise in the industry, the company stands as a leading example of innovation, consistently delivering safe and long-lasting products.
The Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp is planning a comprehensive redevelopment of its site to create a future-oriented campus that integrates and enhances scientific, medical, and educational activities. For this, it is collaborating with the Vlaams Bouwmeester through an Open Call procedure (OO48), in which designers can apply until November 11, 2024.
KONG KONG ARCHITECTURE - Hong Kong City Architecture User Guide
The book [KONG KONG ARCHITECTURE - Hong Kong City Architecture User Guide] has won the 2024 Good Design Award in the Media & Content category, announced on October 16, 2024. As the first architectural book to win this award, it offers a fresh approach to understanding architecture, specifically focusing on offering an accessible guide to appreciating the structures that surround us in everyday life.
The history of modern architecture has been well covered in classical surveys that traced the developments of this major movement that dominated the architectural landscape of the 20th century until the beginning of the 1970s, when a major contesting movement appeared on the scene, labelled as Post-Modernism. This book explores the different tendencies that affected the developments of the past six decades, beginning around the 1960s, when a new wind started to blow from within Modernism, leading to different reactions and counter-reactions. This book provides a survey of contemporary developments, starting with an introductory chapter on the transitional period of the 1960s and then examining the different movements that followed, charting a middle course between the 'aesthetic' histories that examine architecture solely in terms of its formal aspects, and the 'ideological' histories that subject it to a critique that often skirts the discussion of its formal aspects.
Aerial photograph of RICA's Firsy Year Farm and Upper Student Housing. Photo: Iwan Baan
Continuing Professional Development Lecture Series for Professionals
Following the success of its previous three seasons, the CAA is pleased to announce the launch of Season 4 of its Continuing Professional Development Lecture series for professionals.
Beam Center Seeks Ambitious Project Proposals for 2025 and 2026 seasons for Beam Camp in New Hampshire Beam Center seeks design proposals for an ambitious public artwork that will be brought to life through collaborations between youth, Beam Camp staff and the selected proposer. Projects will be realized by a community of more than 100 young people at Beam Camp in summers 2025 and 2026. Beam Camp is a specialized summer camp for building and collaboration located in Strafford, NH. Our award-winning program offers youth (ages 10-17) the opportunity to cultivate hands-on skills while exploring innovative thinking, design, problem solving and the creative process. Every year, Beam Camp solicits proposals for unique and spectacular large-scale projects that serve as the centerpiece for the 29-day session of camp, during which they will be built and brought to life by 100 campers and 20+ staff. Our Project Team works with the winning designers to translate their project designs into the camp context. We pride ourselves on the high level of craftsmanship and skill that our Projects and the work of our staff and campers reflect. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with our past projects. Winning proposals will be selected by a committee composed of Beam Center staff, youth, past project designers, and community members. Beam Camp is looking for the following: Proposals from creative individuals with big ideas, including but not limited to Artists, Engineers, Architects, Builders, Filmmakers, Musicians, Designers, Technologists, etc. Big ideas that result in a unique, ambitious, and spectacular product Proposals that communicate a clear vision (sketches, diagrams, and other visuals are always helpful) and represent your/your team's expertise Projects that are ambitious enough to occupy and challenge 100 campers and 20+ staff members for approximately 50 hours Projects that take advantage of Beam's facilities, community, landscape and rural setting Projects that use a range of materials, processes and techniques Projects that allow us to create the majority of the components onsite and from scratch Beam Camp Disciplines and Facilities include: Full wood and metal shops, equipped with a range of hand and power tools Welding facilities Textile, dye and sewing stations Ceramic studio Molding and casting facilities Technology lab Audio equipment and instrument selection Commercial Kitchen Project Site: Beam Project NH Location: Beam Camp in Strafford, NH Completion: Summer 2025 or Summer 2026 Past projects: Welcome Beacon (2023), As Above, So Below (2022), and A Universe (2021) Award, Project Budget and Selected Artist Expectations: For each selected project artists receive a $5,000 award Selected projects have approximately $15,000 fabrication budget Selected artists should have a general understanding of the processes, techniques, and materials involved in their proposal Selected artists must be available for bi-weekly meetings beginning 6 months before project completion in order to facilitate any necessary development, prototyping, and problem solving Selected artists must be able to provide plans according to the project development schedule listed below Application Instructions: Please submit proposal as a SINGLE PDF that includes: The title of your proposed project A detailed description of the project Visuals (sketches, diagrams, renderings, video link, etc.) Information about all co-designers included in your proposal, if any: names, emails, experience (resume, CV, portfolio, etc.) and phone numbers of each individual involved (including the applicant) Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59PM EST on Monday, December 23, 2024
The Master of Advanced Studies in Collective Housing (MCH) is a postgraduate full-time international professional program of architecture and design in cities and housing presented by UPM and ETH Zurich. After 16 editions, it is rated as one of the best architecture master's programs in the world.
Located on an estuary of Prien Lake, straddling the Louisiana/Texas border, Pelican House exudes an elevated cabin aesthetic. Clad in Western red cedar and embellished with Texas Lueder limestone columns, broad overhangs, and exposed wood beams, it's a stunning bayou home anchored by glass walls that connect it to the surrounding landscape – and keep it safe when Mother Nature rages.
"It's a very picturesque location, but as you would imagine, it's also a very stormy one," says architect Winn Wittman, who designed the home for indoor-outdoor living in the Gulf Coast climate. Embraced and hammered by nature, Pelican House has withstood four hurricanes, both during and after construction. "The only evidence of the hurricanes is that the wood, which was initially smooth, now has a sandblasted appearance," Wittman says.
Concéntrico, in its aim to initiate new formats that respond to urban transformations, presents a call for proposals with Logroño City Council and LIF 2002, Logroño Integración del Ferrocarril, within the framework of the strategic plan to face heat waves in the city of Logroño. The aim of this call is to create a permanent urban climate island, which will be located around the lake in the Felipe VI Park on the terracing that forms a hexagonal square.
