Public Spaces: The Latest Architecture and News

EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture has recently released its design for the Küçükçekmece Djemevi, a new concept for a civic space in Istanbul designed to combat social exclusion and provide a comfortable and inviting environment for the Alevi community. The building is comprised of a series of interconnected spaces and structures that generate a complex topography, offering ample recreational areas and a space of identity for the local community. The concept was recognized during the World Architecture Festival 2024, earning them the award of Future Project of the Year in recognition of its social inclusivity and careful adaptation to local traditions and needs.

+ 10

Women have played a pivotal role in the evolution of landscape architecture, overcoming the constraints of a male-dominated profession to introduce groundbreaking ideas and fresh perspectives. From early pioneers to contemporary leaders, their work has reshaped how we interact with public and private spaces, intertwining aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability in innovative ways.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, female landscape architects carved out their place in the profession, emphasizing harmony between built structures and natural landscapes. Their projects showcased a deep commitment to community and ecological balance, setting the stage for an inclusive and thoughtful approach to design that continues to inspire the field today.

+ 31

Recognized for completing 36 distinct yet cohesive public projects across Mexico in just 36 months, Colectivo C733 showcases the impact of collaborative design on public spaces and communities. The 36 projects were part of a national effort to revitalize vulnerable urban and rural areas in Mexico, earning them the 2024 Obel Award focused on the theme of "Architectures With". The team behind the designs, Colectivo C733, is a collaborative group formed by the joint offices of architects Gabriela Carrillo (Taller Gabriela Carrillo), Carlos Facio, and José Amozurrutia (TO), along with Eric Valdez (Labg), and Israel Espin. In a recent conversation with ArchDaily's Editor-in-Chief, Christele Harrouk, the collective discussed their approach to public architecture, the process of integrating diverse voices, and remaining flexible to the challenges of local conditions.

+ 10

Cultural centers are vibrant places where art, community, and innovation intersect—each uniquely crafted to embody and celebrate its local character. This month's projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, showcase a diverse array of cultural spaces, from the transformation of a historic townhouse in Montreal to a dynamic creative hub in Riyadh and an eco-conscious visitor center in Tennessee's mountains. Each design offers a new perspective on what a cultural center can be, whether a hub for creativity, a sanctuary for nature, or a bridge to the past.

The 2024 European Prize for Urban Public Space has announced the overall winners for the 12th edition: For the General Category, the "Park at the Warsaw Uprising Mound" in Poland by studios topoScape and Archigrest received recognition its ability to honor the site's historical significance; while the Seafront Category prize was given to the "Beach Improvement and Redevelopment of the Harbour Edge" in Porto do Son, Spain, designed by CREUSeCARRASCO and RVR Arquitectos for its careful integration of natural and manmade elements. Selected from a list of 10 finalists, the projects were appreciated for their sensible response to local memory and an understanding of the interplay between various elements that interact with urban life.

+ 12

Over the past twenty years, the Holcim Foundation Awards has committed USD 20M to spotlighting projects from an industry-changing cast of architects, designers, and engineers who champion innovative practices in sustainable design and construction.

To better tell these success stories, the Foundation launched a short film series called 'Words with Winners.' The series includes a conversation with Loreta Castro Reguera, co-founder of Taller Capital in Mexico City, about the design of the highly innovative La Quebradora Waterpark, which received a Holcim Foundation Award in 2018.

New York-based office Field Operations, renowned for their work on Seattle's waterfront and New York's High Line, along with Toronto's Brook McIlroy, have been tasked with transforming underutilized lands beneath the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto. The project was launched by The Bentway Conservancy, in partnership with the City of Toronto, and represents the second phase of the development aiming to revitalize underutilized spaces along the expressway. The initiative set out to transform three large traffic islands between Dan Leckie Way and Spadina Avenue into an 11,500-square-meter public space for recreation and community activities.

+ 5

The consortium led by the French architecture firm Coldefy, in partnership with Albanian studio Atelier 4, Sempervirens, and Italian firm AEI Progetti, has just won the international competition to design Albania's new Public Administration Cluster in Tirana. This 31,000-square-meter project will bring together over 20 government institutions under one roof, aiming to improve administrative efficiency while fostering greater public accessibility and engagement.

+ 5

Oppenheim Architecture has unveiled the design for the College of Europe's new campus in Tirana, Albania. This project introduces the first "purpose-built" campus for the College, following its established campuses in Bruges, Belgium, and Natolin, Poland. The College of Europe, created under the initiative of the Hague Congress, is dedicated to promoting European ideals of unity, cooperation, and integration. This expansion to Tirana aims to reflect both a continuation of this mission and an opportunity for the College to establish a presence in a historically significant city.

+ 4

In Delirious New York, Rem Koolhaas vividly discusses the Downtown Athletic Club, a striking example of how an unassuming building exterior can conceal a vibrant mix of distinct, self-contained programs. Inside the uniform facade of this skyscraper, a private athletic club hosts an eclectic range of facilities—boxing gyms next to oyster bars and interior golf ranges below swimming pools—all segregated yet highly accessible. The Downtown Athletic Club epitomized the dynamism of New York's skyscrapers at the time, showcasing the thrill of capitalism through a selective, inward-focused world of leisure and privilege for the selected. This "machine of programs" operated independently of the external city as an isolated ecosystem within its walls. Yet, one might ask: could a similar model, designed for public use, create a more inclusive, lively community and neighborhood experience? This will activate the building within, instead of only serving the selected elites, and influence and transform the urban fabric and shapes around the building. In Hong Kong, a distant parallel can be drawn with the Municipal Services Buildings (MSBs)—publicly-funded structures that serve the community by integrating diverse functions within a singular vast building mass, much like the Downtown Athletic Club.

+ 15