Archinect - News

MVRDV’s Nathalie de Vries included on Forbes 50 Over 50 EMEA list

2023-02-06T12:10:00-05:00

MVRDV co-founder Nathalie de Vries is among 50 women to be included in the Forbes 50 Over 50: Europe, Middle East, and Africa 2023 list. Building on the inaugural 2022 edition, the list is intended to honor “foundations, business, and political leaders, scientists, and vanguards leading the way throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.”

“Dutch architect Nathalie de Vries puts the “DV” in Rotterdam-based design firm MVRDV,” Forbes writes. “A founding partner of the firm, De Vries has designed everything from three Dutch national monuments to co-working spaces and hotels to the unique, multi-use Baltyk Tower in Poland—one of the many major projects she’s completed after turning 50. Her urban designs focus on sustainability and innovation and have won awards such as the Amsterdamprijs and architecture’s prominent Architizer A+ Award.”

"Being named to this list really ca...

Zero-carbon Forbes International Tower, designed by AS+GG Architecture, proposed for Egypt's new capital

2023-02-02T15:34:00-05:00

Forbes and Egyptian real estate development company Magnom Properties have announced plans to construct a 55-story zero-carbon commercial tower in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital outside of Cairo. Called the Forbes International Tower, this marks the first time the media giant has branded a commercial tower. Its design is led by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.

The partnership was announced on the concluding day of the recent Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, where world leaders and experts discussed the need for sustainable climate solutions in urban development. A Memorandum of Understanding to develop the project was signed by the Group Chairman of Rawabi Holding and Chairman of Magnom Properties, Abdulaziz Al Turki, and Forbes CEO, Mike Federle.

“Cities play a critical role in our race to reach net zero and buildings, which are responsible for up t...

Forbes Releases Baffling "Coolest Cities" List

2014-08-06T14:46:00-04:00

Flooded with politicos and political junkies, Washington, D.C. often comes off as a city steeped in raw ambition. But the nation’s capital deserves to be known for something else: coolness. While “cool” might not be the first word that comes to mind when contemplating the latest standoff in Congress, D.C. nonetheless has a lot to offer those who call it home.

Today, Forbes released its most recent ranking of American cities, this time based on the vague, unscientific, and seemingly ridiculous category of "coolness." What, you may ask, are the determining factors of coolness?

Pay attention high school students:

Entertainment options
Bars and restaurants per capita
"Foodie culture" ie. farmer's markets
Breweries per capita
Cultural/ethnic diversity
Youth population

Wait, what? Personally, these criteria signal "yuppy" more than "cool" to me, but I guess it's all relative. Washington DC topped the list, followed by Seattle, Austin, Houston, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Riverside (yes, Riverside is much much cooler than L.A.), Boston, Dallas.

Call me crazy but it seems odd that New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago (or even New Orleans or Detroit!) don't make the top ten. I guess Forbes is rebelling against norms, which itself is a classic (albeit unlisted) signifier of coolness.

What are your thoughts? Can coolness be quantified? What are America...