Archinect - News

Architecture's biggest project completions and openings of 2024

2024-12-23T20:48:00-05:00

In 2024, plenty of remarkable projects worldwide reached completion. From headline-making new housing and hotel designs in Denver to scale-pushing cultural centers in China to redevelopments of modern classics in San Francisco, here are some of our highlights from Archinect's news coverage this year.

MAD Architects

One River North by MAD Architects. Photo: Vic Ryan.

MAD was on a roll this year, pitching new designs and opening completed projects left and right. The studio kicked off the year with their massive overhaul of the Jiaxing Train Station in China (dubbed the "train station in the forest"), followed by the curvy ZGC International Innovation Center in Beijing, and a "flying saucer-shaped" installation for the Guangdong Nanhai Land Art Festival in Yanqiao Village. Outside of China, MAD dominated headlines and comments sections in October with the anticipated opening of their "cracked-open" One River North scheme in Denver, the Ephemeral Bubble installation for the Echigo-Tsuma...

Tales from a toxic superculture: A closer look at the defining architecture controversies of 2024

2024-12-21T08:00:00-05:00

If there is a lesson to be taken from this year, it is that small evils lead to ever-bigger ones. The wrong behaviors and motivations get rewarded until the process capitalizes into a singular upending spectacle. That reality is just as resurgent in professional spheres and does appear likely to retain its dominance over other civic ones. Unethical practices, the influence (good or bad) of politics and public opinion, removal of history, and a culture of dishonesty coursed, as ever, through the domain of architecture in 2024. Inside its ranks, questions as to why the cycle itself is so prevalent continue to go unsettled.

Here, instead, is an impartial breakdown of the year’s most controversial news headlines in architecture. What can be taken from it is a testimony to the ways moral disintegration is both reflected and can be defeated in our built environment. We’ll start with the biggest stories and slowly narrow into a spotlight on the global salients within more limited constrain...

2023 saw twelve-year high fatality rates for construction workers

2024-12-20T16:33:00-05:00

Last year was one of the deadliest on record for construction workers since 2011. The findings produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the rate of deaths in 2023 was still unchanged from the previous year’s survey. The fatality rate (9.6 per 100,000) has been hovering around what OHSA considers to be a relatively high 10 per 100,000 for over a decade, the span in which the workforce has grown some 31%. (h/t Construction Dive).

Grenfell victims' families file ARB complaint against refurbishment architect

2024-12-17T17:43:00-05:00

The BBC is reporting on an effort led by family members of victims of the fatal 2017 Grenfell Fire tragedy to hold Studio E, the architectural firm responsible for its design, accountable in front of the UK’s Architects Registration Board (ARB).

The action outlines Studio E as a negligent party. The BBC reports Studio E is already undergoing the liquidation process. Petitioners are, however, hoping to "set a precedent enabling other residents of buildings with dangerous cladding to file a complaint against their architects with the ARB."

Vancouver Art Gallery cancels Herzog & de Meuron design plans

2024-12-04T14:56:00-05:00

It's the end of the road for the Herzog & de Meuron-designed new Vancouver Art Gallery scheme, Canadian outlet CTV News reports.

After winning the architectural design competition more than ten years ago in April 2014 (beating out rivaling schemes from DS+R, Tod Williams Billie Tsien, KPMB, and SANAA from a star-studded international shortlist), the design concept underwent several iterations over the years while construction costs ballooned to $600 million CAD ($430 million USD).

"It has become clear that we require a new way forward to meet both our artistic mission and vision and our practical needs," said Vancouver Art Gallery CEO and executive director Anthony Kiendl in a statement. "For the past decade, we have had the benefit of collaborating with the esteemed Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron on plans for a new Gallery. However, in view of our reassessment, the Gallery Association’s Board has made the difficult decision to part ways with Herzog & de Meuron."

Kiend...

Portland's Linden, Brown Architecture rebrands as Observation Studio (and is currently hiring)

2024-12-03T12:53:00-05:00

Portland-based architecture firm Linden, Brown Architecture has rebranded as Observation Studio, marking a new phase in its evolution. Regular Archinect readers may remember our interview with the firm earlier this year, where they shared insights into their design process and the influence of the Pacific Northwest on their work.

The rebranding follows the end of a five-year partnership between co-founders Brent Linden and Chris Brown, who launched the firm to collaborate on projects such as Sequitur Winery. Brown will now lead the practice independently. “Observation is in honor of the slow, careful work of looking that is required to do the kind of architecture I produce,” Brown shared with Archinect. “Studio is in honor of the collaborative spirit that drives the heart of our practice.”

4015 House & Studio by Observation Studio. Photography by Jeremy Bittermann.

The firm’s focus on cultural, hospitality, a...

Summer's here in Antarctica — let's build!

2024-12-02T15:50:00-05:00

As the Northern Hemisphere approaches the winter season, construction activity on our southernmost continent has kicked into overdrive: More favorable summer temps have opened up a brief six-month window at the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera research station and operations hub, allowing for completion of the new 'Discovery Building' purpose-built scientific support facility.

Work at the Rothera site has brought together expertise from BAM, Ramboll, Sweco, GA Barnies, Turner and Townsend, and Hugh Broughton Architects.

The British Antarctic Survey's website describes the modernization efforts in more detail.

Previously on Archinect: Construction season begins for UK's largest Antarctic research hub

Editor's Picks #565

2024-12-02T00:55:00-05:00

The latest entry in the Deans List series, with USC Architecture Dean Brett Steele generated some discussion with Thayer-D and Will Galloway both ultimately agreeing that "North America cities are not being built in the nicest way right now. Lots of...car-dominated planning in general that does not compare well with what we did in the past…Somehow we seem incapable of that kind of outcome with our current planning laws and economy."

Plus, in celebration of International Coffee Day Archinect picked a few favorite examples of new café designs. Bench appreciated the "breadth of projects shown here across cultures. Really lovely work happening in far flung corners of the world that i never would have seen otherwise. Awesome article, more of this".

Mamonaku Kohi in Quezon City, Philippines

News

The new NCARB Competency Standard for Architects outlines 16 key competencies. Donna Sink felt "These all seem reasonable". For their part bennyc thought "16 is a big change and valuable addition"...

Archinect入驻微信，小红书平台 / Archinect launches on WeChat and RED in China

2024-11-27T19:35:00-05:00

Archinect is thrilled to announce our official debut on two of China’s leading social media platforms—WeChat and RED (Xiaohongshu). This milestone marks an important step in Archinect’s 27-year mission of connecting the global architecture community. With an official presence on these platforms, we aim to establish closer connections with Chinese-speaking architects and design enthusiasts.

Since its founding in 1997, Archinect has been dedicated to fostering meaningful connections among architects worldwide. By launching on WeChat and RED, we’re excited to bring Archinect’s distinctive voice to China’s thriving architecture and design scene while introducing exclusive content tailored for our growing audience.

Follow Archinect on WeChat

WeChat is China’s premier all-in-one platform for messaging, digital publishing, and social media, with over 1 billion active users. Through our official WeChat account, we’ll deliver the latest architectural news, interviews, and updates, tailored t...

Considering the next Trump administration’s impact on housing in California

2024-11-22T11:56:00-05:00

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to reenter the White House, California housing advocates are bracing for how a second term could impact the state’s notoriously high home prices, rents and rates of homelessness. This time around, that’s changed, and Trump has recognized housing affordability is a problem, said Matthew Schwartz, executive director of the policy organization the California Housing Partnership.

Democrats were also pushing a housing-heavy agenda during the campaign. Trump's return to the White House comes as the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies reports many cities across the Golden State are missing their marks where it comes to planning an adequate housing supply that matches the expanding crisis.

Trump has vocally supported the call for massive tent cities for unhoused citizens, vowing at the same time to issue tariffs, deport undocumented immigrants, open federal land to housing development, cut government assistance programs, and relax zoning restrictions, among several other countervailing ideas that could cancel out progress on what became one of the 2024 election's most significant issues.

New LA housing permits fall while planners look north

2024-11-13T09:22:00-05:00

A new report from Hilgard Analytics and Zenith Economics has the numbers behind the turndown complicating LA’s multi-pronged housing crunch. According to the available Los Angeles City Council data, the number of new permits this year has fallen 30.7% on pace toward a new five-year low.

Permits are on the rise this year only in the eastern precincts of the San Fernando Valley after a 2022 high in all other City Council districts recorded. This follows news of a flatly less resourceful Planning Department decision on single-family zoning’s future. The city has to build at least 2.5 million homes to meet demands by the end of the decade. (h/t Urbanize LA.)

Editor's Picks #564

2024-11-05T12:29:00-05:00

As part of the Archinect In-Depth: Licensure series, Niall Patrick Walsh gathered perspectives from Mike Armstrong, CEO of NCARB, Pascale Sablan, President of NOMA, architect and author Melvin L. Mitchell, writer and editor John Parman, architect and Professor Emeritus at George B. Johnston and Peggy Deamer author and Professor Emerita at Yale University.

Later, Kate Wingert-Playdon, Senior Associate Dean and Director of Architecture at Temple University, made the case for "always working in collaboration. That is a strong theme here at Tyler...so many good results in the built environment rely on good relationships, including well-conceived contracts…Respect is a big piece of collaboration. This is not to say that all design comes down to a contract; it is still about creative thinking. But a good contract isn’t just about business and law".

News

The_Crow felt the Snøhetta-led expansion for The Joslyn Art Museum was "pretty corporate tbh". What’s your take?

Photo © Nic Lehoux, cou...

RIBA will explore gender disparities in architecture in major new study

2024-11-01T17:17:00-04:00

This week, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced its participation with the nonprofit Fawcett Society in a new study of women architects who are either currently practicing or have left the profession. The study, which is due out next year, aims to establish a clearer picture of the scale and complexity of gender equity in the design field. It will inquire as to the reasons for a stalled rate of progress on the topic given the known barriers that exist and produce an assessment of "what works" and what further actions can be taken by different actors.

RIBA's Chief Executive Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick states: "Following decades of research, the pace of change remains far too slow compared to other professions, and significant action is still needed. Understanding the barriers to making more rapid progress is critical."

The organization is asking those interested in receiving updates from the study to sign up by visiting this link.

Weakened North Carolina building codes jeopardized property after Hurricane Helene

2024-10-31T18:27:00-04:00

The long road back for residents of the western North Carolina counties that were heavily impacted due to flooding from Hurricane Helene is still being mapped out, but now the New York Times and other local outlets are reporting on critics who say reforms to the state’s building codes could have exacerbated the scale of property losses.

SB 166, which was passed into law last July, removed a requirement for professional architects to sit on the State Building Code Council. Both it and the related House Bill 488 were supported by the North Carolina Home Builders Association, echoing issues that came to the fore in Kentucky after a string of devastating tornadoes there three years ago.

Compounding the recovery process for homeowners is the fact that most did not own flood insurance policies. The data analytics company CoreLogic has estimated property damage in the area to be worth upwards of $47.5 billion.

Documentary exposes harsh labor conditions and deaths at NEOM’s The Line

2024-10-30T11:13:00-04:00

Documentary filmmakers have discovered abusive working conditions for laborers of NEOM’s The Line megacity development in Saudi Arabia. Per new reporting on the website Middle East Eye: "Labourers are forced to work grueling hours far beyond legal limits to construct the flagship project of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s Neom megacity, according to a new ITV documentary."

That film, Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia, is set to air this Sunday for UK audiences. Labor conditions in the Gulf region are considered to have faltered at improving despite several recent regulatory changes in the view of many Western human rights watch groups.

(Another shock claim that 21,000 workers from three countries — India, Bangladesh, and Nepal — have died since the Saudi Vision 2030 plan was enacted in 2016 is reported in the documentary.)

German far-right politicians want to declare Bauhaus led modernism in the 'wrong direction'

2024-10-26T08:00:00-04:00

The German far-right AfD party has attacked the original Bauhaus as a pernicious example of design, saying it led the project of modernism in the "wrong direction." Their statement, which echoes the disdain put forth by Hitler and the Nazi party, comes from an official motion in front of the country’s parliament asking for an official reappraisal of its legacy in advance of the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus Dessau in 2025/26.

They say: "The emphasis on sobriety and minimalism often led to impersonal architecture that is perceived as cold, unwelcoming and unattractive." (h/t ARTnews)

The episode brings to mind the outrage of the architecture community in response to then-President Donald Trump's planned executive order in favor of classical architecture, the tenor of which (e.g., that it restores America's grandeur) is akin to the views advanced by Viktor Orban and many other modern adherents to a more discreet form of fascism.

Blair Kamin: ‘Writer underwriting writer’

2024-10-24T17:59:00-04:00

The [Chicago] Tribune, which had been reducing staff and budgets for years before Alden Global Capital accelerated the process with its May 2021 purchase of Tribune Publishing, did not replace Kamin, just as it did not replace several other culture writers who left the paper. So the retired critic took matters into his own hands.

We covered the debut of the Windy City’s newest critic Edward Keegan back in August along with the restart of work on 400 Lake Shore Drive. His position is being funded by Blair Kamin after Kamin stepped aside in January 2021. He explains the situation to Northwestern's vaunted J-school's Local News Initiative blog.

"I decided that if initially they weren’t going to make a grant, that I would make a grant myself to do this," he tells of his personal philanthropy. "But it’s complicated, because when you have a so-called donor-advised fund, you can’t give money legally to a for-profit enterprise. So you need to find a nonprofit to give the money to, and they, in turn, will give the money to the for-profit. So it took forever going through a variety of possibilities."

ACSA releases 'Where Are My People?' survey results focused on Queer identities in the architectural field

2024-10-21T11:06:00-04:00

In the interest of elevating the voices of different marginalized groups in every corner of the design field, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), in partnership with Emergent Grounds for Design Education (EGDE), has announced the next edition of their groundbreaking research series Where Are My People? dedicated to exploring the LGBTQIA+ community’s impact on architecture.

The newly announced Where Are My People? Queer in Architecture is organized into two sections. Part I looks at the intersectionality of queer identities while unpacking data findings both quantitative and qualitative to reach a "comprehensive understanding" of the significance of representation. After that, Part II centers on contemporary theory on gender and sexuality to encourage a critical dialogue about the ways in which architecture can establish more inclusive spaces apart from the binary.

EDGE's Michelle Barrett says they will combine to help "recontextualize how and why we need a...

NEOM's The Line is getting its own $186M concrete factory

2024-10-14T10:00:00-04:00

Multiple outlets in the Gulf region report on a new $186 million series of ready-mix concrete plants that will augment construction efforts for NEOM and The Line. According to Gulf News, the facility is capable of producing more than 700,000 cubic feet per day.

The $500 billion linear city effort had taken a hit recently after officials admitted their intentions to drastically limit its first phase to just 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles). The Line's superstructure and sub-grade support system will receive most of the output from the plants. A separate source reported that work on its foundation pilings has already begun, with "nearly 1,000 out of over 30,000 piles placed so far."

Archinect's (completely anonymous) 2024 Mental Health Survey

2024-10-10T18:41:00-04:00

This World Mental Health Day, Archinect is once again inviting the architecture community to share their experiences, thoughts, and challenges. Our new Mental Health Survey is an important opportunity for us to check in and hear directly from you — the architects, designers, students, and educators shaping our industry.

In last year's survey, your responses provided invaluable insights that fueled meaningful conversations about mental health in the architectural field. As we navigate the final months of 2024, we’re seeking to understand how things have changed, what challenges still persist, and how we can better address the mental health needs of our community.

Previously: Archinect's 2023 Mental Health Survey Results

Our survey aims to capture your experiences with the stressors of architectural practice and education — whether you’re grappling with tight deadlines, coping with economic pressures, balancing work-life boundaries, or reflecting on workplace culture. With your input, ...

Archinectors Articulate: ChatGPT for architectural codes, When to hire more staff, Residential inquiries slowdown, OXMAN, AIA layoffs

2024-10-08T19:59:00-04:00

Happy beginning of fall, Archinectors! With October officially kicked off, the Fed cutting interest rates, and workload for the architecture industry expected to pick up again (fingers crossed), let's take a look at what the Archinect community is talking about at the moment.

When to hire more employees?

Over in our Discussion Forum, readers engaged in this timely employment and professional practice thread, When to hire more employees. "I am wondering if there is an industry metric or KPI that indicates when to hire more staff, backed by data?," user ellerystudio asked.

I am wondering if there is an industry metric or KPI that indicates when to hire more staff, backed by data? — Discussion Forum question

The discussion emphasizes that to grow revenue, businesses must invest in hiring and building capacity ahead of securing projects, with many participants sharing strategies for timing new hires to meet future demand.

"You can't grow revenue if you don't grow capacity first," one r...

Editor's Picks #563

2024-10-07T21:02:00-04:00

ICYMI Niall Patrick Walsh started the State of AEC intended to "guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically."

In reporting on the September U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut he pointed out "the Fed’s interest rate today sits at almost exactly the same level as it was in 2007, before a series of rapid cuts in response to the 2008 economic crash. Back then, the AIA’s Architecture Billings Index began a decline in January 2008 that lasted every month for two and a half years until July 2010."

Later, Niall also explored the impact of post-pandemic changes driving "what architecture studios are, and increasingly are not, commissioned to design". Will Galloway weighed in from Japan

"Interesting findings. I wonder if this is the new normal or still a period of settling into something new…Not sure where we will come down on this topic in the end, but I can imagine a quite different office set up in t...

Construction tech start-up sends AI-powered "micro-factories" to the US to build affordable housing

2024-10-04T17:57:00-04:00

British construction tech start-up Automated Architecture (AUAR) is sending two of its pop-up, robotic micro-factories to the U.S. for the first time in a move to bring automated and affordable house building to North America.

Founded in 2019, AUAR functions by licensing its technology to builders and contractors to build low-energy homes at the price of normal homes, at scale.

Related on Archinect: Where Are All The Affordable Housing Startups?. Image credit: Katerra

The micro-factories will be deployed by real estate development and construction firm Rival Holdings, which aims to address the ongoing housing crisis by building thousands of sustainable, affordable, and high-quality homes across the Midwest. The partnership between Rival Holdings and AUAR was announced in March.

“We are really excited to partner with Rival Holdings to bring our cutting-edge Robotic Micro-factories to the United States,” said Co-Founder and CEO of AUAR, Mollie Claypool. “This partnership is our first ...

AIA Board of Directors files ethics complaint against misconduct accusers

2024-09-26T12:57:00-04:00

The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has filed an ethics complaint in response to the now-closed investigation over alleged misconduct on the part of CEO Lakisha Ann Woods and other executive staff in the AIA National office.

The complaint, which is addressed to be answered by the AIA National Ethics Council (NEC), comes against the unnamed letter signers and other "stakeholders" accused of taking part in a "coordinated campaign" to discredit the reputation of Woods and other members of the Board.

"Once the NEC responds with recommendations for the Board, we will act with expediency to prevent future similar destructive behavior that has the potential to negatively impact the health of our organization," the announcement of the action reads.

Previously on Archinect: AIA members decry nepotism and other misconduct claims

No wrongdoing was found after the law firm Miller & Chevalier concluded its outside investigation into the allegations, which includ...

MIT team creates 3D-printed glass bricks for reusable construction

2024-09-21T12:31:00-04:00

MIT engineers have created 3D-printed glass bricks that could offer a new approach to construction with sustainable and reusable materials. These interlocking bricks, which offer similar strength to concrete, are designed for circular construction, allowing buildings to be disassembled and reassembled at the end of their life cycle.

The team, led by Assistant Professor Kaitlyn Becker and former MIT researcher Michael Stern, developed the glass bricks using a custom 3D printing technology from MIT spinoff Evenline. Made from recycled glass, the bricks are shaped like figure eights and interlock like LEGO pieces, offering flexibility in assembly and disassembly.

Each manufacturing method is shown from left to right: FH (Fully Hollow), PC (Print-Cast), and FP (Fully Printed). Credits:Image: Ethan Townsend

In mechanical testing, the glass bricks demonstrated strength comparable to concrete blocks, proving their potential for real-world architectural applications. The team experimented wi...

AIA lays off 16% of workforce

2024-09-20T18:36:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has laid off 16% of its national staff, as reported by Architectural Record, amounting to 28 staff members. This follows months of internal controversy, including misconduct claims against CEO Lakisha Woods, which outside investigators cleared, as previously covered by Archinect:

AIA members decry nepotism and other misconduct claims, from Jun 10, '24

AIA Board of Trustees issues statement in response to controversy, from Jun 13, '24

Outside investigators clear AIA leadership of any wrongdoing after misconduct claims, from Aug 28, '24

Modular design revolution behind Crystal Palace construction revealed

2024-09-19T14:43:00-04:00

The Crystal Palace was not only a marvel of Victorian ingenuity but also a symbol of Britain’s embrace of industrial progress and modernity, reflecting the nation’s aspirations on the world stage

The Guardian reports that the mystery of how the Crystal Palace was built in just 190 days has been solved, crediting the success to a highly innovative building process. Joseph Paxton, the architect, employed a modular design using prefabricated iron and glass components, which were mass-produced in factories. The building's structure relied on standardized parts, such as cast-iron columns and girders, which were quickly assembled on-site. This efficient, industrial approach reduced construction time significantly. Additionally, the design’s use of lightweight materials and the repetition of simple units allowed for fast and precise assembly, revolutionizing construction techniques and setting a precedent for future large-scale architectural projects.

Overdevelopment, conflict, and climate change pose biggest threats to global cultural sites, World Monuments Fund warns

2024-09-13T17:25:00-04:00

Ahead of its January 2025 release of the World Monuments Watch list, the World Monuments Fund has announced the greatest factors threatening heritage sites globally are conflict, climate change, "overtourism," a lack of financial support and community engagement, and an extenuating state of overdevelopment.

The organization says they are doing so now in the interest of “sounding the alarm" and raising awareness while the final site included in its next watch list is still being deliberated. The WMF has not produced such documentation since 2022, when it found 25 sites as being under threat. The tenor of threats varies by region, with a majority (58%) of those surveyed in North America & Europe under threat due to "insufficient funding and resources." A total of 200 sites were nominated worldwide.

AIA releases seven-point advocacy agenda for 2024 U.S. elections

2024-09-13T12:45:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects has released a statement urging action on a number of key priorities related to architecture and the built environment for the 2024 presidential elections following Tuesday’s debate between candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

"Architects across the country are keen to see greater progress toward key goals related to the built environment and our businesses," 2024 AIA President Kimberly Dowdell says in a preface to the seven-point agenda. "Our top election priorities highlight critical issues including the need for increased investment in affordable housing, aggressive climate action measures, enhanced resiliency against natural disasters and sound tax policies."

"[The] AIA calls on the candidates as well as the incoming new Congress to listen to architects as experts on the forefront of designing a more sustainable future," her statement continues. "Through these priorities, AIA’s members will continue to move the built environment forwar...

Architect Shigeru Ban named 2024 Praemium Imperiale laureate

2024-09-10T15:35:00-04:00

Shigeru Ban has been named the 35th Laureate of the prestigious Praemium Imperiale Award. The 67-year-old architect, originally from Tokyo, follows in the footsteps of Francis Kéré as the latest recipient in the Architecture category, after an eventful two years that have seen multiple installations of his innovative emergency shelters through the Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN), along with completed projects for Tiffany & Co. and the Toyota City Museum, among other notable achievements. Ban's humanitarian work began in the 1990s, with notable efforts like his paper tube shelters in Rwanda and his involvement with disaster relief after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Japan, which inspired him to establish VAN in 1995.

The Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park by Shigeru Ban. Photo: Satoshi Nagare.

Ban, who established his own namesake firm in Japan back in 1985, is highly regarded not only for his humanitarian efforts but also for key projects such as the Centre Pompidou-Metz (2010), ...