Archinect - News

STEM, Death and Dying: December brought beginnings, endings and some inbetweeners

2018-12-31T09:00:00-05:00

December may be the end of 2018, but that did not slow down the news and updates from the architecture world. December brought some architectural street cred from Congress, some thoughts on death and updates on post-modernism's mid-life crisis.

The US Capitol Building

↑ Architecture will be recognized as STEM

The academic grouping known as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has long been regarded as the antithesis to the creative fields of art, music, and architecture. But the bill recently passed by the US House of Representatives allows states to use federal money to modernize Career Technical Education (CTE) curricula, which will soon include architecture.

Hospital of the Innocents - Women's Courtyard by Filippo Brunelleschi and Francesco della Luna Image © museuminflorence.com

↑ The architecture of death and dying

The idea of death and dying is a rather bleak subject. Many avoid discussion of the matter at all costs, while others plan to prolong its advanc...

Intriguing projects, construction updates & other notable news in November 2018

2018-12-28T09:00:00-05:00

From an underwater residence in the Maldives to a 350-meter-tall “tulip” tower in London, it was projects galore throughout the month of November on Archinect. November was also packed with news and features that are not to be missed, including Herzog & de Meuron celebrating their 40th anniversary, Neil Denari launching his 19-years-in-the-making monograph “MASSX” at the Archinect Outpost, and a chat with Sou Fujimoto. Here's a recap of news and feature highlights for November 2018.

COOL PROJECTS

Muji designs autonomous shuttle bus uniquely fit for all weather conditions

Gacha shuttle bus, designed by MUJI with technology from Sensible 4.

Lifestyle brand Muji teamed up with Sensible 4, a Finnish startup working on weatherproof technology for autonomous vehicles, to create the sleek Gacha shuttle bus, which is uniquely designed to fit all weather conditions. The bus is expected to hit the streets of Helsinki in 2019.

Startup Pod(o) proposes a tiny-architecture solution to the festival...

Brutalist Retreats and Gaudi Lawsuits: October 2018 in Review

2018-12-27T09:00:00-05:00

Eclectic is the word I would use to describe Archinect news in October: Bizarre lawsuits, advanced mapping algorithms and meticulous light displays were among the subjects of our most popular posts this month.

↑ Gaudi's Sagrada Familia fined $41 million for lack of building permit

Arguably the most famous building currently under construction, La Sagrada Familia, found itself in hot water this October when it was determined that it did not have the proper building permits for its century-old site. The church's trustees conceded to paying $41 million in fees over a 10-year period, so that the city can fund public transportation, increase accessibility, and make other improvements to the surrounding area.

↑ Muji's apartment prototype tackles long commutes and highly dense cities

Muji is a design company closely associated with small-scale minimalist objects, but in October the brand demonstrated their skills know no bounds. Equipped with an open communal space and kitchen, the Muji ...

Hip-Hop Architecture, Terrible Floor Plans, Memes, and—Yes!—More School Rankings: September 2018 on Archinect

2018-12-26T08:55:00-05:00

Congratulations, you've made it all the way to the September roundup!
Let's get started—so, so much happening that month on Archinect:

ARCHITECTURE CULTURE

↑ Want to Join Studio Gang? Design Principals Share How Top Job Applicants Made a Strong First Impression

As part of our popular "How To Get A Job At ___" feature series, the Chicago firm's principals share what it takes to join the Gang gang. (Hint: canoe skills are a plus.)

↑ #ArchinectMeets @terriblefloorplans

We're launching #ArchinectMeets, our new series of quick, informal interviews with some of Instagram's most seductive architectural image curators. First up: @terriblefloorplans. Just #ICYMI.

↑ Mutant Authorship. Agency, Capitalism and Memes.

Ryan Scavnicky pens one of the recent Cross-Talk features on the topic of creative rights, intellectual property, and memes in the postdigital era of architectural discourse. No, trust me—the one with the monkey is funny.

↑ How to dress like an architect? It's all in the details!

Sur...

The most memorable headlines from August, 2018

2018-12-24T10:11:00-05:00

In August, in our "From the Ground Up" series, we looked at some very early projects by Maya Lin, Barbara Bestor and Tod Williams & Billie Tsien.

The Panel House. Image via Bestor Architecture Website

On August 15th we reported about an article in the New Statesman, pointing out the white nationalist commentary coming out of a Twitter account presenting themselves as an innocuous account dedicated to the beauty of traditional architecture. Our sharing of this research lead to a steadfast and coordinated virtual assault from the account's followers.

↑ Twitter account dedicated to traditional European architecture draws ire as an architecture-themed dog-whistle

In our look at July we pulled up the news of an Indiegogo campaign that was launched in an effort to crowdfund a Burning Man vision by BIG's Bjarke Ingels and Jakob Lange. The giant Orb became a reality. Our readers debated on the final product turning out better or worse than the rendering. I tend to side with the "better" tea...

To Sink or Float; July 2018 was a MAD Month

2018-12-23T10:17:00-05:00

As we entered the hot months of summer, July wasn't necessarily the most newsworthy of months in 2018. There were some gems in there, however, worth revisiting. Let's take a look at some of the stories that caught our attention...

FEATURES

As the weather heats up, we always encourage our readers to get offline with our summer recommended reading lists. This year we reached out to a number of individuals we profiled, interviewed, or had on our podcast, to share some of their favorite reads with our audience.

↑ Archinect's 2018 Summer Reading List

Designing Practice was a collection of conversations aimed at Moving Architecture Forward, edited by guest contributor Eric Baldwin,

Looking to the future, Designing Practice is a series that explores how the practice of architecture can evolve in the 21st century. Framed by contemporary conditions, the series asks architects and designers to consider the discipline’s broader context and imagine new models for moving architecture forward. ...

Architecture news in the year of news: June 2018 on Archinect

2018-12-22T12:55:00-05:00

Put simply, there was an overwhelming amount of news this year, and June was no exception. It was a big month for the world of architecture, but it also marked the beginning of a significant step for the small team at Archinect, too.

EVENTS:

↑ The Opening of Archinect Outpost

Archinect Outpost first opened its doors on June 15th with the sale of Ed Issue 2. It was our biggest step into the world of retail, and we have learned countless lessons since opening day. We exclusively sold architecture magazines at first, followed by the addition of architecture monographs, which was then quickly followed by the addition of numerous design objects and apparel items. It has been a rewarding six months being a part of the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District community, and we are looking forward to what the future holds for our small but mighty retail space.

DESIGN:

↑ Olafur Eliasson completes his first building, Fjordenhus, in Denmark

The announcement of Olafur Eliasson's biggest architectural...

Directors, Journals, Curators & AI—May was Full of Appointments & Intellectual Explorations

2018-12-21T09:00:00-05:00

The month of May brought us a plethora of educational leadership changes showing the new wave of pedagogical journeys to come. The month also brought a sincere look at mental health in architecture and its impact on the discipline and the profession. May also brought the announcement of the release of ED #2, Archinect's own publication focused on the theme of Disaster exploring the myriad disasters afflicting the present, probing the responsibilities and agencies of architecture within them.

A 5-Part Video Series on "The Architecture of Artificial Intelligence"

The Architecture of Artificial Intelligence is a 5-part video series, produced for Archinect by Otis Harley, exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing architecture, design and the construction industry. The videos are based on ‘The Architecture of Artificial Intelligence' by Hannah Wood, published on Archinect last year.

Archinect Sessions Episode 121: Mental Health in Architecture

Paul, Ken & Donna were joined ...

Social justice issues and topics of gossip took over the month of April on Archinect

2018-12-20T12:00:00-05:00

FEATURES:

April 2018

↑ Drones for Architects: New Capabilities for the Construction Sector, How to Get Started and How to Navigate the Law

Hannah Wood asks: What new roles will drones adopt both in the architectural design process and outcomes? If your firm is intending to mobilize a drone, what should you be aware of in terms of its operation and the law?

↑ UCLA's A.UD Places Architecture at the Heart of Contemporary Culture, Says New Chair of the Department, Heather Roberge

In September of 2017, Heather Roberge stepped into the role of Chair of UCLA’s Architecture Department. Having taught there since 2002, she talks with Archinect about how her time as a faculty member has informed her new position, how the department's positioning within the School of Arts and Architecture is reflected in its programming, and the school's role as a leading public university.

↑ Redlines: Pidgin

In April, we began a new interview series in which we talk with the editors of today’s most provocati...

The Most Liked Instagram Posts of 2018 on @archinect

2018-12-19T19:07:00-05:00

As the social media curator for Archinect, it has been a unique pleasure to determine which images reflect our collective tastes across our social media platforms, and it has equally been a pleasure to see the community that follows us take notice. Here are the 10 most liked Instagram posts of 2018:

10. Maggie's Centre, by Steven Holl Architects⠀

View this post on Instagram Maggie's Centre, by Steven Holl Architects⠀ .⠀ Photography by Marcela Spadaro and Freya Najade of NAARO
A post shared by Archinect (@archinect) on Nov 7, 2018 at 12:59pm PST

9. Saint-Pierre, by Le Corbusier

View this post on Instagram Saint-Pierre, by Le Corbusier
A post shared by Archinect (@archinect) on Dec 14, 2018 at 8:46pm PST

8. AXA stadium, by Eduardo Souto de Moura

View this post on Instagram AXA stadium, by Eduardo Souto de Moura
A post shared by Archinect (@archinect) on Dec 15, 2018 at 9:53am PST

7. Philharmonic Hall Szczecin, by Barozzi Veiga

...

From new leadership roles to architecture's #MeToo movement, women owned March 2018

2018-12-19T10:00:00-05:00

March was full of headlining news that remind us once again that there will be triumphs and tribulations in the effort to making architecture more inclusive, whether that's improving office culture, enabling architectural education to be more accessible, reassessing faulty construction and its dire consequences, or redesigning cities in ways that can benefit all inhabitants. As Women's History Month, March was also dominated by news centering on women and their increasingly visible role in architecture — from appointments to director and dean roles, to the inevitable rise of the #MeToo movement in the profession. Below is a recap of Archinect news and feature highlights for March 2018.

NEWS

Balkrishna Doshi wins the 2018 Pritzker Prize

Photo courtesy of VSF.

An advocate for creating more collaborative, compassionate architecture, celebrated Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi was praised by the Pritzker Prize jury for his “deep sense of responsibility and a desire to contribute to his ...

Women in Architecture, School Rankings, Transparent Wood, and that Denari Cliffhanger: February 2018 on Archinect

2018-12-18T09:00:00-05:00

In a year that's become synonymous with relentless news cycles of various flavors, February 2018 seems like an eternity ago. Let's take a look back at some of the biggest architectural stories on Archinect that month.

ARCHITECTURE CULTURE

↑ Brand New Reviews Logos of the 10 Most-Followed Firm Profiles on Archinect

We have an expert on corporate and brand identity put the logos of some of the world's leading practices to the test. Find out who excelled, or flopped.

↑ How 6 Successful Women in Architecture, Planning, and Engineering Joined Forces to Win "The Cambridge to Oxford Connection: Ideas Competition"

Plenty of discouraging news coming out of the UK this year, but this is definitely one of the uplifting stories: women in architecture, cycling, competition wins—what's not to love?

↑ Neil M. Denari Architects shares the one question that stumps candidates in job interviews. Here's how to prepare.

Hell of a cliffhanger Archinect plopped on your screen right there. Care enough to f...

2018 ~ A Year in Architecture, A Year in Archinect: January

2018-12-17T10:11:00-05:00

FEATURES:

January 2018

↑ Le Corbusier’s first project

In January, we introduced From the Ground Up, the then new series that looks at the early works of prominent architects from Andrea Palladio and Claude Nicolas Ledoux to Lina Bo Bardi and Thom Mayne. For the inaugural iteration, we looked at Le Corbusier, whose first commission was a Swiss chalet-style house completed while still in school.

↑ Studio Visits: Hawkins/Brown, Manchester

“At Hawkins\Brown, people are at the heart of everything we do, from our design approach to the way our studio runs.” Ellen Hancock takes a look at the Manchester office of the internationally-renowned firm Hawkins/Brown.

↑ New Ground I: Advancing the Countryside

With the announcement of Rem Koolhaas’ upcoming exhibit “Countryside: Future of the World” planned for the Guggenheim, Hannah Wood & Christine Bjerke stepped away from the urbanized world this year to look at the contemporary countryside.

↑ Silent Walls: The Architecture of Historical Memor...