Archinect - News

Airbnb reveals $10 million OMG! Fund design contest winners

2022-10-17T15:29:00-04:00

Airbnb has named the 100 winners of its recently-launched OMG! Fund design contest celebrating the “craziest and most unique” buildings submitted to the short-term rental giant from more than 20 countries across the world.

The contest awards $100,000 to each design as judged by a four-person panel that included design tastemaker Iris Apfel, Airbnb Superhost Kristie Wolfe, architect Koichi Takada, and the company’s VP of Experiential Bruce Vaughn.

"Giant Flower Pot on a Farm in Small Town Idaho" by Whitney H., United States

"Giant Pig in Meadow at Pig Sanctuary" by Tracey S., United States

“What an incredible journey it has been to be a part of the OMG! Fund judging process. There were so many inspiring stories and destinations that I had never heard of before that I’m now eager to visit,” Wolfe said at the announcement. “As a builder myself, I can’t wait to watch these ideas come to life. These are more than just places to spend the night — each one offers an entire experience!”

"Mod...

Airbnb launches $10 million OMG! Fund design contest to 'build the craziest places on earth'

2022-06-23T12:21:00-04:00

Airbnb is making a new $10 million investment in design with a new project called the OMG! Fund that will commission “100 of the craziest and most unique property ideas” in a design contest open to architects, designers, and the public across the globe.

The contest’s brief’s sole stipulation is that the final product be listed exclusively on Airbnb for at least a year. This is an expansion of the short-term rental company’s $1 million Unique Airbnb Fund, which was slated to award the same $100,000 grant to a group of 10 projects before Covid-19 brought an end to the endeavor. In a press release, the company said its new initiative is “shaped in part by the growing trend of flexible living that has emerged in the past two years.”

Architect Koichi Takada is one of the contest’s judges, joined by superhost Kirstie Wolfe, the designer of Boise's famed Potato Hotel, fashion and interio...

RIBA unveils shortlisted firms to lead 66 Portland Place HQ refurbishment

2022-03-03T13:45:00-05:00

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has revealed a shortlist of seven teams in the running to lead the refurbishment and modernization of its 66 Portland Place headquarters in London.

RIBA announced the planned redesign in October in a move that aims to reimagine the use of its buildings as a majority of its workers report that they prefer to work from home due to the pandemic. In January, RIBA Chartered Practices formally issued a tender for practices to submit expressions of interest to help develop a brief, including design options and budget proposals to create a fully accessible, more flexible, and sustainable building. RIBA also wants to establish three new gallery spaces. The winning team is expected to lead the project and coordinate the design team appointed to deliver the refurbishment.

Previously on Archinect: RIBA is officially looking for architects to overhaul its aging 66 Portland Place headquarters

The project forms part of RIBA’s House of Architecture ...

RIBA is officially looking for architects to overhaul its aging 66 Portland Place headquarters

2022-01-12T17:21:00-05:00

The search is officially underway in what could turn out to be one of the most significant design contests of the next year following an update from the UK’s largest architectural organization.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has formally issued a tender for any and all professionally chartered practices to submit expressions of interest in the redesign of its art deco 66 Portland Place headquarters in London.

The Institute announced the redesign in October as a means of delivering on President Simon Alford’s campaign promise to turn the 87-year-old structure designed by George Gray Wornum into “a house of architecture.”

The organization is in the process of selling off its adjacent 76 Portland Street offices after recently reporting a budget deficit and staffing changes related to the effects of COVID-19 on the economy. With more than 89% of its workers reporting that they feel more comfortable working from home during the pandemic, RIBA has decided on a fundamen...