Archinect - News

BIG and Nokken unveil “Softshell”: a modular tent for sustainable, off-grid architecture

2024-12-04T15:13:00-05:00

BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) has collaborated with modular architecture company Nokken to create Softshell, a semi-permanent, timber-framed tent designed to address sustainability challenges in hospitality and residential design.

The Softshell’s timber frame and recyclable canvas create a low-impact accommodation solution. Image courtesy of Nokken

Softshell is a response to the rising demand for adaptable structures that harmonize with their surroundings while minimizing ecological impact. Constructed from glued-laminated timber and a recyclable canvas, the lightweight structure prioritizes portability without sacrificing architectural integrity.

The Softshell’s open, modular interior offers a blend of comfort and natural light. Image courtesy of Nokken

“This project reimagines what a mobile structure can achieve,” explains Finn Nørkjær, Partner at BIG. “Softshell moves beyond the aesthetic of temporary design, offering something that blends seamlessly into the environment while deliveri...

Invisible Studio creates rammed stone yoga studio in UK countryside

2024-11-14T08:27:00-05:00

UK-based Invisible Studio has completed a rammed stone yoga studio for the Newt Hotel in Somerset, UK. Aside from its innovative use of rammed earth, the scheme is defined by a 36-foot-long rooflight made from a single insulated double-glazed unit.

Image credit: Jim Stephenson

The studio is lined entirely in beech slats to provide a "warm and immersive sanctuary-like space." The external skin uses the same rammed stone as the hotel’s adjacent gym, made from local limestone to give it a distinctive red color. Meanwhile, copper detailing borrows from the palette of materials established by the hotel’s Beezantium.

Image credit: Jim Stephenson

“The rammed stone external skin is something we get asked about a good deal, particularly with no roof overhang,” Invisible Studio founder Piers Taylor explains. “The mix is colored only by using local ‘Hadspen’ limestone, which has a distinctive red hue, which is crushed from 45mm to dust. Th...

Studio Gang's super green Populus hotel opens in Denver

2024-10-15T16:42:00-04:00

Today marks the long-awaited debut of Studio Gang’s Populus hotel project in Denver. The 265-room design is being promoted as the first ‘carbon-positive’ hotel development in the United States and features a combination of highly sustainable building materials and offsetting strategies that target a LEED Gold certification.

Image: courtesy Jason O'Rear

Image: courtesy Steve Hall

The firm’s first project in Colorado precedes their involvement on the Phase 1 redevelopment of the adjacent Civic Center Park. It is designed, as its name suggests, to mirror the natural processes of endemic Aspen trees (aka Populus tremuloides) with a textured facade featuring an arrangement of scalloped windows that contribute passive shading while channeling rainwater with widths tailored to the public and private spaces contained within.

Image: courtesy Jason O'Rear

Founder Jeanne Gang says: "Denver strikes a unique balance between being a vibrant city and a gateway to some of the country’s most awe-inspir...

Bespoke hotel company Palisociety is looking for a new architecture director

2024-09-25T08:00:00-04:00

Following our previous look at an opening for a Transportation Project Manager at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for a Director of Architectural Design at Palisociety.

The role, based in Los Angeles, calls for an individual with hospitality design experience to “lead a growing team of design project managers in the production of relevant documentation to execute design at a high level.” Among the tasks and responsibilities for the role will be the hands-on creation of full drawing sets with specifications as well as the management of design team members. “Technical skills, passion, speed & efficiency, diligent attention to detail, and elevated taste level are a must,” the company adds.

Why the role interests us

The open role at Palisociety offers us the opportunity to explore the design approach behind Palisociety’s bespoke hotels and residences. Founded by Avi Brosh in 2007, the co...

Hotel construction is at an all-time high, new report states

2024-08-08T12:44:00-04:00

The hospitality industry group Lodging Econometrics has released its new prospectus of hotel projects in the construction and planning pipelines, indicating a new all-time high for the growing sector. At the end of Q2, 1,171 projects were reportedly under construction across the U.S. Another 2,350 projects are expected to start construction in the next 12 months, and 250 were reported to have opened in the first two quarters of 2024 alone.

The group also "expects that as interest rates begin to decline, projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months will move to under construction rather quickly." This may be a good sign for nonresidential and non-commercial projects in different markets, as the Construction Starts Index has experienced considerable volatility for over a year.

Looking forward, the new report states: "The LE forecast for the remainder of 2024 includes the ope...

10 new eating & drinking spaces we enjoyed this week

2024-07-27T08:00:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Eating & Drinking Spaces.

Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!

↑ Rustic Canyon in Los Angeles, CA, by Walker Workshop; Photo: Joe Fletcher

↑ Blue Lake-Lakeside Teahouse Renovation in Beijing, China, by YI+MU Design Office; Photo: YI+MU Design Office

↑ Liminal House in West Vancouver, Canada, by Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses; Photo: Hufton + Crow

↑ Warm Nest in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, by Ark-shelter; Photo: BoysPlayNice

↑ Passalacqua in Como, Italy, by BAMO; Photo: Stefan Giftthaler & Ricky Monti

↑ Sea Ranch Forest Retreat in The Sea Ranch, CA, by Koch Architects; Original Architect: William Turnbull Jr.; Photo: Joe Fletcher

↑ Big Fir Vineyard in Portland, OR, by Prentiss +...

Four stylish cafe/restaurant interiors by STUDIO BANAA: Your Next Employer?

2024-06-24T13:45:00-04:00

Following our previous visit to Portland-based LEVER Architecture, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to San Francisco this week to explore the work of STUDIO BANAA.

Founded in 2015 by Nastaran Mousavi and Dane Bunton, the firm has built a portfolio of fresh, dynamic spaces defined by color, pattern, and personality. “Our design process is very collaborative, and we bring our entire team to the table and tackle it together,” Mousavi and Bunton told us in 2021 as part of our Studio Snapshot series. “Since we are small, our office structure is not as rigid as you see in bigger corporate offices, and each member of our team becomes involved in every aspect of a project.”

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for several positions at their San Francisco studio. For candidates interested in applying for the position, or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up four cafes and restaurants featuring stylish, colorful interi...

Zaha Hadid Architects designs superyacht marina and casino development in the Bahamas

2024-05-30T13:49:00-04:00

Details for a new luxury superyacht marina and residential community designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the largest in North America, have been announced, along with an anticipated 2027 completion date. Slated for the Bahamian South Abaco island, the project will also feature a casino and nightclub from ZHA as part of the development’s "social epicenter," according to a press release from client Habacoa. It will be anchored by the 25,000-square-foot yacht club space, which the firm says is designed to evoke waves and tidal currents.

Image: Zaha Hadid Architects, rendering courtesy of Flyingarchitecture

In terms of sustainability, Habacoa says: "The site’s existing deep-water minimizes disruption to the shoreline and marine habitats, while sustainable construction methods on land will create a majority of the development. Working with marine biologists and local environmental bodies, any corals impacted by construct...

BIG's NOT A HOTEL Setouchi weds Danish and Japanese design

2024-05-17T12:59:00-04:00

BIG has designed a new remote hotel concept on Sagi Island, Japan, for the NOT A HOTEL brand, its sixth property overall. The new Setouchi project follows other hospitality designs from the firm, including the new Hôtel des Horlogers in Switzerland and Vollebak Island in Canada.

Rendering: MIR

Rendering: LIT design

A ribbon-like footpath stitches together the mossy archipelago’s natural landscape with the residential portion of the design. Three villas (‘360,’ ‘270,’ and ‘180’) form a sequence staggered at different elevations on the approximately 323,000-square-foot site overlooking the southwestern cape of Sagi Island. Each features its own unique characteristics and corresponding panoramic views of the sea and inner harbor area, with accommodations that vary between three and four bedrooms.

Rendering: MIR

BIG’s founder, Bjarke Ingels, says: "Our design approach for NOT A HOTEL Setouchi wasn’t about imposing our ideas on the site; instead, it...

NEOM unveils new bridged Treyam resort development for the Gulf of Aqaba

2024-03-22T18:43:00-04:00

The next satellite development of NEOM has been announced as a new lagoon straddling resort called Treyam. News of its announcement follows last week’s update from NEOM detailing the golf course and resort concept Gidori from Aedas architects Ignacio Gomez and Lama Al-Kharboush in the Saudi Gulf of Aqaba region.

This latest destination will be developed in the same coast region and is promoted as being an “audacious design with minimal land intervention." This is the tenth project to be announced for the region since last October.

Image courtesy NEOM

Plans call for a 250-room hotel connected to either shoreline via a long skybridge whose facade embellishes a sunset-like illusion when viewed from a distance. Mark Foster Cage and Bashayer Bamohsen appear in a “Meet the Architects” video as Treyam’s lead designers along with the founder of Dubai’s JT+Partners, Joe Tabet.

Image courtesy NEOM

A 450-meter (1,476-feet) long rooftop infinity pool invites guests to a further “awe-inspiring” ex...

Acclaimed architect Jeffrey Beers passes away aged 67

2024-03-22T11:59:00-04:00

New York's Jeffrey Beers International (JBI) has shared news that its founder Jeffrey Beers passed away from a battle with cancer on Monday, March 18th, at the age of 67.

A prominent figure in hospitality design and planning schemes, Beers began his career as an architect in I.M. Pei's New York office shortly before forming his own studio practice in the city in 1986. The next 38 years have seen its brand grow in influence to be synonymous with celebrity chefs and entertainers, corporate America, and international hotel brands.

Beers credited his Fulbright program mentor Oscar Niemeyer and former RISD professor glass artist Dale Chihuly among his influences as he pursued an architecture that suffused fine art, luxury, and a highly-tuned sensibility for good design.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been very fascinated by the intersection between architecture, design and art. Over the years I have collaborated with many artists, incorporating their work in a space but also bringing their...

OMA overhauls 1970s modernist building for Singapore cooking club and campus

2024-03-06T10:47:00-05:00

OMA has completed the AIR CIrcular Campus and Cooking Club in Dempsey Hill, Singapore. The scheme saw the overhaul of an existing modernist building and surrounding green space into what the team calls “a place for novel dining experiences, inviting broader thinking and discussions about food and the environment.”

Image credit: Kris Provoost

Designed in collaboration with entrepreneur Ronald Akili, and chefs Matt Orlando of Amass and Will Goldfarb of Room4Dessert, the scheme includes open kitchens, research space, and a cooking school for visitors.

Image credit: Kris Provoost

“It has been an inspiring journey to join Ronald, Will, and Matt on this platform to address the topic of sustainable hospitality from different perspectives,” said OMA managing partner David Gianotten about the project. “We are convinced that architecture and design can maximize impact through active engagement with different disciplines.”

Image credit: Kris ...

London’s BT Tower to be converted into a hotel by Heatherwick following MCR purchase

2024-02-22T11:39:00-05:00

London’s iconic BT Tower is to be purchased by U.S. hotel owner-operator MCR. Partnering with Heatherwick Studio, the company is to explore the tower’s adaptive reuse as a hotel.

Standing at 620 feet in height, the BT Tower is one of London’s tallest buildings. Opened in 1965, the tower is covered by a Grade II historical importance listing, though such a listing does not prohibit a change of use within the building.

MCR has noted that the tower will not undergo any immediate changes, with current owners BT Group expected to take several years to vacate the premises due to the complexity involved in moving technical equipment. The design process is also expected to include time for community engagement in advance of the proposal’s reveal.

Related on Archinect:The TWA Hotel at JFK is officially open. Photo courtesy of TWA Hotel/David Mitchell

MCR was previously known for its overhaul of the Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport which has since become the TWA Hotel. T...

10 Design completes integration with SB Architects

2024-02-21T20:16:00-05:00

10 Design and SB Architects have announced their completed integration as part of both firms' inclusion in Egis' Architecture Line, which operates 20 studios worldwide.

The integration took a reported 18 months to complete after first being announced in July of 2022, and the firm will operate as 10SB in the Americas market in the interim. 10 Design’s global brand will leverage both its expertise in mixed-use projects alongside SB’s deep hospitality portfolio for a better synergistic and cohesive offer.

Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Puerto Rico. Image: courtesy 10 Design & SB Architects.

"The combined geographic reach and diverse design expertise of our practices create a powerful platform for multi-skilled collaboration," said Ross Milne, the CEO of 10 Design. "By uniting, we’re not only stronger in terms of expertise and talent but also in our ability to deliver projects across multiple sectors and scales, anywhere in the world."

From a project in the Miami Design District....

NEOM unveils new Aquellum resort concept from LAVA and NAME

2024-01-18T19:10:00-05:00

The latest satellite development of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, a new mountainside resort destination called Aquellum, has been launched, along with other initiatives meant to promote sport, leisure, and tourism in the Gulf of Aqaba region.

The coastal development, which appears to feature the same concept for a self-styled "zero gravity urbanism" that defines The Line megacity’s internal layout, is slated to include luxury retail and hotel amenities along with art galleries and a sunken marina design, all tucked inside a 1,480-foot mountain and within traveling distance from its fellow Leyja, Epicon, and Siranna satellite resorts nearby.

Image courtesy NEOM

Guests will arrive via boat courtesy of a hidden canal entryway at the base of the development. A central 'experiential boulevard' serves as the main artery of the socially condensing courtyard space at the center of the 330-foot-tall above-ground component. A special innovation space called 'The Generator' is finally included a...

Zooco creates ‘Brutalism over the sea’ with Spanish restaurant inside renovated 1970s concrete structure

2024-01-11T13:55:00-05:00

Madrid-based studio Zooco has completed an extensive renovation and extension of a 1970s concrete structure in Santander, Spain. The Cantabrian Maritime Museum restaurant has been constructed inside an architectural complex that also includes an Oceanographic Center designed by Vicente Roig Forner and Ángel Hernández Morales, built between 1975 and 1978.

Image credit: David Zarzoso

The original concrete structure sees two square forms connected by a canopy. The interior spans three floors with a central courtyard covered by a vault of paraboloid membranes, while a 2003 renovation and extension saw the addition of a pyramid-form aluminum structure to the western facade and roof.

Image credit: David Zarzoso

For their 2023 overhaul of the scheme, Zooco inserted a new space on the second floor to house a restaurant and terrace. To facilitate the restaurant, a new volume was constructed to resolve issues with the roof and facade, while ...

35-story Raffles Boston becomes Hancock Tower's newest neighbor

2024-01-10T13:32:00-05:00

The Architectural Team (TAT) has completed a mixed-use tower in Boston featuring the city’s first sky lobby. The Raffles Boston Hotel & Residences features a 400-foot curved glass form and is described by the team as a “sophisticated new skyline statement within a challenging and historic context.”

Image credit: Ed Wonsek

The 35-story high-rise comprises 146 homes, 147 hotel guestrooms, and 16 amenity spaces. To compensate for the site’s narrow plot, the tower’s design sees a cantilever at the fourth-floor extent over the adjacent historic University Club to support the upper 29 stories, with a further cantilever occurring at the 17th floor.

Image credit: Ed Wonsek

In addition to increasing the internal area of the tower, the cantilevering approach forms a distinctive design element of the scheme’s exterior, “granting the tower a contextually scaled street presence while also allowing the building to express itself as a sculptural form on the upper levels,” according to the team. To d...

NEOM launches Siranna resort concept on the Gulf of Aqaba

2023-12-04T17:42:00-05:00

Another high-end luxury resort complex has been revealed in Saudi Arabia as part of the country’s NEOM megadevelopment on the Gulf of Aqaba.

The new Siranna development will include a 65-key hotel in addition to 35 “exclusive” residences geared toward tourists and complement the previous Leyja and Epicon resort concepts that were announced this year.

Image courtesy NEOM

Guests will be transited to the destination via water taxis, emerge from the Red Sea surf, and pass through a gateway of natural rock formations to find a tiered approach to the outcropping of hexagonal volumes that spring up from the surrounding landscape like shards of crystals.

Image courtesy NEOM

Paolo Testolini, the Dubai-based Principal and Global Sector Leader of Cities and Places for Woods Bagot’s UAE operation, appears in a promotional video as the architect that will lead its design. His colleague Nik Karalis appears also to be involved, stating that the concept will help “redefine our notions of what touri...

NEOM debuts new Epicon coastal resort and hotel concept

2023-11-17T16:58:00-05:00

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project has announced another new coastal resort concept located on the country’s Gulf of Aqaba.

The new Epicon destination follows last month’s announcement of Leyja, another hospitality project in the region. It will become the sixth development in NEOM’s portfolio, which includes the Trojena and Sindalah ski and yacht resorts, Oxagon industrial/residential tract, and the controversial 'zero-gravity urbanism' showcase THE LINE megacity.

Image courtesy NEOM

Two towers totaling 225 and 275 meters in height (738 and 902 feet, respectively) are included in Epicon's hotel concept, along with a distant resort and a string of luxury beach villas that are cast along the shoreline — the hotel buildings appearing as though a desert mirage.

Image courtesy NEOM

The 41-key hotel design with 14 apartment units offers twin-tower blocks connected via an elevated platform defined by exposed structural beams extending out in either direction. Its facade can be illuminated from t...

Neri&Hu completes Hainan Island wellness retreat inspired by ancient Chinese cities

2023-10-25T11:51:00-04:00

Neri&Hu has completed a wellness hotel on China’s Hainan Island. Named the Sanya Wellness Retreat, the scheme draws inspiration from the ancient Chinese walled city, which was typically elevated on a heavy plinth and surrounded by water. The resulting hotel is defined by two parts: a wooden dwelling comprising guest rooms and a masonry base beneath containing all public spaces.

Image credit: Chen Hao

The L-shaped building forms a water courtyard at the intersection of the two wings, serving a central feature from which all the hotel’s public amenities spread outwards. Meanwhile, the lobby forms a “garden landscape with a floating lantern hovering above that allows a gentle light to filter in,” while ceilings are lowered to frame views towards the sea.

Image credit: Chen Hao

“At every given opportunity, the design tries to embody the genius loci of Hainan, to blend elements from the island’s collective memory, culture, and natural features,” ...

Dan Brunn Architecture completes second Coffee for Sasquatch location as an escape from the ‘concrete jungle of New York City’

2023-10-20T11:29:00-04:00

Dan Brunn Architecture has completed a coffee shop for Sasquatch in New York City’s Nolita neighborhood. As the coffee brand’s second location beyond its Los Angeles base, the cafe is designed to be a “forest of green in an urban environment of grays.”

Image credit: Brandon Shigeta

Externally, the cafe is defined by the ironwork of black window frames “reminiscent of an older New York.” As customers step inside, custom wallpaper by Flavor Paper and the artist James Jean seeks to create a calm landscape, with Jean re-interpreting the idea of the sasquatch creature’s forest through oversized vines, leaves, and flowers.

Image credit: Brandon Shigeta

The interior contains no direct lights, and instead sees every surface glow as a result of light “peering through hanging plants.” Hints of light also illuminate the edge of the white Corian wall above the barista bar. Behind the wall and counter, a fully stainless steel kitchen creates a clear distinction between...

NEOM reveals new Leyja resort concepts designed by Mario Cucinella, Chris van Duijn, and Shaun Killa

2023-10-18T18:24:00-04:00

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM megaproject has announced a new planned luxury resort development called Leyja that features designs from teams led by architects Mario Cucinella, Chris van Duijn, and Shaun Killa.

Details on the new aspect of the development are scarce, though the plan is to include three hotels and an experience center placed at nodes along a winding gulch leading inland from the Gulf of Aqaba.

Renderings show the structures being inserted into the 400-meter-high natural rock formations at the site.

The Adventure Hotel concept by Chris van Duijn/OMA. Image courtesy of NEOM

The 'Adventure Hotel,' designed by van Duijn, is stepped vertically as though a staircase leading up the walls of the cliff whose topography is accentuated by its form. The hotel is intended to provide a base for tourists to pursue rock climbing and other "high-octane" activities.

It is joined by an oasis-straddling design from Cucine...

Five tasteful bars and breweries by Bergmeyer: Your Next Employer?

2023-07-31T17:44:00-04:00

Following last week’s visit to Connecticut-based Joeb Moore & Partners, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to Southern California this week to explore the work of Bergmeyer.

From their studios across Los Angeles, Boston, and Columbus, Bergmeyer has built a diverse portfolio around their core pillars of creativity, connectedness, and curiosity. “We are a design collaborative; inspired through partnership, thoughtfully creative, inherently curious, and driven to fulfill our clients’ needs,” the firm notes about its philosophy.

Over on Archinect Jobs, they are currently hiring a Managing Director for their LA office. For candidates interested in applying for the position, or anybody interested in learning more about the studio’s work, we have rounded up five brewery and bar projects by Bergmeyer that demonstrate their design approach.

Tree House Brewing Company. Image credit: Bergmeyer

Tree House Brewing Company, South Deerfield, MA

Tree House Brewing Company’s brief invol...

MUJI converts 100-year-old Japanese house into tranquil Airbnb stay

2023-07-27T12:56:00-04:00

Iconic Japanese design retailer MUJI is back on the residential market with details of its new MUJI Base Kamogawa home renovation project for Airbnb.

Located an hour and thirty minutes outside Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture, the new temporary stay inside the 100-year-old former Noda Printmaking Workshop offers amenities for up to five guests aligned with a naturalistic Satoyama lifestyle concept.

Image courtesy MUJI/Airbnb

Of course, the whole scheme comes decked out entirely in MUJI products. The brand synergy extends all the way down to toothbrushes, cookware, and other home goods curated from the MUJI product line. For $152 a night, guests also have the choice between pre-packaged MUJI meals and the reasonably-priced home delivery of produce from local farmers. Seasonal tours of the nearby Takahashi Melon Farm are available as well.

Image courtesy MUJI/Airbnb

The brand says it will soon expand the BASE concept to other cities in Japan...

Placing a ‘culinary emporium’ inside an old Toronto postal station

2023-07-27T11:28:00-04:00

Giannone Petricone Associates has completed Stock T.C, a “culinary emporium” designed to offer a selection of high-quality ingredients, ready-to-eat foods, and an inviting dining experience.

Situated in a historical postal station in Toronto, Canada, the space includes an open market at the ground level, a 200-seat bistro on the second floor, and an event space with a circular bar and roof terrace on the third floor.

Photo credit: Doublespace

The restoration and repurposing of the 1936 limestone postal station included lining the perimeter walls with a second skin, from which shelves, lighting, and acoustic dampeners are hung, integrating the original structure with modern installations.

Photo credit: Stephanie Palmer

The space is infused with what the team calls “the omnipresence of food preparation, with a clear ‘backstage’ treatment” which “mixes with the building materials to entertain the senses.” Reflecting the venue’s mix ...

‘Evocative’ truss wraps HWKN’s completed waterfront building in Washington D.C.

2023-06-29T11:35:00-04:00

HWKN has published images of their recently-completed Water Building One project in Washington D.C. The 13,400-square-foot building sits on the edge of the new District Wharf development on the city’s waterfront and is designed for hospitality and to host visiting boat crews.

Image credit: Ryan Fischer

The team describes the scheme as a “taught and graphic” design set against the backdrop of the wider development and is intended as a “new icon to welcome boats to Washington D.C. and visitors to District Wharf.”

Image credit: Ryan Fischer

The defining feature of the building’s exterior is a truss which the architects describe as a “conceptual extension of the long bench that runs along District Wharf’s waterfront.” Behind the truss is a simply detailed glass box with large interior spaces providing uninterrupted views of the Jefferson Memorial and the adjacent waterfront.

Image credit: Ryan Fischer

The project...

A look inside ANNA Stay, the World Hotel Building of the Year 2022 winner at the World Architecture Festival

2023-01-04T17:21:00-05:00

A modular, wooden cabin from Dutch designer Caspar Schols has won the World Hotel Building of the Year 2022 Award at the recent World Architecture Festival (WAF). Named ANNA Stay, the project is recognized for its sustainable design that allows its guests to reconnect with themselves and nature.

Image: Tonu Tunnel

Image: Jorrit 't Hoen

The building blends into its surrounding environment through its highly flexible design. The structure features two protective sliding shells: an inner shell comprising double glass and an outer shell made of wood. The shells can be adjusted, allowing the space to adapt to various weather conditions, moods, or occasions.

Image: Jorrit 't Hoen

In the cold, the insulated wooden shell can retain heat inside the dwelling. If it becomes too warm, inhabitants can slide and close the wooden layer to keep the coolness within. The glass layer can also be slid open to inject cool air to enter. The glass layer also invites natural light ins...

New resort and casino project approved for the Las Vegas Strip

2022-10-24T11:48:00-04:00

Officials in Clark County, Nevada, have voted to approve a new 43-story resort and casino project to be located on the Las Vegas Strip following a successful bid from Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.

According to Construction Dive, the scheme will include a 2,420-room hotel, 2,536-seat theater, chapel, retail, offices, and convention spaces on top of a multiple-level parking structure and be located nearby the larger Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino at 3725-3735 Las Vegas Boulevard South.

The plan will be developed over the next two years beginning tentatively in March and joins the city’s list of other major forthcoming post-pandemic projects, which to date includes DLR’s Group’s 21-story Dream Hotel, the soon-to-be-completed MSG Sphere by Populous, and the expanding Vegas Loop from Elon Musk’s The Boring Company.

An architect for the project has yet to be named. In a s...

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...

MVRDV's first U.S. building creates a 'colorful vertical village' in upper Manhattan

2022-10-03T11:56:00-04:00

MVRDV has unveiled final images of the Radio Hotel and Tower in upper Manhattan, marking the Dutch firm’s first completed building in the United States. Located in New York’s Washington Heights, and delivered for developer Youngwoo & Associates with Stonehill Taylor as architects of record, the scheme is described as a colorful “urban village” providing “much-needed hotel, office, and hospitality amenities” for the area.

The 300 million-dollar mixed-use scheme is composed of a series of stacked blocks whose proportions were derived from the site’s surrounding buildings. The tower is further distinguished by its bold color scheme, which sees eight different colors of glazed brick; colors chosen in reference to the greens, yellows, blues, reds, and oranges of local shopfronts.

“Washington Heights has a unique and exciting character, very different from the other Manhattan nei...