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Archinect's 2022 Lunar New Year roundup celebrates the exciting work of architects across Asia

2022-02-01T14:37:00-05:00

Happy Lunar New Year! Also referred to as Chinese New Year in some regions, this important celebration marks the beginning of the lunar calendar year. Traditionally, many Asian cultures follow a lunar calendar versus the solar/Gregorian calendar, which is why the Lunar New Year falls on a different day each year. Beyond the mark of new beginnings, this celebration also symbolizes the "reunion and rebirth" of the seasons, as we say goodbye to winter and hello to spring.

Celebrated primarily across East and Southeast Asia, various cultures have their own ways of celebrating the Lunar New Year. Countries like China, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philipines, Malaysia, and Thailand to name a few, all have special holiday traditions to welcome spring and the Chinese zodiac animal being honored.

As we celebrate the new year of the Tiger, our team highlights a selection of built projects by architecture and design firms across East and Southeast Asia featured on Archinect (in no particu...

Porous interventions to adapt to increasing floods in Bangkok

2018-03-05T16:12:00-05:00

Sea level rise and increased rain have posed serious flood risks for Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, which is already close to sea level. [...] She works to do this by reclaiming urban porosity through a network of public green spaces. [...] She has already been planning and working on projects beyond climate resilient housing - including rain gardens, green roofs, permeable parking, urban forests and farms - to address the root causes of increased flooding in her city.

After witnessing a dramatic economic boom and rapid urbanization—and subsequent environmental challenges—in her native Thailand, Harvard graduate, landscape architect and TED fellow Kotchakorn Voraakhom founded Porous City Network to fight the increased risk of flooding with design solutions and improve urban resilience and adaptability in Bangkok, primarily in the city's most vulnerable communities: "PCN makes the city porous by transforming underused impervious surfaces into a system of productive public green spaces, and advocating maintaining threatened landscape infrastructure like agricultural land, canals, and ditch orchards, which help mitigate excess water."

Archaeologists discover hidden ancient cities in Cambodia, some as big as Phnom Penh

2016-06-13T16:07:00-04:00

Archaeologists in Cambodia have found multiple, previously undocumented medieval cities not far from the ancient temple city of Angkor Wat...Some experts believe that the recently analysed data – captured in 2015 during the most extensive airborne study ever undertaken by an archaeological project, covering 734 sq miles (1,901 sq km) – shows that the colossal, densely populated cities would have constituted the largest empire on earth at the time of its peak in the 12th century.

“That survey uncovered an array of discoveries, including elaborate water systems that were built hundreds of years before historians believed the technology existed. The findings are expected to challenge theories on how the Khmer empire developed, dominated the region, and declined around the 15th century, and the role of climate change and water management in that process.”

Rockefeller Foundation and USAID Announce Global Resilience Design Challenge

2014-08-14T14:04:00-04:00

The first feature of the Resilience Partnership will be the launch of a multi-phase resilience design challenge, focused on bringing people and organizations from a diverse set of industries together to collaborate on bold and innovative solutions to the toughest resilience challenges facing the three focus regions.

The “world’s largest indoor arena” by Populous officially opens in Manila, Philippines

2014-07-21T21:02:00-04:00

Since construction began in 2011, Populous just announced the opening of the Philippine Arena in Manila, Philippines. Commissioned by Iglesia Ni Cristo (the Church of Christ), the structure is described to be the world's largest indoor arena and will be able to accommodate up to 50,000 people. The arena was also designed to host a variety of church gatherings and major entertainment events.

Daniel Libeskind’s 60-story Century Spire breaks ground in Metro Manila, Philippines

2014-05-30T20:51:00-04:00

Daniel Libeskind is at it again with the recent unveiling and groundbreaking of Century Spire, a 60-story tower that will be built in the city of Makati in Manila, Philippines. Showrooms officially opened on May 28, and Libeskind joined Century Properties and Armani/Casa officials at the groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting. The tower is scheduled for completion in 2018.

Daniel Libeskind collaborated with Robbie Antonio of major Philippine real estate firm Century Properties Group and Giorgio Armani's Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio in designing the office and residential tower — which they all believe will reshape Metro Manila's skyline (It sure will...)

So, Archinecters, any thoughts on Libeskind's latest project? (I know you do). Feel free to share them in the comments below.

Winning designs of Cambodian Sustainable Housing competition now built

2014-04-18T13:45:00-04:00

It's a well-known fact that a safe and comfortable home is essential to one's well-being. From Building Trust International's 2013 "The Future of Sustainable Housing in Cambodia" competition, over 600 registered entrants proposed sustainable housing solutions for low-income families in Cambodia. The jury -- which also comprised of the families who moved into their new homes -- chose 3 joint-winning designs recently constructed in Phnom Penh.

The winners are:

Courtyard House by Jess Lumley & Alexander Koller (UK)

Open Embrace by Keith Greenwald and Lisa Ekle (USA)

Wet + Dry House by Mary Ann Jackson, Ralph Green, Muhammad Kamil & Nick Shearman of Visionary Design Development Pty Ltd. (Australia)

More details on Bustler.

Also check out our recent feature of Building Trust International's "Moved to Care" competition results.

Moved to Care competition winners highlight the importance of safe healthcare for all

2014-04-08T13:56:00-04:00

No matter what country you live in, everyone deserves access to safe and secure healthcare. Re-emphasizing this global issue is Building Trust International's Moved to Care competition, which sought feasible design solutions for a portable healthcare facility for high-demand regions in Southeast Asia.

Out of over 200 registered entrants, a U.S. multidisciplinary team consisting of Patrick Morgan, Jhanéa Williams, and Simon Morgan won the Professional category. The jury also selected nine honorable mentions from around the world.

For the Student category, ‘REFLEX’ by Christopher Knitt (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA) was named the winner along with four honorable mentions.

Check out the winning entries below.

Professional category winner: Patrick Morgan M-Arch, Simon Morgan MPH and Jhanéa Williams M-Arch (USA)

Student category winner: "REFLEX" by Christopher Knitt (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA)

Learn more about the projects on Bustler.

Winners of Borderless: Designing Future ASEAN Borders

2013-05-02T18:21:00-04:00

Winning design schemes have just been announced in the international competition Borderless: Designing Future ASEAN Borders. The competition brings attention to the spaces along the borders of the 10 members of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with the aim of improving their existing conditions.