Archinect - News

Santiago Calatrava-designed UAE and Qatar pavilions highlight Expo 2020 Dubai's grand opening

2021-10-01T15:23:00-04:00

Two neighboring Gulf states are taking center stage at the newly opened Expo 2020 Dubai thanks to a pair of pavilions from Santiago Calatrava.

The Spanish architect, who used to have an office in Doha, currently operates out of Dubai and said he was “thrilled” by the honor of being asked to design structures for the nations that he has come to view as a second home.

Qatar Pavilion © Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

Inspired by the crossed swords image embedded in the Qatari coat of arms, Calatrava’s curvilinear contribution uses the metaphor of a dhow to convey the movement and progress of a country eager to showcase its liberalized outlook to the world.

Qatar Pavilion © Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

The 960-square-meter (10,333-square-foot) structure plays host to immersive exhibitions that highlight the country’s history and ambitious 21st-century development goals.

UAE Pavilion © Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

Calatrava...

David Adjaye designs memorial pavilion honoring iconic South African trumpeter Hugh Ramapolo Masekela

2019-06-14T20:29:00-04:00

The family of the revered South African trumpeter and cultural activist Hugh Ramapolo Masekela recently unveiled a memorial pavilion honoring the musician that architect David Adjaye designed. Masekela passed away last January at the age of 78.

The late Hugh Ramapolo Masekela. Photo: Brett Rubin.

Spearheaded by Masekela's family, the pavilion honors the Pan-African heritage and values that the iconic musician championed throughout his life. It also commemorates his contributions to South Africa's liberation and commitment to realizing a post-colonial Africa that impacted the shared history and memory of people in the African diaspora. The pavilion was revealed at the beginning of South Africa's Youth Month and as part of Masekela's 80th Birthday Commemoration.

Photo: Alexi Portokallis.

Adjaye's elegant design for the pavilion draws from African burial ritual practices, in which dignified structures are built to serve as a gathering place for family and visitors to remember and connec...

Canadian Pavilion for 2020 Venice Biennale to explore country's role as popular filming location

2019-03-14T12:25:00-04:00

The Canada Council for the Arts on Thursday announced the curators and winning proposal for the Canadian Pavilion at the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Led by Montreal architecture and design practice T B A and David Theodore of McGill University, the exhibition will be titled "Imposter Cities," and will touch on ideas of identity, history and culture within the context of Canadian architecture.

Specifically, "Imposter Cities" will explore the county's role as a popular movie set and its architecture as film-famous settings for other places. Nicknamed Hollywood North, Canada has become a top filming location with its cities and buildings often acting as stand-ins for elsewhere—i.e. Montreal plays the part of Paris, while Toronto gets cast as New York or Boston.

Using a range of digital media, the curators will investigate why Canada's buildings are so good at filling the role of somewhere else. On the proposal, organizer David Theodore said, "it will be fun to immerse visitors...

The Columbus Square pavilion by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher, Philadelphia's first licensed female architect, is slated for demolition

2019-03-13T15:24:00-04:00

The loss of this charming pavilion would be a double blow for Philadelphia history. Not only is Columbus Square’s little stone tower a fine example of mid-century modern design, it is also one of a handful of surviving buildings by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher, the first woman in Philadelphia to receive a license to practice architecture.

The crown-roofed cylindrical pavilion designed by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher in 1960 is a landmark in South Philadelphia's Columbus Square. Now, the building is slated for demolition as part of a renovation of the park.

“Because this is women’s history month, it’s also worth pointing out that, 85 years after Fleisher received her architecture license, it’s still rare to find a Philadelphia building designed by a woman. The Columbus Square pavilion may be small, but that doesn’t mean it can’t find a use...”, architecture critic Inga Saffron writes in the article.

Australian architect Glenn Murcutt to design 2019 MPavilion, now in its sixth year

2019-02-19T14:10:00-05:00

The Pritzker Prize-winning Australian architect Glenn Murcutt will design this year's MPavilion, a temporary structure erected each spring in Melbourne's historic Queen Victoria Gardens.

Now in its sixth iteration, the annual commission—an initiative of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation—is Australia's answer to the UK's widely popular Serpentine Pavilion. Others to have designed the months-long installation include Spanish architect Carme Pinós, Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten of OMA, and Bijoy Jain, among others.

Mr. Murcutt, 82, is only the second Australian architect to be commissioned for the project, following Sean Godsell, who designed the inaugural pavilion in 2014. Murcutt is widely considered as one of the country's most profound architects, and is recognized for his designs that carry a distinctive Australian character. He doesn’t build outside Australia.

Magney House, Bingie Point (1982–84). Photo by Anthony Browell.

Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre, Riversdale (1996–9...

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami announces plans for design of 2019 Serpentine pavilion

2019-02-14T13:40:00-05:00

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami, known for his experimental works that blend nature and fantasy, has been tapped by the Serpentine Gallery to design their popular summer attraction, the Serpentine Pavilion. The highly sought-after commission follows the success of previous iterations by rising stars in the world of architecture, Frida Escobedo (2018) and Diébédo Francis Kéré (2017).

Junya Ishigami, KAIT Workshop, Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Japan, 2008 © Junya Ishigami + Associates

At 44, Ishigami, who worked at SANAA before starting his own practice, has amassed a unique body of work. In 2010, he was awarded the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale for his installation “Architecture as Air," praised by the jury for pushing the "limits of materiality, visibility, tectonics, thinness, and ultimately of architecture itself.” Described by Oliver Wainwright as a magician of materials, Ishigami's gift for creating unfeasibly light structures is obvious in o...

Canada Council for the Arts releases four team shortlist for 2020 Venice Biennale

2018-12-19T18:12:00-05:00

The Canada Council for the Arts has revealed the four proposals shortlisted for exhibition at the Canadian Pavilion at Venice's 2020 Architecture Biennale. Included are designs from emerging Canadian stars Common Accounts, Ja Architecture Studio, and the duo Thomas Balaban and David Theodore, who have teamed up for the project. Additionally, Carleton University’s Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism—which is led by Professor Jill Stoner—has been tapped as well.

From an exhibition on Canada's waterscapes and inland bodies of water, to one on light wood framing, the shortlisted visions address ideas of identity, history and culture within the context of Canadian architecture. With an open ended prompt, the proposed exhibitions focus on topics ranging from the after life to Canada's role as a filming location and stand in for other places. Below is a snapshot of each team’s vision.

Fluid Boundaries: Ethical Imaginaries of Inland Waters
Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism (...

The 2018 MPavilion to be designed by award-winning Spanish architect Carme Pinós

2018-02-12T13:36:00-05:00

Announced this morning, the 2018 MPavilion, arriving in spring of this year, will be designed by the award-winning Carme Pinós. Now in its fifth iteration, the MPavilion is Australia's answer to the U.K's Serpentine Pavilion. An initiative of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, the design event commissions a leading international architect to erect a new temporary pavilion in Melbourne’s historic Queen Victoria Gardens every year. Past participating architects include Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten of OMA, Bijoy Jain, Amanda Levete, and Sean Godsell.

The Spanish architect responsible for this year's forthcoming pavilion is internationally celebrated for her humanistic approach to designs ranging from cultural centers, educational institutions and public housing to office towers, urban landscapes and furniture design. Based in Barcelona, Pinós leads her eponymous architectural firm which she founded in 1991 after earning international recognition for her work with Enric Miralles. Signific...

Reiulf Ramstad's proposal for a multivalent, inspirational Ross Pavilion in Edinburgh

2017-06-29T14:55:00-04:00

While no one can claim that they understand where inspiration comes from, most would agree that it doesn't hurt to have an unfettered view of nature in an architecturally inventive setting. Norwegian architects Reiulf Ramstad are among the seven finalists in the Ross Pavilion International Design Competition to design a new cultural pavilion for Edinburgh's West Princes Street Gardens, and their plans reveal a glass-walled, timber-framed structure that attempts to harmoniously look toward the future while not alienating the centuries-old architecture surrounding it.

Image: Forbes Massie Studio

The result is a surprisingly timeless pavilion that encourages contemplation, relaxation, and an appreciation of the Gardens.

Image: Forbes Massie Studio

As the architects explain, "The Ross Pavilion will be the focal point of the city of Edinburgh and its many visitors, but it can also be a symbolic place for all of Scotland as well. The intervention into the Gardens ...

One of these crafty pavilions will win the 2017 CHART ARCHITECTURE competition

2017-04-27T17:59:00-04:00

The competition's 2017 “The Living City” theme revolves around promoting public awareness of sustainable urbanization. Participants had to propose a sustainably designed pavilion for the Chart Art Fair's gastronomy partners and SPACE10 that considers upcycling and reusing materials, multifunctionality, and innovative fabrication methods. Most recently, five teams were announced as the finalists.

Here's a glimpse of the proposals:

“Algae Dome” by Aleksander Wadas, Rafal Wroblewski, and Anna Stempniewicz

“Paper Pavilion” by Kazumasa Takada, Yuriko Yagi and Yohei Tomioka

“Stick Box” by Miki Morita, Suguru Kobayashi and Keita Shishijima

“Sunday Temple” by Mia Frykholm and Astrid Gabrielsson

“Adapt” by Harry Clover, Jack Cripps, Sebastian Gatz and Fabrian Puller

All renderings © CHART ART FAIR.

Learn more about each project on Bustler.

The Hive pavilion moves to Kew Gardens

2016-07-07T12:38:00-04:00

Kew Gardens has been home to many notable sculptures and architectural pieces such as Henry Moore’s “Reclining Mother and Child” and Marks Barfield Architect’s “Tree Top Walkway”. So it was no surprise when it was chosen to showcase “The Hive”.

The Hive is the award-wining pavilion designed by artist Wolfgang Buttress and built by architectural practice BDP and engineers Simmonds Studio. It was first created for the 2015 Milan Expo where it attracted over 3.3 million visitors and became one of the main attractions. It is the first structure to be brought back to Britain after an Expo.

The Hive brings together art, science, sound and landscape representing the important relationship between bee and human.

Prompted by the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" the Hive seeks to showcase the relationship between humans and bees. It’s outer structure is made from aluminum rods arranged hexagonally in a honeycomb fashion. The porous construction mimics the whirlwind motion made by a sw...

Another chance at re-envisioning Philip Johnson's “Tent of Tomorrow”

2016-07-06T14:59:00-04:00

The question still holds: What does the future entail for Philip Johnson's New York State Pavilion? Following the 1964-65 World's Fair, the elliptical “Tent of Tomorrow” lived shortly as a concert venue and a roller-skating rink before it eventually slipped into abandonment. But, the aging landmark has another chance at finding a shiny new purpose in the New York State Pavilion Ideas Competition.

Among recent efforts to preserve the landmark, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the People for the Pavilion co-launched the competition asking architects (and non-architects) how the pavilion can be revived into a contemporary public space. Before the winning ideas are revealed in August, the public can vote now for the Fan Favorite until July 15.

As these open idea competitions tend to show all too exhaustingly often, the possibilities are seemingly endless. The 250 submissions include a brewery, a Metro station, a Glass House reference, drone arenas, botanical gardens, and...

Philip Johnson's Tent of Tomorrow still stands, but what should happen to it?

2015-05-26T14:13:00-04:00

During the [1964-65 World's Fair], the elliptical Tent of Tomorrow was used as a versatile performance space...But not much has been done to preserve the structure since the fair ended in 1965...At the moment, there are no formal proposals, and ['Modern Ruin' film director Matthew Silva] admits it’ll be hard to raise funds without one. But he hopes the film, as well as his advocacy group, will get people thinking about what can be done.

The NY Mets Are Trying to Save the 'Tent of Tomorrow'

Vandals break into the historic New York State Pavilion and set fire to a stolen van, damaging the 50-year-old terrazzo map

"Modern Ruin" documents the rise, fall, and revival efforts of historic New York State Pavilion

Kickstart this! Archinect's Kickstarter picks for May 2014

OMA-designed Chinese Pavilion now open at 2015 Venice Art Biennale

2015-05-23T01:31:00-04:00

OMA returns to Venice once again in the debut of the Chinese Pavilion they designed for the 2015 International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, "All the World's Futures", which opened to the public on May 9. Commissioned by the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation, the multimedia exhibition balances aspects of traditional Chinese culture and society with the works of various contemporary artists and designers all under the theme, "Other Future."

The exhibition features work by notable Chinese creatives like classical composer Tan Dun, Liu Jiakun of Jiakun Architects, artist Lu Yang, filmmaker Wu Wenguang / Caochangdi Work Station, and Wen Hui / Living Dance Studio. The artworks are positioned against a backdrop of digital projections so as to connect the interior and exterior works.

All images Copyright OMA.

OMA Asia designed "Other Future" in collaboration with curatorial advisor Kayoko Ota, who was in charge of the Japanese Pavilion at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale. Dong...

The now-open Milan Expo U.S. pavilion salutes to the future of food, the American way

2015-05-06T13:17:00-04:00

Since breaking ground last summer, the U.S. Pavilion -- titled “American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet" -- has opened to the public at the Milan Expo 2015, which is now in its first week. The U.S. joins the more than 140 participating countries that prepared exhibitions and pavilions that respond to the Expo's overall theme of "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life", which addresses the global issue of food security, access, and the ideal goal to nutritiously feeding more than 9 billion people by 2050.

Designed by New York-based Biber Architects, the pavilion puts on display America's pivotal role in the future of food that emphasizes "openness, transparency and accessibility" in an exhibition designed by Thinc Design. The open barn-inspired structure includes a harvestable hydroponic vertical farm and "uniquely American" (if not consumerist-enticing) features like an expansive boardwalk and a series of food trucks.

Check out photos of the fully constructed pavilion and more detai...

A peek into the UK's beehive-inspired pavilion for Milan Expo 2015

2015-04-29T18:24:00-04:00

As the issue of bee population decline continues to gain more public attention, the United Kingdom's Milan Expo 2015 pavilion, "The Hive", pays tribute to the hard-working honeybees and their essential role of pollination in helping produce the food we eat. Once the 1,910 m2 pavilion officially opens this Friday at the Milan Expo, it will serve as a space for a program of UK business, science and cultural events during the Expo's six-month run.

Designed by Nottingham-based artist Wolfgang Buttress in collaboration with engineer Tristan Simmonds and architectural practice BDP, the Hive's design concept was inspired by the perspective of a honeybee buzzing about its beehive. Fabricated by York-based Stage One (who has created installations for Olympic Games Ceremonies and the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion since 2009), the pavilion boasts 169,300 individual aluminum components.

Assembled into 32 horizontal layers, the pavilion's main body is made up of concentric zig-zag-shaped nodes, whic...

Thinc Design's USA Pavilion exhibition presents America's role in the future of food for Milan Expo 2015

2015-02-23T21:02:00-05:00

New York-based Thinc Design revealed their exhibition design for the USA Pavilion in the upcoming Milan Expo 2015 this May. Collaborating with Friends of the USA Pavilion, Thinc Design's exhibition highlights America's role in the future of the global food system, as a response to the Expo's overall theme, "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life."

The food-related topic challenges the Expo's 140 participating countries to showcase their technological solutions on how to provide healthy, safe, and sufficient food for all, but through sustainable methods that won't disrupt the Earth's equilibrium.

Thinc Design's exhibition will be located inside a 26,000 sq.ft space of the USA Pavilion, designed by Biber Architects. Through a series of immersive presentations and with multilingual college-aged student "ambassadors" as guides, the exhibition will include interactive features and digital media that aim to p...

Need some inspiration to submit to the "Bigger Than A Breadbox" competition? Take a peek at Oyler Wu Collaborative's "The Cube"

2015-02-12T15:11:00-05:00

We caught a glimpse behind the curtain of Oyler Wu Collaborative’s hand-over-hand process in Anthony Morey’s latest piece, where the principal’s meticulous and dogged drawing exercises helped push the firm’s formal development. Taking a look back at one of their earlier pavilions, “The Cube”, initially built for the 2013 Beijing Biennale, helps draw the contingency from line drawing to taught steel.

As Justine Testado previously described in her introduction to “The Cube”, the sculpture/pavilion “transforms a solid idea into an abstract piece”, complicating the supposedly concrete notion of an ideal form, the perfect cube. The pavilion is a clear elaboration on previous work, such as their Taipei Sales Center or the Stormcloud pavilion at SCI-Arc, where solid volumes are stretched and torn by lines and suspensions, testing the spatial limits of what they consider “pure” forms. OWC has also designed two other pavilions at SCI-Arc, including Netscape and Centerstage, which fit clearly ...