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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...

Port cities in Asia most at risk for climate-related flooding according to new data

2021-10-06T17:36:00-04:00

Cities with the worst exposure to coastal flooding in the coming decades are overwhelmingly located in Asia, according to a comprehensive analysis by leading climate scientists, with port cities in India and China particularly vulnerable.

An international team of research scientists from the US OECD and UK’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, among others, has found that Asian cities are now disproportionately susceptible to flooding owing to migration patterns and a host of other environmental dangers included in climate change.

Using data projections from the 136 port cities around the world that have populations north of one million people, the report ranked each based on its potential exposure to coastal floods in the 2070s. CNBC has an interactive map of the list’s ten largest Asian urban areas, including Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and Mumbai, here.

To preserve or to erase? Aging Modernist buildings across Asia face an uncertain future

2020-12-28T13:39:00-05:00

In cities across Asia, residents and design buffs are rallying to save or document postwar buildings that officials consider too new, too ugly or too unimportant to protect from demolition. Many of the structures were municipal buildings that served as downtown hubs of civic life. The campaigns, in a sense, are an attempt to preserve the collective memories stored inside.

Syracuse University's Lawrence Chua named among 34 Getty Scholar grantees

2020-06-08T18:16:00-04:00

Lawrence Chua, an assistant professor at the Syracuse University School of Architecture, has been awarded a 2020-21 Getty Scholar Grant from the Getty Research Institute (GRI) to study "transregional histories of utopia and the architecture and urban culture of southeast Asia."

According to the Syracuse University News, this year's research cohort is focused on pursuing investigations that seek to deepen scholarly efforts around the topic of "the fragment" and are set to focus on objects of study that remain in less-than-whole forms. The research also considers intact art and cultural objects as "fragments" of the larger cultures that generated these items. The Syracuse website states, "Incoming Getty Scholars are invited to address both the creation and reception of fragments, their mutability and mobility, and their valuation and consequence throughout history."

Previously on Archinect: "Lebbeus Woods drawing collections are acquired by the Getty Research Institute."Selection from...

Exploring the architecture of Soviet Asia with Roberto Conte and Stefano Perego

2019-04-30T15:35:00-04:00

There is still much to uncover from the influence Soviet politics had on modern architecture. As writer Roberto Conte and photographer Stefano Perego make evident in their collaborative book, Soviet Asia, there were significant strides in soviet architecture outside of former Yugoslavia, as the two explored the public buildings and monuments of the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan built between 1950 and the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Soviet Asia, by Roberto Conte and Stefano Perego.

Unlike the architecture of former Yugoslavia, the work documented in Soviet Asia is undeniably influenced by ancient Eastern architecture, including Islamic mosaics and Persian geometric patterns.

Photo by Stefano Perego.

A new urbanism in the Global South

2017-08-16T15:43:00-04:00

But what is the repertoire of concepts, ideas and visions that inform the work of urban planners in the Global South — in Asia, Latin America and Africa? Are they still under the spell of their colonial and postcolonial masters? Or have they developed their own ideas and their own yardsticks, commensurate with the respective culture of their country and region?

"This insight leads to the most important quality of sustainable urban planning in countries of the Global South," urban planning expert Einhard Schmidt-Kallert writes in his commentary piece on Citiscope, arguing that "Planners need to develop urban planning visions that take into consideration the needs of all citizens, of the urban middle class as well as those of the urban poor in informal settlements. Those visions need to translate these needs into a comprehensive concept plan for an entire city, thus overcoming fragmentation and segregation."

"The new real-estate concept of ethnic cleansing" gets investigated

2017-04-04T17:58:00-04:00

It is true that the developers of Europe’s largest regeneration project don’t appear to do ordinary. But they don’t seem to do many black people either...Speak to any property-marketing agency and they will tell you their east-Asian clients are buying a piece of England, which – for them – means blond-haired, blue-eyed Burberry models.

In a particularly taut and enjoyable piece for the Guardian, Oliver Wainwright investigates the questionable marketing tactics behind a starchitect-studded project in England that is catering mainly to East Asian buyers, among several other structures being sold primarily to off-shore clients. Are the ethics of the profession being comprised to make some cold hard cash? As Wainright notes:

In the computer-generated visions emblazoned across the site hoardings, the bustling cafe-lined streets are inhabited by an almost entirely monocultural society of white thirtysomethings. Women with long blond hair and shopping bags, occasionally accessorised with prams, fill the foreground of a scene drenched with that scorching Miami sunshine so familiar to this part of Britain’s capital. “New exciting concept coming soon,” coos another billboard over a vacant shopfront where this tableau is intended to unfold. The new real-estate concept of ethnic cleansing.

Manila's new "wavy" mixed-use tower opens in the city's booming financial district

2016-12-13T17:12:00-05:00

Despite recent geopolitical tensions, The Philippines is projected to have one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and one seeming indicator of that is the increasing number of tall corporate towers — some with, uh, distinctive designs — that are sprouting up throughout Metro Manila. Another one of those developments is the newly opened City Center Tower, a mixed-use building that will house the Philippine headquarters for major tenants like Google, Filipino telecommunications giant Globe Telecom, and American healthcare companies.

Designed by Brooklyn-based Carlos Arnaiz Architects (CAZA), who also has an office in Manila, the 30-story tower was completed this month in the booming Bonifacio Financial District. The building also features three floors of commercial retail and a rooftop restaurant. The building distinguishes itself by the "organic wave pattern" on its exterior facade, formed by a series of concentric circles that extend across the horizontal axes of each flo...

HALLUCINATE creates a “surreal ambience“ in this sleek trading center

2016-08-17T10:00:00-04:00

Large industrial enterprises aren't typically known for conducting business inside jaw-dropping office environments. Shenzhen-based HALLUCINATE Design Office certainly defies that assumption in their Midwest Inland Port Financial Town project in China's Xi’an International Trade & Logistics Park.

Completed last December, Hallucinate won the commission to design the commodity trading center from Maike Metals Group, one of China's largest suppliers of non-ferrous metals and minerals.

Designed with an “unconventional open and tranquil style”, Hallucinate beautifully contrasts bold details and textures with a subtle yet sleek color palette that doesn't appear sterile. The 326,200m² office shows off a glass wall curtain and aluminum panels on its exterior, while its interior boasts a careful arrangement of materials like artificial stone, aluminum, hardwood flooring, and mineral wood. A mixture of natural light and soft LED lighting throughout the space creates a “surreal ambience”.

Most ...

Transforming the Bao'an G107 into a multi-modal “organic highway”

2016-08-04T19:12:00-04:00

[T]he city of Bao'an in Shenzhen is setting its sights on revamping the 30 kilometer, 12-lane G107 highway...By rethinking the notion of a highway and envisioned with a series of utopian-like renderings, [Avoid Obvious Architects + Tetra Architects & Planners] proposed “a smaller, more fluid, multi-layered thoroughfare that will be a spectacular starting point of growth for an organic smart city.”

Here's a preview of their proposal:

Find more of the project on Bustler. You can also watch the video below.

Another speedy “Pyonghattan” skyscraper project is underway

2016-06-29T14:55:00-04:00

Hoping to show the world his country is doing just fine despite sanctions and outside pressure over its nuclear weapons program, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has put his soldier-builders to work on yet another major [skyscraper] project Pyongyang’s new Pyonghattan, officially called “Ryomyong Street,” is to have the country’s tallest apartment building, at 70 stories, along with a 50-story building and a handful of smaller ones in the 30-40 story range.

“[Kim's] soldier-builders are now putting up the frames for each new floor at the reportedly breakneck-pace of 14 hours to get it all done by the end of the year.”

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.”

Is Pyongyang's eccentric architecture only skin deep?

2016-05-20T14:09:00-04:00

Some Pyongyang-watchers believe the changes are merely skin deep, and do not portend or reflect deeper political or economic changes. ‘There is still all this state influence. There is no free development [...] The production of the city has not yet changed. Only the shapes of the buildings have changed.’ ‘There is this thing among North Koreans about developing...an architecture that is reflective of their society. So what is an architecture that reflects their society?‘

The Holcim Awards 2014 Asia Pacific regional winners

2014-11-13T21:39:00-05:00

The announcement of the Asia Pacific regional winners marks the conclusion of the Holcim Awards 2014 competition. Following the winning announcements for Europe, North America, Latin America, and Africa Middle East, 13 projects from nine countries throughout the Asian content and Pacific region were announced during the awards ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia. Three top-prize winners, five Acknowledgement Prizes, and five Next Generation Prizes received a total cash prize of US$330,000.

Check out a preview of some the winning projects below:

GOLD: Protective Wing: Bird sanctuary | Chiang Mai, Thailand
MAIN AUTHOR: Jariyawadee Lekawatana - Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand; Singh Intrachooto - Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand; Chak Cherdsatirkul - Kaomai Lanna Resort, Chiang Mai, Thailand
FURTHER AUTHOR(S): Felix Baroux - École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture et de Paysage de Bordeaux, France; Pacharapan Ratananakorn - Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand; Pratchaya Lertrucksadee - Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand; Nattapong Chumkesorn - Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand; Tamfun Vatayanon - Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand; Sorawut Kittibanthorn - Architectkidd, Bangkok, Thailand

SILVER: Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library | Kathmandu, Nepal
MAIN AUTHOR: Hilary Sample - MOS Architects, New York, USA; Michael Meredith - MOS Architects, New York, USA

BRONZE: Post-War Collective: Community library and social recuperation | Ambepussa, Sri Lanka
MAIN...

Life in Ulaanbaatar's tent city is hard – but Mongolians won't give up their gers

2014-09-09T14:10:00-04:00

Though Ulaanbaatar’s sprawling informal ‘ger district’ lacks access to drinking water and sewerage, officials may struggle to coax residents to swap canvas for bricks and mortar

Norwegian artists plan to open art academy in North Korea

2014-08-28T13:20:00-04:00

The North Korean government has approved plans by two Norwegian artists to open an art academy in the country. Henrik Placht and Morten Traavik travelled to North Korea together for the first time in August to flesh out the proposal and to look for potential sponsors. So far they have received financial support from the Prince Claus Fund. [...] “One of the reasons for us going to North Korea is that we don’t believe in sanctions and the boycott of art,” Placht tells The Art Newspaper.

OMA’s Taipei Performing Arts Center is topped out

2014-08-27T19:05:00-04:00

Since OMA won the competition in 2009, the Taipei Performing Arts Center in Taiwan is gradually coming to life with the recent celebration of its topping out ceremony. OMA design team leaders Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, Kris Yao and Willy Yu of KRIS YAO | ARTECH, Taipei city mayor Hau Lung-pin, and other city government representatives took part in the event.

According to OMA, the Center's three theaters are meant to encourage experimental theater productions, while the Public Loop invites public engagement from both inside and outside the Center.

Here's a glimpse of the project:

More photos and details on Bustler.

Previously: OMA to Build Taipei Performing Arts Centre

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.

As Myanmar Modernizes, Architectural Gems Are Endangered

2014-06-05T13:01:00-04:00

Decades of socialism and military rule kept Myanmar — or Burma, as it was known — poor and isolated. There was one upside, though. The economy was so lousy, there was no drive to demolish the big British colonial buildings in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, and replace them with the glass and steel towers that now define much of the skylines in East Asia. [...] remarkable architectural heritage, which has come into the cross hairs of developers trying to cash in on rising land prices.

Graft & penda’s Myrtle Garden Hotel to break ground in Xiangyang, China

2014-02-24T20:49:00-05:00

Scenery at The Myrtle Flower Garden in Xiangyang, China will look quite different once the new hillside Myrtle Garden Hotel is built. Designed by graft lab architects and penda as a commission, the wooden haptic-structured hotel is ready to break ground within the next few weeks.

Sneak a peek of the new hotel:

Head over to Bustler for full details.

You can also click the thumbnails below for more images

As Myanmar opens up to modern world, historic buildings are at risk

2014-01-09T14:06:00-05:00

Hundreds of colonial-era structures have been destroyed in recent years to make way for modern ones like the Centrepoint tower. Completed last year, the glassy 25-story skyscraper looms over a historic block that includes the dilapidated 100-year-old Supreme Court building and City Hall, which, with its white paint and intricately tiered roof, draws easy comparisons to a wedding cake. The condition of many older buildings makes them targets for tear-down.

Kaohsiung Port Terminal by Reiser + Umemoto in more detail

2013-12-07T02:44:00-05:00

In our last update, Reiser + Umemoto celebrated the groundbreaking of the Kaohsiung Port Terminal in Kaohsiung, Taiwan this past November. Although there aren't any construction photos in the meantime, you can get a better look of the yet-to-be-built terminal with plenty of awesome images we recently received from the firm.

For more, head over to Bustler.

Images courtesy of Reiser + Umemoto.

Grimshaw completes the nature-inspired Ecorium, their first project in Asia

2013-11-25T20:14:00-05:00

Grimshaw Architects recently announced the completion of the Ecorium at the National Ecology Center in Seocheon, South Korea -- making this the firm's first project in Asia.

The newly built ecological educational and research center gives visitors a first-hand experience to learn about the Earth's ecosystems all in one place.

Below are more details on the project:

"The project, which was secured through a turnkey design and build competition hosted by Korea’s Ministry of the Environment, uses nature as an immersive teaching tool to showcase the world’s diverse ecosystems. Grimshaw’s New York studio was appointed by Samsung Construction and worked alongside Samoo Architects and Engineers.

The project concept is inspired by the form of an oxbow lake, an aquatic body created by the evolving erosion of a meandering river. The masterplan guides the visitor flow through a series of botanical gardens and into Ecorium."

"Visitors travel through five biomes, seeing, hearing...

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.

Bartlett blogger, Chris Hildrey, shares his recent travels with a video

2013-03-04T11:33:00-05:00

I went travelling through Japan, China, Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia with my girlfriend. Since getting back to the UK I've condensed some of the video footage from that time into a 5 and a half minute video.

Do western architects disrespect eastern architecture?

2012-07-17T19:21:00-04:00

Seung, who is the third Korean architect ever selected and the only one to get invited twice, says he hesitated to participate in the Biennale. This is because of the 64 star architects invited, there were only two from Asia: Seung and Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima. “I thought the European architecture world doesn’t respect Asian architecture. After hesitating, I decided to go and discuss Asian architectural values that aren’t found in Western architecture.”

Regional Holcim Awards 2011 for Asia Pacific

2011-12-13T14:50:28-05:00

Following the regional Holcim Awards for sustainable construction projects for Latin America, Europe, Africa Middle East, and North America, winners of the Asia Pacific Awards have recently been announced, bringing the regional phase of the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition to a close. A total of USD 300,000 was presented to twelve groundbreaking projects at a ceremony in Singapore.

Korean Prime Minister’s Official Residence by PRAUD + Sunghyun Architects

2011-04-26T18:12:00-04:00

Boston-based research and design firm PRAUD have shared with us their competition entry for the Prime Minister's Official Residence of Korea. The proposal for this structure in Sejong Special Autonomous City right outside of Seoul was a collaboration with Sunghyun Architects, landscape architects were Lee Yoon-joo and Park Kyung-ui. The entry did not manage to win a prize, but we think it is worth sharing.

OMA to Build Taipei Performing Arts Centre

2009-01-27T13:19:00-05:00

The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has been awarded the first prize in the design competition to build the Taipei Performing Arts Centre. The design, led by OMA partners Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren, was selected from over 135 entries from 24 countries by an international jury.

UPDATE: OMA’s Taipei Performing Arts Center is topped out