Archinect - News

If you have only one day in London go to the British Museum

2016-07-06T11:33:00-04:00

Walking around London it is impossible not to be in awe of the city. Time and time again people have mentioned the energy the city seems to radiate, not just the buildings but the people as well. It is truly my favourite place in the world. The city is steeped in history which can be read through the buildings. You will often find yourself walking down a metropolitan street with tall skyscrapers and glossy storefront windows only to turn into a narrow alleyway with cobblestone pavement and quaint houses. The city is a contradiction of old and new sitting side by side and somehow it works. No place in London showcases this phenomenon more than the British Museum and that’s why it is my favourite place to visit in the city.

Established in 1753 it has been the stage for a number of notable artefacts like, the Rosetta stone, the Lewis Chessmen and the Mummy of Katebet, to name a few. Today, it is still the site of some controversies most notable the Elgin Marbles and where they belong. N...

Could building a giant Helios statue help pull Greece out of its debt crisis?

2015-11-09T13:20:00-05:00

Until an earthquake in 226 BCE knocked it down, the Colossus of Rhodes, a 98-foot-high iron and bronze statue of the Greek god Helios, sat near the harbor of Rhodes, Greece, for 54 years. Now a plan put forth by a small team of scientists seeks to rebuild the ancient statue and boost tourism and local jobs in the process. [...] The proposal also includes an interior library, museum, cultural center, exhibition hall, and, of course, a crowning lighthouse

Learn more about the initiative on the Colossus of Rhodes project site:

The idea of building a contemporary Colossus of Rhodes begun to arise in the ideas of some young professionals, after the break out of the economic crisis in Greece. As unemployment rose and destroyed dreams and ambitions of a whole generation, they tried to work together for a common purpose. Their main task was to make Rhodes a new point of reference for the whole world, to follow a new path and find a solution to the issues that caused such a big sorrow to thousands of people, forced to flee abroad.

Greek museums can't afford to keep the doors open

2015-07-09T13:51:00-04:00

Major public cultural institutions in Greece are on the point of collapse, say leading Greek art professionals, as concerns mount that the country faces insolvency after 61% of the population rejected bailout proposals earlier this week made by international creditors.

Architecture in crisis: reports from Greece

2015-07-06T17:00:00-04:00

The dust is yet to settle in Greece, as the pronounced “No!” of yesterday’s referendum reverberates across Europe. The vote marked a clear rejection by the Greek people of enforced austerity as the price for staying in the Eurozone. It also signaled continued confidence in Alexis Tsipras and the Syria government, despite hope from the leaders of Europe’s surplus economies for a regime change.

With reports from Athens detailing a grim scene of shuttered ATM’s and closed factories, the country’s future remains uncertain.

Many have compared the current situation to the great depression of the 1930’s, and it’s clear that no economic sector is immune to its ramifications – let alone architecture, a field markedly tethered to economic undulations. Archinect reached out to a couple of its members to get a pulse on what’s happening, as well as what it’s been like to live under austerity for nearly a decade.

“The future of architecture in Greece if the economic crisis is not handled,” wrote C...