Archinect - News

Bjarke builds a model! (and explicates his design process)

2016-07-21T14:59:00-04:00

Proving that he can hold his own against 8 to 14-year old contenders, Bjarke Ingels demonstrates some model-building basics by participating in the "Build Your Own Pavilion" challenge, whose participants are usually still in grade school. Admittedly, Bjarke's nimble paper crinkling is integrated seamlessly into an explanation of the design concept behind his "unzipped" Serpentine Pavilion. Here's the full video:

A look at the dioramas of apocalypse

2016-06-29T12:54:00-04:00

Their ongoing series -- titled "The City" -- imagines a parallel universe where humankind is extinct and nature has already started to reclaim the concrete jungle. Think of it as a journey through apocalyptic architecture.

Commercial diorama makers Kathleen Gerber and Lori Nix's dystopian art project, "The City," is a miniature labor of love. Each diorama takes about 7 to 15 months to build, primarily because of the intricate level of detail contained within each scene. Check out this post-apocalyptic casino, replete with distressed slot machines and chintzy carpet:

Or this bombed-out circulation desk scene with half-opened card catalog drawers (a physical object filled with index cards that people used to look up library materials before computer searches):

Meanwhile, this subway scene features a decayed downtown, glimpsed through the permanently agape doors:

What's the latest in innovative model-making?

Tour hundreds of Japanese architectural models by the likes of Shigeru Ban and Kengo Kuma at Tokyo's 'Archi-Depot'

2016-06-20T13:14:00-04:00

The museum, which will open on Tennozu Isle in Tokyo’s Shinagawa district will not only be a place for these models to be displayed, but also act as an effort to preserve them. The space will be lined with over 100 shelves to display their permanent collection, in addition to special exhibits. Each model in the museum will be accompanied by a QR code which can be scanned using a smartphone to access more information about the structure, including photos of the completed work.

The Archi-Depot museum originated from the Archi Depot Foundation (founded last year by Terrada Warehouse and Tokyo Design Center companies), with the core purpose of conveying to a general public the significance and artistry inherent to the architectural model-making process. Before opening the museum, the Foundation staged an exhibition at the 2015 Triennale di Milano.

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