Archinect

Meng Fanhao with line+ Shape a New Landmark in Hefei: iFLYTEK AI Headquarters Campus (Phase 1) by line+

2024-10-30T15:54:00-04:00

Recently, the iFLYTEK AI Headquarters Campus (Phase 1), designed through an integrated approach by the architectural, interior, and landscape teams led by Meng Fanhao, Co-Founder and Chief Architect of line+, was officially inaugurated. As a local Chinese design firm, line+ secured the opportunity to create a global headquarters campus for a leading domestic tech enterprise amid intense competition. Under the client's commission, Meng Fanhao served as the principal creator and executive chief architect, overseeing the collaborative work across multiple disciplines, including planning, architecture, interiors, landscape, facade, and lighting, managing the entire process from concept to realization.

“I envision the iFLYTEK Headquarters Campus as a city park open to the public, a vibrant creative campus, and a nurturing home for a sense of belonging.” --Meng Fanhao

The iFLYTEK AI Headquarters Campus, located in Hefei High-tech Zone, spans over 200 acres with a total construction area ...

Take a look inside this Paula Rego Museum inspired infill home design in Mexico

2024-10-30T15:46:00-04:00

A new residential project in Mexico from Rogelio Vallejo Bores’ HW-STUDIO Arquitectos that combines domestic serenity with an excavation-like approach to infill housing is worth a closer look following the project’s completion earlier this summer.

The design for Casa Emma was inspired by the space inside Eduardo Souto de Moura's pyramid design for the Paula Rego Museum in Lisbon. Its captivating central feature is a central lightwell that works to channel natural light into various parts of the home, which is tucked away on an unassuming side street in the city of Morelia.

Photo credit: Cesar Bejar

Its small 431-square-foot plot restraints necessitated the inclusion of the skylight to resolve both space and ventilation concerns. The materials selected—a native Yucatan chukum tree resin plaster coating the exterior and interior with engineered oak wood finishes indoors—and voided form both call to mind thereafter an endemic type of Purépecha granary buildings called 'Troje.'

Photo cr...

10 Ghost Towns With Unique Architecture

2024-10-30T13:32:00-04:00

Cities are like living bodies, each one animated by the pulse of human life. People give a city purpose, identity, and movement. When a city is abandoned, its soul departs, leaving behind only the silent architecture, a skeletal remnant of what once was.

While such environments can be hauntingly beautiful in their own right, they nonetheless evoke a sense of unease in the returning visitor who, even subconsciously, will be aware that their surroundings are akin to an architectural 'out of body' experience. They may be aware, too, that the thriving modern city they live and work in may one day suffer the same fate.

To mark Halloween 2024, we explore ten such cities that, while once filled with the soul of human activity, have since been left to decay and gently return to nature.

Documentary exposes harsh labor conditions and deaths at NEOM’s The Line

2024-10-30T11:13:00-04:00

Documentary filmmakers have discovered abusive working conditions for laborers of NEOM’s The Line megacity development in Saudi Arabia. Per new reporting on the website Middle East Eye: "Labourers are forced to work grueling hours far beyond legal limits to construct the flagship project of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s Neom megacity, according to a new ITV documentary."

That film, Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia, is set to air this Sunday for UK audiences. Labor conditions in the Gulf region are considered to have faltered at improving despite several recent regulatory changes in the view of many Western human rights watch groups.

(Another shock claim that 21,000 workers from three countries — India, Bangladesh, and Nepal — have died since the Saudi Vision 2030 plan was enacted in 2016 is reported in the documentary.)

William Rawn Associates selected for Sarasota Music Center design

2024-10-30T10:43:00-04:00

William Rawn Associates has released its initial concept plan for the future Sarasota Orchestra Music Center in Sarasota, Florida. This project expands on the firm’s award-winning portfolio of performing arts spaces that dates to its 1983 founding and includes two venues for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood campus.

The selection committee was thus impressed with the firm’s "listening first" philosophy and the ability of the team presentation led by principal Cliff Gayley to address seven key criteria. Work on the project’s development phase has already begun and will continue with HKS joining on as its executive architect. The firm says its new Music Center will be the first space purpose-built for acoustic music in the Sarasota region. The historic nearby Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall was recently closed indefinitely after sustaining a reported $7 million worth of damage during Hurricane Milton.

Harvard GSD completes first stage renovation of Gund Hall

2024-10-30T09:26:00-04:00

The Bruner/Cott Architects-led renovations to Gund Hall at the Harvard Graduate School of Design has concluded its first phase after work began to rehabilitate the building’s envelope at the end of the spring 2024 semester.

Both building efficiency and occupants' comfort have been improved with better insulation and an increased quality of light in most spaces as greater accessibility was made possible on the outside with the addition of new handrails and guardrails. The GSD's faculty building committee chair David N. Fixler said it was "important that the GSD project a spirit of innovation but also of legacy, of stewardship, of respect for the historic quality of [the building]."

Fixler had also previously called the project an important teaching tool for students interested in the preservation of other important mid-twentieth-century structures.

Taubman College launches latest fellowship round for early-career designers

2024-10-30T08:52:00-04:00

Following our previous look at an opening for an Art Director at the University of Southern California, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for fellowships at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan.

The role, based in Ann Arbor, MI, is open to early-career scholars and practitioners "looking to deepen their work in a dynamic academic setting." The two-year fellowships will offer teaching opportunities, resources for project development, and collaboration with a wider research community, the school adds.

Related on Archinect: Taubman fellows exhibition investigates ecosystem simulations, public housing, and building fixtures. Image: 'Welcome Home' by Salam Rida. Image credit: Rowan Freeman

Why the role interests us

Archinect has previously reported on the design work of fellows from Taubman College. Earlier this year, we covered four fellow-led research projects on displa...

Meta announces investment in low-carbon concrete production plants

2024-10-29T17:47:00-04:00

Last month, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) announced its plans to invest in the California-based concrete manufacturer CarbonBuilt on a new line of low-carbon products called Reversa.

The product is said to offer carbon footprint reductions of up to 70% compared to the current industrial baseline. Data centers will ultimately become the recipients of the product innovations. This comes as the technology giant is in the midst of a year in which it anticipates spending $37 billion on the booming building typology.

Meta's Head of Clean Technology Innovation John DeAngelis said: “Meta is prioritizing a multifaceted approach to accelerating decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors like concrete. Our collaboration with CarbonBuilt will help them to deliver a step change reduction in emissions with a clear near-term path to scale. Accelerating the deployment of these types of solutions is critical for driving deep decarbonization and we hope this collaboration can help pave the path fo...

OMA and WITH Architecture Studio announce Perth Concert Hall renovation plans for 2028

2024-10-29T17:02:00-04:00

OMA has begun work on its renovation of the Perth Concert Hall in Western Australia's capital. The 51-year-old Brutalist structure, which was originally designed by Jeffrey Howlett and Donald Bailey, will undergo an over $98.5 million state-of-the-art reworking to enhance its visitor experience and public spaces. A much-needed restoration of the building's plinth will be enacted in addition to refurbished lobbies on both building levels One and Two, with a new foyer and musicians’ lounge/patrons' area added to the former.

Perth-based WITH Architecture Studio are included on the project team. The expectation is for renovations to be complete by the end of 2028.

You may remember OMA was behind a colorful design for the city's PRINCIPLES Square earlier this year.

Farshid Moussavi one of ten appointed to Mayor of London’s new Town Architects committee

2024-10-29T15:53:00-04:00

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced the appointment of Harvard GSD professor and architect Farshid Moussavi to a new two-year pilot program to improve public space and high streets in the city.

The Town Architects program includes ten total names and is meant to "support the creation of safe, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods and economic growth by ensuring that boroughs" by augmenting the planning process in unison with Chief Placeshaping Officers and Design Champions. Each architect was chosen from the existing Design Advocates pool. Joining Moussavi are Jas Bhalla, Adam Khan, Ken Okonkwo, Holly Lewis, Hilary Satchwell, Paul Monaghan, Tom Holbrook, Alice Fung, Julian Lewis.

Snøhetta and sbp to replace 120-year-old bridge across New York gorge

2024-10-29T15:34:00-04:00

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) has unveiled the design of the new Sentry Bridge at Watkins Glen State Park, designed by schlaich bergermann partner (sbp) and Snøhetta. Set to replace a 1908 concrete arch bridge, the new structure reflects over a century of pedestrian infrastructure, from tunnels to lookouts, along the popular Gorge Trail.

This redesigned Sentry Bridge maintains a connection to the original arch structure while offering a modern, lightweight aesthetic. Stretching 46 feet, the bridge’s stainless-steel construction is anchored by the stronger rock face on the gorge’s north side, with a half-arch design that subtly disappears behind the rocks, inviting visitors into the scenic Gorge Trail. Materials including stainless steel, bronze, concrete, wood, and local stone seek to highlight both craftsmanship and durability, embracing the elements to become part of the gorge’s natural and historical landscape.

Image credit: schl...

Winning compassionate designs from the Hospice – Home for the Terminally Ill competition

2024-10-29T15:13:00-04:00

The results from the third edition of Buildner’s Hospice – Home for the Terminally Ill competition have been shared.

For this year's contest, architecture students from across the world were invited to innovate and develop environments that promote comfort, dignity, and a sense of community for those dealing with life-threatening conditions. Participants were tasked with designing a facility that can accommodate upwards of fifteen visitors with room for five staff members. Some of the necessary add-ins were essential spaces like a common area, library, gathering room, chapel, kitchen/dining room, a nurse’s room, and psychological therapy chamber. Each was also encouraged to choose a theoretical site from their home country.

The competition aimed to showcase "how thoughtful design can provide comfort and support during challenging times."

1st Prize Winner + Buildner Student Award: QUARRY GARDEN - OASIS OF HOPE

GEOSONG by MORIYUKI OCHIAI ARCHITECTS

2024-10-29T15:12:00-04:00

-Colorful Strata and the Sparkle of Spring Water-

We performed the design for a residential building located in a hilly area.

Surrounded by rolling hills covered in lush green trees, the building site is set in a large hilly area where cross sections of the exposed stratum can be seen and a park with a fountain filled with spring water can be found.

Thus, we set out to integrate into our design the structure of the earth while echoing the natural forces shaping the rising hills, strata/soil, and spring water found therein.

The exterior of the building is layered in a gradation of blue and green colored strata and faults extending skyward, inspired by the colors of the the surrounding clear blue skies over the hilltops, and those of the neighboring park, which shines in the brilliant sunlight with deep and rich greenery.

Like the pattern of a geological formation showing constantly changing expressions, the facade changes its expression in a variety of ways depending on the position ...

Truly LA by Bergmeyer

2024-10-29T15:09:00-04:00

As a pioneer brand known for pushing the traditional seltzer boundaries, it was a natural next step for Truly Hard Seltzer to elevate its brand presence with the first-ever Truly Hard Seltzer Tasting Room, located in the heart of the iconic downtown Los Angeles Arts District.

Truly LA is a fully immersive seltzer taproom offering drinkers and culture seekers innovative flavors and an exciting menu of seasonal shared plates which also features live entertainment from local up-and-coming musicians, comedians, and artists.

As a longtime design partner with the Boston Beer Company brands, Bergmeyer was brought onto the Truly LA project to help create a space unlike anything ever done before in its category, providing something entirely new for Truly Hard Seltzer fans by creating a vibrant, fully immersive venue for all to enjoy.

Bergmeyer’s design team purposefully designed the space to galvanize the connections between brand and consumer while setting the baseline for an authentic hard...

Searching for new architecture and design jobs? Michael K. Chen Architecture, MWA Architects, Brandon Architects, Heather Young Architects, and Perron Roettinger are hiring

2024-10-29T13:55:00-04:00

Look below for Archinect's latest curated selection of architecture and design firms currently hiring on Archinect Jobs. This week's featured employer highlight includes openings in New York City, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Costa Mesa, California, and Los Angeles.

For even more opportunities, visit the Archinect job board and explore our active community of job seekers, firms, and schools.

Michael K. Chen Architecture is accepting applications for a Junior Architect / Designer with one to three years of experience and fluency in Rhino and Revit in New York City. Interested candidates should also have strong drawing and graphic skills, including in AutoCAD and the Adobe Creative Suite. The firm is searching for individuals who are both self-sufficient and highly collaborative, organized, and detail-oriented.

Michael K. Chen's Reimagined Studio. Photo: Max Burkhalter

Design firm MWA Architects is hiring for an Architect/Laboratory Planner who has ten-plus year of experience, with seven ...

Applying to architecture school? Don't miss these info sessions and open houses this fall

2024-10-29T12:55:00-04:00

Application deadlines for 2025 architecture academic programs are coming up soon! To learn more about exciting undergraduate and graduate degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning, take a look below at Archinect's latest highlight of upcoming information sessions and open houses (online and in-person) as a guide to your application process.

AA School of Architecture students construct timber 'Tree and Truss' structure using robotic fabrication

2024-10-29T12:19:00-04:00

A new student-led project from the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA) that combines robotic fabrication processes with new software applications has been shared with Archinect as part of the school's Design + Make 2022-24 cohort.

Image: courtesy Design + Make course Architectural Association/Photographer Rafael Ferres Echavarren

The 'Tree and Truss' project is a mass timber structure made from locally sourced materials and designed to support the columns and trusses of a new lecture hall standing in Hooke Park on the school's Woodland Campus.

Image: courtesy Design + Make course Architectural Association/Photographer Rafael Ferres Echavarren

Together, the students say: "The project explores a hybrid structure that seamlessly transitions from natural geometry to engineered timber and regards the tree as column and the truss as beam as the fundamental points of departure. We design through making and aim to work with the material behavior of timber."

Image: courtesy ...

French officials float €5 tourist entrance fee after Notre Dame reopening

2024-10-29T09:59:00-04:00

The soon-to-reopen Notre Dame Cathedral might include a €5 entrance fee. The French cultural minister's controversial proposal, which The Guardian says is being "fiercely opposed" by the Roman Catholic church’s leaders, could raise upwards of €75 million ($80.8 million) annually. A 1905 law enshrining secularism in France could prevent the fee from being enacted. Ariel Weil, who represents the city center, told a radio outlet "The minister’s proposal as it stands may not be possible, but it does raise the question of the huge number of visitors to Notre Dame and the colossal investments required in our religious heritage nationwide."

Notre Dame is scheduled to reopen its doors on December 8th after a five-year reconstruction.

Tamalpais Temple by O2 Treehouse

2024-10-28T21:01:00-04:00

The Tamalpais Temple a design approach to create an elegant structure that has the ability to encompass a generous amount of space without breaking the bank. Luscious redwood siding lines the interior walls, complimenting the bamboo hardwood flooring of the treehouse to fill the space with a rich spread of red, pink and tan hues.

The structure is outfitted with panoramic polycarbonate windows overlooking the forest and capped with a clear twinwall paneling that turns the roof into one large skylight. The door is handmade from the same materials as the walls and blends in harmoniously with the aesthetics of the space.

The space is designed as an oblong hexagon with an 18’ x 10’ footprint and 120 degree angled walls to provide unique geometric aesthetic. It functions as a playhouse hideaway for the kids and a serene yoga den for the parents. Situated nearly 20 feet up amongst a redwood grove on a sloped ravine, this structure connects to the backyard of the house on the property throu...

Santel Napa by O2 Treehouse

2024-10-28T20:57:00-04:00

This glass treehouse and deck in Napa County overlooks the hillside below, capturing the modern warmth of the surrounding environment in its final design. Napa is the perfect setting for this open plan design, featuring ceiling-height glass wall panels inset into its wood structure above. This unique structure suspends between two old-growth trees at the hilltop, overlooking the sweeping landscapes below.

Watch LAX's new Midfield Satellite Concourse South taxi to its final destination

2024-10-28T17:14:00-04:00

Woods Bagot has shared a video from the recent overnight installation of its Midfield Satellite Concourse South (or MSC South) project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The project adds around 146,000 square feet of space and eight gates designed to hold narrowbody aircraft.

Video courtesy Woods Bagot

Its realization was made possible by an innovative new process called Offsite Construction and Relocation (or OCR), which calls for an in-situ delivery staged in nine segments in order to avoid costly disruptions to air traffic operations after the process began earlier this year just north of the airport's northernmost runways. Buro Happold (structural engineering, sustainability, lighting, and acoustical design) was able to ensure its delivery in partnership with RAW International.

Image: Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)

The next step after this major hurdle will be to assemble each of the segments through 2025.

Image: Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)

Woods Bagot’s Ian L...

A creative trio of treehouse designs emerge as winners of the Tree House 2024 competition

2024-10-28T16:27:00-04:00

The winners of this year’s Tree House 2024 competition have been named by its organizers at Volume Zero.

Participants in this competition were given a brief that asked them to imagine a coastal, riverbank, forest, backyard, urban, or even mountainous site and create designs tailored to offer unique solutions to spatial challenges.

Of the 37 countries represented by the 11-person jury panel, which included Sigurd Larsen and a slate of international architects, a group of three received cash prizes. Another ten received Honorable Mention designations. Designs from India were particularly well-represented. Many offer scrupulous and creative approaches to the inherently playful typology defined by their use of biomimetic, multi-functional, and even mythological design considerations or inspiration.

First Place: THET(h)REE Leaves by Karan Bhambhani, Ishika Soni & Aaryan Soni (India)

Dr. Shannon Walker Neighborhood Library by BRAVE/architecture

2024-10-28T15:47:00-04:00

Dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of its patrons, this library offers a range of spaces and amenities, from traditional reading areas to innovative gathering spots. Housing traditional book stacks and reading areas, it also features innovative spaces for collaboration and interaction. With a café, flexible meeting areas, audio, video, and podcast recording spaces, private study rooms, and a variety of seating arrangements, the library incorporates our expertise in interior design and retail, ensuring a dynamic and inclusive environment for all.

The Dr. Shannon Walker Neighborhood Library stands as a testament to our commitment to excellence in community centric design, setting precedent for future endeavors in enriching the lives of our patrons. Navigating the intricate program requirements and diverse array of finishes presented distinctive challenges during construction administration.

Schedule and budget were proportionally affected by the pandemic. A/E team and Client pro...

Recenter by BRAVE/architecture

2024-10-28T15:47:00-04:00

Recenter is a five-story, multi-use structure, designed for the nonprofit Hope Harbor in the Midtown district of Houston along the light rail line. Hope Harbor’s mission provides rehabilitation services to Houston’s homeless population, including educational initiatives in addition to housing and addiction services. The new building replaces a small complex of structures that quickly became inadequate for the scale of impact necessary.

Two lower levels house administration, lounges, a terrace with a garden, and dining, while the upper levels contain the residential spaces and open dayrooms. The juxtaposition of the residential floors to the base it rests upon is emphasized by the darker, natural materials lower on the building against the light composite panels above. The ample terrace on the second level has a garden where residents may grow vegetables and relax during their stay. Three dayrooms puncture the facade, opening a glimpse of the colorful floors within. Each residential ...

Manuela Pedraza House by OADD arquitectos

2024-10-28T15:44:00-04:00

The present single-family home, located on a small plot in Villa Urquiza, Buenos Aires, stands as an urban house that dialogues with its immediate surroundings. The morphology of the house shapes the corner, contributing to not exhausting the buildable volume, with a manifest intention to maximize the surrounding urban voids.

The wall configuration of the house, along with the carefully located openings, creates a pure, functional, and contemporary volume. This architecture, simple and forceful, is manifested through clear lines and honest materials, evoking a sense of serenity and order.

Functionally, the house is organized into spaces that are articulated through a large central patio and terraces. The expansions function as catalysts for the daily activities of the home, promoting constant interaction between the interior and exterior.

On the ground floor, which is directly connected to the street, there is a barbecue area intended for social and recreational activities. Th...

Take a look inside BIG’s brand new concrete HQ office in Copenhagen

2024-10-28T14:04:00-04:00

Images of BIG’s newly opened waterfront headquarters in Copenhagen have been made public after the relocation was completed earlier this spring.

The office known for its familial atmosphere and daily team meals worked on the project collaboratively through its proprietary integrated LEAPP approach (short for internal Landscape, Engineering, Architecture, Planning, and Product Design).

Image copyright Laurian Ghinitoiu

BIG founder Bjarke Ingels shared: "The idea behind LEAPP is an architecture practice as a renaissance, interdisciplinary body of people and knowledge. [...] Every single aspect of LEAPP has been involved in our HQ, including the planning, the product design, the very complex stacking of the concrete elements."

Image copyright Laurian Ghinitoiu

Inside the Piranesian-inspired minimal concrete structure that's located at the tip of a pier in Nordhavn, a sole rotated totem pole-like column made from six types of stone supports a stacked pastiche of open and solid architectu...

Downwind Apartment by Ashari Architects

2024-10-28T13:48:00-04:00

The Downwind Residential Apartment stands as a graceful integration of form and function within its urban context, harmonizing with the surrounding landscape while offering a distinctive living experience.

Situated amidst predominantly single-story structures, the challenge of creating a three-story building was met with a sensitive approach to form. The building's design responds to its context by employing subtle undulations and depressions, aligning its silhouette with the existing skyline. This deliberate gesture ensures continuity with neighboring structures, while also infusing the development with a sense of individuality. Rounded corners at intersecting streets preserve visual cohesion, blending volume seamlessly with surface.

The relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces is carefully curated, with a focus on maximizing natural light and fostering a connection to the environment. Embracing its southern exposure, the building opens generously towards the backyard...

Three creative New York City interiors by Michael K. Chen Architecture: Your Next Employer?

2024-10-28T12:04:00-04:00

Following our previous visit to nARCHITECTS, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series to New York City this week to explore the work of Michael K. Chen Architecture.

Led by Michael K. Chen, the firm describes its mission as to provide “innovative and superbly crafted work for clients seeking thoughtful and well-considered design.” In 2021, Chen spoke with Archinect as part of our Studio Snapshot series, offering readers an insight into how the firm playfully blends the boundaries between architecture, interior, and product design.

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for a Junior Architect / Designer to join their New York City team. For candidates interested in applying for a position or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up three creative interiors by Michael K. Chen Architecture that exemplify the firm’s ethos.

Park Avenue Apartment. Image courtesy of MKCA

Park Avenue Apartment, New York, NY

In a prestigious Carneg...

Gamma MKE by SYNECDOCHE

2024-10-28T11:12:00-04:00

When piercing artists Nathaniel Tinker and Kira Leigh returned to their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they didn’t want to leave behind their Ann Arbor studio culture and design. The couple and owner, Jef Saunders, contacted Synecdoche to design the second piercing studio following a successful first location.

The interior architecture connects the piercing experience with personal ritual within its 1,100-square-foot retail space. Each piercing becomes part of a unique narrative of self-care and expression, while the space itself defines a ritualistic journey, offering opportunities to document and celebrate personal moments.

Stripped of unnecessary stimuli, a natural tan base palette with color accents signals interaction points along the journey for intuitive navigation while reducing guest anxiety. Before entering the space, guests are welcomed to the experience through friendly environmental graphics affixed to the front door. The reception and retail give space to set inten...

Google updates Open Buildings data sets using AI

2024-10-28T10:46:00-04:00

In 2021, the Google Research Africa team launched Open Buildings, an open-source dataset of building footprints across the Global South produced using AI and high-resolution satellite imagery. The team had a simple vision: to fill a major gap in data for population and density in the developing world. Now in its third version, their dataset contains polygons for 1.8 billion buildings over an area of 58 million km² in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The data is useful in determining population size and other factors to solve urban density problems.

Google's Research product manager Olivia Graham says: "About 2.5 billion more people could move to cities by 2050, most of them in the Global South — this could be a real step change for governments and organizations working through that growth. If a city is planning where to put essential services like healthcare and education, or where to develop infrastructure like water and energy supplies, this dataset shows the areas that are actively growing."

The data can be explored via a searchable map using that's accessed here.