As my own contribution to Archinect’s 2015 year in review, I have gathered a sampling of the News, Blog posts, Discussions and Features from last year (or even further) that touch on key themes of 2015, look to projects/awards/openings coming in 2016 or in some-way reference either 2015 or 2016.

To start, Patrik Schumacher penned an Op-Ed: Beyond Stars, Icons and Much More in which he insists "parametricism has matured and can now take on serious, relevant work. The days of adolescent muscle-flexing are over – the real work has to begin".

Daniela Ghertovici found it refreshing "not because Schumacher is advocating apathetic callousness in the face of political problems, but precisely because so many (academic) architects waste precious time and resources attempting to solve macro political problems within a discourse that is entirely impotent to solve such problems." 
 

News

This February, The Royal Institute of British Architects will present the 2016 Royal Gold Medal, to Dame Zaha Hadid. She will be the first (sole) woman to be awarded the honor. Reacting to some critics, null pointer opined "Haters just have horrible taste."

Back in August, the architects for the US Pavilion of the 2016 Venice Biennale, were announced. Curated by Cynthia Davidson and Monica de Ponce Leon, the exhibition (‘The Architectural Imagination’) will show "new speculative architectural projects commissioned for specific sites in Detroit but with far-reaching application for cities around the world."

Perhaps a bit too enthusiastically knoa wrote "Definitely many of the most brilliant minds in Architecture and almost all geniuses.  This year the pavilion will definitely change the future of Architecture.  Watch for a complete paradigm shift."

Although the Architecture Billings Index started off 2015 "on Solid Footing" by the end of the year, as was the case a few times over the course of the year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the November ABI score was 49.3, down from the mark of 53.1 in the previous month.

When the REX redesign the historic Davis Brody building on 450 West 33rd St in New York, was originally unveiled, Fred Scharmen had to admonish some commentators "Of course it's news, it's a fascinating project." As of an October interview with Principal Joshua Prince-Ramus, it was still on track to be completed in 2016.

observant believed the DTLA Federal Courthouse designed by SOM was "simple and contextual" and "better than some more recent courthouses in the West". The $400-million courthouse was 70% complete as of October 2015 and makes use of a 600-ton hat truss in order to support "approximately 6,000 tons, or the load of 10 floors" and achieve its cantilevered perimeter.
 

Firms/Work Updates

Mitch McEwen was featured in the first Archinect Sessions podcast of 2015. Her first blog post reflected on why architects remained silent during the Ferguson protests and highlighted an essay she wrote on "illegality of Black leisure through late nineteenth century public health epidemics, dance in the jazz era, queer loitering, and urban parks." midlander found it interesting and a reminder that "Zoning is insidious - it's an obscure way to shape policy where the public won't pay much attention."

Later her partnership with Marcelo López-Dinardi, A(n) Office, Detroit, Michigan was one of 12 teams selected for inclusion as part of the 2016 Venice Biennale US Pavilion.

Responding to the big new that NCARB will phase out the "intern" title Everyday Intern published a post arguing NCARB "didn’t tackle the great intern title debate … they punted it...NCARB is willing to advocate for and acknowledge proper terms for architects and post-architects, but nothing for pre-architects...NCARB is turning its back on an integral group of the profession that I feel deserves some sort of title." kjdt provided some background/context "The reason that NCARB didn't recommend a particular title is that when the task force ran the issue by the state boards many were adamant about their own currently allowed and disallowed titles."

Jessica A.S. Letaw answered the question Chicago Architecture Biennial: Hit or Miss? with a review. Her conclusion?

"In the end, the Chicago Architecture Biennial means a lot to Chicago's tourism industry and cachet in international architecture; a little bit to architecture's development and proliferation of new ideas; and not much to anyone else...yet."
 

School/Blogs

Lian Chikako Chang spoke with Courtney Sharpe and Cara Michell members of Harvard Graduate School of Design’s African American Student Union (AASU), and Black in Design conference organizers. Their primary goal was "to provide a platform to showcase the work of Black designers and other practitioners whose work positively impacts Black communities."

Kyat Chin affiliated with the Department of Architecture - College of Environmental Design at Cal Poly Pomona showcased the work of fellow students; Jacklin Lee, Andrew Lytle, Saba Salekfard, done as part of an interdisciplinary studio led by instructor Sarah Lorenzen. The project, 'Spectacle of the Nakedness' reimagines the bathhouses of West Hollywood, by adding retail, office, and hotel programs.
 

Discussions/Threads

As early as 2008, when discussing the future of architectural employment or reasons for economic Optimism!, folks referenced a Bureau of Labor Statistics / Occupational Outlook Handbook: and Careerbuilder.com to "project an 18% increase in the number of architects in the work force before 2016. It's not all gloom and doom".

However, won and done williams and quizzical were in agreement that it was "a very complicated situation."

Season 2 of the Archinect Sessions podcast returned and the Sessions crew hoped to post a thread each week airing out the topics they would be covering. Despite the fact they didn’t seem to manage to keep the practice going, Bench dropped in to share "This has honestly been one of my favourite podcasts to listen to (I routinely listen to about 15-20 different ones). Looking forward to the new season."

Finally Arshia Eghbali wanted to know who "you think WILL win the Pritzker" in 2016? Archinect began the New Year with the same question? Donna Sink used the opportunity to lay down a marker "DSR tore down the Folk Art Museum...They earned the disrespect of their peers by disrespecting their peers...Holl should get it this year, for sure. Adjaye's work is compelling but he's also very young."