The Toronto Central YMCA designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects has won the 2018 Prix du XXe siècle for architecture. Presented by the National Trust for Canada and RAIC, the honorable prize distinguishes outstanding 20th-century Canadian architectural landmarks for their enduring excellence and... View full entry
The long-awaited vision for the 2.2-acre site along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, unveiled in the first community meeting for the project, is toned down a bit from the 2,000-foot-tall Spire plan that stirred emotions but never advanced beyond a 76-foot-deep foundation hole. The design, by One World Trade Center architect David Childs, includes a south tower rising 1,100 feet and an 850-foot north tower. — Chicago Tribune
Ever since work on Santiago Calatrava's 2,000-foot-tall Chicago Spire came to a halt in 2008 due to financial troubles, the city was left with a gaping hole in the ground rather than the nation's tallest building. Rendering: Related Midwest.A new proposal by Related Midwest for a pair of towers... View full entry
This post is brought to you by ABB LEAF Awards. The LEAF Awards is an annual awards ceremony founded in 2001 that brings together leading architects, designers, developers and suppliers from around the world. It recognises innovative architectural design projects and celebrates excellence in... View full entry
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will celebrate the inauguration of the Glassell School of Art this Sunday, May 20, marking the completion of the first phase of the museum's 14-acre redevelopment. The first phase also includes the BBVA Compass Roof Garden designed by Steven Holl Architects and... View full entry
While some were delighted that at least a small part of the architectural heritage of Robin Hood Gardens was being preserved for posterity, others were furious that the V&A – a so-called ‘arms-length’ body, governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Prime Minister – considered the estate valuable enough to collect, but not valuable enough to help save from demolition in the first instance. — frieze.com
The story behind London's brutalist Robin Hood Gardens reveals issues pertinent to our current housing crisis. Crystal Bennes unpacks the V&A's decision to preserve and display a section of demolished housing in this year's Venice Architecture Biennale, revealing condemnation of the building... View full entry
As hospice design becomes more formally ambitious — and standardized — we should remember there is no universal model for ‘dying well.’ — Places Journal
What is the ideal setting for the end of life? The dominant templates of the mid-century mega-hospital and the domestic hospice set the rational spaces of medical institutions against the familiarity of home. Yet, we are increasingly seeing hybrid forms that deviate from these two distinct... View full entry
Foster + Partners met with the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, a state bordering India’s southeastern coast, to oversee the next design stages of the state's new capital Amaravati. Foster + Partners will design the central area of the governmental complex including two key buildings... View full entry
Housing is one of our most essential and cherished commodities. It is rightly one of our biggest markets, but unfortunately one of the most politicised, suffocating under quasi-socialist political interventionism. The loss of prosperity in our whole society is enormous. Not only because of poor housing provision, but because of its stifling impact on all economic activities. That’s why the need for a capitalist revolution is so urgent. — The Guardian
It's been a bit quiet around Zaha Hadid Architects principal and outspoken free-market evangelist Patrik Schumacher since his last big public statement calling for the elimination of social housing caused an overwhelming backlash, but now he's back with a new commentary piece on how to fix housing... View full entry
The Royal Institute of British Architecture, alongside Norman Foster, has announced the winner of their twelfth Travelling Scholarship. After receiving the highest number of entries of any year thus far, the annual, £7,000 prize has been awarded to Steven Hutt of University of Greenwich for his... View full entry
In Archstorming's “Coexist: Rethinking Zoos” ideas competition, entrants were challenged to rethink the concept of the traditional zoo for the 21st century. Located on the site of the Barcelona Zoo, entrants had to propose a design that focuses more on animal welfare, biodiversity conservation... View full entry
“I think architecture is in a sort of crisis,” he says. “We’ve lost our social purpose. What we are seeing now is construction as a product of investment. We are building a lot, but we are building big investment projects, as if we’re doing architecture without architecture. It’s more about investment than it is about urbanism. We used to be involved in planning and building cities, building societies. But now we are discussing housing as if it were a strange product like washing machines [...] — Financial Times
In Jan Dalley's FT piece, the soft-spoken British architect expresses his concerns about architecture as a mere tool of the free market, the shrinking role of architects as society builders, and why we are building "horrible cities." View full entry
The Chicago Architecture Biennial has announced that curator and educator Sepake Angiama, and architect and urbanist Paulo Tavares will be joining the curatorial team of the 2019 Biennial, taking place next year. The co-curators will be working with the visionary curator and writer Yesomi Umolu... View full entry
This week, museums and galleries open their doors for the first week of 'Museums at Night' 2018, perfect for those who never make it out on a Saturday morning culture trip. There are also provocotive talks on housing, and discussions on the future of design. Check back regularly to keep... View full entry
The California College of the Arts has announced Keith Krumwiede as the school's new Dean of Architecture. Beginning in August, Krumwiede will be taking over duties from Lisa Findley, who has been serving as Interim Dean since Jonathan Massey left to head the Taubman College of Architecture and... View full entry
The news of British architect Will Alsop's death over the weekend was met with an outpouring of sympathy from fellow architects and journalists around the web. A recipient of the RIBA's Stirling Prize for his Peckham Library building in 2000, an avid painter, and master of seemingly floating... View full entry
