A team of designers and engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder’s ATLAS Institute have tapped into new advancements in the field of soft robotics to develop paper-thin, moveable mechanisms. The objects, dubbed “Electriflow”, which don’t require motors or other traditional machinery... View full entry
UNESCO has once again officially expressed its “deepest regrets” and is now asking for an updated report on the conservation of the Hagia Sophia site in Istanbul, Turkey, adding another chapter to the embattled country’s ongoing feud with the UN’s cultural apparatus. The body... View full entry
The Times is reporting that Thomas Heatherwick has met with members of the British government as recently as March in what could be discussions surrounding a future memorial to COVID-19 victims in the UK. Heatherwick has done a number of high-profile commissions in London, the city of his birth... View full entry
Scientists at Rice University have published research which proposes repurposing waste tires in the production of concrete. By converting waste from rubber tires into graphene, the researchers believe the new composite can be used to strengthen concrete, and thus reduce the thickness of... View full entry
The city of Copenhagen has been officially designated as World Capital of Architecture for 2023 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, on the recommendation of the General Assembly of the International Union of Architects (UIA). This decision is in keeping with the partnership agreement established between UNESCO and the UIA in 2018, through which UNESCO designates the host cities of UIA’s World Congress as World Capitals of Architecture. — UNESCO
Copenhagen follows Rio de Janeiro, who was the inaugural holder of the title. The Danish capital will host a series of major events and programs on the theme “Sustainable Futures — Leave No One Behind.” In cooperation with the Danish Association of Architects and various Nordic... View full entry
Snøhetta has been announced as the winner in an international competition for the reimagining of a former slaughterhouse complex in the Ex Macello area near the Porta Vittoria station in southeast Milan.The Oslo and New York-based firm won for a design called Aria which will inject new life into... View full entry
Subway systems around the world are struggling to adapt to an era of extreme weather brought on by climate change. Their designs, many based on the expectations of another era, are being overwhelmed, and investment in upgrades could be squeezed by a drop in ridership brought on by the pandemic. — The New York Times
New York is still repairing damages to its subway system caused nearly a decade ago by Hurricane Sandy as the installation of certain protective also lags behind schedule. Coastal cities like New York and Boston are facing nine-digit pricetags as they prepare their populations for climate change... View full entry
Archinect Sessions Next Up: Exhibit Columbus continues this week as we introduce the winners of The J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize. This series was introduced last week with Mimi Zeiger and Iker Gil, the curators of Exhibit Columbus. If you're not yet familiar with this year's Exhibit Columbus... View full entry
With the Fall term slowly approaching, new fellowship opportunities are available! For many years, Archinect's editorial coverage has highlighted fellowship programs from architecture schools across the nation. As pedagogy continues to expand and include important topics like socio-political... View full entry
Photos for the new One Park Drive development in London’s Canary Wharf neighborhood have been released this week by Herzog & de Meuron. The project represents the Swiss firm’s second major development in the city following the cancellation of a planned football stadium last year and the... View full entry
The World Festival of Interiors (Inside 2021) is the sister festival to the renowned World Architecture Festival. As media partners of the WAF 2021 Awards, Archinect showcased a selection of shortlisted projects for this year's World Architecture Festival awards program. According to the World... View full entry
The email from my friend Hildegarde Duane said, “Dear Friends, finally, with the help of my pandemic companion online editors and spirit guide Canelo, here is my walking meditation: Meaning in the Neighborhood.” Succinctly written and read, her video offers stories resonating from architecture... View full entry
Starting today, the Catholic University of America’s School of Architecture and Planning in collaboration with Massachusetts-based nonprofit Handhouse Studio are building a full-scale replica of a truss that belonged to the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. As part of a teaching project by... View full entry
More than a decade before William Friedman designed the collapsed Surfside condominium, Florida’s board of architecture suspended him for six months for designing structures that toppled during Hurricane Betsy. Sign pylons that were “an integral part of the structure” of a Miami commercial building failed during the 1965 storm, according to documents from the Florida State Board of Architecture, obtained by The Real Deal. — The Real Deal
In its order suspending Friedman, the Florida Board of Architecture wrote that the pylons were “insufficient and grossly inadequate” and were not in accordance “to accepted standards of architectural practice.” In 1966, the board found Friedman guilty of “gross incompetency, in that he... View full entry
Friday's Opening Ceremony in Tokyo inaugurated the XXXII Olympiad in a dazzling spectacle that drew praise from audiences worldwide even as a growing protest against the games echoed in streets around the city. Kengo Kuma’s National Stadium provided an ample backdrop for this year’s version of... View full entry