At least 52 people were killed when a crane crashed in Mecca’s Grand Mosque on Friday, Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authority said on its Twitter account.It said 30 people were injured.
The Muslim annual Haj pilgrimage is due later this month and Saudi authorities go to great lengths to be prepared for the millions of Muslims who converge on Mecca.
— theguardian.com
Last year, the group 1W1P – 1Week1Project – created the memorable speculative project "The Qatar World Cup Memorial," a "scalable building that raises awareness about the number of workers who died during the construction of the stadiums for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar."Now, the... View full entry
To [Hatherley], architecture is the physical manifestation of politics. It is power literally in bricks and mortar. In this respect he is unusual and, I believe, right. But he is handicapped at every turn by his belief, worn on his sleeve, in the nobility of the socialist cause. This can be an asset as he wrestles manfully to evoke the spirit of places from which most of us would turn in horror. — wsj.com
More from British architecture writer Owen Hatherley here, and on communist architecture:The promises and problems of a Cuban architecture marketProtesting context, not form, of Ottawa's "victims of communism" memorialCreepy Photos of Russia’s Crumbling Communist ArchitectureCzech Communist... View full entry
Archinect is pleased to invite you to the first iteration of a two-part live-podcasting event, Next Up, at Jai & Jai Gallery in Los Angeles! From 7-9PM on Saturday, September 19, we’ll be conducting a series of live interviews, panels, and talks with local architects at the forefront of a... View full entry
“There are a lot of people working in architecture who are very frustrated with what’s happening, but feel like they don’t have a voice to speak out,” said Sarah, another of Concrete Action’s co-founders, who also wished to remain anonymous. “We’re hoping that this is going to give them an avenue to do that without worrying about losing their jobs or getting into trouble.” — Vice
Architects who are dismayed by working on projects that tend to harm, not improve, the neighborhoods in which they are sited now have a secure whistleblowing option: U.K.-based Concrete Action allows architects to anonymously submit rent-inflating building plans to the public. The site, which... View full entry
A German group which matchmakes citizens willing to share their homes with refugees said it had been overwhelmed by offers of support, with plans in the works for similar schemes in other European countries.
The Berlin-based Refugees Welcome, which has been described as an “Airbnb for refugees”, has helped people fleeing from Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria.
More than 780 Germans have signed up to the Refugees Welcome website...
— the Guardian
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has suggested the area around the Tour Montparnasse skyscraper could become the Times Square of the French capital. Now its owners plan to try and make that dream come true. [...]
The owners of the 59-storey building are due to launch an international architecture competition next year to revamp the brown tower block and the shopping mall at its base with a major makeover that could cost up to €700 million.
— thelocal.fr
Related on Archinect:Top architects defend some of the most hated buildings in the worldParis approves its first skyscraper of the 21st centuryMVRDV approved to redesign the '70s Vandamme Nord block in Montparnasse, Paris View full entry
Using high-resolution ground penetrating radar, archaeologists have discovered a series of up to 90 standing stones buried in the earth less than 3 kilometres from Stonehenge. Archaeologists speculate that the stones, which form a rough 'C' shape underneath the 4,500-year old Durrington Walls... View full entry
Public Space Protection Orders, or PSPOs, came into existence last year under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Similar to the much-derided anti-social behaviour orders (asbos), PSPOs allow for broad powers to criminalise behaviour that is not normally criminal. But where asbos were directed at individuals, PSPOs are geographically defined, making predefined activities within a mapped area prosecutable. — theguardian.com
For a primer to this piece, check out:Taking a stand against privately-owned public spacesAnd for more on contested public spaces:Christopher Hawthorne on the recovery of public space in Los AngelesLocals welcome The 606, a.k.a. Chicago's "High Line", but anxiety for its future remainsNot all... View full entry
[...] Tschumi expresses his hopes for the future of architecture, “I’m very optimistic about the future of architecture because I think nobody else can really think like architects do: combining the most abstract and the most material, being able to deal with extremely complex constraints while having to arrive at a precise and articulate response. Architecture has a long way to go and will always carry excitement for future generations.” — forbes.com
Bernard Tschumi in the Archinect news:‘Drawing Ambience: Alvin Boyarsky and the Architectural Association’Bernard Tschumi retrospective opens on April 30 at Centre Pompidou, ParisBernard Tschumi presents Grottammare Cultural Center, his first project in Italy View full entry
The Republic, a computer model of a future urban floor plan for an administrative and institutional area has commenced and aims to be unparalleled in size and complexity. Its initial aim is to produce a series of audiovisual dialogues exploring the urban architecture. Longer term objectives are... View full entry
Nine months after abruptly shutting down and filing for bankruptcy, Architecture for Humanity has begun a campaign in efforts to rebrand itself as a "collectively defined, collaboratively run, and inclusive" non-profit. Launched Tuesday, the AFH Chapter Network is gathering opinions and ideas... View full entry
If you come across an article that wrongfully excludes the name of an architect, send a link to props@aia.org. — AIA
I fear this poor author, Matt Tinder, is going to be inundated with emails. We've all seen the article in the local newspaper announcing a new development along with a gleaming rendering of the building with the credit tag "Artists rendering". This makes steam come out of my ears!Matt's article... View full entry
David Waggonner is an urban and environmental architect. Since Hurricane Katrina decimated his city, he’s been focusing on urban stormwater management, mapping out designs for New Orleans that would mimic the way Dutch cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam deal with water. In the Netherlands, people “invite water into the city,” meaning water is visible everywhere. [...] “In New Orleans, we’ve hidden and squandered the asset.” — theatlantic.com
Related on Archinect and our sister site Bustler: Louisiana is Disappearing into the SeaPost-Katrina: Will New Orleans still be New Orleans?Changing Course teams present final 100-year plans to restore Lower Mississippi River Delta (Bustler) View full entry
WeWork, the $10 billion startup that leases space to startups, has bigger ambitions: it wants to rent you a "co-living" space where you work, too.
WeWork is busy launching its co-living apartments — known as WeLive spaces — in places like New York City and Washington DC, The Information reports. [...]
WeWork will offer more than 250 micro-apartments at that location, along with amenities like bike parking, an herb garden, and a library.
— Yahoo! Finance
Read also our Working out of the Box interview with Miguel McKelvey, co-founder of WeWork and a trained architect himself.Previously in the Archinect news: WeWork moves into residential development with WeLive. View full entry
