Master Jury Will Select Recipients of US$ 1 Million Prize — AKDN

After declining earlier in 2012, the billings index began to turn higher in June, then accelerated, and has now marked its third straight month above the 50 level, which indicates expanding demand for architects' services.

"It's beginning to look like demand for design services has turned the corner," said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. — reuters.com

On the occasion of the quickly approaching closing weekend of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition Common Ground at La Biennale di Venezia, the online community gets the chance to talk interactively in a live chat with David Chipperfield, curator of the exhibition. — bustler.net

A new breed of Chinese architects like Li Hu seeks inspiration from inside themselves. [...]

Conventional wisdom says that "futuristic", modern and massive architecture is making Beijing into an international metropolis. However, Chinese architect Li Hu says the capital city needs architects who have their own attitudes. — usa.chinadaily.com.cn

After the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy, those responsible for our built environment, especially in New York, are facing the dawn of a new environmental clime and industry reality. Designing and delivering to the highest safety standards in what were once thought of as safe areas of the world now holds far greater importance than ever before. — DesignBuild Source

As cultural and architectural icons, sporting stadiums are extremely important to a city’s built of environment. As such, the structures maintain a high profile and promise acclaim to those who design and deliver them well. — DesignBuild Source

Moshe Safdie has designed buildings around the world for almost fifty years but doesn’t have an identifiable style. His latest work, an Arkansas art museum funded by Walmart heiress Alice Walton, illustrates why it doesn’t matter — thewalrus.ca

The series of videos below offers a fascinating insight into how this generation of "starchitects" behaves under pressure, as they each pitch to win one of the most high-profile competitions in recent years: a new tower for L&L Holding Company on Park Avenue in New York. The site has such daunting neighbours as Mies van der Rohe's Seagram building, and it will be the first full-block office tower to be built on the street in almost half a century. — guardian.co.uk

London’s love affair with the urban planning masterpiece that is New York’s High Line is intensifying as plans for the city’s newest urban garden space are revealed.
The newly-unveiled Linear Park marks the city’s latest foray into urban parkland design. The unveiling took place at a major event hosted by landscape architects Camlins and property developers Ballymore. — DesignBuild Source

Developers in San Francisco are loath to take architectural risks because the city’s approval process for new development is long and rigorous, perhaps the most onerous in the country, architects say.

It’s hard to fault their caution when you consider how small San Francisco really is — 47 square miles (Manhattan alone is 23 square miles) — with much of the area consumed by neighborhoods zoned for single-family homes. — The New York Times

When Mr. Keret, 45, received a call from the architect, he was initially puzzled. “This guy with a very heavy Polish accent said he wanted to make a house in proportion to my stories,” he said. “It sounded like a prank.” — NYT

The Intern Development Program Advisory Committee (IDPAC) has selected eight architecture firms as recipients of the 2012-2015 Intern Development Program (IDP) Outstanding Firm Award. The firms have not only satisfied the requirements for recognition with the IDP Firm Award, but have demonstrated a deep commitment to the program by going above and beyond the baseline criteria and demonstrating innovation in their commitment to the IDP. — aia.org