Q. You’re an established industrial designer. Why the focus now on building design?
A. I’ve always taken a great interest in real estate; in fact, if I had more capital, I’d probably be developing a lot more projects myself. There’s also money to be made in real estate — much more than one can as a designer. [...]
Q. But you’re not a licensed architect.
A. I am doing 11 buildings in the world, but I don’t have a stamp as an architect and I wasn’t educated as an architect.
— nytimes.com
For the World Health Organization Geneva Headquarters competition team jvantspijker proposed a transformation of the existing building from a Slab to T-typology and to renew the connection to the landscape. The vertical concentration of functions reinforces the centrality of the complex. The two... View full entry
I strongly disagree with the title. There is no such thing as Islamic Architecture or Islamic Culture. Islam is a multicultural faith with strong presence in Arab world, the Persian world, the Indian Subcontinent, in Eurasia and even in Europe. You cannot label an architectural style as Islamic just because it is used in a mosque. There are elements of the host culture present in this buildings. Mosques in Egypt or Turkey are significantly different from Mosques in Europe or India. - — boredpanda
After six long years of laboring on the renovation and expansion of the Harvard Art Museums, lead architect Renzo Piano had but one simple message at the unveiling of the new complex to the press on Friday.
“There is very little an architect should say about a new building,” he said. “Just ‘Welcome.'”
— bostonmagazine.com
Previously: Renzo Piano-designed Harvard Art Museum Nears Completion View full entry
The John and Jill Ker Conway Residence is a 124-unit apartment building designed by Sorg Architects. The $33 million building is a striking stack of white, metal-paneled blocks, staggered with views facing the Capitol and the Mall. What makes the building truly distinctive, though, is that the space enables case managers and social workers to work onsite with veterans in tandem with the D.C. VA Medical Center.
Sixty units will be set aside permanently for homeless veterans [...].
— citylab.com
Five architectural firms are on the shortlist to design the Louvre’s new storage facility, planned to open near the museum’s satellite in Lens, northern France. Corinne Vezzoni & Assoc and Zig Zag architecture, both from France, Neutelings Riedijk Architecten from the Netherlands, Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners from the UK and Estudio Arquitectura Baeza from Spain were chosen from 173 applicants. — theartnewspaper.com
Hundreds flocked to downtown Palm Springs Sunday for the grand opening of the Palm Springs Art Museum's Architecture and Design Center, an ode to the city's unique — and timeless — mid-century modern designs.
The center opened with "An Eloquent Modernist," an intimate depiction of the work of E. Stewart Williams, the acclaimed architect whose designs defined desert modern style in Palm Springs throughout the 1950s, '60s and '70s.
— desertsun.com
Previously: Palm Springs: New Architecture and Design Center to open in November View full entry
City Realty made the rendering above, which they say gives us an idea of what the city will look like in 2018 based on projections for buildings currently being planned or already in construction: "New York City skyline circa 2018 2,500 feet above Central Park. Image features upcoming supertall skyscrapers such as One Vanderbilt, 53W53, 432 Park Avenue, 225 West 57th, and 111 West 57th Street are completed." — gothamist.com
The National Library is pleased to share the concept designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron for the new home of the Library in Jerusalem. As set out in the brief for the new building, the design, which will evolve during subsequent design stages, communicates the ‘values of openness and accessibility to the general public of all classes, nationalities and denominations’. — National Library of Israel
The 34,000 square meter building will house climate-controlled archives as well as digital facilities and both indoor and outdoor venues for cultural programming. In a statement, Herzog & de Meuron claim, “Our project reflects the open and transparent ambitions of the National Library of... View full entry
After years of delays and soaring budgets, the Fulton Center transit hub opened its doors at 5 a.m. this morning. Envisioned after the September 11th attacks as a way to help revitalize downtown, the complex makes it easier to connect between nine subway lines: the A, C, J, Z, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Eventually, riders will also be able to connect to the E and 1 trains, as well as the PATH. — NY Magazine
Joe DeLessio provides a peak into the just opened Fulton Center Transit Hub. View full entry
To say the least, it's been a great year for Ateliers Jean Nouvel + PTW Architects' One Central Park in Sydney, Australia...After the Best Tall Building regional winners presented their projects one last time to the jury (chaired by architect Jeanne Gang), One Central Park was announced as the overall winning Best Tall Building Worldwide 2014 during the Awards Ceremony and Dinner in Crown Hall. — bustler.net
IIT Dean of Architecture Wiel Arets (left) presents the team from One Central Park with the Best Tall Building Worldwide trophy.Learn more on Bustler. View full entry
It is a cruel irony that a region so blessed with the treasures of early human civilizations is also among those most troubled by conflict. As the violence threatens to annihilate some of history's greatest monuments, we count the cost of our irreplaceable losses — edition.cnn.com
California’s state geologist has concluded that an active earthquake fault is underneath a massive proposed skyscraper project in Hollywood, setting the stage for a huge battle at City Hall over growth and seismic safety. — latimes.com
Fujimoto’s goal isn’t just to make spaces—the basic function of architecture—but to make people relate to spaces in new ways. Watching the couple move around the house, approaching everyday activities with the finesse the unusual design requires, suggests he is well on his way to achieving it. — online.wsj.com
The Japanese designer’s “future primitive” structures harmonize nature and built environments, offering radical new versions of walls, ceilings and floors. View full entry
Calling the cost of housing one of Los Angeles’ biggest challenges, Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday announced a goal for 100,000 new homes in the city by 2021.
In a speech to business leaders at UCLA, the mayor outlined a plan to increase funding for affordable housing, subsidize development around transit stations and cut the red tape that many developers say drives up the cost of building in the city.
— LA Times