Heatherwick Studio has commenced construction on the redevelopment of the Toranomon-Azabudai district of Tokyo. the project is due to complete in March 2023 and is Heatherwick Studio's first project in Japan to move into construction. The studio focused on the "public realm and lower-level podium... View full entry
The megamall, built by Canadian developer Triple Five, will include a Nickelodeon Universe theme park, DreamWorks water park, professional-size skating rink, indoor ski slopes and, of course, shopping. Participating retailers include Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., H&M , Zara and Uniqlo. Some stores won’t be open until next year.
The mall is expected to bring 17,000 jobs in total to the area, an American Dream spokesman said.
— The Wall Street Journal
The project was first proposed in 2003, fittingly, under the name "Xanadu," according to The Wall Street Journal. According to an American Dream spokesperson, the mall is expected to bring 17,000 jobs to New Jersey's Meadowlands area. View full entry
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has unveiled a transformative Green New Deal climate action plan that aims to eliminate fossil fuel use in the United States entirely by 2050. Labeling the increasingly apparent effects of climate change “a national emergency,” Sanders seeks to... View full entry
Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) and Brandywine Realty Trust have unveiled designs for a pair of aluminum-clad mixed-use towers in Philadelphia. The towers represent a key component of the 14-acre Schuylkill Yards mega-development that is currently taking shape in the city. ... View full entry
In a statement released today the museum shared their goals to becoming the first solar powered art museum. According to ICA LA's deputy directory Samuel Vasquez, "Our audience counts on us to uphold the wellbeing of our community, and once we looked at the numbers and saw that it was possible to... View full entry
The No. 1 business issue for home builders, remodelers, and land developers continues to be access to skilled labor. According to NAHB analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, as of April of this year there were 404,000 open construction sector positions. Not only is this level of unfilled jobs in the construction industry at a post–Great Recession high, the current estimate is the highest ever reading for this data series, which runs back two decades. — Builder
According to Builder, "the intensity of the labor shortage among builders grew more intense during 2018 and 2019." The challenges of this shortage on the construction industry bring higher costs, delays, and lower output on projects. Economist, Robert Dietz, Ph.D. suggests that, "Wage growth... View full entry
Designed by Brooks + Scarpa, the redevelopment would entail the renovation of site’s northern building and demolition of the southern building. That would make room for a new 15-story building with 323 residential units—32 of them reserved for moderate-income families—plus about 64,000 square feet of office space, 64,000 square feet of wholesale space, and roughly 10,000 square feet of event space. — Curbed LA
The city planning commission is now backing the planned redevelopment of the Southern California Flower Market in Downtown Los Angeles. "The materials and colors of the structures are intended to mimic the bright colors of flowers," Curbed reports. View full entry
Former planning director Michael LoGrande recently admitted to violating city ethics laws by lobbying planning department officials just months after leaving his job running the agency. — The Los Angeles Times
This week, the City of Los Angeles Ethics Commission voted to fine former Los Angeles City Planning director Michael LoGrande $281,250 for violating the city’s “revolving door” rules. The fine is the largest single penalty ever levied against a current or former city employee, according... View full entry
Topped by a glass pyramidal tower that infuses the interior with natural light, the Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania ranks as one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most striking architectural creations. Still, the preservation foundation that tends to the welfare of the 1959 synagogue is eager to raise its profile and reposition it as a cultural resource. — The Art Newspaper
An immersive installation blending various artistic disciplines is set to open on September 11 inside Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic mid-century Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, PA. The Art Newspaper reports that the foundation tasked with the preservation of the building has "invited the artist... View full entry
The Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco’s second-tallest building and an icon of the city’s financial might for four decades, is being marketed for sale for the first time.
“Right now, San Francisco has a very robust office real estate market,” Jay Orlandi, chief administrative officer at Transamerica, said in a statement. “We are exploring options for a possible 100% interest sale of the property, with Transamerica retaining naming and branding rights.”
— The San Francisco Chronicle
The 853-foot, William Pereira-designed pyramidal skyscraper reigned as San Francisco’s tallest tower for more than 30 years before it was dethroned by the Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects-designed Salesforce Tower in 2018. Built in 1972, the Brutalist-style Transamerica building features a... View full entry
The Board of Harbor Commissioners of Long Beach, California, awarded a $38.7 million, five-year engineering design services contract to architectural, engineering and consulting firm HDR to perform the final design for the $870 million Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Program at the Port of Long Beach. The project will help streamline rail operations and reduce congestion at the port, which has the second-highest volume of container traffic in the U.S. — Construction Dive
The law has created a new agency with vast and wide-ranging powers to be in charge of coordinating and managing the entire operation. It will also receive all the funds raised by national and international subscriptions; manage all work to the immediate surroundings of the cathedral; establish training programmes for the restorers; [and] implement information programmes to educate the public about the conservation process. — The Art Newspaper
More details regarding the laws and governing structure that will oversee the reconstruction of the Norte Dame Cathedral in Paris have come to light. According to The Art Newspaper, French president Emmanuel Macron will be the sole official in charge of the rebuilding. Macron, according to... View full entry
Tougher building rules for skyscrapers have been drawn up by the City of London because of concerns that a high-rise, urban microclimate will generate winds capable of knocking over cyclists and pedestrians.
Developers will have to provide more comprehensive safety assessments of how proposed buildings will affect people on street level, with more robust testing of roadways and pavements using detailed scale models in wind tunnels and computer simulations.
— The Guardian
After a series of high-profile skyscraper design controversies, including documented incidents of pedestrians being knocked off their feet and cyclists being pushed sideways into the path of vehicles due to strong skyscraper-generated winds, London is moving to regulate the wind-driven... View full entry
The Basement Apartment Conversion Pilot Program provides eligible low- to middle-income homeowners living in East New York and Cypress Hills, Brooklyn with low or no-interest, or possible forgivable, loans to convert their basement or cellar into a safe, legal, and rentable apartment, based on altered building code legislation passed in February 2019. — NYC Housing Preservation & Development
With plenty of futuristic and architecturally diverse buildings to choose from, which of these world-famous designs has gained the title of the most popular on Instagram around the world?
We gathered research to find out the most Instagrammed skyscrapers in the world [...] we wanted to see what the total height of these Instagram photos would be in comparison to the height of the buildings themselves.
— Dublin Airport Central
With the looming presence social media has over the built environment, iconic buildings have never been easier to track down, especially as platforms like Instagram make high-profile architecture accessible at the press of a button. Dublin Airport Central recently conducted a... View full entry
