In 2021, the Google Research Africa team launched Open Buildings, an open-source dataset of building footprints across the Global South produced using AI and high-resolution satellite imagery. The team had a simple vision: to fill a major gap in data for population and density in the developing world. Now in its third version, their dataset contains polygons for 1.8 billion buildings over an area of 58 million km² in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. — Google
The data is useful in determining population size and other factors to solve urban density problems. Google's Research product manager Olivia Graham says: "About 2.5 billion more people could move to cities by 2050, most of them in the Global South — this could be a real step... View full entry
A new design from BIG made using 3D printing and mycelium additives is being showcase at a manufacturing summit for industry stakeholders in Scandinavia. The firm says it is "aimed at exploring new ways to reduce spatial and material waste through additive manufacturing and bio-based... View full entry
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has announced a consensus opinion regarding the regulation of artificial intelligence technology and its future impact on the architectural profession. This announcement emerged from NCARB's 2024 Annual Business Meeting in June... View full entry
The U.S.-based space habitation startup Vast is promoting its new interior design concept for a speculative long-term space station dwelling they call Haven-1. Their idea for the "world’s first commercial space station" is meant for astronauts working in low-Earth orbit and offers... View full entry
The global market for digital twin buildings is now on track to reach a projected market size of $20.2 billion by the year 2032, skyrocketing via a 32.6% CAGR from its current market of $1.6 billion. This is according to the latest reporting from Astute Analytica. The companies leading the charge... View full entry
A team of researchers led by Achim Menges of the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and Jan Knippers of the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart has unveiled a new pavilion made using a novel combination of... View full entry
British construction tech start-up Automated Architecture (AUAR) is sending two of its pop-up, robotic micro-factories to the U.S. for the first time in a move to bring automated and affordable house building to North America. Founded in 2019, AUAR functions by licensing its technology to builders... View full entry
The burgeoning future of personal airborne transportation is a topic on many minds of late as advancements in aviation technology make the prospect of flying cars and similar vehicles more and more feasible. Now, HOK is entering its name into a mix with a design for what will be the world’s... View full entry
Retail giant Walmart is set to create one of the largest free-standing 3D-printed commercial concrete structures in the United States. Working with 3D printing company Alquist 3D, the chain will use the technology to create an addition to its existing store in Athens, TN. The extension, rising... View full entry
By the end 2025, Refik Anadol will open a new venture called DATALAND at The Grand in downtown LA. The leading name in artificial intelligence and digital art, Anadol, announced the venture via its YouTube account, adding in a press release that Los Angeles was the "perfect city" for his vision of... View full entry
Zaha Hadid Architects and Epic Games have collaborated on an in-game experience for the popular Fortnite video game. Titled ‘Re:Imagine London’, the experience sees an island created within Fortnite that players can use to explore and interact with London’s built environment. Image credit... View full entry
Researchers at ETH Zurich have introduced a new robotic 3D printing method for cement-free low-carbon materials for a circular economy. Using a technique called 'impact printing,' the team demonstrated a mixture of excavated materials, silt, and clay that was less dependent on additives for... View full entry
MIT engineers have created 3D-printed glass bricks that could offer a new approach to construction with sustainable and reusable materials. These interlocking bricks, which offer similar strength to concrete, are designed for circular construction, allowing buildings to be disassembled and... View full entry
Inspired by the natural architecture of human bone, engineers at Princeton University have developed a new cement-based material that significantly enhances the toughness of traditional concrete. This innovative material resists cracking and sudden failure, making it a promising solution for more... View full entry
This post is brought to you by Pratt, an Archinect Partner School New York, NY – August 2, 2024 – Pratt Institute’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies has announced an exciting new partnership with Creative AI Academy, a leader in AI-driven design education. This collaboration... View full entry