Marriott International has announced plans to open two luxury hotels in Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah. The properties will be located near the Unesco World Heritage site at At-Turaif, offering views of the historic town of Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh. — The National
The Saudi crown prince recently reiterated his intentions to finalize the planned 2030 development strategy for Riyadh, which would more than double the population of the country's capital backed by a public-private partnership worth approximately $500 billion at a low estimate. Marriott says the... View full entry
The world’s premier techno capital is back under the grip of the pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped its vanguard from seeking a special status for venues like the Berghain from an international cultural organization with a reputation for being as formidable as its famous bouncer. The Guardian... View full entry
It is one of the most vivid examples of efforts by major arts organizations across the country to bring youth education programs out into communities, rather than concentrating them in city centers or urban arts districts.
For Inglewood, the new YOLA Center is a notable addition to what has been a transformative wave of stadium and arena construction, which has spurred a wave of commercial and housing development.
— The New York Times
The Beckmen YOLA Center opened in October on the site of a former Burger King restaurant as the latest iteration of a wave of high-profile projects tied to a larger plan being pursued by Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. which are reshaping the community of 109,000 in spite of advocates’... View full entry
Let's face it, 2021 was another downer of a year. After 2020 had shown us how quickly the rug could be pulled out from under the world's collective feet, the current year made no attempts of introducing itself with flowers and small talk but, instead, whacked us with a violent attack on the built... View full entry
Inclusive design consultancy Human Space has been commissioned by the Canadian government with the aim of making the country’s federally-owned heritage buildings more accessible. The two-and-a-half-year project will seek to improve accessibility for users with disabilities without compromising... View full entry
Following a very turbulent 2020, the current year was filled with highs and lows as well. From the pandemic to socio-economical unrest, the architecture industry continued to navigate a year filled with learning and unlearning. The rise of social justice and equity initiatives pushed on in... View full entry
“Despite its vast size, sub-Saharan Africa has never been proportionately represented on Unesco’s world heritage list…
Now, the first African to be made head of the world heritage centre has said that needs to change – and fast. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, a Cameroonian who led the reconstruction of the Timbuktu mausoleums after they were badly damaged in 2012 by Islamist fighters allied to al-Qaida, has said it will be a priority of his time in office.”
— The Guardian
Africa is currently the least represented continent (behind the Arab nations) in terms of the representation of cultural sites on the U.N. list, though it does account for 30% of all sites the organization considers to be endangered. Assomo was appointed as Director earlier this month and told The... View full entry
Acclaimed Italian-British architect, Richard Rogers, has passed away at the age of 88. As the NYT reports, news of his passing was confirmed by his son Roo, without a cause of death specified. A little over a year ago Rogers announced his retirement from his namesake architecture... View full entry
Construction has commenced on a new home for the Princeton University Art Museum. Designed by Adjaye Associates, with Cooper Robertson serving as executive architects, the new scheme will be built on the site of the former museum building on the Princeton campus, doubling the museum’s area to... View full entry
One of the flashiest openings in the art world this fall came not in the form of a suite of salable oil paintings or an of-the-moment sculptural showcase but rather from a one-time dry goods storage space which has been converted into the new home of New York’s Company Gallery by an upstart duo... View full entry
A homespun holiday tradition has returned to London’s Museum of Architecture for the fifth consecutive year with a tasty new selection of sweet entries from some of the industry’s biggest names. Gingerbread, likely the low-carbon concrete of food building materials, is the focus of the... View full entry
Today the Board of La Biennale di Venezia announced the appointment of Lesley Lokko as its curator for the 2023 Venice Biennale Architecture Exhibition. Lokko is an esteemed architectural leader, best-selling novelist, and academic advocate whose work within and outside... View full entry
France’s National Heritage and Architecture Commission approved proposals by the diocese of Paris to bring a more modern look to Notre-Dame before its planned reopening in 2024, including the installation of contemporary artworks and new lighting effects. Opponents say the changes will debase the 850-year-old cathedral and disturb the harmony of its Gothic design. — The New York Times
The controversial refurbishment struck a chord with many in the past two weeks who responded to publicized details with claims that the new ecumenical design authored by Father Gilles Drouin was sacrilegious, and incongruous with the Catholic tradition. Much of the church's nave, transept... View full entry
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has invited construction companies around the world to support a new charter committed to improving diversity within the global construction sector. The move comes amid multiple reports finding that female, BIPOC, and young employees are significantly... View full entry
Bulgari is getting a timely makeover this holiday thanks to a green facelift from MVRDV. Using recycled champagne bottles, the Dutch firm was able to produce a dazzling new jade-like facade for the luxury retailer’s new Shanghai flagship. Image: © Bulgari/Xia Zhi A nod to the Art Deco style... View full entry
