To [Hatherley], architecture is the physical manifestation of politics. It is power literally in bricks and mortar. In this respect he is unusual and, I believe, right. But he is handicapped at every turn by his belief, worn on his sleeve, in the nobility of the socialist cause. This can be an asset as he wrestles manfully to evoke the spirit of places from which most of us would turn in horror. — wsj.com
More from British architecture writer Owen Hatherley here, and on communist architecture:The promises and problems of a Cuban architecture marketProtesting context, not form, of Ottawa's "victims of communism" memorialCreepy Photos of Russia’s Crumbling Communist ArchitectureCzech Communist... View full entry
Apple has announced a range of new products, including a new larger iPad, two new smartphones and a long-awaited update to Apple TV.
In a now traditional September event, this time held at San Francisco’s 7,000 seater Bill Graham civic auditorium, 2,000 engineers, advertisers, executives and journalists saw Apple’s marketing chief Phil Schiller reveal a new 12.9-inch screen iPad that the company hopes will appeal to both professional creatives and committed tablet users.
— The Guardian
With a $799 price-tag, the new iPad Pro could offer a more affordable option for creatives than a MacBook Pro or a desktop. The tablet will have a 10-hour battery life and a faster, more efficient A9X processor, as well as a 12.9-inch Retina display. In addition, the iPad was introduced alongside... View full entry
Archinect is pleased to invite you to the first iteration of a two-part live-podcasting event, Next Up, at Jai & Jai Gallery in Los Angeles! From 7-9PM on Saturday, September 19, we’ll be conducting a series of live interviews, panels, and talks with local architects at the forefront of a... View full entry
“There are a lot of people working in architecture who are very frustrated with what’s happening, but feel like they don’t have a voice to speak out,” said Sarah, another of Concrete Action’s co-founders, who also wished to remain anonymous. “We’re hoping that this is going to give them an avenue to do that without worrying about losing their jobs or getting into trouble.” — Vice
Architects who are dismayed by working on projects that tend to harm, not improve, the neighborhoods in which they are sited now have a secure whistleblowing option: U.K.-based Concrete Action allows architects to anonymously submit rent-inflating building plans to the public. The site, which... View full entry
A German group which matchmakes citizens willing to share their homes with refugees said it had been overwhelmed by offers of support, with plans in the works for similar schemes in other European countries.
The Berlin-based Refugees Welcome, which has been described as an “Airbnb for refugees”, has helped people fleeing from Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria.
More than 780 Germans have signed up to the Refugees Welcome website...
— the Guardian
As with any great architecture, furniture design is a nimble synthesis of form and function. In the case of chairs, some designers have artfully combined both to create visually striking objects that are actually comfortable to sit and work in. The Eames line of chairs has of course received... View full entry
Using high-resolution ground penetrating radar, archaeologists have discovered a series of up to 90 standing stones buried in the earth less than 3 kilometres from Stonehenge. Archaeologists speculate that the stones, which form a rough 'C' shape underneath the 4,500-year old Durrington Walls... View full entry
From October 13-18, check out 33 films being screened for limited time as part of the Architecture & Design Film Festival in New York City. Taking place at a few select theaters in Chelsea, the Festival will screen films featuring Bjarke Ingels "8 House", London's infamous brutalist Barbican... View full entry
On September 15, Ma Yansong, Founder and Principal Partner of MAD Architects (Beijing, Los Angeles), will speak at LACMA as part of their Distinguished Architects Lecture Series.According to the press release, Yansong will discuss several forthcoming projects including the Harbin Cultural... View full entry
Cook’s artwork of over four decades is being exhibited for the first time in India. [...]
“I want to make it uncomfortable — for the philistine, for the boring architect, for the person who wants his building to be predictable,” says Cook [...]
“Architecture is what you do with the potential of life.”
— indianexpress.com
Moscow's landscape is filled with Soviet-era buildings, many of them shuttered after the privatisation programme of the Nineties. Built for the people's benefit, they are now shut away off from public access, patrolled by security guards, most of whom never dream of exploring the upper floors.
But it is the roof of the Moscow pavilion that brings us here. Because of its concave shape the roof looks like a giant skate ramp. My friends and I want to see if it can perform like one too.
— calvertjournal.com
Head over to Calvert Journal for many more stunning photos by Pasha Volkov.In other daring-Russian-kids news on Archinect:Skywalking - hacking architecture in RussiaHong Kong, from the perspective of crazy, fearless Russian kids View full entry
Munishwar Nath Ashish Ganju is a thought leader in Indian architectural philosophy...Based in New Delhi, Ganju cares about the fact that over a quarter of Delhi’s population lives outside the law in unauthorised colonies. He lives and works on the urban fringe, to demonstrate by example the principle of urban renewal by citizens. — Forbes
In a recent Forbes interview, esteemed architect M.N. Ashish Ganju looks back on his career over the last few decades -- from the history of Indian architecture, his most notable projects, to his current efforts to instill citizen-led urban renewal in the outskirts of the country.You can also... View full entry
A Brazilian urban planning collective called Urb-i...scoured Google Street View images to find the most stunning public space transformations from around the world. The results give us hope that our cities are becoming more beautiful places to live. — Business Insider
Cheer up: not everything is getting worse, at least not if you check out these comparison shots of real places from around the globe captured on Google Street View. Compiled by Urb-i, these 41 intersections and urban streets are studies in pedestrian-friendliness; as the years melt by, many of the... View full entry
As Chicago prepares to enter a new era of ramped-up affordable-housing development, a key question is whether private developers will go along with the city’s new guidances. A lawsuit filed... last Thursday shows signs of possible peril for the city’s low-income housing agenda.
At the heart of the lawsuit is the Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO), which is part of Chicago’s five-year “Bouncing Back” plan for increasing affordable housing. [...]
— City Lab
We suspect the city’s notoriously bad traffic and general “aloofness” of the people contributed to its low ranking, as well as its culinary scene, which was also ranked dead last in this year’s poll. — Travel + Leisure
When Travel + Leisure compiled a survey of the places its readers love to visit, it also collected data on the 30 locales they loathe. While Moscow, Russia tops the list of the world's unfriendliest cities, a significant number of the top 10 are located in the United States (including Los Angeles... View full entry