A city in a country that recently gained independence is likely to undergo processes of radical transformation and massive restructuring and re-imagining that are not only societal, political, and economic in nature, but can also impact the planning system of a city and influence its built-up environment. — Bernd Upmeyer, Editor-in-Chief, October 2016
A city in a country that recently gained independence is likely to undergo processes of radical transformation and massive restructuring and re-imagining that are not only societal, political, and economic in nature, but can also impact the planning system of a city and influence its built-up... View full entry
When Paisley Park opened its doors as a museum last Thursday, many fans were surprised to discover that the late singer’s ashes were on display in an elaborate custom-designed urn co-designed by Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson and nephew President Nelson.
Tyka and President teamed up with Foreverence artists to create a scale-model of Paisley Park, measuring 14 inches high and 18 inches long, decorated with Prince’s famous symbol—done in purple, naturally.
— People
Related:Prince's Minneapolis estate to become a museumBeyoncé filmed her NOLA-themed "Formation" video at this historic Pasadena mansionTake a look at these installations from this year's Coachella Festival View full entry
There are dozens of Frank Lloyd Wright houses across the country that fans of the architect can visit. There are a handful that can be rented. There is only one where you can sleep overnight for $148, which includes a personal guided tour by the 90-year-old owner and breakfast in a Wright-designed “great room.”
The Cooke House in Virginia Beach, Va., built in 1959, is one of Wright’s last commissioned works.
— The New York Times
For more on Frank Lloyd Wright:Lloyd Wright's LA Samuel-Novarro House for saleWhen 'Frank Lloyd Wright' and 'historic designation' are holding back your home’s value, what’s a seller to do?New Jersey’s Oldest and Largest Frank Lloyd Wright House Listed for $2.2M View full entry
On November 11th in London, Sotheby's will be auctioning off the late great David Bowie's Memphis, Milano collection, which includes works by architect and designer Ettore Sottsass, Aldo Cibic, and Michele De Lucchi, among others. The works embody the Memphis movement's 1980s philosophy of 'New... View full entry
In light of the Landmarks Preservation Commission's approval of Jeanne Gang's expansion plan for the American Museum of Natural History, the Commission has revealed a slew of new renderings, which show the $325 million project from various angles, as well as new views of the surrounding parkland. Chairwoman Meenakshi Srinivasan referred to the new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation as a “stunning piece of architecture” and an “absolutely wonderful addition.” — 6sqft.com
Driverless cars will trundle around the UK in their first public trials today.
The demonstration of the autonomous electric vehicles is going to take place on the pavements of Milton Keynes.
These tests will be the culmination of an 18-month research project which involved virtually mapping the town and updating regulations for driverless vehicles.
— Sky.com
For the latest on advances in self-driving cars:Uber lets you hail its self-driving cars in Pittsburgh later this monthHow autonomous vehicles will accelerate suburban sprawlThis startup hopes to bring autonomous campus shuttles to colleges by 2017 View full entry
In an alternate reality, a half-mile-diameter dome would enclose much of Manhattan. The dome would regulate the city’s temperature and reduce energy consumption, according to the man behind the plan, R. Buckminster Fuller. Titled “Noah’s Ark #2”, the fantastical idea actually found a... View full entry
It's like the furniture version of ASMR. This short video from Vitra shows the materials of an Eames Lounge Chair coming together: Mores Eames on Archinect: A “terrible, enjoyable bloody business”: the influential films of Charles and Ray EamesCharles and Ray Eames Explain the Computer... View full entry
The confluence of Google mapping, 3D printing and the desire for inventive home decor has produced a Kickstarter for One Hundred Tokyo, a fully-fledged three dimensional map of Tokyo that is divided into 100 handy pieces. Pick your favorite palm-sized square(s) or collect all 100; it's up to you... View full entry
Is flood mitigation the new frontier in urban planning? China, whose urban centers have regularly been experiencing infrastructure-shuttering floods, is actively encouraging its metropolises to start reshaping themselves to handle the new reality via the so-called "sponge city" program. As an... View full entry
For all of the dubious attention attracted by the “Bilbao Effect” theory [...] a more prosaic, and arguably more important aspect of museum location has received little attention: not which city a museum is built in, but where in that city. Locations that would once have seemed inevitable, such as Chicago parkland, are hugely contentious in the 2000s, while locations previously unthinkable in that year – an abandoned lumbermill in Bilbao [...] – are now commonplace. — theguardian.com
Related stories in the Archinect news:Embattled Lucas Museum may move to S.F.'s Treasure IslandLawsuit against Lucas Museum holds off (for now)‘Museum directors hated Bilbao’ View full entry
This week is one of the first in the season to demand a coat. With nights starting to draw in, the temperature dropping, and with many galleries and events opening later in the evenings, now is the perfect time to replace parks with free exhibitions. This year’s Stirling Prize winning project... View full entry
Over the years, Trump has courted me, comforted me, criticized me and sent me a handful of sometimes-fawning letters and notes. I saved the correspondence. Wouldn't you? [...]
And the missives are telling. Combined with other things he's said and written, they show that Candidate Trump isn't all that different from Developer Trump. He remains a master media manipulator who can be charming, mercurial and vengeful. Only now he wants to be the most powerful man on earth.
— Blair Kamin – Chicago Tribune
In this relatively personal piece for the Tribune, architecture critic Blair Kamin recounts his tumultuous personal and professional relationship with Trump over 10+ years, talking (as developers and architecture critics do) about buildings. Kamin explains that there were times when Trump was... View full entry
"I see architecture as almost a political work" [...]
“We are in a radically divided world” in which “architecture is not dealing with those political issues in a really sophisticated way,” [...]
“I think that both the art world and the architecture world … [are] pretty intolerant in terms of engaging” with political worlds beyond Western democracies."
— news.harvard.edu
More recent news from Rem and OMA:OMA's plans for Axel Springer building officially releasedWatch live: Rem Koolhaas is moderating a 12-hour marathon of interviews on the future of EuropeOMA's hyper CorbTo thrive post-Zaha, Koolhaas says ZHA should emulate high fashion brands"The first major... View full entry
On Friday October 7th, Steven Holl and Senior Partner Chris McVoy will be on hand to officially open the firm's Visual Arts Building for the University of Iowa, which in addition to being the only building in the United States that uses an integrated hydronic radiant heating and cooling system in... View full entry