Today at Nvidia GTC 2019, the company unveiled a stunning image creator. Using generative adversarial networks, users of the software are with just a few clicks able to sketch images that are nearly photorealistic. The software will instantly turn a couple of lines into a gorgeous mountaintop sunset. This is MS Paint for the AI age. — Tech Crunch
The GauGAN image creation system Nvidia presented this week is an impressive foreshadowing of AI's rapid advancement into creative fields, like art and architecture—and a frightening example of the increasing ease of producing (nearly) photorealistic inauthentic imagery. Screenshot of the... View full entry
This week, Europe's first underwater restaurant (and the largest of its kind in the world) will open its doors to its first set of diners. Guests will be treated to a 15 to 18 course set menu featuring dishes that showoff locally sourced ingredients like sea arrow grass and Norwegian berries, as... View full entry
Architecture firm billings growth softened in February but remained positive, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for February was 50.3, down from 55.3 in January. Indicators of work in the pipeline, including inquiries into new projects and the value of new design contracts remained positive.
— AIA
"Overall business conditions at architecture firms across the country have remained generally healthy,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “Firms in the south recorded continued strong design activity, likely reflecting a healthy regional economy and ongoing rebuilding from... View full entry
Archinect's Architecture School Lecture Guide for Spring 2019 It's time for Archinect's latest Get Lectured, an ongoing series where we feature a school's lecture series—and their snazzy posters—for the current term. Check back regularly to keep track of any upcoming lectures you don't want... View full entry
We Company, formerly known as WeWork, has announced plans to launch a smart cities program. Since its founding in 2010, the real-estate empire has collected an enormous amount of data on how people work and live, using that information to shape its more than 600 spaces. As the global coworking... View full entry
The “Flintstones” home in northern California appears to take its architectural cues from the town of Bedrock. The experimental house was built in the 1970s using a technique that involved spraying concrete to create curved walls. The result is a building where Fred and Wilma would feel at home, and it has become a landmark for drivers passing on I-280. — The Guardian
Neighbors of the quirky home in the affluent town of Hillsborough in Northern California aren't exactly fans of the prehistoric-looking architecture, nor the collection of large metal dinosaur and woolly mammoth sculptures on the property, and have sued the current owner, businesswoman Florence... View full entry
Join us at Archinect Outpost on March 29th, from 7-9pm to host artist Thomas Demand and The Complete Papers, the comprehensive survey of the artist's photographs to date. Published by MACK Books, The Complete Papers is an extensive volume encompassing all of Thomas Demand’s work over the... View full entry
In the next few years, Chicago's iconic Aon Center will be getting a shiny, new glass-sheathed exterior elevator that is set to be the tallest of its kind in North America. Designed by locally based Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB), the elevator — which will be tucked into the northwest corner of... View full entry
Danish 3D printing construction company COBOD International has sold a BOD2 to Saudi Arabian construction company Elite for Construction & Development Co. The BOD2, reportedly the biggest construction 3D printer in the world, will be delivered to Elite by the end of May, 2019.
Elite placed the order of the BOD2 from COBOD in order to fulfil Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to improve the country’s economy and housing through pillars of innovations, i.e., modern construction techniques.
— 3D Printing Industry
COBOD states the printing speed of its new BOD2 system at 18 meters (59 feet) per minute. Image: COBOD."The BOD2 3D printer can print buildings with measurements of 12m in width, 27m in length and 9m in height," reports 3D Printing Industry. "COBOD also claim that the machine can produce three... View full entry
Mr. Rael and Ms. San Fratello are committed to democratizing the process for their young acolytes and others, making the point that 3-D printing from “upcycled” materials otherwise destined for the trash heap, and forgoing the purchase of drywall and other construction supplies, is a more sustainable design approach. Ingredients like curry and coffee grounds not only lower the cost, they add a dash of poetry, retaining their aroma long after being transformed. — New York Times
Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, principals of the Oakland firm Rael San Fratello, have been pushing the envelope on 3D printing in architecture. The duo—who started the spin-off company Emerging Objects in order to develop materials and applications for the technology—have built a... View full entry
Last year, an international roster of renowned architecture teams were invited to compete to redesign the Hungarian Museum of Transport, one of Europe's oldest transport museums. Two years ago, the museum left its former home in Városliget and the Hungarian government had them relocate... View full entry
It's time for another Archinect Employer of the Day weekly round-up! Check out the latest profiled firms amid the thousands of active listings on our job board. If you don't already, follow Employer of the Day on Facebook, where we showcase a firm every day, along with a gallery of their... View full entry
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a $10 billion plan to push out the lower Manhattan coastline as much as 500 feet, or two city blocks, to protect from flooding that’s expected to become more frequent as global temperatures rise. [...]
Portions of the extended land would be at 20 feet above sea level. The city can’t build flood protection on the existing land because it’s too crowded with utilities, sewers and subway lines, he said.
— Bloomberg
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has unveiled the city's comprehensive plan to increase resilience in Lower Manhattan, a low-lying, highly critical area that has proven to be vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. The newly published Lower Manhattan Climate Resilience Study recommends extending the... View full entry
With the opening of New York's Hudson Yards, a myriad of highly-anticipated restaurants, shops, and other attractions have begun greeting visitors. Amongst them, is a new exhibition space that will give the firm Snarkitecture 6,000 square feet to unveil a rotating cast of art and architecture... View full entry
With a 33-15 vote, the Chicago City Council [...] approved the Lincoln Yards planned development, clearing the way for Sterling Bay to move ahead with its $6 billion plan.
The developer faces a final hurdle next month when the City Council considers the creation of the Cortland/Chicago River tax-increment financing district, which would be used to subsidize infrastructure projects that would make Lincoln Yards more accessible.
— Crain's Chicago Business
Lincoln Yards previously in the Archinect news. Image: Lincoln Yards/Sterling Bay View full entry