Due to an Amazon-fueled apartment construction boom over the last decade, Seattle has been an epicenter of [a] new school of structural simulacra. But Seattle is not alone. Nearly every city, from Charlotte to Minneapolis, has seen a proliferation of homogenous apartments as construction has increased again in the wake of the financial recession. — Curbed LA
Developer Modern, Plonkitecture, Contemporary Contempt, Blandmarks... These are just a few of the names offered for the ubiquitous apartment building design that has swept the nation in the last few decades. They differ marginally across the United States, for they all equally strive for the... View full entry
The Los Angeles Conservancy, which spearheaded the landmarking efforts, canceled plans to name the property a Historic-Cultural Monument after agreeing to a deal with owners Paul and Gigi Shepherd to “take demolition off the table.” That means buyers must be willing to relocate the home if they plan to build on the stunning hillside vista where it sits. — Curbed LA
Now listed for $6.25 million, Richard Neutra's historic Chuey House in Hollywood Hills is still up for grabs. “According to listing material, the one and a half acres upon which [the house] sits could accommodate a 20,000 square foot megamansion. That’s more than 10 times the size of the... View full entry
In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles. (Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)... View full entry
![Condensed potato peels. Courtesy Chip[s] Board](https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/7c/7c499d6f497fc454f676598e99077233.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=514 "Condensed potato peels. Courtesy Chip[s] Board")
London-based designers Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll along with research scientist Greg Cooper have developed a biodegradable alternative to resin-based building materials such as low- and medium-density fiberboard. Called Chip[s] Board, the new material is made from non-food-grade industrial potato waste and is free of toxic chemicals and formaldehyde. — Architect Magazine
Potatoes are truly the most versatile vegetable. Chips, hash browns and vodka are just a few of its miracles, but it has also recently been added to the list of innovative building materials. London-based designers Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll, along with research scientist Greg Cooper, have... View full entry
It’s not necessarily that conservatives rip out their lawns for economic reasons and liberals do so for environmental ones. Fresno is located in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, so living here brings a consciousness of water issues, as well as a pride in the region’s miles of fields. “My Job Depends on Ag” is a common bumper sticker about town. — City Lab
The EPA estimates that a third of the water used by American households goes to watering lawns and gardens, and Californians have long made up a significant portion of that statistic. State-wide aridity lends California a unique thirst for water, especially after several droughts within the last... View full entry
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 to miss. Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us... View full entry
Some work continued on Thursday at a partly-built $13 billion Mexico City airport that the new president is scrapping, even after the government announced construction had been halted. [...]
The head of the government-run agency responsible for the project, Gerardo Ferrando, said the only construction still underway was to preserve what had already been built, such as drainage works, slabs of foundation and a partly-built tower.
— Reuters
NAICM aerial visualization. Rendering: Dbox.It's unclear what should happen now with the partly built new Mexico City International Airport which, some argue, was about one-third complete. "Construction work is officially suspended on that airport, and negotiations on the early termination of the... View full entry
A master plan for a 17 acre parcel of land in Amsterdam has been recently unveiled by the Dutch firm MVRDV. Given the fact that "Amsterdam urgently needs housing in all sorts of sizes and price ranges, for both purchase and rental,” says Nathalie de Vries, co-founder of MVRDV, the project... View full entry
...the new property is not to sell products. Instead, Shinola aims for the hotel to be a place where Detroiters and out-of-town visitors can bond with each other, the city, and the brand in an organic way. — Hour Detroit
The Detroit-based watch company is a fundamental entity within the city. Founded in 2011, the humble watch company built its first factory by transforming 30,000 square feet of unused space inside Detroit's historic Argonaut Building. A brand built on quality, hard work, and the spirit of Detroit... View full entry
Last week, the final piece of the third and highest apex of Jean Nouvel’s first residential skyscraper was anchored and installed over Midtown. 53 West 53rd Street now stands 1,050 feet tall, and is currently the 7th-tallest skyscraper under construction in New York City. — New York YIMBY
If the introduction of 432 Park Avenue, the 1,300-foot-tall Rafael Viñoly and SLCE Architects-designed apartment tower wasn't a jarring enough addition to the New York skyline, the completion of a controversial second building will soon normalize the movement towards ultra-tall residential... View full entry
Steven Holl Architects recently released a short video by Milkbox NY that highlights the VCU Institute for Contemporary Art that opened last April in Richmond. Hear Steven Holl and Chris McVoy talk more about the ICA's dynamic design, while artists and VCUarts faculty and alumni comment on the... View full entry
Los Angeles's Central Library, London's Hoover building, and Lisbon's Eden Teatro, are all considered to be some of the finest examples of Art Deco from around the world. They also all take center stage in the stunning photographs taken by graphic designer and film-maker Arnold Schwartzman, whose... View full entry
Crews from AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction are hoisting the components of the stadium's immense roof truss into place. The metal structure will eventually be wrapped with a canopy of the plastic material ETFE, which will give the structure a translucent coat on which the logos of both its occupants can be displayed. Scheduled to open in 2020, the 70,000-seat stadium is scheduled to host the 2022 Super Bowl, and is also poised to play a key role in the 2028 Summer Olympic games. — Urbanize LA
Construction of the Inglewood NFL Stadium moves forward as its distinctive roof truss is hoisted into place. Meanwhile, in a recent report from KTLA 5, longtime business owners in Inglewood are already worried that they may have to move out due to rapidly rising rents as the... View full entry
The 2019 edition of the biennial Archiprix International Student Competition has nominated 22 outstanding graduation projects which now have the chance to win the grand prize at the award ceremony on May 3rd in Santiago de Chile. This year's jury included Francisco Díaz, Rosetta Elkin, Marta... View full entry
The new year is upon us! There are plenty of things the architecture community can learn from 2018. With trends rising and falling out of style, to practices learning how to embody an ethical and inclusive model, industry leaders are looking to start the new year on the right foot. This week's job... View full entry
