What can be said of a world where one billionaire wants to build a giant tulip-shaped tower of little practical use and another wants to house thousands of students in windowless rooms in a block with all the charm of an Amazon distribution centre? — The Guardian
The Observer critic further continued his contrasting of Foster + Partner’s failed Tulip Tower with the Munger Hall development in California, claiming that each was the vanity project of a wayward billionaire. “Both projects seem driven by ego, but in the wide space between the brutal... View full entry
Alphabet’s self-driving car company Waymo is partnering with Chinese automaker Geely to create a fleet of all-electric, self-driving robotaxis. — The Verge
The cars will be designed in Sweden, where Geely owns Swedish car manufacturer Volvo. Waymo will integrate the Waymo Driver, their autonomous driving technology, into Geely's electric, transportation-as-a-service (Taas)-optimized Zeekr vehicle. Waymo plans to deploy the vehicles in the US within... View full entry
The Pennsylvania city announced in August it will become a dark sky city starting in 2022, meaning that it will switch to lower wattage LED bulbs and add shades along bridges, roads and other public areas. It’s the first city in the eastern part of the U.S. to adopt such policies but it joins other cities, including Tucson, Sedona and Flagstaff in Arizona, and Fulda in Germany, in their efforts to reduce light pollution and increase energy efficiency. — Bloomberg CityLab
The dark-sky movement officially began in 1988, has produced events such as Earth Hour, and is currently expanding into other U.S. cities such as Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Light pollution caused by stronger “white” LED fixtures has been shown to cause health and... View full entry
The fate of one of the most iconic artworks in the nation’s capital has been officially resolved months after The Cultural Landscape Foundation assured that its future would be set in stone. Artist Elyn Zimmerman’s massive granite Marabar installation has found a new home... View full entry
Pursuing an architecture education is no easy feat, and with the events that took place in 2020 and 2021, there were plenty of obstacles that could dampen the goals of students around the world. Nevertheless, architecture schools learned as much as they could in 2020 to help students and faculty... View full entry
At our peril, we have ignored Nightingale’s prescriptions. The history of the hospital contains clear lessons about the importance of air movement through buildings, the public health risks of poor design, and the dangers of technological reliance. Architecture professionals should look back to see what else has been forgotten or ignored in the race to merge art and technology. Whose lives might be at stake if they don’t? — Fast Company
Murphy is a principal at Boston-based MASS Design Group and the author of The Architecture of Health: Hospital Design and the Construction of Dignity, which accompanies the firm’s recent exhibition Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics on view at the Cooper Hewitt until... View full entry
The successful entries of the 16th Eurasian Prize edition, an international award for architecture, urban development, and design, have been announced. A selection of winners, commendations, and special prize recipients was chosen from a field that included entries from firms from around the... View full entry
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 Global Architectural Rendering Software Market is expected to grow by $971.89mn during 2021-2025, decelerating at a CAGR of 23.53% during the forecast period. — Yahoo! Finance
The new study points to an increase in urbanization and disposable income as primary factors for the anticipated growth of the global architectural rendering software market. An October report from Dodge Data & Analytics, in partnership with design software giant... View full entry
What once was an ambitious but abandoned expansion of Downtown Los Angeles’ Convention Center and Marriott Hotel has found a second life courtesy of a new proposal backed by a slate of big-name firms, according to a report from Urbanize LA. Project renderings are emerging of a plan that... View full entry
2021 was unfortunately a record year in terms of the death notices and obituaries of many who contributed to our profession in ways both large and small. Our pages were filled with heartfelt tributes to the many who were taken from us in fields that included academia (like Thomas Gordon... View full entry
One Virginia family received the keys to their new 3D-printed home in time for Christmas. The home is Habitat for Humanity's first 3D-printed home in the nation, according to a Habitat news release. Janet V. Green, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg, told CNN it partnered with Alquist, a 3D printing company, earlier this year to begin the process. Alquist's crew printed the house. — CNN
The milestone was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 21st. The 1,200-square-foot house has three bedrooms, two full baths, and the concrete portion of the structure was printed in 12 hours. The home was built for April Stringfield, who purchased the home through Habitat for... View full entry
From Archinect's vibrant community of architecture students and professionals, firms, and schools, we have selected five featured employers with new, attractive job openings in New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Peruse these listings below, and visit Archinect Jobs... 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
2021 was the year many long-delayed high-profile projects finally managed to come to a close, overcome additional pandemic-induced delays carried over from 2020, take remaining certification hurdles, and swing their doors open to the anticipating (and sometimes locked down) public. From the... View full entry