The Municipal Art Society of New York is preparing for their third annual Summit which will feature nearly 100 talks pertaining to architecture and urbanism. Beginning October 18th, the two day event at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall will bring together elected officials, designers and innovators to share their thoughts on how New York can maintain its global-leadership position while remaining a livable environment for all its inhabitants.
From September 29th to December 8th, the exhibition dedicated to the work of Toni Cumella will be open. His works in ceramic have been utilised by architects such as Enric Miralles, Alejandro Zaera-Polo, or Jean Nouvel. These collaborations made his material became part of the image of Barcelona, being part of the construction of La Sagrada Familia, and the restoration of Casa Batlló and Parc Güell.
Focusing on the 4 main fabrication processes in use at Ceramica Cumella – extruding, casting, pressing and revolving – Shaping Ideas presents the work of Toni Cumella and the application of his ceramics in some of contemporary architecture’s most significant projects.
In early September, Zaha Hadid gave the official order to begin construction work on Port House, the new headquarters for Antwerp Port Authority on the Kattendijk dock. The new Antwerp Port Authority headquarters will house approximately 500 staff in a single new location that comprises both a former fi re station and a new extension. Together, these two entities form an impressive new landmark as the headquarters of the Antwerp Port Authority, overlooking both the city and the harbor. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Andrew McGregor, Robert Miller, Raymond Bourraine, and Teresa Cacho were recently named as the second prize winner in the Sukkahville Design Competition in Toronto. Organized by the Kehilla Residential Programme, five finalists were given the opportunity to build their designs for an exhibition with the challenge to design a temporary structure constructed for use annually during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. Representing many conceptual themes surrounding the essential nature of dwelling, this proposal for an innovative Sukkah design delicately balances the inherent dichotomies of new/old, open/closed, and temporary/permanent. More images can be viewed after the break.
“Holistic Housing: Concepts, Design Strategies and Processes” is a fundamental reference work on housing construction. The book deals with the issue of sustainability in a planning context but also analyses a building’s usage and ageing over its ‘life cycle’. A system of criteria specially developed in an accompanying research project can be used to compare and evaluate buildings. It can also be used as a tool for optimising the sustainability of buildings in development during the planning process. By contrast, most existing sustainability systems are conceived not as design and planning tools, but as instruments for evaluating finished buildings and completed planning.
Taking place Wednesday, October 24th, at Cooper Union in New York, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will be delivering their ‘Head/hand’ lecture highlighting their current work. Co-sponsored by The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture of The Cooper Union as part of the program put on by the Architectural League, the body of work presented ranges from large cultural institutions to new skating rinks for Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University, and the recently awarded commission to design the New Embassy Compound in Mexico City. “To see architecture as profound optimism” is the foundational principle behind the work of Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. The husband-and-wife firm began working together in New York in 1977, establishing their firm nine years later in the same Central Park South studio where they work today. For more information, please visit here.
In this video, JA+U interviews minimalist Japanese architect Shinichi Ogawa of Shinichi Ogawa and Associates. Ogawa describes the “austerity” and “organization” of minimalist design in regard to different projects. In residences, where flexibility and options are important, he says that the minimalistic approach grants a wide range of possibilities, providing open and flexible spaces that connect with the site. Ogawa describes the a range of projects that use simple forms and expressions to interact with the environment and accentuate the surroundings.
Maison L, the dramatic addition that transformed an 18th century orangery into an innovative contemporary house on the outskirts of Paris, has been awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) 2012 Manser Medal for best newly designed private house. The major restoration and extension was designed by christian pottgiesser architecturespossibles (CPAP), a well-published practiced based in Paris whose portfolio ranges from small private homes to large scale urban design. The French home was selected over four other impressive residences, seen here on the 2012 Manser Medal shortlist.
The Lake House is a film that shows many of the daily issues of architects’ lives. A successful architect whose two children decided to follow the same path but in really different ways. The movie presents architecture as a transmitted skill through generations, a kind of familiar heritage. Which is actually a repetitive situation in our practice.
Have you seen it already? Let us know if you feel touched by any of these subjects. What generation of architect you are?
Just a short time since its public opening celebration, Farshid Moussavi’sMuseum of Contemporary Artis already a dynamic hub of activity for the city of Cleveland. A three-day festival in early October welcomed museum members, out-of-town guests and the general public with a series of art installations, music and entertainment, to showcase the city’s newest icon. Moussavi joined in the festivities and was honored for her sleek faceted form at the museum’s three-tiered party. Although we have been following the progress of the project since its conceptual phases, we have yet to see what the mysterious black cube has to offer in terms of interior gallery spaces and public gathering zones… until now! Check out a great series of interior photos plus beautiful exterior photos by photographers Dean Kaufman and Duane Prokop to compliment our set from the summer time.
With the aim to generate a broader discussion of possibilities for Vancouver’s affordable housing crisis, Jessie Andjelic, Albert Dijk and Philip Vandermey submitted their Meta Vancouverism and Vancouver Islands proposal for the Re:think Housing competition held by the City of Vancouver. These concepts are focused on on being grenade projects in response to perceived contradictions within dominant themes of Vancouver urban planning – affordability, sustainability, nature, speculative urbanism, sprawl and the condo rush. More images and architects’ description after the break.
With the role of the library changing in recent years, a library functions as more of a community center with less concern in collection space. In their proposal for the Daegu Gosan Public Library, PRAUD‘s concept focuses on creating flexible and generous space in user oriented space, and on housing collection space into certain area. Basically, collection spaces are located in between two major cores, that are also major structural supports of the building. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Written and directed by Caroline Bâcle and produced by Katarina Soukup of Catbird Films, Inc., the official trailer for ‘Lost Rivers’ focuses on why rivers have disappeared throughout the course of time and the possibility of them coming back. The documentary tries to find answers by meeting visionary urban thinkers, activists and artists from around the world.
To celebrate the start of a seven-month land use review process, Cornell has released preliminary renderings of the first academic building planned for Cornell Tech – the new world-class technology and entrepreneurship campus in New York City that was masterplanned by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM).
The modern campus strives to rethink academic workspace, prioritize environmental performance, and exploit the unique urban condition of Roosevelt Island. In May, Pritzker Prize laureate Thom Mayne, founder of Morphosis, was appointed as architect of the first landmark building, which will set the stage for the carbon positive campus.
Japanese modernist Fumihiko Maki has been chosen to design a cultural and university complex on a 67-acre Kings Cross development in London. As reported by the Evening Standard, the 84-year-old, Pritzker Prize-winning architect will design two buildings for the Aga Khan Development Network – an organization who leads the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims.
The two projects are among five, totaling a half million square feet, that are being commissioned by the Network at Kings Cross. It is unsaid of who will design the other three buildings. However, preliminary designs studies are under way and formal appointments will be announced shortly.