BOLLES + WILSON recently received an ‘International Architecture Award 2012‘ for their design of a new headquarter for a concrete plant in Erwitte, Germany. The building, which is highlighted by an optimal concrete beam, is a combination of the existing vertical cement silo complimented by a new horizontal administration deck. The deck hovers, cantilevering dramatically over green fields (entrance side) and also symmetrically out over a re-naturalized cement quarry (wildlife protection zone). More images and architects’ description after the break.

Despite unique climate challenges in the city of Keelung, Taiwan, the design for the Joint Office Building and Passenger & Cargo Terminal by de Architekten Cie. is an example of how one can naturally ventilate the building during the winter and shoulder seasons. This ambition reduces the energy consumption of the building dramatically and increases thermal comfort and delight. More images and architects’ description after the break.

The New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (nycobaNOMA) will be hosting the ‘Crafting the Interview 3.0′ event, which has been postponed to take place October 13 at FXFOWLE from 11am – 5pm. In order to provide the necessary tools to craft a successful interview, they have planned a Portfolio + Resume Review Day for graduating college students and young professionals seeking feedback on their portfolio. A panel presentation will provide information about the job hunting process and current market trends. The event will offer constructive one-on-one feedback to participants and a panel discussion comprised of professionals representing different sectors of the architectural + design community. To register for the event and for more detailed information, please visit here.

Currently under construction on the edge of the city of Istanbul, the Alemdag Housing, designed by Baraka Architects, is made up of four building blocks which contain 70 flats, 2 retail units and social facilities. The 6.000 m² plot is situated on the exact interface between the city and the surrounding forest, making this the first characteristic taken into account for the housing complex as an important dynamic. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Commissioned by the Greater London Authority as part of the Wonder series to celebrate the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, BLOOM, designed and developed by Alisa Andrasek and Jose Sanchez from The Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL, is a crowd sourced garden. Designed in neon pink, which is the official Olympics color, BLOOM is conceptualised as an urban toy, a distributed social game and collective “gardening” experience that seeks the engagement of people in order to construct fuzzy BLOOM formations. More images and architects’ description after the break.

With professional cycling rapidly developing in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico in the last decade, there is an interest in building Culiacan’s new velodrome, as well as incorporating policies that favor cycling as a mode of transportation into the city’s plans for new public spaces. The proposal by BNKR Arquitectura channels this new found enthusiasm for cycling into a single thread that unites a professional sports building with a cycling-oriented park development. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Undergoing the most significant change since the historic station was completed to Brunel’s design, the new Paddington Station, designed by Weston Williamson Architects, will provide a major new gateway for London. Serving local, national and international passengers, the Crossrail Station balances many design issues including heritage, conservation, transport integration, way-finding, orientation, servicing and security to create a world-class pedestrian space alongside the existing Network Rail buildings. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Marking the entrance to Stockholm’s inner city center, the Stockholm City Station. Designed by 3XN Architects, integrates the station, a hotel, conference center, and apartments. The main idea behind the design was to create a building that gently adjusts to the area’s existing building in scale and expression, and which reinterprets a number of local Swedish design traditions. Containing a number of public and private functions, the building will contribute positively to creating life in the surrounding neighborhood. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Spearheading the development of the new district in Egedal, Demark, the town hall and health center will be the uniting center of the new Municipality of the city as one of the first buildings in the new planned urban area around Egedal Station. Designed by Henning Larsen Architects, their proposal won the highest score for all criteria in the competition to get the first prize. The health center will become an active part of the town hall, while at the same time offering citizens the opportunity to use the area outside town hall opening hours. More images and architects’ description after the break.

The 2012 IIDA Best Interiors of Latin America Competition was created to recognize, honor and celebrate outstanding Interior Design/Architecture projects that represent the highest level of creativity, originality and design excellence in the following countries: Argentina, Aruba, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. The design project(s) must have been completed between January 1, 2010 and June 31, 2012. The deadline for submission is September 14. For more information, please visit here.

The Palace of International Forums is a centrally located venue in the cityscape of Tashkent , Uzbekistan for hosting official state receptions, conferences and concerts. With the request from the client for an atmosphere of festive glamour, pfarré lighting design created the illumination of interior spaces to encompass a total of 40,000 m2. They augmented the work of the interior designers by designing many lights, light systems, light objects and crystal chandeliers manufactured specifically for the project. More images and their description after the break.

The Leeds Housing design by Kamvari Architects proposes terraced housing which meets the criteria of modern day living. The proposal refers to the context and the interesting site surrounded by canals and a waterway. This was seen as an opportunity to generate a central hub for the community which would separate them from vehicular routes and create a sanctuary for the entire community to enjoy. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Zaha Hadid, who has been making her mark in product design, such as with her footwear design, has most recently collaborated with Donna Karan to design the powerful new scented perfume. The scent, which evokes the complexity of a woman, is accompanied by a curving, fluid-seeming container made of ombré charcoal glass. With a shape that is distinctively elegant, the bottle represents a strong sense of femininity, while demonstrating the confidence of a woman. “The bottle’s dark, translucent qualities offer a sense of mystery that awakens our curiosity,” Hadid, the Pritzker Prize winner explains. The perfume, which is sure to awaken many, retails at $85, per 1.7 oz.

The basic idea of the Adana City Hall and Cultural Center building by MTF Proje was based on the surrounding of the building, which is mostly captured with green areas. Half of the building is designed just under the green land which is coherent due to the topography. Here in Adana Çukurova, the building is designed due to the human scale. The building is consisted of a four story city hall, a culture center which has the capacity of nearly 500 people, a city library, a wedding place, city information center and the ateliers. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat recently won the international competition for the new 32.000m2 Sberbank corporate University. As Russia’s largest and oldest state run bank with over 250.000 employees and 20.000 branch offices in the country, the new Sberbank University will provide education, seminars, and team building programs to the company’s top professionals to continuously improve their performance within the corporate standards. The Sberbank University is expected to be completed in 2013. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Designed for Bernard Khoury of DW5 for a private residence in Beirut, .PSLAB’s aim for the staircase in this space is to highlight the distinguishing features and shape of the staircase, all the while offering a distinctive experience. inspiration in this project came from the staircase’s main characteristics. The aim was to create a lighting concept that would not only mirror these distinguishing features but also complement the structure. The constraints encountered came not from the space but from the lighting fixture itself which required special handling to turn a concept into reality. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Berkeley Prize 2013, which launches on September 15, is dedicated to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the World Health Organization which is helping to promote and implement the Convention. The International Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence, which focuses on the social art of architecture, is celebrating its 15th prize cycle this year. The online, two-stage essay competition is open to undergraduate architecture majors in accredited schools of architecture throughout the world. Proposals are due on November 1, 2012. For more information, please visit here.

Designed by Saraiva + Associados, the design of the present office center in Ataşehir, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, provides a cost effective solution to the changing needs of office spaces. This development plays a significant role in the city and within the financial community since it is seen as an important investment. Therefore, in order to perform as a new landmark in Ataşehir, this new office center, located in a not very privileged spot, aims to be exceptional in an unexceptional context – an iconic complex full of identity and easily recognizable. More images and architects’ description after the break.