The Tel Aviv Museum of Art, located in the center of the city’s cultural complex and designed by Preston Scott Cohen has completed construction and will open to the public shortly. The program for the Tel Aviv Museum of Art Amir Building posed an extraordinary architectural challenge: to resolve the tension between the tight, idiosyncratic triangular site and the museum’s need for a series of large, neutral rectangular galleries. The solution: subtly twisting geometric surfaces (hyperbolic parabolas) that connect the disparate angles between the galleries and the context while refracting natural light into the deepest recesses of the half buried building.

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Architects: Preston Scott Cohen Location: Tel Aviv, Israel Project Area: 200,000 sqf Project Year: 2007-2011 Photographs: Courtesy of Preston Scott Cohen

Scheduled for demolition in Summer 2011, the Phillis Wheatley Elementary School is a treasured piece of regional modernism in New Orleans. Designed by Charles Colbert, the school has served the historic African-American neighborhood of Tremé since it opened in 1955. It is just one of over thirty public schools that were constructed at that time. These schools were designed by architects who practiced a regional modernism, incorporating innovative design for circulation, ventilation and lighting. Of the thirty schools only four are still standing, three of which are threatened with demolition (including Phillis Wheatley). DOCOMOMO Louisiana is advocating for the restoration through adaptive reuse for the Phillis Wheatley Elementary School. “A Plea For Modernism” was created by Evan Mather and is narrated by actor Wendell Pierce.

The Tulane School of Architecture, theCharrette presents its May 2011 Issue. The culmination of a year with a new image for the publication, theCharette has included in this issue key architectural topics at Tulane and adjacent realms including the Richardson Memorial Hall renovations with FXFOWLE and el dorado.

Seattle based Miller Hull Partnership has recently shared with ArchDaily that they have expanded to open an office in San Diego. Formed in 1977 the award-winning [check out our coverage of The Miller Hull Partnership here] firm’s design reputation is based on simple, innovative and authentic designs that incorporate sustainable practices.

The Miller Hull Partnership has been working in San Diego for seven years, and has a number of projects currently under way. These include the renovation of the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, the busiest border crossing in the world (Phase 1 in construction), and the University of California San Diego Structural & Nano Materials Engineering building also in construction.

The Department of Architecture at Portland State University will celebrate the graduation of its first-ever class of Master of Architecture students with an end-of-year design show, titled “Materialize | Student Work 2010-2011.” Hosted by the Portland chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the show will highlight the achievements of students throughout the graduate and undergraduate programs, with an emphasis on the independent design theses of the Master of Architecture students. An opening reception will be held in conjunction with First Thursday on June 2, 2011, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.

The Nanjing Sifang Art Museum designed by Steven Holl Architects is nearly complete, and on schedule to open its doors to the public in a few short months. Iwan Baan shows on his website a great photo set of the new museum which can be viewed here.

A solution to temporary soft skin shelters that are generally used following a natural disaster, the Concrete Canvas shelter can provide a more permanent structure that is both a fire proof and sterile environment. This ‘building in a bag’ consists of concrete cloth material that is prefabricated onto an inflatable plastic interior anchored by steel doors on either end. Follow the break to watch a video describing the process.

A recent Bi-Partisan Congressional effort has landed the 2030 Challenge back on the Senate Floor, where the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2011 was introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The bill places meeting the 2030 Challenge target of zero-net-energy for new buildings by 2030 as the first item in a comprehensive strategy for U.S. energy reductions in the building and industrial sectors.

NAU is an international, multidisciplinary design firm, spanning the spectrum from architecture and interior design to exhibitions and interactive interfaces. As futurists creating both visual design and constructed projects, NAU melds the precision of experienced builders with the imagination and attention to detail required to create innovative exhibits, public events and architecture.

The Living Roof is a living environment boiled down to its most essential elements: a refuge to recover, plan excursions into the city, or simply stare into the stars.  Offering you the essence of the city, it condenses all the functions of daily life into a compact and self- sustaining capsule, intended for urban rooftops, but ready to be airlifted into the savanna at short notice. The minimal interior allows for concentrated thought and recuperation, while the highly efficient enclosure helps resolve one of the paradoxes of modern life: the contemporary citizen seeks mobility, but also wants to tread softly on the environment. For just this sort of traveler, NAU has designed the Living Roof, the first short-term housing unit to produce more energy than it consumes.

The importance of the National University of Colombia campus began with its enlightened master plan by the architect Leopold Rother in the 1930s. With its green center, classical axiality, and layered concentricity, the campus contains some wonderful examples of architecture.

Architects: Steven Holl Architects Design Architects: Steven Holl, Chris McVoy, Garrick Ambrose Senior Partner in Charge: Chris McVoy Project Architect: Garrick Ambrose Project Team: Johanna Muszbek, Scott Fredricks, Dimitra Tsachrelia Location: Bogota, Colombia Project Area: 70,000 sqf

Architect Magazine‘s third-annual ranking of American architecture firms takes a look at three factors: profitability, sustainability, and design quality. This whole picture approach provides an opportunity for small and large firms to go head to head, with a result of the best architecture firms, not necessarily the biggest.

Some of these practices have been featured on ArchDaily like Perkins + Will, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Cannon Design, and Frank Harmon Architect.

Take a look at the complete rankings after the break.

The Beijing Central Business District (CBD) plan by SOM can now add 2011 AIA Institute Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design to its list. The ongoing 4,200,000 sqm project is the winning design from the international design competition expanding the Beijing CBD

The plan calls for the establishment of three new districts anchored by signature parks and green boulevards. New modes of public transportation are proposed, including express commuter rail service between the Beijing Capital International Airport, the CBD, and high speed rail service at Beijing South Station. A new streetcar system is proposed to conveniently link all areas of the CBD, and every street would be bicycle friendly. To establish a pedestrian-friendly scale for development, the plan calls for a network of small, walkable blocks.

The USGBC continues to be in the headlines as last week Henry Gifford filed opposition papers to the USGBC’s motion to dismiss the pending lawsuit in New York.

Mr. Gifford’s attorneys argue in their opposition. “If the USGBC website were password protected for professional members only, that assertion would be more convincing,” Mr. Gifford’s attorneys write. “But the USGBC website is aimed at giving the general public an overview of LEED, with ‘What LEED Is’ on the masthead. USGBC’s website explains to the layman consumer: ‘By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, business, and taxpayers. . . It’s absurd to think USGBC is not directing its marketing at the tenant-consumer.”

TNT Post, the Dutch postal company has collaborated with the Netherlands Architecture Institute to develop a new line of postage stamps that feature both monumental works and experimental projects. More about the postage stamps, from previous NAI director Aaron Betsky following the break.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has recently unveiled a demonstration of its new Next Generation Service. The new service follows the release of the Sustainability Guide, which was developed to assist users of AIA Contract Documents in understanding contractual considerations unique to sustainable design and construction projects.

The next generation AIA Contract Documents service, which will represent a significant innovation in accessibility, security, flexibility, affordability and ease of use for the design and construction industry. This new service will allow AIA Contract Documents users to have access to the AIA Contract Document library and all drafts and final documents anytime from anywhere with an internet connection from either a PC or Mac.

More details about the Next Generat Service following the break.

DesignByMany and media partner ArchDaily are pleased to announce the “Low Cost, Low Energy House” by sustainable.TO as the winning design for the Passive House for New Orleans competition. The competition challenged both students and professionals to design a passive house for New Orleans focusing on key components of The Passive House Standard and the 2030 Challenge which has influenced the Better Buildings Initiative issued by President Obama.

More on the results of this competition after the break.

Patkau Architects and MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects, in joint venture, were selected as the winner of the international design competition to design the new sports complex for the University of Toronto containing Field House, Strength & Conditioning Centre, Sports Clinic and Research, Student Facilities. Design development and programming is underway, with anticipated project completion by 2015.

Architects: Patkau Architects and MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects in joint venture Location: Toronto, Canada Expected Completion: 2015 Renderings: Luxigon

The prestigious recognition of France’s Legion of Honour, was recently bestowed upon MVRDV’s Winy Maas. A French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, on 19 May 1802, it is the highest decoration in France and was given to Mass by French Ambassador to the Netherlands Mr. Jean-François Blarel.