Architect, urbanist, and Content Editor at ArchDaily. Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt.
DIALOG and HOK have just revealed the redesign of Scotia Place, Calgary’s new event center in Canada. Set to become a hub of community and culture, Scotia Place is inspired by Indigenous ancestral lands and cultural significance, integrated these perspectives with the natural beauty of Calgary. Commissioned by the City of Calgary and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporations, Scotia Place seeks to bring people together and activate the public realm.
Contrary to common belief, artificial islands have a lengthy historical background in many regions worldwide. This heritage dates back to the reclaimed islands in Ancient Egypt, the hundreds of Stilt crannogs found in Scottish and Irish lakes and waterways, and the ceremonial islands constructed during the Aztec Empire. By definition, an artificial island is an island that has been constructed by humans rather than formed through natural processes. Artificial islands can be built for many different reasons, and these reasons are only increasing as the world faces the looming issue of space scarcity.
In the past, these islands were intended for ceremonial or agricultural purposes, often verging on solutions for urban space. More recently, the islands have been built to mitigate overcrowding, reclaim land, provide new urban expansions, and meet infrastructure and industrial needs. Artificial islands also have certain strategic advantages and economic gains and can lead to geopolitical benefits. However, these types of projects come at a significant cost to our ecosystem, harming the environment in severe and vast ways.
Heatherwick Studio has just announced its design for transforming Seoul’s renowned Hanwha Galleria. Following a competition aimed at reimagining six sites across the South Korean capital, Heatherwick Studio seeks to highlight South Korea’s rising status as a global cultural hub. Featuring two twin hourglass-shaped structures, the proposed design challenge traditionally designed luxury department stores worldwide.
As we reach mid-2024, European cities showcase various urban development markers that are shaping the trajectory for the remainder of the year. Under themes of urban mobility in Brussels, sustainability in Valencia, Smart Cities in Rotterdam, and urban cooling in Paris, each city is making noteworthy progress on the road to meet the 2030 targets set by the Paris Agreement. In these diverse urban fabrics, European cities are committed to defining challenges and working towards shaping a climate-conscious future.
Named one of ArchDaily’s Best New Practices of 2024, (ab)Normal is redefining the boundaries of contemporary inspiration, architecture, and design. This Milan-based interdisciplinary studio, led by architects Mattia Inselvini, Davide Masserini, and Luigi Savio, aims to seamlessly merge architecture, product design, and creative direction into a cohesive practice. Founded in 2017 alongside Marcello Carpino, (ab)Normal's work spans various domains, including art, culture, design, interiors, and fashion. Their projects traverse multiple scales and formats, moving between the virtual and tangible, ephemeral and permanent, speculative and commercial, while integrating iconic elements with nods to popular culture and focusing on the implications of technological progress. Acting as Creative Director for the built environment, (ab)Normal operates across scales and formats, moving between the virtual and tangible, ephemeral and permanent, performative and static.
In his latest photographic journey, Paul Clemence explores the architecture of the Aluminaire House in Palm Springs. The Aluminaire House Foundation has bestowed the house exhibit upon the Palm Springs Art Museum, joining its permanent collection. This architectural landmark, designed by Albert Frey and Lawrence Kocher is currently undergoing reconstruction in the south parking lot of the Museum. Hailed as an icon of modernist design, recently recognized by the Architectural Record as one of the most significant buildings completed worldwide in the past 125 years.
The Paul Klee Center, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, is a tribute to the renowned German-Swiss artist Paul Klee. Blending architecture with the natural landscape of Bern, Switzerland, the museum echoes the rolling hills and fields of the region. Situated on the city’s easter outskirts, the structure aims to harmonize with its surroundings. Renowned as an iconic structure, Bern-based photographer Katerina Skarka has recently captured it through her lens, showcasing the architectural landmark.
The Museum of Architectural Drawing presents “Lina Bo Bardi - The Poetry of Concrete,” an exhibition featuring 40 drawings by the esteemed architect Lina Bo Bardi, highlighting her architectural legacy. Showing together for the first time in Europe, these works include sketches and designs, photographs of the architect’s buildings, and illustrations. Taking place in Berlin, Germany, the exhibition opened on 31 May 2024 and will continue until 22 September 2024.
Following an international competition, Caruso St John Architects has been appointed to renovate the iconic Kunsthalle Bielefeld in Northwest Germany. Designed by Philip Johnson and completed in 1968, the structure is Johnson’s only museum in Europe. Despite past maintenance efforts, the building remains largely unchanged from its original state. The renovation aims to modernize the museum’s services, exterior, and interior spaces.
On Friday, July 26th, Paris began the long-awaited Olympic and Paralympic Games. Located in the city’s Seine-Saint-Denis district, Dominque Perrault Architecture designed the master plan for the Athletes Village. Featuring 2,400 housing units and 119,000 square meters of various activities, offices, and services, this master plan has become a significant portion of the legacy of the Paris Games.
In 2001, Apple issued its Retail Store Manifesto, proclaiming its ambition to use retail to convince people that “Macintosh offers a much simpler, richer, and more human-centered computing experience” despite retail stores being unpopular among technology companies at the time. This vision has shaped Apple’s unique approach to retail, transforming its stores into environments beyond shopping. Since the inception of its first store, Apple has redefined the retail experience, emphasizing customer engagement and education and creating a community around its products. The stores “have become the embodiment of the Apple lifestyle.” This is done through products displayed on tables for easy access and mid-height furniture clusters in an open plan to foster interaction and visual orientation within the more prominent “Apple community.”
M+ Museum in Hong Kong has unveiled the first full-scale retrospective of the renowned Chinese-American architect leoh Ming Pei (1917-2019), widely known as I. M. Pei. Located in the West Kowloon Cultural District at Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, the exhibition will be open to the public from June 29, 2024 - January 5, 2025. “I. M. Pei: Life is Architecture” showcases Pei’s career, spanning seven decades across the globe.
As part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which has been in effect since 2021, the country has released its design for Expo Osaka 2025 in Kinsai, Japan. According to Canadian Architect, the pavilion's design team includes Rayside Labossière architects and architect Guillaume Pelletier. Additionally, it aims to showcase Canadian innovation, resources, investment, and education to the broader Indo-Pacific region. Centered around regeneration, the design is in line with the broader theme at the Expo: “Designing the Future Society for Our Lives.”
Snøhetta has unveiled a vacation home design nestled within the landscape of Hokkaido Island for the Japanese hospitality group NOT A HOTEL. Situated atop the renowned Rusutsu Resort, the project centers itself around Mount Yotei and provides framed views. The 1200 sqm building’s design aims to be minimal, influenced by the surrounding terrain and defined site boundaries.
After a seven-year closure, Chatillon Architectes has renovated the Grande New de I’Île-des-Vannes in Paris, France. Transforming the building into an Olympic training site for the upcoming games, the renovation incorporates modern solutions and state-of-the-art facilities. Initially designed by Anatole Kopp, Lucien Metrich, and Pierre Chazanoff in 1971, the structure features a sweeping parabolic roof and striking translucent side paneling. The restoration involves adding contemporary energy solutions, structural repairs, universal accessibility upgrades, acoustic paneling, sports flooring, and enhancing lighting fixtures.
Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) from Denmark and Assar Universum Architects from Luxembourg have collaborated to design a new urban hub for Hollerich in Luxembourg. The new development aims to create a green, vibrant space with mixed uses, transforming the area into an urban destination. Harnessing the city’s distinctive topography, the design integrates a dynamic program of residential, commercial, cultural, and public spaces. The hub, named “NEI HOLLERICH,” is also envisioned as one that addresses the need for affordable housing.
Industrial heritage, once central to urban growth and economic prosperity, is now often neglected and underused. Around the world, various factories, mills, and warehouses sit abandoned, and their distinctive structures fall into disuse. These buildings were typically constructed from materials such as brick, steel, concrete, and large glass windows. Known for their strength and longevity, these materials make the structures ideal candidates for refurbishment, maintaining structural integrity.
Switzerland has recently revealed its Pavilion for Expo Osaka 2025 in Kansai. The design of the pavilion was a result of a competition won by Manuel Herz Architekten, NUSSLI, and Bellprat Partner. In line with the Expo's overall theme, "Designing the Future Society for Our Lives," the pavilion aims to minimize environmental impact with a lightweight membrane design that allows for speedy construction and strengthens the relationship between both countries.
