A recommendation for an exceptional book on art, AI, philosophy, and the social consequences  more...

Over Over the past 12 months, a rather unusual book has been written, which the author would like to introduce here. At least an excerpt or a chapter from it might be of interest for readers. The book is conceived as a “holistic reflection” on our present, on pressing cultural, social, and especially political questions, from the perspective of AI. It is explicitly not about evaluating or classifying AI, or offering a glimpse into its future, but rather, conversely, about taking stock of humanity's current predicament, with all its hyper-complex challenges, from the perspective of AI. The title is “The Machine Philosopher – The Human Condition Confronted by AI”. The development of AI and its effects have been described in great detail by prominent authors; the topic is exhausted here. Applications in industry and design are now also accessible and familiar to everyone.

White Arkitekter and Rabe Landschaften design park in Hamburg shaped by residents’ ideas more...

Together with Rabe Landschaften, White Arkitekter has won the competition to develop a new park along St. Pauli waterfront in Hamburg. Commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture (BUKEA) in Hamburg, the architectural practices are designing a place for everyone shaped in collaboration with local residents, centred on community. The new park site lies next to Park Fiction, a widely recognised, locally rooted urban planning and public art initiative that, during the 1990s, prevented proposed waterfront

EU-Mercosur: Council greenlights safeguards for agricultural products more...

On 5 march 2026, the Council formally adopted the regulation that implements the bilateral safeguard clauses of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement for agricultural products. The regulation aims to strengthen protections for EU farmers by allowing safeguard measures to be swiftly applied in cases where imports from Mercosur partners threaten to cause serious injury to EU producers. We committed to protecting our farmers; today, we delivered. EU farmers will be better shielded from sudden market shocks and import surges. With this regulation, we will have the ability to respond quickly and effectively to preserve our agricultural interests

Maud Caubet Brings New Life to the Château of the Hertford British Hospital  more...

In Levallois-Perret (Greater Paris), the Château of the Hertford British Hospital is about to begin a new chapter. Built between 1877 and 1879 by architect Paul Ernest Sanson, this neo- Gothic building with English-inspired design long welcomed British patients, notably in its maternity ward, which remained in operation until the end of the 20th century. The agency Maud Caubet Architectes has led the complete rehabilitation of the site on behalf of the Hertford British Charitable Fund

The Pritzker Architecture Prize 2025 presents On Land: A Model For Community more...

Liu Jiakun, 2025 Laureate of the Pritzker Prize will present his most pivotal works through the personal lens of his life’s journey and architectural ethos, revering materials and nature, processes and people. “In my life, architecture is not necessarily a tool for fame or fortune, but is the guidance for me to touch the spiritual height and the depth of my soul,” explains Jiakun. “It resembles my love for literature. They both require lifelong devotion, but the unexpected gains are the motives and inspirations for progress. In parallel universes or cycles of time,

Meeting place Mariatorget more...

St Paul’s church, a neo-gothic Methodist church built in 1876, reopened in 2022 after a transformation of the interior to house a community centre for a Christian NGO organisation. The transformation project establishes two new squares: an exterior square serving as a public meeting place, and an in- terior square where the church hall becomes a central hub around which new galleries and rooms are arranged.The transformation allows for the addition of flexible rooms, workspaces, and professional food service, offering great versatility to the various parts of the church’s activities. The 

Waldorf Astoria New York, Art Deco Landmark Transformed by SOM, Reopens All Public Spaces more...

Through preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse, SOM renewed this New York City icon—recapturing its original splendor inside and out, revitalizing its public spaces, and reimagining its upper floors into both a five-star hotel and luxury residences. September marked the official reopening of some of New York City’s most storied public spaces. After a comprehensive transformation led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Daija U.S., and Strategic Hotels & Resorts, the Waldorf Astoria is set to welcome visitors back to the entirety of its

Alta Architectes: a new urbanity in timber structure more...

Alta unveils an ambitious office project located on the Chemin du Bois Harel, a site undergoing transformation on the edge between Rennes and Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande. Once a market gardening area marked by the Crublé greenhouses, closed in 2004, this reconfigured territory lies between countryside and urban periphery. To the west, a rural landscape dotted with scattered housing; to the east, the Rennes ring road with its constant flow of traffic. At the intersection of these two contrasting realities, the site provides fertile ground for a new vision of urbanity. Alta envisions here a connecting architecture—simple and contemporary—designed to bridge the scale of daily life with that of the broader landscape, while preserving quality of life.

O’Hare Breaks Ground on Concourse D and Reveals New Renderings  more...

The City of Chicago starts construction of the SOM-led design of the first building in the airport’s most ambitious expansion and unveils new images of the Concourse, including light-filled gathering spaces. Both, the city and Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) broke ground on Concourse D at O’Hare International Airport. Designed by Skidmore,

Housing units in solid stone, timber, and hemp concrete more...

The main challenge of the site is to establish urban continuity at the corner of an intersection. The street-facing façade naturally extends the Haussmannian building on the corner, harmonizing with both the rhythm of Boulevard de la Villette and Rue Pradier. Viewed from the Parc des Buttes- Chaumont, the building emerges as a key feature in the urban landscape, asserting its role in the perception of the whole. The choice of materials and their implementation reflects a contextual approach. The cut stone from the Paris Basin (Noyant stone) becomes a structural element of the project, creating a direct link with the existing built environment while favoring a low-carbon, local supply chain. On the courtyard side, the timber frame and hemp concrete reinterpret

No room for error: Atlas Copco portable air compressor chosen for critical bridge deck renewal  more...

In Basking Ridge, New Jersey, USA, Konkus Corporation is breathing new life into aging infrastructure by replacing a deteriorating bridge deck with a robust new concrete surface. Central to their success is the Atlas Copco XAS 188 portable air compressor, which delivers the reliable power needed for precise and efficient demolition. In road construction, time is always of the essence. Projects must be completed quickly and efficiently to minimize road closures, reduce detours, and

Nikola Karabatic Sports Complex: the Golden Side of the medal  more...

In Mennecy (France), Atelier Aconcept delivered the Nikola Karabatic Sports Complex in 2024 for the Communauté de Communes du Val d’Essonne, the project owner. The result is a striking, golden, levitating volume. Situated at the southern edge of a business district, the sports complex’s shimmering reflections pay tribute to the medal-studded career of the French champion, making it a landmark for regional development. Its imposing metallic façade underscores the facility’s open and public nature. The design is both simple and

Sweden and Denmark adopt declaration marking 25th anniversary of the Öresund Bridge more...

1st July 2025, marks the 25th anniversary of the Öresund Bridge. Sweden and Denmark are close to each other in terms of culture, values and common objectives – and their cooperation has never been closer than it is now. To mark the anniversary, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen adopted a declaration with the objective of making the Öresund region safer and more competitive and simplifying living and working across the border. ”Together with my Danish counterpart, we

City in Transition: A Discussion Book on the Urban Future of Lviv  more...

The western Ukrainian city of Lviv had already been undergoing a transformation process for several years to modernize its infrastructure and advance urban development when the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Now, urban planning had to be completely rethought: Within a short period of time, the metropolis became an important hub for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons. For many, Lviv became a transit point on the way to the western borders, while others chose to stay. Faced with these immense challenges, the city continues to attempt to mitigate the immediate effects of the war while simultaneously developing resilient structures. The foundational volume, City in Transition: Urban Dialogues on the Future of Lviv, was created as

SOM Completes New Headquarters for WeBank, China’s First Digital-Only Bank more...

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has completed the new headquarters for WeBank, a Tencent-founded digital-only bank and fintech pioneer, in Shenzhen’s Qianhai Business District. Rising 148 meters, the 30-story tower redefines the workplace as a wellness-driven environment — one that prioritizes comfort, flexibility, and performance to support the evolving needs of a digitally connected workforce. “WeBank’s headquarters introduces a new paradigm for workplace design—where

Saint-denis 44 housing units - DREAM agency transforms a site steeped in history  more...

The architecture agency DREAM has just completed a socially impactful urban renewal project in Saint-Denis. Located on Rue Fraizier and Rue du Landy, this new residential complex marks a major step in the revitalization of the neighborhood, 24 years after a tragic fire destroyed a dilapidated building. As the first housing development under a french shared equity lease (BRS-Bail Réel Solidaire) to be delivered in Saint-Denis, the building combines architectural ambition with harmonious integration into the urban fabric. Repairing the neighborhood,

Amsterdam urban architecture and living environments more...

In 2025, Amsterdam celebrates its 750th anniversary. Over the centuries, the Dutch capital has reinvented itself many times – also architecturally: transformation, conversion and renovation of existing structures have always been part of everyday urban development. To this day, the building culture is characterised by the dynamism, internationalism and outward-looking perspective of a growing metropolis. The challenge of creating new living space where further expansion of the city is no longer possible is met by the young architecture scene with ingenuity, pragmatic and unconventional approaches. The book "Amsterdam. Urban Architecture and Living Environments" takes this

Sharjah Architecture Triennial 2026 Announces Curator of Third Edition more...

Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT) announces Vyjayanthi Rao as curator of its third edition (SAT03), joined by Tau Tavengwa as associate curator. Taking place in 2026, the Triennial is a platform for architecture and urbanism from West Asia to South Asia and the African continent. An anthropologist, writer, artist, and curator based in New York and Mumbai, Rao brings a multidisciplinary perspective and a deep sensitivity to context in her work. With a background in socio-cultural anthropology, her writing has contributed significantly to critical discourse on

ArchFilmLund Prize 2024 goes to Skin of glass by Denise Zmekhol more...

For a movie that reveals how intertwined the intimacy of every architectural project can be with the fates of the world. Trying to find the man that stands behind the building, the director's sensitive approach finds the inhabitants, who are surviving in a ruin of a nation’s broken dreams. Following Denise Zmekhol in her childhood memories, we find ourselves in the middle of a country’s quest to invent a new future, a new life full of joy and optimism, where architecture was both the message and the

Paris, the new soul of La Géode by LOCI more...

In the 19th arrondissement of Paris, within Parc de la Villette, the architectural firm Loci Anima (led by Françoise Raynaud) delivered in December 2024 the renovation of La Géode and its hemispherical cinema, originally designed by Adrien Fainsilber, for Universcience (owner) and Pathé Cinémas (concessionaire). While the IMAX screen was already immersive, it is now the whole cinema that has been transformed into a fully immersive experience. Even before entering, the dichroic façade invites visitors into a realm of illusion, where natural light seems to flow through a coffered

Architectural Guide Japan (3rd edition 2025) Botond Bognar by DOM publishers more...

Contemporary Japanese architecture has, for over seven decades, achieved worldwide recognition not only for its highly innovative and often futuristic qualities, but also for its sensitive response to Japan’s cultural heritage and physical context, which has become especially challenging given the country’s increasingly urbanised environment. Today, Japan’s contemporary architecture is admired perhaps as much as its traditional counterpart, with which it often maintains a meaningful dialogue. Botond Bognar’s Architectural Guide – Japan introduces more than 700 of the most prominent examples of this fertile architecture, in addition to outlining its development from the mid-nineteenth century to the present in a concise historical essay. All texts are accompanied by over 980 colour photos, all taken by the author, and over 90 drawings. Detailed information about

Researching otherwise – Pluriversal Methodologies for Landscape and Urban Studies – Open access more...

How can landscape and urban research better work with topics such as dialogue, sensuality and affect? ​​Researching Otherwise shows new methods for producing knowledge. The researchers explore regenerative possibilities through activities such as drawing, photography, listening and eavesdropping. They describe how they walk in non-human societies, explore marine worlds, use bank vaults or work with refugees. Landscape and urban research has long tried to engage in transdisciplinary dialogue, sensuality and affect. With "Researching Otherwise", sensory, collaborative and restitutive methods can be used to generate knowledge from different worlds. These methods connect researchers and their objects of study in new ways to enable restitutive and regenerative future scenarios "differently".

Wiesbaden Invisibile: A Photographic Exposition Celebrating the Invisible Moments of Everyday Life more...

Prepare to embark on a visual journey that transcends the ordinary as we unveil "Wiesbaden Invisibile," an upcoming photographic exposition that captures the essence of everyday life through the lens of emerging photographer Martin Angiuli. The exhibition is set to open on January 4, 2025, at the Ile22 Gallery, located at Nerostr. 22, Wiesbaden. "Wiesbaden Invisibile" invites viewers to explore the delicate interplay between the visible and the invisible, the heavy and the light, and the monochromatic and the colorful. Each image is a