Spanning both research and design, this practice documents the layers of Saudi Arabias architectural heritage and breathes new life into historic sitesSara Alissa and Nojoud Alsudairi areshortlisted in the 2025 Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture, part of the W Awards. Read the full announcementAmong the most beautiful installations at the 2024 Desert X AlUla biennial in north-western Saudi Arabia was a jagged cut zigzagging into the desert landscape. Invisible until you got up close, the excavated pathway sloped down into an angular, stepped gathering place before narrowing again, holding visitors within rammed-earth retaining walls. Rather than building upwards and trying to compete with the monumental landscape of AlUla, the installation allowed the subterranean contours of the earth to perform as architecture.Another subtle and poetic temporary space, built for the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah in 2023, was made of palm reed walls. Standing on sand that was raked five times a day, the light enclosure invoked the simplicity of temporary musallas, or prayer spaces, that used to be created along pilgrimage routes. As the installations title suggests, anywhere can be a place of worship.Excavated soil was consolidated with corn starch and water, and rammed into walls to create the 110m-long and 1.5m-deep crack in the desert landscape of AlUla. The installation, called When the Earth Began to Look at Itself, was part of the 2024 Desert X AlUla biennialCredit:Lance Gerber / Courtesy of The Royal Commission for AlUlaSpare and humble yet acutely sensitive to their surroundings, these two installations incarnate Syn Architects research-driven practice. The name Syn derives from the synchronicity between collaborators and the two co-founders, Nojoud Alsudairi and Sara Alissa, who met while working on independent restoration projects Alissa with Henning Larsen and Alsudairi at the Misk Art Institute. They came together in 2015 for Shamalat, the restoration and extension of mud houses into a cultural centre in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Saudi capital Riyadh, which opened to the public in 2023. It was such a good learning exercise for us, Alsudairi remembers, noting that the process opened up questions that would become foundational to their practice. What does it mean to restore? To repurpose? What can adapative reuse look like here? It was their first time working with earthen architecture, and they were keen to introduce contemporary materials and design elements. They would go on to set up their practice in 2019. The Quran holds that man was created from sounding clay moulded from black mud, the kind that cracks and clatters as it dries. This is the beginning, and also the end to which humans will return: ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Earth equally forms the basis of vernacular Najdi architecture in Saudi Arabias central plain, where Riyadh is located, typified by mudbrick structures, geometric openings and crenellated battlements. In what has now become a full-throated architectural revival, these treatments are blithely applied to facades across the capital. Suturing the future to the past in this way serves a dual purpose. For outsiders, it promotes cultural tourism as the country moves to diversify away from oil under the aegis of its Vision 2030 blueprint. For Saudis, it reintroduces modern citizenry to their heritage and cultural identity.Old earthen walls and new stone facades make up Shamalat, a new cultural centre located in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Saudi Arabias capital RiyadhCredit:Laurian GhinioiuIt was not always like this. When artist Maha Malluh purchased a pair of disused mud houses in the historic adobe town of Diriyah in 2012, earthen architecture was still associated with pre-oil-boom poverty, with having less. Malluh named the cultural centre Shamalat, after the twin peaks of an epic Jahili poem about forbidden love, and enlisted the help of her architect daughter, Alissa. The result is a cultural centre that brings together an artists residence, facilities such as a workshop, darkroom and library, as well as exhibition spaces, artisanal shops and a caf.The project unfolded in distinct restoration and addition phases, with clear material demarcations between them. Rather than replastering the entire facade, Syn kept the original and just touched up the mud plaster where it fell off, working with preservation expert Mahmoud Bendakir to understand more technical elements such as the roof. The walls of straw-bound mud brick contrast with the new volumes made of white Riyadh limestone, sourced from a nearby quarry. We try not only to understand the scale, but how the material relates to what is next to it, Alsudairi explains. The stone acts as a blank canvas, a backdrop to the earthen buildings.Syn Architects sensitive yet decidedly contemporary intervention integrates remnants of the constructions that previously occupied thesite, seen both on theoutside andthe insideCredit:Hassan Al ShattiThe work on Shamalat coincided with the governments own efforts to restore Diriyah, the ancestral home of the Al Saud dynasty. Largely abandoned in 1818 as its denizens moved to Riyadh following a bloody Ottoman siege, Diriyah was resettled in the late 20th century, with residents building new mudbrick homes, and the government began renovating its ruins in the 1990s. After the citadel of At-Turaif was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, authorities turned their sights to developing the surrounding area into a US$63 billion giga-project under the roadmap Vision 2030, filled with Najdi-ish shopping centres, hotels, museums and other dining and entertainment venues that seek to deliver the promised Diriyah: City of Earth tagline.Alsudairi notes it is important to acknowledge the watershed societal transformations that have accompanied Vision 2030. After her undergraduate architectural engineering course at Prince Sultan University a recently launched programme she describes as a significant leap forward for womens architectural education in Saudi all her internship applications were rejected for the fact that firms did not have a then-mandated segregated space for women. Imagine how much things have changed in the past eight years. I think we take it for granted, but new leadership has revolutionised how women exist in workplaces. Were integrated, and it has really impacted our careers significantly.Within the last decade or so, much of Diriyah also became a protected site. Shamalat luckily fell just outside it the protected sites boundary wall is right across the street. Still, red tape was a major challenge. When Malluh acquired the site, permits to restore and extend a building did not exist, Alissa remembers. You would either completely demolish the existing and build anew, or carry out a meticulous restoration, faithful to the original, with no new elements. When the area changed hands to the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), launched by royal decree in 2017 and replete with a new suite of regulations, Syn had to redo the arduous permission and design approval process they had previously completed with the local municipality. This led to a two-year delay, followed by further slowdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic.There were design impositions too. Syn were, for instance, asked to integrate a series of furjat, the small openings in this case triangular used to improve daylight and ventilation that have now become a lazy synecdoche for the Najdi style. Since the original houses did not feature them, the architects argued they did not see a value in aesthetics for aesthetics sake. The protracted battle took about a year of back and forth, but their case was heard. Instead, the pair draw from the essence of Najdi architecture in the variation of their modular but non-uniform and decidedly non-triangular openings. Each opening is indexical and frames a particular view: looking back at the original building, for example, or to the wadi (seasonal river) just a few steps away.This unconventional approach was met with resistance from the purists who romanticise adobe and who would prefer to freeze, ossify even, Diriyah in time. A lot of restoration around Saudi is for very traditional, museumified archaeological sites, Alissa explains. Shamalat was not supposed to be a pristine but unusable space, a site that would just get looked at by visitors, so functionality took precedence instead. The priority was that every part of it would get used, Alsudairi adds. Our approach is very practical inserting a floor, hiding all the ducting, electrical wiring and the central AC and its a way to keep these buildings alive.The duo is adamant that architectural heritage should not be restricted to a particular era or material, but stretch to the present and encompass the post-oil modernist movement too. In 2020, Syn launched the non-profit research project Saudi Architecture to archive and examine the countrys significant modernist buildings as well as modernist sites at threat of demolition. As designers, we tend to move on and build new projects and new districts, but there is value in documenting, maintaining and restoring the existing built environment. This is also what being an architect is, Alsudairi says. This enquiry into architectural identity finds resonance in similar initiatives across the country, including Bricklabs Saudi Modern project in Jeddah.Another research-based offshoot is the Um Slaim Collective, which Syn launched in 2021 to document fast-fading typologies of Najdi architecture in the eponymous central Riyadh neighbourhood, densely packed with still-inhabited mud houses. The aim is not to advocate revival of the vernacular, but rather its integration in the contemporary city. The architects initially had their eyes on an adobe house, but faced a moratorium on all restoration of mud houses in the area allowing developers to demolish them and profit from increased land value. They chose to rent an old cafeteria instead as a home for the Um Slaim urban research lab. Encompassing ethnography, pedagogy and art exhibitions, the lab considers traditional restoration practices as well as more contemporary and ad hoc ones such as the ongoing maintenance of mud houses by primarily low-income Pakistani tenants, which does not stem from a will to preserve, but instead to retain liveable and affordable bedspaces. Many criticise these tenants efforts, but theyre the reason why these houses are still standing, and still alive, Alissa notes. If they were left empty, they would have just decayed naturally.The duo is also interested in preserving the more intangible heritage associated with these architectures. Earthen constructions carry a lot of inherited values that are lost in contemporary practices, such as the respect of the environment theyre constructed in, explains Alsudairi. For the Saudi Pavilion exhibition at this years Venice Biennale, Syn will present the work of the Um Slaim Collective and launch the Um Slaim School, an alternative pedagogical platform to disseminate their research and grounded approach to practice. They hope it will be, like the Prince Sultan University programme for women, another leap forward for architectural education in Saudi.

The RH store on Newbury Street in Boston. Bergmeyer's redesign preserved historical elements of the ... [+] Civil War era building while marrying it with the retailers brand identity and at the same time enhancing accessibility and sustainability.Courtesy of BergmeyerThe building industry faces mounting pressure to address its outsized environmental impact. By some estimates, construction and building operations already account for 42% of global carbon emissions, which means nearly half of all emissions worldwide stem from constructing, operating, or demolishing buildings. This impact is poised to grow dramatically: between 2020 and 2060, the world is expected to add 2.6 trillion square feet of new floor area to the global building stock, the equivalent of building a new New York City every month for 40 years. With three-quarters of 2050's infrastructure yet to be built, the decisions made today about how to design, construct and operate buildings will shape emissions for decades to come.Bergmeyer, which began as an architecture firm, has evolved beyond that traditional firm model and is pioneering a different approach. With an interdisciplinary structure that breaks down conventional barriers between specialties, the firm has transformed into a design collaborative that shapes how spaces are conceived, built, and renovated. But perhaps more importantly, Bergmeyer is leveraging its collaborative model to reshape how sustainable design is integrated into all aspects of the design process.I recently spoke with Bergmeyers CEO Rachel Zsembery and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Peter Nobile about how the firm is embedding sustainability thinking into their practice through this distinctive collaborative approach. We discussed in particular how at Bergmeyer, this isnt a separate consideration but a fundamental part of their interdisciplinary design process. This collaborative mindset shapes everything from their approach to retail design, adaptive reuse of public buildings, or material selection processes that consider factors like embodied carbon, circularity, and chemical composition.We discussed some of their projects, including a dining center at UMass Amherst which demonstrates how existing buildings can be repurposed or transformed to balance contemporary programmatic needs against creating entirely new structures which forfeit the embodied carbon assets of an existing structure. We also discussed how the firms engagement in policymaking and advocacy at local and national levels is helping advance progressive industry standards and addressing challenges faced by community planning processes. From their early adoption of the AIA 2030 commitment to their recent B Corp certification, Bergmeyers collaborative approach offers insights into how the building and design industry can more comprehensively address its environmental and social impacts.Christopher Marquis: Can you start with what makes Bergmeyer different?Rachel Zsembery, CEO of BergmeyerCourtesy of BergmeyerRachel Zsembery: What is different about Bergmeyer is how we define ourselves - as a design collaborative rather than a traditional architecture, interior design, or design agency.What's unique about our position as a design collaborative, and why we decided to rebrand and shift our thinking about who we are as designers, is our ability to provide fully integrated services to clients. Many design agencies who lead with Architecture with a capital A will tell you they're interdisciplinary.But when most people say interdisciplinary, they mean multidisciplinary. They run a traditional practice - this is the studio where we practice architecture, this is the studio where we practice interior design, this is the studio where graphics happens, this is our sustainability team, and so on. Such an approach doesnt break down silos or bring everybody to the table for co-creation. From a clients standpoint, it still feels like hiring multiple agencies with work passed back and forth between groups.Our goal in creating a design collaborative was to integrate our teams thinking around everything from sustainability to architecture to branding to interior design as one seamless process. I often forget who's an architect and who's an interior designer because people are used to sharing their expertise across multiple subject areas. We have less "stay in our lane" thinking, which leads to interesting client engagements.We can say "yes" more often and can expand our markets because we're not limited by thinking "this is the work we do in this market." When we put together an industrial designer, a sustainability expert, and an architect to solve a problem, their collaboration often results in a wholly unique design solution. We also bring external subject matter experts and stakeholders to the table as part of this co-creation process. Design doesn't just happen at Bergmeyer - it happens within client teams and communities they serve. They're all part of our design team.Marquis: That distinction between interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary is interesting and important for sustainability. It should be integrated throughout - from construction materials to finished materials. Can you say more about how your sustainability focus extends throughout the design process, and also how sustainability experts are part of design collaboratives? And please also share a project example where sustainability set you apart.Zsembery: We create teams without siloed thinking. When we kick off projects and establish sustainability goals, we identify broad environmental and social values we'll design towards - principles that become the North Star for evaluating success. We rarely push clients toward specific green building rating systems because in many cases they don't fit their full range of environmental and social values wed rather find a tailored approach.We work with the best elements from different systems- through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Passive House principles, WELL building standards. We pick and choose for clients like we pick team members - to best meet stated goals and unlock creative thinking. This approach has changed our team's requirements - we realized we must understand more tools because that overview helps unlock solutions early in the design process. The challenge all designers face is how to navigate budgetary challenges. We often work in the public realm and encounter projects with limited funding.In most cases we don't externalize sustainability work, we do it ourselves. And we learn from our own practice: in California, for example, the CALGreen code sets a high sustainability bar for all projects in the State. What we learn from working under those guidelines maps through the office to teams working on projects in other States.By identifying upfront what sustainability values and elements align with an organization's mission and public commitments, we find elements that enhance those broad project goals rather than pushing one agenda.Peter Nobile, Bergmeyer's Director of Corporate Social ResponsibilityCourtesy of BergmeyerPeter Nobile: I think it is important to note that Bergmeyer chose to become a Certified B Corp (in 2024), because those certification criteria align closely with our mission, which for example does not prioritize environmental stewardship over community impact. The challenge of sustainability is equally about efficient buildings and the impacts the building supply chain makes on all stakeholders. We need to improve sustainability performance all around but in concert with how we operate as a company and how we impact the communities we live in and serve, not at the expense of one over another.Marquis: The discussion about public work is helpful. Any project or two you could talk about?Zsembery: An interesting project might be the student dining center we did for UMass Amherst. Much of our work is adaptive reuse, especially in public higher ed with mid-20th-century buildings. We're brought in to evaluate if buildings can meet current student population needs for dormitories, dining halls, student centers.The original design of these buildings often lack communal gathering space. For example, a dormitory design may have focused on maximizing occupancy numbers. In addition, these buildings were built to last but lack infrastructure for current energy systems technology. We need to balance many priorities: making spaces accessible, adding life safety upgrades, creating spaces for group learning activities and different learning styles, and making buildings energy efficient and sustainable all while enhancing the user experience and amplifying the universitys mission.We try to maximize infrastructure reuse while investing in better and more durable materials. With dining halls, we work with student dining programs on building electrification projects, helping these client groups ensure operational efficiency by reducing utility demands. We take a wide lens to budget disbursement.Marquis: Sometimes it's cheaper to tear down and start new. How do you help clients understand retrofitting existing buildings?Zsembery: We all know that many studies show that the greenest building is already standing: there's significant embodied carbon and energy in existing building stock. We need to help clients think not just 20 years but 50-80 years ahead.We completed a retail project on Newbury Street in Boston for RH, in a Civil War era building was among first built after Back Bay was filled. It was an incredible building to save but challenging to make work for current operations. Through the design and infrastructure planning, the team was able to preserve many historical elements to retain and augment the buildings unique identity while marrying it with the retailers brand identity and operational needs while simultaneously repairing and augmenting the infrastructure and accessibility of the building so that it will be capable of serving the community for another 175 years.Nobile: these days, when we work on such projects, we run multiple design and construction scheduling and system options using through our BIM (Building Information Modeling) system to help clients find the right balance points between their vision and their budget. The data isnt at the level of EU taxonomy, but it doesnt need to be and almost always proves out to be less expensive over time to renovate versus build new. Things like ten-foot floor-to-floor heights present real challenges, but usually there's a creative solution lurking around.Marquis: How about technology? This must be an area with lots of change from software systems to new materials. Can you comment on how changing technology affects your work? Nobile: Like most designers, were working with various Life Cycle Analysis and embodied energy/carbon tools, some of which are embedded in the BIM (building information modeling) software we are using. The hope is that as these tools evolve well be able to routinely track performance on several fronts as we go; that well be able to investigate the entire design and construction process, just as we are collectively making progress on specifying less energy- and toxic-intensive materials through alignment with what is known as the Common Materials Framework. We're 14-year signatories to the AIA 2030 commitment which focuses on moving the building industry to net-zero emissions, even though it is clear that the profession as a whole won't hit the 2030 target unless we become more aggressive.Regarding materials and technology, the AIA is working with many organizations to create an Architecture and Design Materials Transparency platform, which aligns with the Common Materials Framework, resulting in a huge relational database that looks at materials through the lenses of human health, climate health, social health & equity, circularity, and ecosystem health. Using these technologies, I think it is safe to say that sustainability is no longer seen as separate from our practice - it's fully integrated into our approach.Zsembery: We focus on three primary issues when making materials choices: carbon, circularity, and chemistry/composition. For carbon, are we able to wisely use the embodied carbon in a material over its entire life cycle? For circularity, can we use less raw material, are we envisioning reuse scenarios, or asking what a material can become once its intended use is complete? For chemistry - what harmful chemicals enter the world during manufacturing or are embedded within a material and are then released during use or at end of life?We work with manufacturers to help clients make choices aligned with their company and project goals. Is a client or a project particularly focused on indoor air quality? Material longevity? Recycled content? Energy harvesting? Zero Waste? Its a balancing act - you might have a material with lower embodied carbon or toxicity, but application creates significant waste. We set goals at the project outset: if reducing PFAS or eliminating PVC are important, well work toward those ends.Marquis: Your industry intersects with policy as well. The interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary distinction definitely shows examples where you are working with different industry partners. What is your role in changing policy and industry standards?Zsembery: We're involved at local civic, regional, national, and global levels. As you noted, the AIA 2030 commitment tracks energy use in every one of our projects. Our former president, Mike Davis, was an AIA delegate to COP26, advocating architecture's role in addressing climate crisis.Many of our team members engage civically and locally because our corporate values emphasize volunteerism. As designers we serve communities both impacted by client work and where we live. Our team members volunteer on planning boards, for professional organizations like the Boston Society of Architects, on state/regional policy efforts, on parks and recreation groups, in setting open space requirements, on issues like solar bylaws that dovetail with building codes. We address housing issues especially in the states where our offices are located, across Massachusetts, California, and Ohio.Nobile: We have strong internal peer support for those who serve on planning boards. We all know that civic volunteer work can be challenging at times, but theres a real commitment at Bergmeyer to taking on community leadership roles. Local civic organizations give us opportunities to bring design thinking into the public realm, opening up dialogues with people who might never have considered perspectives from designers before.Zsembery: Setting policy standards in local or regional communities often means considering sustainability requirements for developers building at different scales. Can we develop incentives or other opportunities as developers increase sustainable building commitments? In Massachusetts, there's a fossil-free fuel pilot program many towns and cities elected to join. We learn from our local municipal involvements, bringing that into our nationwide practice about all sorts of challenges and opportunities whether moving to all-electric buildings or integrating roof-ready electric solar and hot water systems.Nobile: Being in Massachusetts biases us a little bit practicing in other parts of the country because weve got fairly progressive public policy standards in place. The challenge of a national practice is that local or state systems can override national or international building standards. Every state tailors codes for perceived regional needs. As a nationwide company, we have to understand and flex our design approach based on differences between jurisdictions; it can be city by city, town by town, or by county or region. Some municipalities push us all forward, resulting in internal case studies showing how stringent requirements don't necessarily stifle development or creativity. It's a trade-off. Take the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) - people think it's building code, but it's actually a set of program-based guidelines. The real purpose is making buildings accessible to more people. While there are technical guidelines, what really matters is understanding the spirit behind them. Ideally this mindset translates to codes driving sustainability. The key is knowing what others are doing - we often find we can exceed code requirements without increasing costs, simply through better design choices.Marquis: Switching gears a little bit. You're employee owned. How does it affect sustainability commitment? And also, why did you become a B Corp? Zsembery: Independence matters. Many mid-sized agencies face a cliff when it comes to leadership transition forcing them into mergers or acquisitions by larger public corporations. We pride ourselves in intentionally planning for our future as an independent design collaborative, practicing in a way that is aligned with our values, staying nimble enough to make choices like becoming B Corp, shifting our governance model to reflect our values and purpose. We are not an ESOP - not every individual is a shareholder, but a sizable percentage of our team are shareholders who feel a deep connection to our corporate values. We've created a place where people can bring their whole selves to work.B Corp certification was a natural evolution for us because we value transparency in our practice and operations. Our employees have wide access to and understanding of the firms financial information and client contract arrangements because we want them to understand in both practical and profound ways how the firm operates. We're proud of and try to display our ethics and values in every project engagement. Our business model enriches the design process through the interdependence of specialties and markets. Looking into B Corp, we saw an alignment in thinking about global interdependence and making the world better, using our business for good change again, it was a natural values alignment. Our shareholders supported exploring and ultimately pursuing certification.Nobile: The B Corp certification process really opened our eyes - we saw how some of our existing practices could become policies, part of our governance. We brought in our first outside board member as a public benefit director, which sharpened our thinking about impact on both internal teams and external communities.We're just over 100 people, with about 40 shareholders - that's a large percentage, and we're completely owned without outside investors. We're also a Massachusetts benefit corporation, something we had undertaken before B Corp certification.Bergmeyer's value system mapped clearly to the five B Corp Impact Areas structure. Looking at our B Corp impact assessment scorecard was fascinating as it revealed aspects of our work we didnt realize were unique. I think the architecture profession as a whole could benefit from looking into the B Corp system as a practice model some firms are already B Corp adjacent. The AIA National Conference is coming to Boston in June of 2025, and we're excited to be hosting other B Corp architects certified, in progress, or simply curious - during the convention.Marquis: What future challenges do you see relating to sustainability?Zsembery: We work with many brands in food and beverage, retail, and hospitality that have made thoughtful public commitments to sustainability. While these brands excel in making sustainable products, packaging, and sometimes operations, they often don't invest at the same level in making their physical locations sustainable. This presents both a challenge and opportunity for us especially now through the B Corp lens - to build knowledge and create easier ways for clients to integrate sustainability principles, pragmatically aligned with their corporate goals, into real estate and consumer environment decisions.Looking at their existing and future real estate portfolios, we're focused on driving change at scale. Over the coming years, were engaged in discussing how these companies' sustainability commitments evolve. Our goal is to provide enhanced sustainable design services to companies that share our values and help them invest in better solutions for their building portfolios.Nobile: As Rachel notes, we are digesting our clients' ESG and other reporting data to understand more deeply what drives their sustainability decision-making processes. Our multinational clients face different requirements in the EU versus the US, and we want to help them align their values and create a consistent approach regardless of local regulations. This is fresh territory for us, but it's exciting - we learn something new from every ESG report we read.Marquis: It's interesting and important how you're thinking about a company's broader environmental impact. Companies typically focus on their products, but you help them think more broadly about their stores and headquarters. I noticed your website showcases experience centers for brands - that seems like a great opportunity to demonstrate sustainable design's value.Nobile: Yes.Zsembery: Today's consumers are more sophisticated about sustainability. When a company markets sustainable clothing or beauty products, customers now ask questions about the store environment itself. They notice the disconnect when a sustainable product sits on a display made from synthetic molded-plastic.We're developing tools to help clients understand where they are now and where they could be in making their buildings and spaces impactful in meaningful, sustainable ways. This helps them move step by step toward making authentic statements about their built environment that match their corporate environmental commitments. We think the time has come for more brands to invest in sustainable buildings and built environments just as they've invested in developing and offering sustainable products and Bergmeyer is the kind of interdisciplinary, values-driven design agency who can help them get there.

Are you ready to use a computer that contains living brain neurons melded onto silicon chips that ... [+] gives you advanced AI?gettyIn todays column, I analyze the recently announced bio-computer that contains a melding of everyday silicon chips with living brain neurons and has caused quite a stir. The sensational aspect is that the computer includes actual neurons working hand-in-hand with AI-based artificial neurons. Its a powerful one-two punch that highlights the future of AI.The added twist, as if one were needed, is that such a brain-in-a-box would seemingly be exorbitantly expensive and cost a proverbial arm and a leg to purchase. Nope, not so. This beauty of eyebrow-raising leading-edge high-tech is being priced at a modest $35,000 and the vendor pledges deliveries to start in three months (its just the cost of a brand-new VW Jetta, Chevy Colorado, Mazda 3 Turbo, or Ford Ranger, but a lot more futuristically practical).Break the piggy bank and find any spare change in your sock drawer if you are keen on owning and using a consumer-available early-on working product emblematic of neuromorphic computing.Lets talk about it.This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).The Nature Of Neurons And Neural NetworksBefore we jump into the particulars about this new bio-computer, it might be helpful to make sure we are on the same page when it comes to the nature of neurons.Im sure that you already know that the human brain contains neurons. They are the crux of how we compose thoughts and perform thinking. We have a lot of neurons, numbering around 86 billion or so. Its not just the number of neurons that makes things work. The neurons are variously interconnected and send signals back and forth. The estimated number of such neuronal connections is about 100 trillion and the connections themselves are referred to as synapses. This is a simplification but a generally apt way to depict the human brain.When you think about things, such as how your day is going, the neurons transmit on a biochemical basis and send a form of electrophysiological signals throughout portions of the collective set in the brain. Since the neurons are generally interconnected, it is fair to refer to this as a type of network, a neural network (NN).A catchy way to refer to the biological neural network in our noggin is to say that it is our wetware. Thats a witty way to recast the words of hardware and software to describe the living neurons and the biological neural network that does our thinking.One of the greatest mysteries facing humanity is how the activation or firing of our neurons relates to our ability to think and somehow gives rise to a sense of sentience and consciousness. Active research is trying earnestly to crack the code, see my coverage at the link here. Maybe in our lifetimes, we will figure this out.I sure hope so.AI And Artificial Neural NetworksSwitching gear, consider how modern-day AI works such as the advent of generative AI and large language models (LLMs).Via a computer, we model or simulate a kind of artificially faked neural network by mathematically and computationally using data and numbers to represent a semblance of neurons. This is not on par with real neurons. It is a far cry from how real neurons work. The computer version of a neural network is a limited mimicry and not actually how living neurons are.I usually go out of my way to refer to AI as employing an artificial neural network (ANN) and artificial neurons. The reason I emphasize that naming is that too many people seem to fall into the mental trap that the AI-based ANN is working on par as does a wetware neural network. It is a misleading assumption that unfortunately, the AI industry tends to sneakily allow to occur, doing so by referring to artificial neural networks as being neural networks (dropping out the word artificial).This is confusing and confounding.Anyway, the overall idea is that maybe by using computational neurons working in a faked or artificial neural network, we will get close to having AI that thinks. Nobody can say for sure whether this will be the case. It could be that we might need to find some other means to get computational AI to be on par with human thinking. For more of the nitty-gritty on how ANNs are at the core of generative AI and LLMs, see my explanation at the link here.One nice benefit of this existing path is that we can at least use ANNs to try and potentially learn about the real NNs that exist. Despite the ANN being a contrived variation, it still offers insights to some degree about what might be going on with actual NNs (see my analysis at the link here).Connecting To Human BrainsSuppose that we want to connect to a human brain and leverage the living neural network that a person has in their head.How might we do so?There has been quite a lot of progress lately in inventing brain-computer interfaces (BCI), also known as brain-machine interfaces (BMI). Ive covered the Neuralink company of Elon Musk and noted their various advances in connecting to human brains, see for example my discussion at the link here. Other companies are doing likewise.The notion of BCI or BMI is that we can access a living brain by having a type of portal, similar to having a USB port on a computer or smartphone. We could opt to send electrical or electrophysiological signals into the human brain, get the brain to activate, and then read the signals that arise.Via the portal, we could just read what signals are happening if thats all we wanted to detect. The portal also allows for sending in signals along with reading the signals.Id like to repeat my earlier remark and note that we still do not know how the living neurons and the wetware neural network give rise to human thought all told. Right now, we are only able to determine the most rudimentary aspects. Kudos to those pushing ahead to figure this out.Brain-in-a-box As Ultimate GoalHuman brains live inside peoples heads.I realize thats an obvious statement. Sci-fi movies have often sought to portray that we could remove a persons brain and have it working in a vat. The brain would seemingly still function as it did while residing in the head of the person who kindly gave up their brain (the movie plotlines usually entail whether the person did so voluntarily or under duress).No such possibility exists currently.If we cant get a human brain to exist outside of a human head as a fully functioning mind, maybe we could take a different course of action toward achieving a said-to-be brain-in-a-box.One approach would be to ramp up artificial neural networks to the level of being an exact replica of a human brain. A computer that had this ANN would essentially be a brain-in-a-box. An intriguing angle is whether we could then copy a human brain into the computer-based version and likewise copy the contents of the ANN into a human brain. See my mindful conjecture on this heady topic at the link here.Regrettably, we arent close to any of that.Sad face.Melding The Real With The ArtificialLets think outside the box. Theres a fabled idiom that if the mountain wont come to Mohammad, then Mohammad might need to go to the mountain.Heres how that applies.What if we could place living brain neurons onto silicon chips, so that the computer with its artificial neurons could be melded with living neurons, residing intimately together?Thats a clever and quite interesting first step.It seems to be the best of both worlds.At times, the computer could lean into the living neurons to help solve problems and do some form of thinking. The AI with its artificial neurons could be communicating with the living neurons. Signals sent to the living neurons would activate them, they would respond with signals, and those signals would feed into the computer and then into the artificial neural network. The ANN then performs various problem-solving and answering of questions.Round and round this goes.It is a twofer, a wetware living neural network that works collegially with an artificial neural network.Nice.A Somewhat Scary PropositionYour immediate concern might be where in the heck will they get the living brain neurons from. They cant just be scooped out of a persons head (well, you get what I mean). No worries. They can be grown in a lab. They are synthetic living neurons. They were not inside a persons brain.I trust that provides some relief. Nobodys living neurons are being hijacked out of their head when they are least suspecting it (though, we dont know what the future might hold).This reminds me of the urban legend involving a person who goes to a bar, gets drugged, wakes up, and sees that an internal organ such as a liver or spleen has been removed. The same tale can be enhanced to suggest it is the brain that gets removed, but that wouldnt be much of a story since the person would no longer be alive (until, someday, when we perfect brain transplants).Getting back to the neurons grown in a lab, there is an ongoing debate about the ethics of this practice.The upside is that those synthetic neurons can be used in a bio-computer, allowing progress in melding a semblance of wetware NN with ANN. No human being is harmed or disturbed. The downside is that some contend that growing neurons is not a proper thing to do morally, especially if solely to blend with a computer. Some might be open to going the synthetic neurons route if somehow those grown neurons were implanted in a persons head for reasonable and safe medical purposes.Threshold Not Yet ReachedThe number of synthetic neurons that are being melded with silicon chips is quite low right now. I mention this to clarify that the compilation of wetware neurons is not rising to the level of sentience or consciousness, as far as we can tell. They are toylike since it is such a minimal amount.A challenging ethical question reappears once the number of synthetic neurons starts approaching the amount that a spark of human thought or thinking truly might arise. In that case, you can certainly envision why some would be upset at this approach. Creating a new brain, as it were, synthetically and that no human has ever had in their head is unnerving and disconcerting.What rights should such a synthetic brain have?Thats a can of worms that society has not yet dealt with.You might find of keen interest that the launching point for a compilation of synthetic neurons when it transforms into a kind of human-like consciousness or state of thinking is referred to as the minimal viable brain (MVB). Techies might recognize that this verbiage is akin to a start-up company that makes a minimal viable product (MVP), showcasing what product is under development and represents the minimum requirements for viability, see my coverage at the link here.Where does MVB first arise?No one can say for sure.Synthetic Neurons And EmbodimentIve got another provocative question for you to contemplate.It goes like this. Some believe that human brains are reliant on our senses to adequately develop into a full form of human thought. In essence, because you utilize your eyes, ears, sense of touch, limbs, and other biological elements, the brain develops based on those inputs.A synthetically derived set of living neurons presumably has no such bodily embodiment. Ergo, some assert that those neurons arent going to be good at doing anything of substance. They lack having been embedded inside a human body. Without this, they arent going to suitably develop and reach a state of sentience.Can synthetic neurons that never have experienced embodiment be of avid use or will they inevitably be of little or near-zero use?Right now, no one knows the answer.Grab yourself a glass of fine wine and mull that over.Energy Efficiency Off The ChartsThere is something immensely astounding about the human brain that you might not have especially considered.Our brains are incredibly energy efficient for what they accomplish.An adult human brain consumes around 12 watts, while a standard light bulb uses about 60 watts. A light bulb merely emits light and gives off excess heat. A brain thinks. All that thinking is taking place with a pittance of energy. Admittedly, it is still an energy hog when it comes to the functioning of the human body, but on a relative basis, it is energy efficient, as I will elaborate on next.The reason this is significant is that you probably know that the AI industry is currently using up a tremendous amount of energy while running present-day AI systems. A rush to build data centers with thousands upon thousands of servers is underway. The energy demand for these data centers is through the roof.The bottom line is this. Those synthetic neurons residing on silicon could be a big energy saver. The AI in the bio-computer could calculate that the artificial neural network would consume some Z amount of energy, while the synthetic neurons could do the same processing for a lesser amount than Z.In that case, let the synthetic neurons take the workload.Some underscore that this could be a notable boost to sustainable computing.Where This Is HeadingThe melding of living neurons onto silicon chips requires rethinking how computer processing is going to best be arranged. When should the onboard wetware neural network be used? When should the AI artificial neural network be used? Whats the proper balance of the two means of processing requests and having the computer solve problems?Great questions.New ways to describe these arrangements are beginning to emerge.I earlier mentioned that this is a movement toward a brain-in-a-box. That wording though doesnt aptly depict the current situation and thus some insist it is a misnomer. Ive noted that the relatively scant number of onboard wetware neurons does not yet amount to a brain and referring to this as a brain-in-a-box is premature.Another piece of terminology is to say this is neuromorphic computing. That is yet another wording that creates some heartburn. A computer that is purpose-built to run artificial neural networks is commonly classified as neuromorphic computing. If you had real neurons, the phrase doesnt capture that aspect that the computer is more than ANNs alone.One phrase that might catch hold is to refer to this as synthetic biological intelligence (SBI). Plenty of other new phrases are popping up daily. For example, perhaps a bio-computer of this kind could be a wetware-as-a-service. Thats catchy. Try this next one for size, we could say that we have a biological neural network server stack. And that the bio-computer has in vitro living neurons and in silico artificial neurons.If you like, come up with your own phrasing and see if it will gain traction.Good luck.The Upcoming Bio-ComputerThe company that is making and selling the new bio-computer is Cortical Labs, based in Australia and the computer is coined as the CL1. Their tagline for the CL1 is that it is "the worlds first code deployable biological computer.Since the bio-computer contains living neurons, the system comes with an environmental containment component that is intended to keep the neurons alive for up to 6 months. This provides a self-contained life support capability. No need to have you contend with trying to nourish or ensure that the living neurons remain alive. The bio-computer takes care of that for you. A touchscreen displays the status of the environmental containment and the synthetic neurons.Other than that, the rest of the computer is akin to a conventional computer system, including USB ports, a built-in camera, and so on. Just make sure to tell your kids not to mess with the bio-computer since they could potentially accidentally upset things. It is probably best to keep your rambunctious dog or curious cat away from the bio-computer too, lest your beloved pets inadvertently knock the bio-computer off a table. Etc.The firm and its researchers have worked on this setup for several years. They announced in 2022 that they were able to have an early version that played the popular video game, Pong. In a published research paper in 2023, entitled The Technology, Opportunities, And Challenges Of Synthetic Biological Intelligence by Brett J. Kagan, Christopher Gyngell, Tamra Lysaght, Victor Cole, Tsutomu Sawai, and Julian Savulescu, Biotechnology Advances, 2023, they made these salient points (excerpts):Advancements in hardware, software, and synthetic biology (wetware) have resulted in new methods for interacting with in vitro biological neural systems.The most advanced of these have sought to embody these neural systems into simulated environments to elicit dynamic goal-directed behavior, referred to as Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI).SBI systems can be broadly defined as the result of intentionally synthesizing a combination of biological and silicon substrates in vitro for the purpose of goal-directed or otherwise intelligent behavior.SBI is distinct from brain-computer interface (BCI) and similar approaches as it does not involve whole organisms, using only specific biological material, usually neural tissue derived typically through synthetic biology processes, as a biomimetic material within the larger system.They provide a specialized operating system, their Biological Intelligence Operating System (biOS), which crafts a kind of simulated world for the living neurons, sending signals to them and getting signals from them. The impulses of the neurons essentially impact this simulated world.The Future Is In This DirectionWhats your reaction to a computer that encompasses living neurons and can be kept at home or in the office?Shocking and disturbing might be your initial reaction. Or perhaps, instead, altogether fascinating and exciting.I bring this up because these kinds of setups are usually only available at a high cost and are in high-tech labs of sizable companies. Consumers can now enjoy the same capability. Sure, $35,000 is a steep price for a home-based computer, so the odds are that your neighborhood isnt going to be suddenly inundated with them. The price though is low enough that tech-related start-ups might acquire them and find uses that are not yet already envisioned.I would wager that this is going to be an avid direction for furthering advances in AI. Think of the remarkable possibilities. A lot of issues though present themselves, especially scale. Can the complexity and volume of the synthetic neurons be increased to a level that makes them more effectively utilized?If the size and complexity turn out to be an insurmountable bottleneck, the capability would indubitably remain at a low ebb. The interest and usage would be narrow, and somewhat imprudent other than for basic research pursuits.One final thought for now.It seems that we are daily bombarded with assertions that we are all living in a Matrix-like world. We are merely simulations. None of us is real.Do you think those synesthetic neurons are thinking the same thing? Maybe one neuron is saying to the other, hey you, do you have a feeling where you are not sure if youre awake or dreaming?Thats the first question Ill ask if I end up trying out the new bio-computer. I promise to let you know what the living neurons have to say.

Intel has finally released the XeSS 2.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) to aid game development through upscaling, frame generation, and latency reduction technologies. The SDK is now accessible via Intels GitHub repository, providing developers with pre-built tools for integrating XeSS into their projects.Intel expanded its suite of XeSS technologies last year when it unveiled its budget segment GPUs, the Arc B580 and B570. The XeSS 2.0 SDK introduces three main components: XeSS-SR for AI-driven super resolution, XeSS-FG for frame generation, and XeLL for low-latency improvements. These advancements position XeSS 2.0 as a competitor to Nvidias DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and AMDs FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), offering similar AI-powered enhancements to image quality and performance. Intel has also updated the XeSS inspector tool to support Vulkan and DirectX 11, making it easier for developers to optimize game performance across multiple rendering APIs.Recommended VideosTo help with integration, Intel has developed plugins for widely used game engines, including Unreal Engine and Unity. However, despite these efforts to make the SDK more accessible, Intels decision to keep XeSS 2.0 closed-source limits its flexibility compared to AMDs open-source FSR. As spotted by Toms Hardware, the licensing agreement prohibits reverse engineering, decompilation, or disassembly, preventing developers from modifying or extending its capabilities beyond what Intel provides. This approach means that developers must work with pre-compiled binaries, which could impact broader adoption, particularly among studios seeking greater control over their graphics pipelines.Additionally, XeSS 2.0 remains a Windows-first technology, restricting its immediate availability on other platforms. While Intel has not ruled out future cross-platform support, its current design prioritizes Windows-based gaming environments. The technology has yet to see widespread adoption, with only a handful of titles currently supporting XeSS 2.0. Intel has acknowledged this limitation and is actively working with game developers to expand the presence of XeSS in upcoming releases.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsAccessibility for allPotential that needs time to matureThe smart ring segment has matured significantly over the past couple of years. We have entered the era of miniaturised sensors that are ready for ultrasound-based blood pressure monitoring. The likes of Circular are taking a different dual-sensor approach to measuring blood pressure levels, and are even eyeing glucose trend analysis by next year.Health sensing, however, has remained the predominant application area for smart rings. Now, experts at Cornell University have developed a smart ring platform that can continuously track American Sign Language in real time, and send it as input to computers and smartphones. Recommended VideosDubbed the SpellRing, it can recognize the full 26-letter range of the English alphabet pool. Worn on the thumb, this ring comes equipped with a speaker and mic array. Together, they allow the back-and-forth transfer of audio waves generated by hand motion, while a gyroscope measures the angular data.Please enable Javascript to view this contentLouis DiPietro/Cornell UniversityWhile the idea already sounds like a major accessibility victory, the cost could further boost its adoption. The prototype kit developed by the team comes in at around $30, but they expect it to dip further when it enters mass manufacturing phase.The 3D-printed ring, which is roughly the size of a quarter coin, relies on a custom deep-learning algorithm to understand the sonar image created by the onboard sensors. During their analysis, volunteers were able to spell out approximately 20,000 words in the English lexicon.Louis DiPietro/Cornell UniversityWhen tested among folks in the early stages of learning ASL, as well as experienced testers, the SpellRing delivered an accuracy of up to 92% at turning the hand signs into text. ASL is a very complicated, complex visual language, says Hyunchul Lim, lead author of the paper detailing the SpellRing, adding that they are now focused on tuning the algorithms to understand words and phrases.As per the research paper, this is the first wearable-based device that integrates an inertial sensing system with acoustics to provide real-time ASL fingerspelling convenience. During their tests, the team showcased how it can be used to perform web search on a phone, handle map navigation, and type text in notes.Louis DiPietro/Cornell UniversityThe team behind SpellRing is not pushing it as a universal solution, at least not in its current shape. Instead, they are promoting the idea of a fast and accessible text entry tool with its own set of benefits. Specifically, ASL fingerspelling can be significantly faster than typing on a smartphones virtual keyboard, notes the research paper, which is going to be presented at the Association of Computing Machinerys conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems conference in Japan next month.Louis DiPietro/Cornell UniversityThe team is hoping to further build on their work by adding support for gestures and the ability to recognize words as well as phrases. On the hardware side, they are hoping to fit all the key components, including the intertial sensor (which currently is mounted on a separate connected board) on a single unified board.Subsequently, a curved battery can be fitted into the kit and eventually turn the prototype into something that looks like an off-the-shelf smart ring, similar to those offered by Oura or Samsung. The team also envisions side-by-side development and integration with AR glasses, so that hand gestures can be tracked alongside vision-based interpretation for even more seamless conversations. Editors Recommendations

2025-03-19T09:07:02Z Read in app Justin Fung, a senior engineer at Nvidia, says the employees don't talk about their equity. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Justin Fung, a senior engineer at Nvidia, says employees don't talk about their equity's worth.He said in an interview with "Codesmith" that Nvidia is largely made up of long-time staffers.Fung said he landed his own role by developing a niche set of skills.Nvidia is still staffed largely by the "old guard" and they're not paying much attention to the company's recent rise to popularity.So says Justin Fung, a senior engineer at the company, who doesn't believe external interest is having much of an effect on Nvidia's culture."People don't really talk about how much their equity is worth, because they were never really there for the equity," Fung said in an interview with the "Codesmith" podcast. "They really just liked what they were doing."Nvidia has gained fame as one of the leading companies driving the AI boom, but before that, despite enjoying relatively consistent success in the GPU space, it wasn't a household name."It's a really interesting company because it only became famous in the last five years," Fung said. The initial broader spark of interest from the outside world, he added, came thanks to the gold rush on crypto."People realized that you could mine Bitcoin using these computers," he said. "So, that was the first step into the public consciousness and then the next big one was obviously AI. People figured out that you could run these neural networks on these GPUs, and that sent it to the stratosphere."With its explosion in popularity has come a corresponding spike in employee compensation with Nvidia's median salary surpassing $220,000 as of 2024. For Fung, having a role at Nvidia represented a turnaround in his finances."Everybody knows the equity, the stock has risen exponentially over the last couple of years," Fung said. "I'm in a very comfortable place compared to where I used to be."Fung said Nvidia doesn't have high turnover, so many of his coworkers are holdovers from when the company was primarily associated with the gaming industry. They're lifers who joined and stayed largely thanks to their passion for the work."A lot of people have been working there before this company was famous, and they'd make gaming rigs," Fung said. "A lot of people that come from that era are very humble, just from a previous generation of technology."In fact, unless it's intern season, Fung said younger employees are a relatively rare sight."Everybody's super nice and I love all my co-workers, but I don't think the turnover is as high, so you don't see a lot of younger millennials or Gen Z people there," he said.Unlike many of its peers in the tech field, Fung said Nvidia never really developed a "startup" culture. Instead, he added, CEO Jensen Huang's vision for the company has remained relatively consistent since its inception."Nvidia, despite being as popular as it was, never really had the culture of being a startup say Airbnb or Snapchat where there's a lot of young people having fun and doing work at the same time," Fung said."And unlike other big names in tech like Google or Facebook, Nvidia isn't in the business of hiring "generalists" and plugging them in wherever they fit, Fung said. Instead, they're often looking for people with hyper-specific skillsets."I really only got the position though, because my alignment, my background, was like perfectly aligned with the role," Fung said. And I have seen a lot of people apply to Nvidia who were not as lucky."Nvidia didn't respond to a request for comment by Business Insider prior to publication.

2025-03-19T09:05:01Z Read in app Emily Schlorf. Courtesy of Emily Schlorf This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Emily Schlorf faced two job losses by 25 despite her efforts to secure corporate stability.Her initial corporate job at Marriott Vacations Worldwide ended due to company struggles.Schlorf now embraces flexibility with part-time roles and focuses on personal projects.I spent the summer after my socially distanced graduation ceremony in 2021 applying for corporate jobs.Growing up, I watched my dad's corporate career flourish at the company he joined at age 21. While I hadn't the slightest idea of what he did all day, I did know that when the school bell rang at 2 p.m., he was always waiting for my sisters and me at the bike rack.I sought out a corporate job because I wanted the same stability. Instead, I've lost two jobs in a row.I was hired as a proofreader at Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2021A few months into my first job out of college, the facade of corporate stability began to crack when the seasoned editors who hired and trained me were laid off.I took it hard but convinced myself that it had been an unfortunate anomaly, and if I could just become indispensable, I would never hear the words "We have to let you go."So I did. I worked extra hours and took on responsibilities above my pay grade, determined to prove I was an asset.My efforts didn't go unnoticedI was soon promoted to associate editor. My new role changed my life and came with a $12,000 raise.I moved out of my parents' house and into a sunny one-bedroom in Miami with my partner. I couldn't believe I was getting paid to make travel magazines.I'll never forget sipping caf Cubanos in the office with my colleagues, laughing about the need to trim my word count on the spread we were racing to finish. The laughs came to an end only eight months later.I was laid off in November 2023 Schlorf removing her stuff from her office. Courtesy of Emily Schlorf The foundation of the life I had built for myself collapsed when the head of the department laid me off.I was told the company had a rough few quarters and my role would be eliminated during a meeting that was added to my calendar the day before. My last day would be three weeks later.All I did the rest of the day was cry. I cried for the little girl who was told that her hard work would pay off, for the anxious college student convinced she'd never get a job, and for the woman who was coming into her own.A year later, I still wonder why my position was eliminated. I was the youngest on my team but had been with the company for much longer than others. Plus, my role had been created only months before. How could it suddenly be unnecessary?My questions will never get answeredWhat I do know is you can be the best employee and still lose your job. It's not personal; it's profitable.I spent the following two months panicking about my next steps. I applied to every job that sounded halfway decent and direct messaged more hiring managers than I'd like to admit. After weeks went by without hearing from any of them, I booked a two-week solo trip to Europe. Schlorf one month after her layoff. Courtesy of Emily Schlorf My time away gave me more pinch-me moments than I can count green northern lights dancing across the Arctic sky, a cloudless Cliffs of Moher hike, the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the winter rain. There, the realities of lost jobs and unemployment paperwork felt so tiny.As my mind began to quiet, I received a text from a colleague about a temporary role opening on her team. After a quick call with the hiring manager, it was mine.I moved up the corporate ladder and nearly doubled my salaryMy next role was as a communications manager at Marriott International on a five-month contract. I started in February 2024.Although I had no formal communications training, I learned quickly and was praised for my storytelling abilities. My contract was extended twice, a reassuring sign that a permanent role was well within my reach.The CEO then sent an email announcing the beginning of a new era. The email was difficult to understand, but my coworkers and I knew things didn't look good.The unknowing was torture. My heart sank every time I received an invite for a "quick connect," and I spent my evenings scanning Reddit threads for news. While blow-drying my hair one morning, I noticed I had sprouted my first two gray strands.This past November, my manager gently confirmed my fearsDespite my performance and movement toward a permanent role, I was told my latest contract would not be renewed. I would join more than 830 of my colleagues in unemployment at the start of 2025.It's been a little over two months since my last day, and while I can't say I have it all figured out, I've made peace with my disappointing corporate experience.You can't prevent a layoff from happening to you, but you can prevent it from ruining your lifeAfter my surprise first layoff, I learned the importance of staying in touch with colleagues and updating my rsum. You never know when you'll need it.However, I'd be lying if I said these methods helped me land a job at my dream company because I no longer have a dream company.Instead, I'm making my dreams come true for myself. I've taken on two part-time communications jobs one at Indiana University and the other at Marriott which have given me the flexibility to take strides toward projects I've dreamed of for years, such as writing this article and leading cross-stitch workshops.No corporate job is entirely secureI used to blame my age for my layoffs. Since I entered the workforce at a volatile time, I was stuck in a perpetual loop of "last in, first out," and would be until things stabilized. An early December phone call from my dad proved that layoffs can happen to anyone.My dad, who answered conference calls on the weekends, never took a vacation, and dedicated 32 years of his life to his company, also lost his job.As I look ahead to the future, my career goals are to keep doing what I'm doing. I aspire to be fulfilled and empowered by my work not dictated by it.I'm thankful for my job losses. If I hadn't been cut loose, I would've stayed forever and been stuck daydreaming in my cubicle of the life I'm unfurling for myself today.

GTA 6 is coming, and one fan has cooked up a perfect way to transition from Los Santos to Leonidas and Vice City with a fun theory that makes too much sense to ignoreTech08:25, 19 Mar 2025GTA Online does tend to go off the rails, even for GTAGrand Theft Auto 6 is coming this year, but after almost 12 years, we're starting to feel more than a little nostalgic about GTA 5.The game has spanned three console generations, and experts have suggested its latest PC upgrade has features that will be in the new game, too.Article continues belowWith the game doing such a good job of supporting its huge community, fans have planned to pay tribute before through convoy driving around the map, but one fan has had an idea that would make the move to GTA 6 feel as though it's part of each GTA Online character's own canon.Posting on the GTA 6 subreddit, one fan suggested that Rockstar could tie the two games together by offering a huge heist payout for an impossible job."Imagine if right before the GTA VI Online launches, Rockstar releases a DLC for GTA V Online where you have a heist that promises the biggest payout of all GTAO heists, but at the end of the heist everything goes wrong, you get backstabbed by one of the characters and your Online character either dies or have to escape to Leonida with no money or anything at all."I think everyone can't wait for GTA 6It'd be a neat way to help carry our GTA Online characters across, and fans are torn."I can guarantee our GTA online characters will get mentioned somewhere in GTA 6, there will be rumours and past characters in the game talking about us," one added."I dont think GTA Online is canon, you have s*** like a billionaire and a sentient AI trying to start a nuclear war to enslave humanity only to be stopped by Lester and a team of super criminals with their futuristic flying cars."GTA 6 has been in the works for over decade (Image: Still)"Let go of your GTA v character. Its time for an entirely new chapter. GTA 6 might not be anything like 5," another commenter added.For more on GTA 6, check out when AI predicts the game will launch, as well as the series' best celebrity cameos so far.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Nintendo Switch 2's launch lineup has begun to leak, but what do you want to see for the console? Here's our wishlist for the Switch 2 launch games ahead of April 2Tech08:00, 19 Mar 2025Nintendo Switch 2 is being fully revealed on April 2(Image: Nintendo)The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal is closer than ever, with April 2 expected to be a monumental day for the company as it reveals its new console's release date and pricing.With the Switch 2 expected to leverage AI upscaling tech to offer higher resolutions than its predecessor, its games will look much better but what games will form the launch lineup?Article continues belowWhile we've already had some very notable titles leak, we've picked our dream Switch 2 lineup and we reckon we've got a few of them right, too. Here are our picks for the Switch 2 launch lineup.It seems very likely that the Switch 2 could launch with not one, but two Mario titles. While the console's initial reveal showed off a new Mario Kart title, rumours have persisted the former plumber is due another 3D adventure.Given Super Mario Odyssey launched in 2017 and we've only had remasters and a sort of 'proof of concept' in Bowser's Fury since, that seems likely.Metroid Prime 4 is also alive and kicking, and could mark the first-person shooter series first new entry since 2007's Corruption. Given that the most recent footage made our current Switch consoles let out a gasp, there's every chance the Switch 2 will be the best place to play Samus' latest adventure.Breath of the Wild was one of the best games of all time - and it launched alongside the Switch(Image: Nintendo)We've heard rumours that Nintendo has been saving a Zelda remake or remaster for the Switch 2 launch, but our hopes are that we just get an enhanced version of Breath of the Wild and/or Tears of the Kingdom.Both games feel like they push the original console to its limits (particularly the latter), and we'd love to see them bumped up to 4K resolution.Three Houses was a great strategy RPG(Image: DS )Finally for Nintendo, we're going for a bit of a long shot. Fire Emblem Engage launched in 2023, meaning there may have been enough time since it launched (and 2019's excellent Three Houses) to warrant a fresh entry.Developer Intelligent Systems has certainly been busy in recent years, but here's hoping for a new strategy RPG to sink our teeth into on the new console.The first Halo title is Combat Evolved, which saw an Xbox 360 remaster(Image: Microsoft)The Switch 2 will mark the first Nintendo launch since Microsoft adjusted to go multiplatform, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said the company wants to support Switch 2.With that in mind, we're expecting Microsoft to finally relinquish exclusivity of Halo, letting the Master Chief Collection find a fresh audience. A collection of four Halo games (five if ODST is included), it could be an ideal launch game if multiplayer is included, too.Diablo 4 was a huge hit at launch(Image: Grab)Naturally, Microsoft now owns a ton of studios, including Activision Blizzard. Given how good Diablo 3 was on Switch 1, could we see Diablo 4 make an appearance? It plays great on Steam Deck, so it seems likely.Sticking with Microsoft, we've heard DOOM: The Dark Ages could make the jump, too, along with Flight Simulator.Elsewhere, Tekken 8, Visions of Mana and No Man's Sky have been suggested as viable launch titles.Pokemon Legends Z-A is targeting Switch 1 for now(Image: Pokemon)Article continues belowAs we've previously mentioned, we're not expecting Pokemon Legends Z-A to specifically mention Switch 2, instead being a Switch 1 game that'll run (hopefully with more bells and whistles) via backward compatibility.We wouldn't count on Sony making an appearance, either. While the company behind PlayStation has shown a willingness to port titles to PC, its only Switch port so far was LEGO Horizon Adventures.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Reframing Cultural Landmarks: A Local Approach to Architecture in the Middle EastSave this picture!History of Science Centre / Hoehler + alSalmy. Image Osama Al KharusiA previous exploration of cultural landmarks in the Middle East designed by international architects highlighted recurring themes such as architecture as an extension of the landscape, climate-responsive design, and abstraction of traditional forms. These projects often introduced high-tech environmental solutions, used monumental forms to reinterpret local identity, or positioned themselves as landmarks within the broader urban or desert landscape. While these approaches have defined many of the region's most recognizable cultural institutions, they represent just one side of the architectural discourse. An equally significant yet distinct trajectory emerges from local architects, who work within existing structures, historical contexts, and lived environments to create institutions that feel deeply embedded in their surroundings. This approach prioritizes continuity, transformation, and accessibility, ensuring that architecture remains an evolving part of the cultural fabric rather than a self-contained object.Save this picture!Three overarching themes emerge from this local perspective: Architecture as Cultural Continuity, Adaptive Reuse and Site-Specific Transformation, and Public Engagement through Open Cultural Spaces. Some projects emphasize historical continuity, such as Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa, which preserves a rare example of pre-oil modernism, or the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in the UAE, which integrates archaeological heritage into contemporary cultural programming. Others, like the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in Saudi Arabia and the Royal Academy for Nature Conservation in Jordan, demonstrate how industrial remnants and quarries can be repurposed, rather than erased, to create meaningful cultural spaces. Meanwhile, institutions like the House for Architectural Heritage in Bahrain and the Shamalat Cultural Center in Saudi Arabia challenge the traditional boundaries between cultural institutions and public life, opening their spaces to street-level engagement. These projects illustrate how local architects are shaping cultural landmarks that are deeply connected to their historical, social, and environmental contexts, ensuring that architecture remains a dynamic force for continuity and collective experience in the Middle East.Read on to explore how local architects in the Middle East are shaping cultural landmarks through themes of continuity, adaptation, and public engagement. Related Article Global Architects, Local Contexts: Navigating Identity in the Gulfs Cultural Landmarks Architecture as Cultural ContinuityArchitecture as cultural continuity reflects a design approach that preserves, adapts, and extends historical narratives rather than replacing them with entirely new forms. Unlike international projects that often abstract local traditions into sculptural gestures, these projects engage with historical structures, material heritage, and spatial traditions in a more direct and tangible way. Whether through adaptive restoration or carefully contextualized new construction, these projects maintain a connection to historical identities while ensuring their relevance in contemporary life. By working within the fabric of existing cultural and social landscapes, these interventions allow architecture to serve as an active guardian of memory, reinforcing continuity rather than distruption.Save this picture!Several projects illustrate this approach, each engaging with different moments in history. The Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa in Al Ain stands as a rare surviving example of pre-oil modernism, a period when traditional forms first intersected with modern materials. Rather than restoring it to an idealized past, X Architects adapted it as a cultural center, preserving both its architectural character and its function as a community gathering space. Similarly, the Mleiha Archaeological Centre by Dabbagh Architects in Sharjah does not only house historical artifacts, but actively integrates them into the architectural experience, centering the entire visitor journey around a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age tomb. The project's radial plan and locally sourced sandstone construction root it in the site's deep history, ensuring the continuity of its archaeological and environmental significance.Save this picture!Elsewhere, projects extend institutional and urban heritage into contemporary cultural spaces. The Nuhad Es-Said Pavilion for Culture by Raed Abillama Architects expands the National Museum of Beirut, reinforcing its role as a cultural and archival institution while introducing a flexible exhibition hall that responds to contemporary needs. Similarly, the History of Science Centre in Oman establishes a direct link between Islamic scientific heritage and contemporary academic research, using geometric patterns derived from historic architecture to reinforce a sense of cultural and intellectual continuity. Finally, the House for Architectural Heritage, designed by Noura Al Sayeh and Leopold Banchini, takes a different approach by preserving the "found" condition of an urban site in Bahrain, freezing it as a snapshot of the city's evolving architectural landscape. By adapting existing conditions rather than erasing them, these projects highlight an ongoing dialogue between past and present, ensuring that architecture remains a living, evolving expression of cultural identity.Save this picture!Save this picture! Adaptive Reuse and Site-Specific TransformationIn contrast to large-scale demolitions and new constructions that redefine entire urban landscapes, adaptive reuse and site-specific transformation focus on working within the existing built and natural environment to create meaningful cultural spaces. These projects treat historical or industrial remnants as valuable layers that can be integrated into contemporary life. By preserving key architectural and material elements while introducing new spatial and programmatic functions, adaptive reuse projects offer sustainable, contextually aware solutions that retain the memory and identity of a place.Save this picture!Several projects illustrate this principle by reinterpreting existing structures rather than replacing them. The Diriyah Biennale Foundation, designed by BRICKLAB, repurposes eight decommissioned warehouses in Riyadh's JAX creative district, maintaining their industrial aesthetic while inserting cultural programming, exhibition spaces, and public gathering areas. This approach preserves the site's original character and aims to create a cohesive artistic ecosystem, reinforcing Diriyah's evolving role as a cultural hub. Similarly, the Shamalat Cultural Center in Diriyah, designed by Syn Architects, adapts a traditional mud house, blending selective restoration with contemporary materials to create an intimate space for artistic production and community engagement. Rather than sanitizing or reconstructing these sites, both projects embrace their imperfections, allowing past narratives to coexist with new functions.Save this picture!Other projects engage directly with landscape transformations, treating sites shaped by past industrial or environmental interventions as integral to new architectural identities. The Royal Academy for Nature Conservation by Khammash Architects in Jordan, for example, is built within an abandoned quarry, using the existing bulldozed rock formations as both a foundation and a defining feature of the project. Instead of concealing the site's history, the architecture amplifies it, integrating the quarry's lines into the building's elevation and circulation. This approach reduces environmental disruption, while repositioning the site's history as an asset rather than a flaw. These projects demonstrate how adaptive reuse and site-specific transformation create cultural institutions that are both forward-thinking and deeply rooted in their context, ensuring that built heritage and landscape histories remain visible, relevant, and accessible to contemporary audiences.Save this picture! Public Engagement and Open Cultural SpacesA defining characteristic of many locally designed cultural projects in the Middle East is their emphasis on public engagement and accessibility. These spaces are designed to invite participation, interaction, and social exchange, often blurring the boundaries between private and public. This approach recognizes that cultural institutions are platforms for community gathering and knowledge exchange. By prioritizing spatial openness, permeability, and integration with urban life, these projects ensure that culture remains an active, evolving part of the public realm rather than being confined to exclusive, enclosed spaces.Save this picture!Several projects illustrate this approach through architectural strategies that encourage public access and interaction. The House for Architectural Heritage, designed by Noura Al Sayeh and Leopold Banchini, transforms into an open passageway when its large sliding doors lift to connect the exhibition space directly with the street. This design decision reflects an intent to democratize cultural participation, allowing passersby to engage with exhibitions without barriers. Similarly, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation by BRICKLAB organizes its spaces around an open-air central plaza, using exterior walkways and ramps to bring together various exhibition halls and public areas. This creates a fluid, non-hierarchical experience, reinforcing the idea that culture should be accessible, immersive, and embedded within the urban fabric.Save this picture!Other projects achieve public engagement through sequential spatial experiences that heighten awareness of place. The Desert X AlUla 2024 Visitor Centre by KWY.studio is designed as a processional journey, where visitors move through a compressed entrance, an open-air courtyard, and a final terrace overlooking the desert landscape. This structured movement aims to create a dynamic relationship between visitors, space, and the environment, emphasizing a deeper connection with AlUla's natural and cultural setting. Similarly, the Shamalat Cultural Center in Diriyah reimagines a traditional mud house as a contemporary gathering space, focusing on storytelling, artistic exchange, and creative production. These projects demonstrate that architecture for cultural engagement is about designing experiences that invite curiosity, participation, and interaction, ensuring that cultural institutions remain vibrant, open spaces that serve their communities.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorNour FakharanyAuthorCite: Nour Fakharany. "Reframing Cultural Landmarks: A Local Approach to Architecture in the Middle East" 19 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028123/reframing-cultural-landmarks-a-local-approach-to-architecture-in-the-middle-east&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream