Xiaodi Hou, the co-founder and former CEO of self-driving trucking startup TuSimple, has urged a California district court to issue a temporary restraining order to stop the company from transferring its remaining U.S. assets to China, according to a recent court filing.Hou, who plans to apply for a temporary restraining order in December during the next scheduled court hearing, is hoping to keep TuSimple from moving tens of millions of dollars in cash to China.As of September, TuSimple had roughly $450 million in capital. Hou is also requesting expedited discovery of evidence to aid his requests for the motion.Hous declaration to the court, filed on Monday, is the latest escalation in the battle between TuSimple and some of its shareholders, over the companys attempts to use investor capital to fund a new AI-generated animation and video game business in China.This is the first time Hou who was ousted from his role as CEO in 2022 has publicly accused TuSimple and its leaders of funneling assets toward animation and gaming businesses owned by or with direct ties to Mo Chen, TuSimple co-founder and chairman of the board, under the guise of a business pivot. Hou also argued the company violated SEC regulations by neither informing nor gaining approval from shareholders before changing its business direction or transferring funds to China. Hou now heads a new autonomous trucking startup in TexasTuSimple, once valued at $8.5 billion after its 2021 IPO, faced setbacks that led to its U.S. shutdown and delisting in January 2024. The companys stated goal was to commercialize its AV technology in China. But as the year progressed, TuSimple slashed its workforce, ceased self-driving operations, and began hiring staff to handle jobs related to AI gaming and animation.Shareholders sent a letter to the board in August after learning TuSimple was putting resources toward AI gaming and animation. The board responded a couple weeks later by publicly announcing the new business unit.Hou this week urged the court to issue a temporary restraining order after noticing a filing by TuSimple China that signaled the company was about to transfer money (or already had) out of the United States. Two TuSimple China subsidiaries last week registered an increase in assets collectively worth $150 million, according to Hous declaration and information from public filings.These filings show a suspicious increase in registered assets between these two subsidiaries in one day as a precursor to large amount of cash transfer from U.S. to China, reads the declaration. The most likely scenario is that these filings in China were the preparatory steps before TuSimple U.S. transfers money to those subsidiaries in China.Hou added that such large cash transfers are beyond normal course of business and comparable to TuSimple Chinas heyday of operation when it was operating a large autonomous truck fleet in Shanghai and had around 700 employees on its payroll. As of September, TuSimple China had around 200 employees.The window of opportunity for shareholders like Hou to get what they want which is for TuSimple to liquidate so they can recuperate some of their losses is narrowing.TuSimple is in a gray area when it comes to enforcement from the Securities and Exchange Commission. While TuSimple delisted earlier this year, the company is still registered with the SEC and thus subject to U.S. scrutiny. Once the money goes to China, shareholders in the U.S. will have no recourse to claw back funds from their original investment.TechCrunch has reached out to the SEC to learn if the agency is investigating TuSimple in relation to shareholder complaints.TuSimple did not immediately respond to TechCrunchs request for comment.

A lawsuit by the worlds wealthiest man against one of the fastest growing companies of all time is necessarily interesting stuff. But while the allegations are yet to be proven, the case has already exposed a batch of emails between Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and others during OpenAIs early days. Here are a few of the more interesting snippets we found while perusing their correspondence.Bear in mind that these emails were exposed as part of an attempt to prove OpenAI is somehow breaking antitrust law (a frankly implausible allegation). Musk is also revealing to some extent his feeling of betrayal when OpenAI abandoned its original vision of being a nonprofit with the Tesla CEO as its leader.They do not tell the whole story, but they are still interesting in their own right.Perhaps the most interesting single email is former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever explaining the teams qualms with Musk as leader of the company:The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI [artificial general intelligence]. You stated that you dont want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, youve shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.As an example, you said that you needed to be CEO of the new company so that everyone will know that you are the one who is in charge, even though you also stated that you hate being CEO and would much rather not be CEO.Thus, we are concerned that as the company makes genuine progress towards AGI, you will choose to retain your absolute control of the company despite current intent to the contrary.The goal of OpenAI is to make the future good and to avoid an AGI dictatorship. You are concerned that Demis [Hassabis, at Google-owned DeepMind] could create an AGI dictatorship. So do we. So it is a bad idea to create a structure where you could become a dictator if you chose to, especially given that we can create some other structure that avoids this possibility.This isnt entirely about corporate control; Sutskever is worried about an existential AI threat being created with only one person in the way. Sutskever also voices worries about Altman, using words much like the board would later use while accusing him of not being consistently candid:We havent been able to fully trust your judgements throughout this process, because we dont understand your cost function.We dont understand why the CEO title is so important to you. Your stated reasons have changed, and its hard to really understand whats driving it.Is AGI truly your primary motivation? How does it connect to your political goals?Given the way things have played out and Altmans steering of the company toward a much more traditional enterprise SaaS position, it seems like his goal was more business than philosophy.One interesting tidbit is that as early as 2017, OpenAI was seriously considering buying chipmaker Cerebras, or somehow merging with it, potentially using Teslas resources somehow. As Sutskever puts it:In the event we decide to buy Cerebras, my strong sense is that itll be done through Tesla.They ended up not going through with it, though the reason why is not in these emails.This, by the way, was back when Musk was angling to have OpenAI be just one of his many properties, and the leaders were open to that possibility. As OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy wrote:The most promising option I can think of, as I mentioned earlier, would be for OpenAI to attach to Tesla as its cash cow. [] If we do this really well, the transportation industry is large enough that we could increase Teslas market cap to high O(~100K), and use that revenue to fund the AI work at the appropriate scale.Again, this didnt happen for a lot of reasons that seem clear in hindsight. Teslas market cap did in fact increase, but the self-driving side of things which Karpathy aimed to accelerate later when he took a job at Tesla proved harder than expected, and has not yet contributed meaningfully to Teslas revenue.As far as making money, Microsoft was in the mix from as early as 2016, offering OpenAI $60 million worth of compute on Azure in exchange for, among other things, the companies evangelizing one another. No one seemed into this kind of corporate back-scratching, and Musk wrote that it made him nauseous.They ultimately ended up paying far more but with no obligation on either side. Would be worth way more than $50M not to seem like Microsofts marketing bitch, wrote Musk.Lastly, a minor nugget mentioned by board member Shivon Zilis (who would later become mother to three of Musks children): Valve founder Gabe Newell was, in addition to being a donator to the project in the early days, on Altman and Greg Brockmans informal advisory board. Its unclear what role he had or has in the day-to-day there. Ive asked Newell for comment.

FMX Film & Media Exchange returns once again May 6-9, 2025, for the 29th edition of the conference on animation, effects, interactive, and immersive media. Plans are underway for another stellar program.Organizers have shared their first update on whats coming here are the highlights:FMX 2025: RHYTHM OF CHANGEThe theme for 2025 is RHYTHM OF CHANGE, prompting the question: How can we ensure that production technologies enhance and support the goals and intentions of the creators who keep us human and connected through their art?Look for discussions about the growing number of sharing platforms, open standards, and other initiatives that have recently emerged with a special focus on cross-platform collaboration, pipelines, and distances both physical and subjective from interoperability to the disruptions shaking up film production.Paul Debevec joins FMX 2025 as Program ChairPaul Debevec is the chief research officer at Netflixs Eyeline Studios in Los Angeles, overseeing R&D for visual effects and virtual production with computer vision, graphics, and machine learning. In 2002, Debevecs Light Stage 3 system pioneered the virtual production technique of surrounding actors with color LEDs to display images of virtual environments for lighting-accurate compositing.Debevecs techniques for photogrammetry, HDR imaging, image-based lighting, and photoreal digital actors have been used to create key visual effects sequences in Matrix, Spider-Man 2, Benjamin Button, AvatarI, Gravity, Oblivion, Maleficent, Furious 7, Blade Runner: 2049, Gemini Man, Free Guy, and numerous video games.Debevecs work has been recognized with two Academy Awards for Scientific and Technical Achievement, the Progress Medal from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and in 2022, the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award. He is a Governor of the Visual Effects Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Visual Effects Society, and an Adjunct Research Professor at the University of Southern California."We are honored that the Master of Light himself, Dr Paul Debevec, has agreed to be our program chair for FMX 2025, said FMX Conference Chair Dr. Jan Pinkava. He has been instrumental in creating an entire discipline of image capture and image making, with rigorous and wide-ranging applications throughout Visual Effects, Virtual Production and beyond. Pauls network spans academia and industry at the highest level and we are excited to have his invaluable guidance. On top of that, hes a really nice guy!"Source: FMX 2025 Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.

The film Heretakes place in a single living room, with a static camera, but the film is anything but simple. The film remains faithful to the original graphic novel by Richard McGuire on which it is based, Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in a tale of love, loss, and life, along with Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly.Robert Zemeckis directing the filmRobert Zemeckis directed the film. The cinematography was by Don Burgess, and every shot in the film is a VFX shot. On the fxpodcast, VFX supervisor and second unit director Kevin Baillie discusses the complex challenges of filming, editing, and particularly de-aging the well-known cast members to play their characters throughout their adult lifespans.A monitor showing the identity detection that went into making sure that each actors younger real-time likeness was swapped onto them, and only them.DeAgingGiven the quantity and emotional nature of the performances, and the vast range of years involved, it would have been impossible to use traditional CGI methods and equally too hard to do with traditional makeup. The creative team decided that AI had just advanced enough to serve as a VFX tool, and its use was crucial to getting the film greenlit. Baillie invited Metaphycis to do a screen test for the project in 2022, recreating a young Tom Hanks, reminiscent of his appearance in Big, while maintaining the emotional integrity of his contemporary performance. A team of artists used custom neural networks to test Tom Hanks D-Age to His 20s. That gave the studio and our filmmaking team confidence that the film could be made. Interestingly, as Baillie discusses in the fxpodcast, body doubles were also tested but did not work nearly as well as the original actors.Tests of face swapping by Metaphysics. Early test of methods for de-aging Tom based on various training datasets:https://www.fxguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tomTest_preproduction_ageEvolutionOptions.mp4Neural render output test clip:https://www.fxguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tomTest_preproduction_WIP.mp4Final comp test clip: (The result of test for de-aging Tom that helped green-light the film)https://www.fxguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tomTest_preproduction_Final.mp4While the neural network models used for the outputs generated remarkable photoreal results, but they still required skilled compositing to match, especially on dramatic head turns. Metaphysic artists enhanced to AI to hold up to the films cinematic 4K standards. Metaphysics also developed new tools for actor eyeline control and other key crafting techniques. Additionally, multiple models were trained for each actor to meet the diverse needs of the film; Hanks is portrayed at five different ages, Wright at four ages, and Bettany and Riley at two ages each. Achieving this through traditional computer graphics techniques involving 3D modeling, rendering, and facial capture, would have been impossible given the scale and quality required forHere and the budget for so much on-screen VFX. The film has over 53 minutes of complete face replacement work, done primarily by Metaphysics, led by Metaphysics VFX Supervisor, Jo Plaete. Metaphysics proprietary process involves training a neural network model on a reference input, in this case, footage and images of a younger Hanks, with artist refinement of the results until the model is ready for production. From there, an actor or performer can drive the model, both live on set and in a higher quality version in Post. The results are exceptional and well beyond what traditional approaches have achieved.On Set live preview: Tom de-aged as visualized LIVE on set (right image) vs the raw camera feed (left image)For principal photography, the team needed a way to ensure that the age of the actors body motion matched the scripted age of their on-screen characters. To help solve this, the team deployed a real-time face-swapping pipeline in parallel on set, one monitor showing the raw camera feed and the other the actors visualized in their 20s (with about a six-frame delay). These visuals acted as a tool for the director and the actors to craft performances. As you can hear in the podcast it also allowed a lot more collaboration with other departments such as hair and makeup, and costume.The final result was a mix of multiple AI neural renders and classic nuke compositing. The result is a progression of the actors through their years, designed to be invisible to audiences.Robin with old-age makeup, compared with synthesized images of her at her older age, which were used to improve the makeup using similar methods to the de-aging done in the rest of the filmIn addition to de-aging, similar approaches were used to improve the elaborate old-age prosthetics worn by Robin Wright at the end of the film. , This allowed enhanced skin translucency and fine wrinkles, etc. De-aging makeup is extremely difficult and often characterised as the hardest special effects makeup to attempt. Metaphysics has done an exceptional job combining actual makeup with digital makeup to produce a photorealistic de-aging.In addition to the visuals, Respeecher and Skywalker Sound also deaged the actors voices, as Baillie discusses in the fxpodcast.Three setsThe filming was done primarily on three sets. There were two identical copies of the room to allow one to be filmed while the other was being dressed for the correct era. Additionally, exterior scenes from before the house was built were filmed on a separate third soundstage.Graphic PanelsGraphic panels serve as a bridge across millions of years from one notionally static perspective. The graphic panels that transitioned between eras were deceivingly tricky, with multiple scenes often playing on-screen simultaneously. As Baillie explains on the podcast, they had to reinvent editorial count sheets and use a special in-house comp team with After Effects as part of the editorial process. LED WallAn LED wall with content from the Unreal Engine was used outside the primary window. As some background needed to be replaced, the team also used the static camera to shoot helpful motion-control style matte passes (the disco passes).The Disco passesFor the imagery in the background Baille knew that it would take a huge amount of effort to add the fine detail needed in the Unreal Engine. He liked the UE output but we wanted a lot of fine detail for the 4K master. Once the environment artists had made their key creative choices, one of the boutique studios and the small in-house team used an AI power tool called Magnific to up-res the images. Magnific was was built by Javi Lopez (@javilopen) and Emilio Nicolas (@emailnicolas), two indie entrepreneurs, and it uses AI to infer additional detail. The advanced AI upscaler & enhancer effectively reimagine much of the details in the image, guided by a prompt and parameters.Before Left After RightMagnific allowed for an immense amount of high-frequency detail that would have been very time-consuming to add traditionally.Here, it has not done exceptionally well at the box office, ( and as you will hear in the next fxguide VFXShow podcast, not everyone liked the film), but there is no doubt that the craft of filmmaking and the technological advances are dramatic. Regardless of any plot criticisms, the film stands as a testament to technical excellence and innovation in the field. Notably, the production respected data provenance in its use of AI. Rather than replacing VFX artists, AI was used to complement their skills, empowering an on-set and post-production team to bring the directors vision to life. While advances in AI can be concerning, in the hands of dedicated filmmakers, these tools offer new dimensions in storytelling, expanding whats creatively possible.

Researchers at the SEAM Research Center have introduced new applications for Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (SEAM), focusing on its use in construction.At the heart of this development is the Epic3D portal printer, a system capable of producing large-format plastic components for applications such as facade elements, fences, and gates. Using a continuous deposition process and stiffening structures, this technology delivers durable, weather-resistant components tailored for outdoor construction applications.Working with Wirth & Co. GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) is using this approach to produce large-scale facade elements that meet fire safety, UV, and weather resistance standards. According to the team, SEAM technology addresses longstanding challenges in additive manufacturing, including the constraints of small build platforms and reliance on slow, expensive filament-based processes. By adopting granulate as the printing material, SEAM enables faster, more cost-effective production of customized components.Fraunhofer IWU plans to present its latest developments in SEAM technology at the Formnext 2024 trade show. Led by Dr. Martin Kausch Head of the Department of Sustainable Fiber-Plastic Composites, the research team will showcase their work at Hall 11.0, Stand E38, and Hall 11.0, Stand C29, in collaboration with Metrom.Attendees will have the opportunity to explore how granulate-based 3D printing is being applied to construction, including facade manufacturing, and its potential to reshape the industry.Dr. Kausch said, We make sophisticated design affordable. The personal touch in facade design is, of course, also achievable in traditional manufacturing. But only with processes like SEAM is it cost-effective.The new portal printer Epic3D enables the additive manufacturing of large-size components. Photo via Fraunhofer IWU.Customization and versatility in SEAM technologyCustomization is a significant advantage of SEAM, particularly for creating facade elements with intricate textures or unique shapes, such as company logos. This process uses a modified extrusion screw to melt and deposit granulate layer by layer onto the build platform.Unlike traditional methods such as fiber lamination and forming processes, SEAM eliminates the need for molds, reducing costs and production time. The ability to use pre-colored materials also removes the need for additional coating steps, streamlining the overall process.Three systems developed through collaboration with Metrom and 1A Technologies expand SEAMs application potential. These include Epic3D, METROM P1410, and SEAMHex. Among them, Epic3D stands out for its capability to handle large-format production, supported by a build platform measuring 2 meters by 1.7 meters. Complementing this, METROM P1410 brings additional versatility by integrating processing steps such as milling, expanding its application potential.Lastly, SEAMHex employs a unique six-axis parallel kinematics system that provides high dynamics and movement flexibility, ensuring exceptional positioning and path accuracy. This design ensures exceptional positioning and path accuracy while reducing moving mass, resulting in reliable and efficient production of medium-sized components. Together, these systems cater to a broad range of manufacturing needs with precision and adaptability.Florian Stckel, managing director of Wirth & Co. GmbH, underlined the importance of the collaboration with Fraunhofer IWU in enhancing the SEAM process for construction applications. He explained that the Epic3D portal printer plays a crucial role in enabling new design possibilities for facade construction.Stckel noted that the partnership focuses on optimizing various aspects, including design, materials, and the 3D printing process itself. He also highlighted that the companys investment in the Epic3D system represents a step toward making additive manufacturing more suitable for producing building components.The SEAM Research Center: Epic3D (bottom left), METROM P1410 (center), and SEAMHex. Photo via Fraunhofer IWU.Broadening the frontiers of construction researchBeyond SEAM, other research highlights the evolving landscape of additive manufacturing in construction. One notable example includes Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Evenline researchers who studied the feasibility of using glass 3D printing to create interlocking masonry units. Published in Springer Nature, this research highlights how glass AM can enhance design flexibility and reduce tooling costs compared to traditional methods.Using the G3DP3 printer, the team developed modular masonry units tested across three fabrication methods: Fully Hollow, Print-Cast, and Fully Printed. Findings revealed varying strengths and surface accuracies, with Fully Hollow units showing the highest structural performance. As per the team, this study emphasizes glass AMs potential for recyclable, sustainable construction, though further refinement is needed for large-scale applications.Elsewhere, University of Virginia (UVA) researchers developed a sustainable cementitious composite for 3D printing by incorporating graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) into limestone-calcined clay (LC2). Led by Professor Osman Ozbulut, this research enhances structural integrity and environmental performance, increasing compressive strength by 23% with just 0.05% GNPs while improving printability.A Life Cycle Assessment revealed a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional cement-based mixtures. Conducted with the Virginia Transportation Research Council, the study positions graphene-enhanced LC2 as a promising material for sustainable construction, particularly in transportation infrastructure.Catch up on all the news fromFormnext 2024.Voting is now open for the2024 3D Printing Industry Awards.Want to share insights on key industry trends and the future of 3D printing? Register now to be included in the2025 3D Printing Industry Executive Survey.What 3D printing trends do the industry leaders anticipate this year?What does the Future of 3D printing hold for the next 10 years?To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook.While youre here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion, debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays.Featured image shows the SEAM Research Center: Epic3D (bottom left), METROM P1410 (center), and SEAMHex. Photo via Fraunhofer IWU.

Two-photon polymerisation (2PP) 3D printing company UpNano GmbH has unveiled the NanoOne Green, a new high-resolution 3D printer set to be debuted at Formnext 2024.Adding to the companys NanoOne series, the system features a 515 nm wavelength green laser with a power of 400 nm and targets research and industrial applications.The NanoOne Green reportedly delivers 30% higher resolution than competing 2PP 3D printers, which generally operate at 780 nm. Capable of achieving detail elements below 100 nm in width, UpNano claims its new product unlocks new levels of detail for additive manufacturing.Offering broad material compatibility, the new 3D printer can process transparent, biocompatible, non-fluorescent materials well suited to optics and microfluidics applications. Thanks to its green laser, the system can use existing photochemistries, while also supporting the development of novel materials incompatible with standard 780 nm Lasers.With the NanoOne green, we have extended our NanoOne product line with a tool that delivers ultra-high-resolution features and paves the way for diverse industrial applications, commented UpNano CEO Bernhard Kenburg.UpNano is yet to reveal the price of its NanoOne Green system. The company will showcase the new high-resolution 3D printer next week during Formnext 2024. Visitors can find the company in hall 11.1, booth E40.Read all the news from Formnext 2024.UpNanos new NanoOne Green 3D printer. Image via UpNano.The new NanoOne Green enhances 2PP 3D printingUpNanos new NanoOne Green adds to the companys NanoOne 2PP 3D printer series, which features the NanoOne 1000 and NanoOne 250 systems.These 2PP 3D printers incorporate UpNanos patented adaptive resolution technology. This can dynamically expand the width of the laser beam by up to ten times to accelerate 3D printing in bulk material areas and shrink the beam where more precision is required. According to UpNano, adaptive resolution makes the NanoOne range the highest performing and most adaptable 2PP 3D printers on the market.As with its predecessors, the NanoOne Green is a compact desktop 3D printer, able to fit into most work environments. It features high-performance vibration isolation and a built-in clean room with a HEPA filter.The NanoOne Green comes delivered in a ready-to-use standard configuration. However, users can customize their system with NanoOne accessories to suit specific 3D printing requirements. These include fiber holders, wafer chucks, heatable materials vats, and stage inserts for biological substrates. All upgrades can be retrofitted, allowing NanoOne systems to evolve with changing industry demands.With its new 3D printer, UpNano is targeting a wide range of applications ranging from batch production of end-use parts to bioprinting in native cell environments. This flexibility is supported by the companys broad materials portfolio, which features fully biocompatible and fused silica formulations.NanoOne Green Accessories. Image via UpNano.Technical specifications of the NanoOne GreenSystem typeDesktop multiphoton laser lithography system3D printing processLayer-by-layer 2-photon polymerizationLight sourceFemtosecond fiber laserLaser wavelength515 nmLaser power400 mWScannerGalvanometer scannerStageLong-range piezo stageMaximum travel rangeUp to 120 x 100 x 49 mmStage address grid10 nmSystem dimensions58.5 x 71.0 x 65.0 cmTotal weight124 kgAll the news from Formnext 2024.Who are the leaders in additive manufacturing? Vote now in the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards!Want to share insights on key industry trends and the future 3D printing? Register now to be included in the 2025 3D Printing Industry Executive Survey.What does the future of 3D printing hold?What near-term 3D printing trends have been highlighted by industry experts?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows UpNanos new NanoOne Green 3D printer. Image via UpNano.

Hey everyone! Ive been using After Effects to create hand drawn effects, without the need to draw frame by frame. Ive made quite a few tutorials and breakdown on how to replicate those techniques, those are mostly on Twitter and Linkedin as of now, but I thought you might find it useful as well.I have multiple videos, for fire, lightning, smoke puffs, water and so on. Since Im a new user I can upload one media, but you can check the other videos by clicking on it.If you have any questions or requests just let me know, I learned a lot from this forum so hope I can feed the community back with those sorts of posts.

Niemeyer Building | Gabriel RamosThe Niemeyer Building, located in the Praa da Liberdade district of Belo Horizonte, is one of Oscar Niemeyers seminal works. Designed in the 1950s, this building was an audacious embodiment of Brazilian modernism, created during a time when the country was eager to establish a unique architectural identity on the global stage. Post-World War II, Brazil was experiencing rapid urbanization and cultural growth. Niemeyers architecture mirrored this eras optimism, advancing a vision of distinctly Brazilian yet universally relevant modernism.Niemeyer Building Technical InformationArchitects1-2: Oscar NiemeyerLocation: Praa da Liberdade, Belo Horizonte, BrazilTopics: Brazilian ModernismArea: 5,000 m2 | 53,820Sq. Ft.Project Year: 1953 1960Photographs: Unsplash & Flickr Users, See Caption DetailsIt is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curvethe curve that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuous course of its rivers, in the body of the beloved woman. Oscar Niemeyer 3Niemeyer Building PhotographsAerial View | Gabriel RamosAerial View | Marcos Rossi De Cerqueira LeiteTop Aerial View | Marcos Rossi De Cerqueira LeiteExterior ViewStreet View | David GenelhuStreet View | Gabriel FernandesRoof Detail | Gabriel FernandesFacade Detail | Matheus FradeFacade Curves | Gladystone FonsecaFacade Detail | Matheus FradeWindow DetailLiving Room Interior SpaceNiemeyer Building Architectural AnalysisNiemeyers building is embedded within the urban core of Belo Horizonte, an area characterized by colonial and neoclassical structures. The Niemeyer Buildings undulating facade and modernist styling represented a sharp but intentional contrast, revitalizing Praa da Liberdade. While it diverges aesthetically from its surroundings, it respects the public square, offering visual dynamism that complements rather than overwhelms the historic landscape. Niemeyer effectively employed the buildings striking design to make a statement, elevating the architectural landscape and turning it into an enduring symbol of Belo Horizontes modernization.The Niemeyer Building is celebrated for its curvilinear, wave-like facade, a daring departure from the rigid, geometric lines typical of modernist design in the 1950s. Niemeyers use of sensual, organic forms speaks to his design philosophy, prioritizing visual appeal and sculptural quality over purely functional considerations. This bold form broke with the international styles often austere character, embodying Niemeyers desire to use architecture as an art form, celebrating free-form shapes that resonate with the Brazilian landscape and culture.Crafted primarily from concrete, a material Niemeyer embraced for its plasticity, the building reflects his commitment to creating fluid, expressive forms. Concrete allowed Niemeyer to mold the facade into the sinuous lines that define the building, but working with this material in the 1950s presented notable challenges. Brazils warm, humid climate and the limitations in construction technology posed difficulties, especially for durability and maintenance. Nonetheless, Niemeyers innovative use of concrete set a precedent for the materials potential in creating bold, expressive forms.The facades horizontal brise-soleils, placed between floors, are functional yet integral to the buildings aesthetic. These elements provide necessary shading, filter sunlight, and mitigate interior heat an essential feature in Brazils tropical climate. However, these sunshades also enhance the buildings sculptural quality, adding a layered rhythm to the facade that animates it and fosters a sense of movement and fluidity. This approach reflects Niemeyers mastery of balancing form and function, creating an icon thats visually captivating and climatically responsive.Socio-Cultural Relevance and InfluenceThe Niemeyer Building represents a profound expression of Brazilian cultural identity. Its form, flowing like a river, reflects a unique architectural language, celebrating Brazils openness, movement, and free spirit. This building and Niemeyers later projects symbolized a vision of architecture rooted in the Brazilian landscape and way of life, starkly contrasting the more restrained modernism emerging in Europe and North America. Niemeyers work challenged the conventional boundaries of modernism, adding layers of cultural narrative that spoke directly to the Brazilian context.This building also began an era of architectural influence in Brazil, inspiring subsequent architects to explore similar themes. Its credited with igniting a Brazilian modernist movement that prioritized sculptural forms, leading figures like Lina Bo Bardi to adopt and expand Niemeyers themes in her work. The Niemeyer Building has become a symbol, inspiring domestic and international architects to reimagine architectures role as not merely functional but as culturally expressive.Preservation efforts for the Niemeyer Building, however, reflect the complex legacy of modernist architecture. Concrete, though versatile, has posed challenges in terms of maintenance, and the buildings design has experienced wear over the decades. Preservationists face unique challenges in balancing the buildings architectural integrity with necessary restoration, and the task of preserving the brise-soleils and fluid facade presents an ongoing struggle. This preservation process underscores the challenges inherent in maintaining modernist icons, particularly those constructed with experimental materials and techniques.Critical Reception and Lasting ImpactWhen it first debuted, the Niemeyer Building drew both praise and criticism. Many in the architectural community celebrated it as a radical reimagining of urban design, while others viewed its non-linear forms as excessive and impractical. Niemeyers bold aesthetic choices were polarizing, especially as they broke from the more functionalist approach that dominated the modernist movement. Despite the divided initial reception, the Niemeyer Building has achieved a place of lasting importance in architectural discourse, celebrated as an example of modernisms potential to be regionally rooted and globally relevant.The enduring significance of the Niemeyer Building lies in its success in merging form and function without sacrificing aesthetic ambition. Its sculptural design challenges architects to consider the artistic possibilities of architecture, pushing the boundaries of what a building can represent. As an architectural icon, it embodies Niemeyers belief that beauty in architecture has intrinsic value, inspiring a broader understanding of modernism that embraces cultural and artistic expression.In todays architectural practice, the Niemeyer Building is a lesson in balancing innovation with practical considerations. While the buildings curvilinear form and materiality brought logistical challenges, they also left an indelible mark on the architectural landscape, demonstrating the importance of cultural context in design. Niemeyer Building PlansTypical Floor Plan | Oscar NiemeyerRoof Floor Plan | Oscar NiemeyerSection | Oscar NiemeyerModel Oscar NiemeyerNiemeyer Building Image GalleryAbout Oscar NiemeyerOscar Niemeyer (19072012) was a visionary Brazilian architect renowned for his bold use of curves and innovative modernist approach, which defied the rigid lines typical of the movement. Deeply influenced by Brazils natural landscape and cultural spirit, Niemeyer crafted buildings with sensual, organic forms, blending functionality with an almost sculptural beauty. His work includes landmark projects like Braslia, Brazils capital city, designed with fellow architect Lcio Costa, and the iconic UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Niemeyers career, spanning nearly eight decades, was marked by a commitment to social ideals and a relentless pursuit of beauty in architecture, making him one of the 20th centurys most celebrated architects.Notes & Additional CreditsDesign Team: Oscar Niemeyer (Lead Architect), Associated design staff from the Instituto de Arquitetos do Brasil (IAB) during the projects development phaseClient: Government of Minas GeraisOscar Niemeyer: Curves of Irreverence by Styliane PhilippouOscar Niemeyer 1907-2012: The Once and Future byPhilip Jodidio

In late September, The Met gave an early look at the newly renovated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. Closed since 2021, the 40,000-square-foot wing on the museums south side underwent a $70 million renovation led by WHY Architecture in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle. The wing will reopen in May 2025, when visitors can view pieces spanning five continents staged across three sections: Arts of Africa, Ancient Americas, and Oceania. In addition to brightening up the galleries, renovation work also centered on retrofitting the window that envelops the museums south face.A rendering by WHY Architecture of The Arts of Oceania Galleries alongside the angled windows. (Courtesy WHY Architecture)An impetus for creating the wing was American philanthropist Nelson Aldrich Rockefellers 1969 gift of more than 3,000 pieces. Back then, these works were seen as the non-Western, the other, Max Hollein, The Mets director and chief executive, said in an interview with the New York Times, adding, our perspective has evolved.The Arts of the Ancient Americas Galleries in the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at The Met. (Paula Lobo/Courtesy The Met)The wing was named after Rockefellers son, Michael, who was also an avid traveler and disappeared in 1961 while on an expedition in New Guinea. The new wing opened to the public in 1982 with the creation of a new department. It was designed by The Mets master plan architects, Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. At the time there was a tug-of-war between the design team and Rockefeller over the display of items and the expansive floor-to-ceiling, angled glass wall, a seminal design component of the wing. The Met sought to display 30 percent of the collection, Rockefeller envisioned 80 percent of the collection on display. In the end nearly 2,000 objects were placed on view without it seeming too crowded. These considerations were again integral in the latest Rockefeller wing revamp, but updated with modern application.Within the wing, clean white walls are coupled with curved ribs. (Paula Lobo/Courtesy The Met)Statues, decorative objects, apparel, and other artifacts are staged across the 16 revamped galleries. Within the wing, clean white walls are coupled with curved ribs that span across the ceilings, as seen in the Arts of Africa portion, where the dark, cavernous, and dimly lit galleries of the 1980s renovation have been replaced with stark white walls and new glass display boxes. As one would expect in a museum setting the ribs were crafted to not draw attention away from the pieces on display.The visual connection between the new ceiling structures and the existing architectural conditions is perhaps most prominent in the Arts of Oceania section, where the floor-to-ceiling windows are located. Here, the ribs span downward to line up with the mullions on the angled windows.The iconic angled glass wall in the wing was retrofitted. (Paula Lobo/Courtesy The Met)In a press release The Met noted how the curved ribs recall regional African architecture, specifically the Great Mosque of Jenne in Mali. These ceiling elements offer a distinct difference between the new wing and the adjacent Greek and Roman Art and European Sculpture and Decorative Arts portion of the museum. They create a new backdrop for highlights of the Rockefeller Wings collection.A sculpture on display in the Arts of Africa Galleries in The Mets Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. (Paula Lobo/Courtesy The Met)Kulapat Yantrasast, founder and creative director of WHY Architecture, said working on the Rockefeller Wing affirmed his practices belief that museums are true sites of empathy. He added Through our design with The Met, we hope to highlight the diversity and distinction within these rich collections while providing a welcoming and memorable sense of place.Capital Projects, who led the design and construction process of the renovation, shared the intricate operation used to completely revamp the glass wall in the wing, where Beyer Blinder Bell was the executive architect on the effort. Preserving the integrity of the glazing was a balancing act: how to maintain the original design while shielding the art from UV rays and still allowing ample natural light to seep into the space.The redesign of the wing addresses the most crucial issues of our time, from carbon footprint reduction to the emphasis on local materials and artisanship, said Jhaelen Hernandez-Eli, vice president of Capital Projects. Hernandez-Eli added that the entire design and construction team, prioritized job creation and workforce training, reuse of materials, and the reduction of energy consumption while enduring that the resulting architecture supports our collection and inspires our public.When the Rockefeller Wing reopens in the spring over 1,800 artifacts will be on display. (Eric Petschek/Courtesy WHY Architecture)The Ceremonial House Ceiling created by the Kwoma people, located in the Arts of Oceania Galleries. (Paula Lobo/Courtesy The Met)When the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing opens this spring over 1,800 artifacts will be on view, among these are the ancient American textiles and featherwork spanning over a 3,000-year history; the Ceremonial House Ceiling created by the Kwoma people of Papua New Guinea, located in the Oceania area; and in the African section, clay and wooden sculptures dating back to the 12th century be found, among other artifacts from across the three regions.

The lyrics of Kendrick Lamars 2012 single Poetic Justice express a duality between belief and skepticismIf I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room would you trust it? When the artist takes the Super Bowl LIX halftime stage in New Orleans this coming February, he will be enveloped by the Superdomes half-billion-dollar renovation, led by Trahan Architects. Significantly, 2025 will mark both the 50th anniversary of the buildings opening and the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrinas landfall. With updates to materiality, accessibility, and user experiences, the landmarked stadium is finally flourishing, albeit within a hard-bitten city still germinating after decades of convalescence. The Superdome is closely associated with New Orleans itself, but when the two are referred to interchangeably, praise for this state-owned building (its leased to the NFL) can misrepresent challenges that still lie ahead for the city. The Superdomes longtime operator exemplified this merger when speaking of the post-Katrina restoration effort: The minute we turn that roof white again, people are going to believe in this recovery. Trahan was chosen to repair the Superdome in 2005 during its temporary closure. However, the most recent improvements required the local project team to safely navigate a busy event schedule that remained active during construction. The undertaking was tackled incrementally, leaving behind freshly finished amenities for spectators, operators, and athletes. Roundly recognized for curated material applications in award-winning theater and museum projects, Trahan Architects made no exceptions for the arena. Extruded aluminum tubes hug the complex forms of three new atria that guide the majority of fans to their upper-level seating. A subtle shift from polished concrete to terrazzo in exclusive club areas maintains a minimal palette while providing a noticeable value-add for VIP ticket holders. Sleek-edged profiles, elegant textures, and dark metal accents take cues from the hospitality world, providing a subdued luxury for premium game experiences.The architects leveraged unused vertical spaces to install escalators and elevators in place of the old ramps.Finish upgrades also coincided with updated branding. Caesars Entertainment doubled down on its investment in the Poydras Street corridor, anchored by the stadium on the lake side and by a freshly pedimented Caesars Hotel & Casino on the river side. Now emblazoned with the silhouette of its imperial namesake, the Caesars Superdome has come full circle, in a manner of speaking. Curtis and Davis Architects and Engineers, the stadiums original designers, paid homage to the Superdomes ancient forebears, proclaiming that the Superdome seeks to do for New Orleans what the great amphitheaters and stadia of antiquity did for their communities. Their implication was that the arena would serve as a civic center rather than a dedicated sports venuean innovative concept at the time. The building can fit 1.5 Colosseums beneath its impressive 9.7-acre roof, providing space for monster truck rallies, Mardi Gras balls, and three consecutive nights of Taylor Swifts Eras Tour. While the 1970s design debuted new ideas like adaptable seating, its circulation eventually became antiquated by contemporary standards. Trahans removal of a space-hogging ramp system allowed the architects to reclaim 100,000 square feet of usable space without expanding the buildings footprinta remarkable example of creative preservation in practice. The operation allowed for concessions to breathe new life into widened sideline concourses, freeing up space in the corners for modernized vertical circulation. Some ramps still remain at each end zone, but new elevators and express escalators now take fans to their destinations in a fraction of the timeall critical infrastructure for ushering in the full-capacity crowd expected for the championship game in February.The clever use of vertical elements in details like these screens draws the eye upward, like in a religious space. (Tim Hursley)Super Bowl LIX and its venue are primed to enter the canon of New Orleanss most storied events, but the Superdome still characterizes many Americans remembrances of the paradigm-shifting storm that flooded 80 percent of the city and claimed 1,392 lives (including six inside the stadium itself). Todays visitors would be hard-pressed to find any acknowledgment of the disaster, partly because of the removal of a small documentary display that chronicled the event during a recent phase of improvements. Decades of work have significantly updated the half-century-old stadium, decidedly encasing troubling histories beneath layers of applied finishes. Is this the same stadium where disempowered and dispossessed New Orleanians were left to languish, or like the Ship of Theseus, did replacing its constituent parts succeed in creating the structure (and, as some suggest, the city) anew?Modern luxe finishes like brass and silver tones offer optical upgrades. (Tim Hursley)To forge ahead or to dwell on the past is a persistent question just behind the tableau of The Big Easy, in which the Superdome gets placed front and center. Which way one leans largely depends upon whether past injustices continue to impact their communities. On opening day 200613 months after 30,000 refugees were abandoned withinESPNs Mark Schwartz reported that perhaps the most daunting task is to scrub away memories of the Superdome as a cesspool of human misery. This view denied its human-made causes while sanitizing its inconvenient juxtaposition with sporting fanfare. At the Saintss 2024 home opener, a Fox NFL commentator again marveled at the efforts being made to prepare the city for the upcoming occasion: They are rebuilding this city for the Super Bowl. Road and drainage projects have certainly accelerated across New Orleans, yet intermittent power outages have spiked in recent months, including one that interrupted the writing of this very article. In August, the entire city was subjected to a multiday boil-water advisory (a frequent hassle for some areas) when a Mylar balloon drifted into power lines near a treatment plant, disrupting the citys potable water system. The state legislature recently denied New Orleans $29 million for a more resilient power station. The state eventually negotiated down to $17 million in matching city funds, amounting to a $55 million state investment in the project to date. Meanwhile, at least $90 million in renovation costs and debt forgiveness have been dispensed to the Superdome, a small example of the stadiums primacy as an economic investment over critical municipal services. For its part, the city government occasionally fumbles its obligations to bolster New Orleanss wider resiliency. This year, a federal watchdog cited the failure of Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration to start on eight green infrastructure projects that were funded back in 2017. Its report, After More Than Six Years, the City of New Orleans National Disaster Resilience Project Activities Had Made Little Impact on Resilience, expressed skepticism that the city could complete any of the designated projects.A section drawing shows how the stadium reaches to meet the street and incorporates modern vertical circulation. (Courtesy Trahan Architects)If recovery is defined as returning something to its former state, then New Orleans may never recover from Hurricane Katrina on those terms. The citys population remains below prestorm levels, and more than 100,000 Black residents found themselves putting down roots elsewhere after the conditions for their return were not equitably facilitated. New Orleans closed 85 percent of its public housing from 1996 to 2007 in favor of mixed-income projects and vouchers, displacing many low-income residents. Housing costs are still trending upward today, but the catastrophic storm and equally catastrophic response did not eradicate the culture of those who were able to return once the water drained.Views of the field are the most important: Even from the nosebleeds, viewers get a full view of the action. (Tim Hursley)The vibrancy of celebrations like Black and Indigenous walking parades on Super Sundays should not be taken for granted but should be protected with requisite investment in the longevity of the communities that perform them. The Superdomes renovation might best be used as a goal rather than a gauge of the citys prosperity. City officials seem to share this sentiment, marking their intention to maintaining improvements beyond the Super Bowl and build on their momentum. Trahan Architects was thoughtful enough to future-proof the building, anticipating the replacement of its elevated entry plinth with street access thats more publicrepresenting the belief that the citys street life will eventually grow outward to meet it. If New Orleanians are provided with equivalent resources, then it just might.Page Comeaux is an organizer, architect, author, and educator.