The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) has opened its $75 million NHM Commons expansion to the public. Designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, with landscape architecture by Studio-MLA and exhibition spaces by Studio Joseph, the NHM Commons comprises approximately 75,000 square feet of renovated and newly constructed space.Image credit: Benny ChanImage credit: Benny ChanThe centerpiece of the design is a transparent glass faade, creating a visual connection between the museum and Exposition Park. Inside, the Commons Theater and various multipurpose spaces have been built to accommodate an expanded slate of community-centered programming. The new spaces facilitate engagement with science, culture, and nature, including areas for those visiting without a ticket.Image credit: Benny ChanImage credit: Benny ChanOutside, Studio-MLA has developed a community plaza in collaboration with Native American advisors, featuring sustainable planting, Tongva-inspired mortar i...

Following our previous visit toAUX Architecture, we are keeping ourMeet Your Next Employer seriesin Los Angeles this week to explore the work ofRIOS.Founded in 1985, the firm employs approximately 280 team members across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia Pacific. Last month, Archinect reported on the firms proposal for One Beverly Hills, designed in collaboration with Kerry Hill Architects and Foster + Partners, while several of the firms projects were recently honored at the 2024 LA Architectural Awards.Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm iscurrently hiringfor several positions to join their Los Angeles team. For candidates interested in applying for a position or anybody interested in learning more about the firms output, we have rounded up four contemporary Los Angeles homes by RIOS that exemplify the firms ethos.Shifting Boxes. Image courtesy of RIOSShifting Boxes, West Hollywood, CAShifting Boxes is formed of seemingly irregular stacked volumes whose po...

Calling all architects, landscape architects and interior designers: Architizer's A+Awards allows firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of Worlds Best Architecture Firm. Start an A+Firm Award Application today.Flipping through the portfolio of MUDA-Architects, a distinct feature stands out across the young firms projects. Networks of pathways literally connecting building to landscape; staircases and ramps bridging building with water; arcades and courtyards heightening atmospheric perception; and soaring ceilings responding to the sky above all design features that dont simply create a seamless connection to the outdoors, but rather create a dialogue between building and surroundings, inviting users to join the conversation. While many firms describe their work as being responsive to site or integrated with nature, the Chengdu-based firm makes this conceit literal in their work.What makes this all the more remarkable is that MUDA-Architects have less than a decade of experience under their belts. The Chengdu-based studio has already completed numerous projects of substantial import and developed a distinct, relevant and mature architectural language in commissions ranking from public, cultural and commercial architecture, as well as urban, landscape and interior design. While remaining grounded in their local context, their buildings are expressive and imaginative in form, program and materiality, with a decidedly forward-looking stance (as the firm poetically put it, adhering to the oriental spirits and future-oriented mindset). For these reasons and more, Architizer has selected MUDA-Architects as the Emerging Firm of the Year for the 12th Annual A+Awards. The prize is even more fitting given that it will be awarded at Architizers A+Awards Gala in MUDAs hometown, Chengdu, this November. Stay tuned for more coverage!More About Architizers A+AwardsIn the following interview, Architizers Managing Editor, Hannah Feniak, sits down with Lu Yun, Principal Architect and founder of MUDA-Architects, to get to know more about this impressive and promising young firm.Xinglong Lake CITIC Bookstore by MUDA-Architects, Chengdu, ChinaHannah Feniak: Tell us a little about your story how did you get started? How did your firm grow?Lu Yun: In 2015, we founded our firm in Beijing and Boston, and in 2017 we began our architectural practice in a true sense in Chengdu. After we won the Xinglong Lake Bookstore project competition in 2018, as the increase of our market recognition and project influence expanded, our company mainly focused on commissioned projects. Weve also been fortunate: over the past five years, several of our key projects have been successfully achieved.Tianfu Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine by MUDA-Architects, Chengdu, ChinaLooking back, which of your projects do you feel was the most significant to the firms development and why?On their first completed project, the CITIC Bookstore at Xinglong Lake, Chengdu:This was MUDA-Architects most significant project in its early days. We won first place among 249 competition entries, and the project was successfully completed and remains open till now. The design was inspired by a book falling from the sky, emphasizing harmony between the building and the natural environment. The buildings form and curves echo with the lakeside landscape. This project not only marked MUDAs beginning but also set the foundation for our core design philosophy: respecting nature and culture, emphasizing locality with contemporary design and the vision of park city development.On their most recent project: Tianfu Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine:Located in Pengzhou, Chengdu, this project serves as a new urban landmark that highlights our traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the ecological values of a park city. Inspiration from the philosophy of TCM, the design emphasizes unity between humanity and nature, along with the balance of yin and yang. The buildings form reflects the dynamic balance of the Taiji symbol. This project represents MUDAs ongoing exploration of merging Chinese cultural heritage with contemporary ecological architecture and marks us a step up from small and mid-scale projects to large-scale developments.Kuansan Town Restaurant by MUDA-Architects, Chengdu, ChinaAs a young firm with roots in Beijing and Boston and an impressive and influential body of recently built projects in Chengdu, how has your unique cultural and environmental context shaped your evolution?As the founder of MUDA-Architects, my architectural education in China, along with my professional experience at an architectural firm of Germany, has given me a deep understanding of the importance of innovative design and functionalism. These experiences have profoundly shaped my perspective on architecture and my approach to design.In MUDAs practice, we uphold the core philosophy of an Eastern spirit of locality and contemporary design for the future. This concept stems from our respect for and understanding of traditional Chinese culture, while integrating it with contemporary architectural practices. We focus on expressing design diversity across various regional and cultural contexts, aiming for each project to resonate deeply with its local environment and cultural.Garden Hotpot Restaurant by MUDA-Architects, Chengdu, ChinaWhat does winning Architizers Emerging of the Year Award mean to you and the firm?Receiving the Architizer A+Awards special honor, Emerging Firm of the Year, holds profound significance for both me and MUDA-Architects. Its not only a recognition of our commitment to the design philosophy of contemporary and locality, but also strengthens our confidence to push boundaries, challenging ourselves to bring forward even more creative and socially impactful architecture in future projects.We have always been dedicated to addressing the unique needs of nature, culture and the city through our designs. As a young architecture firm, this award opens new opportunities for us to connect with peers internationally and expands the horizon for MUDA s growth and impact.Minjiang Village Courier Station by MUDA-Architects, Chengdu, ChinaIf you had one piece of advice to offer to the next generation of young architects, what would it be?Stay curious about the world, proactively respond to changes, keep learning, and never lose sight of the original passion for design.Calling all architects, landscape architects and interior designers: Architizer's A+Awards allows firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of Worlds Best Architecture Firm. Start an A+Firm Award Application today.Top image: Lujiatan Wetland Park Visitor Center by MUDA-Architects, Chengdu, ChinaThe post From Landscapes to Landmarks: MUDA-Architects Practice Is a Breath of Fresh Air appeared first on Journal.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Capcoms newest IP launched last July for consoles and PC, has under-performed in sales. The publisher revealed to shareholders in a Q&A session per GameBiz (translation via Automaton-Media) that despite positive reviews, it ultimately failed to meet sales targets.Insufficient marketing and failure to generate buzz leading up to the launch contributed to its under-performance. The action strategy title crossed 500,000 players less than a month after release, though its available on Game Pass and sales figures are unknown.Sales are on track for other titles released this year, including Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, and Ace Attorney Investigations Collection. Capcom is still confident in its annual targets, with Monster Hunter Wilds launching on February 28th, 2025.Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. Check out our review here. The company clarified before launch that there are no plans for DLC, which looks even less likely given its sales.

Horror games are dime a dozen these days, but there are not a lot of games of this ilk that use elements of stealth in their gameplay. When used correctly, these mechanics can induce another level of fear and tension to the whole affair as you slowly tiptoe through haunted places; constantly on the lookout for any monsters lurking in the dark. With this feature, we will be taking a look at 15 of the best horror games with stealth elements.Alien IsolationDeveloper Creative Assembly knocked it out of the park with Alien: Isolation, which is undoubtedly one of the best games to have come out of the Alien label in quite some time. It puts you in the shoes of Amanda Ripley who must do everything and anything in her might to outsmart the Xenomorph, and because of the fact that you cant really kill him the best bet is to hide under tables and behind closets and hope that the alien doesnt notice that. Of course, thats easier said than done because the Xenomorph AI learns from your past runs and adapts itself based on those inputs which ensures that players are always on their toes.

Why Friendship Can Be Just As Meaningful as Romantic Love | Rhaina Cohen | TED

Raw milk is about to have its culture war momentPublished inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter2 min readJust now-- Happy Monday yall. Lets do this.Issue #209: Milktalk, the NYC marathon-as-party, a simple explanation of tariffs and becoming the boss of your phoneLets talk about raw milk.Long a trend among health influencers and tradwives who make claims about its nutritional value, raw milk is a staple topic of for you pages across all flavors of social media. With former presidential candidate/bear corpse dumper/raw milk booster Robert F. Kennedy Jr. poised to become head of the Health and Human Services Department, raw milk is about to have its culture war moment.The science on unpasteurized milk seems straightforward:Its risky. As the FDA says, consuming it in any form poses serious increased health risks from germs like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter. Drinking it can kill you.Its not healthier for you there arent more nutrients or probiotics, it doesnt cure lactose intolerance, its not better at preventing osteoporosis.In other words, the misleading benefits would never outweigh the immense risk that comes from drinking it.Whats the counter argument? In addition to the fundamentally wrong health claims above, theres an argument about taste (Ive tried raw milk; it tasted likemilk?), but also a generalized dislike of processed, industrialized food, which is a thread RFK Jr. is likely to pull on if hes confirmed (by no means a foregone conclusion). Theres also reason to question why we are drinking so much milk to begin with.One more thing: If youll recall, last spring there was a bird flu epidemic among dairy cattle in the U.S. You maybe havent heard much about it lately, but its still going on; there have been 136 new cases discovered in California in the last 30 days. The conversation in the spring was about milk safety, and ensuring that milk production was safely eliminating the virus. The process for that? Pasteurization. So add increased risk of bird flu to the list of reasons not to drink raw milk. 1 sentence, 1 storyYou run thousands of training miles to make it to the New York City Marathon just to see someone hold up a sign saying Welcome to the Bronx, now get the f*ck out but its all worth it. (Patricia Vicary, Runners Life)Were drawing lots of wrong conclusions from the election results; Democrats shouldnt over-correct and Republicans shouldnt be over-confident. (Matthew Dowd)A small business owner explains tariffs in simple terms: the prices of imported goods go up, and the increased cost is paid by the importer, and passed on to the consumer. (Sam W.) Your daily dose of practical wisdomYour phone is a tool, not a boss.

American civil rights leader Susan B. Anthony Public Domain by Wikimedia CommonsOn November 18, 1872, a deputy federal marshal confronted Susan B. Anthony at her Rochester, New York, home. She was under arrest for the crime of voting in the 1872 presidential election two weeks earlier, and the marshal asked her to come downtown to meet with a commissioner.Is that the way you arrest men? she later recalled asking. When the marshal told her no, Anthony demanded to be arrested properly.At the time, votinglike a proper arrestwas a privilege only afforded to New Yorks men. But before Election Day, Anthony successfully registered to vote, arguing that the 14th Amendmentin particular the section ensuring that no State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United Statesgave her the right.Usually, suffragists adopting this tactic were stopped before they could actually register. But Anthony and 14 other women in the First Election District of Rochesters Eighth Ward were surprisingly successful and were permitted to register after discussing the amendment with election workers.At the voting site a few days later, the newly registered Anthony attempted to vote for incumbent President Ulysses S. Grant and all other Republicans on the ballot. A poll watcher named Sylvester Lewis asked her if she was a citizen, if she lived in the district and if she had taken bribes for her vote. Her answers were all deemed satisfactory, and she was allowed to cast her ballot.Nine days after the election, however, court officials issued warrants for the arrest of Anthony and her fellow illegal voters based on a further complaint from Lewis. Though all 15 women were arrested, the prosecution singled out Anthony. Only she was indicted and brought to trial in circuit court.What Crime Did Susan B. Anthony Commit?Watch on The trial began on June 17, 1873, in front of a jury of 12 men and presiding judge Supreme Court Justice Ward Hunt, who sometimes heard federal circuit court cases as part of his duties. The prosecutions criminal charges rested on two simple facts: Anthony was a woman who had cast a ballot. Since these charges were difficult for Anthonys defense to deny, her lawyers instead argued that her act of voting lacked the indispensable ingredient of all crime, a corrupt intention and that she was simply exercising her rights in good faith.In the verdict of United States v. Anthony, Hunt ruled that the right to vote was not among the privileges or immunities that the 14th Amendment protected, asserting that good faith was not a sufficient defense. Hunt refused to let Anthony testify, insisting that the jury had nothing else to decide and ordering them to find her guilty.Though the court fined Anthony $100, she refused to pay up. I will never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty, she told Hunt at the closing of the case. And I shall earnestly and persistently continue to urge all women to the practical recognition of the old Revolutionary maxim, Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God.Hunter wanted to avoid the possibility of Anthony appealing the federal case, a move that would have put the issue of womens suffrage before the U.S. Supreme Court. So he did not jail Anthony for failure to pay the fine, and she never paid. The voting inspectors who allowed the 15 women to register were fined $25 each, but they also refused to pay.Anthonys groundbreaking case helped move along her cause, and a few years later, Senator Aaron A. Sargenthusband of suffragist Ellen Clark Sargentproposed amending the U.S. Constitution in Anthonys name. But federal lawmakers did not pass a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a womans right to vote until 191941 years after it was first proposed and 13 years after Anthonys death.On August 18, 2020the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendments ratificationPresident Donald Trump pardoned Anthony of her federal conviction. But the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House in Rochester rejected the pardon. In a statement, the museums president noted that Anthony never paid a dollar of her $100 fine. To pay would have been to validate the proceedings, she said. To pardon Susan B. Anthony does the same.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Law, On This Day in History, Supreme Court, Susan B. Anthony, Women's Rights

Play Ventures, a global venture capital firm specializing in early-stage gaming, has raised $140 million for its third gaming fund.This fund represents Singapore-based Play Ventures largest fund to date and brings its total assets under management to $450 million. Coming at this time, the new fund is important for the gaming industry, which has had a tough 2.5 years with 33,000 layoffs during that time.The Play Ventures team.The funds close was driven by strong support from a core group of returning investors, including university endowments, strategic partners in the gaming sector, and prominent global family offices as well as new investors backing the firms thesis.Fund III will build upon Play Ventures successful strategy of investing in early-stage companies across the gaming ecosystem, with a focus on mobile free-to-play, mobile consumer, gaming infrastructure and platforms, AI-enhanced gaming tools, and next-generation distribution channels. Since the funds initial close in June 2023, the fund has already made eight investments, including investing in experienced founders with prior exits, underscoring the strength of Play Ventures approach and deal sourcing.Play Ventures leadership team.Software may have eaten the world, but mobile has swallowed our time whole. People now live on their phonesspending hours a day engaging with social media, apps, and, most notably, games, said Henric Suuronen, founding partner at Play Ventures, in a statement. Mobile gaming is one of the most dynamic arenas of our time, presenting massive, untapped potential. With Fund III, were investing in a new wave of billion-dollar games and interactive experiences, supercharged by the transformative power of AI.Fund III will also have an expanded focus to playable appsconsumer applications that apply the best of the free-to-play gaming playbook to create captivating, interactive user experiences across multiple consumer verticals.Integrating gaming mechanics into everyday apps is just the first step. Theres a ton of user engagement and value that can be unlocked by taking learnings from the entire f2p gaming playbook that has been perfected over decades, including meta design, live ops, economy design, and monetization, said Phylicia Koh, Partner at Play Ventures. Our playable apps investments in Arya, Ahead, Benjamin and Bible Chat are testaments of how this approach can drive significant growth and reshape user experiences.Most recently, Fund III invested in AI-startup Beyond, founded by Huuuge Games founder Anton Gauffin, developing their first consumer product Decor Society.I asked Harri Manninen, cofounder of Play Ventures, about the importance of raising this fund in the context of so many layoffs in gaming.The gaming industry has always been extremely fast moving and dynamic, Manninen said. While the recent period of slower growth and economic pressure has certainly impacted gaming companies, the gaming ecosystem continues to evolve and present new opportunities in areas like user-generated content (UGC) platforms, AI-powered tools and development, emerging global markets and also playable consumer apps. These can be seen as an entirely new class of growth opportunities.Manninen added, We believe that the best founders see these periods of uncertainty as an opportunity to build the next generation of great game companies. Many of the biggest gaming companies of today were founded during times of market downturn and gloom. With Fund III, we are committed to supporting these brave founders who are creating new business, regardless of market sentiment. Its an exciting time to invest in new gaming startups and technologies and help drive the industry forward.And he said, My hope is that the new gaming companies of tomorrow will grow into big successes that will be able to hire many of the top talent that have unfortunately lost their jobs in the gaming industry recently. With new growth companies theres always demand to hire new people and top talent.Play Ventures founders Henric Suuronen (left) and Harri Manninen.Play Ventures anticipates deploying Fund III across 20 to 25 companies globally, focusing on early-stage investments from pre-seed to Series A, while reserving capital to support the highest-performing portfolio companies as they grow.With Fund III, Play Ventures is excited to partner with founders who are redefining the gaming landscape and building the next generation of interactive experiences. Play Ventures was founded in 2018 and it has offices in Singapore and Helsinki. For the first fund, Play Ventures raised $30 million in 2018 and for the second it raised $135 million in 2021.The team includes Suuronen, Harri Manninen, and general partners Kenrick Drijkoningen, Phylicia Koh, and Anton Backman. VB DailyStay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox dailyBy subscribing, you agree to VentureBeat's Terms of Service.Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.An error occured.

Under outside pressure, Roblox announced updates to its safety systems and parental controls today to protect children. In a blog post, Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer at Roblox said the updates will better protect the platforms youngest users and provide easy-to-use tools to give parents and caregivers more control and clarity over whatRead More