Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work throughArchitizerand sign up for ourinspirational newsletters.Glass blocks are making their mark in contemporary architecture, proving theyre more than just functional. Their ability to filter natural light, improve insulation and add texture has made them a go-to material for creating visually striking and efficient designs.By softening boundaries and framing light and shadow, architects are rethinking conventional approaches to space and materiality. Integrated into homes, public spaces and cultural landmarks, these projects highlight how glass blocks can shape environments in thoughtful and unexpected ways. From the Arctic landscapes of Greenland to bustling Bangkok, explore seven projects that redefine glass blocks, transforming them into architectural highlights.Common SkyBy Studio Other Spaces, Buffalo, New YorkThis project transforms a museum courtyard into a public gathering space under a sculptural glass and mirror canopy. Designed to be free and open to everyone, it creates a space for reflection, interaction and connection with nature. Visitors experience the changing sky, light and seasons through the structure, emphasizing inclusivity and environmental awareness.The canopy uses alternating transparent glass and mirror panels. The glass invites natural light into the courtyard, while mirrors reflect and refract the surroundings, creating shifting perspectives. The patterns transition from triangles at the edges to hexagons at the center, balancing openness with shading to manage heat and light. A single column grounds the structure, drawing in elements like rain and sunlight while minimizing the need for additional support. This thoughtful use of materials turns the canopy into an architectural feature that integrates nature and the built environment.Refraction HouseBy RAD+ar ( Research Artistic Design + architecture), Jakarta, IndonesiaRefraction House reimagines an east-west-facing tropical home to optimize natural light and reduce heat gain in challenging climatic conditions. Designed for a modern family, the house explores alternatives to traditional walls, transforming barriers into functional design elements that promote illumination and airflow. Glass blocks replace solid walls, refracting daylight deep into the home and ensuring consistent lighting levels without increasing heat.To manage the intense tropical sun, front and back terraces are enclosed with open-air balconies that dissipate heat vertically. These interventions allow the home to remain bright while reducing thermal discomfort. Small internal gardens punctuate the design, creating green pockets that complement the glass blocks without obstructing light. This flexible approach preserves much of the original structure while fostering adaptability for future family needs.The Glass FortressBy Archismith, Bangkok, ThailandThis sales gallery in Bangkok provides a retreat from urban noise and activity while promoting a condominium project. Built with approximately 20,000 custom rectangular glass blocks, the design encloses a hidden garden, balancing privacy with filtered natural light. The glass blocks extended edges reduce visible joints, creating a continuous glass-like surface and improving insulation to minimize heat and light transmission.The 8-meter-tall glass walls bring light into the space while allowing for natural ventilation through openings at the base and top. A misting system helps regulate the temperature, ensuring a comfortable environment for visitors. By using glass for both functional and aesthetic purposes, the gallery establishes a unique architectural identity and creates a thoughtful space within the citys dense urban fabric.Wheres House WarehouseBy pbm, ThailandWheres House Warehouse redefines the relationship between living, working and storage within a single structure. Designed for a company specializing in vaccine and supplement distribution, the building integrates office and warehouse functions while maintaining a connection to its residential surroundings. The open-plan layout maximizes natural light and air circulation, reducing the reliance on air conditioning and creating a more sustainable environment.A triple-volume central court serves as a semi-outdoor gathering space, featuring staircases, walkways and relaxation areas. Glass blocks play a central role in the design, reflecting the businesss focus on hygiene while allowing light to filter through and maintaining privacy. These translucent elements help soften the boundaries between internal and external spaces, creating a unified aesthetic that aligns with the village context. Wheres House Warehouse prioritizes functionality and well-being, offering a thoughtful approach to multi-purpose architecture.Qaammat PavilionBy Konstantin Arkitekter, Sarfannguit, GreenlandPopular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Cultural PavilionsThe Qammat Pavilion in Sarfannguit, Greenland, celebrates Inuit cultural heritage and the connection between the local community and its natural environment. Located at a UNESCO World Heritage site, the pavilion serves as a landmark and gathering point along a planned trail, offering panoramic views of the surrounding fjords and landscape. The site was chosen in collaboration with the local community to honor the spiritual and historical significance of the area.Anchored into the rocky terrain using rock anchors similar to traditional local construction methods, the pavilions curving walls are made of glass blocks. These blocks reflect and absorb the shifting light and colors of the seasons, creating an ethereal interplay with the landscape. Designed as a pathway open at both ends, the structure invites visitors to engage with the surroundings while the glass blocks transparency and reflective qualities create a sense of expanded space and connection to the environment.Exhibition Center of Longquan National Archaeological Park of ChinaBy OfficeOffCourse, Longquan, Lishui, ChinaPopular Choice Winner, 7th Annual A+Awards, Cultural GalleryPopular Choice Winner, 7th Annual A+Awards, Cultural Architecture +GlassThe Longquan Celadon Visitor Center serves as a gateway to the National Archaeological Park, preserving historical kiln sites in Dayao village. Designed to integrate with the natural terrain, the centers structure is composed of separate rooms scattered across the hillside. This arrangement allows visitors to explore the spaces and landscapes in a free-flowing sequence, fostering a sense of discovery. The program includes exhibition galleries, a film display room, a waiting lounge and research offices, all linked by courtyards and pathways.Glass bricks form the primary material for the walls, creating an atmosphere of subtle light and shadow that complements the exhibits. A double-layered brick system provides display shelter while maintaining the mysterious ambiance of the galleries. Glass floors in two elevated galleries allow visitors to view pottery ruins beneath, offering a unique connection between archaeological heritage and contemporary architecture.Modern Pour-Over TeaBy `MOC DESIGN OFFICE, Wuhan, ChinaThe Modern Pour-Over Tea space integrates glass as a central element to complement its minimalist aesthetic and enhance the tea experience. At its heart is a glass tea room, designed for traditional tea ceremonies, which introduces a sense of transparency and openness amidst the raw texture of fair-faced concrete. The glass walls of the tea room allow natural light to filter through, highlighting the intricate golden screen insidea deliberate contrast to the minimalist surroundings that underscores the rituals importance.The glass elements connect different zones within the space, creating visual continuity while maintaining a sense of separation. This interplay of transparency and material solidity reflects the philosophy of whole-leaf tea: preserving its pure essence while offering a modern twist. Visitors at the minimalist bar can see into the tea room, creating a layered experience where the contemporary and the traditional coexist within the clean, architectural lines of the design.Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work throughArchitizerand sign up for ourinspirational newsletters.The post Glass Acts: 7 Global Projects Transmitting New Possibilities for Glass Blocks and Panels appeared first on Journal.

This past November, Licensing Rush continued to grow, with more than 25,000 photos submitted from participating photographers around the world. All month long they competed to have the most new and exclusive photos accepted to Licensing, earning bonus points for each photo with an attached model release. The results have been counted and its time to reveal the winners with the most points!Taking first place is ghanwa111Altaf Shah$300 US prize. Altaf is a UK-based aerial and drone photographer, who claimed first place in this Licensing Rush with an impressive 6,423 points. Altaf took the gold without the need for any bonus points. Aerial photography is great for Licensing because it highlights the beauty of nature through different landscapes and shifting perspectives.Coming in second place is necmettinsobutayNecmettin Sobutay$150 US prize. Necmettin Sobutay takes second place with a score of 2,360 points. Using the bonus points to his advantage, Necmettin had 1,862 new and exclusive photos accepted and earned 498 bonus points for attached model releases. While focusing on landscapes, nature, and the great outdoors Necmettins work connects with travel, adventure, and seasonal change.Last but not least, in third place is ElmarWeissElmar Weiss$50 US prize. Elmar Weiss is a seasoned photographer, based in Germany, whose passion behind the lens has taken him on adventures around the globe. Elmar secured third place by earning 2,040 points. Licensing pillars of wildlife and nature photography, which often connect with concepts of sustainability, ecology, and adventure, can be seen throughout Elmars Portfolio.November saw the fiercest Licensing Rush yet, with more than 25,000 photos submitted. The next Licensing Rush winner could be anyone, as 500px photographers continue to embrace the challenge and compete to earn the top spots.Be the first to know about the next 500px Licensing Rush by opting in for 500px Licensing News!Check out our Licensing Quests for more opportunities to win prizes. Not on 500px yet? Click here to learn about Licensing with 500px.The post Novembers Licensing Rush winners are here! appeared first on 500px.

After the spectacular success oftheSilent Hill 2remake, all eyes are now on developer Bloober Team and what it has planned next, and it wont be long before the studios next big project is here. Announced earlier this year,Cronos: The New Dawnis a new sci-fi survival horror IP by Bloober Team due out next year, and interestingly enough, its developers are pitching it as being more similar to aResident Evil-style survival horror experience, as opposed toSilent Hill,which the studio obviously has experience with.The same was confirmed by game director and producer Jacek Ziba in an interview with GamingBolt. When asked about what players can expect fromCronos: The New Dawnscombat, Ziba drew comparisons to Capoms horror series, in particular mentioning the combat mechanics of theResident Evilremakes as being a point of reference for Bloober Team.When it comes to combat, Cronos is more Resident Evil and less Silent Hill, Ziba told GamingBolt. New Resident Evil remakes also show us how to cleverly combine old-school designs with modern technology and gameplay standards. Each of these remakes is also a bit different, testing different waters this is a big pool of knowledge from which we can draw to create something that from one way can be similar and known for the players and from the others can be purely unique.Of course,Resident Evilisnt the only horror franchise that has had an influence onCronos: The New Dawnscombat. Earlier this year, Ziba referred to a central combat mechanic similar toDead Spacesdismemberment andAlan Wakesflashlight that is yet to be revealed. Read more on that through here.Meanwhile, Ziba also revealed to GamingBolt other areas whereCronos: The New Dawnis taking cues fromResident Evil.In particular, when asked about the sci-fi horror titles level design, he said, Think about Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4, sometimes mixed with Dark Souls. He added that players can expect maze-like levels that will allow for plenty of exploration and backtracking.Cronos: The New Dawnis due out sometime in 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Our full interview with Ziba will go live soon, so stay tuned for that.

Theres a long list of reasons for whyThe Witcher 3is as beloved as it is, but surely, Gwent has to be high on that list. An elaborate card collecting and battling minigame that spanned the entirety of the experience, Gwent amassed a massive fan following instantly uponThe Witcher 3s release, to the extent that CD Projekt RED would go on to also spin it off into multiple standalone projects.Recently, the Polish studio officially unveiled The Witcher 4,and naturally, questions about whether the beloved card game will return have already begun popping up. Of course, the game is going to set itself apart from its predecessors in some key ways a new protagonist being chief among them though it looks like Gwent will be returning nonetheless.Asked about the same in a recent interview with Easy Allies, though CD Projekt RED developers did not explicitly confirm that Gwent will be featured inThe Witcher 4, they did very strongly suggest it.We love it, said executive producer Gosia Mitrga. We really love the game, and we also really carefully always listen to the community. This is all we can say, but I dont think anyone will be disappointed.Game director Sebastian Kalemba added: Its a part of the experience, right? We also love Gwent.Given the massive success that Gwent saw withThe Witcher 3and the standalone spinoffs that it spawned, the omission of Gwent would certainly have been a surprise. The card game has more than its fair share of fans, so its return in the series next instalment is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, to put it mildly.Other details have also emerged onThe Witcher 4since its announcement, with CDPR confirming that its world will be roughly as large asThe Witcher 3, revealing details about its combat, promising an even greater emphasis on choice-and-consequence mechanics, and more. Former series protagonist Geralt of Rivia is also set to return, with Doug Cockle voicing him again, though its unknown what the extent of his role in the story will be.

Incredibly enough, a sequel toAlien: Isolationis finally in development, but though its nowhere close to launch just yet, fans of survival horrorAliendo have something else to look forward to. Survios first-person survival horror titleAlien: Rogue Incursion is due out imminently for VR devices, and the developer has released a launch trailer to hype up its imminent release. Check it out below.Alien: Rogue Incursionwill see players stepping into the shoes of Zula Hendricks, a former Colonial Marine who embarks on a mission to the uncharted planet Purdan. Infiltrating a research facility, she will face a number of different threats, including corporate controversies and, as you may expect, what Survios is calling the most cunning Xenomorphs ever encountered. In short, shes going to have her hands full.Alien: Rogue Incursionis due out imminently, on December 19, for PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 3, and Steam VR.

Rendering: KPMB ArchitectsFollowing three years of planning and design, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), ArtsCommons and The City of Calgary have announced that the ArtsCommons Transformation (ACT) expansion has broken ground. This marks a significant step forward in the delivery of the arts-focused infrastructure project currently underway in Canada.Since revealing the architectural designs for the ACT expansion in April, CMLC, as Development Manager for the ACT project, has been working with our construction and project management teams to develop a strategic and efficient construction management plan for the project, and to secure approval for our Development Permit this fall, said Kate Thompson, president and CEO of CMLC. A groundbreaking is an exciting moment in any project it represents the culmination of years of advocacy, design, approvals and planning, and marks the beginning of really bringing a project to life. We cant wait for the ACT expansion to begin to take its place in Calgarys iconic skyline.Construction on the ACT expansion, designed by KPMB Architects, Hindle Architects and Tawaw Architecture Collective, will begin in January 2025. Construction will be managed by EllisDon with project management by Colliers Project Leaders, and is expected to be completed in 2028.The ACT expansion is the first of the three campus transformation phases to begin construction. The other two phases include the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project, which is now fully funded, and the ACT modernization, for which efforts are underway to secure the remaining required funds.Photo credit: KPMB ArchitectsTo finally be able to break ground on this once-in-a-lifetime project, with such an unprecedented level of public and private support, sends a strong message to the world about the importance ofarts and culture to a citys well-being, as well as to Calgarys position on the global stage, said Alex Sarian, president and CEO of ArtsCommons. Earlier this year we were humbled to announce both the Government of Albertas $103 million commitment, and Dave Werklund and familys record-setting $75 million transformational gift which, combined with the $320.5 million of already secured funding, brings us to over 75 per cent of our fundraising goal for this $660 million downtown cultural campus. As we prepare to unveil our rebranding to Werklund Centre in 2025, I am overwhelmed by the sense optimism that comes from building the future of our city together.Design is currently underway for the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project, which is aiming to create a more modern, inclusive and accessible arts-focused outdoor gathering space as part of the contiguousArtsCommons campus upon its completion in 2028. The design for the Olympic Plaza Transformation project will be revealed in the late first quarter of 2025.CMLC and The City of Calgary have also launched a series of digital experiences to archive Olympic Plazas 1988-2024 chapter, including the Olympic Brick Finder, the Olympic Plaza Interactive Experience and the Olympic Plaza 3D Perspective. All three tools can be found here.The Olympic Plaza will close at the beginning of January 2025 to facilitate construction and site fencing will be installed around the entirety of it at that time before beginning site demolition. 8 Avenue between Macleod Trail and 1 St S.E. will remain open for the majority of construction, and access to the existing ArtsCommonsfacility, the Burns Building, the Public Building and the Dominion Bank Building will be maintained at all times.The City of Calgary will continue to work with event organizers to identify alternate locations for events during construction. The City of Calgary has also launched a resource to help Calgarians find other parks, public washroom and skating amenities in downtown through construction.The post ArtsCommons Transformation expansion breaks ground appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The papaya (Carica papaya), also known as the pawpaw, is a plant species in the family Caricaceae, and also the name of the plant's fruit. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and Central America, and is now grown in several countries in regions with a tropical climate. The papaya fruit is a large berry about 15 to 45cm (5.9 to 17.7in) long and 10 to 30cm (3.9 to 11.8in) in diameter. The fruit is cultivated for food, being typically consumed when ripe and eaten raw without skin or seeds. The black seeds are also edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. This photograph shows the longitudinal cross section of a papaya fruit lying on its side, with orange flesh and numerous black seeds visible. The picture was focus-stacked from seven separate images.Photograph credit: Ivar LeidusRecently featured: 20232024 Sundhnkur eruptionsMauritius fodyCaroline HillArchiveMore featured pictures

December 19Frontispiece to A Christmas Carol1828 Nullification crisis: American vice president John C. Calhoun's South Carolina Exposition and Protest, written to protest the Tariff of Abominations, was presented to the South Carolina House of Representatives.1843 A Christmas Carol (illustration pictured), a novella by Charles Dickens about the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation after being visited by ghosts, was published.1983 The Jules Rimet Trophy, awarded to the winner of the FIFA World Cup, was stolen from the offices of the Brazilian Football Confederation.1997 SilkAir Flight185 crashed into the Musi River in Indonesia, killing 104 people.2013 The European Space Agency's spacecraft Gaia was launched with the goal of constructing the largest and most precise star catalogue ever made.Adelaide of Susa (d.1091)Sakakibara Kenkichi (b.1830)Kristina Keneally (b.1968)Ahmet Emin Yalman (d.1972)More anniversaries: December 18December 19December 20ArchiveBy emailList of days of the yearAbout