Mac developers have a lot to think about as we close in on 2025, theeighth Mac developer survey from Setapp suggests. Should they sell software outside of the App Store? Is it time to diversify to other platforms? When will it be time to build software for visionOS? And what about artificial intelligence (AI)?Should they sell software outside of the App Store?Apple is being forced to open up to competition to the App Store, includingsupport for third-party app portals. As these stores appear, it seems inevitable that some developers might consider selling software at those new outlets, including Setapps own mobile app store. The data suggests that as many as a third of developers are ready to use third-party stores for iOS apps.Its a little different for Mac applications just 20% of those are sold exclusively via the Mac App Store, with 37% sold outside of that structure and 44% sold through both outlets. The implication here is that iOS app sales might end up in a similar stance, with the vast majority of apps made available via the App Store, rather than outside of it.The most popular channel for Mac app sales outside of Apples store is, of course, via the developers own website though when it comes to making those sales, the challenges remain much the same as before: app discovery, marking, and user acquisition. Ill be interested to see how third-party app stores rise to the challenge of helping developers with those challenges in future.Theres an interesting side insight here.Despite years of complaining about Apples 30% fee on apps sold through its own store (really, it is around 15% for the vast majority), it strongly appears developers believe it is worth sharing revenue with app retail services. That, once again, means the only real question behind of the App Store liberation remains the same:How much is fair to charge?That amount differs, but people seem pretty certain that revenue sharing is good for business, and a good chunk of them plan to stick with the App Store.Is it time to diversify to other platforms?If Mac developers are a barometer, then it looks as if the majority of Apples developers are willing to build cross-platform solutions to bring in new business, though most prefer to remain in Apples ecosystem. Three-quarters (75%) of developers build for other operating systems, mainly for iOS (59%), iPad OS (37%), and Windows (23%). Just 11% build for Android slightly lower than those building apps for Apple Watch.The trend is that diversification is taking place mostly within Apples own ecosystem, withsome Windows development. What isnt happening fast so far is visionOS, which hasnt yet become a large enough platform for mass market app developers. Its aprofessional tool.When will it be time to build software for visionOS?Twenty percent of Mac developers plan to develop for visionOS in 2024 or are already in the process. Low market share and high device price remains a concern and is possibly why almost half (45%) of developers havent decided whether to build for the platform yet. Thirty-five percent of developers say they will not build for the platform this year, though 8% are building visionOS apps already.Whats interesting is that while it confirms relatively low interest in developing apps for Apples newest hardware at this time, it shows interest sufficiently high that almost one in 10 Mac developers are already building for the platform.This bodes very well as Apple improves the hardware and reduces cost, as it means there will already be a decent number of apps available by the time it inches toward being more mass market. While there are many developers who wont use their resources to build right now, things can and will change as the situation evolves.What about AI?Apples spatial reality party was to some extent dented by the near-simultaneous revolution of generative AI. If Apple had expected visionOS to grab the oxygen from the room, it only had limited success. Sure, the rest of the industry went into stasis as it awaited news of VisionPro, but AI grabbed headlines everywhere and developers are far from blind to that. Nor, asApple Intelligence proves, was Apple.This is probably why more than 41% of Mac app developers are about to begin using AI models in their apps, with another 19% thinking about it. What they are using AI for is interesting. As youd expect, personalization and automation are big trends, but real-time translation, automated IoT deployments, and productivity tools in various stripes seem to be shades of whats coming as apps get updated in the coming months. AI/ML development is by far the trend developers think will have the biggest impact on their apps in the year to come, with personalization and privacy rules also in the picture.Theres a lot more that should be of interest in theSetapp survey this year. But what seems to be crystal clear is that the intelligence in devices will be harnessed in rapidly more sophisticated ways in the months and years ahead at what point will AI predict your needs to the extent that App Stores will be redundant? And as apps continue to evolve into becoming cloud-based services, will operating systems mean as much anymore?You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.We saw a demo of the new AI system powering Andurils vision for warJames ODonnellOne afternoon in late November, I visited a weapons test site in the foothills east of San Clemente, California operated by Anduril, a maker of AI-powered drones and missiles that recently announced a partnership with OpenAI.I went there to witness a new system its expanding today, which allows external parties to tap into its software and share data in order to speed up decision-making on the battlefield.If it works as planned over the course of a new three-year contract with the Pentagon, it could embed AI more deeply than ever before into the theater of war. Read the full story.How to use Sora, OpenAIs new video generating toolOpenAI has just released its video generation model Sora to the public. The announcement yesterday came on the fifth day of the companys shipmas event, a 12-day marathon of tech releases and demos. Heres what you should knowand how you can use the video model right now.James ODonnellThis story is the latest in MIT Technology Reviews How To series, which helps you get things done.AIs hype and antitrust problem is coming under scrutinyThe AI sector is plagued by a lack of competition and a lot of deceitor at least thats one way to interpret the latest flurry of actions taken in Washington.The actionsfrom antitrust investigations to accusations of straight-up lyingrepresent an effort to hold the AI industrys hype to account in the final months before the Federal Trade Commissions chair, Lina Khan, is replaced when Donald Trump takes office.But while the FTC looks to have a far smoother transition of leadership ahead than most other federal agencies, at least some of Trumps frustrations with Big Tech could send antitrust efforts in a distinctly new direction. Read the full story.James ODonnellThis story is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things happening in the fascinating field of AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday.The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 Google has built a powerful new quantum computing chipBut it doesnt have any real-world applicationsyet. (Bloomberg $)+ It takes five minutes to solve a problem that a traditional supercomputer could not master in 10 septillion years. (NYT $)+ Its a challenge the quantum field has been trying to crack for decades. (The Guardian)+We covered the work when it was a preprint in September.(MIT Technology Review)2 Nvidia is being investigated by ChinaIt claims the chipmaking giant has violated anti-monopoly laws. (BBC)+ Nvidias biggest customer in the country? That would be ByteDance. (Insider $)+ Whats next in chips. (MIT Technology Review)3 TikTok has asked a US appeals court to halt the buy-or-sell lawAs it stands, the app faces a ban unless it finds a new owner by January 19. (TechCrunch)4 AI is still failing to deliver on its economic promisesIs 2025 the year we finally start to see some results? (Quartz)+ The US AI industry is in desperate need of more sites with power grid access. (FT $)+ How to fine-tune AI for prosperity. (MIT Technology Review)5 The EUs competition rules are on the verge of a big shakeupA new boss means a new approach. (WSJ $)+ European regulators want to get to the bottom of a Meta and Google investigation. (FT $)6 Weight-loss drugs are making basic health truths obsoleteA healthy diet and regular exercise is falling by the wayside. (The Atlantic $)+ Weight-loss injections have taken over the internet. But what does this mean for people IRL? (MIT Technology Review)7 This bionic leg is controlled by its wearers brainProsthetic limbs are becoming much more capable. (New Yorker $)+ These prosthetics break the mold with third thumbs, spikes, and superhero skins. (MIT Technology Review)8 An AI can make a pretty decent Tokyo travel companionJust make sure you take its advice with a pinch of salt. (Wired $)+ How to use AI to plan your next vacation. (MIT Technology Review)9 Reddit is testing a new AI search featureWhich the sites users are unlikely to take kindly to. (Ars Technica)10 Jeff Bezos has a dinner with Donald Trump in his diarySounds cozy. (Insider $)Quote of the dayIts like manna from heaven.Ari Morcos, chief executive of startup DatologyAI, explains to the Wall Street Journal why Reddits troves of text are so appealing to AI companies.The big storyInside the enigmatic minds of animalsOctober 2022More than ever, we feel a duty and desire to extend empathy to our nonhuman neighbors. In the last three years, more than 30 countries have formally recognized other animalsincluding gorillas, lobsters, crows, and octopusesas sentient beings.A trio of books from Ed Yong, Jackie Higgins, and Philip Ball detail creatures rich inner worlds and capture what has led to these developments: a booming field of experimental research challenging the long-standing view that animals are neither conscious nor cognitively complex. Read the full story.Matthew PonsfordWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet em at me.)+ It seems we have two types of laugh: one caused by tickling, and the other by everything else.+ 2024 was a strong year for fiction: check out some of the best new books.+ Theres something totally mesmerizing about this collection of old home videos.+ Ukrainian artist Oleg Dron specializes in expansive, haunting landscapes.

One afternoon in late November, I visited a weapons test site in the foothills east of San Clemente, California, operated by Anduril, a maker of AI-powered drones and missiles that recently announced a partnership with OpenAI. I went there to witness a new system its expanding today, which allows external parties to tap into its software and share data in order to speed up decision-making on the battlefield. If it works as planned over the course of a new three-year contract with the Pentagon, it could embed AI more deeply into the theater of war than ever before.Near the sites command center, which looked out over desert scrubs and sage, sat pieces of Andurils hardware suite that have helped the company earn its $14 billion valuation. There was Sentry, a security tower of cameras and sensors currently deployed at both US military bases and the US-Mexico border, and advanced radars. Multiple drones, including an eerily quiet model called Ghost, sat ready to be deployed. What I was there to watch, though, was a different kind of weapon, displayed on two large television screens positioned at the test sites command station.I was here to examine the pitch being made by Anduril, other companies in defense tech, and growing numbers of people within the Pentagon itself: A future great power conflictmilitary jargon for a global war involving competition between multiple countrieswill not be won by the entity with the most advanced drones or firepower, or even the cheapest firepower. It will be won by whoever can sort through and share information the fastest. And that will have to be done at the edge where threats arise, not necessarily at a command post in Washington.A desert drone testYoure going to need to really empower lower levels to make decisions, to understand whats going on, and to fight, Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf says. That is a different paradigm than today. Currently, information flows poorly among people on the battlefield and decision-makers higher up the chain.To show how the new tech will fix that, Anduril walked me through an exercise demonstrating how its system would take down an incoming drone threatening a base of the US military or its allies (the scenario at the center of Andurils new partnership with OpenAI). It began with a truck in the distance, driving toward the base. The AI-powered Sentry tower automatically recognized the object as a possible threat, highlighting it as a dot on one of the screens. Andurils software, called Lattice, sent a notification asking the human operator if he would like to send a Ghost drone to monitor. After a click of his mouse, the drone piloted itself autonomously toward the truck, as information on its location gathered by the Sentry was sent to the drone by the software.The truck disappeared behind some hills, so the Sentry tower camera that was initially trained on it lost contact. But the surveillance drone had already identified it, so its location stayed visible on the screen. We watched as someone in the truck got out and launched a drone, which Lattice again labeled as a threat. It asked the operator if hed like to send a second attack drone, which then piloted autonomously and locked onto the threatening drone. With one click, it could be instructed to fly into it fast enough to take it down. (We stopped short here, since Anduril isnt allowed to actually take down drones at this test site.) The entire operation could have been managed by one person with a mouse and computer.Anduril is building on these capabilities further by expanding Lattice Mesh, a software suite that allows other companies to tap into Andurils software and share data, the company announced today. More than 10 companies are now building their hardware into the systemeverything from autonomous submarines to self-driving trucksand Anduril has released a software development kit to help them do so. Military personnel operating hardware can then publish their own data to the network and subscribe to receive data feeds from other sensors in a secure environment. On December 3, the Pentagons Chief Digital and AI Office awarded a three-year contract to Anduril for Mesh.Andurils offering will also join forces with Maven, a program operated by the defense data giant Palantir that fuses information from different sources, like satellites and geolocation data. Its the project that led Google employees in 2018 to protest against working in warfare. Anduril and Palantir announced on December 6 that the military will be able to use the Maven and Lattice systems together.The militarys AI ambitions The aim is to make Andurils software indispensable to decision-makers. It also represents a massive expansion of how the military is currently using AI. You might think the US Department of Defense, advanced as it is, would already have this level of hardware connectivity. We have some semblance of it in our daily lives, where phones, smart TVs, laptops, and other devices can talk to each other and share information. But for the most part, the Pentagon is behind.Theres so much information in this battle space, particularly with the growth of drones, cameras, and other types of remote sensors, where folks are just sopping up tons of information, says Zak Kallenborn, a warfare analyst who works with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Sorting through to find the most important information is a challenge. There might be something in there, but theres so much of it that we cant just set a human down and to deal with it, he says.Right now, humans also have to translate between systems made by different manufacturers. One soldier might have to manually rotate a camera to look around a base and see if theres a drone threat, and then manually send information about that drone to another soldier operating the weapon to take it down. Those instructions might be shared via a low-tech messenger appone on par with AOL Instant Messenger. That takes time. Its a problem the Pentagon is attempting to solve through its Joint All-Domain Command and Control plan, among other initiatives.For a long time, weve known that our military systems dont interoperate, says Chris Brose, former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee and principal advisor to Senator John McCain, who now works as Andurils chief strategy officer. Much of his work has been convincing Congress and the Pentagon that a software problem is just as worthy of a slice of the defense budget as jets and aircraft carriers. (Anduril spent nearly $1.6 million on lobbying last year, according to data from Open Secrets, and has numerous ties with the incoming Trump administration: Anduril founder Palmer Luckey has been a longtime donor and supporter of Trump, and JD Vance spearheaded an investment in Anduril in 2017 when he worked at venture capital firm Revolution.)Defense hardware also suffers from a connectivity problem. Tom Keane, a senior vice president in Andurils connected warfare division, walked me through a simple example from the civilian world. If you receive a text message while your phone is off, youll see the message when you turn the phone back on. Its preserved. But this functionality, which we dont even think about, Keane says, doesnt really exist in the design of many defense hardware systems. Data and communications can be easily lost in challenging military networks. Anduril says its system instead stores data locally.An AI data treasure trove The push to build more AI-connected hardware systems in the military could spark one of the largest data collection projects the Pentagon has ever undertaken, and companies like Anduril and Palantir have big plans.Exabytes of defense data, indispensable for AI training and inferencing, are currently evaporating, Anduril said on December 6, when it announced it would be working with Palantir to compile data collected in Lattice, including highly sensitive classified information, to train AI models. Training on a broader collection of data collected by all these sensors will also hugely boost the model-building efforts that Anduril is now doing in a partnership with OpenAI, announced on December 4. Earlier this year, Palantir also offered its AI tools to help the Pentagon reimagine how it categorizes and manages classified data. When Anduril founder Palmer Luckey told me in an interview in October that its not like theres some wealth of information on classified topics and understanding of weapons systems to train AI models on, he may have been foreshadowing what Anduril is now building.Even if some of this data from the military is already being collected, AI will suddenly make it much more useful. What is new is that the Defense Department now has the capability to use the data in new ways, Emelia Probasco, a senior fellow at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University, wrote in an email. More data and ability to process it could support great accuracy and precision as well as faster information processing.The sum of these developments might be that AI models are brought more directly into military decision-making. That idea has brought scrutiny, as when Israel was found last year to have been using advanced AI models to process intelligence data and generate lists of targets. Human Rights Watch wrote in a report that the tools rely on faulty data and inexact approximations.I think we are already on a path to integrating AI, including generative AI, into the realm of decision-making, says Probasco, who authored a recent analysis of one such case. She examined a system built within the military in 2023 called Maven Smart System, which allows users to access sensor data from diverse sources [and] apply computer vision algorithms to help soldiers identify and choose military targets.Probasco said that building an AI system to control an entire decision pipeline, possibly without human intervention, isnt happening and that there are explicit US policies that would prevent it.A spokesperson for Anduril said that the purpose of Mesh is not to make decisions. The Mesh itself is not prescribing actions or making recommendations for battlefield decisions, the spokesperson said. Instead, the Mesh is surfacing time-sensitive informationinformation that operators will consider as they make those decisions.

Apple today launchedthreenew live global radio stations on Apple Music.

The next version of the Apple Watch Ultra could gain the ability to send text messages via a satellite connection, joining the iPhone in providing the off-grid feature to consumers.Apple Watch Ultra 2Apple already has a number of satellite-based services for communications when you're using an iPhone in a dead zone. Newer models of the iPhone have Emergency SOS via Satellite and Roadside Assistance via Satellite, as well as the ability to use Messages via Satellite.While the Apple Watch doesn't offer satellite-based functionality at the moment, the next update to the Apple Watch Ultra could add Messages via Satellite. According to sources of Bloomberg, there are plans to include the feature in the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 2025. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple has released a firmware update for the latest iteration of the Beats Pill, though there are currently no details about the software update's contents.The Beats Pill has received its first-ever firmware update since its release.Tuesday's firmware update increases the build number to 2C336, up from the previous version 2C289, which shipped with the device. While Apple typically doesn't provide release notes for Beats firmware updates, the software most likely contains bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements rather than new features.The latest iteration of the Beats Pill was announced in June 2024, twelve years after the original version of the speaker became available. It offers improved audio quality while still maintaining the recognizable design and unique pill shape of prior generations. The new-and-improved Beats Pill replaced the Beats Pill+, which Apple phased out in January 2022. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

TheAmerican Institute of Architects(AIA) has announced its EVP/Chief Executive OfficerLakisha Ann Woods will be stepping down from the post in February of next year, following a misconduct scandal that sparked outcries about organizational leadership, corporate spending, and nepotism. Woods was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent investigation in August, which prompted the AIA Board of Directors to file an ethics complaint against her accusers in September. She has served as EVP/CEO since being named to the position in November 2021.Related: AIA Board of Directors files ethics complaint against misconduct accusersAIA President Kimberly Dowdell, lauded her tenure in saying: "[The] AIA is losing an incredibletalent in EVP/CEO Woods, but we were so fortunate to have benefited from herleadership for three years. She is a leader among leaders, and those who have had the opportunity tocollaborate with her understand how much of a loss this is to our organization and thep...

The winner of the 'Reimagining Play at Dulwich Picture Gallery' design contest has been announced as McCloy + Muchemwa with HoLD Collective and Cake Industries by the Dulwich Picture Gallery and London Festival of Architecture.

The Final Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, January 24. Get your brand in front of the AEC industrys most renowned designers by submitting today.Living in a city has its perks 24-hour dim sum, a caf for every obscure occasion and, if you have a dog birthday party to organize, theres a lovely little corner spot near the park for that. Dont forget the smug satisfaction of a 15-minute commute or the insight that comes from access to historic neighborhoods that are brimming with unique characters and culture. But lets be honest: urban life can be exhausting. Even without partying until 6 am or submitting to the grind, it can feel like a wind tunnel of noise, where double speed is the only acceptable pace and relentless engagement is non-negotiable.Many scientists predict that by 2050, nearly 70% of the worlds population will live in urban areas, with cities becoming denser as they absorb millions of new inhabitants. Access to resources, housing and employment opportunities will concentrate in these areas, but so too will the challenges: rising noise levels, poor air quality and chronic stress are just a few of the daily realities of urban living. No wonder, then, that architects, designers and urban planners are rethinking the spaces we inhabit be they homes, transit hubs, offices or outdoor promenades across all industries; those in the know are seeking to create and specify innovative products that address the physical and psychological toll of city life.Sticking a few plants in the corner and calling it biophilia, this is not although, sometimes, that might be the answer. The challenge is to transform urban density into something livable, even restorative. From noise-cancelling surfaces to heritage lighting, the tools to soften city life are evolving fast. This years Architizer A+Product Awards winners demonstrate how thoughtful design can create spaces that give back time, energy and calm for those of us whose garden is a fire escape and whose neighbors are nocturnal.Enter the A+Product AwardsGarden on the Wall Story Telling GardensBy Garden on the WallPopular Choice Winner, Furnishings, Accessories, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe Garden on the Wall Storytelling Gardens turns plants into stories and living artworks. At 105 feet long, Garden on the Walls most ambitious installation at Nashville International Airport connects travelers to the local landscape with layers of preserved greenery depicting rivers and bridges. Its maintenance-free design offers architects a no-compromise solution for bringing nature and culture into any urban environment, utilizing unused surfaces in a way that benefits in more than one way.BuzziCee + BuzziPlanterBy BuzziSpaceJury Winner, Contract Seating, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe BuzziCee acoustic seating system curves into playful forms that help to quiet communal spaces, while the BuzziPlanter integrates greenery without demanding additional floor area. Together, they solve two urban challenges: too much noise and too little nature. Made from recycled materials, the modular seating solution proves sustainability doesnt have to come at the expense of comfort or personality.Universal Series Window WallBy CascadiaPopular Choice Winner, Glass & Glazing, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe Universal Series Window Wall has a thermally superior fiberglass frame that supports expansive glazing without sacrificing energy efficiency. Its double and triple-glazing options, plus Passive House certification, make it ideal for architects seeking to balance light, insulation and serenity in the heart of the city.IRIS Luminous SkyCeilingBy Sky FactoryPopular Choice Winner, Recessed & Mounted Lighting, 2024 A+Product AwardsUsing advanced algorithms to mimic natural light and drifting clouds, the IRIS Luminous SkyCeiling can be used to turn even the darkest interiors into serene escapes. By aligning its daylight cycles with the bodys circadian rhythms, it offers a creative solution for spaces like hospitals, offices or retail environments where access to natural light is limited, but calm is critical.ArborisaBy ArkturaJury Winner, Acoustics, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe design of the Arborisa acoustic ceiling is inspired by nature and, more specifically, tree canopies. Its intersecting baffles soften sound while introducing organic forms into shared spaces. With a range of modular designs and customizable finishes, the sculptural product is a versatile tool for creating unique interiors where noise is an issue.VanAir DoorBy VanAir DesignPopular Choice Winner, Doors & Hardware, 2024 A+Product Awards.The VanAir Door solves a modern urban dilemma: air circulation without compromise. Its staggered slots improve ventilation and balance humidity while maintaining acoustic privacy with an impressive STC rating of 26. For apartments, offices or multi-use spaces, its a quiet innovation that makes urban living healthier.Northport LightingBy Landscape FormsJury Winner, Exterior Lighting, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe Northport Lighting collection is a reinterpretation of historical acorn street lamps, layering nostalgia with modern functionality. An optional LED flame creates a gentle flicker, softening streetscapes, parks, or promenades into places that invite pause and reintroduce some historical beauty to our urban environments.Lido Freestanding BathtubByHydro SystemsJury Winner, Fixtures & Fittings Bath, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe Lido Freestanding Bathtub channels Miami modernism into a piece designed to be admired. Its ergonomic curves, crafted from HydroLuxeSS, combine with hydrotherapy options like Cold Plunge to transform private bathrooms into personal retreats. Available in 15 colors, it is brimming with sculptural elegance while providing therapeutic calm.Facet BathtubBy Stone ForestPopular Choice Winner, Fixtures & Fittings Bath, 2024 A+Product AwardsBalancing precision and materiality, the Facet bathtub stone exterior plays with the surrounding light to become a visual delight while its smooth, ergonomic interior is perfectly designed. Carved from Antique Gray Limestone or Noce Basalt, the bath is a grounding focal point for bathrooms where form and function meet in equal measure.TheoryBy Landscape FormsPopular Choice Winner, Outdoor Furniture, 2024 A+Product AwardsThe Theory collection reshapes transitional zones into places of interaction and connection. Its modular system of beams, shelters and seating can be adapted to evolve with the surrounding cityscape by turning functional spaces into intentional environments that support well-being throughout everyday city life.Moving IslandsBy FurnifyPopular Choice Winner, Best of the Year, Flexible Design, 2024 A+Product AwardsMoving Islands is a perfectly practical and adaptable solution. Designed to create indoor gardens or flexible seating zones, its modular forms are crafted from repurposed materials. In nursing homes, atriums, or event venues, it introduces nature where its most needed.Archi Folds 3D Textile FacadeBy Studio Samira Boon.Jury Winner, Best of the Year, Innovation, 2024 A+Product AwardsOriginally designed for Hermes, the Archi Folds 3D Textile Faade is an elegant solution for softening interiors. Its origami-inspired folds balance daylight, privacy, and acoustics. Crafted from recycled yarns, it offers architects a way to create textured, layered environments while controlling privacy and light saturation.VetraSkyBy Sentech Architectural Systems.Popular Choice Winner, Best of the Year, Flexible Design, 2024 A+Product AwardsSpanning up to 26 feet, the VetraSky skylight system floods dense spaces with natural light while meeting the rigorous structural demands of curved glass. A transformative tool for architects seeking to bring openness and airiness to the urban core. The Final Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, January 24. Get your brand in front of the AEC industrys most renowned designers by submitting today.The post The Quiet Revolution: Innovative Design Solutions for a Softer Urban Experience appeared first on Journal.

Architizer's 13th A+Awards features a suite of sustainability-focused categories recognizing designers that are building a greener industry and a better future. Start your entry to receive global recognition for your work!Its safe to say that adaptive reuse is no longer a niche concept. Within the architectural community and beyond, the idea of repurposing old buildings has become almost mainstream. Industrial halls turned art galleries, factories transformed into lively co-working spaces its clear weve embraced the power of reinvention. And thats a good thing. It means weve reached a point where the industry recognizes the value of preserving resources, reducing waste and creating meaningful continuity in our built environments.But what about new buildings? As much as we celebrate adaptive reuse, new structures will continue to be built, often with specific, time-sensitive purposes in mind. Temporary buildings, in particular, are usually viewed as wasteful they are disposable solutions to short-term problems. But, what if we could rethink this entirely?One recent project challenges how we think about temporary architecture: the stermalm Temporary Market Hall in Stockholm (now the stermalm Hall Padel in Gothenburg). Designed to solve an immediate, time-sensitive need, it could have been just another fleeting structure. But what if a temporary building could do more, living beyond its original purpose and transforming into something entirely new?This project dives into how intentional design turned a short-term solution into something far greater, redefining what temporary can mean in architecture.Origins: A Temporary Market with a Planstermalms Temporary Market Hall by Tengbom, Stockholm, SwedenThe story of the stermalm Temporary Market Hall begins with a challenge that many cities face: how to modernize historic buildings while preserving their legacy. In Stockholm, the stermalm Market Hall, a landmark built in 1888, had served the community for over a century but was in dire need of refurbishment by the 2010s. Its aging infrastructure required extensive updates to meet modern standards while maintaining its architectural character.This created a pressing question: where would the market traders and their customers go during the renovation? The market was a key part of the local economy and culture and relocating it was essential to keep business going. The answer was a temporary structure designed to house the market on stermalm Square, the site where outdoor market trading had originally taken place before moving indoors in 1888. This decision created an opportunity to revisit the squares historical use while accommodating modern needs.In 2016, the City of Stockholm commissioned Tengbom Architects to design the temporary market. Instead of a basic, utilitarian solution, the architects were tasked with creating a building that could meet the demands of traders and customers while respecting its temporary nature. Crucially, they were asked to ensure that the structure wouldnt simply be discarded after its use. This commitment to reuse and adaptability defined the project from the outset.Phase 1: Designing for Changestermalms Temporary Market Hall by Tengbom, Stockholm, SwedenThe stermalm Temporary Market Hall was designed with adaptability and sustainability at its core, addressing immediate needs while planning for the future. Its modular construction system, using glulam columns, veneer beams and steel brackets, allowed for quick assembly, efficient disassembly and minimal waste. These lightweight yet durable components ensured the structure could be easily relocated or reconfigured for future use.The choice of materials reinforced this commitment to reuse. Untreated pine battens on the lower facade provided a natural, durable finish. In contrast, translucent polycarbonate panels on the upper facade flooded the interior with soft daylight and created a glowing effect at night. Both materials were selected for their functionality and ability to be repurposed.stermalms Temporary Market Hall by Tengbom, Stockholm, SwedenInside, the halls layout was designed for flexibility. Wide aisles supported the movement of shoppers between market stalls, while mezzanines housed kitchens and technical installations, keeping the ground floor open for trading. This arrangement not only catered to the demands of a busy market but also ensured the interior could adapt to entirely different uses.Positioned on stermalm Square, the halls entrances aligned with pedestrian paths, reinforcing its connection to the urban environment and recalling the squares historic role as a marketplace. Thoughtful design choices, from its modular framework to its recyclable materials, ensured the buildings life wouldnt end when its role as a temporary market concluded. Instead, it was built with its next chapter in minddemonstrating how temporary architecture can be both purposeful and enduring.This brings us to the next phasePhase 2 (A Second Life): From Market Hall to Padel ArenaWhen the stermalm Market Hall reopened in 2020 after its renovation, the temporary hall had fulfilled its purpose, but its story was far from over. Instead of dismantling the structure and discarding its components, the City of Stockholm made an innovative choice: to sell the building for reuse. This decision not only prevented waste but also demonstrated how intentional design can unlock new possibilities for buildings beyond their original purpose.stermalm Hall Padel by Tengbom, Gothenburg, SwedenThe temporary hall was purchased by property company Wallenstam, which saw its potential for a completely new functiona padel sports facility in Mlnlycke, east of Gothenburg. Over the next year, the building was disassembled, transported and reassembled on its new site, undergoing significant adaptations to meet the requirements of its new role.Adapting to a New Purposestermalm Hall Padel by Tengbom, Gothenburg, Swedenstermalm Hall Padel by Tengbom, Gothenburg, SwedenTransforming the stermalm Temporary Market Hall into stermalmshallen Padel required thoughtful modifications, but the buildings modular design made the process efficient. To accommodate six padel courts, the interior volume was expanded by extending the columns with specially designed steel socks and redistributing structural loads using steel transfer beams.The faade was updated for permanent use, with pine battens treated with iron vitriol for added durability and thermal insulation installed throughout. Inside, the open layout was adapted for padel courts, with a new mezzanine housing a restaurant, staff areas and multipurpose rooms.Materials like wood wool tiles and fire-resistant varnish created a practical yet inviting interior, while the reuse of the halls multiwall polycarbonate sheeting maintained its iconic glowing effect. These changes preserved the structures architectural essence while meeting the demands of its new role.Preserving the Halls Architectural Identitystermalm Hall Padel by Tengbom, Gothenburg, SwedenWhile the stermalmshallen Padel serves an entirely new purpose, its design carries echoes of its past. The modular steel structure, pine battens and polycarbonate faade maintain the character of the temporary market, demonstrating how adaptive reuse can retain a buildings essence while giving it a fresh identity.The thoughtful integration of its new function highlights the foresight in the halls original design. Elements like the flexible layout and durable materials made the transformation possible, proving that temporary structures dont have to be wasteful. In fact, they can be a sort of stepping stones that allow for future innovations.A New Perspective on Temporary ArchitectureThis story challenges the way we think about temporary buildings. It shows that with intentionality, structures designed for immediate needs can evolve far beyond their original purpose. Instead of being wasteful or disposable, they can adapt, transform and find new ways to serve communities. The halls journey from a market to a sports facility demonstrates how flexibility and foresight in design can unlock possibilities that might otherwise go unrealized.At its core, this project teaches us about architectures potential to respond to change. By planning for the future from the start, it embraced a mindset that values reuse, adaptability and a commitment to reducing waste. Its not just about solving one problem its about imagining how a building can contribute to its environment long after its first role is complete.In a world where buildings are often tied to single functions, this approach is a reminder of what architecture can achieve when its designed to grow and evolve with time. It invites us to think of temporary structures not necessarily as endings, but as beginnings; opportunities to create something that lasts by being ready to change.Architizer's 13th A+Awards features a suite of sustainability-focused categories recognizing designers that are building a greener industry and a better future. Start your entry to receive global recognition for your work!The post No Time to Die: How a Market Hall Became a Model for Architecture That Adapts appeared first on Journal.