Going from winning an Oscar for Tenet to working on Venom: The Last Dance, DNEGVFX Supervisor David Lee has certainly seen his share of varied visual effects, everything from invisible VFX to CGI spectacles. For his work on Venom: The Last Dance, Marvel and Sony Pictures final instalment in their Symbiote trilogy starring Tom Hardy and directed by Kelly Marcel, Lee oversaw DNEGs delivery of 500 shots across 11 sequences.The DNEG VFX teams work included creating new characters like the Venom Horse, Xenophage, and green Symbiote as well as familiar ones such as Venom and Wraith Venom. They also handled a dance sequence with Mrs. Chen, a high-altitude battle on top of an airplane, skydiving and a split face conversation between the host and parasite. Its sometimes nice to be matching reality so closely because you have such good references and are trying to make the highest level of output that you can, states Lee. But something like Venom has a subjective look for a lot of these characters, especially the ones were doing in the latest film. I enjoy both types of work.Central to the success of the Venom franchise has been convincing the audience that there is an alien inhabiting the body of a human (Tom Hardy) that now and then forcefully emerges in a physical form. With a lot of these types of effects youre always trying to create so many points of interest that youre not giving the eye long enough to necessarily linger on any one component, remarks Lee. For us, it was looking at how would this really come out of the body. At first you might have some idea of a seepage coming through the skin, so that provides a base layer. The skin itself starts to turn black, showing a bit of subsurface oil running underneath. Then you might get a layer coming on top of it that starts to build and build. Its about increasing the complexity of these layers, so it feels organic. Another key to the franchises success has been the Abbott and Costello-type interplay between Hardy and the Symbiote that adds humor to the proceedings. It is a testament to Tom Hardy and his performances in terms of how he makes it work and voices Venom and has these dialogues, essentially, between himself. There are always multiple versions that we can try to use and make it work. Its an interesting challenge to get that eyeline working on some of these shots because sometimes you dont want it to be quite where Tom might be looking. Adding additional complexity to the work was that not all scenes take place at night. That brought with it a particular set of challenges in terms of how you get something that has only been seen in these dark moody environments working in the full daylight, states Lee. You dont want it to be a black hole in the shot. So, its a fine balance. We would end up taking some creative license with the lighting. Normally if you were out in the desert, youve got one source light, which is the sun. Thats going to give you a defined reflection. But Venom doesnt work like that. Because he is only black then literally Venom is just reflection. We were having to cheat a lot of these little point lights all around him while still trying to allow the environment to motivate that lighting, so it doesnt look like its popping out of the scene. But that then gives us these nice defining reflections that shape him. We would do subtle things like increasing the level of bounce coming off the ground. We would give compositing a whole lot of these lighting passes and that would be where the balancing started. Once we got that look it would be fed back to lighting again so they could adjust it on their end and then everything else begins coming through more out of the box. But there was still a lot of comp work to balance that.Fluid simulations are an essential aspect of Venom Wraith. Wraith is a head with essentially these oily liquid tendrils that seep all of the way over, Lee explains. And even where it joins the head, you have this paint dripping effect that comes down over the top of his face. We altered the tendrils a little bit from previous shows because the technology has changed. But once you get that setup, as long as you have a rigorous base to work on, they flowed through quite seamlessly. Apart from his facial performance, which is driven by the animation, what we do is attach a rudimentary pipe to the head that then drives where the effects tendrils would go. Its almost like a broad transformation tool that then drives the effects work on top of that. Venom is a show that relies heavily on effects. If you saw an early version of Wraith that had a pipe coming out attached to Toms back, your first instinct is to say, Is that how it is? Because that looks terrible. It's making sure that were taking everyone along for the ride so that they understand that these early versions are not necessarily indicative of the final look, but are the place where we want to get direction in terms of does Wraiths neck bend with a softer curve or does it want to be tighter coming over the shoulder because thats where the tendril is going to be coming in.Motion capture was utilized when Venom dances with Mrs. Chen. We had a dancer and choreographer who designed that sequence with Kelly Marcel, remarks Lee. We always looked at Venom as Arnold Schwarzenegger; hes a big man, powerful, a lot of muscle mass, and moves slightly differently. How does that work? Luckily YouTube is a fountain of different people dancing so we referenced that heavily. That meant when the dancer gave us the motion capture data, we would then have to take that and see how we needed to move that into Venoms character. Did we need to slow some things down? There's a stylistic element in terms of trying to get a certain look and feel. Big dancers are still quite light on their feet. Its not necessarily a lumbering giant type of thing. Thats where our expectations laid when we first started looking into it. But we eventually got lighter and lighter, and more fluid throughout the whole sequence. It worked quite nicely with what Kelly was going for. Thats a comical part of the film. Arm extensions aided in getting the proper interaction between the extremely tall and tiny dance partners. These extensions allowed Mrs. Chen to place her hands on his forearm accurately, says Lee. We could keep as much of her performance as we possibly could. For eyelines, which went up another foot or so, we had the same thing. Our dancer had an eyeline helmet on as well, so Mrs. Chen was always looking at and touching the right places. For the first time in the trilogy, Venom takes over a creature rather than a human. In this case, its a horse. Initially, we dialed into Venom, which involved taking all the textured look and put that onto the horse, Lee shares. We thought no matter what body was being taken over by Venom, the process itself is still the same, as well as the movement. You would always finish with the head. But also, visually, its a nice thing to finish with. The horse was shot further away with wider shots, but there was also a lot of motion because its supposed to be running so fast. We actually started to dial down that tight oily spec look that we had on Venom because it looked overly streaky and visually unappealing, almost being confused with noise. We started looking at Arabian horses, which are black and have this beautiful sheen that defines the muscularity and shape. In fact, theyre so black that when theyre backlit they are almost like silhouettes against the environment. We essentially gave Venom Horse a more horsey look.In one sequence, Venom Horse gallops off a cliff. Thats a great homage to the first Venom when Tom Hardy sends his tendrils down to grab the motorcycle. This is the reverse, with the horse shooting up the tendrils. That shot was heavily prevised before we started shooting it. It gave us a great base to work from. Actually, when you look at the previs compared to the finished film, that sequence is coherent compared to where we started. We did shoot elements of Tom to get a facial performance and projected that onto where it was required, such as the shot where hes coming towards the camera. Not all the fights occur on land. In another sequence, as Venom tangles with the Xenophage on top of a flying passenger airplane. The Xenophage went through a lot of versions in terms of how it looked, explains Lee. There is a lot of lizardy homage and an insect-like feel to it. How it moved was a fun challenge for the animation team, which spent a lot of time playing around with different movement styles. By the time we finished the film, there was a lot more of the staccato insect movement. It was difficult to rig because the way the Xenophage was designed meant that there had to be a range of motion that was unnatural for a creature of that construction. The tail splits into three tails. How does that work when its not split? Eventually, we came upon the idea that it's essentially three triangles that can fit in, almost like a Trivial Pursuit board. It forms a whole from the parts. Once we got things like that working, it started to make a lot more sense. That helps with animation as well because they understand the restrictions that you would have with these kinds of creatures.The Xenophage emoted through its tail and head movement. According to Lee, We didnt dive into these deep humanistic emotions. They were more centered within a broader animalistic style. One signature physical trait is the rotating teeth. We would have our build department construct the external teeth, which were rigid. Our effects team would populate the interior of the mouth with these rotating teeth that pop out through these little gummy slits. Its almost like a conveyor belt and then they come back down again. Environments were crucial in driving the action. On top of the plane, we definitely wanted to drive home the speed and drama, says Lee. For Venom, we did additional cloth simulations to push the sense of him being liquid at his core. His entire body, head and skin start to get this flutter like a dog hanging out a window of a fast-moving car. We leaned into things like that; poses and animation were important to make sure that whenever the hand was coming up to take a new pose it was having to fight against this horizontal wind that was coming through. The Xenophage was easier to a point because its digging into the metal so its trying to claw its way up.Generally, every single shot features a CG plane. When the camera goes through the cabin, comes out the window and sees Tom having his Tom Cruise moment, that was a real plane [in the studio], Lee notes. We ended up replacing all of the exterior. Skydiving was hard to properly achieve. Tom was shot in the studio on wires, Lee continues. We would keep his face and arms, and then replace the rest of him. The key with that is getting the speed and intensity of the fabric, which is why we ended up replacing the majority of Tom. We had a lot of fans going when we were shooting, but it just didnt have the terminal velocity that is so fast, with the high frequency flicker to the cloth. Kelly Marcel and Production Visual Effects Supervisor John Moffatts mantra was. Try to capture everything in camera. John Moffatt and I are a big fan of trying to shoot everything at least for reference so you know what it should look like at that time of day in that place, remarks Lee. With the horse sequences, for example, they were all shot on drones following a motorcycle to try to get the speed and pace. But by and large we replaced the entire environment with a CG build to give us more control over the camera. The airplane and skydiving sequences are all CG environment replacements as well when the horse starts running and the beginning of the river battle where the water had to be replaced to give it a sense of rapids that werent there on location. Venom is also running through the forest and causing this wake of broken and falling trees. That was all replaced as well. By the end, the only part that was left was the shoreline.Noting how enjoyable the varied scope of the VFX work was for him and his team, Lee concludes, It was fun for me to work on this kind of film because if youve got an idea about how something can be more exciting or might help the narrative, then everyone is open to those types of ideas which is fantastic. Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

AsChief Product Officer, Grant Farhall is responsible for Getty Images overall product strategy and vision. We sat down with Grant to discuss the issue of training data, rights and Getty Images strong approach.Training dataArtificial Intelligence, specifically the subset of generative AI, has captured the imagination and attention of all aspects of media and entertainment. Recent rapid advances seem to humanize AI in a way that has caught the imagination of so many people. It has been born from the nexus of new machine learning approaches, foundational models, and, in particular, advanced GPU-accelerated computing, all combined with impressive advances in neural networks and data science.One aspect of generative AI that is often too quickly passed over is the nature and quality of training data. It can sometimes be wrongly assumed that in every instance, more data is good any data, just more of it. Actually, there is a real skill in curating training data.Owning your ownGenerative AI is not limited to just large corporations or research labs. It is possible to build on a foundation model and customize it for your application without having your own massive AI factory or data centre.It is also possible to create a Generative AI model that works only on your own training data. Getty Images does exactly this with its iStock, Getty Creative Images, and API stock libraries. These models are trained on only the high-quality images approved for use, using NVIDIAs Edify NIM built on Picasso.NVIDIA developed the underlying architecture. Gettys model is not a fine-tuned version of a foundational model. It is only trained on our content, so it is a foundational model in and of itself Grant Farhall, Getty ImagesGetty produces a mix of women when prompted with Woman CEO, closeup.BiasPeople sometimes speak of biases in training data, and this is a real issue, but data scientists also know that carefully curating training data is an important skill. This is not an issue of manipulating data but rather providing the right balance in the training data to produce the most accurate results. As part of the curation process is getting enough data of the types needed and often with metadata that helps the deep learning algorithms.Particularly the nature of what data exists in the world already and the qualities of that data that can be used to make the most effective generative AI tool. At first glance, one might assume you just want the greatest amount of ground truth or perfect examples possible, but that is not how things actually work in practice.It is also key that the output responses to prompts provide a fair and equitable mix, especially when dealing with people. Stereotypes can be reinforced without attention to output bias.ProvenanceIt is important to know if the data used to build the generative AI model was licensed and approved for this use. Many early academic research efforts scraped the Internet for data since their work was non-commercial and experimental. We have since come a long way in understanding, respecting, and protecting the rights of artists and people in general, and we have to protect their work from being used without permission. As you can hear in this espisode of the podcast, companies such as Getty Images pride themselves on having clean and ethically sourced generative AI models that are free from compromise and artist exploitation. In fact, they offer not only compensation for artists whose work is used as training data but also guarantees, in some cases, indemnifies against any possible future issues over artists rights.The question that is often asked is, Can I use these images from your AI generator in a commercial way, in a commercial setting? Most services will say yes, says Grant Frarhall of Getty Images. The better question is, can I use these images commercially, and what level of legal protection are you offering me if I do? As Getty knows the provenance of every image used to train their model, their corporate customers enjoy fully uncapped legal indemnification.Furthermore, misuse is impossible if the content is not in the training model. Frarhall points out, There are no pictures of Taylor Swift, Travis Kelsey, athletes, musicians, logos, brands, or any similar stuff. None of thats included in the training set, so it cant be inappropriately generated.AI Generator imageRights & CopyrightFor centuries, artists have consciously or subconsciously drawn inspiration from one another to influence their work. However, with the rise of generative AI, it is crucial to respect the rights associated with the use of creative materials.A common issue and concern is copyright and this is an important area, but it is one open to further clarification and interpretation as governments around the world respond to this new technology. As it stands, only a person can own copyright, it is not possible for a non-human to own copyright. It is unclear how open the law is to training on material without explicit permission worldwide, as Generative AI models do not store a copy of the original.However, it is illegal in most contexts to pass off any material in a way that misrepresents, such as implying or stating the work was created by someone who did not. It is also illegal to use the likeness of someone to sell or promote something without their permission, regardless of how that image was created. The laws in each country or territory need to be clarified, but, as a rule of thumb, Generative AI should restricted by an extension of existing laws such as defamation, exploitation, and privacy rights. These laws can come into play if the AI-generated content is harmful or infringing on someones rights.In addition, there are ongoing discussions about the need for new laws or regulations specifically addressing the unique issues raised by AI, such as the question of who can be held responsible for violations using AI-generated content. It is important to note that just because a generative piece of art or music is stated as being approved for commercial use, that does not imply that the training data used to build the model was licensed and respected all contributing artists appropriately.Generative AIThis fxpodcast is not sponsored, but is based on research done for the new Field Guide to Generative AI. fxguides Mike Seymour was commissioned by NVIDIA to unpack the impact of generative AI on the media and entertainment industries, offering practical applications, ethical considerations, and a roadmap for the future.The Field Guide is free and can be downloaded here: Field Guide to Generative AI. In M&E, generative AI has proven itself a powerful tool for boosting productivity and creative exploration. But it is not a magic button that does everything. Its a companion, not a replacement. AI lacks the empathy, cultural intuition, and nuanced understanding of a storys uniqueness that only humans bring to the table. But when generative AI is paired with VFX artists and TDs, it can accelerate pipelines and unlock new creative opportunities.

Cinema 4D Tutorial: VDB Volume Workflow HackWhats the difference between the RS Volume object and the Volume Loader Object. Have you ever been confused as to why there are two ways to load a VDB? Which one should you use?The VDB Volume Hack That Will Change Your Redshift Workflow Forever!What is the Difference Between the RS Volume and the Volume Loader Object?I found a workflow for VDBs that seems to be WAY better! Am I missing something? Let me know!Well go over how to use VDB Volumes in Cinema 4D and Redshift and how to optimize import, usage, scale, and more. I hope you find it useful!If you want over 2,000 VDBs and VFX Elements check out our store now!Get your VDBs HereWant More Quick Tips?If you want more of these, head to our YouTube channel, leave a comment, and subscribe!Leave a Comment and Subscribe Here

Textures:EmbergenHoudiniPhotoshop/PhotosSubtance designerTricks:FlipbooksAtlasesUV distortionLayer orderingTransparent opaques clippingVertex offsetScreen space color6 way lightStencilBlending options for transparentsCubemap samplingPbr piplineTeselationNoisesSdfPerformance:Create more effectsRead documentationLearn about rendering pipline MIT gpu course on youtubeLearn about shader contexts like vs fs and how to efficient manage dataDont use millions particles when you can use quadUse quadsQuads the bestImpostersGPU instancingUse pbr only in necessary partsImitate lite if possibleColor:Blending options for transparents6 way lightPbr piplineDocumentationResources with pallets of everythingPhotosUnderstanding of light in engine from documentation

Mill Owners Association Building | Hairy Yeti, Flickr UserIn the early 1950s, Ahmedabada burgeoning hub of commerce and industry in post-independence Indiacommissioned one of modern architectures most influential figures, Le Corbusier, to design the Mill Owners Association Building. This project symbolized the optimism of a nation redefining its identity and the aspirations of a progressive industrial community. The building is a cornerstone of Le Corbusiers oeuvre, encapsulating his vision of modernism tailored to a tropical context. Beyond its utilitarian purpose, it serves as a manifesto of innovation, blending universal modernist principles with local environmental and cultural considerations.Mill Owners Association Building Technical InformationArchitects1-3: Le CorbusierLocation: Ahmedabad, IndiaTopics:Tropical ModernismArea: 5,000 m2 | 53,800 Sq. Ft.Project Year: 1951 1954Photographs: Cemal Emden, Flickr Users, See Caption DetailsArchitecture is the masterly, correct, and magnificent play of masses brought together in light. Le Corbusier 4Mill Owners Association Building Photographs1960s PhotographFacade | Cemal EmdenFacade Detail | Cemal EmdenInterior | Cemal EmdenExterior | Carlo Fumarola, Flickr UserPromenade | Carlo Fumarola, Flickr UserRamp | Evan Chakroff, Flickr UserFacade Detail | Thom Mckenzie, Flickr UserInterior Space | Carlo Fumarola, Flickr UserStairs | Carlo Fumarola, Flickr UserEntrance | Dave Morris, Flickr UserStairs | Panovscott, Flickr UserOpenings | Panovscott, Flickr UserRoof | Hairy Yeti, Flickr UserDesign Philosophy and FormThe Mill Owners Association Building exudes a commanding presence with its sculptural faade and bold interplay of concrete forms. The design reflects Le Corbusiers five points of architecture, yet it is uniquely adapted to its environment. Central to the structures composition is the iconic brise-soleil, a system of concrete sunbreakers that mediates the intense sunlight while creating a rhythmic visual language.The spatial arrangement reflects the program outlined by the client: the ground floor accommodates employees, the first-floor houses offices and meeting rooms, and the second floor is reserved for reception areas and a garden. Le Corbusiers vision ensured that architecture framed picturesque views of the Sabarmati River and the vibrant life along its banks, as he described:The situation of the building in a garden overlooking the river, with the picturesque sight of artisan dyers washing their cottons and drying them on the sand alongside herons, cows, buffaloes, and donkeys half-immersed to keep cool, was an invitation to create, through architecture, views serving as backdrops for daily work and evening festivities. Le Corbusier, uvre complte, Volume 6, 1952-1957.Materiality plays a defining role; the exposed concrete lends the building an honest, raw aesthetic while demonstrating structural ingenuity. The smooth, metal-moulded walls contrast with the roughcast concrete sunbreakers, while the main rooms feature paving with Delhi stone (Morak stone).Climatic and Cultural ResponseThe Mill Owners Association Building is a masterclass in tropical modernism. To address Ahmedabads hot and humid climate, Le Corbusier oriented the building to allow prevailing winds to flow through its spaces. The thick concrete brise-soleil on the east and west faades shield the interiors from harsh sunlight while maintaining ventilation and light. The south and north walls are mostly blind, except a single window.Le Corbusier created fluid spaces in the center of the orthogonal load-bearing structure. The Assembly Room on the second floor exemplifies this, framed by a brick wall covered with plywood and wood panels, indirectly lit by a curved ceiling cooled by a reflecting pool and flanked by hanging gardens.The architectural promenadea concept central to Le Corbusiers philosophyis evident in the buildings design. Vertical circulation is facilitated by an imposing ramp, sculptural exterior staircases, and a double interior lift leading to the roof terrace. These elements create a dynamic movement through the building, emphasizing the interplay of light, material, and spatial experience.Legacy and RelevanceThe Mill Owners Association Building continues to be used by the association that commissioned it, maintaining its functional relevance while standing as a testament to mid-20th-century modernist architecture. Its design principlesfunctional adaptability, climatic responsiveness, and cultural integrationremain profoundly instructive.However, preservation challenges persist. Environmental wear and urban encroachments threaten its structural and aesthetic integrity, underscoring the importance of safeguarding such landmarks. Its enduring relevance lies in its ability to inspire architects to balance global modernist ideals with regional contexts.Mill Owners Association Building PlansFloor Plans | Le CorbusierSection | Le CorbusierSection | Le CorbusierSection | Le CorbusierMill Owners Association Building Image GalleryAbout Le CorbusierNotes & Additional CreditsDesign Team: Le Corbusier and his team of assistants, including Balkrishna DoshiEngineers: Team under Le Corbusiers directionClient: Mill Owners Association of Ahmedabad, led by Surottham HutheesingLe Corbusier, uvre complte, Volume 6, 1952-1957. Zurich: Les Editions dArchitecture, 1957.Frampton, Kenneth, Le Corbusier. London: Thames & Hudson, 2001

As part of its commitment to preserving the legacy and history of Woodstock, Bethel Woods Center for the Artsthe historic site of the 1969 music and art festivalis seeking proposals from artists and artisans to create commemorative works of art in honor of the legendary Message Tree, a central symbol of the 1969 Woodstock festival. The Message Tree was a 60-foot red maple located on the site of the original festival that served as a unique gathering place for attendees who left messages, notes, and well-wishes pinned to its bark, making it an enduring symbol of peace, love, and community. (Paul Gerry/Bethel Woods Collection)After more than 100 years of life, the Message Tree was no longer viable and at risk of falling. In September, the tree was carefully taken down, but its legacy will live on. As part of an effort to preserve and honor this iconic piece of history, Bethel Woods is seeking proposals from artists to transform the wood of the fallen tree into lasting works of art that celebrate its role in the 1969 festival and its significance in the cultural memory of Woodstock. These works will be exhibited as part of the Arts and Crafts of Woodstock at the Bethel Woods Museum in 2025. RFP Details:Project Scope: The selected artists will create sculptures, carvings, or other artistic works from the wood of the Message Tree. These pieces will be displayed at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and may be used to further preserve and communicate the history of the Message Tree and the spirit of Woodstock.Artistic Vision: Artists are encouraged to draw inspiration from the Message Trees rich legacy as a symbol of free expression, unity, and the enduring impact of the Woodstock festival. The works will serve as both a tribute to the past and a tangible connection to the ideals of peace and togetherness that continue to resonate today.Eligibility: The RFP is open to artists and artisans with experience in wood-based art or sculpture. Local and regional artists are especially encouraged to apply, as are those who have a personal connection to the Woodstock community or the Message Tree itself.Submission Deadline: All proposals must be submitted by December 31, 2024, with selection notification on January 31, 2025. Works must be completed by June 30, 2025.Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is committed to building upon our rich history of peace and music by providing extraordinary experiences and access to the arts, said Dr. Neal V. Hitch, senior curator at Museum at Bethel Woods. This project is at the core of our mission, carrying on the legacy of the Message Tree by transforming its wood into works of art that will help future generations connect with Woodstock.(Ilene Levine/Bethel Woods Collection)In addition to the creation of artistic works, Bethel Woods is taking steps to propagate saplings from the original tree, ensuring that its legacy lives on in future generations. For more information on the RFP process and submission guidelines, please visit theBethel Woods website.About Bethel Woods Center for the ArtsBethel Woods Center for the Arts, located at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival, is committed to building upon its rich history of peace and music by providing extraordinary experiences and access to the arts. With the belief that the world can be made better through the power of music and the arts, Bethel Woods makes music, visual, performing and creative arts programming available and accessible to the community, helping people of all ages discover and tap into their creative potential.Located 90 miles north of New York City in Bethel, New York, the lush 1,000-acre campus includes the Pavilion amphitheater with seating for 16,000, an intimate 422-seat indoor Event Gallery, a concert campground, and creative studios for arts education programming. The award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods carries on the history, spirit, and learnings of the 1960s and the Woodstock Music & Art Fair through the preservation and interpretation of the historic site. Bethel Woods is a not-for-profit organization that relies on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Luther George Park has offered respite for residents of Springdale, Arkansas, for some time now. But after many years of wear and tear, the public park needed repairs. Today, the 14-acre green space is undergoing a major renovation by Spackman Mossop Michaels (SMM), a New Orleans-based landscape architecture office. There, Trahan Architects recently completed an elegant public pavilion that mimics Luther George Parks rolling hills. Over time, the pavilions steel will develop a nice toned patina.The design by Trahan Architects recalls past sculptures by Richard Serra. The pavilion is meant to host play, performance, community gatherings and quiet contemplation. It marks the inaugural piece of Downtown Springdale Alliances masterplan, the project team shared, which is set to add 200 new trees to Luther George Park, among other upgrades.The pavilion is sited on a central pedestrian extension to Springdales Water Street. (Tim Hursley/Courtesy Trahan Architects)To accommodate all sorts of performances, the public pavilion designed by Trahan Architects has no backside. Our architecture is deeply informed by the soils, landscape, and cultural context of each place we work in, noted Trey Trahan, founder and CEO of Trahan Architects. The performance pavilion draws inspiration from Springdales unique ecology and surroundings, while emphasizing the strong axial connection between the creek and downtown Springdale, Trahan continued. Our collaboration has created a park and pavilion of performative sculpture that will be a local, regional, and national destination for generations to come.The pavilions distinctive shell was made in sections produced by CIG Architecture, a Dutch steel fabricator. (Tim Hursley/Courtesy Trahan Architects)The pavilion is sited on a central pedestrian extension to Springdales Water Street. The elevation that faces the eastern great lawn is where large scale performances unfold while, to the west, more intimate gatherings like movie screenings can take place. The pavilions distinctive shell was made in sections produced by CIG Architecture, a Dutch steel fabricator. Its composed of weathering steel plates and spans a total 150 feet in length. The structure itself is anchored by only two points, Trahan Architects shared, making it appear weightless.The pavilion is located close by to a playground. (Tim Hursley/Courtesy Trahan Architects)Performance technologies are inserted throughout the pavilion, such as rigging coves for theatrical lighting. Theres also dedicated power sources for AV equipment and perforations for optimized acoustics.At its heart, Luther George Park is about creating connections, added Wes Michaels, SMMs founding principal, linking downtown Springdale to Spring Creek and the Razorback Greenway, uniting the greater northwest Arkansas region through cultural celebrations at the performance pavilion, and most importantly, bringing together the people of Springdale through everyday gatherings of family and friends in the park.

A long list of reputable architecture firms are contributing to a forthcoming, mixed-use development in the city of Houston. The RO is a major project backed by Transwestern Development Company, a local office. Its being built adjacent to Houstons River Oaks neighborhood, a historic locale built in the 1920s by William and Michael Hogg known for its gardens and verbose architecture. The RO is slated for a 17-acre site at the intersection of West Alabama Street and Buffalo Speedway that once housed a research campus for Exxon-Mobil. The master plan, developers said, will essentially extend the qualities that make River Oaks special further into the city, namely its leafy public realm and walkable corridors. The tallest building at The RO will be 28 stories, delivering much needed density to the sprawling metropolis.The future neighborhood will have diverse programming. It will contain Houstons first ultra-luxury Auberge Resorts Collections hotel and residencies, for instance, as well as a retail village stocked with restaurants helmed by local chefs. There will also be boutiques, luxury multifamily housing, and creative Class A+ office spaces.The ROs tallest building will rise up 28 stories. (Courtesy The Boundary)The multifamily residential community will have a total 317 units, and the boutique office building will span 146,000 square feet. Pickard Chilton, a Connecticut office, is the doing the master plan. That firm is also designing office space and multifamily housing for the site. Meanwhile, KPF is designing a hotel and residencies. The hotel interiors are being designed by Roman and Williams, and the residences will have interiors by Dillon Kyle Architects, a local office. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is designing retail buildings at The RO, together with House & Robertson Architects.The central lawn at The RO (Courtesy Michael Hsu Office of Architecture)MaRS Culture is designing the multifamily housings interiors. OJB Landscape Architecture is envisioning lively outdoor space for The RO. OJBs vision for The ROs exteriors entail an active public realm that resembles a fine and time-honored residential neighborhood, the developers said.With curving streets that invite exploration and discovery, the quaint materiality of stone and cobble work, and a lushly layered planting palette, The RO seamlessly blends architecture and green spaces, infrastructure, and beauty in highly performing land and streetscapes that meet the desire to gather, find solace and respite, and support health and happiness, the project team continued.Rendering of hotel lobby at The Birdsall Residences (Courtesy Roman and Williams)A members-only living room at The Birdsall Residences (Courtesy Roman and Williams)Typical guest room at The Birdsall Residences (Courtesy Roman and Williams)The multifamily housing at The RO pays homage to Birdsall Briscoe, a famous Houston architect, developers added. All in all, The RO is being designed so it looks as if it evolved organically. Some buildings will be made of handmade brick, and the streets will be lined in cobblestone. Rich woods, metal mullions, and fine glass details will account for the interiors.

This house for an artist by LCLA Office reaches out to the luxuriant landscape of Colombias eastern AntioquiaThis project was commended in the 2024 AR House awards. Read about the full shortlist hereLiving in this house is like living in a garden, with my bed laid on the grass, says Rodrigo Callejas when showing me hisnew home in El Carmen de Viboral, at2,100 metres above sea level. In the tropics, altitude is an important indication of climate. In this village renowned for its ceramics and situated an hour away from Medelln, Colombia, it is never too hot nortoo cold. Diverging from traditional conceptions of shelter, Ocarina House doesnot need to be a refuge that protects inhabitants from the external. Instead, the elements can permeate the interior. The building is immersed in the landscape, and the surrounding vegetation is, in turn, an integral part of the home. The architecture is one of subtle barriers and surfaces that define the interior and mediate relations with the exterior, without hardness or fierce opposition.The home is articulated by a 16mlong brick wall that runs parallel to the topography. The projects main structural element, it contains the sloping terrain toone side and provides a backbone alongwhich everyday life can unravel onthe other. The only element uphill is adiagonal beam that extends from the neartop of this wall down to the clay soil.Sincethe ground is unstable and thearchitect wanted to avoid massive andexpensive piles, the house is placed ona floating concrete slab. The diagonal beam is what anchors the structure in the terrain; it prevents it from sliding while transferring the roofs weight to the concrete slab beneath.The encounter between a slope and a designed perimeter immediately produces the image of a potential interior condition, the architect Luis Callejas explains in the recently published Houses in Forest Clearings. Allour efforts go into giving precision and resolution to both the architectural form and the terrains shape simultaneously. The founder of LCLA Officedesigned Ocarina House for his fatherRodrigo Callejas, a Colombian artistdistinguished for his paintings and sculptures. In both their work, landscape ispresent as a means of inspiration and as aresource. Rodrigo initially trained withthe painter Rafael Senz Moreno, studying the geography surrounding Medelln and the broader Antioquia region. For Luis, landscape and architecture are continuations of oneanother.Downhill of the main structural wall, Ocarina House is a single long room, divided into different spaces by level changes and wall fragments, that reaches for the landscape. The interior area used for dining extends onto a generous terrace that leads to the forest, where avocado trees (Persea americana), taros (Colocasia esculenta) and magenta cherry (Syzygium paniculatum) are growing. Most of them were planted before the house was built, but others were added more recently by Rodrigo, granting further seclusion and privacy to the exterior space.Two smaller sheets of glass unlike more conventional windows, these are frameless and fixed inserted in the main wall look back towards the rising terrain to the east, while a large opening has been cut out of the western facade, offering layered views of the valley beyond, with agricultural lands closer to the house andthe Eastern Ranges in the distance. Largeglazed doors mounted on thin metalframes pivot or slide to allow seamless continuity with thegarden.The architecture is one of subtle barriers and surfaces that mediate relations with the exteriorsugg without hardness or fierce oppositionThe rigour of structural decisions creates a continuous living space, allowing for a certain spatial freedom and flexibility of use. The functions and boundaries of the different areas are deliberately ambiguous. Instead, objects indicate usage: a mattress and pillows on the elevated platform, a rocking chair in front of the large opening, a table beside a portion of the builtin bench. Even the spacious shower room suggests other potential uses; its bulging semicircular envelope gives it an unusual prominence, and the diffuse daylight makes it an ideal spot to display Rodrigos sculptures.Besides a house, the building was conceived as a gallery that could be used to exhibit the owners work now that hehas decided to be independent from gallerists and managers. Some of his clay and bronze creatures currently live on the ledge of the 240mmthick structural wall. When the mattress is removed, the cleared platform as well asthe benches are well suited to display larger threedimensional works, and paintings can be hung on the white walls. The first exhibition is scheduled to take place in 2025.Spending a day at Ocarina House is experiencing a display of everchanging colours, shadows and reflections. In the morning, light enters in a controlled manner through the smaller openings onthe eastern facade and runs through thecentral space and its dividing wall. Azenithal opening illuminates the shower, and its curved wall registers the path of the sun during the day. In the afternoon, sunset colours pervade the space and reflect on the surfaces as shadows change. Even in the absence of direct sunlight, the interior displays a range of subdued greys, greens and blues as the sun goes down, reflections of the grass, trees and sky. The white paint of the back wall of the terrace and the metallic roof contrast with the deep greens of the adjacent forest and thedarkening blue of the evening sky, highlighting their presence.Building a house in the tropics, where there is some rain two days out ofthree, alsomeans careful consideration of waterand humidity. The thin concrete panels ofthe pitched roof are covered externally with bituminous aluminum for waterproofing. Its sculptural gutters and thediagonal concrete beam set water asidefrom the house to avoid damp walls. Humidity, nevertheless, can penetrate the house easily through openings and glazed surfaces. Even window frames, crafted by local metalworkers, are loose enough to allow the mist and thus the landscape to permeate the interior.Although it is a perfectly formed home, Ocarina House does not stand alone in the plot; it functions together with an existing cottage, bought by the family in the 1990s. Rodrigo dwells mostly in his recently built home, but he also spends long hours in the cottage, where his studio is located. The cottage contains a larger kitchen, used for catering when having guests over, and an additional bedroom and bathroom.Besides a house, the building was conceived as a gallery that could be used to exhibit the owners workMany of the new house elements and design choices are derived from shared family memories and experiences. The terrace was inspired by the cottages loggia; covered multifunctional spaces are common in local architecture. The grey epoxy paint of the floor comes from the familys first flat in Bogot, in a modernist building whose plans were copied by the local artist Jos Rodrguez Acevedo from an Auguste Perret building he lived in in Paris. In places, the epoxy paint has been scraped to reveal the iron oxide beneath known locally as the marble of the poor because of its low price and neat finishing. The intentional red abrasions reference the yarumo (Cecropia peltata) leaves, common in the artists work and painted on the cottage floor years ago.Luis Callejas relocated to Oslo in 2012, yet Scandinavian influences seem absent in the project. The closest link might be a boat, the architect humorously notes, as the house is tied to the terrain in a similar way a boat is moored in the harbour. With its thin walls, windows and roof, Ocarina House could never exist in Norway, he explains. Designing projects in Colombia from Oslo instead allows memories to gain relevance with distance, and influence his design process. The architect also believes that distance allows for taking significant technical risks and focusing on important details. This perspective resonates with hisfathers view: What I paint is what I remember, not what I see.Ocarina House absorbs its surroundings and extends outwards. The traditionally hard boundaries of the shelter dissolve. Instead, the building, the garden, the site,the forest, the view and the entire landscape collapse into one.

What is your favorite pizzeria in the Boston area? For many, it is likely to be Regina Pizzeria, but specifically this location in Bostons North End. The building was originally constructed in 1886 for the Boston Cooperative Building Company, a charitable organization which built and rented tenement housing for low-income residents in the city. Many recently arrived immigrants would have lived in the building and paid a nominal rent, giving them the opportunity to work and grow their savings to move into better, more permanent housing. The Association was incorporated in 1871 and its original stockholders represented the financial elite of Boston. As a result of their financial backing, the association was able to hire the white-shoe architectural firm of Cabot & Chandler to design this tenement block in 1886. While not ornate, the building fits within the late 19th century vernacular of brick tenements of the North End. The building is now best known as the home to Regina Pizza, which was founded in 1926 by Luigi DAuria, who was born in Campania, Italy, who purchased the building around that time. Regina Pizza (translated to Queen Pizzain Italian), was sold to the Polcari family in 1956, who have operated the restaurant since. The pizzeria with its prominent blade sign is one of the best landmarks in the North End.