Multimodal Art Projection (M-A-P) researchers have introduced FineFineWeb, a large open-source automatic classification system for fine-grained web data. The project decomposes the deduplicated Fineweb into 67 unique categories with extensive seed data. Moreover, a comprehensive correlation analysis between vertical categories and common benchmarks and detailed URL and content distribution analysis are conducted. The system provides specialized test sets for PPL evaluation, featuring both small cup validation and medium cup test options. Complete training materials for FastText and Bert implementation accompany the dataset, with upcoming suggestions for data proportioning based on RegMix methodology.The data construction process for FineFineWeb follows a systematic multi-step workflow. The initial deduplication of FineWeb employs exact deduplication and MinHash techniques. URL labeling utilizes GPT-4 to process the top million root URLs, categorizing them into Domain-of-Interest (DoI) and Domain-of-Non-Interest (DoNI) URLs. Further, the coarse recall phase involves domain-specific sampling based on the labeled root URLs, with Qwen2-7B-Instruct handling the labeling of 500K positive and negative data points. FastText models, trained on this labeled data, perform coarse recall operations across FineWeb to generate Coarse DoI Data.The fine recall stage advances the data refinement process using Qwen2-72B-Instruct to label the Coarse DoI Data, creating 100K Dol positive and 100K Dol negative data points. After that, a BERT model, trained on this labeled data, performs fine recall to produce the final DoI subset of FineFineWeb. Moreover, the entire coarse-fine recall iteration undergoes three rounds with specific modifications:FastText is re-trained using updated seed data, which combines BERT-recalled samples, BERT-dropped samples, and previously labeled seed data.The BERT model keeps frozen during subsequent iterations.Steps for training FastText, coarse recall, and fine recall are repeated without re-labeling data with Qwen2-Instruct models.The domain-domain similarity Analysis employs a sophisticated analytical approach using proportional weighted sampling across domain subsets, processing one billion tokens from the domain subsets. Then the BGE-M3 model is used to generate two types of embeddings: domain embeddings from domain subset samples and benchmark embeddings from benchmark samples. The analysis concludes by calculating MMD and Wasserstein distances between domain embeddings and benchmark embeddings to quantify domain relationships.The similarity analysis reveals several key patterns in domain-benchmark relationships. Code-related benchmarks (MBPP and HumanEval) show significant distance from most domains except mathematics, indicating limited code representation in the dataset. General knowledge benchmarks (Hellaswag, ARC, MMLU, BoolQ) demonstrate close relationships with multiple domains, suggesting broad knowledge distribution, while excluding gambling content. Moreover, GSM8K and TriviaQA exhibit notable domain-specific variations, particularly in mathematics and factual content. Lastly, the gambling domain stands distinctly separate, showing minimal overlap with other domains and benchmarks.The domain-domain duplication analysis examines URL uniqueness across domains using TF-IDF values. High TF-IDF scores indicate domain-specific unique URLs, while low values suggest common URLs across domains. The analysis reveals minimal duplication across most domains, with exceptions in topicality, pet, and atmospheric science categories. The domain-benchmark correlation study, conducted across 28 models, compares domain-specific performance (BPC) rankings with benchmark performance rankings using Spearman correlation. STEM-related domains show stronger correlations with reasoning-focused benchmarks (ARC, MMLU, GSM8K, HumanEval, MBPP), while knowledge-intensive domains like literature and history correlate higher with fact-based benchmarks like TriviaQA.Check out the Dataset and Tweet. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Sajjad Ansari+ postsSajjad Ansari is a final year undergraduate from IIT Kharagpur. As a Tech enthusiast, he delves into the practical applications of AI with a focus on understanding the impact of AI technologies and their real-world implications. He aims to articulate complex AI concepts in a clear and accessible manner. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

The big picture: Apple introduced AirPods eight years ago this month. Comparing a Bloomberg analysis with financial results from other companies reveals how staggeringly successful Apple's wireless earbuds have become. A testament to the scale of the world's most valuable company, the accessory takes in more revenue each year than several prominent tech companies. Bloomberg estimates that AirPods sales have exceeded $18 billion yearly since 2021. To put that number in perspective, it surpasses Nintendo's reported total net sales for 2023 (roughly $10 billion).Furthermore, PCMag recently calculated that AirPods generated more revenue than total annual earnings for companies like Spotify, eBay, Airbnb, DoorDash, and OpenAI. Although the numbers only represent revenue and don't reflect net profit, they indicate the rising importance of AirPods within the Cupertino giant's product lineup.Bloomberg projects that AirPods will likely begin outselling iPads before the decade's end, becoming Apple's third most lucrative product behind iPhones and Macs. Price is the primary factor, as AirPods are far cheaper than iPads and Macs.However, the high attachment rate of AirPods among iPhone owners also has a significant impact. Approximately 40 percent of iPhone users also used AirPods in 2022. Since there are about 1.5 billion active iPhones, that's 600 million Airpods users.The proportion could increase to 52 percent by 2027 and 60 percent by 2030, signifying a 12 percent yearly sales increase for the earbuds, assuming iPhone sales increase by 5 percent in that timeframe. AirPods ownership skews toward teenagers and young adults, as around 62 percent of Gen-Z customers between ages 18 and 24 own them. // Related StoriesInvestigating the frequency with which users lose and damage AirPods reveals another shocking statistic. According to CBS, customers spend over half a billion dollars each year replacing them. TechSpot staff can attest that the tiny buds are squirrelly, especially when the case hits a hard surface. The buds eject from the housing like bullets.AirPods initially launched as a pair of slightly above-average wireless earbuds seamlessly connecting to users' iPhones. Later models gained significantly expanded functionality. Apple released its fourth-generation AirPods in September, which include voice isolation and noise cancellation features. Furthermore, the second-generation AirPods Pro recently received FDA certification for use as over-the-counter hearing aids. At $249, they are more expensive than most earbuds but cheaper than most traditional hearing aids.Apple plans to release the third-generation AirPods Pro in 2025. Rumored features include a new design and improved noise management. Additional health-related functionality might come to subsequent models in 2026 and beyond.Image credit: Airpods Pro, AirPods Trusted Reviews

Third Eye Images via Getty ImagesShareThe rich get richer, except this time Big Government is fighting for the little guy. Yes, you read that correctly and, no, it makes no sense to me either. Apparently, the exception is right-to-repair laws which are being pushed bywait for ita bipartisan effort that is literally scolding automakers to quit gatekeeping everything and give consumers access to parts, services, and their own personal vehicle data.According to Ars Technica, on December 19, U.S. senators sent letters to several automakers. Hardly love notes, the head honchos of Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen were put on blast and accused of being money-grabbing hypocrites. Okay, so, the pot is calling the kettle black, but the pot also isnt wrong.Led by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Josh Hawley (R-MO), the bipartisan letter notes that 70 percent of car parts and services currently come from independent outlets. At the same time, OEM-supported dealerships and suppliers are generally rated poorly, particularly on pricing and affordability.We need to hit the brakes on automakers stealing your data and undermining your right-to-repair, said Senator Merkley in a statement. Time and again, these billionaire corporations have a double standard when it comes to your privacy and security: claiming that sharing vehicle data with repair shops poses cybersecurity risks while selling consumer data themselves.Automakers argue that the right-to-repair movement poses a safety risk because an open data platform becomes a requirement, such as in Massachusetts. However, Big Auto says giving third-party access to what should be proprietary manufacturer data opens up a can of cybersecurity and privacy worms. The trade group formerly known as the Auto Alliance went so far as to create a scare campaign to dissuade voters, suggesting that data access would expose people to increased stalking and violence, especially women.Senators call BS, pointing out that OEMs already share sensitive vehicle and owner information with insurance companies and other third partiesas long as it benefits them. The bipartisan group says at least 37 auto companies have been identified as part of what amounts to a connected car collective whose focus is monetizing the vehicle data they claim must be kept close to the vest.Right-to-repair laws support consumer choice and prevent automakers from using restrictive repair laws to their financial advantage, reads the non-love letter. It is clear that the motivation behind automotive companies avoidance of complying with right-to-repair laws is not due to a concern for consumer security or privacy, but instead a hypocritical, profit-driven reaction.Whats next? Some holiday homework.Per the letter, automakers have a January 6 deadline to submit answers to a multi-part questionnaire. The senators ask how vehicle and driver data are collected, stored, secured, and shared. OEMs are also tasked with listing all the cybersecurity breaches within the last five years as well as fess up to their anti-right-to-repair lobbying, including the dollar amount spent for such efforts. So far, no automaker has publicly responded to the lawmakers letter or addressed its concerns.

Find the links between the words to win today's game of Connections.gettyLooking for Saturdays Connections hints and answers instead? You can find them here:Hey, everyone! Hope youre having a terrific weekend.Im a few days in to my end-of-year semi-vacation. Its not a full vacation, because as much as I enjoy writing this column every day, its technically work. Still, Ive been able to rest a bit more than usual. I managed to make a serious dent in my sleep debt the other night with a 15-hour slumber. I really needed that.Before we get started, Ive started a discussion group for Connections and this column on Discord. You can chat about each game (and other topics) with me and other folks. Im always interested to find out how other people approach the game, so join us! Its fun.Its also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare(!) occasions that I mess something up.Todays NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, December 22, are coming right up.How To Play ConnectionsConnections is a free, popular New York Times daily word game. You get a new puzzle at midnight every day. You can play on the NYT website or Games app.MORE FOR YOUYoure presented with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to arrange them into four groups of four by figuring out the links between them. The groups could be things like items you can click, names for research study participants or words preceded by a body part.Theres only one solution for each puzzle, and youll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category. You can shuffle the words to perhaps help you see links between them.Each group is color coded. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, blue and green fall in the middle, and the purple group is usually the most difficult one. The purple group often involves wordplay.Select four words you think go together and press Submit. If you make a guess and youre incorrect, youll lose a life. If youre close to having a correct group, you might see a message telling you that youre one word away from getting it right, but youll still need to figure out which one to swap.If you make four mistakes, its game over. Lets make sure that doesnt happen with the help of some hints, and, if youre really struggling, todays Connections answers. As with Wordle and other similar games, its easy to share results with your friends on social media and group chats.If you have an NYT All Access or Games subscription, you can access the publications Connections archive. This includes every previous game of Connections, so you can go back and play any of those that you have missed.Aside from the first 60 games or so, you should be able to find my hints for each grid via Google if you need them! Just click here and add the date of the game for which you need clues or the answers to the search query.What Are Todays Connections Hints?Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of todays Connections groups, Ill reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them.Todays 16 words are...STATSCROWNABBOTTELEMENTARYNUNKEYDOMEABBALAURELMONKCOCONUTFRYSKULLBONESKAYAKKOJAKAnd the hints for todays Connections groups are:Yellow group Green group the same both waysBlue group detective dramasPurple group one half of a humorous wholeWhat Are Todays Connections Groups?Need some extra help?Be warned: were starting to get into spoiler territory.Todays Connections groups are...Yellow group slang for headGreen group palindromesBlue group police proceduralsPurple group first in a comedy duoWhat Are Todays Connections Answers?Spoiler alert! Dont scroll any further down the page until youre ready to find out todays Connections answers.This is your final warning!Todays Connections answers are...Yellow group slang for head (COCONUT, CROWN, DOME, SKULL)Green group palindromes (ABBA, KAYAK, NUN, STATS)Blue group police procedurals (BONES, ELEMENTARY, KOJAK, MONK)Purple group first in a comedy duo (ABBOTT, FRY, KEY, LAUREL)My short two-game streak came crashing to a halt. Here's how I fared:I did enjoy the Abbott Elementary reference on the top line. What a good show that is.I got the greens pretty quickly, but was then one away from a group with a guess of CROWN, MONK, BONES and KOJAK. I realized my mistake a moment too late. ELEMENTARY is also a detective show but CROWN isnt (its The Crown, anyway), so I made that swap to get the blues.I then tried a guess of LAUREL, CROWN, SKULL and DOME as in things that go on top. I was one away. My next guess was a bad one. I figured they were religious emblems(?), but it fundamentally didnt make sense as I included both LAUREL and DOME (both of which were in a one-away guess) with KEY and ABBOTT. I swapped out LAUREL for SKULL but to no avail.I was pretty annoyed not to get this one! I had an inkling early on that there might be something to do with comedy double acts given ABBOTT and LAUREL. The head thing didnt really click for me at all, as much as it should have.The comedy duos referenced are ABBOTT and Costello, FRY and Laurie, KEY and Peele and LAUREL and Hardy.Thats all there is to it for todays Connections clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for hints and the solution for Mondays game if you need them.P.S. Im planning to go to a bunch of shows in early 2025. The first of those will be a Sum 41 gig. The band are calling it a day, so this will be the only time that I ever see them live.Im looking forward to it! I liked them a lot back in the day, and In Too Deep is one of the pop-punk songs of the early 2000s. That guitar solo and how its given the spotlight in the video will forever remain iconic in my mind:Have a great day! Call someone you love!If youre so inclined, please do follow my blog for more coverage of Connections and other word games and even some video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky! Its fun there.

Nature, Published online: 17 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04191-7Facilitate the move of academia from X to Bluesky

Nature, Published online: 17 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04193-5If anyones reading this Correspondence in 1,130 years time, please let us know

Nature, Published online: 17 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04190-8How climate change is changing calendars and what to do about it

At an 'all hands' meeting, Baldoni and others agreed to address the 'hostile work environment'Blake Lively's complaint said her husband, Ryan Reynolds, attended a meeting with Baldoni. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images The complaint says she attended an "all hands" meeting with Baldoni, Heath, and others in January to discuss the "hostile work environment that had nearly derailed production of the film." Her husband, Ryan Reynolds, also attended the meeting."Ms. Lively was forced to address concerns about Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath's misconduct with them directly and began doing so months before filming began," the complaint says. "The concerns she raised were not only for herself but for the other female cast and crew, some of whom had also spoken up."The meeting resulted in a list of behaviors that Baldoni and Heath agreed to stop, including "showing nude videos or images of women, including the producer's wife, to BL and/or her employees."Other behaviors the men agreed to cease were mentioning their "previous pornography addiction or BL's lack of pornography consumption" and "descriptions of their genitalia," according to the complaint.The agreed-upon behaviors were compiled into a document that was shared with Wayfarer Studios, which said it found "most of them not only reasonable but also essential for the benefit of all parties involved," according to the complaint. Baldoni added 'graphic content' to the film without Lively's knowledge, the complaint saysJustin Baldoni starred and directed "It Ends with Us" Cindy Ord/Getty Images Baldoni added improvised sexual content and nude scenes to "It Ends with Us" in "highly unsettling ways," the complaint says, including an on-camera orgasm, without Lively's knowledge or consent."When Ms. Lively objected to these additions, Mr. Baldoni insisted he had added them because he was making the film 'through the female gaze,'" according to the complaint. "Although he agreed to remove the scenes, he made a last-ditch attempt to keep one in which the couple orgasm together on their wedding night, which he said was important to him because he and his partner climax simultaneously during intercourse.""Mr. Baldoni then intrusively asked Ms. Lively whether she and her husband climax simultaneously during intercourse, which Ms. Lively found invasive and refused to discuss," the complaint says.The complaint also says Baldoni urged Lively to "simulate full nudity" while filming a scene in which her character gives birth, saying it's "not normal" for women to wear their hospital gowns while giving birth. Although Lively disagreed, the complaint says she compromised and agreed to be nude from below the chest down.Neither Baldoni nor Heath closed the set before filming the scene, according to the complaint, allowing "non-essential crew to pass through while Ms. Lively was mostly nude with her legs spread wide in stirrups and only a small piece of fabric covering her genitalia."Heath also showed Lively and her assistant a video of his wife giving birth that Lively initially believed was pornography, the complaint says."Ms. Lively was alarmed and asked Mr. Heath if his wife knew he was sharing the video, to which he replied, 'She isn't weird about this stuff,' as if Ms. Lively was weird for not welcoming it," the complaint said. Lively said Baldoni 'abruptly' shifted away from their agreed-upon marketing strategyLively's complaint says Sony Pictures Entertainment created the cast's marketing strategy. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP In the complaint, Lively said she and other cast members promoted "It Ends with Us" according to a "Marketing Plan" created by the film's distributor, Sony Pictures Entertainment. That plan encouraged the cast to emphasize her character's "strength and resilience as opposed to describing the film as a story about domestic violence" to avoid talking points that could make the film "feel sad."Lively said that Baldoni "abruptly pivoted away" from the plan, promoting the domestic violence storyline of the film and what the complaint described as "survivor content."Consumers criticized Lively's marketing approach during the press tour, which resulted in social media backlash toward her and her brands. Baldoni did not experience the same disapproval from audiences."What the public did not know was that Mr. Baldoni and his team did so in an effort to explain why many of the Film's cast and crew had unfollowed Mr. Baldoni on social media and were not appearing with him in public," the complaint said. Baldoni and his team engaged in 'social manipulation' to 'destroy' her reputation, the complaint saysLively said in her complaint that Baldoni tried to "destroy" her reputation. John Nacion/Getty Images In the complaint, Lively said Baldoni's decision to switch marketing strategies was the start of a "multi-tiered plan" using "social manipulation" to ultimately "destroy" her public reputation.Baldoni hired Melissa Nathan, a crisis communications specialist from The Agency Group PR, on July 31 at the suggestion of his publicist, Jennifer Abel."What Ms. Nathan proposed included a practice known as 'Astroturfing,' which has been defined as 'the practice of publishing opinions or comments on the internet, in the media, etc. that appear to come from ordinary members of the public but actually come from a particular company or political group," the complaint said.The complaint includes screenshots of text messages that Lively's attorneys say are between Abel and Nathan. In one, Abel tells Nathan that Baldoni "wants to feel like she can be buried," in a reference to Lively.In another one, Baldoni sent Abel a screenshot of a social media post about Hailey Bieber facing bullying allegations in 2023."This is what we would need," Baldoni wrote in the text message, according to the complaint.Baldoni and his team would "feed pieces of this manufactured content to unwitting reporters, making content go viral in order to influence public opinion and thereby cause an organic pile-on," the complaint says.In the following weeks, news outlets published numerous stories about the "backlash" Lively faced from fans online during the film's press tour."To safeguard against the risk of Ms. Lively ever revealing the truth about Mr. Baldoni, the Baldoni-Wayfarer team created, planted, amplified, and boosted content designed to eviscerate Ms. Lively's credibility," the complaint said. Baldoni retaliated against Lively to protect his image as a 'feminist ally,' the complaint saysLively's complaint said Baldoni retaliated against her. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images Baldoni was "desperate to suppress any suggestion that he engaged in inappropriate conduct, much less sexually harassing conduct, because it would entirely undermine his carefully curated public image as a feminist ally," the complaint says.The document referenced a 2018 TED Talk Baldoni gave entitled "Why I'm Done Being 'Man Enough" and other similar content."In sum, Mr. Baldoni has crafted a public image of himself as not just an ally, but also a fierce advocate for women," the complaint says. "Contrary to this image, as set forth in detail above, Mr. Baldoni has spent the last several months and significant resources on his goal of wanting to 'bury' and 'destroy' Ms. Lively for raising concerns about his and his CEO's harassing behavior and other disturbing conduct." Lively says she hopes her actions help expose the 'sinister' tactics used to keep people quietLively told The New York Times that Baldoni used "sinister retaliatory tactics." Lia Toby/Getty Images, James Devaney/Getty Images Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, said the complaint's claims were "categorically false.""It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation, which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions," the statement read.Freedman's statement called the Lively's claims "completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media."The statement said Wayfarer Studios chose to hire Nathan before the film's marketing campaign "due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production which included her threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met."Lively shared a statement with The New York Times, saying, "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."Lively told the outlet that neither she nor her representatives ever spread negative information about Baldoni or Wayfarer Studios.

WO House / Matter of SomethingSave this picture! Steven Sundjaja, Oktobianto Dwi PrasetyoHouses, Residential InteriorsKecamatan Lima Puluh, IndonesiaArchitects: Matter of SomethingAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:211 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2023 PhotographsPhotographs:Steven Sundjaja, Oktobianto Dwi Prasetyo Lead Architects: Steven Sundjaja, Kamilah Aisyi More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. This project delves into the seamless integration of interior design with the existing architectural structure, placing particular emphasis on the transformation of the space. From the outset, we recognized that the architecture was rooted in tropical design principles, responding to the unique climate and environment of the region, with the original architects' expertise shaping this approach.Save this picture!The primary focus of the design approach was on creating a cohesive, functional, and visually striking interior that complements the existing architecture. The former car garage was repurposed into an expansive extended family residence, with the ground floor incorporating the kitchen, pantry, dining, and living areas, main bedroom, as well as two smaller bedrooms. The main bedroom is designed as a central retreat, offering rest and comfort. A staircase leads to the second floor, where the gym is above the main bedroom. Also, the library serves as one of the most engaging and distinctive features of the home, providing a unique space for relaxation and hobbies, maintaining a connection to the heart of the house.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The interior design approach prioritized enhancing the space by carefully selecting materials, textures, and tones. We focused on creating a harmonious flow between the interior design elements and the existing structure while ensuring the spaces reflected a modern yet timeless aesthetic. Natural materials like wood, stone, and marble were selected for durability, warmth, and timeless appeal. These materials, paired with a primarily neutral palette, create a serene, inviting atmosphere that supports both relaxation and everyday function.Save this picture!The design also features thoughtfully chosen elements like stone accent walls, which complement the overall existing material palette, and the preservation of the original ceiling textures in the living area. The architectural features were embraced in the interior design, ensuring a harmonious balance of the structure and interior to maintain the character of the space.Save this picture!The interior design approach resulted in a space emphasizing openness and flexibility. Each element, from the materials to the layout, was carefully chosen to support a seamless flow between rooms, making the home feel both connected and expansive. The design strategy ensures a unified, aesthetically pleasing environment that enhances the comfort and lifestyle of the residents.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeMatter of SomethingOfficePublished on December 22, 2024Cite: "WO House / Matter of Something" 21 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024994/wo-house-matter-of-something&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Hourglass / Dam & Partners ArchitectenSave this picture! Sebastian van DammeAmsterdam, The NetherlandsArchitects: Dam & Partners ArchitectenAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:42000 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2020 PhotographsPhotographs:Sebastian van Damme Lead Architects: Diederik Dam, Haakon Brouwer More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Hourglass is a striking addition to Amsterdam's Zuidas district, serving as a natural connection between the existing Zuidas area and the emerging Knowledge Quarter anchored by the Vrije Universiteit (VU), its medical center (AUmc), and the Amsterdam South train station. This mixed-use high-rise integrates seamlessly into its urban context, combining offices, long-stay apartments, retail spaces, and a public restaurant and caf. Strategically located opposite the new courthouse, Hourglass houses one of the country's largest law firms and activates the area with its multifunctional program and elegant design.Save this picture!Architectural Design and Inspiration. The building's name and distinctive hourglass shape stem from its purposeful design. Inspired by the geometric sculptures of Romanian artist Constantin Brncui, the architecture embodies both form and function. The hourglass profile reflects an innovative spatial concept: wide atria at the top and bottom floors are connected by a waisted middle section, facilitating efficient use of space and fostering connectivity between smaller atria and open floor plans that stretch from facade to facade.Save this picture!The faade is crafted with precision and artistry. Oblique natural stone planes are intersected by glass incisions, creating a timeless and international aesthetic. The light stone cladding and warm materials emphasize the building's monumentality while the upright positioning of windows optimizes reflection. Prefabricated concrete panels, clad in custom-cut white sandstone, ensure seamless assembly. Joints are reduced to a maximum width of 12 millimeters, enhancing the building's refined, seamless appearance.Save this picture!Functionality and Urban Integration. Hourglass exemplifies thoughtful urban design, with its L-shaped footprint opening onto a public square. Active lobbies and commercial spaces face north and east, engaging pedestrians, while service entrances are discreetly positioned on the west side. By integrating public, residential, and commercial functions, the design enriches the Zuidas' dynamic character and contributes to the growth of the Knowledge Quarter.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Recognition and Innovation. Hourglass's innovative design principles have been recognized with an Award of Excellence from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Its fusion of geometric artistry, high-quality prefabrication techniques, and meticulous attention to detail set a new benchmark for multifunctional high-rise buildings in urban contexts. With its iconic design and multifunctional character, Hourglass stands as a symbol of timeless architecture and urban sophistication, perfectly aligned with the aspirations of Amsterdam's Zuidas district.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Amsterdam, The NetherlandsLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on December 21, 2024Cite: "Hourglass / Dam & Partners Architecten" 21 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024804/hourglass-dam-and-partners-architecten&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream