In the past year, all sorts of companies have retreated from their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, from masculine brands like John Deere and Harley-Davidson to massive companies like Walmart and McDonalds. Many of these moves have followed public pressure and boycotts (namely a social media campaign mounted by conservative activist Robby Starbuck), but have also been catalyzed by a shifting legal and political climate after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in 2023.Now some of the biggest players in the tech industrywhich has long touted the value of diversity, equity, and inclusionare making similar cuts to their diversity initiatives. Within the past few days, both Meta and Amazon have confirmed significant changes to their DEI programs. These decisions may seem, in part, politically motivated: Last week, Meta also relaxed its hate speech policies, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with President-elect Donald Trump.But as Fast Company has previously reported, the tech industry has been quietly divesting from DEI work for some time now, as layoffs have targeted those teams and companies have failed to make meaningful progress on the commitments they made in 2020. Large tech employers like Google and Meta have chipped away at their DEI work in recent years, trimming headcount and scaling down programs focused on the recruitment and career development of underrepresented workers.At the same time, some of the changes companies are making to their corporate diversity programs seem designed to rebrand the work and move away from the language of DEI, which has become a political football and target of lawsuits by right-wing activists. Since 2023, companies like J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs have made changes to their DEI policies in response to the threat of legal action; others have stopped using certain DEI terms like equity. Meta acknowledged this was driving some of its DEI changes when the company noted that the legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing, per an internal memo obtained by Axios.(Meta, Apple, Google, and Microsoft declined to comment on the record when Fast Company asked about current or planned changes to DEI programs. Meta has confirmed that the company is dissolving many of its DEI initiatives.)Heres a closer look at the scope of the recent DEI cuts, and what they could mean for the future of diversity work at Big Tech companies:Meta According to Axios, Meta will no longer have a team that explicitly works on DEI. Chief diversity officer Maxine Williamswho has been at the company for more than a decadewill move into a new role on the accessibility and engagement team. In an internal memo, HR chief Janelle Gale wrote, The term DEI has ... become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others. Gale also noted that the company will be revamping its DEI training programs to focus instead on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background.Meta has said that it will no longer prioritize sourcing suppliers from diverse businesses and is also changing its approach to hiring. While Meta will no longer employ its diverse slate approach to hiringwhich ensured a diverse set of candidates were considered for each rolethe company will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds.Perhaps most notably, however, Meta says it will no longer have representation goalssomething many large tech companies introduced a decade ago when they started publishing diversity reports. But this isnt actually a new change: Meta claims to have already eliminated representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. Having goals can create the impression that decisions are being made based on race or gender, Gale wrote. While this has never been our practice, we want to eliminate any impression of it. This framing indicates that Meta is making some of these changes explicit to protect against legal liabilityand, it seems, to distance itself from the term DEI.AmazonLast week, Amazon revealed it had already been making changes to its DEI programs, though the company has not made clear exactly what that entailed. As Bloomberg recently reported, the changes were disclosed in a year-end memo by HR executive Candi Castleberry, who said Amazon had evaluated hundreds of programs across the company and would be winding down outdated programs and materials by the end of 2024.Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomesand we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture,she added. Castleberry was previously the head of global diversity, equity, and inclusion at Amazon, but her title changed in 2023, along with the name of the department. (Castleberry is now the VP of inclusive experiences and technology.)Amazon still has employee resource groups in place (which some employers have recently eliminated or restructured), but the company has altered its public language on diversity. On a page that outlines its positions, Amazon removed sections that focused on Equity for Black people and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as specific references to transgender rights. Prior to this change, the page had clearly stated the companys support for legislation that addressed misconduct and racial bias in policing, efforts to protect and expand voting rights, and initiatives that provide better health and educational outcomes for Black people, as well as protections for the transgender community. There was also a mention of the gender transition benefits offered at Amazon, which has since been removed. (The Washington Post reported that some employees were concerned whether that shift could impact access to benefits, though Amazon has said those benefits are still in place.)Amazon did not comment on specific cuts to its DEI programs, but spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Fast Company that the positions page is edited from time to time to ensure that it reflects updates weve made to various programs and positions.Amazon is, however, still using the language of DEI to some degree: A section on its positions page titled diversity, equity, and inclusion claims that the company is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company that helps us build the best range of products and services for our broad customer base. ... We also believe that inequitable treatment of anyoneincluding Black people, LGBTQ+ people, Asians, women, and othersis unacceptable, and we advocate for policies designed to remove barriers to equity and create an inclusive environment for all employees.In her memo, Castleberry also suggested Amazon was still committed to diversity work: We believe this is important work, so well keep investing in programs that help us reflect those audiences, help employees grow, thrive, and connect, and we remain dedicated to delivering inclusive experiences for customers, employees, and communities around the world.AppleApple is currently facing a shareholder proposal that aims to undermine its DEI programs, brought by the same conservative think tank that recently submitted a similar proposal at Costco (where it was rejected). The group is taking aim at Apples diversity policies, arguing that DEI poses litigation, reputational, and financial risks to companies.So far, however, the company has stood its ground, citing its well-established compliance program and arguing that the proposal inappropriately attempts to restrict its business operations. Apples board has urged shareholders to vote against the proposal during the companys annual meeting in February. At Apple, we believe that how we conduct ourselves is as critical to Apples success as making the best products in the world, the board said in a proxy filing. We seek to conduct business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and our Business Conduct and Compliance policies are foundational to how we do business. And we strive to create a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work.

Architecture studios Chetwoods and J&A have transformed a metro station in Shenzhen, China, into a coastal-themed transit hub, drawing on the local landscape and cultural identity.Created as part of Shenzhen's "Tourism Line", Dameisha station serves the popular Golden Coast holiday destination. Previously accessible only by car, the station now links the resort to the city's broader metro network.Chetwoods and J&A have completed Dameisha station in ShenzhenThe station's design was informed by its beachside location and integrates elements of the surrounding topography."Rooted in the coastal scenery, the design embodies a sense of freedom, tranquillity, and unhurried comfort, aligning with the overarching tourism theme of Metro Line 8," Chetwoods told Dezeen. "We wanted to create an inviting atmosphere that evokes memories of past beach experiences and the concept of 'dreaming on the beach'."The station features motifs that mimic the movement and shapes of wavesThe station's two-level interior features motifs that mimic the shapes of waves and the textures, forms and hues of sand and pebbles. A palette of soft whites contrasts with aquatic blues, evoking the interplay between the shoreline and ocean."The architectural language captures the mystery and romance of the sea's infinite movements, reflections, and the dynamic shapes of waves," the studio said.The ceiling is crafted from a curved aluminium profileAt the heart of its design is a fluid ceiling pattern that extends to the walls, creating the illusion of underwater movement.The ceiling was crafted from a curved aluminium profile that serves as a canvas for visual details, including perforations and graphic layering.Read: Geometric perforations illuminate Saudi metro station by Zaha Hadid Architects"Employing a single profile of single-curved aluminium throughout the main arrival hall allowed us to maintain visual fluidity while adhering to budgetary and construction requirements," the studio explained."By avoiding double-curved or twisted surfaces, we streamlined both the fabrication and assembly processes."Conical openings and oval skylights allow natural light inConical openings and oval skylights filter natural light into the underground station, simulating sunlight piercing the surface of the sea.Artificial lighting features, such as pebble-shaped chandeliers suspended in blue-painted voids, complement the natural elements, while ellipse-shaped LED lighting around central columns reference bubbles and ripples in seawater.Interactive marine-inspired details enhance the station's immersive experience. Graphics of swimming fish, turtles and other sea life were embedded within the reflective granite floor tiles while whale-shaped benches serve as playful yet functional design elements.Whale-shaped benches were placed on platforms"The station was designed to provoke positive emotions, sensory experiences and memories through its exploration and interpretation of the geography and culture of its location, in its forms, colours, textures and materials," the studio said."Our research into human emotional responses to the built environment plays a pivotal role in our design process, and this project demonstrates the tangible outcomes of that approach."Founded in 1988 by Laurie Chetwood, Chetwoods Architects has worked on a number of international projects ranging from large industrial sheds to entries for the Chelsea Flower Show.Recent metro stations spotlighted on Dezeen include Zaha Hadid Architects station inRiyadh's financial district and a Parisian station wrapped in vertical wooden louvres.The photography is bySheng Lin Ye.The post Chetwoods and J&A unveil beach-informed metro station in Shenzhen appeared first on Dezeen.

The GOES Health app was developed to help travelers in remote areas, but it's increasingly become a tool for people in areas hit by climate disasters.

In recent months, Americans may have noticed a rise in the cost of their favorite chocolate bars, but this price spike is linked to more than inflation.In 2024, the price of cocoa beanschocolates essential ingredientmore than doubled compared to 2023. This surge isnt just an economic blip; its a wake-up call about the deepening impact of climate change on the chocolate we consume.For every 5 pounds of cocoa beans sold on global markets, 3 come from West Africa. Cte dIvoire alone grows about 40%, and another 14% is harvested in neighboring Ghana. However, the region is increasingly vulnerable to changing weather patterns. And in 2024, a devastating drought in Ghana cut the countrys cocoa production by nearly a third, according to the International Cocoa Organization, which oversees 53 cocoa importing and exporting countries.Costly CocoaThis drought led to a global cocoa shortage, causing prices to skyrocket for manufacturers. In May 2024, the cost of 1 metric ton of cocoa beans hit nearly $11,000, a sharp increase from just under $3,000 a year earlier.In a conference call in August, Hershey CEO Michele Buck highlighted the pressure that West Africas shortage put on the $37 billion company, saying, We believe the current cocoa price is not sustainable.The surge prompted U.S. chocolate companies, like Hershey, to raise prices ahead of the 2024 holiday season. While Hershey was tight-lipped about the exact percentage of price increases, the company acknowledged in its February 2024 earnings call that it planned to raise prices across various products to account for rising cocoa costs. Given where cocoa prices are, we will be using every tool in our toolbox, including pricing, as a way to manage the business, Buck said.(And while the company hasnt commented on specific price increases, consumers have likely noticed them: In 2023, for example, a bag of Hersheys Kisses cost $6.99 at Target; today, that same bag is $9.49.)Halloween candy on display at an Austin Walmart Supercenter in October 2024 [Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images]While conglomerates like Hershey might be able to withstand current economic pressures, the cocoa shortage may prove more damaging for smaller businesses. Dahlia Graham of Fruition Chocolate Works, which has a shop in New York and sells to 600 stores nationwide, said that in December 2024, the company raised prices on chocolate bars by 20%, making a $9.60 artisan chocolate bar $12.Maya Zellman, owner of the Brazilian chocolate shop Mayas Brigadeiro, in Los Angeles, also hiked prices. Its unfortunate when something thats out of our control, like a rise in cocoa [prices], changes that margin and then we have to make that choice, Zellman said.This month, cocoa prices remain at a steep $10,000 per metric ton, signaling that consumers costs are unlikely to ease anytime soon.The Climate Problem: One Ingredient in Ghanas CocoaThe cocoa shortage came after unexpectedly heavy rainfall during Ghanas dry season in 2023 and then drought in 2024. Climate scientist Kiswendsida Guigma, of the Red Cross Climate Center, says its just one example of the climate extremes that the African continent has been experiencing due to climate change in recent years.The United Nations estimated that Ghanas 2024 drought affected more than 1 million people, resulting in staggering crop losses and record-high food prices.Ghanaian cocoa merchants like Ebenezer Boateng experienced its effects firsthand. When we begin to notice that maybe the rains are not coming, we know that we are not going to get [the cocoa] like we used to. So we had to quickly engage in other crops like cashew, he said over a WhatsApp call from Ghana.A pile of cocoa pods shows of black pod disease during a harvest at a farm in the town of Kwabeng, Ghana. Punishing rains and the relentless creep of black pod disease are pushing futures to their highest since the 1970s. [Photo: Paul Ninson/Bloomberg/Getty Images]Cocoa farming in Ghana relies on rainfall because irrigation systems for the crop arent common. But farmers and scientists say heavy rainfall can be just as damaging as droughts. This combination of extreme rainfall events and prolonged dry spells will have implications on the agriculture sector, Guigma said.Severe droughts and floods are both hydroclimatic extremescatastrophic climate events related to water or the lack thereofexacerbated by climate change, according to Guigma, who studies heat waves, floods, and droughts in West Africa. Guigma and other scientists at the Climate Center work on forecasting climate conditions and developing plans to help countries prepare for extreme weather events.If [we] understand what causes [climate extremes], we can also more easily predict when they will happen and how severe they will be, he said.Climate change is also exacerbating tree diseases, like cacao swollen shoot virus disease, which is detrimental to cocoa. Its a virus that slowly depletes the energy of the tree. It produces fewer and fewer pods and eventually will kill the tree, said Victoria Kichuk, a chocolate sommelier and founder of Cocoa Beantown, which puts on chocolate events and tours in Boston.The disease is spread by white fuzzy insects called mealybugs. They breed rapidly in hot and dry weather, so drought exacerbates swollen shoot disease. Currently, theres no known cure.The only way to get rid of the virus in the trees is you have to rip the trees out and burn them, Kichuk said.But despite the effects on agriculture and livelihoods, Guigma says the search for solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change in West African countries like Ghana isnt often a priority.This is yet an overlooked issue in the region, in Africa in general, and even more so on the West African side, because of the many competing priorities in the region, Guigma said. Besides climate, we have a lot of political and conflict issues, and as a result, its not always easy for decision-makers to make it a priority.To locals like Boateng, a second-generation cocoa farmer, its clear that climate change is just one piece of cocoas volatility. Small-scale illegal gold mining operations, known as galamsey, are encroaching on cocoa farms, damaging crops, and polluting water.We are suffering from not getting clean and proper water to even water our seedlings, because its full of chemicalscyanide and mercury, Boateng said, stressing that he worries about the effects of this mining on his livelihood.In a year or two to come, if nothing is done, I dont know what the [cocoa] industry will look like.A farmer attends to cocoa beans drying on a rack at a Ghanaian farm. [Photo: Paul Ninson/Bloomberg/Getty Images]The Future of CocoaKichuk, whos been in the chocolate industry for almost 15 years, shared ways the U.S. chocolate industry is trying to adapt to the shortage.This month, Hershey requested permission to purchase 90,000 metric tons of cocoa beans, according to Bloombergnearly double the federal limit of 49,000 tons, a clear effort to stockpile supplies amid the cocoa shortage. This additional 41,000 tons could cost the company up to $290 million, based on the average cost of beans in 2024, highlighting the financial strain manufacturers are facing.Major players like Hershey, Mars, and Nestl may also look for cocoa from other regions such as Latin America, which would amount to a major market shift.Graham, who is also president of the board of directors for the nonprofit Fine Chocolate Industry Association, already sources much of her cocoa from Latin America. But because Ghanas shortage continues to affect so much of the industry, prices for Latin American cocoa also increased in 2024. Ive seen the price go up on every single cocoa bean we source, Graham said.Manufacturers like Hershey are also experimenting with reducing the percentage of cocoa in their products, or replacing it with other ingredients altogether.This past May, Hershey announced a Kit Kat vanilla flavor, along with a pink lemonade flavor. For Halloween, Kit Kat used a cinnamon creme coating for its special ghost toast flavor, replacing the candys traditional chocolate covering.Other companies are experimenting with alternative ingredients for chocolate-like products. For example, Planet A Foods, a German startup, uses sunflower seeds and oats to create ChoViva, a chocolate alternative with a smaller environmental footprint. Unlike cocoa, these ingredients can be grown more sustainably and require less water, as cocoa production is water-intensive. Alternatives like fava beans, used by the U.K.-based startup Nukoko, are also being explored.Some of the appeal lies not just in the economic need to replace cocoa due to shortages, but in the environmental concerns tied to traditional cocoa farming.Cocoa farming contributes to deforestation, as large swaths of tropical forests are cleared to make room for cocoa plantations, exacerbating climate change. Some companies, like Celleste Bio, are experimenting with making lab-grown cocoa, which is identical to traditional cocoa but cultivated in a controlled environment. This innovation allows its production to take place anywhere in the world, free from the market fluctuations and environmental impacts associated with conventional cocoa farming.Ultimately, its unlikely that anything will replace Americans love of chocolateat least not anytime soon. I have yet to meet someone that remembers their first taste of chocolate, because for all of us, it happens when were so small, Kichuk said. But given the precarious realities of cocoa production, Americans may need to brace themselves for that relationship to evolve.

Architecture studio Schemata Architects has created Blue Bottle Coffee Toyosu Park Cafe, a wooden cafe in Japan with an open design that gives visitors an unobstructed view of the sea.The wooden building comprises three volumes with sloping roofs of different heights and was designed to blend in with the trees in Toyosu Park, Tokyo, which sits next to Tokyo Bay.The cafe is located in Tokyo's Toyosu Park"Because of the park's good location, the aim was to create a relationship in which the entire park would feel like a seating area from the point of view of the cafe side, and the cafe is one of the diverse places to be from the point of view of the park side," Schemata Architects founder Jo Nagasaka told Dezeen."Not to diminish the good qualities of the park by the construction of the building, the entire building was created as a cluster of human-scale volumes," he added.Schemata Architects used mainly wood for its structureSchemata Architects designed the cafe for Blue Bottle Coffee as a "gradation of outdoor, semi-outdoor and indoor activities" that can be accessed from all sides of the building.To further blur the indoors and outdoors, the studio used bricks both inside and outside the 300-square-metre eatery."Instead of a clear separation between inside and outside, we wanted to create a pleasant experience with gradational connections between indoor, semi-outdoor and outdoor areas, so we used bricks on the floor and counters as a motif to connect inside and outside," Nagasaka explained.Wooden pillars create outdoor "rooms" with FRP tablesBlue Bottle Coffee Toyosu Park Cafe's overall structure is made from two types of wood, which form decorative pillars supporting roofs that vary in height to give the building a dynamic feel.The pillars also create "rooms" that enclose cafe spaces while being open to nature.Read: Funamachi Base cafe and sweet shop designed as "extension of the park""The tree species used are cypress (hinoki) and larch," Nagsaka said. "The safety engineering construction method using laminated wood allows column spans to be skipped and seating to be arranged freely.""The eye-level areas use glass extensively to allow unobstructed sea views through the building," the studio added.Red brick was used both inside and outsideThe facade of Blue Bottle Coffee Toyosu Park Cafe is covered in beige-hued fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP), which also forms small tabletops that either sit on steel legs or are attached to the wooden pillars of the cafe.Schemata Architects chose to use this FRP to create a coherent colour palette for the cafe, where the brown hue of the natural wood is enhanced by red tables and chairs that match the red brick.The cafe's roofs have different heights"The use of FRP in the same beige as the wood reduces the overall number of colours," Nagasaka explained. "The transparency of the material also gives the furniture a light impression."Other recent Schemata Architect projects that make extensive use of wood include a collection of low-lying angular guesthouses in Okinawa and a sweet shop in Funamachi, Japan.The photography is by Takumi Ota.The post Wooden pillars support Blue Bottle Coffee cafe overlooking Tokyo Bay appeared first on Dezeen.

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The highway approaching New Clark City is widefour lanes each way in placesbut carries little traffic. Newly installed street lamps, powered by sunlight, dot the median. Construction equipment and recently finished buildings rise ahead, where the Philippine government is building a metropolis designed to withstand the threats of a hotter, less predictable world.Once completed in 2065, this climate-resilient city, which has already attracted nearly $2.5 billion in investment, could teem with 1.2 million people and serve as a backup capital should Manila, about 70 miles to the south, be incapacitated by disaster.Metropolitan Manila, one of the worlds most densely populated urban area, lies on a floodplain vulnerable to rising seas and violent typhoons. New Clark City, on the other hand, sits between two mountain ranges, land chosen for its ability to withstand extreme weather. The plan includes commercial and residential neighborhoods, public transit, and ample green space. Although most official functions will remain in Manila, some government agencies will move north.New Clark City is the first smart, green, resilient metropolis in the Philippines, said Lucky Nio Baula of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, or BCDA, the government entity leading the project. Joshua Bingcang, the agencys president and CEO, has an expansive vision of the citys role: It will, he hopes, help with nation-building and create space for economic development.New Clark City is one of many urban experiments being planned in response to climate change. But unlike, say, the floating community in South Korea called Oceanix or Saudi Arabias wall-like linear city, which as designed would be 105 miles long and just one-eighth of a mile wide, New Clark City is based on a technologically viable plan. Yet the Philippine project has challenges of its own, and some of its biggest promises may not fully materialize. There are questions about its ability to withstand a climate catastrophe, for example, and about how many people will want, or be able, to move there. Other major infrastructure projects elsewhere in the country cast doubt on the governments stated commitment to resilient and inclusive development.But what troubles some critics most is New Clark City seems to prioritize the desires of a few over the needs of many. It stands on land taken without consent or compensation from the Indigenous Ayta people, and a dearth of affordable housing risks creating a haven for elites rather than a place where all can enjoy the benefits of the countrys growing economy.Metropolitan Manila, which covers an area smaller than New York City, is home to 14.5 million people. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and a hodgepodge of public transit crowd narrow streets, and it can take hours to drive even a mile or two. The cityan average of 43 feet above sea levelfloods regularly, and there is precious little green space.New Clark City is meant to alleviate many of the challenges Manila faces, including frequent flooding. The city was inundated by heavy rains brought by Typhoon Gaemi in July 2024. [Photo: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images]New Clark City is meant to alleviate those challenges. It sits on a site about half the size of Washington, D.C., that was once part of Clark Air Base, an American military site created in 1903, when the Philippines was a U.S. colony. Arnel Casanova, a businessperson and urban planner who led the BCDA under former president Noynoy Aquino, conceived of the project in 2012. The devastation wrought by Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 (and, later, Typhoon Haiyan in 2013) convinced him of the need to build cities on higher ground.Casanova hoped a planned metropolis would provide abundant green space, prevent congestion by incorporating mass transit from the start, and avoid Manilas economic segregation, something he is keenly aware of. When he arrived there as a student, Casanova could not afford an apartment and lived in one of the citys many informal settlementsunregulated neighborhoods, often built in hazardous areas, that lack basic services like running water. New Clark City, he said, recognizes how important it is for human beings to have their physical space designed and developed in such a way that human dignity and community can be promoted and upheld.The project has enjoyed strong support from three presidents. Aquino is from the region, which helped explain his enthusiasm for it. His successor, President Rodrigo Duterte, made New Clark City a flagship of his administration. Although the city has been less important to President Bongbong Marcos, in part because of other priorities (including an affordable housing project critics call unrealistic), he remains committed and has expressed hope that it will become a mecca for tourists, a magnet of investments, and a market of goods and services.Casanova envisioned New Clark City in broad strokes, with the details to emerge over time. Construction will unfold in five phases over 40 years, but the government has not made its master plan or budget public. Private investors are expected to foot most of the bill, with more than 100 U.S. companies reportedly among those interested in backing the effort.Construction started in 2016. Beginning in April 2018, crews labored around the clock for 18 months to complete a stadium, an aquatic center, and other structures for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. They have since erected the National Government Administrative Centerdesigned to house 3,000 government employeesand a 516-unit apartment complex. Yet apart from 229 students attending the National Academy of Sports, no one has moved in permanently. Of the 80-odd apartments sold thus far, most have gone to high-level officials and business executives who use them as vacation homes, according to the buildings manager.Construction is entering its second phase, with plans for expanded residential, commercial, and industrial development; government offices; and a golf course. Several schools, including the University of the Philippines, are building campuses as well.For now, the city remains relatively quiet. Roads are mostly empty, and few people live there, although BCDA employees, construction workers, and others involved in its planning and creation are a regular presence. Driving down freshly paved streets or strolling through a park along the Cutcut River, it is possible to imagine the place bustling with activity within the next decade or so.Its locationinland, flanked by mountains, and more than 170 feet above sea level at its lowest pointbolsters the development authoritys argument that the site provides ample protection against the worst impacts of climate change. Seen from the Administrative Center, currently the tallest building, the distant peaks suggest a measureof invulnerability.New Clark City sits in Central Luzon, a low-lying area of plains and paddies sometimes known as the rice granary of the Philippines. The region is laced by rivers and ringed by mountains, including Mount Pinatubo. Because it is flat, the area between Manila and New Clark City occasionally floods. In 1972, Typhoon Ritaknown among Filipinos as Typhoon Gloringcaused more than a week of inundation and destroyed the homes of around 2 million people. Gerry Bagtasa, an atmospheric physicist at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said similar occurrences are possible in an era of increasingly violent storms and rising seas. BCDA officials insist New Clark City is immune to flooding: No, it wont happen, they say, citing the ample drainage, green space, and no-build zones theyre confident can manage rainfall. Such claims have merit, but the city faces other dangers. Mount Pinatubo erupted with catastrophic results in 1991, and a major fault line runs through the area.Climate change will not significantly increase the likelihood of eruptions or earthquakes. But Harold Aquino, a civil engineer and disaster resilience researcher at Massey University of New Zealand, said such risks have to be on our radar. He, Bagtasa, and others who study the hazards wrought by a warming world find it unrealistic to think any location in a country already experiencing the impacts of climate change will be immune to its threats. Moreover, Aquino points out that New Clark City will shape the local environment: When you start building a new community, you alter the topography of the area, and therefore you also alter the way water flows.New Clark City also may not be as green as promised. Just 30% of its energy is slated to come from renewable sources. That speaks to the Philippiness overwhelming reliance on fossil fuels, which account for around 75% of its electricity generation. The country is attempting to expand its clean energy capacity, but officials at the Philippine Department of Energy said it could be decades before New Clark City can rely upon renewables for most of its power. A recent proposal to build a 91.4-acre solar farm there failed to garner even a single bid.The governments vision for New Clark City, which includes wide sidewalks, ample bike lanes, and bus lines, improves on Metro Manilas much-maligned transportation infrastructure. But the city will still rely heavily on automobiles. And even as the government calls New Clark City a model of climate-forward thinking, it is pursuing projects in Manila that undermine efforts to foster climate resilience. They include the Pasig River Expressway, a six-lane elevated highway that critics argue will increase congestion, adversely impact the river for which it is named, and contribute to the urban heat island effect; and New Manila International Airport, which is being built on land reclaimed from Manila Bay.Development authority officials believe concerns about New Clark Citys sustainability are either overblown or can be overcome through technological innovation. Casanova believes most of the development has remained faithful to his vision of a sustainable and resilient city. Theres just one thing that I feel is being violated, he said. Theyve begun to accept golf courses. Im a golfer. But to me, a golf course is really destructive environmentally.Such an amenity is indicative of a larger problem, said Sheilah Napalang, a professor of urban planning at the University of the Philippines Diliman: A lack of affordable housing could make New Clark City a haven for the affluent. For it to be truly sustainable, she said, you have to have housing opportunities with a range of prices.Napalang, a former assistant secretary of transportation under President Duterte, said the BCDA has a lackluster record on affordable housing. Prices in its other flagship project, a district in Metro Manila called Bonifacio Global City, are 5 to 10 times higher than elsewhere in the city. Most of the districts residents are corporate executives, and workers endure long commutes to get there.Lucky Nio Baula of the BCDA said the development authority recognizes the need for affordable housing, and the agency has announced plans to build 2,000 to 3,000 units for low- to middle-income workers. Still, it has not offered any details on how much housing will be widely affordable in a country where the average annual household income is about $6,000.Moreover, New Clark City is being built on the ancestral land of the Indigenous Ayta people, thousands of whom may be displaced by the construction. Although the government is legally required to include Indigenous peoples in any discussions about development on their landa process called free, prior, and informed consentcritics like Carlo Manalansan say this never happened with New Clark City.Manalansan, a community organizer at the International Accountability Project, has worked with the Ayta to raise awareness about violations of their rights. He described the situation bluntly: They are corrupt, he said of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, orNCIP, the government agency responsible for safeguarding Indigenous rights.Representatives of the Ayta community could not be reached, but Filipino journalists have reported that hundreds of families were evicted during the first phase of construction and as many as 65,000 people, including 18,000 Ayta, in 12 villages could be pushed out as New Clark City is built. Roland Calde, the NCIP official in charge of Indigenous affairs in the area, said he was unfamiliar with the project despite its pursuit by three presidential administrations. Another NCIP official, Rhodex Valenciano, attributed the displacements to construction of a nearby dam, said the displaced are not Indigenous, and blamed the Ayta for claiming too much land in their title application, which, if successful, would allow them to prevent encroachment by any infrastructure projects. They are a population of around 500, and now they are applying for [title to] half of the municipality of Capas, Valenciano said. Imagine that! Its an abuse of the rights of the IPs [Indigenous peoples].Joshua Bingcang, the president and CEO of the BCDA, says the agency has provided $738 million to those affected by construction. We had trouble with our Commission on Audit before, he says, referring to the governments independent oversight agency. We had to defend why we are giving so much financial assistance to them.Critics like Manalansan largely agree that the government needs to invest in climate resilience, and that must include reimagining Philippine cities. But they argue that the governments current path will not lead to a more resilient future because it risks leaving people behind. Rather than upholding the rights of Indigenous peoples, they say, BCDA has marginalized them. Instead of establishing job opportunities and services that would attract those of all socioeconomic classes, it has emphasized policies that threaten to exclude all but the affluent. One analysis called this approach internal colonialism and warns that it will result in negative consequences for local and Indigenous communities.Some critics view the endeavor as a continuation of former President Ferdinand Marcoss penchant for white elephantslarge projects, like the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant built in the 1980s but never usedwhose cost far exceeds their usefulness. But there is still time to address these problems. Aquino, the Massey University professor, suggests the government come up with a concrete plan for managing and mitigating the citys impacts on the Ayta population and give them a role in its planning.Resilience is not just infrastructural or physical resilience, but also social resilience and trying to protect Ayta culture, he said. Whats more, the government could benefit from their firsthand experience of how climate has impacted the area. We can leverage Indigenous and local knowledge when it comes to climate-proofing the area.In addition to respecting the Aytas status as primary stakeholders in the land, making New Clark City a model of sustainability and equity will require building more affordable housing and providing economic opportunities for Filipinos of all backgrounds. The government also needs to aggressively build out renewable energy, develop robust public transportation, and ensure green spaces are accessible to all. In Aquinos words, We have to think about who were making the city or the community resilient for.ByMaggie Wang, GristThis article originally appeared in Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. It was reported with support from the Pulitzer Center. Sign up for Grists newsletter here.

Architecture studio KPF has completed the Ziraat Bank Headquarters skyscrapersas the centrepiece of the Istanbul International Financial Center in Turkey.Rising 40- and 46-storeys-high, the towers are made up of interconnected glass structures that widen at their tops and are joined by a podium at their base.Encompassing 450,000-square-metres, the complex completed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) in collaboration with local studio A Tasarim Mimarlik contains the headquarters for the bank along with an auditorium, retail space and underground parking.KPF has completed twin skyscrapers in Istanbul's Financial DistrictExternally, the towers are defined by horizontal bands that divide each office level.Set off from this largely glass exterior, ornate screens typical of Islamic architecture surround the podium building.Designed as an extension of the district's public space, the podium contains retail space on the ground floor, which is accessed via entrances fronted by a courtyard.Ornate screens decorate the podium's exterior"Ziraat Bank Headquarters is a modern building with deep roots in Istanbul's physical and cultural context," said KPF design principal Mustafa Chehabeddine."Our concept was for the podium to incorporate interpretive refences to the intricate style of the region's rich historic architecture, with a layered, screen-like approach to shading, while the towers display a horizontal banding," he continued."The building geometry gently and gradually expands toward the top, resulting in a sculptural form that celebrates the growth and development of Ziraat Bank."Read: HEMAA uses black steel for narrow skyscraper in Mexico CityInside, the building opens up to a bright, lofty interior lit by expansive glass facades and complete with large structural columns, and stone and wooden details.An eight-storey atrium is crossed by a number of bridges that connect various parts of the building.An 8-storey atrium features within the buildingKPF used local stone and wood throughout the development extending to the auditorium, which is clad in curving panels of CNC-milled limestone.According to the studio, timber was used to "create a sense of intimacy" in the auditorium, which has a series of waving roof panels designed to improve acoustics.Timber lines the auditorium's interiorThe towers contain office space for the bank with shared amenities such as prayer rooms and gardens provided throughout.Additionally, spacious, landscaped roof terraces provide shared outdoor space equipped with seating space.Roof terraces are hosted atop the towersElsewhere KPF is set to complete a supertall skyscraper that pays homage to New York City's beaux-arts architecture in Midtown Manhattan and a redesign of Foster and Partners' HSBC skyscraper that will include a series of cut-out terraces.Dezeen also recently rounded up the top 10 skyscrapers of 2024, which include the One Za'abeel towers in Dubai by Nikken Sekkei.The photography is by Dirk Lindner.Project credits:Local architect: A Tasarim MimarlikStructure: ArupConstruction manager: Turner InternationalContractor: Kalyon naat Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim irketiFacade engineers: ALTWorkplace consultants: KKS StrategyOffice interiors: A+I AsiaAcoustical consultant: MezzoLEED consultant: AltensisSignage: SymbiusLandscape: DDSKitchen design: TriconAV, IT & BMU consultant: WSPLighting design: PJCThe post KPF completes twin skyscrapers for Ziraat Bank Headquarters in Istanbul appeared first on Dezeen.

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