On Tuesday, I was thinking I might write a story about the implications of the Trump administrations repeal of the Biden executive order on AI. (The biggest implication: that labs are no longer asked to report dangerous capabilities to the government, though they may do so anyway.) But then two bigger and more important AI stories dropped: one of them technical, and one of them economic. This story was first featured in the Future Perfect newsletter.Sign up here to explore the big, complicated problems the world faces and the most efficient ways to solve them. Sent twice a week.Stargate is a jobs program but maybe not for humansThe economic story is Stargate. In conjunction with companies like Oracle and Softbank, OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman announced a mind-boggling planned $500 billion investment in new AI infrastructure for OpenAI that is, for data centers and the power plants that will be needed to power them. People immediately had questions. First, there was Elon Musks public declaration that they dont actually have the money, followed by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadellas rejoinder: Im good for my $80 billion. (Microsoft, remember, has a large stake in OpenAI.) Second, some challenged OpenAIs assertion that the program will create hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Why? Well, the only plausible way for investors to get their money back on this project is if, as the company has been betting, OpenAI will soon develop AI systems that can do most work humans can do on a computer. Economists are fiercely debating exactly what economic impacts that would have, if it came about, though the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs doesnt seem like one, at least not over the long term. Mass automation has happened before, at the start of the Industrial Revolution, and some people sincerely expect that in the long run itll be a good thing for society. (My take: that really, really depends on whether we have a plan to maintain democratic accountability and adequate oversight, and to share the benefits of the alarming new sci-fi world. Right now, we absolutely dont have that, so Im not cheering the prospect of being automated.) But even if youre more excited about automation than I am, we will replace all office work with AIs which is fairly widely understood to be OpenAIs business model is an absurd plan to spin as a jobs program. But then, a $500 billion investment to eliminate countless jobs probably wouldnt get President Donald Trumps imprimatur, as Stargate has.DeepSeek may have figured out reinforcement on AI feedbackThe other huge story of this week was DeepSeek r1, a new release from the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, that the company advertises as a rival to OpenAIs o1. What makes r1 a big deal is less the economic implications and more the technical ones. To teach AI systems to give good answers, we rate the answers they give us, and train them to home in on the ones we rate highly. This is reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), and it has been the main approach to training modern LLMs since an OpenAI team got it working. (The process is described in this 2019 paper.) But RLHF is not how we got the ultra superhuman AI games program AlphaZero. That was trained using a different strategy, based on self-play: the AI was able to invent new puzzles for itself, solve them, learn from the solution, and improve from there.This strategy is particularly useful for teaching a model how to do quickly anything it can do expensively and slowly. AlphaZero could slowly and time-intensively consider lots of different policies, figure out which one is best, and then learn from the best solution. It is this kind of self-play that made it possible for AlphaZero to vastly improve on previous game engines. So, of course, labs have been trying to figure out something similar for large language models. The basic idea is simple: you let a model consider a question for a long time, potentially using lots of expensive computation. Then you train it on the answer it eventually found, trying to produce a model that can get the same result more cheaply. But until now, major labs were not seeming to be having much success with this sort of self-improving RL, machine learning engineer Peter Schmidt-Nielsen wrote in an explanation of DeepSeek r1s technical significance. What has engineers so impressed with (and so alarmed by) r1 is that the team seems to have made significant progress using that technique. This would mean that AI systems can be taught to rapidly and cheaply do anything they know how to slowly and expensively do which would make for some of the fast and shocking improvements in capabilities that the world witnessed with AlphaZero, only in areas of the economy far more important than playing games.One other notable fact here: these advances are coming from a Chinese AI company. Given that US AI companies are not shy about using the threat of Chinese AI dominance to push their interests and given that there really is a geopolitical race around this technology that says a lot about how fast China may be catching up.Its still JanuaryA lot of people I know are sick of hearing about AI. Theyre sick of AI slop in their newsfeeds and AI products that are worse than humans but dirt cheap, and they arent exactly rooting for OpenAI (or anyone else) to become the worlds first trillionaires by automating entire industries.But I think that in 2025, AI is really going to matter not because of whether these powerful systems get developed, which at this point looks well underway, but for whether society is ready to stand up and insist that its done responsibly. When AI systems start acting independently and committing serious crimes (all of the major labs are working on agents that can act independently right now), will we hold their creators accountable? If OpenAI makes a laughably low offer to its nonprofit entity in its transition to fully for-profit status, will the government step in to enforce nonprofit law? A lot of these decisions will be made in 2025, and the stakes are very high. If AI makes you uneasy, thats a lot more reason to demand action than it is a reason to tune out. A version of this story originally appeared in the Future Perfect newsletter. Sign up here!Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Since Donald Trumps rise to power, some liberals have developed a bad habit of seeing secret Nazi imagery everywhere on the right.Be it Laura Ingraham allegedly sieg-heiling at the 2016 Republican National Convention, a Justice Brett Kavanaugh clerk being called a covert white supremacist in 2018 because of her resting hand position, or concerns that the furniture at a 2021 conservative conference was arranged in the shape of a Nazi divisions emblem, these charges almost always end up looking kind of absurd.So when I say that Elon Musk gave a Nazi salute at Trumps inauguration on Monday, I am doing so only because I can see no other plausible interpretation of his gesture.I watched the footage from as many angles as I could find. He stuck his arm straight out, palm down, and pointed it toward the crowd in a gesture of tribute. He put his hand on his heart first, a variant of the Adolf Hitler salute popularized in American History X a critical film about neo-Nazism that some on the far-right have reclaimed as a celebration. And he did it twice.If thats what you saw well, Im with you. And its what neo-Nazis themselves saw; Nick Fuentes, the Hitler admirer who dined with Trump in 2022, described Musks gesture as a straight-up sieg heil, like loving Hitler energy.But maybe you saw things differently. Maybe, like the Washington Posts Megan McArdle, you are inclined to give Musk the benefit of the doubt suggesting that he was merely trying to mime his heart going out to the crowd. Maybe youre skeptical of viral video clips on principle, a reasonable attitude given how easy they are to edit deceptively. Maybe you think we ultimately cant know whats in someones heart, and its not worth trying to guess especially given Musks dismissal of the charges.But whatever you believe was in Musks heart on Monday, you can see why many of us would be leery of giving him the benefit of the doubt.Musk has a long and extensive track record of extreme-right politics, flirtations with antisemitism, and juvenile trolling. This assessment does not hinge entirely on one gesture but on the totality of his public behavior. Just a few years ago, someone this radical wouldnt be anywhere near a presidential inauguration.Musks presence there, and his ability to avoid even a hint of contrition for doing something that emboldens Americas neo-Nazis, is a sign of a deeper rot. Since Trump has risen to power, Americans shared notion of public morals the idea that there are certain standards for conduct that shouldnt be transgressed have been blown to bits. Some of those standards, like strong prohibitions on doing anything that even resembles an endorsement of Nazism, are some of our most important bulwarks against a return to the worst political moments in modern humanitys long collective history. And that, more than anything else, is why what Musk did both from that stage and long before matters. Even if leaders and elites have abandoned any pretensions to a moral code, we as citizens still need to insist on it. Instead, even institutions created to banish bigotry and contain cruelty are bending the knee.We dont need a Hitler salute to know who Elon Musk isIts true that Elon Musk has done some things, like visiting Auschwitz, that one wouldnt expect from someone who would heil Hitler in public. But when you look at his public record in totality, the pattern is unmistakable and disturbing.After purchasing Twitter in 2022, Musk personally intervened to restore Fuentes and others like him, who had been banned by the platforms previous owners. Two 2023 data analyses found that the amount of antisemitic content on Twitter, now X, doubled after Musks purchase. A 2024 NBC investigation reported that Musks choices allowed antisemitism and neo-Nazism to flourish on the platform, identifying hundreds of neo-Nazi accounts gaining in influence under Musks new policies.While his initial justification was that these views are easier to combat when debated publicly, it quickly became clear that he actually agreed with some of what they had to say.The most infamous example came when Musk replied approvingly to a nakedly antisemitic tweet. The original poster accused Jews of pushing dialectical hatred against whites, adding that he was deeply disinterested in giving the tiniest shit now about western Jewish populations coming to the disturbing realization that those hordes of minorities that support flooding their country dont exactly like them too much.Musk told this person that you have said the actual truth. He then went on to attack the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish anti-hate group, for unjustly attack[ing] the majority of the West. He ultimately apologized and visited Auschwitz to demonstrate that he had learned.Yet there are plenty of other examples afterward of Musk interacting with or promoting antisemitic or neo-Nazi content. RelatedHe, for example, amplified a post accusing Jews of supporting censorship. He praised two separate Tucker Carlson interviews with troubling content one featuring a Hitler apologist and the other airing conspiracy theories about Israeli control over US foreign policy. And he once accused the billionaire Holocaust survivor George Soros of hating humanity, comparing Soros to Magneto the Jewish X-Men villain whose hatred of humanity arose from his experience in a death camp. In the past few weeks, Musk has used his platform on X to repeatedly and loudly advance Germanys far-right Alternative fr Deutschland (AfD) party. The AfD is extreme even by the standards of the European far-right: Some of its members tried to storm the German parliament in 2020, January 6-style, while a former AfD member of parliament was arrested in 2022 for plotting an actual coup. The party is virulently opposed to immigration; its leader Alice Weidel recently called for remigration a mass deportation campaign that could potentially target even legal residents of minority backgrounds. Another leading party figure, Bjrn Hcke, has called for an end to German guilt over Nazism and used a Nazi slogan in one of his speeches.The International Auschwitz Committee, a German anti-hate group founded by Holocaust survivors, has repeatedly warned about the partys dangers.With every year of its existence, the AfD has become increasingly cynical and extreme. As a result, it has contributed to a huge level of radicalisation in language and in the extreme far right as a whole in Germany, Christoph Heubner, the committees executive vice president, said in a 2023 press release. MPs and representatives of the AfD repeatedly trigger disconcerting memories in the survivors of the German concentration and extermination camps with their speeches and public performances.So do the many examples of Musk supporting neo-Nazis and promoting their ideas make him a dyed-in-the-wool Nazi, one who simply revealed his true colors at Trumps inauguration? We cant tell whats in his heart, of course, but I think theres a likely explanation.We know that Elon Musk has genuinely far-right politics and that he marinades in an online information environment rife with conspiracy theories. We also know that he delights in trolling.He is willing to pursue these interests even in ways that damage his business. Think about Xs plummeting ad revenues after Musk platformed extremists. Or how he triggered an SEC lawsuit after vowing to take Tesla private at $420 a share (weed jokes, theyre hilarious). Or how, in the midst of a fight with Twitters corporate landlord, he repainted the sign to read Titter (boob jokes, theyre hilarious).Elon Musk is many things: a brilliant entrepreneur, the worlds richest man, and a genuinely dangerous political extremist. But he also has a juvenile sense of humor and an adolescent love of transgressing against liberal Americas taboos. He is human South Park.Such a person could sincerely hold Nazi beliefs. But he could just as easily find joy in making an obvious Nazi gesture on a national stage and then denying it, knowing full well that there would be no serious cost to his actions. A Thursday morning tweet containing a series of Nazi puns relating to the salute controversy Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations, Some people will Goebbels anything down makes this all too easy to imagine.Musk, manners, and the execrable vibe shiftIt used to be that something like what Musk pulled a gesture that perfectly mimicked a Nazi salute, intentionally or not would necessitate some kind of apology. Something along the lines of Of course I didnt mean to heil Hitler, and Im sorry for the hurt this caused to the victims of Nazism and their descendants.Thats not what Musk has done. Since Monday, he has gone on the offensive calling the media propagandists and trying to shift to a debate over liberals position on Israel. Theres no contrition, no sense of embarrassment: just utter and complete shamelessness.This is, of course, one of the defining traits of the Trump era of politics. But whats striking is that, since Trumps reelection, the institutions that are supposed to push back on this have kissed the ring.Take the ADL, which had previously done so much to expose the rise of extremism after Musks purchase of Twitter and called him out for flirtations with white supremacy. It got so heated that Musk blamed the ADL directly for Xs loss in revenue and repeatedly threatened to sue them.The ADL has retained a very low tolerance for public displays of antisemitism since then. After the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, it has been quite clearly overzealous in that regard, pursuing pro-Palestinian college students for behavior far less troubling (like handing out anti-Zionist flyers) than what Musk just did.Yet after the inauguration, the group issued a statement basically giving Musk a hall pass for performing an awkward gesture. It did so, in large part, because we are in the midst of a new beginning for American politics in which all sides should give one another a bit of grace.Even though the ADL found some spine on Thursday and criticized Musk for the Nazi jokes, the initial statement was capitulation of a particularly notable kind. It was a response to the much-heralded vibe shift, a sense that culture has shifted in Trumps direction after his victory and that the rest of society needs to accommodate his faction. That its now realized it went too far, and is going after him for the much lesser offense of making Nazi leaders names into puns, does not diminish the severity of its original mistake.You can see this mindset at work in another exchange about Musk. When Congress member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused Musk of doing a Nazi salute, leading right-wing activist Chris Rufo responded by saying that the time for such allegations is over.They still think if they shout racist and Nazi loud enough, the entire society will bend to their narcissism and manipulation. No. Its not 2020 anymore, he said. Both the ADL and Rufo, in very different ways, are showing why we shouldnt give Musks boorish behavior a pass.The truth is that Musk has a public record of sympathy for odious views, and has shown zero contrition about making a gesture that looked exactly like a Nazi salute. Criticizing him for it is not uncivil or impolite; it is a way to assert that there are real moral standards, certain lines that shouldnt be crossed by people in positions of power. The Trump era vibe shift isnt merely a move to the right. Its a move away from accountability and toward a culture where people get away with meanness, cruelty, and gratuitous insults against the vulnerable. As an anonymous banker put it: We can say retard and pussy without the fear of getting cancelled...its a new dawn.At moments like these, collectively insisting on standards is all the more important. One of those standards is that you should not be able to get away with performing a Nazi gesture, intentionally or not, without apologizing like you mean it. Another is that someone with Musks record of promoting far-right ideas and approvingly conversing with neo-Nazis should never have been on the inaugural stage to begin with. This is one of the bulwarks we have, as a society, to prevent honest-to-goodness Nazism from reentering the zone of political acceptability. Yet Musk and Trump have made blurring those moral lines part of their lifes work. I fear we are all about to suffer the consequences to live in a world where it becomes even more acceptable to openly perform nastiness and extremism. We may enter the world prophesied by philosopher Richard Rorty in 1998, where a far-right backlash brings all the sadism we once considered unacceptable in public life flooding back.If that indeed comes to pass, the future of American politics is one in which Musks ugly display on Monday ends up looking like a dance recital.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: Politics

New Nintendo Switch 2 game sequel in development hell claims rumourAdam StarkeyPublished January 24, 2025 2:04pmUpdated January 24, 2025 2:04pm Astral Chain is one of the Switchs unsung gems (Nintendo)A follow-up to a beloved Nintendo Switch game has been subject to internal delays according to a new rumour, but theres still hope for it on Switch 2.The future of Bayonetta and NeiR:Automata developer PlatinumGames has been a concern for fans for a long time now, especially following a string of staff exits.Things started to look particularly bad following the departure of co-founder Hideki Kamiya, who has set up a new studio with some of his former Platinum colleagues. Others have left the studio as well, including Bayonetta Origins director Abebe Tinari who has joined Housemarque.Thankfully though there have been some recent signs of life, with promised Bayonetta anniversary celebrations and the annoucement of Ninja Gaiden 4, but a new rumour claims the developer has also been working on a sequel to Astral Chain, but that it has been subject to significant delays.The rumour comes from the PlatinumGames subreddit and relates to information allegedly obtained from an ex-employee at the studio, which dates back to winter 2024.According to the post, Astral Chain 2 has been in the works since early 2021, two years after the original game launched in 2019. The sequel, however, is said to have faced a number of internal problems, including widespread budget cuts and staff being shifted to other projects.Kamiya is cited as helping to get the project back on track in 2022, prior to his departure, with the team behind the sequel supposedly being basically the same as the first. Astral Chain was directed by Takahisa Taura, alongside Nintendos Kaori Ando and Makato Okazaki.A year later in 2023, however, its claimed Astral Chain publisher Nintendo rebooted the sequel due to significant delays and money being recklessly spent at PlatinumGames, with the intention of it being a Switch 2 title.While the source doesnt know what happened to the game after it was allegedly rebooted, they claim Platinum was engaging in discussions to retain the games development, as Nintendo was threatening to hand the project (or part of it) over to another external studio.Since Astral Chain 2 has never been officially announced its important to take all this with a huge grain of salt. Nintendo does own the Astral Chain IP though, so its certainly possible that a sequel is in development without Platinums involvement.The big mystery in all this is the whereabouts of Astral Chain director Takahisa Taura. He was speculated to have left Platinum last year, after removing the studio from his Twitter profile, but this is unconfirmed.His Facebook profile lists him as working at Eel Game Studio though, which appears to be a new venture in Tokyo, based on company listings. Astral Chain 2 might be on a tight leash (Nintendo)If theres truth to this rumour, its possible Taura could be working on the sequel to Astral Chain at this new venture in partnership with Nintendo. GameCentral has reached out to PlatinumGames and Taura for comment.While its unclear if a sequel to Astral Chain is in development, Taura said the original game sold better than expected. In June 2020, it had sold 1.14 million copies, which is higher than most Platinum titles, so that certainly feels like enough motivation for a follow-up.More TrendingAside from Ninja Gaiden 4, we know little about what PlatinumGames is working on next. The studio previously announced Project G.G., but its unclear if it is still in development following director Kamiyas exit. Bayonettas best days might be in the past (PlatinumGames)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Remarkably, Samsung got its Galaxy S25 Ultra as thin and light as it is, but it came at the cost of a few other capabilities. For instance, the venerable S Pen, a longstanding fixture in the Galaxy Ultra lineup, no longer has a Bluetooth chip to facilitate certain features. In a briefing for its latest flagship release, Samsung told us and other press that no one was using that stuff in the first place, so it decided to scrub them entirely from the lineup. Specifically, the S Pen can no longer perform Air Actions, a feature launched with the Galaxy Note 10 five years ago. The basic premise of Air Actions is that you control the screen with the stylus from a distance, either using it as a remote or as a wand. There were gestures you could draw in the air to control the interface from afar. The S Pen could also be used to sift through your gallery and move back and forward a page in the Samsung browser. It was even usable as a slideshow remote. If you have a WearOS smartwatch, Samsung or otherwise, you can use a camera shutter shortcut instead. Samsung still lets you use the open-palm hand gesture to start a countdown for a selfie, tooits such a popular gesture that even Google adopted it for the Pixel. In the grand scheme of things, what the S Pen used to offer is minimal compared to everything else the $1,300 Galaxy S25 Ultra purports to do now, which includes a slew of new AI abilities and higher resolution wide-angle photography. Dropping the Bluetooth chip helped the Galaxy S25 Ultra shave enough grams so that Samsung could laud its efforts in chassis thinness. Samsung also kept the handy tracking mechanism that lets you know if youve left the S Pen behindBecause if youre going to use a phone with dedicated storage for a stylus, you should have an alarm mechanism that reminds you what youre leaving behind. The S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra still does everything you want a stylus to do: it draws, takes notes, and lets you point and tap on stuff. You can customize the Air Command menu to feature only the abilities you care for most. Screen off memo captures fleeting thoughts in a snap just by popping out the pen. Theres even an option to add a second S Pen for double the stylus entry.

For anyone tired of heating up their full-sized oven for small meals or seeking a more efficient way to cook for one or two people, the Breville Compact Smart Toaster Oven offers a sophisticated solution that combines convenience with intelligent cooking technology. This versatile countertop appliance brings professional-grade cooking capabilities to your kitchen while taking up minimal space.See at AmazonRight now, this smart oven is available for $125, marked down significantly from its original price of $190. This substantial 34% discount saves shoppers $65, making it an attractive time to invest in a premium countertop cooking solution that could help reduce energy bills and cooking times.Toast, bake, broil, roast, and moreThats all made possible by Brevilles Element iQ System, which uses four independent quartz elements and smart algorithms to direct power precisely where and when its needed. This 1800-watt system ensures quick preheating and consistent cooking results across eight versatile functions: Toast, Bagel, Bake, Broil, Pizza, Roast, Cookies, and Reheat. That means it can handle a wide variety of cooking options so you dont have to use all the other items in your kitchen to do everything. And when you can multitask, that cuts down on time significantly.Despite its compact footprint (16.7 x 15.6 x 10.2 inches), the oven accommodates surprisingly large items, including a 12-inch pizza, four slices of toast, or even a small roast chicken. And your entire kitchen countertop isnt taken over by the device so you dont have to scramble to rearrange everything if you want to use this toaster oven.Thoughtful design features include an easy-to-read LCD display for accessing cooking functions, and a non-stick interior coating that makes cleanup a breeze. The included 1010-inch enamel baking pan and broiling rack add extra value, providing everything needed to start cooking right out of the box. For small households, apartments, or anyone looking to upgrade their countertop cooking game, this smart oven offers a perfect blend of functionality and efficiency at a notably reduced price point.But youre going to want to act fast because this lowest price in 30 days wont stick around for long. If you want to make sure youre covered with quick and easy meals that you dont have to spend much money for and you wont have to clear out your kitchen for, you can pull the trigger on this deal now and save a bundle. Dont be surprised if it goes out of stock fast, though! Happy cooking and happy eating.See at Amazon

Norman Foster and Buildner Deliver Once Again: A Showcase of Exceptional Designs for Revitalizing Kharkiv's Freedom SquareSponsored ContentThe city of Kharkiv has faced significant challenges due to its proximity to the Russian border. Amidst these circumstances, Kharkiv's Mayor, Ihor Terekhov, underscored the need for a new landmark during the United Nations' Second Forum of Mayorsa project that could embody renewal, resilience, and hope. The Freedom Square International Competition was launched as part of this vision, inviting local and international experts to propose innovative designs for Freedom Square and the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building.This competition is part of the broader Kharkiv Masterplan Concept, an initiative led by the Kharkiv City Council in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Norman Foster Foundation, Arup, and local architects and experts. The Masterplan Concept seeks to guide Kharkiv's regeneration by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking urban environment while honoring the city's historical identity.Freedom Square and the Kharkiv Regional State Administration BuildingFreedom Square, one of Europe's largest urban spaces, has long served as a cultural and civic centerpiece for Kharkiv. In the center of the square is the State Industrial Complex, built in 1928 after an international competition in 1925, a monument of the architectural avant-garde, often compared to Bauhaus designs. Also during this period, a unique spatial ensemble of Freedom Square was created, of which the Regional State Administration Building is a part of. This ensemble symbolizes an important moment in the history of modern architecture. Recent events have affected this historic area, including damage to both buildings. As part of a UNESCO World Heritage ensemble, these structures carry significant historical and cultural weight. The competition to preserve their symbolic and architectural value while reimagining Freedom Square as an inclusive and adaptable public space.The CompetitionThe Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival Competition, organized by Buildner, the Norman Foster Foundation, the Kharkiv City Council, UNECE, and Arup, presented a unique platform for architects, urban planners, and designers worldwide. Announced on September 10, 2024, the competition aimed to develop visionary concepts for one of Kharkiv's most iconic sites. This competition marks only the first step in the critical and responsible work of creating a comprehensive vision for Freedom Square, a central symbol of Kharkiv's identity and resilience.The Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival Competition was organized by Buildner who sponsored the 10,000 EUR prize fund, and in partnership with the Norman Foster Foundation, the Kharkiv City Council, UNECE, and Arup. The competition presented a unique platform for architects, urban planners, and designers worldwide. With a prize pool of 10,0003,000 for each Prize Winner and 1,000 for the Student Awardthe competition inspired designs that honor Kharkiv's rich heritage while embracing its vision for renewal and growth. This initiative marks a key milestone in shaping the city's future, embodying Kharkiv's resilience and its dedication to creating a vibrant space that reflects both its historical legacy and its evolving aspirations.The Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival competition demonstrated a remarkable level of participation, receiving a total of 84 submissions from architects, designers, and urban planners worldwide. Notably, 21 submissions were from teams based in Ukraine, showcasing the strong involvement and dedication of Ukrainian architecture bureaus. These contributions underscore the critical role of local expertise in shaping the vision for one of Ukraine's most iconic urban spaces while engaging a global audience to provide diverse perspectives. In addition to Ukraine, teams from other countries, including the United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy, India, Canada, Germany, Bangladesh, France, Israel, South Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, also participated in the competition.Buildner's other ongoing competitions include:Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025with a 100,000 EUR prize fund to celebrate yet-to-be-realized works; the2025 edition of the Kingspan MICROHOME competition with a 100,000 EUR prize fund; and the 2024/25 House of the Future competition with a 250,000 EUR prize fund. The House of the Future annual competition is organized in collaboration with the government of Dubai, and invites architects to design innovative, sustainable, and technologically advanced residential concepts that embody Dubai's vision for the future of urban living, where winning submissions are to be constructed. Buildner worked with an outstanding jury of regional and global experts: Norman Foster: Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners; President, Norman Foster Foundation Deborah Berke: Dean, Yale School of Architecture; Founder, TenBerke Vishaan Chakrabarti: Founder, Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) Beatriz Colomina: Architectural Historian and Theorist, Princeton University Anupama Kundoo: Architect and Professor, TU Berlin; Visiting Professor, Yale Maxim Rosenfeld: Architectural Historian and Associate Professor, Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts Stuart Smith: Director, Arup Germany Brinda Somaya: Founder, SNK Consultants Moshe Safdie: Founder of Moshe Safdie Architects Igor Terekhov: Mayor of Kharkiv ResultsThe Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival competition showcased strong global participation and thoughtful contributions. The 10 jury members were from Ukraine, UK, India, Spain, Israel, and USA, representing fields such as Architecture, Urban Planning, Transport, and History. Accordingly, rather than identify one clear winner, and second and third places, the jury decided to give equal weighting and prize money to three projects of equal standing, whose ideas would contribute to a second stage competition, open to new entrants as well as those who had competed in the present competition.Recognized ProjectsThe jury has recognized three prize winners as equal contributors to the ongoing dialogue about the future of Freedom Square and the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building, alongside a standout student project. Each of these projects offers valuable ideas, highlighting diverse approaches to reimagining this iconic space. Their strengths and areas for improvement reflect the complexity of the design challenge and emphasize the richness of this endeavor.Instead, these projects collectively serve as stepping stones toward a more balanced, inclusive, and inspiring outcome. The standout student project further underscores the importance of engaging emerging talent in shaping the city's future, adding fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the discourse.While the selected projects should not be seen as definitive solutions, they represent a foundation for continued exploration. Together, they fulfill the competition's goal of sparking meaningful conversations and setting the stage for future efforts. This measured approach embraces the potential for these ideas to evolve into a comprehensive vision that reflects Kharkiv's resilience, history, and aspirations for renewal.Key reflections from the juryAn ambitious brief: The competition brief set forth ambitious goals, yet its broad scope left room for interpretation, leading to proposals that diverged significantly from the intended vision. Many participants did not fully align with the local context or site-specific realities, particularly in terms of practicality and the symbolic weight of the space.Avoiding over-programming: The jury expressed concern about projects that overly fragmented the square with excessive features, likening some to "Tivoli Gardens" in their attempt to fill the space with varied programming. This approach risked trivializing the symbolic and monumental essence of Freedom Square, which demands a balance between openness, gravitas, and functionality.Balancing innovation and feasibility: While some proposals introduced imaginative and bold concepts, they often fell short in terms of feasibility, either due to technical constraintssuch as Kharkiv's complex underground infrastructureor their limited adaptability to the needs of a large-scale civic gathering space.Paving the way for future stages: The jury highlighted that, much like the multi-stage process of reimagining the Reichstag in Berlin, this competition should be viewed as a foundational step for the next stages of planning the Freedom Square and the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building recovery. It establishes critical parameters for the next phase, including the need for clearer guidelines, deeper community engagement, and a sharper focus on Freedom Square's symbolic, civic, and practical functions.Prize Winner 1/3Author: Jansen Che, from AustraliaStrengths:This project centers on a below-ground memorial, providing a contemplative space that honors Kharkiv's resilience and history. The oculus design offers a symbolic connection between the memorial and the surrounding square, emphasizing themes of reflection, transparency, and accessibility. The design preserves the square's openness, maintaining its monumental scale while incorporating modern elements that acknowledge the city's recent challenges. In addition, the project proposes the development of the underground part of the Regional State Administration Building as a public space and as a new group entrance and transit pedestrian corridor, which successfully combines the space of the building and the square. The inner courtyard of the building is designed as a functional atrium, which is a public space.Challenges:A prominent feature of the proposalthe use of a grid of large freestanding columnshas drawn criticism from the jury. While intended to provide rhythm and structure to the square, the columns were seen as too reminiscent of imperial or authoritarian aesthetics, which risks sending the wrong symbolic message. This aspect, in particular, contrasts with the square's identity as a space of freedom and democracy.Additionally, the underground memorial, though conceptually compelling, raises practical concerns due to Kharkiv's complex subterranean infrastructure. Questions also remain about how the square would accommodate both contemplative reflection and active civic use. Ultimately, while the project introduces strong architectural elements, the jury found the columnar approach at odds with the spirit of Kharkiv's aspirations for an open, inclusive, and forward-looking space.Prize Winner 2/3Author: Nischal Ba, from IndiaStrengths:This design introduces a seasonal landscape framework that respects Freedom Square's monumental scale while integrating adaptable public amenities. Biodiverse green zones, shaded pathways, and multifunctional spaces create opportunities for year-round use. The proposal thoughtfully considers ecological sustainability and offers a more human-centered approach to the square's design, emphasizing relaxation and connection to nature.Challenges:While the project's focus on landscaping is commendable, it risks diluting the square's symbolic importance. The division of the square into smaller zones could compromise the sense of openness and gravitas that defines the site. Furthermore, the traffic rerouting proposed in this scheme has raised concerns about feasibility and its impact on the broader urban context. Additionally, the constraints posed by the existing underground infrastructure limit the potential for certain features, such as an underground museum or water ponds in front of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building, making these elements impractical within the current conditions.Prize Winner 3/3Author: Daniel Mintz, from IsraelStrengths:This submission highlights a cohesive and understated approach to the redesign of Freedom Square, focusing on preserving its monumental scale while introducing subtle modern updates. The proposal's use of a translucent facade for the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building is particularly noteworthy, softening the building and symbolizing transparency and accessibility. This intervention reflects a thoughtful reinterpretation of the building's historical significance while signaling a forward-looking vision for Kharkiv. The project authors also focused on transforming the internal space of the Regional State Administration Building and creating new inclusive public spaces.Challenges:One of the central elements of the proposal, a reflecting pool, has raised concerns. While visually striking, the pool detracts from the square's role as a flexible and functional gathering space. Its placement and scale reduce the square's ability to accommodate large public events, and the practical implications of maintaining a pool in Kharkiv's climate and infrastructural conditions make it less feasible. Overall, while the restrained approach offers a dignified vision, the reliance on a reflecting pool limits the square's versatility and does not fully embrace its potential as an active civic hub.D) Buildner Student Award Author: Qiqi Wu of University of Sheffield, United KingdomStrengths:This project demonstrates impressive creativity and a deep sensitivity to the site's needs. The design proposes lush green landscapes surrounding the square, interspersed with subtle interventions that enhance usability while maintaining the square's grandeur. The Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building's restored facade integrates well with the surrounding public space, creating a harmonious balance between history and future aspirations.Challenges:The project's strength in landscape design could be complemented by a stronger architectural vision for the square itself. Additionally, its proposals for activating the square with public programming remain underdeveloped, leaving room for further refinement.Highlighted ProjectsE) Title: Kharkiv's Freedom Plaza & World StageAuthors: Elizabeth Ranieri Kuth, Leif Emilson Tobias Estrada, Leo Panian, and Dmytro Kharytonenko from UkraineThe project introduces a new Freedom Stage Pavilion, crafted from local Scots Pine, serving as a modular, adaptable venue for public and ceremonial events. The design enhances pedestrian safety through re-routed vehicle traffic and includes eco-friendly solutions like solarium gardens and water conservation. The plaza is now a fully accessible, dynamic public space, emphasizing community engagement and sustainable design. The adjacent administrative building is reprogrammed as the Ukraine Museum of Art & Culture (UMAC), featuring atriums that support public interaction and green initiatives.F) Title: Kharkiv: Forged with ResilienceAuthors: Kazi Mahzuza Maysun of Poche Architecture Ltd., from BangladeshThe project revitalizes Kharkiv's Freedom Square and the regional administrative building into resilient and sustainable hubs. Incorporating advanced technologies and sustainable strategies, the redesign enables the spaces to function as both public realms and emergency shelters. Features include subsurface stores, renewable energy generation from foot and car traffic, and photovoltaic cells on building facades. The design emphasizes community and continuity, transforming these areas into multifunctional, adaptive spaces that embody the strength and resilience of the local community through innovative urban design solutions.Moving Forward: A Broader Vision for Freedom SquareThis competition marks the beginning of an inclusive and ongoing dialogue about the future of Freedom Square and the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Building. The projects recognized in this competition, along with several other compelling submissions, contribute valuable ideas that highlight both the complexities and opportunities of reimagining this iconic space.While none fully resolves the design challenge, each offers unique insights that will inform future conversations and shape the next steps in this ambitious endeavor, which will integrate the strongest ideas from the recognized submissions. As part of these next steps, there are plans to consider launching a follow-up competition, incorporating the valuable feedback from jury members and proposals from this competition to refine the vision further.Additionally, inspiration can be drawn from the process of reimagining the Reichstag in Berlin, as shared by Norman Foster. This transformative project involved conducting multiple competitions before arriving at a successful solution, demonstrating the importance of iterative and thoughtful planning in addressing complex challenges.Ultimately, the success of this competition lies in its ability to frame a vision for Freedom Square that honors Kharkiv's rich history, meets the needs of its present, and inspires its future. The jury commends the efforts of all participants and reaffirms the commitment to creating a space that reflects Kharkiv's resilience, democratic values, and aspirations for renewal and prosperity. This competition is not an endpoint but a foundation for the transformative journey ahead.Buildner's other ongoing competitions include:Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025with a 100,000 EUR prize fund to celebrate yet-to-be-realized works; the2025 edition of the Kingspan MICROHOME competition with a 100,000 EUR prize fund; and the 2024/25 House of the Future competition with a 250,000 EUR prize fund. The House of the Future annual competition is organized in collaboration with the government of Dubai, and invites architects to design innovative, sustainable, and technologically advanced residential concepts that embody Dubai's vision for the future of urban living, where winning submissions are to be constructed. Read the full letter from Lord Norman Foster here and find out more about the competition. Image gallerySee allShow lessCite: "Norman Foster and Buildner Deliver Once Again: A Showcase of Exceptional Designs for Revitalizing Kharkiv's Freedom Square" 24 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026011/norman-foster-and-buildner-deliver-once-again-a-showcase-of-exceptional-designs-for-revitalizing-kharkivs-freedom-square&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

Spaces that Educate: The Role of Architectural Design on International Education DaySave this picture!YueCheng Courtyard Kindergarten / MAD Architects. Image Hufton+CrowToday, the International Day of Education serves as a reminder of the significant impact that architectural design has on learning environments. From flexible classrooms that adapt to diverse teaching methods to outdoor learning areas that integrate natural elements, the architecture of learning spaces embodies the principles of pedagogy, offering opportunities for exploration, collaboration and creativity, all while maintaining a focus on the safety and comfort of all users. This selection of articles explores the potential of design to enhance learning outcomes through spatial exploration, be it inside the classroom, in outdoor spaces or by encouraging larger communities to part-take in the learning process.Balancing Flexibility and SafetyThe architecture of learning spaces directly impacts learning outcomes. Flexible designs featuring adaptable partitions, movable furniture, and multi-use areas enable spaces to transform seamlessly to accommodate diverse teaching methods and student activities. Safety features, such as carefully considered circulation paths, age-appropriate furnishings, and robust materials, are seamlessly integrated, demonstrating that safety and stimulating design are not mutually exclusive. In essence, the architecture itself becomes a teaching tool, translating pedagogical principles into the built environment; the design's adaptability mirrors the fluidity of the learning process. Related Article World Architecture Day 2024: Mobilizing the Next Generation for Urban Transformation The Design of Learning Spaces: Architecture as a Teaching ToolSave this picture!How to Design Schools and Interiors Based on Waldorf PedagogySave this picture!Designing the School of the Future: Multifunctional Spaces for Dynamic LearningSave this picture!"Architecture Schools Are Responsible for Educating the Whole Student:" In Conversation with Michael MontiSave this picture!Interior Wellbeing: The Design Of Educational SpacesSave this picture!Learning as a Collective ActionIn addition to the definitive advantages for children, schools and community learning centers can serve as vital hubs for community gathering and engagement. Children's education, often the initial impetus, can spark broader community participation in initiatives related to health, environmental sustainability, or social justice. Learning spaces that incorporate community gardens, shared resources, or public art installations foster interaction and collaboration, building social capital and strengthening community bonds. This ripple effect, stemming from educational initiatives, demonstrates the transformative potential of well-designed learning environments.Architecture for Peace: Fostering Growth and Learning through Educational Spaces in HondurasSave this picture!More than a Classroom: The Multifunctionality of Educational Spaces in Global South CommunitiesSave this picture!Investing in People, Prioritizing Education: Architecture for Learning in Latin AmericaSave this picture!Save this picture!Outdoor Learning SpacesOutdoor learning environments offer siignificant advantages in addition to the traditional classroom settings. Community sports halls, for example, promote physical literacy and social skills development through organized activities and informal play, improving cardiovascular health and teamwork. Outdoor classrooms, particularly those incorporating local flora and fauna, provide opportunities for experiential learning in science, ecology, and environmental stewardship. Playgrounds, designed with varied play features, stimulate cognitive development through problem-solving and risk assessment, fostering creativity and resilience. Biophilic design, integrating natural elements like plants, water features, and natural light, has been shown to reduce stress, improve concentration, and enhance cognitive performance in students. These diverse spaces, collectively, support a broader range of learning styles and outcomes, enriching the educational experience.From Play to Shelter: The Many Roles of Small-Scale Community Sports Halls Save this picture!Building Outdoor Learning Spaces: 5 Community Projects by Semillas in PeruSave this picture!Learning Through Play: Architecture for Kids in Educational Spaces and PlaygroundsSave this picture!Biophilic Landscaping in Educational Spaces: Stimulating Learning, Well-Being and CreativitySave this picture!Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorCite: Maria-Cristina Florian. "Spaces that Educate: The Role of Architectural Design on International Education Day" 24 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026146/spaces-that-educate-the-role-of-architectural-design-on-international-education-day&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

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