The historic Houston Astrodome could soon receive a $1 billion revival courtesy of Gensler.Plans for Vision: Astrodome from the Astrodome Conservancy called for the erection of four new smaller structures inside the stadium. An arching internal pedestrian boulevard comparable to the New York High Line then interjects itself as an elevated connector to the adjoining NRG Stadium and NRG Center venues.Image courtesy Astrodome ConservancyOfficially a 450,000-square-foot plan that will rejuvenate the facility (at one point known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World") into a retail and entertainment destination for Houstonians, the endeavor is being supported by favorable results from the Conservancy's 2020 public engagement survey.Image courtesy Astrodome ConservancyIf approved, the 86% majority of Harris County residents will get their wish in the form of the retail, office, cultural, hospitality, other commercial, and food/beverage offerings lining the selection of redeveloped spaces...

The six finalists vying for the chance to design an expansion of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City have been selected ahead of next springs winner announcement.The first stage of the competition, which we announced last month, attracted 182 entries from 30 different countries on six continents. The museums selection committee expanded the shortlist from five to six teams in recognition of their designs excellence. The finalists will next visit the museum for a detailed introduction before they begin working on concept designs over the next three months.The six lead firms for the expansion are:Kengo Kuma & Associates (Tokyo)Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Genoa)Selldorf Architects (New York)Studio Gang (Chicago)Weiss/Manfredi Architecture (New York) WHY Architecture (Los Angeles)

The new AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for the month of October has recorded a flat (50.3) reading, ending its 20-month streak of consecutive declines.This score indicates a balance between the number of firms experiencing a decrease in billings and those seeing an increase, according to the AIA. Inquiries into new projects in October also picked up to their highest level in six months."Billings finally stabilized this month, and firms are feeling more optimistic about revenue projections for 2025," said the AIA's Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. "Overall, 41 percent of responding firm leaders expect to see net revenue growth from 2024 to 2025, with 32 percent projecting growth in the 5 percent to 9 percent range."October ABI HighlightsRegional averages: Northeast (45.6); South (52.1); Midwest (46.9); West (47.6)Sector index breakdown: institutional (50.5); multifamily residential (45.6); commercial/industrial (47.0); mixed practice (48.0)Project inquiries index: 54...

This semester, a group of students at the Harvard Graduate School of Design is taking a survey of U.S. architecture graduate visa holders in the workplace for a research project that's part of their coursework for assistant professor Jacob Reidel's "Frameworks of Practice"seminar.They are inviting participants to answer a series of anonymous questions related to their experience as workplace visa holders. The aim, they say, is to produce a snapshot of how immigration status affects both entry-level career choices for architecture graduates and long-term career planning.The students share: "The original idea came from conversations with peers about how, in the field of architecture, visa status makes workers feel like they are in a precarious position and our preliminary qualitative interviews have supported this. We hope that this research can draw attention to the situation and offer both workers and employers new statistics to work towards compassionate decision-making in offic...

Plans for the upcoming restoration of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)66 Portland Place headquarters in London have become clearer with the release of an updated proposal detailing the scope of work on the new House of Architecture project.Benedetti Architects will be leading the project, which was won in 2022 after a short competition. The estimated58.8million(about $74.3 million USD) effort will enable full accessibility throughout all 28 levels of the 90-year-old Art Deco building while removing extant fossil fuel-dependent systems to support a push toward net zero. The original George Grey Wornum design has been protected under a historic Grade II* listing since 1970.Image courtesy Benedetti Architects/RIBARIBA says: "[The] House of Architecture brings together three critical areas of our work that need investment, and will deliver on improvements that are fundamental to RIBAs ongoing mission."The project adds a new caf while reinstating the buildings ...

The UKs Architects Registration Board (ARB) has published research finding widespread discrimination and sexual misconduct within the UK architecture profession. The study, resulting from a survey of almost 900 individuals, reveals that architecture professionals experience higher rates of discrimination and sexual misconduct compared to other sectors such as academia and healthcare.According to the research, over a third of all professionals working in architecture have experienced insults, stereotypes, or jokes relating to protected characteristics. One in four female professionals has experienced unwelcome sexual advances, while a third of professionals would not feel confident raising concerns if they experienced or observed misconduct.On the specific topic of misconduct in the profession, 41% of respondents have experienced bullying while 33% have experienced discrimination. 10% have experienced sexual misconduct. In addition, 38% have experienced insults, stereotypes, or ...

The Architectural Review has unveiled its shortlist of 15 residential projects from around the world for the 2024 AR House Awards. Launched in 2010, the competition recognizes originality and excellence in the design of homes.This years judging panel includes Stella Daoutim, co-founder of Architecture Research Athens, who was commended in the 2021 AR House Awards for Weekend House on Salamis Island; Bangkok Project Studio founder Boonserm Premthada, whose home and office was shortlisted in the 2023 AR House Awards; and Mike Tonkin, co-founder of Tonkin Liu.The judges were interested in houses that broke the mold, with emphasis placed on rigorous plans that could offer surprise. Architectural quality was appreciated for distinguishing itself from ordinary surroundings, with extensions and renovations rewarded for retaining the legibility of existing structures. Most importantly, the judges asked Would I like to wake up in this house?The winner and commended projects will be...

Under state laws designed to remedy a housing shortage, the city has to set aside land for the construction of 250,000 more homes than allowed through existing zoning rules. Measures under consideration by a City Council committee are likely to satisfy the state requirements, the UCLA analysis found. But when analyzing the likelihood of what developers would actually build, researchers found the number of new homes would be far lower.The L.A. City Council is expected to vote later this afternoon to approve the rezoning measure. The report's co-author Shane Phillips of theUCLALewis Center for Regional Policy Studies says the city would be better served if its generous slate of incentives was expanded to cover the remaining 72% of neighborhoods currently zoned for single-family houses. Others have labeled this plan as exclusionary for that reason. Planners face a state mandate to find space for at least 250,000 new housing units by mid-February.

Look below for Archinect's latest curated selection of architecture and design firms currently hiring onArchinect Jobs. This week'sfeatured employer highlightincludes openings in New York City/Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Bainbridge Island, Washington.For even more opportunities, visit theArchinect job boardand explore our active community ofjob seekers,firms, andschools.Bainbridge Island, Washington-based firmCutler Anderson Architectsis looking to add anIntermediate Architect / Designerwith a minimum of four to five years of post-graduate experience to its office. Qualified candidates must be proficient with ArchiCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and hand drawing. One should also possess a strongtechnical knowledge of conceptual design, building planning and detailing, construction documentation, and construction administration.Newberg Residence by Cutler Anderson Architects. Photo: Jeremy BittermannIn Los Angeles,NAC Architectureis hiring for aHealth...

A new stadium design from Populous for what will become one of the worlds largest sporting venues, the future King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been unveiled ahead of the countrys turn as host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup.Fans will have to wait until 2029 to see the full vision for the stadium and master plan realized. When it does come to fruition, the stadium design, which is to be located in one of the citys northern precincts, will be approximately square feet and have a capacity for 92,000 people. An adjacent area with separate athletics facilities will join alongside it in the master plan, pollinating the spaces next to King Abdulaziz Park as though germinating seeds meant to represent the growth of sports within the country.Image courtesy of PopulousAmenities inside the stadium include a Royal Box, hospitality skyboxes and lounges, 300 'VVIP' seats, and 2,200 VIP seats, plus an array ofinternal screens, indoor gardens, and a rooftop walking path that offers...

Here's a heads-up for L.A.-based fans of Rudolph Schindler. Donot miss tonights premiere screening of Valentina Ganevas new documentary Schindler Space Architect at 7:30 p.m. in Beverly Hills.Ganeva recently spoke to KCRW about some of its insights, including the overlooked feminist design considerations present in the Schindler House on North Kings Road. Narrated by Meryl Streep and Udo Kier, the film features commentary from Steven Holl, Ray Kappe, Thom Mayne, and Frank Gehry, among others. Ganeva says their critique of Schindler's "spirit of innovation" is still important for today's architects to imbibe.The ticketed screening takes place at theWriters Guild Theatre on 135 S. Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills and will be followed shortly afterward by a Q&A.

Believing "anytime is the right time to take a Skate Break," the Ontario-based designers known as the Zenga Bros. have produced what could be the ultimate furniture addition to any shred happy office space looking to add an eccentric touch.Their new product line is aptly named 'Skate Brake' and fabricated by Christian and Benny Huizenga to incorporate different (and difficult) skating configurations that provoke a sense of "pure gnar."Image courtesy Gordon NicholasThe series consists of three different ramps (a desk, twomodernist style lounge chairs, and a six-foot-tall lamp), a boardroom table, barrier bench, and a 11x5x8 "Ramper Camper" micro house/electric truck complete with a wood stove and grindable bookshelf ledge.Image courtesy Gordon Nicholas"Skate Break is a project extracted straight from the dream realm by the Zenga Bros. and brought to reality through their craftsmanship. Ive never had so much fun skating furniture," friend and former Olympic skateboarding com...

The winning spaces and designs from the 2024 FRAME Awards were presented in Hong Kong recently. The awards are an international competition and celebrating outstanding achievements in the field of interior design and product design as organized each year by the Netherlands-based design publicationFRAME.Jury members for the competition came from a broad spectrum of different design areas, including retail design, architecture, hospitality, and commercial interiors. Here are some highlights of the2024 winners.Single-Brand Store of the Year (cover image)The Tamburins Seongsu Flagship Store by Eonsld and The System Lab (Seoul, South Korea)Description: "Tamburins is reshaping the concept of offline stores to create a distinctive brand experience, solidifying its presence not just through products but also in the realm of space. Tamburins views its stores as places for customers to fully immerse themselves in the brand, rather than just spaces for making purchases. Their spaces intuiti...

"If we succeed, we can show that you can create a city that does not displace nature, that is anchored and rooted in the local heritage and culture, and that still allows for prosperity and growth to happen."The ever-popularIngels sat down with Lesley Stahl to go over his team's vision for the project they first unveiled with Arup almost a year ago.The386-square-mile master plan'sdesign features many public buildings and other important infrastructure that double as bridges, unfolding in the shape of aMandala flower, which hosts 11 neighborhood-scale developments rendered with increased density as they cascade in ribbons down to a low-lying southern terminus.Bhutan, a nation of under 800,000 people, is struggling to retain skilled young professionals. A public bond campaign worth $100 million USD has just been launched for the project. According to the South China Morning Post and other outlets, the new 'Gelephu Mindfulness City' will be developed in phases over 21 years.

Dutch architect Sim Van der Ryn, a pioneer of green architecture and a longtime professor at the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, has died at age 89 according to theSan Francisco Chronicle. He will be remembered for his experimental teaching methods and approach to designing buildings as ecological systems, both of which later became widely accepted as either field looked to embrace sustainability as its new baseline standard.Van der Ryn's memorial page on the CED's websitealso credits his work with Murray Silverstein as leading the way for post-occupancy user studies.Dean Renee Y. Chow added her own context to his legacy at the school, saying: "Sim was one of the people who laid the foundation for CEDs ongoing commitment to resilience and environmental equity. He was focused on how to build in environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, socially just ways long before 'sustainability' was even a term in the architectural lexicon. His influence, on Berkeley and beyo...

Today, were taking a closer look at this year's BLT Design Awardswinner in the Construction Product Design of the Year category, System 02, from the Vancouver-based team at The Backcountry Hut Company and Leckie Studio Architecture + Design.

Following our previous visit toAUX Architecture, we are keeping ourMeet Your Next Employer seriesin Los Angeles this week to explore the work ofRIOS.Founded in 1985, the firm employs approximately 280 team members across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia Pacific. Last month, Archinect reported on the firms proposal for One Beverly Hills, designed in collaboration with Kerry Hill Architects and Foster + Partners, while several of the firms projects were recently honored at the 2024 LA Architectural Awards.Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm iscurrently hiringfor several positions to join their Los Angeles team. For candidates interested in applying for a position or anybody interested in learning more about the firms output, we have rounded up four contemporary Los Angeles homes by RIOS that exemplify the firms ethos.Shifting Boxes. Image courtesy of RIOSShifting Boxes, West Hollywood, CAShifting Boxes is formed of seemingly irregular stacked volumes whose po...

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) has opened its $75 million NHM Commons expansion to the public. Designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, with landscape architecture by Studio-MLA and exhibition spaces by Studio Joseph, the NHM Commons comprises approximately 75,000 square feet of renovated and newly constructed space.Image credit: Benny ChanImage credit: Benny ChanThe centerpiece of the design is a transparent glass faade, creating a visual connection between the museum and Exposition Park. Inside, the Commons Theater and various multipurpose spaces have been built to accommodate an expanded slate of community-centered programming. The new spaces facilitate engagement with science, culture, and nature, including areas for those visiting without a ticket.Image credit: Benny ChanImage credit: Benny ChanOutside, Studio-MLA has developed a community plaza in collaboration with Native American advisors, featuring sustainable planting, Tongva-inspired mortar i...

Take a look at our latest curated selection of architecture and design firms currently hiring on Archinect Jobs: This week's featured employer highlight includes job openings in New York City, Los Angeles, Charlottesville, and Stone Ridge, New York.For even more opportunities, visit the Archinect job board and explore our active community of job seekers, firms, and schools.Walker Workshop is looking to add a Project Architect with two to six years of experience and a Project Manager with seven to ten years of experience in Los Angeles. The Project Architect should have over a year of Revit experience in an office environment. The Project Manager should have experience in custom residential design, especially in the Los Angeles region. Both roles require experience with the compilation, drafting, and coordination of permit and construction documents. The firm is also seeking professionals with strong writing, verbal communication, and collaboration skills.Oak Pass Guesthouse by Wa...

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced its fourth official cohort of delegates that will be traveling to Azerbaijan to represent the organization and its interests at this months COP29 Summit in Baku. The contingent will be present to share the AIA's call on industry and governments to increase the amount of research and development for emerging decarbonization technologies. The announcement also mentions the publication of the AIA's first-ever AIA Materials Pledge By the Numbers annual report, which includes 280 signatories. COP29 takes place from November 11th to the 22nd this year against claims of greenwashing and authoritarianism on the part of theAzerbaijani government.

The eleventh edition of the AIA International Design Awards program named a brand new group of winners last month as part of the chapters annual conference meeting in Hong Kong. The field, which this year includes five Honor Award recipients and 11 Merit Award selectees, was led by the Firm Award winner T. R. Hamzah & Yeang from Malaysia. Joining them were the seven winners of the special Sustainable Future and Sustainable Future Awards. Five select categories (Architecture, InteriorArchitecture, Urban Design, Unbuilt Design, Open International) helped discern their unique characteristics, with latter being specially created to recognize members for projects that are particularly "respectful of their localculture, unique program and international context."The 2024 AIA International Design Awards jury included former AIA Hong Kong president Grover Dear, Sara Topelson de Grinberg, and the AIA's new President-Elect for 2025 Illya Azaroff.

A new report from Hilgard Analytics and Zenith Economics has the numbers behind the turndown complicating LAs multi-pronged housing crunch. According to the available Los Angeles City Council data, the number of new permits this year has fallen 30.7% on pace toward a new five-year low.Permits are on the rise this year only in the eastern precincts of theSan Fernando Valley after a 2022 high in all other City Council districts recorded. This follows news of a flatly less resourceful Planning Department decision on single-family zonings future. The city has to build at least 2.5 million homes to meet demands by the end of the decade. (h/t Urbanize LA.)

UK-based Invisible Studio has completed a rammed stone yoga studio for the Newt Hotel in Somerset, UK. Aside from its innovative use of rammed earth, the scheme is defined by a 36-foot-long rooflight made from a single insulated double-glazed unit.Image credit: Jim StephensonImage credit: Jim StephensonThe studio is lined entirely in beech slats to provide a "warm and immersive sanctuary-like space." The external skin uses the same rammed stone as the hotels adjacent gym, made from local limestone to give it a distinctive red color. Meanwhile, copper detailing borrows from the palette of materials established by the hotels Beezantium.Image credit: Jim StephensonImage credit: Jim StephensonThe rammed stone external skin is something we get asked about a good deal, particularly with no roof overhang, Invisible Studio founder Piers Taylor explains. The mix is colored only by using local Hadspen limestone, which has a distinctive red hue, which is crushed from 45mm to dust. Th...

New Yorks Governor Kathy Hochul has indicated the return to congestion pricing could be imminent before the new year. ABC7 reports: "Along with announcing a revised congestion pricing proposal, setting the base fare at $9 instead of $15, she is expected to discuss an alternate revenue source to make up for the lost $6, a 40% decrease in revenue."The move comes after a last-minute pauseright before its originally scheduled startin June and in anticipation of the second Trump administrations return to the White House. The plan will ultimately work to alleviate the MTA's large budget deficits, which are projected to reach $900 million. Several lawsuits have attempted to halt it otherwise.Kate Wagner recently pointed to congestion pricing as an area for architects to invest their energies in as "agents of change."

Good news for preservation advocates! The Getty Foundation is investing an additional $1.55 million in the conserving Black Modernismprogram managed by the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The new contribution follows a $3.1 million gift that was announced in 2022. Money will be put toward preservation and storytelling efforts for eight 2025 grantees who are "continuing to diversify our nations architectural history." To date, the Fund has invested $27 million in 304 sites across the country.

A new roof would be the largest expense, according to the report, accounting for about $23.6 million, but the report states that the primary structure is serviceable and capable of supporting a replacement tension membrane fabric roof.Based on the preliminary timeline in the report, it would take a little less than 13 months from the start of construction until final completion, with the repairs wrapping up just before a projected Opening Day in late March of 2026.The cost of repairs has been stated at $55.7 million. The Rays will play their home games in Tampa at George M. Steinbrenner Field (the Yankees Spring Training home since 1996) while repair work continues. The vexingfinancial fiasco is further complicated as the franchise is set to expand into new digs anyway by the start of the 2028 baseball season. Winds in excess of 125 mph removed 18 of the stadium's 24 fiberglass roof panels during Hurricane Miltonback in October.

BIG and Carlo Ratti Associati have emerged on top in the annual competition to be named the winner of the International High-Rise Award for 2024/25. Their design for the mixed-use CapitaSpring tower in Singapore was selected over four other finalists.3XN's founding partner, Kim Herforth Nielsen, led the jury as chair along with ten other colleagues from Germany and the UK.

The latest edition of ourcurated job picksfrom theArchinect Job boardhighlights four firms looking for BIM and Design Technology specialists in New YorkCity.To explore specific job titles from the architectural profession, consult Archinect's Guide to Job Titles series. Also, follow our Archinect Tips series to improve your portfolio, resume, and interviewing skills, to increase your overall chances of getting that next job.Herzog & de Meuron seeks a Design Technologies BIM Manager"A vital part of your role is to facilitate continuous learning and development within the team. You will lead training on BIM tools, computational design, and emerging technologies, helping to bridge skill gaps and keep the team stay current with the cutting edge of digital design. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to influence and drive digital transformation across the organization by exploring and implementing new tools and methodologies."1111 Lincoln Road by Herzog & de Meuron. Photo...

A new report by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), analyzing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data has revealed that construction input prices increased 0.3% in October. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 0.3% for the month.Last month, prices in all three energy subcategories increased. Natural gas prices increased by 29.3%, unprocessed energy materials prices rose 9.9%, and crude petroleum prices went up by 7.3%. Overall, construction input prices are 0.2% lower than they were a year ago, and nonresidential construction input prices are 0.5% lower.Chart credit: Associated Builders and ContractorsHigher energy prices drove the increase in construction input prices observed in October, said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. While prices for a few other materials, like concrete and copper products, also rose for the month, overall input prices are lower than they were one year ago and have fallen 5% since reaching an all-t...

If you're in search of new, exciting architecture and design competitions, take a look at the latest curated picks of challenges listed on Bustler. Featured below are four briefs seeking designs for the National Archives Museum in South Korea, emerging and innovative design firms in New York City, extraordinary pavilion designs set in the Historic Center of Mexico City, and visionary concepts for homes in the United Arab Emirates.For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, clickhere.

Shohei Shigematsu has provided an update on the newly topped out New Museum expansion designed by OMA with Cooper Robertson. The $89 million project adds 60,000 square feet, effectively doubling the institutions exhibition spaces while supporting a host of new programmatic inclusions for the public and arts community. OMA expects the new building to debut in 2025 alongside its SANAA-designed neighbor, whose facade's materiality is repeated while fusing laterally with the new structure on its second through fifth floors.The project was announced in 2019. Image courtesy of OMA and Bloom.

In case you haven't checked outArchinect's Pinterestboards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various ArchinectFirmandPeopleprofiles.Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the boardFancy Facades.Tip:Use the handyFOLLOW featureto easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles. Vertical Rainbowin Tokyo, Japan bySAKO Architects; Photo:Koji Fujii Formosa1140 inLos Angeles, CA byLorcan O'Herlihy Architects [LOHA]; Photo:Lawrence Anderson University of Wisconsin-Madison, Hamel Music Center inMadison, WI bySteinberg Hart Amir inQuertaro, Mexico byArchetonic; Photo:Rafael Gamo Stony Hill inAmagansett, NY byBates Masi + Architects; Photo:Bates Masi + Architects Beijing City Library inTongzhou, China bySnhetta;Architectural Terracotta Manufacturer:LOPO International Limited Office BuildinginMestrino, Italy byStudio Alvise Stramare; Metal Construction and Facade:...

The home once owned by one of the leading late-modernist figures in Northern CaliforniatheEHDD co-founder George Homseys exemplary Third Bay Tradition style former personal residence in San Franciscois now for sale for $2.45 million viaSuperstructur. The online brokerage, which claims to focus "solely on architecture and design with integrity," has the listing in the Liberty HillHistoric District. They say: "The house is in very original condition and now requires a custodian who is sensitive to the building's architectural importance and to the Homsey family's wishes that it may be carefully restored and preserved for the enjoyment of future generations."Homsey passed away at the age of 93 in April of 2019. Last month in the region, we also highlighted the listing of Julia Morgan's original 1908 home in Berkeley for $1.9 million.

The new ConstructionConnect Project Stress Index (PSI) composite reading for October has shown a mild improvement to 104.2, rising 0.8% for the month after a revised September reading of 103.4.Compared to the same month one year ago, the composite is down 11.6%. This is the fourth consecutive month in a row for year-to-year contractions. However, ConstructionConnect's Chief Economist Michael Guckes tells us: "This year has been very good for the PSI, with year-to-date composite performance down 14.6%. If conditions continue at this level for the rest of the year, the PSI will arguably have its best year since 2021."Related on Archinect: July sees sharp improvement in project conditions as interest rates are expected to fallThe total number of project abandonments, along with the number ofon-hold projects, were both recorded as hitting new multi-year lows. Guckes says it is due largely to the preemptive anticipation of Federal Funds Rate (FFR) decreases, which have an impact of pr...

With the final stage of a multiyear revitalization now completed, Pennsylvanias Longwood Gardens horticultural center has announced its official reopening date will be November 22nd, 2024. This concludes the work performed by Weiss/Manfredi in collaboration withReed Hilderbrand. The project cost for Longwood Reimagined was approximately $250 million.Interior View, West Conservatory. mage by Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto. Courtesy of Longwood Gardens.Work on the 17-acre expansion culminated with the addition of a new 32,000-square-foot glass greenhouse designed by Weiss/Manfredi that houses the immersive Mediterranean garden creation from Reed Hilderbrand, serviced by a network of 128 geothermal wells which are connected to a ground-level heat exchanger.nterior View, West Conservatory. Image by Ngoc Minh Ngo. Courtesy of Reed Hilderbrand.Beyond that is a brand new structure calledThe Grove that was made to host Longwood Gardens' education and administrative operations. Another impor...

Bjarke Ingels recently divulged his intentions to build on the moon by 2032. In a new interview withForbes, Ingels talked about his firms involvement with ICONon the NASA-fundedProject Olympus, saying "solar-powered lasers" will be used to "essentially melt moon dust into a sort of lunar obsidian" for later use as a 3D printed building material.This is seemingly in reference to the next generation of 3D printers made by ICON, which Ingels discussed as part of our in-depth conversation on the topic in March. (He also said: "Technologies that are developed for the difficulty of building on the Moon and Mars actually end up necessitating innovations that are useful here on Earth.")BIG is using a similar process for the astronaut base in the Mars Dune Alphaanother project partner Jakob Langetalked about with Archinect in detail in December of 2021.

Video from this years Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate Riken Yamamotos May lecture and award presentation ceremony in Chicago has been shared with Archinect to celebrate the 46th edition of architectures most important individual honor.The documentary-style film provides a behind-the-scenes look at the festivities, featuring commentary from Norman Foster andYale School of Architecturedean Deborah Berke, among several others.Berke tells us "I think the most important thing about it is how subtle it is and how willing he is as an architect to let the buildings be background in order to foreground human interaction" in deference to Yamamoto's deep understanding of both relational aesthetics and the art of the urban form.Video courtesy of The Hyatt Foundation/The Pritzker Architecture PrizeMore commentary from jurors Barry Bergdoll, Stephen Breyer, Andr Corra do Lago, Kazuyo Sejima, and Wang Shu provided an additional spotlight on Yamamotos legacy of social advocacy th...

The Indian practice A Threshold has been announced as the headline winner of this years AR Emerging awards by The Architectural Review. First begun in 1999, the honor is given annually in order to spread recognition of ascendent designers while celebrating the coming "architectural stars of tomorrow."

Following our previous look at an opening for Healthcare Planners at Flad Architects, we are using this weeks edition of ourJob Highlights seriesto explore open roles on Archinect Jobs for visualization positions at Rafael Violy Architects and Brandon Architects.Rafael Violy Architects is seeking a Visualization Designer to join their New York studio, requiring an individual to create high-quality digital imagery, including photorealistic CGI renderings, rendered plans, elevations, and/or axonometric drawings for design presentations. Meanwhile, Brandon Architects seeks a 3D Render Artist to support the team pushing the boundaries of luxury living by managing their visualization projects.Related on Archinect: Rafael Violy Architects reveals first Canadian project in Toronto.Rendering courtesy Binyan and Madison GroupWhy the role interests usAs our Archinect In-Depth: Visualization series continues, the open roles at Rafael Violy Architects and Brandon Architects offe...

CNN has confirmed the planned demolition of Stephen HoddersRIBA Stirling Prize-winning Centenary Building at the University of Salford. A spokesperson from the university told the network: "While the Centenary Building has been part of our university estate for a number of decades, unfortunately its ageing infrastructure means it no longer meets modern standards and requirements. It has now been vacant for a third of its built life."Speaking to his former client's plans for the building, which was the first RIBA Stirling winner in 1996, Hodder toldAJ: "For a university that promotes its sustainability credentials, the intention to demolish surely undermines the credibility of its policy. We urge it to reconsider, and hope the architectural community and wider industry collectively exclaim its concerns."University administrators had previously floated the idea of repurposing it into a K-12 facility before deciding on the demolition.