Architizer’s Vision Awards are back! The global awards program honors the world’s best architectural concepts, ideas and imagery. Submit your work ahead of the Final Entry Deadline on July 11th! Behind the term “paper architecture” hides a strange paradox: the radical act of building without, well, building. Paper architecture is usually associated with speculative design projects, presented in the form of drawings, which can also be considered art pieces. However, even though it is often dismissed as a mere utopian or academic exercise, paper architecture has historically served as a powerful form of protest, advocating against political regimes, architectural orthodoxy or cultural stagnation. Unbound by real-world limitations such as materials, regulations and budgets, paper architects are free to focus on the messages behind their designs rather than constantly striving for their implementation. In parallel, due to its subtleness, paper architecture has become a platform that enables radical commentary via a rather “safe” medium. Instead of relying on more traditional forms of protest (such as strikes or marches) this powerful visual language, combined with scrupulous aesthetics and imagination can start a more formidable “behind-the-scenes rebellion”. Unearthing Nostalgia by Bruno Xavier & Michelle Ashley Ovanessians, A+ Vision Awards, 2023 Perhaps the most well-known paper architects, Archigram was a radical British collective that was formed in the 1960s in London. Their work Walking City or Plug-In City showcased visions of a playful, technologically driven architecture that deeply contrasted and, by extent, protested against the rigid regime of post-war modernism and its extensive bureaucracy. This pop-art-style architecture served as a powerful critique towards the saturated idea of functional monotony. Additionally, the Russian architect, artist, and curator, Yuri Avvakumuv introduced the term “paper architecture” within the restrictive cultural and political climate of late Soviet Russia (1984). Having to deal with heavy censorship, Avvakumuv turned to competitions and speculative drawings in an attempt resist that dominance of totalitarian architecture. Poetic, deeply allegorical and oftentimes ironic architectural renderings, critiqued the bureaucratic sterility of Soviet planning and the state-mandated architectural principles architects had to follow. Consequently, this profound demonstration of un-built architecture within the specific setting, turned into a collective cultural wave that advocated artistic autonomy and expression for the built environment. Klothos’ Loom of Memories by Ioana Alexandra Enache, A+ Vision Awards, 2023 The Amerian architect Lebbeus Woods was also one of the most intellectually intense practitioners of paper architecture, whose work touches upon global issues on war zones and urban trauma. His imaginative, post-apocalyptic cities opened up discussions for rebuilding after destruction. Works such as War and Architecture and Underground Berlin, albeit “dystopic”, acted as moral propositions, exploring potential reconstructions that would “heal” these cities. Through his drawings, he rigorously investigated and examined scenarios of ethical rebuilding, refusing to comply to the principles of popular commerce, and instead creating a new architectural practice of political resistance. Finally, operating within a very male-dominated world, Zaha Hadid’s earlier work — particularly on Malevich — served as a protesting tool on multiple levels. Influenced by Suprematist aesthetics, her bold, dynamic compositions stood against the formal conservatism of architectural ideas, where the design must always yield to gravity and function. In parallel, her considerable influence and dominance on the field challenged long-standing norms and served as a powerful counter-narrative against the gender biases that sidelined women in design. Ultimately, her images – part blueprints, part paintings – not only proved that architecture could be unapologetically visionary and abstract but also that materializing it is not as impossible as one would think. (Your) My Bedroom by Daniel Wing-Hou Ho, A+ Vision Awards, 2023 Even though paper architecture began as a medium of rebellion against architectural convention in the mid-20th century, it remains, until today, a vital tool for activism and social justice. Operating in the digital age, social media and digital platforms have amplified its reach, also having given it different visual forms such as digital collages, speculative renders, gifs, reels and interactive visual narratives. What was once a flyer, a journal or a newspaper extract, can now be found in open-source repositories, standing against authoritarianism, climate inaction, political violence and systemic inequality. Groups such as Forensic Architecture (Goldsmiths, University of London)  carry out multidisciplinary research, investigating cases of state violence and violations of human rights through rigorous mapping and speculative visualization. Additionally, competitions such as the eVolo Skyscraper or platforms like ArchOutLoud and Design Earth offer opportunities and space for architects to tackle environmental concerns and dramatize the urgency of inaction. Imaginative floating habitats, food cities, biodegradable megastructures etc. instigate debates and conversations through the form of environmental storytelling. The Stamper Battery by By William du Toit, A+ Vision Awards, 2023 Despite being often condemned as “unbuildable”, “impractical” or even “escapist,” paper architecture acts as a counterweight to the discipline’s increasing instrumentalization as merely a functional or commercial enterprise. In architecture schools it is used as a prompt for “thinking differently” and a tool for “critiquing without compromise”. Above all however, paper architecture matters because it keeps architecture ethically alive. It reminds architects to ask the uncomfortable questions: how should we design for environmental sustainability, migrancy or social equality, instead of focusing on profit, convenience and spectacle? Similar to a moral compass or speculative mirror, unbuilt visions can trigger political, social and environmental turns that reshape not just how we build, but why we build at all. Architizer’s Vision Awards are back! The global awards program honors the world’s best architectural concepts, ideas and imagery. Submit your work ahead of the Final Entry Deadline on July 11th! Featured Image: Into the Void: Fragmented Time, Space, Memory, and Decay in Hiroshima by Victoria Wong, A+ Vision Awards 2023 The post Paper Architecture: From Soviet Subversion to Zaha’s Suprematism appeared first on Journal.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" The 2025 Serpentine Pavilion has opened to the public today, on 6 June, in London's Kensington Gardens. Named A Capsule in Time, the pavilion, designed by Bangladeshi architect and educator Marina Tabassum and her firm, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), the design discusses the permanent and ephemeral aspects of the commission. The Serpentine Pavilion will be on view in London's Kensington Gardens from June 6th to October 26th, 2025.The pavilion, which runs along the park's north-south axis, has a center court that lines up with Serpentine South's bell tower and an elongated capsule-like shape. The building, which consists of four wooden sculptures with a translucent façade that diffuses and dapples light as it enters the room, was inspired by summer park visitors and arched garden canopies that filter warm daylight through verdant greenery. A kinetic component that allows one of the capsule forms to move, link, and change the Pavilion into a new area is essential to Tabassum's design.Drawing inspiration from the history and architectural heritage of South Asian Shamiyana tents or awnings, Tabassum's design emphasizes the sensory and spiritual possibilities of architecture through scale and the interaction of light and shadow. Made of cloth and held up by bamboo poles, these structures serve a similar dynamic purpose and are frequently set up for outdoor events and festivities. The potential to bring people together through dialogue, networking, live events, and public gatherings is welcomed by Tabassum's Pavilion's openness.In keeping with Dame Zaha Hadid's philosophy of pushing the limits of architecture, Tabassum's Pavilion will commemorate the 25th anniversary of this groundbreaking project.Like many of Tabassum's earlier projects, the Pavilion is built around a semi-mature Ginkgo tree, a climate-resilient tree species that dates back to the early Jurassic Period. It takes into account the threshold between inside and outside, the tactility of material, lightness and darkness, height and volume. The leaves of the Gingko tree will gradually change from green to a brilliant gold-yellow color during the summer and into the fall. The choice of a gingko was motivated by the species' demonstrated climate change resistance and its contribution to Kensington Gardens' varied treescape. After the Pavilion closes in October, the species—which is immune to many modern pests and diseases—will be transplanted in the park.Tabassum elaborates on her idea for the Pavilion to serve as a multipurpose area where guests can congregate and bond via dialogue and information exchange in an age of growing censorship. The books that Tabassum and her colleagues at MTA have put together honor the diversity of Bangladesh, Bengali literature, poetry, ecology, and culture. It is housed on shelves that are integrated into the building and references the Pavilion's afterlife, which is a library that is accessible to everyone and is no longer located on Serpentine's lawn.“The Serpentine Pavilion celebrates the London summer—a time to be outdoors, connecting with friends and family in Kensington Gardens. We want to celebrate the tradition of park-going. "On a sunny day, the play of filtered daylight through the translucent facade draws on the memory of being under a Shamiyana at a Bengali wedding. Built from bamboo and decorated cloth, Shamiyanas convene hundreds of guests on any occasion," said Marina Tabassum, Architect, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). The Serpentine Pavilion offers a unique platform under the summer sun to unite as people rich in diversity. How can we transcend our differences and connect as humans?.""The Serpentine Pavilion offers a place where people of diverse backgrounds, ages and cultures can come together under one roof and call for action, facilitating dialogues that expand our boundaries of tolerance and respect," Tabassum added."We are thrilled to be working with Marina and her team on this year's Pavilion. The project, with its tight timescales and unique engineering challenges, is always particularly rewarding for our team of engineers and project managers," said Jon Leach, Director of AECOM. "Celebrating our thirteenth year on the Pavilion, it is fantastic to work with the Serpentine and the entire team once again to bring this year's design to life," Leach added.In 2024, architect, researcher and educator Marina Tabassum was named as the world's most influential architects in the 2024 TIME100 Next List by TIME Magazine. In 20216, Tabassum was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture with Bait Ur Rouf Mosque, Dhaka, Bangladesh.Founded in 2005 after Tabassum's ten-year partnership with URBANA, Marina Tabassum Architects has created environmentally, politically, and socially concerned architectural designs. MTA carries out research on environmental deterioration in Bangladesh, a country particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change, in addition to buildings situated in Dhaka, the surrounding areas, and other regions of the country.All images © Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine.> via Serpentine Galleries 

How Will Transportation Work in the Future? A Look at the Rise of Electric Mobility in CitiesSave this picture!Boise, United States. Image via Wikipedia user: Fæ. License under CC0 1.0. Image Author: Alden SkeieFrom greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to deforestation, one of the leading contributors to global warming today is emissions from the transportation sector. Exploring its origins and evolution, as well as the major challenges it faces, the development of electric mobility in urban environments represents a global transition that requires a coordinated mix of policies and actions to achieve cleaner and more sustainable transportation systems. Designing safe and comfortable infrastructure for walking and cycling, promoting public transit and shared mobility, and designing more efficient streets that include electric vehicles, among other actions, are part of a growing worldwide effort to reduce carbon emissions.Although electric vehicles were invented before gasoline and diesel cars in the first half of the 19th century, they have undergone significant technological advances over the past 20 years, reducing their costs and their environmental impact, and increasing their utility. Around 1834, Thomas Davenport developed the first battery-powered electric vehicle, building a small train on a circular track and inventing the first direct current (DC) electric motor. Although there were numerous innovations in the years that followed, battery limitations were a major obstacle. The zinc consumption of a battery was four times more expensive than the coal consumption of a steam engine, so at that time it competed with the electric motor. Save this picture!By 1898, the first commercially available electric vehicles were operating in London and New York. As Francisco Martín Moreno explains in "Vehículos eléctricos. Historia, estado actual y retos futuros", in the early 1900s, several electric car models emerged, primarily accessible to wealthy consumers and designed for short distances. In contrast, the early gasoline-powered cars introduced in the 1920s were noisy, emitted strong gasoline odors, and were hard to drive due to complex gear systems. However, large quantities of oil were discovered between 1920 and 1930, making gasoline-powered cars cheaper in Texas and other US states. Highways began to be built connecting cities, allowing gasoline-powered vehicles to travel from one city to another, something beyond the reach of electric vehicles due to their short range. Mass production techniques like Henry Ford's assembly line further reduced costs, making gas-powered cars affordable to the middle class. Related Article Gas Stations and Electric Cars: How Do They Change Cities Save this picture!By the late 1920s, gasoline vehicles had overtaken electric vehicles, and electric car production largely ceased in the 1930s. However, as a result of the oil crisis in the 1970s and the Gulf War in the 1990s, along with the emergence of climate change as a priority, there was a renewed interest in electric cars. This resurgence led to new models of electric vehicles—from small cars to buses and even trucks. The energy crisis led to an increase in gasoline prices, and society in advanced countries began to become aware of the effects of greenhouse gas emissions from oil combustion, the greenhouse effect, and climate change. Concern about greenhouse gas emissions and climate change increased as oil prices rose, and society began to recognize and become more aware of the impact of the current transportation model on cities and the urgency of finding more environmentally friendly transportation alternatives.Save this picture!Save this picture!In developed countries during the 20th century, the growth of cities was largely due to private car use, allowing citizens to travel miles and miles daily from home to work. Suburban expansion shifted the cost of commuting to individuals. Some residential areas are developing far from the city center and industrial zones, where a large proportion of the population relies on cars. In 2010, the global population was around 7 billion, and it's expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. The number of vehicles, meanwhile, is projected to grow from 75 million in 2010 to 2.5 billion by 2050. Will there be enough fossil fuels to power this massive fleet? What will be the future of gas stations?Save this picture!To meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and reduce growing air pollution, low- and middle-income countries should join the global transition to zero-emission electric transport. According to data from the International Energy Agency and the European Alternative Fuels Observatory, China led the world in 2024 with over 7 million electric vehicles (including cars and buses) in operation—an increase of over 3 million in just one year. The U.S. ranked second, followed by Germany, which leads in Europe with about 1.3 million EVs. The UK and France round out the top five.Save this picture!To support this transition, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a global initiative alongside private sector partners, academic institutions, and financial organizations, helping low- and middle-income countries shift to electric mobility. In Latin America, transportation accounts for around one-third of CO₂ emissions. In Africa, Asia, and parts of Latin America, motorcycles and three-wheelers are essential for daily mobility, often covering over 100 km per day. However, these vehicles usually rely on outdated technologies, making them highly polluting and inefficient. Electrifying two- and three-wheelers presents a significant opportunity to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. UNEP is assisting 17 countries in creating national strategies and running pilot projects to introduce these electric vehicles in regions like Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.Save this picture!Given the rapid urbanization in many low- and middle-income countries, mass public transport remains a cornerstone of urban mobility. Cities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America are investing in better transportation systems, including high-capacity bus corridors and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. Yet, with the average bus lifespan exceeding 12 years, it's essential to avoid locking cities into outdated technologies. Developing policies to support and incentivize the adoption of zero-emission vehicles is essential to achieving the electrification of public transport. The European Commission proposes promoting investment initiatives in charging infrastructure and emissions trading, to be implemented starting in 2026, by putting a carbon price on fossil-fuel vehicles. This measure seeks to boost the use of electric vehicles and the transformation of transport systems. Now, how could charging infrastructure be developed to support a potential massive growth in the electric vehicle fleet? What upgrades and innovations are needed to handle this future demand? What would happen if all transportation suddenly depended on the power grid?Save this picture!Save this picture!The UN emphasizes that using public transportation is critical to curbing climate change. Electrifying buses and trains could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to two-thirds per passenger per kilometer compared to private vehicles. Still, private cars hold the greatest potential for emission reduction. In 2018, light-duty vehicles were responsible for nearly half of all transport emissions—including those from rail, sea, and air travel. Several major carmakers have announced ambitious plans to release new EV models in the next five years.Save this picture!According to a study by the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility (2019), roughly 60% of global car trips are under 8 kilometers, making them ideal for micromobility solutions. Electromicromobility refers to small, lightweight, and low-speed electric transportation options for short distances, such as electric skateboards, scooters, bikes, mopeds, and quadricycles. From a user perspective, electric vehicles still face hurdles like high costs, limited range, and long charging times. However, their broader societal benefits—particularly emissions reductions—are significant. Therefore, local and national governments are encouraged to implement supportive policies, such as vehicle purchase subsidies, tax breaks, free charging stations, parking benefits, access to city centers, and special electricity rates for nighttime charging, etc.Save this picture!Save this picture!Ultimately, we should ask: What lies ahead for modern transportation? How could new forms of natural, artificial, and collective intelligence be integrated into the design of today's transportation systems to improve resilience to environmental and growth challenges? What partnerships between countries, industries, and organizations are needed to ensure a sustainable and innovative supply of key materials? What will happen to used EV batteries and electronic components? Will be electric mobility in cities the only way to reduce carbon emissions?This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: What Is Future Intelligence?, proudly presented by Gendo, an AI co-pilot for Architects. Our mission at Gendo is to help architects produce concept images 100X faster by focusing on the core of the design process. We have built a cutting edge AI tool in collaboration with architects from some of the most renowned firms such as Zaha Hadid, KPF and David Chipperfield.Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us. Image gallerySee allShow less About this authorAgustina IñiguezAuthor••• Cite: Agustina Iñiguez. "How Will Transportation Work in the Future? A Look at the Rise of Electric Mobility in Cities" 03 Jun 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030500/how-will-transportation-work-in-the-future-a-look-at-the-rise-of-electric-mobility-in-cities&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 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

Heydar Aliyev Center | © Olivier Blanchette via Unsplash In contemporary architectural discourse, the building envelope is no longer a passive partition but a dynamic interface capable of interaction, regulation, and adaptation. Amid rising environmental complexity and performance demands, composite materials are emerging as enablers of this transformation. Their potential goes far beyond lightweight strength; composites are redefining what intelligence means in architectural materiality. As the industry pivots toward energy-conscious design, real-time responsiveness, and multi-functional skins, composites provide structural solutions and performative systems. In this context, the envelope becomes a site of intelligence. From Passive Shells to Active Systems For centuries, architectural skins served primarily as barriers, blocking weather, enclosing space, and symbolizing permanence. But the 21st century demands more. We require façades that filter air and light, mediate thermal flux, integrate sensors, and generate power. Traditional materials, limited by monolithic performance and weight, have struggled to adapt. Composites, by contrast, are inherently systemic. They are engineered layers rather than singular substances. Through the integration of fibers and matrices, composites enable architectural envelopes that perform structurally while accommodating embedded systems such as thermal insulation, acoustic control, impact resistance, and photoreactivity. These characteristics make them prime candidates for high-performance envelopes in buildings and infrastructure alike. In the Qatar Integrated Railway Project, composite roofing and FRP façade panels were employed to meet the demands of the harsh desert environment. This solution reduced structural loads and improved thermal performance while ensuring long-term durability in a climate defined by extremes. Performance Layering and Embedded Intelligence What distinguishes composites from conventional materials is their capacity to combine multiple performance layers in one unified system. Instead of applying insulation, waterproofing, and cladding in sequence, a composite panel can consolidate these into a single prefabricated, high-performance element. A compelling example is the Eco Casa in Australia, designed by Ian Wright, which used frameless DuFLEX composite panels. The result was an environmentally conscious home with significantly reduced material waste, enhanced thermal performance, and minimized emissions. These outcomes demonstrate how composites offer design efficiency and ecological responsibility. The capacity for prefabrication and integration is particularly valuable in settings where labor conditions, transportation logistics, or weather exposure make traditional multi-layered construction inefficient or impractical. Composites with a Nervous System: Sensing the Built Environment Recent innovations in smart composites extend these capabilities further. By embedding fiber-optic or piezoresistive sensors into composite assemblies, architects and engineers can develop building skins that sense stress, temperature changes, humidity, or vibration in real-time. These responsive façades can feed data into building management systems, enabling performance optimization or alerting maintenance teams to signs of wear or structural fatigue. This functionality has been successfully explored in transport infrastructure. The King Abdullah High-Speed Rail Station in Saudi Arabia used 27-meter composite sandwich panels to span vast distances with minimal support. The lightweight system reduced the need for extensive reinforcement while enabling thermal and mechanical performance in a climate that demands resilience. Such examples are foundational to a future in which architecture does not merely resist the environment but interprets it. Formal Freedom Meets Functional Responsiveness Guangzhou Opera House | © Scarbor Siu via Unsplash Beyond embedded intelligence, composites also expand formal expression. Their moldability, especially with parametric design and digital fabrication, allows for envelopes that curve, fold, and morph in unattainable ways with conventional rigid materials. The Guangzhou Opera House, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is a defining example. Advanced composite assemblies that merged structural demands with formal ambition enabled its seamless curvatures and sharp transitions. These systems supported high-precision details and complex geometries while reducing material weight and installation complexity. This freedom extends to smaller-scale yet equally ambitious projects. At the Tilburg School for VAVO, translucent composite panels embedded with knitted textiles reference local craft while offering thermal performance and design cohesion. Such examples show that intelligence in architecture includes cultural sensitivity as well as technical adaptability. Toward Circular and Regenerative Envelopes The sustainability potential of composites is often overlooked. While early generations relied heavily on fossil-derived materials, newer systems use bio-based resins, natural fibers like flax and basalt, and recyclable matrices that fit into circular design models. Composite panels can now be designed for disassembly, repurposing, or reintegration into new construction, minimizing waste and conserving embodied energy. The Pasarela de Almuñécar in Spain exemplifies this ethos. As the world’s longest carbon-fiber walkway, it replaced heavier materials and extended structural lifespan while reducing maintenance. The project signals how composites can fulfill both technical and ecological ambitions. Efforts to embed digital tracking into panels, such as RFID tags, also support long-term monitoring and facilitate reuse planning. This vision aligns with emerging concepts like material passports, which will play a critical role in lifecycle accountability. Pasarela de Almuñécar in Spain | © Luis Garcia, CC by 3.0 Overcoming Barriers to Adoption Despite the clear advantages, composite adoption in architecture still faces notable hurdles. First is the challenge of integration with legacy materials such as concrete, stone, or steel. Connection detailing requires careful coordination to ensure structural continuity and thermal performance. Second is the perception of cost. While composites may require a higher upfront investment, their lower maintenance demands, improved energy performance, and reduced structural requirements often result in favorable long-term economics. Finally, regulatory frameworks continue to evolve. Building codes have been slow to reflect the unique properties of composites, although this is changing as standardization increases and successful pilot projects proliferate. A Vision for the Future: Architecture as Adaptive Intelligence Composites are not merely substitutes for traditional materials. They represent a paradigm shift in how we understand performance, integration, and the role of material in space-making. As architecture becomes increasingly data-driven, climate-responsive, and energy-conscious, the intelligent envelope will become the norm rather than the exception. Composites make this future feasible by offering structural capability, aesthetic freedom, environmental stewardship, and embedded intelligence within a single engineered solution. From high-speed rail terminals to cultural landmarks, these materials are shaping a new kind of architecture that listens, learns, and evolves. It is no longer sufficient for architecture to stand still. The next generation of buildings must adapt, interact, and perform. Composites make that future tangible. Learn More Explore how composite materials are redefining the building envelope in the construction sector and beyond: Visit Composites.Archi by ArchEyes Team Leave a comment

An open international ideas contest is being held to rethink Baghdad’s underused main railway station (Deadline: 1 October) Open to architects, students, engineers, planners and designers – the single-stage competition seeks proposals to upgrade and revitalize the landmark 1953 complex which was designed by Scottish architect JM Wilson and originally provided a range of domestic and international services but now only operates one overnight train to Basra. The call for ideas – organised by Iraqi architectural awards initiative Tamayouz – aims to generate ideas that celebrate the partially disused station’s heritage while also helping to unlock renewal in the surrounding area. The overall winner will receive the Dewan Award named after a practice in Dubai which sponsors the competition. Baghdad Central Station Credit: Image by Mondalawy Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license According to the brief: ‘This is more than a design challenge. It’s an open call to envision how architecture can honour the past while shaping the future. We welcome bold, context-sensitive proposals that balance heritage preservation with civic ambition, and architectural vision with urban integration. ‘Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful dialogue about the role of public space, mobility, and memory in shaping Baghdad’s urban fabric. Whether working individually or in multidisciplinary teams, entrants are encouraged to explore innovative and inclusive ideas that reconnect this iconic site with the life of the city.’ The competition focusses on the site of Baghdad Central Station on Qahira Street which opened in 1953 and was renovated in the early 2000s but has now become ‘disconnected from Baghdad’s urban life’ and is considered in a state of decline. The station is located in a major development zone a short distance from the Green Zone and the site of the unfinished ‘Grand Saddam Mosque’ which had been earmarked for a new Iraqi parliament designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The brick-built station – which is crowned by a 21-metre turquoise dome framed by two prominent clock towers – is currently severed from the wider city by several large congested roads and suffers from underuse and outdated infrastructure. Baghdad Central Station Credit: Image by Mondalawy Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license The call for concepts seeks to reconnect the landmark building with the surrounding city and transform it into a ‘vibrant, functional civic space’ which could accommodate new modes of transport including a planned future metro system and other mobility needs. Submissions will be expected to highlight the architectural and cultural value of the station, restore the existing entrance hall and platforms, upgrade the public realm by creating a safe and pedestrian-friendly station forecourt, introduce new small-scale retail and food outlets that support everyday use, and integrate new sustainable and energy efficient technologies. Judges will include Wendy Pullan, professor at Cambridge University; Sebastian Hicks from Oxford Brookes University; Jala Makhzoumi, professor of landscape architecture at the American University of Beirut; and Nadia Habash, head of the Palestinian Engineers Association. The latest contest is the 13th Dewan Award competition to be organised by Tamayouz which is headquartered in Coventry, England. In 2020, the organisation held a contest to regenerate the post-industrial Dakeer Island in Basra which was won by ADD Architects from Alexandria, Egypt. The overall winner, to be announced in November, will receive USD $6,000 or a half-year paid internship at Dewan Architects and Engineers in Dubai. A second prize of USD $3,000 and third prize of $1,000 will also be awarded. The competition language is English. How to apply Deadline: 1 October Fee: $75 from April to 31 May; $90 from 1 June to 31 Aug; $100 from 1 Sep to 29 Sept Competition Funding Source: Sponsored by Dewan Architect + Engineers in Dubai Project Funding Source: N/A , Ideas competition at this stage Owner of Site(s): Iraqi Republic Railways CompanyVisit the competition website for more information

Submitted by WA Contents Design Shanghai 2025 will explore the power of human-centric design in June China Architecture News - May 26, 2025 - 04:19   html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Asia’s leading design show, Design Shanghai, has announced its 12th edition, which will explore the notion of design for humanity. The Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Center will host Design Shanghai 2025 from June 4–7. The annual event has been dedicated to bridging the gap between Eastern and Western design for twelve years. It features both known and up-and-coming companies and brands, as well as the top local and international designers. This year, more than 80,000 professionals are anticipated to attend Design Shanghai, which will feature top companies from more than 30 countries and regions. Attendees can expect an unmatched chance to experience the ingenuity and impact of top-tier design. Over 640,000 professionals and more than 2,600 design brands from around the world have visited Design Shanghai to date, demonstrating the expansion and integration of China's design strength.The World Architecture Community is an official media partner of Design Shanghai."Over the past 12 years, Design Shanghai has grown while remaining youthful at heart, consistently embracing ever-evolving challenges with unwavering commitment. At the same time, we stay true to our original mission of being a bridge for East-West design exchange," said  Zhuo Tan, Event Director, Design Shanghai. "This year, we will place greater emphasis on human-centred design, making the exhibition more personal and meaningful, and exploring—and perhaps even reaching a consensus on—a fundamental question: Through design, where are we heading, and how should we act?." "We look forward to a truly memorable gathering this June," Tan explained.Image by BuloImage by VitraWith more than 600 carefully chosen design products spread throughout its four sections, Design Shanghai 2025 will provide an insight into the latest innovations and trends in the field. Modern designs in furniture, lighting, kitchens, bathrooms, and systems will be showcased in Section 1 (Furniture & Lighting) and Section 2 (Kitchen, Bathroom & Systems Design). Renowned brands like Bulo, Formitalia, RS Barcelona, Vitra, Lalique, Miyazaki Chair Factory, NEKOSpACE, and Antoniolupi Design Made in Italy will be showcasing their most recent collections. The best of Spanish design, such as Viccarbe, Porcelenosa, and LFZ Lamps, will be showcased by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX). Luxury appliance manufacturers Liebherr, JUNG, Lantex, and Colmo will be on display, along with high-end brands like LAUFEN, Villeroy & Boch, and GORENJE, showcasing their creative solutions.Image by Villeroy & BochImage by Ultrasuede®In the New Materials & Applications Section (3), top companies such as Mapei, Burgeree, Spralding, and Ultrasuede®, as well as Italian designers Florim, SICIS, and Tecnografica, will showcase sustainable innovations.In addition to luxury design brands that specialize in fine porcelain, glassware, tableware, and high-end home accessories like Herend, Lomonosov, Sabre Paris, Cutipol, La Rochere, Sezzatini, Timon Luxury, and CreArt, Section 4: Living & Lifestyle Design will have brands like Reflections Copenhagen, Aynsley, Pro-Ject, and Vilca that will display exquisite craftsmanship.TALENTS from 2024 editionTo produce one-of-a-kind design experiences, Design Shanghai will once more collaborate with top design and creative studios. Frank Chou, the curator of TALENTS, will return with his mission to support the developing creative potential of upcoming designers. Chen Min and Neooold, a fusion of art, craft, and design based on China's abundant traditional handicrafts and materials, are also returning to Design Shanghai.Materials First by Chris Lefteri will also make a comeback with an interesting interactive experience. Additionally, Zhang Lei's materials aesthetics trend exhibition Re: Materialize and Beyond Craft Japan, which explores Japanese beauty via materials and workmanship, will be open to visitors.Image by Made in JDZAdditionally, two brand-new features—Collectible Design & Art and Made in JDZ, which are curated by Ran Xiangfei—will highlight the brilliance of limited edition designs and the elegance of Jingdezhen's handmade craftsmanship. Both provide unique chances to encounter the most cutting-edge and progressive concepts from the design industry.Image by Koseido (Beyond Craft Japan)Design for HumanityThree significant speaker conferences will also be included in the 2025 edition: the CMF Conference, the Design for Wellbeing Conference, and the Global Design Conference with the topic "Design for Humanity." Exhibitors will have unique networking opportunities to interact with well-known designers and business executives at these conferences.Highlights of the speakers include: Ole Scheeren, Chief Designer, Buro Ole Scheeren; Satoshi Ohashi, Director (China), Zaha Hadid Architects; Paul Priestman, Chairman and Creative Director, PULI Innovation; Robert Greenwood, Partner, Director for Asia Pacific, Snøhetta; Changrui FU, Associate Partner, MAD; and Craig Miller, Partner and Project Leader, Heatherwick Studio.Register to Design Shanghai via this link. All images courtesy of Design Shanghai.> via Design Shanghai

Save this picture!Algae Curtain / EcoLogicStudio. Image © ecoLogicStudio"The limits of our design language are the limits of our design thinking". Patrik Schumacher's statement subtly hints at a shift occurring in the built environment, moving beyond technological integration to embrace intelligence in the spaces and cities we occupy. The future proposes a possibility of buildings serving functions beyond housing human activity to actively participate in shaping urban life.The architecture profession has long been enamored with "smart" buildings - structures that collect and process data through sensor networks and automated systems. Smart cities were heralded to improve quality of life as well as the sustainability and efficiency of city operations using technology. While smart buildings and cities are still at a far reach, these advancements only mark the beginning of a much more impactful application of technology in the built environment. Being smart is about collecting data. Being intelligent is about interpreting that data and acting autonomously upon it. Save this picture!The next generation of intelligent buildings will focus on both externalities and the integration of advanced interior systems to improve energy efficiency, sustainability, and security. Exterior innovations like walls with rotatable units that automatically respond to real-time environmental data, optimizing ventilation and insulation without human intervention are one application. Related Article The Future of Work: Sentient Workplaces for Employee Wellbeing Kinetic architectural elements, integrated with artificial intelligence, create responsive exteriors that breathe and adapt. Networked photovoltaic glass systems may share surplus energy across buildings, establishing efficient microgrids that transform individual structures into nodes within larger urban systems.Interior spaces are experiencing a similar evolution through platforms like Honeywell's Advance Control for Buildings, which integrates cybersecurity, accelerated network speeds, and autonomous decision-making capabilities. Such systems simultaneously optimize HVAC, lighting, and security subsystems through real-time adjustments that respond to environmental shifts and occupant behavior patterns. Advanced security incorporates deep learning-powered facial recognition, while sophisticated voice controls distinguish between human commands and background noise with high accuracy.Kas Oosterhuis envisions architecture where building components become senders and receivers of real-time information, creating communicative networks: "People communicate. Buildings communicate. People communicate with people. People communicate with buildings. Buildings communicate with buildings." This swarm architecture represents an open-source, real-time system where all elements participate in continuous information exchange.Save this picture!Save this picture!While these projects are impressive, they also bring critical issues about autonomy and control to light. How much decision-making authority should we delegate to our buildings? Should structures make choices for us or simply offer informed suggestions based on learned patterns?Beyond buildings, intelligent systems can remodel urban management through AI and machine learning applications. Solutions that monitor and predict pedestrian traffic patterns in public spaces are being explored. For instance, Carlo Ratti's collaboration with Google's Sidewalk Labs hints at the possibility of the streetscape seamlessly adapting to people's needs with a prototype of a modular and reconfigurable paving system in Toronto. The Dynamic Street features a series of hexagonal modular pavers which can be picked up and replaced within hours or even minutes in order to swiftly change the function of the road without creating disruptions on the street. Sidewalk Labs also developed technologies like Delve, a machine-learning tool for designing cities, and focused on sustainability through initiatives like Mesa, a building-automation system.Cities are becoming their own sensors at elemental levels, with physical fabric automated to monitor performance and use continuously. Digital skins overlay these material systems, enabling populations to navigate urban complexity in real-time—locating services, finding acquaintances, and identifying transportation options.The implications extend beyond immediate utility. Remote sensing capabilities offer insights into urban growth patterns, long-term usage trends, and global-scale problems that individual real-time operations cannot detect. This creates enormous opportunities for urban design that acknowledges the city as a self-organizing system, moving beyond traditional top-down planning toward bottom-up growth enabled by embedded information systems.Save this picture!Save this picture!While artificial intelligence dominates discussions of intelligent architecture, parallel developments are emerging through non-human biological intelligence. Researchers are discovering the profound capabilities of living organisms - bacteria, fungi, algae - that have evolved sophisticated strategies over millions of years. Micro-organisms possess intelligence that often eludes human comprehension, yet their exceptional properties offer transformative potential for urban design.EcoLogicStudio's work with the H.O.R.T.U.S. series exemplifies this biological turn in intelligent architecture. The acronym—Hydro Organism Responsive To Urban Stimuli—describes photosynthetic sculptures and urban structures that create artificial habitats for cyanobacteria integrated within the built environment. These living systems function not merely as decorative elements but as active metabolic participants, absorbing emissions from building systems while producing biomass and oxygen through photosynthesis. The PhotoSynthetica Tower project, unveiled at Tokyo's Mori Art Museum, materializes this vision as a complex synthetic organism where bacteria, autonomous farming machines, and various forms of animal intelligence become bio-citizens alongside humans. The future of intelligent architecture lies not in replacing human decision-making but in creating sophisticated feedback loops between human and non-human intelligence. The synthesis recognizes that our knowledge remains incomplete in any age, particularly as new developments push us from lifestyles constraining us to single places toward embracing multiple locations and experiences.Save this picture!The built environment's role in emerging technologies extends far beyond operational efficiency or cost savings. Intelligent buildings can serve as active participants in sustainability targets, wellness strategies, and broader urban resilience planning. The possibility of intelligent architecture challenges the industry to expand our design language. The question facing the profession is not whether intelligence will permeate the built environment. Rather, architects must gauge how well-positioned we are to design for this intelligence, manage its implications, and partner with our buildings as collaborators in shaping the human experience.This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: What Is Future Intelligence?, proudly presented by Gendo, an AI co-pilot for Architects. Our mission at Gendo is to help architects produce concept images 100X faster by focusing on the core of the design process. We have built a cutting-edge AI tool in collaboration with architects from some of the most renowned firms, such as Zaha Hadid, KPF, and David Chipperfield.Every month, we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.

Whether you’re heading to this year’s Biennale, planning a future visit, or simply daydreaming about Venice, this guide—contributed by Hamilton-based architect Bill Curran—offers insights and ideas for exploring the canal-crossed city. Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. – Truman Capote Venice is my mystical addiction and I soon will make my 26th trip there, always for about 10 days or more. I keep getting asked why, and asked by other architects to share what to do and what to see. Only Italo Calvino could have reimagined (in ‘Invisible Cities’) such a magical, unique place, a water-born gem forged from 120 islands linked by 400 bridges and beset by a crazy-quilt medieval street and canal pattern. Abstract, dancing light forms dappling off water, the distinct automobile-less quiet. La Serenissima, The Most Serene One. Most buildings along the Grand Canal were warehouses with the family home above on the piano nobile floor above, and servant apartments above that in the attics, in a sea-faring nation state of global traders and merchants like Marco Polo. Uniquely built on a foundation of 1,000-year-old wood pilings, its uneven, wonky buildings have forged a rich place in history, literature and movies: Joseph Brodsky’s Watermark, Hemingway’s Across the River and into the Trees, Don’t Look Now starring Donald Sutherland, Mann’s Death in Venice, The Comfort of Strangers with Christopher Walken, Henry James’ The Wings of the Dove and The Aspern Papers, Kate Hepburn’s ‘Summertime. Yes, yes, Ruskin’s Stones of Venice is an option, as are Merchant of Venice and Casanova. Palazzo Querini Stampalia (Venice): Photo via Wikipedia THE MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF VENICE Much of Venetian life is lived in centuries-old buildings, with a crushing post-war recession leaving it preserved in amber for decades until the mass tourists found it. Now somewhat relieved of at least the cruise ship daytrippers, it is a reasonable place again, except maybe in peak summer. The weight of history, a conservatism for preservation and post-war anti-Americanism led to architectural stagnation. So there are few new, modern buildings, mostly on the edges, and some fine interior interventions, mostly invisible. For modern architecture enthusiasts Venice is a challenge. Carlo Scarpa (Giardini, Venise) – Photo via Wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license Here is what modern architects should see: Carlo Scarpa‘s Must-See Works: Go see any of Scarpa’s interventions, demonstrating his mastery of detailing, materials, joinery and his approach to blending with existing fabric. He is Italy’s organicist, their Frank Lloyd Wright, and they even worked together (on the Masieri Foundation). Negozio Olivetti: The tiny former Olivetti typewriter showroom enfronting Piazza San Marco is perhaps the most wonderful of his works. It is open now to visit as a heritage museum. ”God is in the details”; Scarpa carefully considered every detail, material and connection. Le magasin Olivetti de Carlo Scarpa (Venise). Photo via Wikipedia. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license The Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a must see, a renovated palazzo with ground floor exhibit spaces with tidewater allowed to rise up inside in one area you bridge across. The former entrance bridge is a lovely gem of exquisite detailing, rendered obsolete by a meh renovation by Mario Botta. A MUST is to have a coffee or prosecco in Scarpa’s garden and see the craft and detail of its amazing water feature. The original palazzo rooms are a lovely semi-public library inhabited by uni students; sign up as a member on-line for free. Walk up the spiral stair. The entry gate to the UIAV Architecture School in Campo Tolentini  is an unexpected wonder. A brutalist yet crisply detailed sliding concrete and steel gate, a sculpted concrete lychgate, then an ancient doorway placed on the lawn as a basin. Main Gate of the Tolentini building headquarters of Iuav university of Venice designed by Carlo Scarpa. Photo via Wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license OTHER MODERN ARCHITECTURE TO SEE: Minimalist Dave Chipperfield expanded an area of suede-like concrete columbariums on the St. Michele cemetery island. Sublime. Extra points if you can find the tomb Scarpa designed nearby. The Ponte della Costituzione (English: Constitution Bridge) is the fourth bridge over the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava. (Image via: Wikipedia) Calatrava’s Ponte della Constituzione bridge is an elegant, springing gazelle over the entrance to the Grand Central. But the glass steps are slippery and are being replaced soon, and the City is suing Calatrava, oops. The barrier-free lift pod died soon after opening. It is lovely though.   Le Canal della Giudecca, la Punta della Dogana, la basilique Santa Maria della Salute de Venise et le Canal Grande à Venise (Italie). Photo via Wikipedia Tadao Ando’s Punte Della Dognana museum is large, with sublime, super-minimalist, steel and glass and velvety exposed concrete interventions, while his Palazzo Grassi Museum was more restoration. A little known fact is that Ando used Scarpa’s lovely woven basketweave metal gate design in homage. An important hidden gem is the Teatrino Grassi behind the Museum, a small but fabulous, spatially dramatic theatre that often has events, a must-see! Fondaco dei Tedeschi: At the foot of Rialto Bridge and renovated by Rem Koolhaas, this former German trading post had been transformed into a luxury shopping mall but closed last month, a financial failure. Graced with a stunning atrium and a not well know fabulous rooftop viewing terrace, its future is now uncertain. The atrium bar is by Phillipe Starck and is cool. Try it just in case. Fondaco dei Tedeschi. Photo via Wikipedia Procuratie Vecchie: This iconic 16th storey building is one of Piazza San Marco’s defining buildings, and David Chipperfield’s restoration and renovation of this building, which defines Piazza San Marco, is all about preservation with a few modern, minimalist interventions. It operates as a Biennale exhibit space. Infill housing on former industrial sites on Guidecca Island includes several interesting new developments called the Fregnans, IACP and Junghans sites (look for fine small apartments such as by Cino Zucchi that reinterpret traditional Venetian apartment language). A small site called Campo di Marte includes side-by-sides by Alvaro Siza (disappointing), Aldo Rossi and Carlo Aymonino (ho hum); some day there will be a Rafael Moneo on the empty lot.     View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Denton Corker Marshall (@dentoncorkermarshall) AT THE BIENNALE: At the Biennale grounds there is much to see, with the only recent project the Australia Pavilion by Denton Corker, a black granite box hovering along a canal. Famous buildings include the Nordic Pavilion (Sven Ferre), Venezuela Pavilion (Carlo Scarpa), Finland Pavilion (Alvar Aalto), former Ticket Booth (Carlo Scarpa), Giardino dell Sculture (Carlo Scarpa), Bookstore (James Stirling) and there are some fab modern interiors inside the old boat factory buildings. Canada’s Pavilion by the Milan firm BBPR (don’t ask why) from 1956 is awkward, weird and much loathed by artists and curators. Le pavillon des pays nordiques (Giardini, Venise). Photo via Wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Just outside the Biennale on the Zattere waterfront is a stirring Monument to the Women Partisans of WWII, laid in the water by Augusto Maurer over a simple stepped-base designed by Scarpa. Venezia – Complesso monastico di San Giorgio Maggiore. Photo via Wikipedia,  licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. BEYOND THE BIENNALE The Vatican Chapels: In 2018 the Vatican decided to participate in the Biennale for the first time for some reason and commissioned ten architects to design chapels that are located in a wooded area on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore, behind Palladio’s church. The architects include Norman Foster, Eduardo Souto de Moura, and Smiljan Radic, and includes The Asplund Pavilion, like the Woodland Chapel  that inspired it. It is intended as a “place of orientation, encounter, meditation, and salutation.” The 10 chapels each symbolize one of the Ten Commandments, and offer 10 unique interpretations of the original Woodland Chapel; many are open air. These are fab and make you think! Chiese San Giorgio Maggiore was designed by Palladio and is fine. But its bell tower offers magnificent city views and avoids the long lines, crowds and costs of Piazza San Marco’s Campanile. Next to San Giorgio you should tour the Cini Foundation, with an amazing stair by Longhera, the modern Monica Lunga Library (Michele De Lucchi) and a lovely Borges-inspired labyrinth garden. Behind San Giorgio en route to the Chapels is the Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum) and the fabulous Le Stanze della Fotografia (contemporary photography gallery) featuring a Mapplethorpe retrospective this year. (If you’re visiting this year, join me in Piazza San Marco on July 7, 2025, for his ex Patti Smith’s concert.) An unknown MUST DO is a concert in the stunning Auditorium Lo Squero (Cattaruzza Millosevich), with but 200 comfy seats in an adapted boat workshop with a stage wall of glass onto the lagoon and the Venitian cityscape. La Fenice Opera House in Venice, Italy. Image via: Wikipedia La Fenice Opera House: after burning down in 1996, Aldo Rossi supervised the rebuilding, more or less ‘as it was, as it is’, the Italian heritage cop-out. There is no Rossi to see here, but it is a lovely grand hall. Book a concert with private box seats. Venice Marco Polo Airport is definitely Aldo Rossi-inspired in its language, materials and colours. The ‘Gateway Terminal’ boat bus and taxi dock is a true grand gateway (see note about Gehry having designed an unbuilt option below). Venice Marco Polo airport. Photo via Wikipedia HIDDEN GEMS Fondazione Vendova by Renzo Piano features automated displays of huge paintings by a local abstract modernist moving about a wonderful huge open warehouse and around viewers. Bizarre and fascinating. Massimo Scolari was a colleague or Rossi’s and is a brilliant, Rationalist visionary and painter, renown to those of us devotees of the Scarpa/Rossi/Scolari cult in the 1980’s. His ‘Wings’ sculpture is a large scale artwork motif from his drawings now perched on the roof of the UIAV School of Architecture, and from the 1991 Biennale. Do yourself a favour, dear reader, look up his work. Krier, Duany and the New Urbanists took note. He reminds me of the 1920s Italian Futurists. You can tour all the fine old churches you want, but only one matters to me: Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a barrel-vaulted, marble and wood-roofed confection. San Nicolo dei Mendicoli is admittedly pretty fab, and featured in ‘Don’t Look Now’.  And the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello has an amazing mosaic floor, very unusual stone slab window shutters (and is near Locanda Cipriani for a wonderful garden lunch, where Hemingway sat and wrote). For the Scarpiani: There is a courtroom, the Manilo Capitolo, inside the Venice Civic Tribunale building in the Rialto Market that was renovated by Scarpa, and is amazing in its detail, including furniture and furnishings. You have to pass security to get in, and wait until court ends if on. It is worth it! The Aula Mario Baratto is a large classroom in a Palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal designed by Carlo Scarpa with amazing wood details and furniture. The room has stunning frescoes also. You can book a tour through Universite Ca’ Foscari. The view at a bend in the Grand Canal is stunning, and you can see the Fondazione Masieri (Scarpa renovation) building off to the left across the side canal (see Missed Opportunities). Within the Accademia Galleries and Correr Museum are a number of small renovations, stairs and art stands designed by Scarpa. Next to the Chiesa di San Sebastino decorated by Veronese is the Scarpa entrance to a linguistics library for the Universita Ca’ Foscari. Fondation W – Wilmotte & Associés: A French architect who is not shy and presumably rather wealthy runs his own exhibition space focused on architecture; ‘…it is both a laboratory and shop window…’,  so one of those. Worth a look. There is a recent Courthouse that is sleek, long, narrow, black and compelling on the north side of Piazzalle Roma, but I have not yet wandered in.   FOOD AND DRINKS FOR ARCHITECTS Philippe Starck’s lobby bar at the Palazzina Grassi hotel is the only cool, mod bar in town. Wow! Ask the barman to see the secret Krug Room and use the PG bar’s unique selfie washroom. I love this bar: old, new, electic. Also, Starck has a house on Burano, next to the pescheria (sorry, useless ephemera). He wants you to drop by. Restaurant Algiubagiò is the only cool, modern restaurant and it has fab food. It also has a great terrace over the water. Go! Zanze XVI is a nice clean mod interior and Michelin food. Worth it. Ristorante Lineadombra: A lovely, crisp modern interior and crisp modern Venetian food. A great terrace on the water also. Local Venice is a newer, clean, crisp resto with ‘interesting’ prices. Your call. Osteria Alla Bifora, while in a traditional workshop space, is a clean open loft, adorned modernly with a lovely array of industrial and historic relics. It is a lovely bar with charcuterie and a patio on the buzzy campo for students. Great for late night. Cicchetti are Venetian tapas, a standard lunch you must try. All’ Arco near Rialto has excellent nouveau food and 50m away is the lovely old school Do Mori. Osteria Al Squero in Dorsoduro overlooks one of the last working gondola workshops, and 100m away is the great Cantino del Vino già Schiavi. Basegò has creative, nouveau cichetti. Drinks on a patio along the Grand Canal can only be had economically at Taverna al Remer, or in Campo Erberia at Nanzaria, Bancogira, Al Pesador or Osteria Al Cichetteria. Avoid any place around Rialto Bridge except these. El Sbarlefo San Pantalon has a Scarpa vibe and a hip, young crowd. There is a Banksy 50’ away. Ristorante Venissa is a short bridge from Burano to Mazzorbo island, a Michelin-starred delight set in its own vineyard.   Since restaurant design cannot tie you up here, try some fab local joints: Trattoria Anzolo Raffaele : The owner’s wife is from Montreal, which is something. A favorite! Pietra Rossa: A fab, smart place with a hidden garden run by a hip, fun young restauranteur, Andrea. Ask for the Canadian architect discount. Oste Mauro Lorenzon : An entertaining wine and charcuterie bar run by the hip young restauranteur’s larger than life father, and nearby. Mauro is a true iconoclast. Only open evenings and I dare you to hang there late. Anice Stellato: A great family run spot, especially for fish. Excellent food always. La Colonna Ristorante: A nice, neighbourhood joint hidden in a small campo. Il Paradiso Perduto: A very lively joint with good food and, rarely in Venice, music. Buzzy and fun. Busa da Lele: Great neighbourhood joint on Murano in a lovely Campo. Trattoria Da Romano: Best local joint on Burano. Starck hangs here, as did Bourdain.   Cafes: Bacaro aea Pescaria is at the corner by Campo de la Becarie. Tiny, but run by lovely guys who cater to pescaria staff. Stand outside with a prosecco and watch the market street theatre. Extra points if you come by for a late night drink. Bar ai Artisti is my second fav café, in Campo S. Barnaba facing where Kate Hepburn splashed into the canal. Real, fab pastries, great terrace in Campo too. Café at Querini Stampalia: get a free visit to Scarpa’s garden and wander it with a coffee or prosecco. Make sure to see the bookstore also (and the Scarpa exhibition hall adjacent). Carlo Scarpa à la Fondation Querini Stampalia (Venise). Photo via Wikipedia, A lesser known place is the nice café in the Biennale Office next to Hotel Monaco, called Ombra del Leone. The café in the Galleria Internationale d’Arte Moderna Ca’ Pesaro is great with a terrace on the Grand Canal.   Cocktail bars: Retro Venezia: Cool, retro vibe. The owner’s wife dated a Canadian hockey player. You must know him. Il Mercante: A fabulous cocktail bar. Go. Time Social Bar:  Another cool cocktail bar. Vero Vino: A fab wine bar where you can sit along a canal. Many good restaurants nearby! Arts Bar Venice: If you must have a cocktail with a compelling story, and are ok with a $45 pricetag. Claims Scarpa design influence, I say no. But read the cocktail stories, they are smart and are named for artists including Scarpa. Bar Longhi in in the Gritti Hotel is a classic, although cheesey to me. Hemingway liked it. It has a Grand Canal terrace. The Hilton Stucky Hotel is a fabulous former flour factory from when they built plants to look like castles, but now has a bland, soulless Hilton interior like you are in Dayton. But it has a rooftop bar and terrace with amazing sunset views! While traditional, the stunning, ornate lobby, atrium and main stair of the Hotel Danieli are a must-see. Have a drink in the lobby bar by the piano player some evening.   STAYING MODERN Palazzina Grassi is the only modern hotel in Venice, with a really lovely, unique lobby/bar/restaurant all done by Philippe Starck. At least see the fab bar! Johnny Depp’s favourite. Generator Hostel: A hip new-age ‘design-focused’ hostel well worth a look. Not like any hostel I ever patronized, no kegs on the porch. Go visit the lobby for the design. A Euro chain. DD724 is a small boutique hotel by an Italian architect with thoughtful detailing and colours, near the Peggy Guggenheim Museum (the infamous Unfinished Palazzo), and they have a small remote outpost with fabulous apartment called iQS that is lovely. The owner’s brother is the architect. My fave! Avogaria: Not just a 5 room hotel, it is ‘a concept’, which is great, right?  But very cool. An architect is one of the owners. German minimalist architect Matteo Thun’s JW Mariott Venice Resort Hotel and Spa is an expensive convent renovation on its own lagoon island that shows how blandness is yawningly close to minimalism. The Hotel Bauer Palazzo has a really lovely mid-century modern section facing Campo San Moise, but it is shrouded in construction scaffolding for now.   SHOPPING MODERN FOR ARCHITECTS It is hard to find cool modern shopping options, but here is where you can: Libreria Acqua Alta: Used books and a lovely, unexpected, fab, alt experience. You must see and wander this experience! It has cats too. Giovanna Zanella: Shoes that are absolute works of art! At least look in her window. Bancolotto N10: Stunning women’s clothing made in the women’ prison as a job skill training program. Impeccable clothes; save a moll from a life of crime. Designs188: Giorgio Nason makes fabulous glass jewellery around the corner from the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Davide Penso: Artisan made glass jewellery on Murano. Ferrovetro Murano: Artisan made jewellery, bags, scarfs. (on Murano). Madera: All the cool designer housewares and jewellery. DECLARE: Cool, modern leathergoods in a very sweet modern shop with exquisite metal detailing. A must see! Ottica Urbani: Cool Italian eyewear and sunglasses. Paperowl: Handmade paper, products, classes. Feeling Venice: Cool design and tourist bling can be found only here. No shot glasses.   MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, MEMORIES AND B-SIDES The Masieri Foundation: Look up the tragic story of this project, a lovely, small memorial to a young architect who died in a car accident on his honeymoon en route to visit Fallingwater in 1952. Yep. His widow commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a small student residence and study centre, but it was stopped by anti-American and anti-Modernism sentiments. (Models and renderings are on-line). This may be Venice’s saddest architectural loss ever. The consolation prize is a very, very lovely Scarpa interior reno. Try to get in, ring the bell (it is used as offices by the university)! (Read Troy M. Ainsworth’s thesis on the Masieri project history). Also cancelled: Lou Kahn’s Palace of Congress set for the Arsenale, Corbusier’s New Venice Hospital which would have been sitting over the Lagoon in Cannaregio near the rail viaduct, Gehry’s Venice Gateway (the airport’s ferry/water taxi dock area). Also lost was Rossi’s temporary Teatro del Mondo, a barged small theatre that tooted around Venice and was featured in a similar installation in 1988 at the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. All available on-line. Teatro del Mondo di Aldo Rossi, Venezia 1980. Photo via Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 Itches to scratch: Exercise your design skills to finish the perennial favorite ‘Unfinished Palazzo’ of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, design a new Masieri Foundation, design the 11th Vatican Chapel or infill the derelict gasometer site next to Palladio’s Chiese San Francisco della Vigna.   FURTHER AFIELD Within an hour’s drive, you can see the simply amazing Tombe Brion in San Vito Altivole and the tiny, stunning Giptotecha Canova in Possagna (both by Scarpa), the Nardini Grappa Distillery in Bassano del Grappa by Maximillio Fuksas, and a ferry and taxi will get you to Richard Meier’s Jesolo Lido Condos on the beach. A longer drive of two hours into the mountains near Cortina will bring you to Scarpa’s lovely and little known Nostra Signore di Cadora Church. It is sublime! Check out the floor! Zaha Hadid’s stunning Messner Mountain Museum floats above Cortina, accessible by cable car. The recent M-09 Museum on mainland Mestre, a quick 10 minute train ride from Venice, by Sauerbruch + Hutton is a lovely urban museum with dynamic cladding. Castelvecchio Museum. Photo via Wikipedia The Veneto region is home to many cool things, and fab train service gets you quickly to Verona (Scarpa’s Castelvecchio Museum and Banco Populare), Vicenza (Palladio’s Villa Rotonda and Basillicata). There are Palladio villas scattered about the Veneto, and you can daytrip by canal boat from Venice to them. Go stand where Hemingway was wounded in WWI near Fossalta Di Piave (there is a plaque), which led to his famous novel, ‘A Farewell to Arms’. He never got to visit Venice until 1948, then fell in love with the city, leading to ‘Across the River and into the Trees’. He also threatened to burn down FLW’s Masieri Foundation if built (and they both came from Oak Park, Illinois. So not very neighborly).   OTHER GOOD ARCHITECTURAL REFERENCES Venice Modern Architecture Map The only guidebook to Modern Architecture in Venice   These architectural guide folks do tours geared to architects: Architecture Tour Venice – Guiding Architects Venice Architecture City Guide: 15 Historical and Contemporary Attractions to Discover in Italy’s City of Canals | ArchDaily Venice architecture, what to see: buildings by Scarpa, Chipperfield and other great architects The post An Architect’s Guide to Venice and its Modern Architecture    appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Construction has begun on the Asaan Museum, a new cultural institution in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The project marks the firm’s first use of adobe construction worldwide. Image credit: Specto-DigitalLocated in the historic At-Turaif district, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010, the Asaan Museum draws inspiration from traditional Najdi forms. The museum is being built from locally sourced clay mud-bricks, a material with roots in the region’s vernacular built environment. The use of adobe offers strong thermal insulation and high thermal mass, suited to Diriyah’s desert climate. Image credit: Specto-DigitalCommissioned by the Misk Foundation, the museum will feature interactive exhibitions, immersive displays, and conservation laboratories. The museum’s programme will span education, arts, and administration, each organized around one of three shaded courtyards that reflect the spatial logic of Najdi architecture. Image credit: Spect...

The stars are out at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.This year's event kicked off on May 13 with an opening ceremony and the premiere of the French film "Leave One Day." The festival will continue until May 24, providing nearly two weeks of French street style and red-carpet fashion.So far, some celebrities have turned heads in bold ensembles, while others have missed the mark with their looks.From Bella Hadid to Halle Berry, here are the best and worst looks we've seen. Elle Fanning's strapless gown was simple, but effective. Elle Fanning at the Cannes Film Festival. Reuters She walked the "Affeksjonsverdi" red carpet on Wednesday in a strapless Giorgio Armani design that looked pretty and chic.It was fitted to her body, decorated with pink rose appliqués, and completed with a plunging sweetheart neckline. Alex Consani wore a two-piece set that was almost perfect. Alex Consani at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP She arrived for "The Phoenician Scheme" screening on Sunday in a uniquely shaped Schiaparelli set.The model's structured top had a beaded, off-the-shoulder neckpiece that covered her chest and a high-low peplum waistband. Her pants, on the other hand, were oversize and wide.Though her statement blouse had potential, Consani's pants were a little too big and needed tailoring. A form-fitting skirt might have looked better with the top piece. Alexander Skarsgard faced a similar issue. Alexander Skarsgard at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP The actor could have looked classic with a traditional tuxedo for the red-carpet event, or he could have attempted a more daring style.Instead, he tried to do both at the same time.He wore a sharp Saint Laurent tux with his trousers tucked into thigh-high leather boots — a style the fashion house first revealed in its January runway show.The shoes were distracting and felt out of place with his otherwise basic look. Mariska Hargitay had a glamorous pink moment on Saturday. Mariska Hargitay at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP For the "Die, My Love" screening, Hargitay chose an off-the-shoulder gown crafted with black satin and sparkling hot-pink fabric.The color combination was sharp, the gown's straight silhouette fit the actor perfectly, and her elbow-length gloves made the outfit even more elegant. For the "Eddington" red carpet on Friday, Jeremy Strong should have picked a different suit. Jeremy Strong at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Michael Buckner/Getty Images His brown ensemble included a button-up shirt, a wrap blazer, straight-leg trousers, and a bow tie, all cut with raw hems.While the rough style might have worked for a different event, it looked too casual at Cannes. His black loafers were also too harsh against the lighter outfit. Natalie Portman showed the best of Dior. Natalie Portman at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP She walked the "Eddington" red carpet in a strapless, sparkling creation from the French fashion house.Its silver top was covered in sparkles and wrapped with a black bow, while its floor-length skirt had Dior's classic Junon petals.Portman accessorized the look perfectly with a bun hairstyle and a thick diamond necklace. Angelina Jolie's gown would have worked better in a different color. Angelina Jolie at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Also on the "Eddington" red carpet, Jolie wore a strapless Brunello Cucinelli design. It had a thick floor-length skirt, a fitted bodice, and all-over sparkles that highlighted its rope texture.Though the actor looked pretty, her gown's ivory color matched her skin tone too closely and washed her out. The same dress in a pink or lilac shade could have worked better. Elaine Zhong stunned in a cream-colored ball gown. Elaine Zhong at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Gisela Schober/Getty Images The Chinese actor wore the strapless dress on the "Dossier 137" red carpet. Its structured bodice was decorated with beaded appliques, and its cups were shaped with flower petals.To accessorize the glamorous look, she added a sparkling diamond choker, matching earrings, a thick bracelet, and vibrant red lipstick. Zoe Saldaña's all-black ensemble didn't stand out. Zoe Saldaña at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP She attended the "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" red carpet in a black Saint Laurent gown.Though her sleeveless dress was classic, it was also overly simple. Statement jewels could have easily enhanced the look.She also draped a dark leather jacket around her arms, which was much more casual than the rest of her outfit. Araya Alberta Hargate sparkled down the same red carpet. Araya Hargate at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Benoit Tessier/Reuters She wore a crystal-covered dress that looked like it was molded to her body with its form-fitting design.Its strapless, snake-print bodice was corseted with a deep plunge down the middle, and its floor-length skirt was pink and embellished with countless sparkles.The Thai actor completed her look with a large diamond necklace crafted in the shape of leaves. Heidi Klum had a pearlescent moment, but it wasn't her best. Heidi Klum at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Elie Saab designed the model's off-the-shoulder gown. It had a deep V-neckline, see-through stripes, and all-over sparkles in blue and purple.Some of those details might have worked on their own. But together, especially with the gown's mermaid shape, its accents made it look more theatrical than glamorous. Tom Cruise looked sharp in maroon. Tom Cruise at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Cruise attended a promotional event for "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" at Cannes.In doing so, he became one of the best-dressed men at the festival so far this year.He wore a fitted, textured knit polo and matching trousers with sharp pleats. The outfit was understated and vibrant on its own, while his brown dress shoes and dark sunglasses gave it an edge. Halle Berry made a last-minute fashion change, but her new outfit didn't work for her. Halle Berry at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Reuters When Berry walked onto the Cannes red carpet, she wore a shapeless Jacquemus gown with a black-and-white stripe print.She later told reporters that she'd originally planned to wear an "amazing dress" from Gaurav Gupta, but had to find a new look when Cannes announced a new dress code that prohibits voluminous gowns with long trains the day before the festival began.Unfortunately for Berry, the bold dress she chose was so flowy and oversize that it seemed to wear her, when it should have been the other way around. Isabeli Fontana could have been mistaken for a princess in a metallic gown. Isabeli Fontana at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Nicolas Jebran designed her halter gown. The form-fitting piece had knotted fabric at the hip, a floor-length skirt with a short train, and a hip-high slit that revealed her sparkling pumps.The gown was also adorned with a sparkling silver piece that covered one shoulder and was embedded with turquoise stones.The ensemble was elegant and fit Fontana perfectly. Bella Hadid is always one of the best-dressed stars at Cannes, but her outfit choice for the 2025 opening ceremony was underwhelming. Bella Hadid at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Saint Laurent designed her sleeveless black dress with some interesting details. Its straps crisscrossed across her back to create cutouts and a deep plunge on the side of her chest.However, the front of the gown was overly simple. It had an asymmetrical neckline that looked mishapen, and a thigh-high slit that was cut too far to the side.Even her massive emerald earrings from Chopard weren't enough to make the ensemble memorable. Eva Longoria sparkled down the red carpet in a stunning gown. Eva Longoria at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Her Tamara Ralph gown was strapless and covered in square metallic pieces that sparkled in the light as she walked.It also had velvet panels at the waist that gave the dress some shape and matched its glamorous train.Not only was the dress tailored perfectly to Longoria, but the actor also accessorized strongly. She wore a statement necklace, rings, and earrings from Pasquale Bruni. Irina Shayk wore a fun gown, but a different hairstyle could have elevated the whole look. Irina Shayk at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP The model arrived wearing a black Armani Privé gown with all-over white polka dots. It had a strapless neckline, off-the-shoulder puffed sleeves, and a full skirt.On its own, the dress was fun, frilly, and perfect for Cannes.But Shayk wore her hair styled in a dramatic shape — a bun atop a strip of pin-straight hair — that distracted from her outfit.