Ookwemin Minising Aerial photo with project area outline. Credit: Waterfront Toronto Global professional services company, GHD, and Danish nature-based design studio, SLA, have been awarded the role of prime consultant by Waterfront Toronto for phase one of infrastructure and streetscape design for a new island community. Formerly known as Villiers Island, Ookwemin Minising is a new island born from an ambitious flood protection and river restoration project. The Don River, a historic gathering place, will be at the heart of this future community. The island, which is planned to be home to more than 15,000 people, will also be a destination where people will visit to relax and explore. The first new residents of this island community are expected to move in by 2031. For the project, GHD, the prime consultant and technical lead, and SLA, design lead for urban realm and landscape, will deliver a new urban environment that aims to honour the legacy of the Don River through an approach rooted in resilient infrastructure, cultural memory and deep ecological integration. Drawing inspiration from global precedents and local Indigenous knowledge, the team’s “Growing Streets” concept proposes streetscapes that evolve like living ecosystems. “This project represents a significant milestone for Toronto’s waterfront revitalization,” said Chris Hunter, GHD chief executive officer for the Americas. “By integrating innovative engineering with responsive design, our team will help create infrastructure that’s not just functional, but truly adaptive to community needs while honoring the ecological transformation nearing completion at the Don River mouth. This approach exemplifies our commitment to building resilient systems that evolve with the communities they serve.” The team, which includes architects Allies and Morrison, will integrate design for streetscapes and public realm with a review of the density and built form on the island, building on years of planning to realize this new neighbourhood. “Tri-government investment unlocked the potential of the Port Lands, allowing us to create a brand new island,” says Chris Glaisek, chief planning and design officer at Waterfront Toronto. “Now, renewed investment in waterfront revitalization means this new island is ready to launch. By integrating design for streets and public realm with a review of built form on the island, this team can build on the planning done by the City of Toronto, Waterfront Toronto and CreateTO to deliver as much new housing as possible, while building a truly world-class neighbourhood.” At the heart of the team’s vision for Ookwemin Minising lies a next-practice model for climate-adaptive urbanism. Guided by seven core principles, including surface-level rainwater management, soil repurposing, native vegetation and social spaces that foster mobility and interaction, the design will champion active mobility through integrated pedestrian and biodiversity corridors woven throughout the island. These corridors can provide optimal microclimates for outdoor comfort while managing storm water, linking and strengthening ecologies and connecting people with nature. Informed by leading examples from cities like Copenhagen, Oslo, and London, the design will seek to maximize sustainability without relying on future technologies. “We’re thrilled to bring our Growing Streets vision to life in Toronto,” said Rasmus Astrup, design principal and partner at SLA. “This is urban design at its most alive – where trees, water, wind, soil and people grow and flow together. The streetscape design of Ookwemin Minising is not just about infrastructure, it’s about creating a living cityscape that breathes with the seasons, nurtures biodiversity and supports everyday life in inspiring, joyful ways. In Ookwemin Minising, every street becomes a celebration – of the land, of the water, of our heritage and of all the life of Toronto.” The infrastructure designs for Ookwemin Minising will incorporate  plantings, nature-integrated public seating, and climate-buffering vegetation to create a vibrant and adaptive civic experience. The team envisions a design that would build public awareness of ecological processes while enhancing urban resilience and well-being. The vision embraces a holistic design approach that integrates street configurations, building scales, and public spaces to create a cohesive and sustainable community. Rooted in the values of the surrounding Port Lands and celebrating the area’s enduring industrial, maritime and Indigenous histories, the team’s design for Ookwemin Minising will aim to set a new benchmark for culturally and ecologically responsive waterfront development in North America. The project will be brought to life by a group of industry-leading consultants, including:  GHD (prime consultant): Engineering design services, planning services, environmental services and construction administration SLA: Design lead for urban realm and landscape Trophic Design: Co-designer with SLA for Indigenous landscape design and knowledge Transsolar: Sustainability and low-carbon infrastructure systems Monumental Projects: Public engagement and community outreach Level Playing Field: Accessibility services Allies and Morrison: Architectural lead   The post GHD and SLA teaming up to deliver major infrastructure design for Toronto’s newest island appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Longchamp has reintroduced its iconic SoHo flagship, unveiling a bold new chapter in its architectural and artistic journey. Nestled in the heart of downtown Manhattan, the La Maison Unique boutique has been transformed into a space that merges retail with an immersive cultural experience – offering more than shopping, but a deep dive into the brand’s design philosophy, legacy, and creative ambition. At the core of this reimagining is the rekindled collaboration between Longchamp and celebrated British designer Thomas Heatherwick. Nearly two decades after his original work on the space, Heatherwick returns to re-envision the site with a fresh narrative. The result is a compelling blend of artistry, innovation, and Parisian warmth, translated into architectural form. The redesign honors the bones of the original building while elevating its purpose. One of the most striking updates is the reinterpreted central staircase. Originally made of steel ribbons, it has been reborn in Longchamp’s signature green – a vibrant pathway of swooping planes that guides visitors up from the ground floor, like ascending a hill. The dramatic feature sets the tone for the boutique’s organic, flowing atmosphere. Above, the retail space has been crafted to feel less like a store and more like an upscale, lived-in loft. Round rugs in rich green tones spill from carpeted columns across warm wood floors, creating a dynamic interplay of texture and form. Vintage and bespoke furnishings – like a 1970s croissant sofa by Raphaël Raffel and sculptural works by David Nash – anchor the room with both history and originality. Longchamp’s ties to the art world are on full display throughout the store. The brand’s private collection, along with newly commissioned pieces, gives the space a gallery-like feel. Highlights include ceramics and sculptures from artists such as Dorothée Loriquet, Bobby Silverman, and Tanaka Tomomi. Their works echo Longchamp’s commitment to natural materials, tactile surfaces, and organic design. In a deliberate shift from traditional retail layout, the central area has been opened to encourage conversation. Instead of focusing solely on product display, the well-lit space invites guests to linger and connect, mirroring the rhythm of a Paris apartment transplanted to a New York context. The visual storytelling continues with intentional quirks: neon signage, hand-drawn graffiti by artist André, and archive objects that trace Longchamp’s early heritage as a maker of leather tobacco accessories and travel games. These nostalgic elements add to the space, providing a bridge between past and present. This revitalization is part of a larger movement within the brand to reshape the in-store experience. It reflects a shift in luxury retail – from transactional to experiential. By creating a space where design, storytelling, and sensory detail converge, Longchamp is championing a new kind of flagship – one rooted in memory and human connection. “Retail moves fast, but architecture should last. We wanted to create something bold and joyful, yet warm and timeless – an apartment-like space that invites people to stay,” Heatherwick Studio partner Neil Hubbard says. “From the swirling green rugs under green-carpeted columns to curved furniture that feels custom but lived-in, everything was designed to feel unified and human. Even the red brick walls downstairs, set to host rotating installations, help ground the space in SoHo’s industrial roots while creating room for surprise.”

The Photography Seoul Museum of Art (PhotoSeMA) officially opened its doors in May 2025, marking a significant milestone as South Korea’s first public institution solely dedicated to the art of photography. Situated in the Dobong District of northeastern Seoul, this architectural marvel is the result of a collaboration between Austrian firm Jadric Architektur and Korean studio 1990uao Architects. The museum’s dynamic, twisting facade not only serves as a visual landmark but also symbolizes the fluidity and transformative nature of photography itself. Spanning six levels, four above ground and two below, the museum encompasses a total area of 7,048 square meters. Its design emphasizes the interplay between light and space, with broad concrete surfaces and filtered lighting creating an environment conducive to introspection and artistic appreciation. Designers: Jadric Architektur and 1990uao Architects Interior spaces are thoughtfully punctuated by voids and light wells, allowing natural light to shape the visitor experience throughout the day. The building’s exterior features a twisting monolithic shape that integrates seamlessly with the surrounding public space, inviting visitors to engage with the museum both inside and out. This design choice reflects the architects’ intention to create a “walk-in object” that fosters community interaction and cultural engagement. PhotoSeMA’s opening is marked by two inaugural exhibitions that delve into the history and evolution of Korean photography. The Radiance: Beginnings of Korean Art Photography showcases seminal works by artists such as Jung Haechang, Lim Suk Je, Lee Hyungrok, Cho Hyundu, and Park Youngsook. Drawing from a collection of over 20,000 works and archival materials dating from the 1920s to the 1990s, the exhibition offers a comprehensive look at the medium’s development in Korea. Meanwhile, Storage Story features contemporary artists Dongsin Seo, Won Seoung Won, Jihyun Jung, Joo Yongseong, Melmel Chung, and Oh Jooyoung. This exhibition explores the museum itself as a subject, examining themes of classification, memory, and the evolving role of cultural institutions in society. As part of the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) network, PhotoSeMA extends the institution’s reach and reinforces its commitment to diverse artistic expressions. The museum not only provides a dedicated space for photographic art but also contributes to the cultural revitalization of the Dobong District, aligning with the city’s broader efforts to establish a “cultural mile” in the area. With its innovative design and focused curatorial approach, the Photography Seoul Museum of Art stands as a testament to the dynamic intersection of architecture and photography, offering visitors a unique space to explore and appreciate the visual narratives that shape our world. The post South Korea’s first public museum for photography now open first appeared on Yanko Design.

Pavilion of Estonia Let Me Warm You Biennale Architettura 2025 / Keiti Lige + Elina Liiva + Helena MännaSave this picture!© Joosep KivimäePavilion•Venezia, Italy Architects: Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2025 Photographs Photographs:Joosep KivimäeMore SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The Ministry of Culture of Estonia presents the installation and exhibition "Let me warm you" www.letmewarmyou.com curated by architects Keiti Lige, Elina Liiva, and Helena Männa, the Pavilion of Estonia at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (May 10th - November 23rd, 2025). The Pavilion explores whether current insulation-driven renovations are merely a compliance measure to meet European energy targets or if they can serve as an opportunity to enhance the spatial and social quality of mass housing districts. To highlight this issue, the Estonian Pavilion will cover the facade of a Venetian building with insulation panels, the same practice used in Estonia for mass housing. The palazzetto is located in Riva dei Sette Martiri 1611 in the waterfront between Corso Garibaldi and the Giardini, within the Castello neighborhood (Address: Riva dei Sette Martiri 1611, Castello, Venice). On the ground floor of the same building, a room, wrapped in plastic film, will host an exhibition showing how social dynamics within different stakeholders have an effect on spatial solutions.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!"With this project, we question whether insulation is just a bureaucratic checkbox for meeting EU targets or a real chance to tackle social and spatial challenges. It exposes the clash between bold global ambitions and the everyday realities of people navigating collective decisions." — assert curators Keiti Lige, Elina Liiva, and Helena Männa. In order to cope with climate change, one half of the world is installing ever-thicker insulation layers, while the other half is using increasingly powerful cooling systems. As Europe races toward its transition to climate neutrality by 2050, Estonia has an ambitious goal, pledging to upgrade all the apartment buildings pre-2000 to at least energy efficiency class C. This sweeping renovation effort is part of a larger European movement to modernize aging housing stock in response to the climate crisis. However, insulation should not be treated as a mere quick fix, a 'bandage,' but rather a meaningful upgrade in quality of life. Given the high costs and long-term impact of these renovations, the real challenge is finding a balance between ambitious climate policies and the everyday needs of the people who live in these spaces.Save this picture!Installations - The installation, mounted directly onto the existing building's façade, will use the same materials and design elements typically found in Estonian renovations. Set against the ornate architecture of Venice, this stark contrast serves as a powerful visual statement. In Estonia, Soviet-era apartment block renovations often proceed with little to no architectural input, reinforcing a problematic disregard for the character and potential of these spaces. By juxtaposing a fiber cement-clad façade with Venice's rich historic fabric, the installation aims to spark a dialogue between inhabitants and architects about the cities and spaces we aspire to live in.Save this picture!Save this picture!Exhibition - On the ground floor of the palazzetto, an exhibition will delve into the social forces shaping renovation decisions. In Estonia, where most apartment buildings are privately owned, renovation choices are often driven by financial constraints, leaving little room for spatial improvements beyond insulation. The exhibition space (an existing apartment) itself will be wrapped in plastic film, symbolizing the relentless push for renovation while exposing how technical fixes often overshadow the deeper connections and real needs people have with their homes. At its centre, a model of a Soviet-era housing block brings human interactions to the forefront, using theatrical dialogues and exaggerated spatial outcomes to depict how different relationships and interactions have their impact on space. By shining a light on the complexities of collective living and renovation decisions, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the tension between policy-driven energy goals and the lived realities of those affected by them. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue that captures the tragicomedy of an apartment building in six scenes. Based on real people's stories, it explores themes ranging from the fear of change to the revitalization of the neighborhood.Save this picture!The Biennale Architettura 2025 is curated by architect Carlo Ratti under the theme "Intelligens. Naturale. Artificiale. Collettiva.", and will be about the built environment as one of the largest contributors to atmospheric emissions, placing architecture among the main culprits in the degradation of our planet. As the climate crisis accelerates, architects must offer solutions, substantial and non-cosmetic, effective, and quick to achieve. In this sense, the Estonian exhibition responds to Ratti's call for pavilions: "This year's head theme offers good ground to discuss what happens to architecture when the Architect is excluded from the process. Renovation processes that are planned by residents themselves according to their best knowledge provide a good example of how collective intelligence, or lack of it, affects our spatial environment. The Estonian Pavilion gives the message that the architectural quality of the living environment should not be overlooked in renovation processes," explains Johanna Jõekalda, advisor on architecture and design at the Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Commissioner of the Estonian Pavilion. With "Let me warm you", visitors to the Biennale Architettura 2025 will actively engage with the pavilion and the building. By rethinking renovation strategies, Estonia could set an example for Europe: transforming outdated housing not just for energy efficiency, but for a more sustainable and livable future.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Venezia, ItalyLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeKeiti LigeOffice•••Elina LiivaOffice•••Helena MännaOffice••• MaterialsWoodPlasticMaterials and TagsPublished on May 27, 2025Cite: "Pavilion of Estonia Let Me Warm You Biennale Architettura 2025 / Keiti Lige + Elina Liiva + Helena Männa" 27 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030040/pavilion-of-estonia-let-me-warm-you-biennale-architettura-2025-keiti-lige-plus-elina-liiva-plus-helena-manna&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

Doom: The Dark Ages just launched on May 15. But it's already received "difficulty" balance changes "that have made the demons of Hell even more dangerous than ever," writes Windows Central: According to DOOM's official website Slayer's Club, these balance adjustments are focused on making the game harder, as players have been leaving feedback saying it felt too easy even on Nightmare Mode. As a result, enemies now hit harder, health and armor item pick-ups drop less often, and certain enemies punish you more severely for mistiming the parry mechanic. It reached three million players in just five days, which was seven times faster than 2020's Doom: Eternal," reports Wccftech (though according to analytics firm Ampere Analysis (via The Game Business), more than two million of those three million launch players were playing on Xbox, while only 500K were playing on PS5.") "id Software proves it can still reinvent the wheel," according to one reviewer, "shaking up numerous aspects of gameplay, exchanging elaborate platforming for brutal on-the-ground action, as well as the ability to soar on a dragon's back or stomp around in a giant mech." And the New York Times says the game "effectively reinvents the hellish shooter with a revamped movement system and deepened lore" in the medieval goth-themed game... Double jumping and dashing are ditched and replaced with an emphasis on raw power and slow, strategic melee combat. Doom Slayer's arsenal features a brand-new tool, the powerful Shield Saw, which Id Software made a point to showcase across its "Stand and Fight" trailers and advertisements. Used for absorbing damage at the expense of speed, the saw also allows players to bash enemies from afar and close the gap on chasms too wide to jump across. While previous titles allowed players to quickly worm their way through bullet hell, The Dark Ages expects you to meet foes head on. "If you were an F-22 fighter jet in Doom Eternal, this time around we wanted you to feel like an Abrams tank," Hugo Martin, the game's creative director, has told journalists. And Doom Slayer's beefy durability and unstoppable nature does make the gameplay a refreshing experience. The badassery is somehow ratcheted to new heights with the inclusion of a fully controllable mech, which has only a handful of attacks at its disposal, and actual dragons. Flight in a Doom game is entirely surprising and fluid, and the dragons feel relatively easy to maneuver through tight spots. They can also engage in combat more deliberately with the use of dodges and mounted cannons... One of my favorite additions is the skullcrusher pulverizer. Equal parts heinous nutcracker and demonic woodchipper, the gun lodges skulls into a grinder and sends shards of bones flying at enemies. The animation is both goofy and satisfying. Another special Times article notes that Doom's fans "resurrect the original game over and over again on progressively stranger pieces of hardware: a Mazda Miata, a NordicTrack treadmill, a French pharmacy sign." But what many hard-core tech hobbyists want to know is whether you can play it on a pregnancy test. The answer: positively yes. And for the first time, even New York Times readers can play Doom within The Times's site [after creating a free account]... None of this happened by accident, of course. Ports were not incidental to Doom's development. They were a core consideration. "Doom was developed in a really unique way that lent a high degree of portability to its code base," said John Romero, who programmed the game with John Carmack. (In our interview, he then reminisced about operating systems for the next 14 minutes.) Id had developed Wolfenstein 3D, the Nazi-killing predecessor to Doom, on PCs. To build Doom, Carmack and Romero used NeXT, the hardware and software company founded by Steve Jobs after his ouster from Apple in 1985. NeXT computers were powerful, selling for about $25,000 apiece in today's dollars. And any game designed on that system would require porting to the more humdrum PCs encountered by consumers at computer labs or office jobs. This turned out to be advantageous because Carmack had a special aptitude for ports. All of Id's founders met as colleagues at Softdisk, which had hired Carmack because of his ability to spin off multiple versions of a single game. The group decided to strike out on its own after Carmack created a near-perfect replica of the first level of Super Mario Bros. 3 — Nintendo's best-selling platformer — on a PC. It was a wonder of software engineering that compensated for limited processing power with clever workarounds. "This is the thing that everyone has," Romero said of PCs. "The fact that we could figure out how to make it become a game console was world changing...." Romero founded a series of game studios after leaving Id in 1996 and is working on a new first-person shooter, the genre he and Carmack practically invented. He has no illusions about how it may stack up. "I absolutely accept that Doom is the best game I'll ever make that has that kind of a reach," he said. "At some point you make the best thing." Thirty years on, people are still making it. And in related news, PC Gamer reports... As part of a new "FPS Fridays" series on Twitch, legendary shooter designer John Romero streamed New Blood's 2018 hit, Dusk, one of the first and most influential indie "boomer shooters" in the genre's recent revitalization. The short of it? Romero seems to have had a blast. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The tallest 3D-printed building in the world has been completed in Switzerland. Named Tor Alva (The White Tower) and located in the alpine village of Mulegns, the project was undertaken by the Origen Cultural Foundation in collaboration with ETH Zurich to understand the relationship between digital fabrication, cultural heritage preservation, and rural revitalization. Image credit: Benjamin Hofer and Nova Fundaziun OrigenImage credit: Benjamin Hofer and Nova Fundaziun OrigenThe five-story tower’s defining feature is its 32 unique, load-bearing 3D-printed concrete columns. The Y-shaped columns contain intricate detailing at three distinct scales, made possible by a novel fabrication process involving two cooperating robots, with one extruding concrete while the other places steel reinforcement. Image credit: Benjamin Hofer and Nova Fundaziun OrigenImage credit: Benjamin Hofer and Nova Fundaziun OrigenMeanwhile, the interior is composed of vertically stacked rooms accessed via a spira...

Moriyama Teshima Architects, in collaboration with Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning, has completed the new headquarters for the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in Toronto. Image: Tom ArbanWithin a state-of-the-art mass timber structure, the relocation and revitalization of the organization’s central office is united with new commercial tenancy opportunities. The three-story, 124,000-square-foot building reflects a close connection to natural elements, prioritizing health, wellness, and sustainability through natural light, flexibility of use, and innovative technology. Image: Salina KassamThe 40,000-square-foot workplace interior by Kasian was driven by a strong focus on the human experience, while also blending functionality with a timeless aesthetic. The new offices are located on the north side of the building and span four floors. Image: Tom ArbanA central full-height atrium provides ease of circulation. Commercial office space surrounds the...

It began with a tip–an email from a San Francisco resident who had read The Secret, Byron Preiss’s 1982 book about hidden treasures. That message set off a chain of events that led to a 1974 building plan drawn by architect William Pereira, a visit to an underground pump room, and the eventual discovery, beneath six feet of concrete, of a long-lost time capsule buried deep within the Transamerica Pyramid. The capsule, a 14-by-16-inch metal cylinder, was unearthed during a recent renovation of the building. Buried in 1974, it offers a glimpse into life in San Francisco during the tower’s construction and reveals key details about the project itself. Its contents will be displayed in a new exhibit curated in partnership with Foster + Partners opening May 18 in the building’s lobby. The capsule was located based on an email tip and a 1974 building plan labeled “Time Capsule” drawn by architect William Pereira. (Courtesy SHVO) The capsule, a 14-by-16-inch metal cylinder, offers a glimpse into life in San Francisco during the tower’s construction and reveals key details about the project itself. (Courtesy SHVO) When the Transamerica Pyramid officially opened in 1972, it was hailed as a symbol of the city’s growth and ambition. Local media buzzed with anticipation. Two years later, as the Transamerica Corporation moved out of the building, the company assembled the capsule’s contents and commemorated its burial with a celebratory event. A plaque was installed above the site, instructing that the capsule remain untouched for 50 years. As decades passed and renovations altered the building’s layout, the plaque disappeared—and the capsule was (almost) forgotten. That is, until the email tip arrived. Fifty years after it was buried, just ahead of when it was intended to be opened, the capsule was located. This flyer was circulated in 1969 to stop the Transamerica Pyramid’s construction. It was among the objects inside the time capsule. (Courtesy SHVO) The timing of its burial coincided with a chaotic chapter in San Francisco’s history. In 1974, Mayor Joseph Alioto’s wife mysteriously vanished, only to reappear two weeks later claiming she’d staged her disappearance to punish him for ignoring her. Around the same time, 19-year-old heiress Patty Hearst was kidnapped at gunpoint by members of the radical Symbionese Liberation Army. The Transamerica Pyramid too made headlines: The San Francisco Chronicle dismissed it as “the world’s largest architectural folly,” and the city’s own planner derided it as “an inhumane creation.” These turbulent moments, and the spirit of the era, were captured in the time capsule’s contents, along with a recipe for Pisco Punch, the famed cocktail invented at the nearby Bank Exchange Saloon. Once buried and nearly forgotten, the capsule now takes center stage in a curated exhibit in the building’s lobby, offering a vivid snapshot of a city in the midst of transformation. “Through moments of prosperity and periods of challenge, the Transamerica Pyramid has stood tall as one of the iconic silhouettes of San Francisco’s skyline. I see it now not just as a symbol of bold design, but of resilience–for this neighborhood, and for our city,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. “Fifty years from now, my hope is that we will look back on this era–this exact moment in time–as the beginning of a new chapter for San Francisco,” he added. Opening to the public on May 18, the exhibition aims to honor the legacy of the Transamerica Pyramid while highlighting the design of its recent renovation. (Nikki Richter) SHVO and Deutsche Finance America purchased the Transamerica Pyramid in 2020 for $650 million, pledging to preserve its historic legacy. In 2024, the landmark reopened following extensive renovations by Foster + Partners, marking a major step in the broader revitalization of downtown San Francisco, which had been deeply impacted by widespread office closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This exhibition serves as a reminder of the significance of the Transamerica Pyramid as a global icon since its inception more than a half century ago,” said Michael Shvo, chairman and CEO of SHVO. “By sharing the contents of the time capsule publicly, as a thoughtfully designed exhibition, we are honoring Transamerica Pyramid’s legacy and seamlessly complementing our meticulous remastering.” The Time Capsule Exhibition opens to the public on May 18.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" MAD has completed its first cultural project in Europe - today, the Fenix Museum, a brand-new international art museum focused on migration, has opened to the public on a historic location in Rotterdam's City Harbour.  Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, the globally recognized Beijing-based architectural firm, is housed in a renovated historic warehouse. It is the focal point of the revitalization of Katendrecht, a neighborhood by the harbor that was once the location of the oldest Chinatown in continental Europe and Rotterdam's red-light district.MAD Architects completed the building in collaboration with the Droom en Daad Foundation.Image  © Iwan Baan"When MAD Architects was asked to work on Fenix, we knew we had to create a dialogue with the existing building and its surroundings—and with a past containing so many stories of migration, memories, and uncertainty," said Ma Yansong, Founder and Principal Architect of MAD.The 16,000-square-meter structure, which dates back to 1923, was formerly a section of the world's largest warehouse and was crucial to the shipping and storage of the Dutch cargo and passenger line Holland America Line. In the 19th and 20th centuries, millions of migrants arrived and left from the nearby docks, made their journeys easier by the Holland America Line.Image  © Iris van den BroekCalled Fenix, it is the first cultural project of MAD architects in Europe. Its architectural masterwork, the Tornado, a dynamic, organic structure reminiscent of rising air, will be visible to visitors right away. Starting from the ground floor, this double-helix staircase ascends and exits the rooftop onto an observation platform that is suspended over the city. Visitors will be treated to breathtaking views of Hotel New York, the former Holland America Line headquarters, and the River Maas.Image  © Iwan BaanThe 2,275-square-meter Plein on the bottom level of Fenix is designed to resemble an indoor city plaza. It will be free for everyone and curated for and with Rotterdam's diverse communities, providing a platform for interaction and communication. Throughout the year, it will feature community gatherings, performances, large-scale events, and investigations of other culinary cultures. There will be a kiosk where guests can purchase a drink or snack and browse newspapers from around the globe.Image  © Iwan BaanRetail and dining options at the museum include Granucci Gelato, a gelateria on the museum's quayside that serves award-winning artisanal ice cream made by the Granucci family, who have been making gelato in the Netherlands since 1929, and O Café and Bakery, which is run by Michelin-starred Turkish chef Maksut Aşkar. With views of the city, the Espresso Bar is situated in the museum's first-floor exhibition area. The museum store, which is situated in the main entrance area, offers food, games, dinnerware, and other products to make visitors feel at home and included.Image  © Iwan Baan"Migration stories are the heartbeat of Fenix. We've woven them into every element - whether it's the magic of Ma Yansong’s architecture, the memories evoked by the artworks on display, the freely accessible Plein, or the gelateria by the Granucci family. We want everyone to feel welcome," said Anne Kremers, Director of Fenix."Fenix is funded by the Droom en Daad Foundation, founded in 2016 and led by Wim Pijbes, former Director of the Rijksmuseum. The Droom en Daad Foundation is helping redefine Rotterdam for the 21st century – developing new kinds of arts and culture institutions and fostering new creative talent that reflects the city’s diversity, its spirit and its history," Kremers.All Directions Installation View with Kimsooja's Bottari Truck. Image © Iwan BaanThe museum was opened with three exhibitions: "All Directions" showcases over 150 artworks and objects ranging from the historical to the contemporary, drawn from the Fenix collection and acquired over the past five years.The second exhibition is "The Family of Migrants", inspired by Edward Steichen’s Family of Man, one of the most famous photographic exhibitions of all time, which was first shown at MoMA in 1955. Fenix The Family of Migrants installation view. Photography © Iwan BaanThe last exhibition is "The Suitcase Labyrinth", a monumental interactive installation made up of 2,000 donated suitcases thatbrings to life a collection of personal histories from countries, cultures and communities from around the world. Completed Structure Review. Still From The Documentary Ma Yansong: Journey to Design the Fenix Tornado, courtesy of MADInterior Walkthrough. Still From The Documentary Ma Yansong: Journey to Design the Fenix Tornado, courtesy of MADInterior View. Photograph © Wilbert ZuiderduinOpening and Documentary, Fenix at Dusk. Image © Gregg TelussaMAD also revealed photos of the bird-like LIJ Airport nearing completion in the foothill valleys of Lishui, China. In addition, the firm revealed a mixed-use tower that features a cracked-open canyon in the heart of Denver, Colorado, United States. The top image in the article © Iwan Baan.> via MAD

In March, technologies were put through a live demonstration inside an abandoned mine, where the rover and its support equipment ran under field-like conditions.   Image: KIGAM Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. An abandoned mine has reopened its doors–not for miners, but for scientists. The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) is converting a former mine shaft in Taebaek City into a research facility to test and validate technologies for extracting lunar resources. The plan involves partnering with Taebaek City to transform the site into a large-scale demonstration complex for space technologies. Taebaek City was once renowned for its coal production. When coal dominated South Korea’s energy mix, the city supplied roughly 30 percent of the nation’s total output and earned the nickname “black-gold city.”  But as the energy landscape shifted, its mines shut down one by one. This closure led the city to look for new paths to revitalization. Scientists saw potential in these abandoned shafts, redefining them as experimental sites that can simulate lunar-like conditions.  Dr. Kim Kyeong-ja, director of KIGAM’s Space Resources Exploration and Utilization Center, explained why the team selected an abandoned mine for the new research and demonstration facility: “Subsurface regions and caves on the moon are relatively shielded from radiation and meteorite strikes, so they are leading candidates for future lunar bases. An abandoned mine on Earth can replicate those conditions and serve as an ideal proving ground for the technologies we need,” she said. “A coal mine’s perpetual darkness and stable temperature closely match the sunless environment beneath the lunar surface.” Dr. Kim also stressed the cost-effectiveness of reusing existing infrastructure. “If we didn’t have a site like this, we’d have to build a dedicated facility, and that would consume a great deal of energy and resources. Because the essential structures are already in place and can be adapted with minimal modification, we can conserve both funds and materials.” KIGAM’s rover, equipped with its own Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) system, is purpose-built to survey and map resources on the Moon. Image: KIGAM Scientists Dream of Mining Lunar Resources Researchers working in the mine will focus on demonstrating a range of technologies for extracting and utilizing resources directly from the moon.  The moon is believed to hold sizable quantities of key resources that are scarce on Earth. A prime example is helium-3, often cited as a potential future clean energy source. Fusion reactions that use deuterium and helium-3 generate virtually no radioactive waste, making helium-3 a potential source of environmentally friendly power. While only trace amounts exist on Earth, the moon is estimated to contain more than a million tons.  A KIGAM official explained, “Helium-3 is lightweight and takes up little space, so a large quantity can be shipped from the moon in a relatively small volume compared with metallic ores, making it highly economical. It is the resource we should prioritize returning to Earth.” Rare-earth elements are another set of resources potentially available on the moon. They are vital to sectors such as semiconductors, displays, and batteries. These elements are unevenly distributed on Earth, yet they are thought to be relatively plentiful on the moon. KIGAM says it is working to develop technologies for locating and extracting rare-earth deposits. Before such minerals can be recovered on the moon, the underlying technologies must be proven in environments that mimic lunar conditions. KIGAM is partnering with multiple domestic institutes to design advanced equipment and methods for lunar exploration and extraction. Last March, the institute demonstrated several key in-situ resource-development devices inside the abandoned Hamtae mine shaft. The event was announced as the world’s first use of an abandoned mine as a testbed for rigorously assessing the feasibility and safety of lunar resource-extraction operations. One highlight was a lunar rover designed to traverse the lunar surface and analyze soil. The vehicle can scout the terrain while simultaneously drilling underground to collect samples. Another KIGAM prototype rover carries a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) system. The institute has also engineered a device that heats regolith to extract and collect valuable elements. Image: KIGAM LIBS can identify the composition and concentration of more than 50 elements in real time. It does so by blasting the soil with a powerful laser and analyzing the resulting plasma light.  During a live demo, the rover drove over a mock lunar landscape, collected soil, and used LIBS to analyze its makeup. In the future, LIBS is expected to work alongside a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (KGRS) to build comprehensive maps of lunar resources. KIGAM has already produced an elemental map of the lunar surface using the KGRS on Danuri, South Korea’s first lunar orbiter. Beyond mining, work is accelerating on In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies that would enable astronauts to generate vital supplies on the moon. At the mine, KIGAM demonstrated a resource extractor built to remove essentials such as water or oxygen from lunar regolith. The device concentrates solar energy to heat the soil to extreme temperatures, breaking it down at the molecular level and releasing usable materials. During the test, it detected hydrogen, oxygen, and argon in real time. Dr. Kim noted, “With this technology, we can identify any substance with an atomic weight under 200.” Many other core technologies essential to space resource development will also be showcased at the site. They range from CubeSats that survey minerals and provide communications in low lunar orbit to heat-pipe reactors for continuous probe power and wireless power-transfer systems on the surface. Partners include the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), and Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER). However, researchers caution that replicating the lunar environment inside the mine still requires considerable effort. A KIGAM official explained, “We are still on Earth, and the differences start with gravity.” They added, “Our aim is to make the environment even closer to real lunar conditions by installing zero-gravity chambers or vacuum pumps in the center.” KIGAM intends to finish developing roughly 10 major pieces of exploration equipment by 2029 in partnership with government-funded institutes and private firms. Dr. Lee Pyeong-koo, president of KIGAM, said: “I find it profoundly gratifying that at the very place where we once mined the coal that fueled our nation’s economic growth, we are now embarking on research to bring helium-3 from the moon to Earth, potentially as a fusion fuel by 2100.” The story was produced in partnership with our colleagues at Popular Science Korea.