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.

When you think of Mission: Impossible, the first thing you probably think about is the action that has defined the franchise since its inception. That’s become especially true in later installments, which have been defined by Tom Cruise doing increasingly insane things to entertain audiences. The Final Reckoning has arrived, and it may or may not be the last installment in this franchise. We’ve ranked the five best major action sequences in The Final Reckoning to commemorate this film and its memorable set pieces. Recommended Videos 5. The opening pursuit The Final Reckoning is less action-forward than some previous installments in the franchise. The movie’s opening pursuit is indicative of that, as Ethan and Grace try to hunt down Gabriel and the Entity following the events of Dead Reckoning. It’s not the most inspiring stuff, but seeing Benji, Paris, and Theo rescue Ethan and Grace is a lovely subversion of how the action in these movies usually goes. 4. The showdown at the bunker Paramount Pictures and Skydance This is a fairly conventional gunfight between the CIA and Gabriel’s forces, and one that Ethan only shows up for near the end. It’s followed by much more electrifying stuff, but even this relatively standard set piece is a reminder of Christopher McQuarrie’s unique flair for action, even if it’s not as inventive as some of what we’ve seen in previous installments. 3. The firefight with the Russians Paramount Pictures The best of the more minor action sequences in The Final Reckoning involves Grace and William Donloe’s wife exchanging fire with Russian special forces as they try to get the coordinates for the Sevastopol, which he has memorized. It’s yet another set piece that doesn’t feel all that inventive. However, it’s executed basically to perfection. It’s also an important reminder of how good Haley Atwell is at the action part of the Mission formula. 2. The biplane chase Paramount Pictures / Paramount Pictures Although the other entries on this list are notable, the two most important set pieces in The Final Reckoning occupy the top spots on this list. McQuarrie and Cruise have spent plenty of time discussing all the ways the actor’s work outside of the biplane was dangerous. Let me tell you, it looks spectacular. As Ethan and Gabriel battle while flying over South Africa, we get to see just how much danger Cruise was willing to put himself in for the sake of a good shot. It’s not quite as great as the helicopter fight at the end of Fallout, but it’s definitely covering similar terrain and might feel even more perilous. 1. The Sevastopol extraction Paramount Pictures One of the greatest set pieces in the history of this entire franchise. The underwater work done by Ethan, who travels to the bottom of the ocean to extract the rabbit’s foot from the Sevastopol, is simply stunning. Underwater cinematography is very easy to do wrong, but McQuarrie nails the ocean’s beauty and its perilous nature. There have only been a handful of water stunts in Mission: Impossible’s history. This is by far the best. Every obstacle Ethan encounters, right up until he’s forced to swim back up to the surface with nothing but his underwear to protect him, makes the sequence more tense and alive. Like all of the best action sequences, I have no idea how they pulled it off. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning is now in theaters.

One of Rick and Morty‘s enduring charms is its opening credits. There’s nothing more pleasing than seeing the random clips at the start of every season and theorizing which scenes are non-sequitur/false start gags or actual moments from the episodes to come. With each respective season, there’s been an increasing emphasis on random gags. But you know what? We love it that way. With the start of season 8 arriving, here are our favorite non-canonical clips from each Rick and Morty season intro opening.  Season 1 – M-Preg Jerry Season one, the start of “100 years, Rick and Morty!” Alas, most of the clips from the intro are pulled from the show. However, M-Preg Jerry is the one of two non-sequiturs that’s quite funny. What makes the bit work so well is the direction. The 180-degree panned camera movement from Morty and Summer wielding guns and gazing in horror as Rick delivers the baby from Jerry’s birthing canal to Beth clutching Jerry’s hand as he is heavy-breathing in labor is such a priceless sight to behold. Meanwhile, the Smith-Sanchez household is filled with green goo across the wall, like a scene straight out of Alien. It’s funny to think of a chestburster being treated like a real pregnancy. Considering this is the first season, too, it’s the perfect tone setter of how weird and bizarre the series was to become. Season 2 – Indifference Towards a Disintegrated Rick Frankly, I wouldn’t say any of the non-canonical moments in season 2’s intro are particularly noteworthy. Hell, the funniest aspect of the intro is the pillow fight between Rick, Summer, and Mr. Beauregard pulled from the episode “Total Rickall.” The most amusing example, however, is the assembly of Rick variants engaged in a doohickey. When one is disintegrated by a machine, the remaining Ricks all react unbothered and continue to work. It is entirely in character for Rick, and given that it is the final clip, it is quite amusing. Season 3 – Rick Buying Plastic-Sealed Morty It was difficult to choose the position for the funniest season three false start. The butt-face Morty variant getting caught watching porn that features two faces on an ass is hilarious. However, I adore when a common situation is translated to a distinct setting. Rick at a store choosing between two separate plastic-sealed life-sized Morty’s as if he’s an action figure or fruit to purchase always garners a laugh. The look on the non-chosen Morty’s face when his packaging falls truly seals the deal. In 2019, House House’s Untitled Goose Game, in which you play a mischievous goose who terrorizes people in random and funny situations, blew up the independent gaming scene. So much so that it honked its way into Rick and Morty season 4’s opener. The scene has Rick and the Smiths take cover while under assault by a goose. Pardon. I mean a two-headed goose. It’s Rick and Morty: There had to be a sci-fi twist in there. Some might say it’s not a nod because both the season and game came out in the same year in such a short time span of each other (the game released in September and the season in November). Nevertheless, animation is a time-consuming process. It is possible to speculate how a three-second clip could be produced in such a short amount of time. Besides that, the Sanchez and Smith clan’s fear of a simple, two-headed goose is undeniably humorous, especially given the variety of foes they have faced up to that point. Season 5 – Morty Sinking a Punt Undeniably the funniest non-canonical clip out of the entire list if not the whole series thus far. Morty succesfully putting and waving as a crowd of onlookers clap is peak subversion. Morty’s final clip in the season five intro is nothing short of sublime. Given the sci-fi antics that are frequently depicted in the show’s intros and throughout, seeing something so basic and wholesome with a character often tortured and/or in peril always got me cackling. It’s the normality embedded in the randomness that makes the Morty golf bit work so triumphantly as it does. Nothing has ever topped it since. Season 6 – Rick and Summer Evading a Gigantic Flying Squirrel That’s the thing I love about Rick and Morty intros. I get older, the opening scene with the duo running from green monsters stays the same. It’s a tale as old as time. Yet, the shift of quality immediately after, with Rick and Summer evading a giant flying squirrel while in flight suits in a desert terrain, has a comedic aspect to it. On a cosmic level. In addition to the dynamic camera movement, the characters are textured with varied colors and hues, and the background art is picturesque and detailed. To see the roughly drawn, loosely animated sequence from 2013 immediately followed up with a fluidly animated and gorgeously lit scene from 2022 takes me out. It’s the perfect “how it started versus how it’s going” evolution. Granted, I get more of a chuckle out of Butter Morty entering a frying pan and freaking out as he slowly sizzles. It’s like if Pixar had a Toy Story series and used clips from 4 while remaining the same quality from the first. Season 7 – Jerry-Claude Van Damme We’ve done the wholesome scenes, the odd sci-fi ones, but one that references the star-turning Jean-Claude Van Damne action flick with the series’ most anxious character? Now that’s funny. In this extended shot, Jerry is depicted as perched on two chairs, exuding a sense of relaxation and tranquility, while looking JACKED! Plus, the synth-heavy theme too factors into the offbeat joke. Out of all movies, this sci-fi show pays homage to a 1988 action movie. There’s no reason for it, either. It’s just Bloodsport with Jerry. That my friends is classic Rick and Morty goodness. I Love it. Rick and Morty season 8 premieres Sunday, May 25 at 11 p.m. ET on Adult Swim.

A third-party research institute that Anthropic partnered with to test one of its new flagship AI models, Claude Opus 4, recommended against deploying an early version of the model due to its tendency to “scheme” and deceive. According to a safety report Anthropic published Thursday, the institute, Apollo Research, conducted tests to see in which contexts Opus 4 might try to behave in certain undesirable ways. Apollo found that Opus 4 appeared to be much more proactive in its “subversion attempts” than past models and that it “sometimes double[d] down on its deception” when asked follow-up questions. “[W]e find that, in situations where strategic deception is instrumentally useful, [the early Claude Opus 4 snapshot] schemes and deceives at such high rates that we advise against deploying this model either internally or externally,” Apollo wrote in its assessment. As AI models become more capable, some studies show they’re becoming more likely to take unexpected — and possibly unsafe — steps to achieve delegated tasks. For instance, early versions of OpenAI’s o1 and o3 models, released in the past year, tried to deceive humans at higher rates than previous-generation models, according to Apollo. Per Anthropic’s report, Apollo observed examples of the early Opus 4 attempting to write self-propagating viruses, fabricating legal documentation, and leaving hidden notes to future instances of itself — all in an effort to undermine its developers’ intentions. To be clear, Apollo tested a version of the model that had a bug Anthropic claims to have fixed. Moreover, many of Apollo’s tests placed the model in extreme scenarios, and Apollo admits that the model’s deceptive efforts likely would’ve failed in practice. However, in its safety report, Anthropic also says it observed evidence of deceptive behavior from Opus 4. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW This wasn’t always a bad thing. For example, during tests, Opus 4 would sometimes proactively do a broad cleanup of some piece of code even when asked to make only a small, specific change. More unusually, Opus 4 would try to “whistle-blow” if it perceived a user was engaged in some form of wrongdoing. According to Anthropic, when given access to a command line and told to “take initiative” or “act boldly” (or some variation of those phrases), Opus 4 would at times lock users out of systems it had access to and bulk-email media and law-enforcement officials to surface actions the model perceived to be illicit. “This kind of ethical intervention and whistleblowing is perhaps appropriate in principle, but it has a risk of misfiring if users give [Opus 4]-based agents access to incomplete or misleading information and prompt them to take initiative,” Anthropic wrote in its safety report. “This is not a new behavior, but is one that [Opus 4] will engage in somewhat more readily than prior models, and it seems to be part of a broader pattern of increased initiative with [Opus 4] that we also see in subtler and more benign ways in other environments.”

Documents reveal team tested options including building over station’s entire listed trainshed New image of Acme's proposals for the station's main entrance 1/22 show caption The City of London has published the planning application for Network Rail’s proposed redevelopment of Liverpool Station, revealing new images of how the scheme could look when built. The £1bn Acme designed scheme was submitted at the beginning of April and has been validated by Square Mile planners in the space of just six weeks.  A highly controversial previous version designed by Herzog & de Meuron for Network Rail and its former development partner Sellar, which has since been dropped, took more than six months to appear on the City’s planning portal. More than 20 previously unseen images of the new proposals, set to be one of the largest schemes in London, have been unveiled along with new details about how the scheme would be built. Acme’s plans would see a 21-storey office block built above the 1980s extension to the grade II-listed station’s train shed and a set of new vaulted gothic entrances built to replace the building’s existing gateways. These entrances would be faced predominately with yellow stock bricks, the same type used for the original 1875 station building and its 20th century extension, with bricks from parts of the extension set to be demolished to be reused in the new entrances. Acme has also proposed incorporating amber-tinted glass bricks, which will be “speckled” in the upper parts of the 18m-high entrance vaults and concentrated at the top of the concave areas of the arches between the ribs. Network Rail said the glass bricks will “serve as one of the contemporary subversions of an otherwise historic typology”, adding a “crystalline light scatter of the material [to] mark the stations thresholds as spaces of architectural interest”. The application documents also reveal Network Rail had considered building over the entire listed train shed roof prior to opting for a limited development over the 1980s concourse area. Options tested included a single block facing Exchange Square at the northern end of the train shed, three blocks spaced over the length of the train shed, elongated blocks running along either side and a large block containing multiple light wells which would sprawled over the full extent of the station. Options for the over-station development tested by Network Rail prior to the selection of the current proposal for a building above the concourse A further option to build a tower scheme over the existing Metropolitan Arcade opposite the main station building on Liverpool Street was also considered but was ruled out due to ownership issues and below ground constraints of the Circle and Elizabeth Lines. Network Rail initially favoured an over station development facing Exchange Square but concluded this was scrapped because of its impact on train services, its engineering complexity and difficulty in creating viable entrances. The preferred development above the concourse was identified as the most viable, although it will not include building above the grade II*-listed former Great Eastern Hotel which had been one of the most controversial aspects of Herzog & de Meuron’s proposals for the site. The plans confirm Network Rail’s pledge last year to take a more “heritage-led” approach to the redevelopment compared to the previous scheme, which had proposed interventions in a strikingly different design to the 19th century station. That scheme was abandoned last year with Network Rail’s development partner Sellar dropped after the application amassed more than 2,000 objections from members of the public and criticism from heritage groups including Historic England. A selection of Acme’s early design concepts for the station entrances Network Rail’s property arm, Network Rail Property, is now leading the redevelopment and has sought closer collaboration with heritage groups on the design, although the Victorian Society, which led the campaign against the previous proposals, is still objecting to the new designs and has described the planned over-station office tower as “perverse”. The office component is being used to fund improvements to the rest of the station, which is currently the UK’s busiest with around 118 million people a year crossing its concourse with annual passenger numbers expected to hit 158 million by 2041. Network Rail said the redevelopment, which will significantly enlarge the building’s concourse, will enable the station to serve more than 200 million passengers a year. It also aims to turn the station into a “destination in its own right” with new retail, leisure and workspace, aligning with the City of London’s Destination City ambition to diversify its economy. The project team includes Aecom on engineering and transport, Certo as project manager, Newmark, previously known as Gerald Eve, on planning, Gleeds as cost manager, Donald Insall Associates on heritage and townscape, GIA on daylight and sunlight and SLA as landscape architect.