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Chicago-based architect Kimberly Dowdell, who holds degrees from both Cornell and Harvard, currently serves as a principal at global design firm HOK. She also served as president of the National Association of Minority Architects from 2019 to 2020. (Credit: American Institute of Architects)

According to Kimberly Dowdell, there are so few Black women architects that most of them can tell you where they stand in the order of Black women who have received their licenses. She is number 295.

While its a small number, the Chicago-based architect recently added an even smaller one to her rsum number one. In December, the American Institute of Architects selected Dowdell, principal of global design firm HOK, as its president, making her the first Black woman to fill the role. Her appointment marks a huge stride for the organization, which was founded in 1857 and has historically consisted of mostly white men. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Dowdell spoke on what it means for her to be chosen for the position.

Particularly as a Black woman, because architecture has historically not had many people in leadership who are women or people of color, and certainly not women of color, I think it represents a new sense of hope for a more diverse future, she said.

Less than one percent of architects are Black women. Dowdell, who served as president of the National Organization of Minority Architects from 2019 to 2020, partially blames this on low entry-level salaries and a high cost of education for architects. She said people from under-resourced families are often steered towards higher-paying jobs in fields like medicine and law. One of her goals in her new post is to advocate for better pay for architects.

Part of the reason why I think focusing on the money piece is important is because it does actually have an impact on peoples decision-making to pursue architecture, she told the outlet.

For the AIA, a large part of Dowdells appeal is her dedication to diversity and inclusion. She has served on numerous equity committees, where she has helped firm leaders design initiatives to foster a sense of belonging among employees.

We have to show people whats possible, we have to enable them to have access to the profession through education and licensure support to pay their basic expenses, and then we have to make sure that they are in firm or workplace environments that can help them to flourish, she said.

At 40 years old, she is also the first millennial woman to serve as the AIAs president. With half of the organizations membership being over the age of 50, Dowdell has made it clear she intends to draw in some younger members. When she led the groups annual leadership summit earlier this year, she chose intergenerational workplace as a theme, and led cross-generational conversations about what the expectations are, particularly around return-to-office people wanting to work remotely.

During her campaign for president, Dowdells slogan was envision new possibilities. The slogan encapsulates her forward-thinking approach to not only the study of architecture, but the field of architecture. Having stepped into this position a week ago, I think it actually does help people to envision new possibilities, indeed, she said.

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Meet the American Institute of Architects' First Black Woman President - The Story Exchange

The "ruin-like" concrete frame of a former chemistry laboratory has been transformed into a series of workspaces for the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands, in this project by Civic Architects and VDNDP.

Providing a new home for the International Institute for Geo-Information Sciences (ITC), the building was designed to be a "sustainable symbol" for the campus.

It repurposes an abandoned 1970s structure to house bright interiors organised around courtyard gardens.

Local studios Civic Architects and VDNDP sought to "embrace the imperfections" of the existing building, using its concrete frame to support a demountable steel structure and partition walls that could easily be reconfigured to suit future needs.

"The original building was designed for machinery and, due to its low ceilings and significant depth (40 metres), was very, very dark it proved difficult to repurpose," founding partner at Civic Architects Jan Lebbink told Dezeen.

"Our approach involved a shift in programming: rather than forcing the existing structure to conform, we tailored the building's organisation to suit it," he added.

Entry to the ITC is via a large hall envisioned as its "social heart", set back beyond a small garden and featuring a large tiered wooden staircase, providing space for staff and students to gather and leading up to the first-floor restaurant.

Inside, four atria planted with trees and plants provide fresh air and natural light throughout the building, each containing a metal spiral stair to allow them to act as social connectors between floors.

"During the competition, we uncovered that the original ground floor was merely concrete poured without a structural purpose," Lebbink told Dezeen.

"Seizing this opportunity, we designated the atriums as spaces reserved for nature, featuring trees planted directly in local soil, with people as guests rather than the other way around."

"Taking this concept one step further, each of the four atriums was crafted with its own unique natural character, incorporating wood, water, and stone generously," he continued.

The workspaces themselves are divided between a ground floor of smaller, more focused work rooms and an upper storey of higher "more dynamic" areas.

This division is also reflected externally, with wood-framed smaller windows on the ground floor and large areas of glazing on the upper storey sheltered by horizontal louvres.

The interior design, completed in collaboration with Studio Groen+Schild, prioritised bio-based and recycled materials, with oak frames and bamboo flooring.

"This principle extended to all our chosen products, each carefully selected for its sustainability and robust materiality that embraces imperfections," explained Lebbink.

"This, combined with the almost ruin-like quality of the existing structure, contributed to the warm and inviting atmosphere that users fondly describe as 'homey," he continued.

Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Civic Architects recently converted a heritage-listed 1930s brick town hall building in Waalwijk into a shoe museum. The studio has previously also created a public library inside a locomotive shed.

The photography is by Stijn Bollaert & Mike Bink.

Project credits:

Building physics: Arup Installation: Valstar Simonis, Croonwolter&dros Structural engineer: Schreuders bouwtechniek Landscape designers: DS Landschapsarchitecten, Flora Nova Lighting: Joost de Beij Contractor: Dura Vermeer Bouw Hengelo, Trebbe Sustainability advisor: Buro Loo

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Civic Architects and VDNDP "embrace imperfections" for university retrofit - Dezeen

What person, project, transaction, or market trend had the greatest impact on your industry this year? One continuing trend with huge impact on our industry is mixed-use, community-centered development buildings and public spaces integrated into the fabric of neighborhoods with a diversity of architecture and a strong visual identity all with the mission of being a catalyst that expands the potential for future development.

What emerging trends will drive investment and development in 2024? Health, wellness and community-focused design within a mixed-use environment, with walkable neighborhoods providing active and passive recreation, and diverse commercial activities that drive demand for residential uses. Other trends include emphasis on initiatives to strengthen DEI, climate resilience and low-carbon solutions such as electrification and use of circular materials.

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2023? Our mixed-use development in Corktown, Detroits oldest neighborhood, was a wonderful opportunity to revitalize Corktowns historic commercial and residential neighborhoods in the context of community-building. Corktowns new Ford Innovation Campus was key in creating the increased demand for the residential and hospitality program.

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2023 Year in Review: Andrew West, Elkus Manfredi Architects - New England Real Estate Journal Online

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Gramercy Senior Living, Los Angeles, CA by Kevin Daly Architects. Image credit: Paul Vu

The American Institute of Architects has unveiled the winners of its Design for Aging Review Award 2023. The award, overseen by the AIAs Design for Aging Knowledge Community, seeks to recognize architects who demonstrate innovative design solutions to improve the quality of life for older adults within specific project constraints.

Five projects have been honored for the 2023 edition, chosen by a five-person jury. Projects were chosen based on their ability to demonstrate innovative solutions that improve the quality of life for older adults within specific project constraints.

Below, we have listed the five winning projects. More information on the awards can be found on the AIA website here. You can also review the top prize-winning architects and designers of 2023 by reviewing our end-of-year coverage here.

Aegis Living Lake Union, Seattle, WA by Ankrom Moisan Architects

Aegis Living Lake Union, Seattle, WA by Ankrom Moisan Architects. Image credit: Magda Biernat Photography

Project excerpt: Drawing on the natural beauty of Lake Union and the regions history as the training site for the 1936 U.S. gold-medal-winning rowing team, the project references the craftsmanship of wood rowing shells and their motion across the water. Expressed by simple, high-quality materials, they evoke patterns in water and the movement of oars. This motif continues throughout the buildings design with subtle nods to rhythms of rowing seen in the brick herringbone detailing around windows, the entry canopy, and custom-designed steel balcony railings.

Cooperwood Senior Living, Flowood, Mississippi by Duvall Decker

Cooperwood Senior Living, Flowood, Mississippi by Duvall Decker. Image credit: Andrew Welch

Project excerpt: Cooperwood Senior Living was conceived as a full living environment that includes private units and numerous delightful public spacesoutdoor patio space, a cafe, a theater, and a salon that overlooks the water. All of the projects residential units face east or west, and each includes multiple large windows that offer views of the sunrise or sunset. Theyre protected from the Souths hot sun by shades that shelter the interior from heat and glare and simultaneously reflect light back onto the projects faceted facade. By opening the interior to views of the water, ducks, songbirds, and other seasonal fauna, Cooperwoods residents are presented with a sense of discovery.

Gramercy Senior Living, Los Angeles, CA by Kevin Daly Architects

Gramercy Senior Living, Los Angeles, CA by Kevin Daly Architects. Image credit: Paul Vu

Project excerpt: Across 70,000 square feet, Gramercy Senior Housing accommodates residents who make less than 50% of the areas median income and includes a commercial cafe, ample community spaces, and a public plaza on the entry-level. The teams design emerged as six discrete buildings that reflect the scale of the single-family homes that surround it. With bustling Washington Boulevard to the south and a swath of Craftsman homes to the north, the complex appears as an array of structures connected by an exterior walkway system finished with an organic trellis that contrasts with mirror steel hoods that protect windows from southern exposure.

Rose Villa Senior Living Phase 3, Portland, OR by Scott Edwards Architecture and Gawron Turgeon Architects

Rose Villa Senior Living Phase 3, Portland, OR by Scott Edwards Architecture and Gawron Turgeon Architects. Image credit: David Papazian

Project excerpt: Schroeder Lofts is a five-story, wood-framed multi-use building with below-grade parking, amenities, a child care facility, and 35 independent living lofts. A palpable sense of outdoor living is prompted by oversized windows, garden terraces, and balconies that further activate the neighborhood. On its first floor, community spaces are connected by a covered arcade that draws the sidewalk into the building. The central hub for those spaces is a recreation room that doubles as a lounge, game room, and teaching kitchen. Also along the arcade is a medical clinic, quilting club room, and a resident-operated second-hand shop called Treasure House.

Stonewall House, Brooklyn, NY by Marvel Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers, PLLC

Stonewall House, Brooklyn, NY by Marvel Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers, PLLC. Image credit: Joshua Simpson

Project excerpt: The buildings massing, which relies on brick as a design feature, abuts the adjacent rectory to the north and steps down from the corner through three setbacks that offer common outdoor roof terraces. Entry into the buildings 6,800-square-foot community space is marked by a cantilevered canopy. Together, these features allow Stonewall House to hold the corner and connect it to the campus while also providing a safer and friendlier experience along the sidewalk.

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AIA honors five projects in 2023 Design for Aging Review Award - Archinect

From Trash to Ornament: Architects and Designers Give New Life to Discarded Objects

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A vital aspect of a circular economy lies in shifting our view of waste. Labeling an item "waste" implies voiding its value and ending its useful role in a traditionally linear economy. While the item might be out of sight and out of mind, its life continues in the landfill. This shift in perspective regarding waste means opening our minds to the opportunity that the abundance of junk presents. These designers and architects have managed to not only effectively reclaim discarded objects but also to make them look precious, imbuing them with new meaning and value through their careful curation.

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In Seattle, South Korean designer and artist Jay Sae Jung Oh takes discarded household items and turns them into ornamental leather-wrapped chairs. The "Salvage Chair" series was born out of the desire to bring attention to disposable culture.

"The genesis of my inspiration lies in the everyday objects that inhabit our lives. Despite living surrounded by so many objects, we often fail to acknowledge their value and are constantly consumed by the pursuit of new things." - Jay Sae Jung Oh

Her process involves gathering abandoned items and assembling them into new forms that she then wraps with leather cords. Obscured by the leather, these objects take new shapes as they meld into one another, creating complex pieces that exist in between furniture and sculpture.

In Bangalore, India, Interior design studio Multitude of Sins designed a restaurant interior using less than 10% newly sourced materials. Commissioned by the artistic community of "Bangalore Creative Circus," this 2,134 sqft project was completed in 2021. Through an unconventional curatorial process, MOS designed surface finishes, lighting, furniture, and art installations almost entirely from a city-wide donation drive, salvage markets, and dumping yards. Their design process relied heavily on what was available within the city's discarded resources, resulting in a distinctive array of colors and textures.

The entrance arches were fashioned from scrap metal and coated in a teal hue, while chandeliers were ingeniously crafted from bike chains and metal filings. Upcycled vehicle headlights were repurposed as lighting fixtures, and the flooring was composed of discarded display flooring samples. A patchwork collage of discarded wallpaper swatches creates an eye-catching backdrop for the food counter.

Designed by Hiroshi Nakamura and NAP, the Zero Waste Center challenges our ways of consumption through both its program and its aesthetics. Located in Kamikatzu, Japan, its facade is a collage of 700 windows donated by the local community. The building's interior and exterior comprise a patchwork of used items and locally harvested cedar wood.

In an interview with Stirworld, the architects detailed the meticulous process behind their design. They worked closely with the town and volunteers, measuring each of the 700 windows and noting glass thickness and necessary repairs. These measurements then informed the elevation drawings. While for most, the irregularity of the items would be seen as undesirable, the architects decided to embrace their imperfection.

Most of the logs, fittings, furniture, and other materials used in this project are uneven. In an economy of mass production and consumption, uneven materials are disliked and considered ugly and imperfect because they are difficult to pack, load, and control, and their quality is difficult to guarantee. Therefore, waste is generated in order to achieve uniformity, and those that are out of specification are discarded. However, we considered the uneven shapes as a unique characteristic of the object and treated it with affection in its uneven form, which we believe gives the Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center a lot of character. - Hiroshi Nakamura

The architectural field holds vast potential to explore new aesthetic directions and types of beauty by using discarded materials at our disposal. By working with the uneven, dissimilar, and aged, new aesthetics can help us re-evaluate our relationship with waste and give new life to the discarded. This presents a new role for architects and designers, not just as makers of new things but as curators of the existing.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on November 03, 2023.

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From Trash to Ornament: Architects and Designers Give New Life to Discarded Objects - ArchDaily

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Architecture has deep wells of research, thought, and theory that areunseen on the surface of a structure. For practitioners, citizens interested, and students alike, books on architectureoffer invaluable context to the profession, be itpractical, inspirational, academic, or otherwise. So, for those of you looking to expand your bookshelf (or confirm your own tastes),ArchDaily has gathered a broad list of architectural books that we consider of interest to those in the field.

In compiling this list, we sought out titles from different backgrounds with the aim of revealing divergent cultural contexts. From essays to monographs, urban theory to graphic novels, each of the following either engage directly with or flirt on the edges of architecture.

The books on this list were chosen by our editors, and are categorized loosely by type. Read on to see the books we consider valuable to anyone interested in architecture.

Every design challenge represents a problem to be solved. In this book, Christopher Alexander proposes a cataloging of the types of problems (or design challenges) and analyzes what lies behind each situation, describing it in its essence and proposing a standard solution | Recommended by Eduardo Souza

The obligatory world-acclaimed book that proposes a critical reflection on the value of the collective memory in the architecture of the city | Recommended by Fabian Dejtiar

Peter Zumthor shortly highlights the importance of the sensations in the construction of 'Athmospheres', to create a good place for the development of people | Recommended by Fabian Dejtiar

A "gentle manifesto for a non-straightforward architecture," Venturis Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture expresses in the most compelling and original terms the postmodern rebellion against the purism of modernism | Recommended by Diego Hernndez

Inspiring text based on conversations led by Louis Kahn in different workshops | Recommended by Martita Vial

A classic book with a very sensitive atmosphere about promising architecture and design | Recommended by Martita Vial

This book a quick, delightful, and inspiring read - and entirely essential as we continue on the asymptote towards entirely digital practice in architecture. Pallasmaa encourages architects to see the world around them not just with sight but with touch, sound, even smell! |Recommended by Katherine Allen

In this 1960s classic, Kevin Lynch presents studies of how cities are perceived and imagined, and shows how his findings can impact the building and rebuilding of cities |Recommended by Becky Quintal

Explains the beauty of oriental architecture through their perception of light and shadows in their art and architectural traditions | Recommended by Martita Vial

Seminal work for the history of architecture, the authors analyze the Las Vegas' strip to better comprehend the common and ordinary architecture, rather than the iconic buildings proclaimed by modernism | Recommended by Romullo Baratto

Mutations' reflects on the transformations that urban accelerating processes inflict on our environment, and on the spaces in which architecture can still operate | Recommended by Victor Delaqua

It presents appropriate standard measures and design tips. A very useful book for all architects |Recommended byEduardo Souza

Really beautifully written book on the poetics of space within the home. It explores the philosophy of space and how it relates to memories and dreams |Recommended byYiling Shen

"Know what you have to do and do it," said John Ruskin - words that neatly sum the contents of this book. Ruskin's writing describes lamps as characteristics that any piece of architecture must have in order to be considered this real architecture - in turn, the principles he deems necessary for architecture to be considered art | Recommended by Martita Vial

This book exposes the work of one of the most famous architecture groups for the radicalization and criticism of utopias | Recommended by Monica Arellano

Based on interesting diagrams and drawings, Peter Eisenman provides evidence of how some renowned architects of the 20th century changed our way of thinking | Recommended by Fabian Dejtiar

A collection of the most important and seminal essays in the field of architecture published between 1965 and 1995 |Recommended byRomullo Baratto

Banham's response to the second industrial revolution | Recommended by Diego Hernndez

This book explains the disciplines of designing anything from a house to a coffee cup | Recommended by Dima Stouhi

After years in architecture school, you may understand how a building is put together - but how much do you actually understand the processes that make that building function in the first place? Kate Ascher reviews the systems that manage traffic, water, heat, electricity, and much more, tying architecture not just to an image of the urban environment, but to the actual workings of the city | Recommended byCollin Abdallah

Yona Friedman takes up the work of groups such as Archigram to propose cities that propose new ways of inhabiting cities |Recommended by Monica Arellano

This book systematically and exhaustively analyzes the foundations of architectural form, space, and arrangement based on prototypes and historical examples from all periods, cultures and geographical areas | Recommended by Martita Vial

For many architects, designing for the senses often means simply designing for sight and touch. This book gives a comprehensive overview of designing for sound, from detailed drawings to texts on the subject. The hope? That better acoustic environments will also mean better buildings |Recommended by Collin Abdallah

As compelling as concepts are to discuss, they're rarely what makes the experience of a building special - that falls instead to a building's details. We notice how a wall touches the ground, how a railing curves underneath our hand - but how do you design these things? This book provides a vast variety of examples to help architects consider and design the details |Recommended by Collin Abdallah

The field experiences developed by Elemental and Alejandro Aravena, winner of the 2016 Pritzker Prize and Director of the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, are compiled in this book that not only tells the history of the team but also presents its financing strategies and the participatory methods used | Recommended by Jos Toms Franco

In an increasingly air-conditioned environment, it can be easy to discount thermal comfort in the design of a building. But architecture (particularly vernacular design) has long been built on traditions surrounding thermal comfort, ranging from Roman baths to Islamic gardens to the porches of Southern US homes. As energy-efficiency increasingly becomes a part of the conversation, it's wise to learn from the past to design for the future |Recommended by Collin Abdallah

More than a few revolutions took place in the 60s, but perhaps the most memorable one for architects is that of Archigram. The legendary British group created visions for cities that still feel fresh and fantastical today, and are carried on by designers such as Neil Denari, Lebbeus Woods, and Morphosis. This book is an excellent dive into their thinking in their own words, and includes a massive (though unfortunately black and white) selection of their famous collages. Those enamoured by the post-digital drawing craze will enjoy seeing where the current movement partly stems from |Recommended by Katherine Allen

New York-based architects Reiser+Umemoto use short, informative chapters to explain their design process through a series topics that have driven their work |Recommended by Becky Quintal

This reading offers insight not only to one of the world's most creative practices, but into how to design for a changing climate - a message we'd all be wise to pay attention to |Recommended by Yiling Shen

Jan Gehl presents his latest work creating (or recreating) cityscapes on a human scale. He clearly explains the methods and tools he uses to reconfigure unworkable cityscapes into the landscapes he believes they should be: cities for people |Recommended byEduardo Souza

Many of us enter the field with a core belief that we can leverage the profession to do good for others. But often, the places most in need of optimism are the ones least likely to get it. Design Like You Give a Damn istheresource for socially-conscious design, gathering together projects, history, and information about the movement - and what's possible with a little optimism |Recommended by Katherine Allen

This book deals with the work of the Uruguayan engineer-architect Eladio Dieste, whose greatest production was developed in the capital of his native country and adjunctive cities in the second half of the twentieth century | Recommended by Matheus Pereira

Forensic Architecture, a research group led by Eyal Weizman at Goldsmiths, leverages architecture as a framework to investigate a world in conflict, from armed violence to environmental destruction. This book details some of their work with activist groups, NGOs, and the UN |Recommended by Katherine Allen

Junya Ishigami is known for a singular portfolio, one in which structures blur into near invisibility, taking on the appearance of forests, strands of ribbon, and even the sky | Recommended by Shuang Han

This work by Frank Lloyd Wright brings together a large part of the writings and conferences that, over an intense decade of its prolonged existence, offered to the eagerness of qualified audiences, collaborators and students. Until its author reunited them under the generic title of "The Future of Architecture", the lessons of the great master exhausted the original editions. It was essential that these enlightening texts be brought to light for the new generations of architectural scholars | Recommended by Martita Vial della Maggiora

This book presents and discusses part of the works of Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld, from homes to hotels in Brazil and other regions of the world. The book also features previously unpublished photographs that visually describe their work |Recommended by Matheus Pereira

Ada Louise Huxtable reinvented the field of not just architectural criticism, but criticism itself, winning the first ever Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. In her canny eyes, the city was not something abstract or academic, but something that was living, tangible - kickable. Her legacy is one that lives on today in the (perhaps improbably) thriving field of architectural criticism |Recommended by Katherine Allen

A comprehensive study of Bo Bardis career using an extensive archival work in Italy and Brazil |Recommended byPedro Vada

MOS is an office known as much for their wit as they are for their architecture. Architecture, under their idiosyncratic gaze, is lively, ironic, and even a bit awkward. In short, it's as human as we are ourselves |Recommended byKaley Overstreet

This book discusses the work of Brazilian modern architect Oscar Niemeyer with a focus on the works produced in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960 |Recommended by Matheus Pereira

Twenty-one carefully selected projects are presented in detail, from the initial idea and through construction to the completed work and illustrated by Michael Moran | Recommended by Nicolas Valencia

Lebbeus Woods, until his death in 2012, kept a blog that was part-journal, part-forum. This book compiles some of the 300+ posts in what is likely the most encompassing insight into his particular genius. Perhaps the only thing missing from the book is Wood's complex and unique illustrations. But never fear! They are all available on his still (thankfully) open blog. Read the two together for the fullest possible experience |Recommended by Katherine Allen

Poll any architect on the most essential books of the field, and this tome from Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau will undoutedly come up. The book weaves together OMA projects by scale, using drawings, collages, images, and texts to challenge conventional understand of architecture, scale, and the city | Recommended by Becky Quintal

This book presents some of the architect's projects, discussing the language adopted from the technical, structural, philosophical and social point of view |Recommended by Matheus Pereira

Admirers of the Swiss architect's sensitive approach to building and form should consider this text required reading for practice. Zumthor presents his philosophy through the lens of his own work and experience. Who better to learn from than the master? |Recommended by Katherine Allen

This book documents the work of the architecture studio Flores & Prats, approaching its way of doing architecture through an artisan design process with different types of handmade drawings and details | Recommended by Fabian Dejtiar

An intriguing look inside the design and construction of Steven Holl's Reid Building next to the famed Glasgow School of Art. The process is one of balance and reconciliation, illuminated through drawings, photographs, and interviews | Recommended by Niall Patrick Walsh

Set up as a conversation between WORKac co-founders Amale Andraos and Dan Wood, We'll Get there When We Cross that Bridge switches seamlessly between portfolio review and an impassioned discussion of issues relevant to the practice. It's an invaluable insight into how one of the most exciting contemporary firms works, thinks, and plans for the future |Recommended byKaley Overstreet

If non-architects know any practicing architect today, it's probably Bjarke Ingels.This book is a big part of the reason why! Yes is Moreintroduced the world to a new way of looking at and speaking about architecture - one that was lively, energetic, and open to all. Since its publication in 2009, we've all joined BIG's hedonistic revolution, and it's shaped architecture for the better |Recommended by Katherine Allen

A scathing literary satire by Australia's most influential architect on how ugly Australian suburbs are still relevant today |Recommended by Yiling Shen

In this book, architect Jimenez Lai creates a collection of short stories on architecture and urbanism, represented through manga-style storyboards |Recommended byRomullo Baratto

In this book, somewhere between a novel and a set of essays, Marco Polo describes the cities he's visited to emperor Kublai Khan. Each city is lushly, if fragmentarily described. This is surely the way we should talk about our cities: as shimmering reflections and formless memories. Easily readable in parts, this book is the perfect detox for those needing an escape from all the unbearable talk about smart cities and circular economies - and a reminder why we fall in love with cities in the first place |Recommended by Katherine Allen

This novel describes the evolution of Gothic architecture as a response to its Romanesque precursor against the backdrop of (lightly fictionalized) medieval European life | Recommended by Martita Vial.

A complete historic round-up of architecture styles | Recommended by Dima Stouhi

This book explains the history, evolution, and ornaments of Islamic architecture | Recommended by Dima Stouhi

Alessandro Scarnato explains how Barcelona, an infested city, became a global city after Spain recovered its democracy in the '70s |Recommended byNicolas Valencia

An explosion of little architectural magazines in the 1960s and 1970s instigated a radical transformation in architectural culture, as the magazines acted as a site of innovation and debate | Recommended by Victor Delaqua

Alejandro Aravena joins Fernando Perez Oyarzn and Jos Quintanilla to discuss and analyze several architecture projects along with history, all accompanied with drawings, essays, and external references to make understand architecture from all its different angles and points of view | Recommended by Fernanda Castro

An extensive overview of the history, motivations, successes, and failures of the Modernist movement in architecture, offering invaluable and unparalleled context on an already widely published topic |Recommended by Shuang Han

One of the most complete and relevant books on modern architecture, in the fourth edition Frampton added a major new section to his masterpiece that explores the effects of globalization on architecture all over the world |Recommended byRomullo Baratto

This book documents and analyzes ten of Palladio's surviving villas in terms of their relationship with their natural surroundings |Recommended byNiall Patrick Walsh

The most influential architectural manifestos from 1903 to 1963, collected here in chronological order |Recommended by Becky Quintal

An editorial design accomplishment by itself, this book interweaves historical research with interviews with some of the most prominent architects from Japanese Metabolism movement |Recommended byRomullo Baratto

Todd Gannon sheds light on one of architecture's most influential critics, giving readers context to the man and opinions behind the writings. From his tentative enthusiasm for Archigram to his views on the high-tech architecture of the 80s and 90s, his opinions need not be a mystery |Recommended byKaley Overstreet

Garca Vsquez reveals how the contemporary city has evolved, according to psychologists, historians, and architects |Recommended byNicolas Valencia

A compilation of Piranesi's etchings of prisons, Le Carceri represents not only a huge artistic accomplishment but also a milestone on architectural perception with its numerous vaults, staircases and other ambiguous structures |Recommended byRomullo Baratto

This classic examines how architecture defines our understanding of space - and how buildings are sometimes indifferent participants in the urban environment. In Zevi's capable hands the components of architecture come alive, offering an illuminating and provocative perspective on the field of architecture | Recommended by Martita Vial.

The popular image of the architect is one of ego and power - but as any practicing architect will tell you, this is rarely (at best) the truth. Architecture depends on just about everything: the client, contractors, code, materials, zoning, budgethow much of a building is actually designed by the designer? This book investigates the gap between architecture's dependent nature and the aggressive perfectionism with which we pursue our work |Recommended by Katherine Allen

By analyzing the relation between cinema, art, and architecture through the lens of existential spaces, Pallasmaa dives into the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Andrei Tarkovsky and how they used architectural imagery to create emotional states |Recommended byRomullo Baratto

This book explores the bases of design from the very antique tools to the new digital era to propose new theories that allow us to rethink the way we design |Recommended by Monica Arellano

The authors carry out a historical journey that narrates the social role of architects and planners until the current era of globalization |Recommended byNicolas Valencia

The book is an inescapable reference for thinking about contemporary art and architecture | Recommended by Victor Delaqua

From nomadic architecture to underground sewerage landscapes, this book examines the possibilities of architecture outside of how it is normally viewed and discussed |Recommended by Yiling Shen

This is an iconic book analyzing the post-modern work of Edmond & Corrigan and how they reflect ideas about Australian suburbia and theatrics in their architecture |Recommended by Yiling Shen

David Harvey identify different contexts to create a great panorama of The condition of Postmodernity |Recommended byPedro Vada

Critical architectural theory from the mid-1990s to now |Recommended byPedro Vada

In OMA/AMO's words, Content is a product of the moment. Inspired by ceaseless fluctuations of the early 21st Century, it bears the marks of globalism and the market, ideological siblings that, over the past twenty years, have undercut the stability of contemporary life | Recommended by Diego Hernndez

Basically, the work that made Rem Koolhaas famous. This book exposes the consistency and coherence of the seemingly unrelated episodes of Manhattan's urbanism focusing on its "culture of congestion." | Recommended by Romullo Baratto

You're unlikely to find this book on any typical architecture reading lists, but that doesn't make it any less essential. Robert Bevan guides the reader through the architectural landscape in times of and after a conflict, giving words to what we know but don't often say: that the built environment has cultural and personal significance that stretches far beyond shelter. The leveling of buildings in war is less often the byproduct of hostilities than it is the hostilities themselves. The active and systematic erasure of an urban landscape is the strategic and leveling of identity, culture, and people |Recommended by Katherine Allen

Beatriz Colomina studies the phenomenon of postwar architecture as well as the factors that helped to build the idea of modern architecture based on the work of Charles and Ray Eames |Recommended by Monica Arellano

Seventeen conversations with practitioners from the fields of architecture, policy, activism, design, education, and research speculating on the future direction of the architectural profession |Recommended byNiall Patrick Walsh

It is a critical tour about concepts for living in seven iconic twentieth-century homes |Recommended byPedro Vada

This book provides students and professional architects with the basic elements of architectural design, divided into twenty-six easy-to-comprehend chapters |Recommended byWinnie Wu

A selection of articles that address the notion of the ordinary in architecture over the last 40 years |Recommended byNicolas Valencia

The section is the greatest and most legible tool of architecture - who among us did not grow up entranced by the cut sections of buildings such as the Pantheon or Kowloon Walled City? This book is the grown-up answer to our childhood fascinations, offering detailed drawings of contemporary works. Essays offer invaluable insight into not just the buildings selected but to the idea of the section itself |Recommended byKaley Overstreet

Oppositions Reader collects the most important essays from 26 issues of Oppositions, the journal of the New York-based Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies (IAUS). An excellent selection of authors and prevailing subjects | Recommended by Antonia Pieiro

This book studies how architectural production is popularized and inclined to design erotic spaces based on a specific context, demonstrating how different factors of the modern culture shaped the places we inhabit |Recommended by Monica Arellano

According to Habraken, architects consider the context to be the 'ordinary' into which they are challenged to produce the 'extraordinary.' But as vernacular architecture disappears, ordinary environments are more difficult to define. Without a clear counterpoint, how can architects situate concepts of innovation in architecture? | Recommended by Jos Toms Franco

Compilation of eight lectures from Rafael Moneo on eight of the most renowned architects from the last half-century, including James Stirling, Robert Venturi, Aldo Rossi, Peter Eisenman, Alvaro Siza, Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas | Recommended by Romullo Baratto

The great Brazilian geographer presents an alternative theory of globalization |Recommended byPedro Vada

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The 126 Best Architecture Books - ArchDaily

Architects from studios including Counterspace and OMA are among those expecting less extravagant and more community-centric designs to dominate the global architecture scene in 2024.

Dezeen spoke to architects from leading and emerging studios around the world to get their predictions for the trends that could define the industry this year.

For most, world affairs are expected to have the biggest impact on architecture in 2024 and beyond, as countries begin "looking inward" and become more protectionist.

"The era of abundance seems to be coming to an end"

"The honeymoon period of globalisation is over," said MVRDV Asia studio director Wenchian Shi.

"Each country and each continent is looking more inward and trying to be more defensive," she told Dezeen.

OMA's managing partner David Gianotten agreed, suggesting that "the era of abundance seems to be coming to an end".

"We are facing a shortage of resources," he said.

Gianotten added that the Covid-19 pandemic and, more recently, two major wars, have "caused a sense of insecurity among many of us".

This will lead to "new design approaches" that prioritise local communities and the creation of safe spaces, he said.

"People worry about their communities, and they want to know how they can be in positions to help," Gianotten explained.

"I think the built-environment industry will focus more on creating safe places where different agents in the community can have an increased sense of belonging, and act for the common good."

This echoes the hopes of Counterspace founder Sumayya Vally for 2024, which are to give voices to local communities that may have previously been overlooked.

"I would love to see architecture made in the image of diverse experiences and perspectives, architecture that listens deeply to its contexts," said Vally, who was named emerging architect of the year at Dezeen Awards 2023.

World affairs will cause "less experimentation"

Meanwhile, Snhetta co-founder Kjetil Trdal Thorsen believes that current world events will lead to more restrained architecture in 2024 and beyond.

"Right now, there should be no doubt that the ongoing conflicts, polarisation, and social inequality will continue to destabilise societies around the globe," he said.

"This is already influencing the economy, politics and thus also our clients, going for safer choices, known solutions and less experimentation."

MVRDV partner Stefan de Koning echoed this sentiment.

"Given the continuing crises in the economy, the environment, and everything else, I expect to see a decline in the luxury sector," he said.

"This includes even places like the UAE, which has previously been very luxury-oriented, but where we are starting to see more interest in the idea of a less ostentatious style of architecture."

However, Heatherwick Studio partner Mat Cash said the full effects of current world affairs will only be known later in 2024 when the world faces what The Economist has called the biggest election year in history.

"Over four billion people more than half the global population will be urged to vote," said Cash. "Each of these moments will help define a movement either towards greater polarisation and isolationism or towards more global co-operation," he explained.

These elections could have "far-reaching impacts" on architecture, he said, as they will determine the world's responses to the challenges it currently faces.

"We will focus our creativity on making the most of what we have"

Another trend expected to dominate in 2024 is a greater focus on sustainability.

"We might finally once again see the creation of our physical surroundings as a positive contribution to humanity rather than being a burden," said Thorsen.

This was also a trend prediction for architects in 2023. However, architects told Dezeen measures will become more targeted and, therefore, more effective this year.

"As more and more people feel the urgency of the issue, I think we will become more focused on managing specific risks that climate change brings to the built environment, rather than generic design approaches for environmental wellbeing," said Gianotten.

Co-founder of Dutch studio Overtreders W Hester van Dijk expects an increase in architects prioritising biobased materials those made from biodegradable living matter.

"The Dutch government, for example, has just reserved 200 million to upgrade the percentage of biobased materials, by weight, in new buildings in the Netherlands from three per cent to 30 per cent," she explained.

"The money is intended for farmers and builders to work together to put biobased building materials on the market."

Meanwhile, Stuart Latham at Foster + Partners said more accurate carbon calculations for projects will emerge.

"With carbon calculations becoming more sophisticated, there will now be more certainty about predictions for the performance of buildings. Approximations will increasingly be left behind," he explained.

Latham is also confident retrofit will become a top priority.

"Foster + Partners believe the idea of retrofit and the revitalisation and reinterpretation of existing buildings will continue to gain strength as awareness about embodied carbon grows throughout the industry," he said.

Alexandra Hagen, CEO of Dezeen Awards 2023 architecture studio of the year White Arkitekter,agreed.

"We will focus our creativity on making the most of what we have already built," she said.

"As architects, we will use design as a tool to reinvent and revitalise the existing building stock in creative ways. It will have an impact from interior design to masterplanning."

Public engagement will become key

Heatherwick Studio partner Cash said the dedication to retrofit will also be visible in the way architects design new buildings in 2024, with a rise in studios designing for longevity.

"I think the conversations around sustainability will slowly shift from being purely concerned with a building's life cycle to its actual life expectancy," he said.

He said this will see a shift from "fast architecture" buildings designed with a lifespan of 20 to 30 years and more engagement with the public.

"We must have an aspirational mindset that looks to build for 1,000 years," Cash argued.

"[The public] are the judges of a buildings longevity and ultimately their success," he added. "2024 will be much more about how the public actively engages in this conversation and their voices will begin to be heard."

This will also be catered for through the design of more mixed-use buildings, a typology that Zaha Hadid Architects associate director Melodie Leung expects more of in 2024.

"There is no longer an assumption that buildings will always be inhabited in the same way," she explained.

"Clients and design teams are incorporating a more nuanced understanding of how the spaces in which people live, work and socialise may be shared and used differently across various times of day and how they can be adapted in future decades."

Direction of AI in architecture disputed

However, architects disagreed about the direction that technologies such as AI will take in 2024, after the topic attracted significant hype in 2023.

For Hagen and Leung, continuing to upskill in this area will become increasingly important.

"Continuous upskilling in design, sustainability and tech is crucial in 2024," said Hagen. "Shortly, I believe we will be aided by new AI tools to analyse and design our projects."

Leung said the fields of architecture and engineering will become "inseparable from the digital realm" in 2024.

"Advances in AI augment the ability of design teams to integrate complex layers of information and analysis in the design process with the goal of achieving more sustainable and longer-lasting buildings," she explained.

Yet, at the other end of the spectrum, MAD founder Ma Yansong said architecture will shift away from technology next year.

"While engineering and technology quickly develop, architecture can respond and sync with human emotion," Ma explained.

"Architecture is not a product or the pure outcome of technology, but also rooted deeply with art, culture and civilization," he continued. "We will leave behind pure digital architecture that has no expression or no soul."

Meanwhile, Counterspace's founder suggested the integration of AI with architecture is unavoidable, and encouraged architects to turn their focus to what they can control.

"Architects have been working with AI for a number of years," Vally said.

"I think the question is not whether we will or wont be affected by the shifts we know are coming, but how we can build platforms that amplify voices from multiple contexts, include different bodies of knowledge; and build models that are resonant with different perspectives."

Specifically, Vally hopes more architects will look beyond mainstream trends in 2024 and pay more attention to the contexts in which they are designing.

"Rather than look to trends, we should really study our past and present conditions to uncover the stories and histories that lie waiting in place," she concluded.

Thorsen agreed, asking: "Maybe trends are a bit out altogether?"

Dezeen In Depth If you enjoy reading Dezeen's interviews, opinions and features,subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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Less experimentation and more "safe spaces" will define 2024 architecture - Dezeen

2024 promises to be a big year for the DCU. While we currently only have Max'sCreature Commandos to look forward to, that will still offer a glimpse into what this rebooted franchise will look like and the tone DC Studios is going for as they set out to move beyond a disastrous 2023 for the DCEU.

We've known for a while that James Gunn has assembled a team of writers and creatives to help shape the new DCU and the filmmaker and executive recently shared a photo of at least some of them while reflecting on the past 12 months.

"2023 what a year! A lot of my favorite moments I cant post because of spoilers," he said on Threads, "but here are a few from getaways to premieres to writers rooms to publicity tours to spreading my dads ashes in Ireland. 2023 was a year of hard work and incredible challenges - but so many wonderful moments within all that. Family, friends, dogs, and films forever. Thanks to everyone who made this year so great."

So, who do we have alongside the Superman: Legacy helmer?

From left to right, there's Chantal Nong Vo (Vice President of Production; The Suicide Squad producer), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight Head Writer), Christina Hodson (Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, The Flash writer), Drew Goddard (Daredevil writer),Christal Henry (Waller co-showrunner), Tom King (DC Comics writer),Galen Vaisman (Vice President of Creative Development; The Flash producer), and Peter Safran (DC Studios' co-CEO).

We're sure more names have been added to this list since the photo was taken, but it still offers a glimpse into the minds shaping this upcoming reboot.

Last year, Gunn shared his take on how he's approaching DC Studios' projects from a creative standpoint:

"Even though this is all a connected universe, its really important to me that the individual writers and directors on the projects give their own self-expression to it, just like they do in the comics. Everything doesnt always look the same. Everything doesnt always have the same expression. Different artists bring remarkably different looks, feels and tones. This is not the Gunnverse."

"I want each project to have the feelings of the individual artist thats working on it and to give them a lot of freedomas long as it worksto create something special because what Ive found through Marvel, what wasnt exciting was when movies were tonally the same. What was exciting was when you had something like Guardians come out and everyone was like, 'How is this raccoon going to be dealing with this God of Thunder? Thats going to be weird.'"

"But then when you actually see the mash-up happen, thats what makes it so fun. So, to see seemingly tonally incongruent things come together is part of the fun of all this."

Stay tuned for more on the DCU as we have it.

Read more:
DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn Welcomes 2024 By Sharing Photo Of DCU Architects - CBM (Comic Book Movie)

Belsize put forward a proposal in 2019 to replace an industrial unit next to a railway line in Latimer Road with offices and homes for developer Artedi.

However, that proposal was withdrawn after 120 objections to the initial application were received and a design code was drawn up relating to the site.

Belsize scaled down the commercial elements of the scheme and resubmitted fresh proposals at the start of this year for a part-three, part-five-storey mixed-use block.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelseas planning committee granted consent for the revised Latimer Road project in a narrow vote last month (12 December), with three councillors approving the application and two rejecting.

Although 91 objections were submitted against the latest application in relation to its height and impact on other properties, councillors approved the project on the advice of its planning officers.

A report said the proposed building would accord with the areas design code and successfully integrate with its surroundings, making a positive visual statement as well as boosting provision of jobs and homes.

Planning officers added: The pitched roofline and gentle zig-zagged elevation [] are intended to break down the high-level massing, articulate the faade and communicate a distinction between its use as a residential building [and] its commercial accommodation fronting Latimer Road. It does this successfully in all respects.

Belsize Architects said the zig-zag rhythm was a nod to the bay window motif which appears throughout the area adding that it creates a break and softens the scale of the development.

The practice added: The elevation has been created in accordance with the requirements of [Kensington and Chelseas] Street Design Code, which applies a unifying principle for the neighbourhood for a tripartite division of faades into three zones: base, middle and top.

The scheme will have an internal structure largely built of timber, alongside some steel elements, and floor structures will be cross-laminated timber. Sustainability elements include solar panels on the roof and air source heat pumps, which will heat and cool the building.

A sedum and wildflower blanket will cover the roof of the residential units.

Source:Belsize Architects

Belsize Architects approved Latimer Road scheme in Kensington plan

LocationRoyal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Type of project Mixed use ClientPrivate developer ArchitectBelsize Architects Planning consultantSavills Heritage and townscape consultantHCUK Group Fire consultantVemco Consulting Community engagement consultantConcilio Consult M&E consultantP3R Engineers Flood risk and drainage consultantEAS Delivery and servicing plan consultantEAS CTMP consultantMarkides Associates Contamination consultantGeocon Daylight and sunlight consultantT16 Design Energy and sustainability consultantT16 Design Air quality consultantAQA Assessments Tree consultantAndrew Day Consultancy Acoustic consultantKP Acoustics

Source:Belsize Architects

Belsize Architects' approved Latimer Road scheme in Kensington - rear detail

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Belsize Architects' contentious Kensington timber block finally approved - Architect's Journal

FOX LAKE -- A 72-unit apartment complex addition will be going up in Fox Lake following the citys approval on Dec. 20.

Fox Lake City Administrator Kelly Crombie said construction on the complex would begin in 2024. Dennis Hermans, who built the original Fox Crossings project, will be doing the addition to Fox Crossings on Highway 33.

The addition will feature two-bedroom apartments in six- and 12-unit buildings, Crombie said.

Another big event for Fox Lake is the Clausen Park project, which will be completed this year, Crombie said.

This will be a major revitalization of our park in partnership with the state (Department of Natural Resources), Crombie said. We will have a fishing pier, new restrooms, walking trails, etc. It will be a good project.

Fox Lake will also continue to have free pool sponsorship days this summer, Crombie said. It is the second year the service will be offered to those using Fox Lakes community pool. Fox Lake businesses sponsored more than 25 days when the pool was free for use last summer.

Crombie said no new businesses are expected in 2024 in Fox Lake and there are no road projects but there will be work on planning for Highway 33 to be redone in 2027-28.

Follow Terri Pederson on Twitter @tlp53916 or call 920-356-6760

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Construction on a new apartment complex to begin in Fox Lake - WiscNews