This week's news was, for the most part, about phenomena of large spatial and social scale. In Latin America, rescue efforts continue following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Colombia, while the discipline prepares efforts for assistance and reconstruction. UNESCO marked two international days dedicated to the world's indigenous peoples and to youth. On the first, we highlight reflections, case studies and interviews on ancestral constructive knowledge, while on the second we draw attention to how architecture can respond to the aspirations of new generations. Looking ahead, we highlight three projects in Vlorë, Chicago and Qiddiya City: two towers designed by OODA and SOM, and a vegetation-covered tennis center presented by Populous.
Two Recognitions and an Intervention in Public Space
This week, urban-scale projects were recognised on two occasions. First, the Chinese capital was named the 2029 World Capital of Architecture by UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (UIA), in recognition of its ability to bring together one of the world's richest architectural heritages with a forward-looking vision of sustainable urban development. On the other hand, the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the urban work of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, exploring how his architectural practice encompasses neighbourhoods, public spaces and broader urban structures. On a smaller scale but seeking a significant impact, a prototype architectural battery was installed in a public square in Ontario, Canada, by Civic Grid, a Toronto-based startup. Designed as urban equipment, the project is a monolithic battery system built for the town's energy transition.
Architecture at the Intersection of Image and Memory
This week we published the theme of the Türkiye Pavilion for the upcoming 20th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The proposal revolves around the concept of spolia, traditionally understood as the reuse of architectural elements, developed through the themes of coexistence, archiving, slowing down, repair, and future speculation, and exploring how materials and construction can generate new relationships between architecture, memory, and society. This thematic intersection is also characteristic of cinema, where symbols, atmospheres and values are conveyed through the depiction of space. Those are part of the qualities expected in Wim Wenders' new documentary examining the work and architectural approach of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, "From Inside Out – The Architecture of Peter Zumthor," to premiere in September 2026 as part of the Venice International Film Festival's Venice Open – Out of Competition program.
On the Radar
OODA's DUAS Towers Enter Licensing Stage in Vlorë, Albania
OODA has advanced its DUAS Towers commission in Vlorë, Albania, into the licensing stage, moving the mixed-use development, comprising hotel, retail and residential programs, toward construction. The project comprises two towers of ninety-eight metres over twenty-four floors, one on a quadrangular plan measuring thirty by twenty-five metres and the other circular with a diameter of twenty-six metres, sharing a composition of three stacked stone blocks that alternate between bending and compression. Both towers are clad in Tomorri marble, sourced sixty kilometres from the site following a survey of eight stones from across the country's geology. The scheme totals 30,333 square metres and draws its elevational rhythm from the rrodhe, a stepped motif derived from traditional weaving in southern Albania, while the ground floor remains open to public use and the roof accommodates a skybar, restaurant and drought-tolerant planting.
SOM's North Tower at 400 Lake Shore Drive Tops Out on Chicago Lakefront
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has completed the crown of the North Tower at 400 Lake Shore Drive, revealing the full 261-metre profile of the seventy-two-storey residential building on Chicago's lakefront. First unveiled through renderings in 2018 and broken ground in 2024, the tower rises at the confluence of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, about 1.6 kilometres north of Mies van der Rohe's 890-880 Lake Shore Drive. It is the first of two towers planned for the site, with delivery scheduled for spring 2027 and a program of 635 rental residences, including 127 affordable apartments. Designed by SOM's Chicago studio with the late David Childs, the tower is defined by cascading terraces, a faceted glass curtain wall referencing the Chicago bay window, and a twenty-five-metre architectural crown that completes its vertical composition. The tiered setbacks and slender profile were developed through wind testing conducted first in SOM's in-house wind tunnel and subsequently with RWDI, addressing wind forces through the building's form rather than through mechanical dampers. The crown's steel and concrete structure conceals mechanical systems and the building maintenance unit and supports the lightning protection system.
Populous Designs National Tennis Centre in Qiddiya City with Green Facade
Qiddiya Investment Company has announced the National Tennis Centre in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia, designed by Populous, with construction already under way. Positioned forty-five kilometres west of Riyadh within the Tuwaiq Mountains, the centre will be the region's largest tennis facility, comprising thirty courts, twenty-eight hard courts and two clay courts, built to ATP, WTA and ITF standards, with a total seating capacity of 33,000 across its venues. The design proposes to integrate the scheme into the surrounding landscape through layered green facades, and includes two multi-purpose arenas with retractable roofs: Centre Court, seating 15,000 and designed to host events beyond tennis, and Court 3, an 8,000-seat arena for sport and concerts. Additional facilities include Court 1 at 5,000 seats, Court 2 at 2,000 seats, six competition and match courts, six indoor courts and fourteen practice courts, alongside outdoor match courts seating 450 each. The centre is part of a wider masterplan for Qiddiya City that also includes future residential, office and retail development.
This article is part of our new This Week in Architecture series, bringing together featured articles this week and emerging stories shaping the conversation right now. Explore more architecture news, projects, and insights on ArchDaily.
