The Netherlands Architecture Institute recently shared their spring lecture series with us. The program will focus its events around one of its key themes, Time, and its interrelationship with architecture.

This week our Architecture City Guide is heading to Memphis. Called the Bluff City, Memphis is the birthplace of Rock-n-Roll, Elvis, and the Blues. Along with the lively music scene, Memphis offers an architectural landscape that tells its history and speaks to its future. With the help of a Memphis local, Sophorn McRae, we selected twelve contemporary buildings that should not be missed when you visit the Bluff City. Limited to twelve, we could hardly include all the locals’ favorites so please leave your must not miss in the comment section following the break.

The Architecture City Guide: Memphis list and corresponding map after the break!

The award winning architecture firm Allied Works Architecture has just released their much anticipated first book entitled Allied Works Architecture Brad Cloepfil: Occupation. The book is an in-depth exploration of the buildings and ideas of Allied Works, as well as a forum for conversations that consider the role of creative practice.

Brad Cloepfil, founding partner of Allied Works Architecture, will discuss the firm’s new book at the Ace Hotel New York (you can see more about the hotel’s design here) this evening from 8pm to Midnight. Allied Works Architecture has created a special installation “Forest in the Trees” in the gallery at Ace New York to accompany the book release that will run until the 28th of April. Please RSVP to ExPac at expac@acehotel.com.

Allied Works Architecture and ArchDaily are giving away three copies of Allied Works Architecture Brad Cloepfil: Occupation to registered ArchDaily users. Enter by sharing with us in the comment section your favorite Allied Works Architecture project that we have featured. Become a registered user of ArchDaily right here, share your comment by next Tuesday, April 26th, and good luck!

‘Sustainability Now’ is a conference and exhibition that focuses on providing a platform to learn discuss sustainable design. An event for green professionals within the UK and internationally the free virtual event, supported by Building Design, has confirmed John Connaughton, Jon Lovell, and Neil Jefferson as speakers.

The RAIC Awards of Excellence recognize distinction in the field of architecture. Awarded categories include Green Buildings and Innovation in Architecture as well as the Architectural Firm Award which was given to Montgomery Sisam Architects. Members of the jury included: Peter Busby, Teresa Coady, Stephen Pope for Green Buildings and Enzo Gardin, Dan Hanganu, Gregory Henriquez for Innovation in Architecture.

Recipients and Honorable Mentions for 2011 RAIC Awards of Excellence following the break.

The Compostela Architecture Summer Program 2011 will integrate students in the historical context of the city of Santiago de Compostela, to experience walking, travelling, and living among architectural masterpieces.

Ed Mazria, founder of Mazria Inc. and Architecture 2030 as well as developer of the 2030 Challenge, will lecture at The Cooper Union’s Great Hall this coming Wednesday, April 20th from 6:30pm-8:oopm. His lecture, Architecture: on the Brink, explores how the built environment is the major driving force behind current global events tied to energy, climate change, and the economy and visually illustrates its transformation, which is currently underway. He will discuss the significance of this transformation and what is being done to accelerate it.

The KH+DH Houses designed by Vladimir Kalinowski aim to accomodate two elderly couples. Conceptualized around the idea of a centrally located courtyard, the homes are connected both visual and programmatically by the garden. The relationship between inside and outside also became a crucial aspect of the quality of space.

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Architects: Vladimir Kalinowski Location: Lima, Peru Contractor: Mario Mejia Project Area: 500 sqm Project Year: 2008-2010 Photographs: Vladimir Kalinowski

Brazil will be the first South American country to host the Summer Olympics which will be held in 2016, but first the country set their sites on building the world’s tallest LEGO tower, a record previously held by Chile. The community of Sao Paulo constructed their 500,000 piece LEGO tower last weekend which rose to a height of 102 feet-three inches. School groups, families both kids and adults, joined in the team effort assembling the independent LEGO bricks that were stacked on top of each other eventually using a crane.

The Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced the Top Ten Green Projects for 2011. Receiving this honor at the upcoming AIA 2011 National Convention and Design Exposition in New Orleans, the following projects are examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.

Celebrating its 15th year, the COTE Top Ten Green Projects program is one of the profession’s highest recognitions for sustainable design excellence.

The jury assembled for the 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects includes: Joshua W. Aidlin, AIA, Aidlin Darling Design; Mary Guzowski, University of Minnesota School of Architecture; Kevin Kampschroer, General Services Administration, Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Mary Ann Lazarus, AIA LEED AP, HOK; Jennifer Sanguinetti, P.E. LEED AP, Smart Buildings & Energy Management, BC Housing; and Lauren Yarmuth, LEED AP, YRG New York.

The COTE 2011 Top Ten Green Projects following the break.

Open Paradox, MANIFESTO and ILKUN‘s proposal for the IT Convergence Center for KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), aims to provide a truly multi-disciplinary research and educational environment for the institute. Located on the sloped East Campus Plaza of KAIST, the building allows free-flowing interaction between students and faculty of multiple academic disciplines as well as with the remaining school population and the public, fostering an atmosphere of creativity and openness.

This proposal received 3rd Prize at the Design Competition and was the recipient of a 2010 AIA NY Design Award.

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Architects: MANIFESTO Architecture P.C. (Design Architect) and ILKUN Architects & Engineers Ltd. (Local Architect) Location: Daejeon, Korea Consultants: Yoshinori Nito Engineering & Design P.C. Renderings: Courtesy of MANIFESTO. Design Team: Jeeyong An, Sang Hwa lee, Gi Young Park, JiYoon Oh, Sorae Yoo, Eunchung Na, Ulyong Moon, Sieun Lee (Manifesto) Ilin Hwang, Sung Jung Chough, Hyejin Choi, Hyunhee An, Byunghoon Kim, Yongik Won (Ilkun).

The CAM FRAMIS Museum of the Vila Casas Foundation is part of a full redevelopment of the industrial neighborhood in the 22@ District of Barcelona. Architectural photographer Pedro Kok shared with us this video of the Museum designed by Jordi Badia of the BAAS studio.

The U.S. Green Building Council recently announced that more than 10,000 homes across the USA have earned LEED certification.

“Reaching this milestone signifies the continued transformation of the home building industry towards high-performing, healthy homes that save home owners money,” said Nate Kredich, Vice President of Residential Market Development, U.S. Green Building Council. “Market leaders across the production, multifamily, affordable and custom home segments have recognized that there are green homes, and then there are LEED Homes, and they are acting accordingly.”

The Ross Street House by RWH Design received its LEED for Homes Platinum rating in July 2009, the first of Wisconsin. The home has captured the attention of green enthusiasts throughout the country for far exceeding the requirements to achieve the highest LEED rating of Platinum.

More following the break.

Situated on the former Bethlehem Steel brownfield site the newly designed ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks has transformed an industrial site and inspired a community. A unique hybrid project of old and new, the building’s 67,000 sqf will feature a 450-seat venue for live performances and a two-screen state of the art cinema.

“The design grew from the profoundly meaningful history of place here,” said Joseph N. Biondo AIA, Spillman Farmer Architects‘ Design Principal. “The Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces are iconic – they are America’s historic ruins. The arts center is deeply inspired by this former industrial site and the lives that were lived here.  We wanted the building to make a compelling statement about the future of the arts and community here in Bethlehem. This project evolved from the energy generated by the friction of past and future, the human spirit that fueled the American industrial revolution, and the elegance of a finely crafted music box.”

The new Performing Arts Center by Spillman Farmer Architects will host a special dedication ceremony tomorrow Thursday, April 14th.

A video and further construction photographs of this project following the break.

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Led by Yasutaka Yoshimura Architects in association with Nowhere Resort, the main purpose of the Ex-Container Project is to provide immediate housing for those who were displaced following the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11th of March, 2011.

Zaha Hadid joined by Patrik Schumacher, Stefano Boeri, Mario Piazza, and Mark and Giovanna Sammicheli Silva spoke to a packed house of students in Milan yesterday. The conversation, held at the Politecnico, lasted over two hours. This coming August Abitare will be releasing a special issue Being Zaha Hadid.

Today designers will be gathering from all of the world in real time to exchange ideas, challenge view points, push boundaries and most importantly discuss the future of the profession.

The 70-story mixed use tower even while under construction is the tallest building in London’s skyline. Adjacent to London Bridge Station, the building offers increased density to a major public transport node, a key to and suggestive of future London development. London based architectural photographer Andy Spain shared with us photographs he took a few weeks ago of The Shard under construction. Be sure to take a look at our previous coverage of The Shard.

More images after the break, including drawings and renderings from Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

Architects: Renzo Piano Building Workshop in collaboration with Adamson Associates Location: London, England Client: Sellar Property Group