Architect, urbanist, and Content Editor at ArchDaily, covering news and developments in architecture and the built environment. Editorial work focuses on the Gulf region and the Middle East, exploring contemporary regional architectural languages and their relationship to local contexts.
A previous exploration of cultural landmarks in the Middle East designed by international architects highlighted recurring themes such as architecture as an extension of the landscape, climate-responsive design, and abstraction of traditional forms. These projects often introduced high-tech environmental solutions, used monumental forms to reinterpret local identity, or positioned themselves as landmarks within the broader urban or desert landscape. While these approaches have defined many of the region's most recognizable cultural institutions, they represent just one side of the architectural discourse. An equally significant yet distinct trajectory emerges from local architects, who work within existing structures, historical contexts, and lived environments to create institutions that feel deeply embedded in their surroundings. This approach prioritizes continuity, transformation, and accessibility, ensuring that architecture remains an evolving part of the cultural fabric rather than a self-contained object.
In recent weeks, a series of notable architectural projects have been announced, reflecting a broad spectrum of design approaches aimed at enhancing urban life, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. From cultural venues to large-scale masterplans and infrastructural advancements, these developments highlight how architecture continues to shape cities and communities. Among them, Knight Architects' Kruunusillat Bridge in Helsinki marks a milestone as Finland's tallest and longest bridge, designed to support sustainable mobility. Meanwhile, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's masterplan for Croydon sets out a vision for a vibrant mixed-use district, integrating historic preservation with contemporary urban renewal. At Kew Gardens, Mizzi Studio's Carbon Garden introduces a new permanent installation that explores carbon cycles through landscape design. This collection of recent announcements underscores the evolving priorities in architecture, from connectivity and urban regeneration to climate-conscious interventions.
Thomas Heatherwick has been appointed as the General Director and curator of the 2025 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism. In its fifth edition, the Seoul Biennale serves as a platform for addressing urban challenges faced by major global cities, fostering innovative solutions and public discussions around architecture and urbanism. As Asia's largest architecture biennale, scheduled to take place from September 1 to October 31, 2025, the exhibition will focus on making cities more joyful, engaging, and radically human-centered. At the heart of this mission is an ambitious public engagement program that directly involves citizens in shaping the Biennale. Through an open call, ten multidisciplinary teams, comprising architects, urban planners, sculptors, community organizers, metalworkers, and textile designers, have been selected to collaborate with local communities. These projects will respond to two central questions: How do buildings make people feel? And how can they be transformed to foster a deeper sense of connection?
Heatherwick Studio has been selected to lead the redesign of the Coex Convention Centre in Seoul, following a competition aimed at reimagining the building's purpose and facade. In collaboration with the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), the studio's proposal seeks to transform the convention centre into a more open and inviting public space that reflects Seoul's evolving identity.
Zaha Hadid Architects has just revealed the design for Cityzen Tower, a 42-story high-rise set to become a landmark in Tbilisi, Georgia. Positioned in the Saburtalo district, the tower is part of the Cityzen development, a new civic hub integrating residential, commercial, and public spaces. Designed as a vertical extension of Tbilisi's new Central Park, the tower will bring together urban living and nature through cascading terraces and green spaces.
MVRDV has just released its design for LuLa Light Mall, an open-air shopping center under construction in Chengdu's Luxelakes Eco-City, China. The scheme consists of stacked boxes with open spaces between them, creating terraces, walkways, and staircases that integrate the natural surroundings and provide views of the nearby lake. Luxelakes Eco-City, a developing district in southern Chengdu, spans 5.5 square kilometers and features 1.4 square kilometers of lakes and green spaces. The mall's location, positioned between the natural landscape to the southeast and high-rise buildings to the northwest, serves as a transition between urban and natural environments.
Named one of ArchDaily's Best New Practices in 2024, MEAN* (Middle East Architecture Network) is redefining the architectural landscape of the region by merging computational design, digital fabrication, and material research with local heritage. Founded in 2016, the studio takes a forward-thinking approach, developing site-specific architectural solutions that balance technological innovation with cultural continuity. Their work spans projects of various scales, from experimental furniture like the Mawj Chair to urban-scale interventions such as The Adaptive Majlis, a digitally fabricated reinterpretation of traditional cooling and social spaces. By integrating advanced tools like parametric design, AI, and 3D printing with local materials, MEAN* is crafting a new architectural language that reflects both the aspirations of the future and the depth of the past.
Diller Scofidio + Renfro has unveiled the design for the new Frederick S. Pardee School for Global Studies at Boston University, a project aiming to integrate sustainability, urban density, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The 70,000-square-foot building will rise 186 feet, making it the tallest mass timber tower in the Northeast United States. Situated on a former parking lot at the heart of the university's campus, the structure will occupy just 10% of the site, allowing for the creation of a central green space in the future.
Henning Larsen has just launched a new initiative in Esbjerg, Denmark, aimed at rethinking urban spaces through the perspectives of teenage girls. Developed in collaboration with Esbjerg Municipality, Ramboll, Catapult Projects, and KOMPAN, the project builds on research from the Urban Minded framework to explore how co-creation can shape more inclusive public environments. Supported by a 2.3 million DKK grant from the Villum Foundation and 485,000 DKK from the Ramboll Foundation, the initiative seeks to address an often-overlooked demographic in urban planning. As cities continue to evolve, conversations around gender-inclusive urban spaces have gained momentum, particularly in light of International Women's Day.
This month's architecture news highlights a strong focus on sustainability, adaptive reuse, and innovative community-centered design. From environmentally responsiveurban developments to cultural and recreational spaces, architects are redefining how buildings interact with their surroundings. Notable examples include 3XN's Sydney Fish Market redevelopment, which integrates public accessibility with climate-sensitive design, and CambridgeSeven's Seneca Park Zoo expansion, which blends conservation efforts with immersive visitor experiences. Whether it's the creation of high-performance sports facilities in Portland or the transformation of historic sites into contemporary hubs, these projects showcase the evolving role of architecture in shaping communities. Read on to discover the latest architectural news and developments.
Pakistan has unveiled its national pavilion for the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, set to take place from May 10 to November 23, 2025, in Venice, Italy. Titled (Fr)Agile Systems), the pavilion explores the dual nature of resilience and vulnerability in the face of climate change, using Pakistan's rich geological and cultural heritage as a lens to examine global environmental inequities. Through a striking installation featuring rock salt, a material shaped by time yet susceptible to change, the pavilion challenges dominant narratives of climate adaptation, advocating for localized, nature-based solutions rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.
Liu Jiakun, the 2025 Pritzker Prize winner, has spent decades redefining Chinese architecture by combining utopia with function and social engagement with personal memory. His buildings are reflections of the everyday lives of ordinary people, crafted with an understanding of place, culture, and materiality. Rejecting the pursuit of a fixed architectural style, Jiakun believes in a strategy rather than a signature aesthetic, tailoring each project to its specific context and needs. His work integrates history with contemporary urban needs, collectivism with individual experience, and density with openness, offering timely solutions to the challenges of rapid urbanization.
Jiakun's approach is deeply rooted in Chinese philosophy, common sense, and local craftsmanship, ensuring that architecture grows naturally from its surroundings rather than being imposed upon them. His buildings reflect an authenticity that speaks to both past and present, avoiding grand gestures in favor of spaces that foster interaction, spirituality, and human connection.
Education has long been a driving force in the Middle East, shaping knowledge, encouraging innovation, and strengthening cultural identity. In recent years, educational architecture in the region has expanded beyond its academic function, evolving into public gathering spaces and cultural hubs. These institutions are designed not only for learning but also for dialogue, research, and collaboration, often integrating open courtyards, multi-use public areas, and architectural elements that reflect local heritage. Whether through their physical openness, adaptability, or connection to the urban environment, these spaces reinforce the idea that universities and research centers are essential to civic life.
