At Salone del Mobile 2026, the 64th edition of the fair unfolded at a moment of transition for the global design industry, where questions of production, collaboration, and long-term performance are reshaping established formats. Held at Rho Fiera Milano and extending across the city during Milan Design Week, this year's edition brought together over 1,900 exhibitors while introducing new curatorial and strategic layers. Among the most significant developments was the first public iteration of "Salone Contract," a long-term initiative developed through a master plan by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA. During the event, ArchDaily's Managing Editor Romullo Baratto and Editor-in-Chief Christele Harrouk met with David Gianotten. In the conversation, Gianotten reflected on how the project responds to broader shifts in design practice, moving from object-based production toward integrated systems and collaborative frameworks.

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Henning Larsen, in collaboration with KHL Architects & Planners, Arup, and Flaviano Capriotti Architetti, has proposed the design for a 14-story residential building in Taipei for Continental Development Corporation. The project, titled Northern Lights, has a gross floor area of 3,464 square meters and is scheduled for completion in 2029. Situated adjacent to Daan Park, the development includes 46 residences and is positioned within a dense urban environment while maintaining proximity to one of the city's primary green spaces, which is described as a key contextual reference in the design.

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Across cultural platforms, heritage sites, and institutional developments, this week's news reflects how the built environment is reshaped through processes of transformation, reinterpretation, and public engagement. From archaeological reactivations and adaptive reuse strategies to museum expansions and large-scale international gatherings, architecture operates across multiple temporalities, balancing preservation with contemporary use and spatial continuity with evolving cultural programs. Within this context, ArchDaily's selection of installations and exhibitions from Milan Design Week 2026 highlights how design weeks increasingly function as curatorial frameworks for experimentation, while global events and institutional projects continue to expand the formats through which architecture is produced, shared, and debated.

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A building designed by Minoru Yamasaki in downtown Minneapolis is set to be converted into a hotel, marking a new phase in the life of the former headquarters of the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, one of the architect's lesser-known yet formally distinctive works. Vacant since 2023, the building at 20 Washington Avenue South is now the subject of an adaptive reuse proposal that aims to introduce hospitality and public-facing functions. Initial plans were presented in April 2026, outlining a transformation of the structure while retaining its defining architectural features. The project is expected to move forward pending approvals, with a projected opening targeted for 2028.

The UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 Barcelona has released its full program, outlining the structure, participants, and range of activities scheduled to take place from June 28 to July 2, 2026. Expanding on the previously introduced theme, Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition, the Congress is conceived as a distributed event across multiple venues and urban contexts rather than a single-site conference. Organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA) in collaboration with the Higher Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE) and the Architects' Association of Catalonia (COAC), the event is expected to gather approximately 10,000 participants and 250 speakers from more than 130 countries.

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The Bass Museum of Art has appointed the Los Angeles-based architecture practice Johnston Marklee to lead the expansion of its campus in Collins Park, Miami Beach, advancing a long-term vision that integrates architecture, landscape, and contemporary art. Founded in 1964 following the donation of the John and Johanna Bass collection, the museum is housed within a 1930s Art Deco building originally designed by Russell Pancoast as the Miami Beach Public Library and Art Center. Over time, the institution has evolved through architectural interventions, most notably the campus framework introduced by Arata Isozaki, which establishes a dialogue between the historic fabric and contemporary additions.

Located in Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, Sea of Time – TOHOKU is both an artwork by Tatsuo Miyajima and an architectural project commissioned by the artist. Designed by Japanese architect Tsuyoshi Tane of Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects (ATTA), the project envisions a permanent museum to house Miyajima's artwork. Currently under development from 2024 to 2027, with an anticipated opening in spring 2028. Positioned on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the proposal brings together architecture and installation within a site shaped by the memory of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, framing both the landscape and its historical context as integral components of the design.

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Videos

The Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT) presents A Journey into Architecture Archives: Baghdad, Damascus, Tunis, curated by George Arbid, on view from May 2 to July 12, 2026, at Al Qasimiyah School. Developed as part of SAT's long-term research program, the project continues the institution's commitment to documenting and safeguarding architectural archives across the Arab world. Bringing together archival materials, physical models, and newly commissioned films, the exhibition examines how architectural histories are constructed, preserved, and revisited over time.

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The 2026 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards has announced its overall winners, recognizing contributions across the Professional, Open, Student, and Youth competitions. Now in its 19th year, the program continues to position itself as a key platform for both emerging and established practitioners, drawing over 430,000 submissions from more than 200 countries and territories. The program recognizes work across ten Professional categories, including Architecture & Design, alongside parallel Open, Student, and Youth competitions, and is accompanied by an annual exhibition at Somerset House in London.

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BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, in collaboration with William Rawn Associates (WRA) and HASTINGS Architecture, has revealed the design for the new Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), a 307,000-square-foot cultural complex planned for Nashville's East Bank, with construction expected to begin in 2027 and completion anticipated in 2030. Located along the Cumberland River, adjacent to Cumberland Park and Nissan Stadium, the project brings together four performance venues within a unified architectural framework, establishing a new civic anchor that extends the cultural life of downtown across the waterfront.

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The Fundació Mies van der Rohe and the European Commission have announced the winners of the 2026 edition of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards, selected from a total of 410 nominated works. The 2026 Architecture Prize goes to the renovation of the Charleroi Palais des Expositions in Belgium by AgwA and architecten jan de vylder inge vinck, while the Emerging Architecture Prize is awarded to Temporary Spaces for the Slovenian National Theatre Drama in Ljubljana by Vidic Grohar Arhitekti. The announcement was made in Oulu, European Capital of Culture 2026, at the Aalto Siilo, a landmark of industrial architecture designed by Alvar Aalto in 1931.

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As major cultural events, institutional transformations, and new architectural commissions unfold across different geographies, this week's discourse highlights how architecture operates at the intersection of public life, creativity, and long-term adaptation. With Milan Design Week 2026 foregrounding process, experimentation, and citywide participation, the projects and initiatives emerging this week point to a broader shift toward openness, accessibility, and experiential engagement across disciplines and urban contexts. Ongoing investments in cultural infrastructure, from new museums to large-scale renovations and competition-winning proposals, further underscore how institutions continue to recalibrate their spatial and social roles in response to evolving environmental, technological, and cultural demands.

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Kengo Kuma & Associates has unveiled plans for Qapital, a 32-story mixed-use tower set to rise in Quito, Ecuador, in collaboration with local developer Uribe Schwarzkopf. Scheduled for completion in 2029, the project marks Japanese architect Kengo Kuma's first work in the country, extending the studio's international portfolio into the South American context. Located opposite La Carolina Park in Quito's central business district, the 125.8-meter tower introduces a vertically organized program that brings together residential, commercial, and shared amenities.

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The Getty Center has announced a comprehensive modernization program marking its most significant transformation since its opening in 1997. Located within the Santa Monica Mountains and overlooking Los Angeles, the campus will temporarily close to the public from March 15, 2027, through spring 2028 to accommodate the planned works. The initiative focuses on enhancing visitor experience, improving accessibility, and advancing energy resilience, while supporting the long-term stewardship of the institution. Before the closure begins, the Getty Center will continue its program of exhibitions and events through early 2027.