Beyond serving as mere backdrops for fashion shows, architecture often influences fashion collections, contributing spatially to their storytelling, offering material inspiration, and showcasing the connection between structure and shape. As both disciplines revolve around form, structure, and the human experience, architecture, and fashion share a strong connection, one often explored by creators in both fields. From meticulous tailoring and structural designs that mimic architectural lines, contours, and volumes, to architecture taking cues from how fashion works with the human shape, this interplay can create multidimensional experiences for the enthusiasts of both high fashion and architecture.
The Grand Palais, an iconic Parisian landmark, is set to play a significant role in the 2024 Paris Olympics following a major restoration by French studio Chatillon Architectes. The first images of the refurbished building, captured by Laurent Kronental, reveal the progress of the extensive project that began in 2021. While the full restoration is expected to be completed by 2025, the initial phase will be unveiled this summer, allowing the historic venue to host Olympic events, including the fencing and taekwondo competitions.
Renowned French architect Jean Nouvel has unveiled his design for Samsung’s pop-up store on the iconic Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. The store aims to represent the company’s role as a Worldwide Olympic Partner, offering visitors a space where they can engage with the newest mobile technologies and Olympic-related activities. The first images by architectural photographer Jad Sylla highlight Jean Nouvel’s design of the immersive retail space.
Whether rising to the highest room of the tallest tower in a Disney-esque castle, giving an admirer the chance to confess their love on an apartment buildingfire escape, or connecting a basement or attic room with a decorative period feature, there’s something unavoidably romantic about spiral staircases. But there’s more function behind these coiling forms than just their good looks.
One common-held theory is that spiral staircases were first installed in historic castles as vertical baffles, tiring out enemy infiltrators before they could make it to the top. This is why – it is said – many are set to turn clockwise on the ascent, so attackers have a smaller arc for swinging weapons (mostly held in right hands) than defenders making their descent.
Airbnb has undoubtedly disrupted the hospitality industry, inspiring an ecosystem of companies leveraging the sharing economy such as co-living startups. While these companies have achieved impressive financial success, they have been purported to produce problematic effects at the scale of the city. Airbnb, in particular, is alleged to have driven an increase in rental prices in cities already grappling with housing affordability challenges. Much like the case of Uber's impact on urban mobility, Airbnb's rapid growth has caused significant challenges for local governments, demanding comprehensive regulation and a re-evaluation of its functioning at the city scale.
Rising demands for energy efficiency, technical functionality, and interior comfort in buildings necessitate the development of more efficient building envelope constructions. The building envelope serves as a mediator between a building's exterior and interior. In today's architectural landscape, it performs a multitude of functions to enhance the building's performance. These functions include building control systems, energy supply (such as gas and electricity), and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), among others. These elements primarily determine the functionality, efficiency, and safety of building spaces. Given that the nature of building envelopes heavily depends on these services, how can they serve as primary frameworks for building design development?
Throughout history, rivers played a crucial role in the social structures of cities. Along riverbanks, communities often congregated for socializing, swimming, and fishing. Swimming in rivers was a popular summertime activity enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether it was the Thames in London or the Seine in Paris, rivers were bustling with swimmers; integrated into urban lifestyles.
via Shutterstock | givaga | View on Avenue des Champs Elysses
As the countdown to the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris ticks away, the city is making preparations that will completely shift its urban landscape and infrastructure. Set to be the largest event ever organized in France, the games will start on 26 July and continue till 11 August 2024. With only 200 days left, the Paris City Council has approved around 43 new initiatives acting as a catalyst for the city's transformation – aiming for a greener, healthier, and mobile Paris. From cleaning the Seine River to building a cycling lane, activating a transit line, and banning non-essential city traffic, the heart of the French capital is on a mission against time to revitalize its historic urban core.
RSHP has just won the Jean Moulin competition held in La Défense, Paris, to design a low-carbon mixed-use development. The competition is a part of the Paris business district initiative to become the world's first post-carbon business neighborhood, launching “Empreintes,” aiming to revolutionize five urban sites at the district’s periphery. Through collaboration with neighboring city centers, the scheme hopes to create various sustainable mixed-use properties.
