2013

The mission in the proposal, titled ‘The Grand Opening,’ for the Redesigning Detroit: A New Vision for an Iconic Site competition is to create a vision for a 24/7 timeless, vibrant and walk-able urban neighborhood in downtown Detroit with a catalytic impact on the retail activities of Woodward Avenue Corridor. Designed by Chung Whan Park, Terry Park, Jeong Jun Song, Hyuntek Yoon and Kyung Jae Yu, The Grand Opening will connect the different contexts of the existing urban settings and bring every hour of excitement, crowd and memorable identity to the street life of downtown Detroit. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Taking place this coming Friday, June 21st, at 7:00pm, the Critical Distance Kairos Conference is a free event presented by the Lisbon Architecture Triennale and Kairos project. Maurício Pezo and Sofía Von Ellrichshausen, with Pedro Gadanho, will host the event which is followed by the opening of the site-specific installation Crux Pavilion by Pezo Von Ellrichshausen and the launch of a monograph on the studio's work published by A+U magazine. Please RSVP by June Wednesday, June 19th to ana.fernandes@trienaldelisboa.com. For more information, please visit here.

Presented by The Architect's Newspaper and enclos, Mode Lab recently announced their upcoming Facades+ Performance Symposium in San Francisco taking place July11-12. The event consists of hands-on instruction by industry experts in a small, one-on-one, classroom setting. These workshops will provide professionals and academics with the skills and knowledge to work with cutting edge technologies in a fast-paced and intensive environment. The workshop will explore the use of Grasshopper, Firefly and Arduino as creative and technical tools in the design, simulation and prototyping of intelligent building skins. For more information, please visit here.

Videos

Dedicated to football and designed by Proiect Bucuresti, the new 40,000-seat Craiova stadium will replace the existing "Ion Oblemenco" stadium on the site in Romania. As a tribute to the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, the form of the main roof lines were inspired by his work entitled "Miss Pogany". The external volume obtained is expressive in daylight and the enhancement of architectural lighting at night will emphasize the building when viewed from the center of the town. The building will be iconic in the city and will be, along with other components of the sports complex, a modern insertion that will boost the development of the local area. More images and architects' description after the break.

From Brooklyn to the Bronx, from San Antonio to Cincinnati, communities and organizations across the United States are tackling heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases with a dose of powerful medicine: active design. Organized by AIA New York, with the Center for Architecture, their groundbreaking 'FitNation' exhibition. brings together for the first time 33 projects in 15 states and the District of Columbia that showcase the ways design, policy, and grassroots strategies are promoting physical activity as part of daily life. The event began this week and concludes on August 8. More images and information on the exhibition after the break.

Taking place this Thursday, June 20th, at 7:00pm EST, Van Alen Books welcomes Diller Scofidio + Renfro for a film screening of 'Reimagining Lincoln Center and the High Line.' The 54-minute documentary offers insights into the firm’s history, completed projects, and unique process of re-imagining the public identities of two major New York urban spaces. The film includes commentary from the architects as well as interviews with New York City planning commissioner Amanda Burden, as well as several critics and theorists. Before the film, Liz Diller and Ric Scofidio will join directors Muffie Dunn and Tom Piper for a conversation about their work, moderated by VAI executive director David Van der Leer. More more information on the event, please visit here.

The Museum of Finnish Architecture’s summer exhibition, 'Light Houses.Young Nordic Architecture' is a two-part showing of contemporary work by young Nordic architects taking place now until September 22. Thirty-two architects from Finland, Sweden and Norway – all born after 1962, the year the pavilion was designed – were invited to design a sculptural piece that both complements the modernist vocabulary of Fehn’s pavilion and encapsulates their office’s philosophy of architecture in a 3D form of pre-specified dimensions. More information on the exhibition after the break.

The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia and HP just announced the 5th Advanced Architecture Contest, on the theme of 'Self-Sufficient Habitat'. Open to architects, engineers, planners and designers, the intent is to promote discussion and research through which to generate insights and visions, ideas and proposals that help us envisage what the city and the habitat of the 21st century will be like. Participants are encouraged to develop a proposal capable of responding to emerging challenges in areas such as ecology, information technology, architecture, and urban planning. The deadline for submissions is September 30, and registration is free. For more information, please visit here.

The Gurgaon 71 residential project proposal by Maison Edouard François represents French-style luxury living while simultaneously respecting Indian traditions. Located in Gurgaon, India, these luxurious apartments make use of noble materials such as marble and wood and have large interiors, including double height spaces, and offer 360° views onto the surrounding landscape. More images and architects’ description after the break.