Achitecture and Design

Foster + Partners, whose museum for Roman antiquities opened in southern France, has built a new art museum in Datong, northeastern China. The Datong Art Museum joins neighboring new facilities in a culture-focused neighborhood in a booming portion of the city. The Foster + Partners structure is intended to be a landmark, with a dramatic set of staggered pyramidal shapes reminiscent of Jorn Utzon's renowned Sydney Opera House. Being sunk into the ground, the building is encircled by landscaped plazas. Inside the museum, visitors are guided by diagonal corridors, meandering ramps, and a sunken plaza. The Grand Gallery, the building's focal point, has opened with a unique display of oil paintings by local artists. This enormous, column-free space, made possible by the complex's unusual roof structure above, is envisioned as the complex's principal social center. A children's gallery, teaching center, media library, and archive are located around the periphery of the museum, as are other exhibition spaces and instructional facilities. The underground plaza also serves as an amphitheater for outdoor concerts and events. Natural light penetrates the interior via clerestory roof lights at each pyramid's peak, allowing internal illumination to beam out at night. The direction of these openings also helps in minimizing solar gain, while the building's

We all make mistakes, it is an inevitable part of being a human being, and architects are no exception. Even a tiny little error concerning the construction project can lead to a considerable loss. Today, let's get back in time and remember some costly errors in the architectural sphere.

The Dancing Bridge

To some extent, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington is the most typical failure in bridge engineering history. It was the world's third-longest suspension bridge when it opened on July 1, 1940, at a cost of $8 million, after the George Washington Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.
When it was windy, the 200-meter-long bridge oscillated and twisted violently. Unsurprisingly, just four months after it was placed into operation, it collapsed in the center of the bridge. It had occurred during construction, causing employees to become dizzy. One of the causes is that the bridge deck's width was lowered from 7.6 meters to 2.4 meters. Another reason is the low-cost girder that was used. The world's third-largest suspension bridge was a tangled tangle of steel and fractured concrete, the latest and most modern in its streamlined design. A Skyscraper with Deadly Ray Located at 20 Fenchurch Street, London, the skyscraper with 37 floors is one of the three major landmarks in Square Mile. It costs £200 million and covers an area of over 100 thousand m². Most importantly, its shape is similar to a walkie-talkie and hence gets this name. Such a well-designed shape made it stand out amid the concrete jungle and even earned the mayor’s favor at that time. However, despite enormous achievements in architectural modeling, there remains a critical challenge that must be overlooked. The skyscraper's radian and glass façade are the two factors that cause the entire structure to become a big concave mirror that concentrates and reflects sunlight. Due to the fluctuating position of the sun, the plaza in front of the building was subjected to a lethal beam that lasted for about 2 hours every day. When it was sunny, the highest temperature reached 70°C. Worse, in numerous establishments, the reflected sunshine resulted in melted The High-Rise Building without Elevators In Spain, a bizarre tale occurred in a high-rise apartment complex called Intempo, which is part of a twin tower. The skyscraper claimed to be Europe's largest apartment building, with a height of 200 meters and 47 floors, however, there was no available elevator for inhabitants above the 27th level, therefore occupants had no choice but to walk upwards. The Bank of Galicia first sponsored the structure in order to demonstrate that they had effectively

Prefabrication is not a new concept in the twenty-first century. Nonetheless, while the phrase was coined during the Industrial Revolution, the technology has only recently matured as a comprehensive design, manufacturing, and construction process. We now use phrases like efficiency, low cost, and sustainability to describe prefabrication, but it took a long time to get here. The First Phase of Prefab Architecture Despite being relatively recent technologies, steel and concrete are today two of the most widely used construction materials on the globe. During the technical books of the First and Second Industrial Revolutions, both began to be mass-produced and used for structural reasons. Because both materials rely on casting, prefabrication is an unavoidable part of the construction process for both concrete and steel buildings. With standardized and prefabricated structural components, building manufacture took its first step toward automation. The Crystal Palace is an early example Contemporary Prefab Architecture Marching into the digital and information age, the refinement and generalization of digital design and manufacturing elevated the concept of prefabrication beyond its previous status as a building realization technique. Instead, it started to become a stand-alone methodology for design. Compounded with the development of systems like BIM, which support better data and information synchronization between each phase of a building’s life cycle, the time and cost

Today we are going to dig a little more into the design history and learn about the famous work by Christophe Pillet, ‘Chair pulp.’ First of all let’s learn more about the designer himself, Christophe Pillet. The French designer started his career in the late 80s and after years of work, he finally opened his own agency in 1993 in Paris at the age of 34. He works with everything from product and furniture design to interior and set design. The chair design ‘Pulp’ can be included in the iconic tradition of cantilever chairs: Since its debut in the 1920s, this sort of chair has become one of contemporary design's most significant problems. It is based on the innovative notion that humans would be able to physically sit on air at some point in the future. Many designers have attempted to find increasingly creative shapes and solutions, including Christophe Pillet, who, with the Pulp chair, offers his interpretation of this evocative

The act of dining together, or sharing a meal, is referred to as commensality. Sitting at the table is a practice of connection and exchange that is far more than a simple function of basic human need. An article by Cody C. Delistraty compiles some studies on the importance of eating together: students who don't eat regularly with their parents miss school more; children who do not have daily dinner with their family tend to be more obese, and young people in families without this tradition can have more problems with drugs and alcohol, in addition to poorer academic performance. Clearly, all of the concerns addressed are complicated and should not be boiled down to a single element. Having a proper spot to eat that is free of distractions, on the other hand, is a good beginning point for at least one minute a day that is focused on conversation and eating. Dinner tables come into play here. In this article, we will look at several projects and categorize the most popular methods to In contemporary homes, the dining table is frequently placed near the area where food is prepared as feasible for convenience. We can categorize them based on how they are grouped in relation to the layout, which varies in size, materials, and the number of seats. Placing the table parallel to the countertop and the sink is a common approach for projects with limited space. This is the situation with Stilt House in Japan, where the table takes up a tiny area between the kitchen and the house's

Textures always matter, especially while designing the interiors. The texture is an object’s visual appearance and physical feeling. Designers play with textures to create accents in their projects, making them more live and colorful. Tiffany Leigh of Tiffany Leigh Design explains: “Texture in interior design is all about creating tactile moments that invite touch. It refers to the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or material. Textures help to keep a space from feeling flat or one dimensional.” Textures are used to create a specific atmosphere and add warmth to the interiors. Mixing them is not about simply combining different materials and textures. Choosing the right ones takes a bit more confidence. It takes an experienced eye to see what textures work together in interior design. 'There is nothing worse than a flat design,' says Camilla Clarke, Creative Director at Albion Nord. Clarke continues: “Try mixing different textures such as natural linens with soft velvets or robust leathers with thick wools. We use linen as the canvas of an interior. Its natural, soft and durable qualities make it the perfect material to upholster larger items in a living room, such as sofas and curtains. It

Interior decorating is all about mixing and matching different colors, shades and styles, the hard part is finding the right colors to match and the right shades to mix. The color wheel is one of the first things you learn when starting your interior designing career, but sometimes it feels like it’s not enough.

Today, let’s reveal the color combinations that you will never miss a shot with. Blue + Beige Both blue and beige are considered natural colors that remind us of everything we love - summer, sea and sand. So maybe that’s the reason why designers love this combination so much. This color scheme may also make any area feel cozier and more inviting, making it an ideal motif for your bedroom project. Aside from that, beige and blue have the ability to visually expand a space. As a result, this color scheme can be used in bathrooms with limited space and short hallways.

Canadian design firm hcma recently completed a large-scale, mass-timber community center in British Columbia that has been certified as Passive House. The 7,060 sq m Clayton Community Center in Surrey, part of the Metro Vancouver area, mixes leisure and culture areas with a library and surrounding public spaces. Community engagement had a great influence on the design development, and in the lack of an industry standard, hcma developed its own social impact framework for the project based on the concepts of equity, social inclusion, sustainability, and flexibility. Commissioned and run by the local city government, the center involves music and recording studios, a communal rehearsal hall, a gymnasium and fitness center, a community test kitchen, preschool and childcare, a woodworking shop, shared social spaces, and a library. Many of these public programs were formerly held in different facilities, and the city expects to have a stronger influence on the community by pooling them The mass timber structure received Passive House certification for its materiality and ultra-low energy consumption, making it North America's largest non-residential certified project. The structure utilizes 98% less energy than the average performance of similar existing buildings in British Columbia, according to hcma. “Clayton Community Centre demonstrates what’s possible when we prioritize social outcomes alongside design excellence and ultra-low energy use,” says hcma principal Melissa

Space reform and adaptation represent many projects assigned to architecture companies, and reusing pre-existing structures is not novel. Because functions and needs vary throughout time, adjustments to satisfy new demands are necessary. Regardless of how much maintenance of a structure is, in most situations, preferable to its destruction and new construction from the start in terms of economics and ecology, the logic of reusing a place does not generally extend to its pieces that become, therefore, rubble. According to the 2020 Worldwide Status Report for Buildings and Construction, the civil construction industry accounted for 38% of global CO2 emissions from materials, structures, and construction operations in 2019. However, data hold off the fulfillment of international agreements aimed at reducing pollutant emissions while reaffirming their key and strategic position in this global crisis, endangering the construction model as it is currently performed.

Ukrainian studio Men Bureau led and founded by Oleksandr Maruzhenko designed the RYB Apartment, which is a minimal and peacefully soothing interior with a calming palette.

The apartment is located above a commercial area in the Rybalsky residential complex in Kyiv's Podol district, Ukraine. This allowed the studio to better use the space by splitting it into two blocks: a private part (a children's room and a master bedroom with a bathroom) and a public one (consisting of a spacious kitchen-living room and a bathroom and a workplace). This place is intended to fulfill the needs and emotions of its inhabitants, serving as the setting for diverse scenarios of daily life. The primary rooms are composedly linked to one another through materials and textures. Men Bureau was commissioned to create a serene refuge for the owner and his family to escape their cosmopolitan lifestyle. The main goal was to use natural materials to create a clean, basic, but informal ambiance. To get flexibility and minimize excessive separation of an already compact flat, the partitions have been (almost) eliminated, resulting in an open plan structure with one central module defining the primary living space. This module comprises an efficient kitchen set, a dining area, a small workstation, and a big living room — this allows the space to serve several roles without becoming cluttered. Except for the children's room, all rooms face the courtyard, which is lushly landscaped. The children's room opens onto a beautiful view of the Dnieper A single palette of materials was used to visually link the spaces: birch plywood, micro cement, Japanese KitKat tiles, and Caribbean Calcite marble. These materials provide a laconic backdrop for furniture and lighting fixtures. In all rooms, the chilly tones of micro cement were combined with the warm textures of plaster and wood. Famous pieces of furniture, such as Fritz Hansen dining chairs, Norm Architects' Co armchairs, and Pholc's Apollo 180 floor light, are easy to combine with

Fuelled by the growing popularity of nearby resorts, the town of Taki in Japan's Mie prefecture is experiencing incredible growth. A flagship café operated by rice-koji maker Uonuma Jozo is the newest — and arguably the most attractive — new commercial space to join a wave of new shopping malls and high-end stores. The cafe is designed by Atsushi Suzuki of Transit Branding Studio, with lighting by Mizuki Matsuura, and specializes in Amazake (a sweet fermented rice drink made with koji mold) and other koji products. The heat created by koji fermentation and the traditional architecture and heavy snowfalls of Uonuma (the company's hometown in northern Japan) influenced the cafe's materials, colors, and shapes. When microorganisms devour organic matter, heat is generated during the koji-making process. The rice itself must be warmed up to a precise temperature for eight hours for a great brew. The 70-square-meter area is organized around a central L-shaped bench, reflecting the high foundations of Uonuma's ancient architecture, and foregoes regular cafe tables in favor of tiny, spherical surfaces. The delicate side tables, discreetly affixed to the bottom of the bench, appear to float across the space. A canopy-like light fixture above bathes the room in warm light, simulating the rosy glow of a radiator.

A few hours from Mexico City, a home enclosed in the belly of the earth embraces the landscape and establishes a mythical covenant between architecture and nature.

To relate to its natural surroundings, which are framed by wooded mountains and carpeted with avocado fields, architect Francisco Pardo literally chose to make this vacation home for a young couple to disappear into the belly of Pachamama, the Mother Earth of Central American cultures, which covers the construction. The partially hypogeal house is built into the hill it stands on, with a green roof from which avocado trees emerge: a solution that is effective both from a landscape and a technological standpoint, as it offers optimal internal thermal conditions in an area subject to significant fluctuations, thanks to the earth on the roof acting as insulation and keeping the home at a constant mild temperature. The volume embedded in the ground unfolds inside like a huge container in exposed concrete, with a practical and flexible layout thanks to the reduced partitions. The central living space unites the several adjacent rooms: the kitchen, dining room, and living room, the bedrooms (the master, children's, and two guest bedrooms), and the study. It has access to a panoramic terrace with a whirlpool tub and views of the forest. A patio dug into the ground on the opposite side gives additional access as well as a second source of natural light and ventilation. The interiors are distinguished by a simple, low-maintenance design that is nonetheless attractive: the exposed concrete structure contrasts with walls covered in Chukum, a natural stucco from the Yucatan region, and recycled raw pinewood; custom-made furnishings - the kitchen, the black metal fireplace - demonstrate meticulous attention to detail and the desire to characterize an essential, almost monastic, but warm and welcoming space. An outdoor cabin made of recycled wood, which serves as a

Normann Copenhagen, a Danish design company, has opened its new headquarters in the heart of the capital. It's a space that represents the brand's soul, a place to connect with clients and design lovers, a working environment, and an exclusive restaurant on the top floor with a panoramic view of the city.

Corporate headquarters projects are undeniably among the most intriguing to monitor. This is because they are not simply workspaces but also locations in which businesses convey their values by integrating consumers and users in set-ups that go beyond utility and have a narrative or experience approach. You can find unexpected hybrids between typical office and conviviality zones and fascinating functional mixtures and novel public-private interactions. The new corporate space located in an industrial building was constructed in 1936 and was previously utilized as a printing works. The work of the company's in-house design department has retained the building's original character, particularly one of its architectural aspects with tremendous scenic impact: the rough concrete coffered ceilings. The project progresses on seven levels, each with its own chromatic motif. Grey concrete is complemented with mint green and flesh-colored walls, ruby red or poppy red parts, blue or canary yellow furniture. The result is a language that connects classic but raw architecture with the brand's collections, distinguished by timeless design and mixes well-known pieces from the firm with a slew of new products. As a result, Normann Copenhagen's new headquarters is a must-see for all design enthusiasts looking to uncover the various faces of Danish creativity. As a result, Normann Copenhagen's new headquarters is a must-see for all design enthusiasts looking to uncover the various faces of Danish creativity.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), Eleftheria Square is a new urban and social center for Nicosia, the capital city of Cyprus. The project attempts to develop new connections and is the first phase of a larger urban plan that hopes to catalyze the city's reunification, which is now divided in two by its defenses.

Nicosia's enormous walls, built in the Middle Ages and later reconstructed by the Venetians in the 16th century, effectively separated the ancient city from the modern districts.

Eleftheria Square, located near the center, is next to the Venetian fortification and the ancient – currently dry – moat that encircles the old city. The timeless design allows for views of the walls, which are considered an essential aspect of Nicosia's character. At the same time, it opens the moat to the public, forming a green belt around the city.

As a result, ZHA's project provides new public places to unite the different communities of a divided capital.

Due to their timeless elegance, interiors in black and white are always in great demand. Even more so because the color scheme may be used in any interior design style. However, achieving a precisely styled appearance might be more complicated than it appears. To maintain their sophisticated appeal, these spaces demand balance. Here are some ideas to assist you in nailing the style.

Play with scaling to find the right balance

Black and white interior design provides endless opportunities for tricking the eye to get the desired appearance. Whether used on walls, ceilings, or floors, both colors can make spaces appear taller, shorter, longer, or more profound. White walls make a tiny room look larger, while appropriately scaled monochromatic furniture and accessories give a balanced dynamic that makes the space feel planned and put together. Use patterns to shake things up When it comes to black and white living room decor, patterns are a good idea to avoid the space appearing too strict or dull. Sleek modern lines are ideally supplemented by intriguing forms, abstract details, and strong graphics such as artistic hexagonal tiles. Then, to balance the room, pair them with solid materials. Black and white for creating a stunning bathroom Black and white design concepts can be used to create magnificent bathrooms just as well. The monochromatic pattern is delicate, elegant, and inviting when set against a neutral gray background. A limited color palette's refined simplicity can be accentuated by discrete natural patterns of materials such as quartz and marble. Ceramic tiles with bold black and white designs on a floor or wall will add more visual interest, and a faux plant will

DAR Architettura turned an apartment in Turin into a residential space with an office for short-term stays. The combination of materials, varied hues, and furniture created with an architectural approach defines the home.

The entry hall floor, a dining room that also functions as a meeting space and social gathering place, is covered with bricks from earlier restorations. A glass partition connects the kitchen to the work and dining areas to keep noise and smells separate. The table is a continuous, suspended surface that crosses the partition wall: steel in the kitchen, pinewood on the other side.

All the furnishings are designed as small architectures with components like roofs and openings: cabinets have sloping coverings to make cleaning easier, and the central corridor, bathed in an encompassing electric blue, is distinguished by a row of doors opening in perspective.

Regardless of being in fashion or in the way we design our houses, trends come and go. And, after two crazy years of unprecedented changes in how we live, work, and play, it's no wonder that popular looks and trends are evolving in the new year. But, while there are some amazing trends to look out for in January, there are a few that we may want to avoid.

Here are some of the trends that designers are looking forward to saying goodbye to in 2022.

1. White on white

While there is minimalist beauty with white walls, cabinets, countertops, etc., some designers believe this trend will fade by 2022. So instead, people lean toward a splash of bold color, contrast, and eye-catching components to create a more maximalist style. "White walls are timeless, but once you add white cabinets, white furniture, white accessories, and more, the interior of your home begins to look and feel uninviting," says Emily Spanos of Emily June Designs. "Weaving in bursts of color and doses of warmth creates a home that feels far cozier and inviting!" The same may be said about all-white kitchens. While they have been popular in recent years, designers state they’re taking a significant dip in popularity. 2. Minimalist style It’s not just ‘all white’—the minimalist trend is fading in popularity overall. The "less is more" philosophy is no longer popular; instead, designers are seeing a shift to timeless decor, grand art, and statement furniture over the simplistic elements. “Minimalism and mid-century everything [is] being replaced with a trend towards more 80s and 90s inspired looks, maximalism, and more traditional styles—à la the ‘grand millennial look,” shares Stephanie Purzycki, Co-Founder and CEO of The Finish. 3․ Harsh lines & layouts Round, organic shapes (in both design and décor) or statement items with a powerful, yet softer feel are one of the year's biggest trends.

Famous designer Kelly Wearstler has created a gingerbread house in a California modernist style, putting an architectural twist on a Christmas classic.

The limited-edition Gingerbread Dreamhouse was created by Wearstler as a result of cooperation with pastry chef Mark Tasker from New York restaurant Balthazar and entrepreneur Richard Christiansen from food retailer Flamingo Estate, with all revenues benefiting charity.

Instead of the conventional gabled cottage, Wearstler's gingerbread house features the intersecting flat planes of a low-lying modernist dwelling. The style is completed with porthole windows and a white checkerboard frosting front with varying sizes of checks. The structure is entirely made of gingerbread cookies with icing as the bonding material. Though coming up with a design that would be strong and stable under these limits was difficult, Wearstler discovered that mid-century style was well suited to the challenge. A total of one hundred Gingerbread Dreamhouses have been created and are available on the Flamingo Estate website for US$650 (£490).

Colour company Pantone named Very Peri the color of the year for 2022. It's a shade of blue, but most people see purple. In this article, we've presented 6 projects in which designers added statement sofas, bright tiles, and plush carpets in various purple shades to the interiors, showing the striking color's versatility.

Resa San Mamés student accommodation, Spain, by Masquespacio Bilbao

Masquespacio, a Valencia-based creative studio, used its unique color-blocking technique across the Resa San Mamés student accommodation in Spain.

The open-plan area has light purple tiles flowing down the walls, which the studio hoped would foster a sense of community among students.

Photo is by Masquespacio Apartment, US, by Harry Nuriev and Tyler Billinger of Crosby Studios The owners of this New York apartment incorporated their distinct personalities into one space by using vibrant colors, geometric forms, and unusual materials. Purple hues pop up on the walls, carpet, leather cabinets, sofa and shelf unit. The color stands out against the grey walls and drapes in the living room. Photo is by Dylan Chandler Cafe Krujok, Russia, by Eduard Eremchuk and Katy Pititskaya A lilac tint covers the soft, velvety walls of Cafe Krujok in Russia, created by designers Eduard Eremchuk and Katy Pititskaya to embody "the essence of a donut" (Krujok is a round donut.) The berry-colored purple represents doughnut glazing, and the space also has glossy dough-like beige furnishings. Photo is by Inna Kablukova

U / U Studio has transformed a run-down space into a new community asset using minimal interventions. Underneath an elevated busy road in central Prague, a neglected pedestrian underpass has been restored into a colorful public area that supports skateboarding, basketball, BMX, climbing, and other activities. Though this space was previously avoided, it is now hoped that a diverse spectrum of residents and tourists, particularly young people, will use it and feel welcome. Local architecture firm U / U Studio, known for constructing interesting skate parks around the Czech capital and beyond, oversaw the renovation. ‘As “skate architects”, we immediately knew that implementation of skateboarding and other leisure activities is the perfect way of healing this area,’ says Martin Hrouda from U / U Studio. ‘The skate community occupied this spot right after opening and is taking care of it. Putting new life and joy into the spot seems to be working and the place has become safe for everyone.’