‘Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture’ by David Adjaye and FAB

Posted on February 21, 2012

Construction will begin this week on the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC designed by architect David Adjaye. Adjaye Associates teamed up with American architects The Freelon Group and Davis Brody Bond to win the design competition for the museum back in 2009, under the collaborative name Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup (FAB).

Sited beside the National Museum of American History and the Washington Monument, the museum will accommodate more than half of its volume below ground. Bronze plates will cover the tiered exterior of the building, perforated in patterns that reference the history of African American craftsmanship.

The museum is scheduled to open in 2015, and you can see the original competition-winning proposals for it in our earlier story. Continue Reading →

‘Kiev Islands Master Plan’ by BudCud

Posted on February 21, 2012

Krakow-based architects BudCud have shared with us their finalist entry for the international Kiev Islands Master Plan Competition. The proposal suggests the development of a network of existing islands and artificial mirco islands along the Dnieper river, right outside of Kiev, Ukraine, for recreation and nature exploration. Continue Reading →

‘Kimball Art Center’ by BIG + Architectural Nexus

Posted on February 18, 2012

BIG+ Architectural Nexus + Dunn Associates + VBFA + Envision Engineering + Big D design the winning proposal for the renovation and expansion of Kimball Art Center in Park City, projected for completion by Mid-2015.

The Kimball Art Center, home to Sundance House during the Annual Sundance Film Festival, invited an international group of architects to submit designs for an interior renovation of the existing Kimball Art Center and the construction of a new building directly adjacent to the original, located centrally in Park City, Utah. Continue Reading →

Amazing Illusionary Perspective Paintings by Felice Varini

Posted on February 17, 2012

Spanning over 30 years, Swiss artist Felice Varini has been mesmerizing viewers with his anamorphic illusions. The artist, who resides in Paris, displays his illusionary work in both private and public spaces. The urban paintings require a specific point of view to visualize the geometric shapes he creates as a continuous whole. From any other standpoint, the piece is fragmented and may not align properly. Continue Reading →

DIY Door Picture Frame

Posted on February 17, 2012

I just stumbled upon this stunning door picture frame DIY project.

“A fun and Free picture frame created out of the unexpected. Do you have an old door, window frame or old architectural piece? Create something fun to showcase your family memories!” Continue Reading →

‘Vrbani Business Center’ by NFO

Posted on February 12, 2012

The proposal for the ‘Vrbani Business Center’ by NFO in Zagreb, Croatia aims to solve its inner urbanism within itself and set the guidelines for the development of the surrounding area. They do so through a cube form set on the site while passages carve within the closed volume to emphasize directions from the environment and, at the same time, pull users closer to the internal context of the new structure. Continue Reading →

‘Pier+’ by AECOM and BIG

Posted on February 6, 2012

A team led by AECOM and New York-based Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is one of five shortlisted teams invited to participate in an international design competition to renovate and reactivate Chicago’s landmark Navy Pier. This is a once-in-a-century opportunity that will redefine the character and focus of Chicago’s waterfront. It is part of an ambitious effort to create a new Navy Pier for the 21st century, and in doing so, to redefine what the pier and the waterfront means to the city.

Unveiled to the public on January 31, 2012 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the AECOM-BIG design vision aims to “re-colonize the people’s pier,” by maximizing opportunity through a holistic approach. The result is ‘Pier+’ — a vibrant urban destination that creates a new amenity shared by all while making a positive and progressive statement about Chicago to the world. Continue Reading →

Young Disabled Modules and Workshop Pavillions by ///g.bang///

Posted on February 2, 2012

Completed by Spanish architect José Javier Gallardo of ///g.bang///, the new youth facility in Zaragoza, Spain connects to the existing Nuestra Señora del Carmen Neuropsychiatric Centre through an underground tunnel.

Roofs with the steepest pitches are located above shared common rooms, while shallow gables correspond to patient bedrooms and staff quarters are located beneath flat roofs.

The red powder-coated zinc sheets cover the entire exterior, interrupted only by frameless windows. Continue Reading →

SOM to Design the ‘Greenland Group Suzhou Center’ in Wujiang, China

Posted on February 1, 2012

The Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has won an international competition to design Greenland Group Suzhou Center, a 358-meter supertall landmark tower, in Wujiang, China. This is SOM Chicago’s sixth project with the Greenland Group. Continue Reading →

‘GC Prostho Museum Research Center’ by Kengo Kuma & Associates

Posted on January 31, 2012

The following is a description from Kengo Kuma:

‘This is architecture that originates from the system of Cidori, an old Japanese toy. Cidori is an assembly of wood sticks with joints having unique shape, which can be extended merely by twisting the sticks, without any nails or metal fittings. The tradition of this toy has been passed on in Hida Takayama, a small town in a mountain, where many skilled craftsmen still exist. Continue Reading →

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