The idea of a community or public playground is about creating an accessible recreational space for all. However, in many cases, initiating a playground project might fail due to insufficient funds or regulations/restrictions. The first challenge is largely to set the project in motion and, most importantly, get the community’s positive reception and, if possible, its involvement, thus ensuring the project's success and sustainability.
Featured Lush Labyrinth / Bureau Fraai
PLATO Contemporary Art Gallery / KWK PROMES
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Architects: KWK PROMES
- Area: 3601 m²
- Year: 2024
Diller Scofidio + Renfro Unveil Design for a ‘Companion’ to the Broad Museum in Los Angeles
Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) has unveiled their proposal for the expansion of The Broad, a contemporary art museum founded in 2025 by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. The project is set to adapt the existing museum, also designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, to the growing expectations of the public, as the institution has far exceeded its projections, now regularly attracting nearly four times more visitors than originally envisioned. The intervention aims to enhance public accessibility and offer the opportunity to host live performances and events, while also accommodating the institution’s growing collection. The expansion is expected to open before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Renovation of Wuyuanwan Subway Station / ATENO
Barcelona's Iconic Sagrada Família On Track to be Completed in 2026
Officials have just confirmed that Antonio Gaudi’s iconic Sagrada Família in Barcelona will be completed in 2026, 144 years after its construction began. The announcement was made last Wednesday, aligning with the centenary of the architect’s passing. The towering 172.5 meter central spire is included in the project, planned to stand as the tallest edifice in Barcelona, Spain.
Is Mass Timber the Key Element in a Low Carbon Future?
This article was originally published on Common Edge.
Chinese temples have stood for centuries, battered by wind and earthquakes, without a crack or timber out of place. They employ an ancient technique called “bracket set construction” that requires no nails or metal parts to connect wooden structural elements. Scandinavian stave churches are nearly as durable. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of trees in Sweden and all over China.
So what is with the hype about innovation in “mass timber” construction over the past few years? As Boyce Thompson argues in his thoughtful new book, Innovations in Mass Timber: Sequestering Carbon with Style in Commercial Buildings (Schiffer Publishing), this will be the next big thing in “green” tech for architects feeling guilty about their costly titanium skins and outsized carbon footprints. The color photos show some impressive buildings in places where the wood industry has always been healthy, such as the Pacific Northwest and Scandinavia. The Japanese build log cabins with imported material that might as well be gold.
Parramatta Town Hall / DesignInc + Lacoste + Stevenson Architects + Manuelle Gautrand Architecture + TKD Architects
- Year: 2023
Pass-Through Windows: Inspiring the Design of Easy-Open Spaces
The desire for fluid integration between spaces has become increasingly relevant in contemporary architecture. This reflects a search for more connected and harmonious living experiences, especially in urban environments, where the cityscape can saturate us. By transcending conventional boundaries and blurring the lines between interior spaces and the vast outdoors, living environments can be created to celebrate connectivity, sustainability and the well-being that comes from being alongside nature. These types of integration not only make it possible to unite spaces with their surrounding contexts, but also to segment indoor environments when necessary, maintaining a visual connection while keeping them functionally separate. By creating these integrations, architects and designers allow spaces to merge with each other or with nature, promoting a sense of tranquillity, balance and rejuvenation, as well as integration and fluidity—a seamless transition that blurs the distinction between the two. This is achieved through architectural elements such as large windows and doors, which dissolve barriers through the simple action of opening and closing.
Renovation of East Nanjing Road Sub-district Community Comprehensive Life Service Center / TJAD Original Design Studio
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Architects: TJAD Original Design Studio
- Area: 3339 m²
- Year: 2023
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Manufacturers: Zhongfan International Engineering Design Co., Ltd.
Ritratana Office Building / Urban Praxis
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Architects: Urban Praxis
- Area: 4900 m²
- Year: 2023
Brown Hill House / Eldridge Anderson Architects
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Architects: Eldridge Anderson Architects
- Area: 280 m²
- Year: 2023
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Professionals: Yttrup and Asscoiates, Simon Taylor Landscape Design, Murphy James Builders
Lourosa-Fiães Transport Interface / Atelier d'Arquitectura Lopes da Costa
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Architects: Atelier d'Arquitectura Lopes da Costa
- Year: 2023
SOLO luminosa / CONTRA arquitetura
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Architects: CONTRA arquitetura
- Area: 1507 ft²
- Year: 2022