A team of architects from Ukraine took top prize at a prestigious competition with a concept for a ‘living skyscraper’ shaped out of a grove of genetically modified trees. Their design would mold fast-growing trees into an eco-friendly high rise or office building, with smaller branches forming individual rooms and walls. The ‘Living Skyscraper for … Read more
Photographer Simon Phipps has a concrete opinion on brutalist architecture – that it should be celebrated. Brutalist architecture, a style first associated with architect Le Corbusier, uses a lot of concrete and is often criticised for being ugly, imposing and for weathering badly. But Simon sees brutalist structures as visionary, buildings to be celebrated for … Read more
On the whole, the architecture of the former Soviet Union was uniform and dreary – but a recently published photography book reveals that there were some gems, from a ‘flying saucer’ building to an office block that resembles a game of Jenga. Soviet Cities: Labour, Life & Leisure was created by Russian photographer Arseniy Kotov … Read more
On the whole, the architecture of the former Soviet Union was uniform and dreary – but a recently published photography book reveals that there were some gems, from a ‘flying saucer’ building to an office block that resembles a game of Jenga. Soviet Cities: Labour, Life & Leisure was created by Russian photographer Arseniy Kotov … Read more
It’s like a catwalk for the construction industry. The prestigious Dezeen Awards 2020, run by architecture and design website Dezeen and now in its third year, took place in a series of online ceremonies this week. The awards identify ‘the world’s best architecture, interiors and design’, as well as the studios, architects and designers producing … Read more
Good old Italy is one of those countries whose cities are often admirably suited to particular tastes. If it’s Roman ruins you’re after, there’s no better destination than Rome itself; if art’s your bag, you can’t beat Florence with its world-renowned Uffizi Gallery. But if churchspotting is your thing head for the Puglian city of … Read more
When it comes to cutting-edge design, these slick hotels hit the right note. They have all been longlisted in the hospitality architecture category at the prestigious Dezeen Awards 2020. The list includes a very hip pet retreat for dogs and cats in Portugal, a cave complex in Santorini with dreamy views, a futuristic high-end resort … Read more
The sky’s the limit for China’s new cityscapes. A stunning coffee table book showcases China’s revolutionary modern architecture – otherworldly designs that look as though they’re from a sci-fi movie. The book – Beautified China: The Architectural Revolution – with photography by Belgian Kris Provoost and published by Lannoo, is a compendium of gorgeous photographs … Read more
North Korea may be a nightmarishly oppressive state, but for architects there’s a sliver of dreamland within – the capital, Pyongyang. As architects Cristiano Bianchi and Kristina Drapic explain in their new book, Model City Pyongyang. They say: ‘We realised that the city does have its own strange kind of beauty. Pyongyang embodies the dream … Read more
Once, Cordoba was the capital of the Iberian peninsula and the largest city in the world. That was in the 10th century. It’s difficult to believe it now, for Cordoba has shrunk from its former status as a metropolis to a beautiful Andalusian jewel, with roofs of coloured tiles and storks nesting untidily on towers. … Read more