Articles by Dima Stouhi

Artistic expression is often undisciplined. Sometimes, the riot of colors and explosion of lines and forms help unleash a 2D illustration out of its medium, which is precisely what Drawing Architecture Studio (DAS) managed to create in Ucommune’s new branch in Dajiang Hutong, Beijing.

Award-winning architect Steven Holl has expressed his dismay of modern-day architecture to Metropolis Magazine. Although Steven Holl Architects (SHA) have recently won the design competition of a gateway building at University College Dublin, and have completed new buildings in London, Houston, Virginia, and Richmond this past year only, the architect is convinced that regardless of all the success, “it’s not a great moment, there are a lot of bad architects”.

As imaginative and hypothetical as their work may seem to some people, many visionaries have created admirable artwork that look beyond the ordinary and rethink architecture and urban spaces. Xinran Ma, the New York-based architectural designer and illustrator has visualized his architectural fantasies, and created a series of 10 drawings, two of which were entries for the Fairy Tales Competition by Blank Space in 2016 and 2017.

Known for hosting the “best creative conference in the world,” the Design Indaba Festival brings together internationally-acclaimed architects, designers, emerging talents, critics, and art enthusiasts all under one roof to discuss the importance of making the world a better place through design. Over the last two decades, the annual conference has centered on “design activism,” with a focus on online design publications.

Mud City, the Windy City, the City of the Big Shoulders… If there is one thing we are certain of, it is that Chicago is the birthplace of exceptionally tall buildings.

Mud City, the Windy City, the City of the Big Shoulders… If there is one thing we are certain of, it is that Chicago is the birthplace of exceptionally tall buildings.

Mud City, the Windy City, the City of the Big Shoulders… If there is one thing we are certain of, it is that Chicago is the birthplace of exceptionally tall buildings.

Every city has a story. Throughout history, many natural and man-made changes have altered the way cities were originally laid out. For some, the urban form developed as a result of political disputes, religious separations, or class divides. For others, a more mixed approach has allowed for uniquely mixed cultural atmospheres. And while development of cities is typically slow, occasionally cities experience dramatic and immediate changes to the urban fabric – the results of natural disaster, military conflict, or industrial catastrophe.

Home-sharing has become a phenomenon in the real estate and housing markets, with design playing a key factor in the success of a property, home, or room. The radical departure from the beige wallpaper and white linen hotel room has opened up a world of possibility for the adventurous traveler, from spending a night on the Great Wall of China to staying in an architectural masterpiece.

As the demand of a sustainable lifestyle increases, cities are trying to find strategies to create environmentally friendly communities. From passive designs to recycled materials, architects are turning their attention to climate change and trying to find solutions through architecture and design.