Articles by Eric Baldwin

The Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) has been selected to design the German Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai. Designed as a vertical campus that blends nature and technology, the pavilion takes cues from local architecture and Germany’s history of outstanding lightweight pavilion design. Formally, the design features a freeform roof that encloses interlinked floating cubes that house exhibition and event spaces.

SHoP Architects have revealed new renderings of their design for a New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In 2013, SHoP was among the firms selected by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Overseas Building Operations (OBO) to realize facilities that will meet its operational needs while embodying and communicating the spirit and highest values of the United States.

Herzog & de Meuron have revealed their plan for a new summit station atop the Swiss mountain Titlis. The Alpine masterplan entails the new construction of the summit station, the redevelopment and extension of an old beam antenna tower, and an upgrade of the Titlis underground tunnel. The design aims to breath new life in one of Switzerland’s most renowned international tourist attractions.

Arquitectonica‘s SkyRise Miami vertical theme park is set to become Florida’s tallest tower. Scheduled to begin construction early next year, SkyRise Miami will stand as a 1,000-foot tower with numerous mixed-use entertainment facilities from a prime location in the heart of Miami’s downtown core. Operated by the sports and entertainment management company Legends, the tower will redefine the Miami skyline with views across Biscayne Bay.

The media arts & design collective panGenerator have released a new video showing how they turned the iconic spiral staircase of the Szczecin Philharmonic into an “instrument” that transforms audience voices. Dubbed SPIRALALALA, the site-specific project invites the audience to experiment with various sound effects applied to their vocalizations. These are synchronised with the movement of a ball falling along a 35m track. A series of speakers create the illusion of the sound “falling” with the ball.

Arquitectonica has revealed new renderings of its proposal for a 53-story tower of cantilevered pools in Downtown Los Angeles. The skyscraper could be built under two different scenarios, where either the building becomes primarily residential units or a hotel and condominiums. The City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning published a draft Environmental Impact Report with further details on the 784-foot tower. Arquitectonica‘s tower is one of multiple developments underway around Pershing Square.

London’s V&A has revealed new images and information about V&A East, a museum by O’Donnell + Tuomey and research center by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Sited within London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the projects will be built at the Here East complex and Stratford Waterfront. The V&A have stated that the museum will include two galleries to showcase the collections, while the research center aims to be a new model for collection storage and public display.

Swiss Designer Yves Béhar has partnered with Plant Prefab to create LivingHome YB1, a series of Accessory Dwelling Units to be unveiled at the Summit festival in Los Angeles. Designed to address California’s legislation, the ADU aims to encourage increased urban density while limiting the environmental impact of new construction. LivingHomes YB1 is the first in a line of structures made to rethink prefab and increase accessibility, livability, and sustainability.

The office building Torre Reforma in Mexico City has won the prize for the world’s most innovative high rise awarded by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM). One of the world’s most important architectural prizes for tall buildings, the International Highrise Award is presented every two years to the project that best exemplifies the criteria of future-oriented design, functionality, innovative building technology, integration into urban development schemes, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

The state of Illinois has launched a new testing program for connected and automated vehicles. Called Autonomous Illinois, the research initiative was announced by Governor Bruce Rauner’s office. As Curbed Chicago reports, Created by executive order, multiagency program will be state-wide and led by the Illinois Department of Transportation to advance the state’s research in self-driving cars.