Articles by Maria-Cristina Florian

London’s architectural history is a rich tapestry that weaves together styles of various periods and influences. In the post-war era, the city experienced a surge in modern architecture, becoming a canvas for experimentation. New stylistic movements saw their expression crystalized through buildings such as Richard Rogers’ Lloyd’s Building, one of the most representative examples of High-Tech architecture, or the Barbican Estate, a large-scale housing estate that became the iconic structure for Brutalist architecture.

Ma Yansong revealed The City of Time, a performance space and the location of a 300-hour artist residency created for the Aranya Theater Festival in China. Following the metaphor of avian migration, the Migratory Birds 300 is an artist residency program that brings together 300 creators from diverse fields and backgrounds. From June 12 to June 25, Ma Yansong’s architectural intervention will host a wide array of artistic expressions, including shows, installations, sculptures, performance art, paintings, and videos, including 131 group works and 194 individual projects.

This year, the UIA World Congress of Architects gathers professionals from the construction industry to the Danish Capital to discuss and promote more sustainable ways of practicing architecture. This edition of the congress, happening between July 2^nd and 6^th, is centered around the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals, highlighted by the overarching theme “Sustainable Futures – Leave no one Behind.” The world’s largest architecture congress offers a vast program of keynote dialogues, new findings presented on the science track, Next Gen sessions, workshops, exhibitions of new materials, and political talks. The packed schedule also includes the Obel Award Talks on the theme “Wellbeing Through Architecture”, Velux Daylight Talks, and Realdania Talks.

One hundred years ago, in 1923, Le Corbusier’s “Vers une Architecture” was published in the magazine “L’Esprit Nouveau.” The controversial collection of essays authored by the Modernist master served as a manifesto for the development of modern architecture, influencing generations of architects and sparking polemics on the proposed principles of architectural design. The book advocates for the beauty of streamlined industrial designs, like those of airplanes, automobiles or ocean liners; it proposes a completely different way of building cities, favoring tall and slender towers surrounded by abundant greenery, and introduces Le Corbusier’s 5 principles for modern design.

Mecanoo, in collaboration with Meng Architects and Lola Landscape, has been selected as the winner of the international design competition for the design of the Shenzhen Guangming Scientist Valley. The aim of the project is to create a facility for research and innovation that is also engaging for a larger public while also being integrated and coexisting with the surrounding natural environment. The project includes an area of approximately 1.2 square kilometers located in a strategic place to serve the larger scientific community, from Guangdong, to Hong Kong, and Macao.

Mecanoo, in collaboration with Meng Architects and Lola Landscape, has been selected as the winner of the international design competition for the design of the Shenzhen Guangming Scientist Valley. The aim of the project is to create a facility for research and innovation that is also engaging for a larger public while also being integrated and coexisting with the surrounding natural environment. The project includes an area of approximately 1.2 square kilometers located in a strategic place to serve the larger scientific community, from Guangdong, to Hong Kong, and Macao.

The National Pavilion of Israel presents “Cloud-to-ground,” an immersive installation exploring the nature of modern communication networks at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition, curated by Arch. Oren Eldar, Arch. Edith Kofsky, and Hadas Maor, aims to initiate a multifaceted discussion regarding the physical aspects of virtual networks: the data centers and telephone exchanges commonly referred to as “black boxes.” The chosen theme is relevant for Israel due to its strategic location set at the intersection of continents and cultures. The pavilion in the Giardini will remain open for visitors until November 26, 2023.

In his latest TED Talk, Thomas Heatherwick decries a condition affecting areas of the city defined by monotonous buildings, or what he calls “an epidemic of boringness.” While recognizing the functionality which drove these designs, he states that functionality alone cannot ensure that the structures become active parts of urban life, as they often fail to provoke an emotional response from passers-by. Heatherwick explains that, in his view, this emotional function, or the ability of buildings to mean something to their users and visitors, is essential. When it succeeds, architecture can positively contribute to the quality of life and well-being of its residents, promote social cohesion and contribute to a sense of identity. So how can architecture provoke a positive emotional connection and provide an enjoyable backdrop to the communities it serves?

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the 30 winners of the 2023 RIBA National Awards for Architecture, providing an insight into the country’s architecture, design, and social trends. Among the key themes observed this year, the need to rebuild communities and to find sustainable ways of practicing stand out as the main concerns of the participant architects. The response to these themes is varied, ranging from buildings that aim to offer opportunities for collaboration for students to creating stimulating social spaces for the elderly or providing creative programs at a neighborhood scale. All the projects selected have been in use for at least one year and have provided data regarding their environmental performance. Examples of sustainable design include both new buildings, following the Passivhaus certification, and renovation of existing structures.

Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam has inaugurated the ‘Water Cities Rotterdam. By Kunlé Adeyemi,’ a cultural project comprising of exhibitions along with several floating pontoons and artist installations that present the Nigerian-Dutch architect Kunlé Adeyemi’s waterfront designs in the Netherlands. The exhibition brings a seven-meter-high floating wooden pavilion on the institute’s outdoor ponds. Inside the pavilion, landscape architect and artist Thijs de Zeeuw has created an artwork to allow visitors to experience the pavilion from the perspective of nature while contemplating the consequences of building and living on the water for the surrounding ecology and biodiversity. The entire exhibition is on display at the Nieuwe Instituut until 22 October 2023.