Articles by Nour Fakharany

Construction on OMA’s first project in Bangladesh, the Dhaka Tower, has just started. Reaching a height of 150 meters and spanning 180,000 sqm in office space, the project is set to stand as one of the tallest buildings in the country. This scheme marks a significant milestone in the urban landscape of Bangladesh, designed by OMA in collaboration with local real-estate developer Shanta Holdings.

As we understand it today, the sustainable architecture movement began to take shape at the end of the 20^th century. Essentially, it responds to growing concerns about environmental degradation, energy consumption, and resource scarcity. In this global discourse on sustainable architecture, wood has long been celebrated as a symbol of environmental consciousness and decarbonization. As one of the most widespread building materials, it has gained popularity with the rise of this movement. This is because trees absorb carbon dioxide during their growth, which stays in the wood during its construction use, keeping it out of the atmosphere.

For the opening of CAB 5, the 5th edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) presented an eco-friendly alternative to traditional concrete. Named the “Bio-Block Spiral,” the installation is at The Mews in Fulton Market in Chicago. The creation was developed with Prometheus Material, a materials company that provides sustainable building materials for a carbon-negative future.

One of the two hotels Zaha Hadid Architects designed in their Hollywood-Inspired “Studio City” Resorts has just opened to the public. Located in the Cotai district of Macau, the resort features leisure, entertainment, and hospitality facilities, including one of Asia’s largest indoor & outdoor water parks. The resort also features 557 rooms and suites spread across 40 floors. Inspired by Hollywood, ZHA was commissioned in 2018 to expand the resort, resulting in Studio City Phase 2.

In celebration of World Tourism Day, we invite you on an architectural journey through some of the most captivating cities and destinations of 2023. These meticulously curated city guides pay homage to our global landscape’s intricate urban fabrics. These guides serve as windows into the past, present, and future of modern, and contemporary architecture, offering insightful glimpses into each locale’s distinctive landmarks and hidden gems.

The Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB 5) has announced the participation of the James R Thompson Center as both a cultural partner and city site for the 5th edition of the exhibition. CAB 5: This is A Rehearsal is curated by the Chicago-based artist collective Floating Museum. The Thompson Center has long been referred to as one of Chicago’s postmodern architectural marvels, designed by Helmut Jahn. At this year’s biennial, which starts on the 21st of September, 2023, the center will host five exhibitions and site-specific installations.

Shelley McNamara is one-half of the renowned Irish-based Grafton Architects studio, together with Yvonne Farrell. Pritzker Prize 2020 Laureates founded their practice in 1978 and are well-known for their co-curation of the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. In this interview with Louisiana Channel, McNamara talks through her design theories, direction, inspirations, and the studio’s approach to “humanism.”

Based between Tehran, Iran, and New York City, ASA North has emerged as an example of an architectural practice based on malleability and adaptability. Chosen by ArchDaily as part of our 2023 New Practices, ASA North stands at the forefront of melting the boundaries between architecture and art. ArchDaily had the chance to interview Ahmadreza Schricker, its founder delving into the evolution of his life, career, and practice.

Mario Cucinella Architects has just revealed the design of the Italian Pavilion for Expo Osaka 2025. Envisioned as a dynamic entity, the pavilion aims to foster knowledge and innovation through the interplay of different generations and cultures. It will serve as a collaborative repository of Italian expertise, encompassing artistic, scientific, entrepreneurial, and social experiments. The display is designed around Italy’s cultural treasures and aims to highlight, deconstruct, and then reinterpret them in a contemporary manner.

In 2020, Ahmadreza Schricker (ASA North) completed the Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Center design. Previously a 1920s beer distillery in the heart of Tehran, it has now been converted into a contemporary art center and is now the new home of the Pejman Foundation. In the summer of 2023, the foundation hosted an exhibition featuring selected works from ASA North while documenting the transformation of the Argo Factory. The exhibition explored the studio’s practice, developing a commentary on their projects and their self-awareness.