New Museum District and Park of Arts & Culture in Podgorica, Montenegro

Four roadmaps for a future in wood One of the goals of events like the Venice Architecture Biennale, which is celebrating its 19th edition this year, is to go beyond the present. We must ask questions and suggest future possibilities, opening doors that show different paths. Based on this idea, the curators responsible for the Materials room of the Spanish Pavilion, the team of architectural professionals Daniel Ibáñez and Carla Ferrer, propose four agendas or possible futures, utilising wood as part of their proposal. In the exhibition, they materialise in four large totems. Each of them represents one of those agendas that construction and architecture should consider for the future: redensification, industrialisation, biodiversity and monomateriality. https://lnkd.in/dsYarSGR

#why_I_got_into_architecture “The training of an architect is not complete until you visit Germany (...and Italy, France, Chicago, etc., a long list. Architects must travel often).” Germany is a living textbook of architectural history. Within a single walk you can encounter medieval squares, baroque ensembles, early industrial modernism, and bold post-war reconstructions. It’s also where some of the most thoughtful conversations between old and new are etched into the urban fabric. When I first visited Germany as a young architecture student, it left a profound impression on me. What struck me most was not only the range of styles but the quality of urban decisions, how new buildings were integrated into historic contexts, how pedestrian zones transformed the life of cities, and how large-scale projects could still feel humane. That trip reshaped my perspective, and ultimately guided my master’s thesis on contextualism, the careful balancing act between continuity and innovation. One building in particular captured this lesson for me: the Galeria Kaufhof (now Galeria) in Bonn at Remigiusstraße/Münsterplatz. Originally rebuilt in 1950 and re-fronted in 1979, the architects took what could have been a monolithic department store and broke it down into a façade of smaller vertical sections, echoing the rhythm of the surrounding townhouses. The roofline was carefully stepped and treated with dormer-like forms, aligning with the neighboring eaves in height and material. At street level, a generous arcaded base was introduced, extending the public realm and complementing Bonn’s newly pedestrianized square. The result is a large, modern building that does not overwhelm its historic setting, on the contrary, it dialogues with it. It respects context without resorting to imitation, and in doing so, becomes a model for how architects can intervene in sensitive urban environments. For me, the lesson was clear: architecture isn’t just about form or function, it’s about empathy for the city, its memory, and its people. Germany taught me that lesson more vividly than anywhere else. How do you approach the balance between new interventions and historic context in your own work? #Architecture #Contextualism #DesignThinking #why_I_got_into_architecture

York University’s new Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery took four years to build. Writer Eric Mutrie’s full construction story details architect Siamak Hariri’s butterfly wing design, the 12,000-square-foot building process and how the $6-million facility transforms campus cultural access ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gBcEn2uX #Art #Gallery #Architecture #TheYorkUMag

Well, who knew architecture was the secret sauce for understanding culture – seems like buildings are the original user interfaces! This article highlights how diverse architectural styles—from Istanbul's iconic domes to Tokyo's sleek lines—act as cultural fingerprints, revealing a country's history, values, and creativity. It underscores the importance of appreciating context and design diversity when studying different cultures. From a product management perspective, understanding the varied ways users from different backgrounds engage with their environments can inspire more culturally rooted and user-centric product designs amidst a globalized market. Thanks to Iden Engoue for the insightful look into the cultural architecture maze that reminds us our products, like buildings, should resonate with local identities. #Culture #Design #Diversity #Innovation First published: October 2023

ART ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE DESIGN CLIFF CABIN The Fascination of Wood and Stone Conceptual idea of a cliffs side log cabin retreat Organic architecture is a design philosophy that promotes harmony between human - made structures and the natural environment by integrating buildings into their surroundings to create a unified composition . Concept coined by Frank Lloyd Wright , it emphasizes designs that seems to grow from the site , use natural and local materials , minimize environmental impact through sustainable practices and have a form and function that are deeply connected to the surrounding landscape and climate . #art #organic #architecture #design #creativity #innovation #technology AI

Sean McNamara Studios Achieves Natural Conformity: Building Into Nature Rather Than Taking From It Latest Sustainable Architecture - Sean McNamara Studios This extraordinary design exemplifies how architecture can build in concert with nature, embedding design aesthetics into natural rock formations while allowing the landscape to fundamentally shape the building's character. The residence demonstrates how melding vision with geological reality creates structures that enhance rather than exploit their natural setting. The design philosophy centers on natural conformity - where the building literally grows from and into the existing rock face, using the mountain's thermal mass and natural shelter to reduce energy consumption. The blue mosaic elements echo the sky while the stone walls merge seamlessly with the cliff, creating architecture that feels both contemporary and geologically inevitable. The mood is pure harmony through integration. The transparent glass volumes seem to float within the rock matrix while the cantilevered elements suggest natural ledges and overhangs. The interplay creates architecture that breathes with the landscape's rhythms, where cooling costs plummet and the building's footprint virtually disappears into the mountainside. What makes this particularly compelling is the philosophical shift from taking to giving. Rather than clearing and conquering the site, this approach allows nature's undeniable power and beauty to guide every design decision. The result is a smaller environmental footprint that actually strengthens the ecosystem through thoughtful integration. The sustainable benefits are profound - natural cooling from thermal mass, reduced site disturbance, enhanced privacy through geological screening, and energy performance that works with rather than against climate patterns. This isn't green building but geological building, where conformity becomes creativity. This represents architecture at its most respectful, proving that when we build into nature rather than onto it, both human comfort and environmental stewardship can flourish together. How do you think architecture can better embrace conformity to natural landscapes as a design strength? #SustainableArchitecture #SeanMcNamaraStudios #NaturalIntegration #EcoArchitecture #GeologicalDesign #EnergyEfficient #LandscapeArchitecture #EnvironmentalDesign

A modular village for people and nature Flexible wooden structures create a living framework for community life, weaving together homes, markets, and public space. Designed for adaptability, the system uses renewable materials and simple construction techniques, making it easy to expand, dismantle, and reuse. By integrating trees, shaded walkways, and human-scale gathering areas, and food markets, the concept shows how sustainable architecture can nurture both social and ecological resilience in urban settings. Credits Design concept: Sustainable Design Network Illustration: Gemini 2.5 Pro #SustainableArchitecture #CircularDesign #ModularBuilding #CommunityDesign #UrbanVillage #TimberArchitecture #ResilientCities #DesignWithNature #GreenUrbanism

Storytelling through archiecture creating emotional spaces Architecture is more than walls, roofs, and structures—it’s about stories. Every space has the power to evoke emotion, spark memories, and create connections. By weaving cultural context, human experience, and spatial design together, architects can transform buildings into living narratives. From the serenity of a meditation hall to the vibrancy of a public square, storytelling in architecture ensures that spaces don’t just function—they feel. These emotional connections are what make people return, remember, and relate to a place long after they’ve left. As designers, the challenge lies not just in what we build, but in how our designs make people experience life within them. #Architecture #Storytelling #stalinmunisamy #maassfoundation #DesignThinking #EmotionalDesign #HumanCentricDesign #SpaceMaking

Retrouvius Redefines Home Design with Architectural Salvage and Sustainable Style Architectural salvage, a practice dating back millennia, has been reimagined by Retrouvius, the design company founded in 1993 by Maria Speake and Adam Hills. The pair, then students at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow, were disturbed by the destruction of valuable building materials during local demolitions. Their response was to rescue and re-use, giving birth to Retrouvius, a name combining “retro” and “Vitruvius.” Read More: https://lnkd.in/dU72sDKU #ArchitecturalSalvage #SustainableDesign #CircularEconomy #InteriorInspiration #Retrouvius #MariaSpeake #AdamHills #EcoChic #ReclaimedMaterials #DesignInnovation #HeritageRevival #homendecormagazine

Architecture isn’t only in facades or floor plans. It’s in the rules we follow, the landscapes we curate, and sometimes in the ways life refuses to stay within our designs. During the block course Observing and Restoring Border Landscape Continuities, I studied Basel from the roof of Universitätsspital. From above, the borders of Switzerland, France, and Germany seemed to merge, yet the urban landscape revealed subtle, often invisible dynamics. The hospital’s green roof, mandated by regulation, created a late-summer micro habitat. Just meters below, the atrium balcony displayed sharp, ornamental plants. Two landscapes, so close yet governed by completely different logics: one ecological and regulatory, the other aesthetic and experiential. At the Swiss–German border, a peach tree from an abandoned allotment stretched its branches through a wire fence. Even here, the owner’s hand was visible: from the choice and arrangement of plants to the way they were trimmed, we could guess his nationality and personal style. Yet nature subtly negotiated his intentions. These details reveal layered authorship, where human design meets natural forces, reminding me that architecture is as much about how life interacts with it as what we build. This principle resonates socially. Residents in the tri-national region live, work, and shop across borders, negotiating invisible boundaries. Crossing them carries a subtle sense of otherness; a feeling of entering a space where norms and expectations shift. Even with integration efforts, borders persist in perception and behavior, shaping daily life and urban space. Planning for perfection is essential, but sometimes uncalculated factors change the outcome. This excursion reminded me that my own approach to design should be inclusive; adaptable, context-aware, and responsive to the unexpected rhythms of life. #Architecture #UrbanDesign #LandscapeArchitecture #DesignThinking #SustainableDesign #ArchitectureObservation #SpatialDesign #Urbanism #CityLife #ArchitectureCommunity