This startup hopes to bring autonomous campus shuttles to colleges by 2017

Since summer 2015, [Alex] Rodrigues and his team [at Varden Labs] have been tinkering with autonomous golf carts on university campuses...On the one hand, campus transit agencies, and particularly university ones, are uniquely posed to experiment with pricier autonomous vehicles...But these shuttles will also need maintenance...Plus, driverless shuttles will be the diving bell for a tricky, tricky question: how important are bus drivers?



More on Archinect: Google's self-driving car hits bus and causes its first crash The Ehang passenger drone might be another way people will get around town someday U.S. says computers qualify as drivers in Google's autonomous vehicles; won't even have to go to the DMV The U.S. just got $4 billion to spend on self-driving cars

Austin Mayor Steve Adler on the city’s growing pains

We’re growing faster than any other metropolitan area in the country, and we have been for the last five years...And the challenges are, with all the growth that we’re having, we’re going to stop being the city that we imagine that we are, that we remember being. We have to grow to be the city that we still recognize. So those challenges are not optional challenges for us to deal with, they’re the challenges for us to deal with.

As Austin rapidly becomes an "it" city, how will the city keep its character? Metropolis talks with Austin Mayor Steve Adler about the multiple challenges ahead. More on Archinect: Seven U.S. cities competing to be the "smartest" in urban transit systems Guns in the Studio: Texas' new campus carry law prompted Architecture Dean Fritz Steiner to resign. He joins us to discuss the law's effect on architecture education, on Continue reading "Austin Mayor Steve Adler on the city’s growing pains"

Four 2016 Wheelwright finalists to compete for $100K travel grant

It's already that time of year when the Harvard Graduate School of Design will soon award their next Wheelwright Prize recipient. First established by the school in 1935, the prestigious prize is a $100,000 travel architectural research grant awarded to one lucky early-career architect. Out of nearly 200 applicants from 45 countries for 2016, the jury selected four finalists.



They are: Samuel Bravo, Samuel Bravo Arquitecto | Santiago, Chile Matilde Cassani | Milan, Italy Anna Puigjaner, MAIO | Barcelona, Spain Pier Paolo Tamburelli, baukuh architects | Milan and Genoa, Italy Head over to Bustler to learn more about them. Previous Wheelwright Prize coverage on Archinect: 2015 Wheelwright Prize awarded to Erik L’Heureux Harvard GSD announces 2015 Wheelwright Prize finalists Jose M. Ahedo wins the 2014 Wheelwright Prize

Steven Holl, Hou de Sousa, and the Fairy Tales and eVolo Skyscraper Competition results are among this week’s winners

At the start of every week, we highlight some of the most recent news in competition-winning projects, commissions, awards, shortlists, and events on the newly redesigned Bustler from the previous week that are worth checking out.  Here's recap #101 for the week of March 21-25, 2016. Steven Holl will design the new Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study After winning in an invited competition, Steven Holl will make his mark again in Princeton, New Jersey with the new Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study. Have a first glimpse at Holl's winning proposal. Play ball! Get a glimpse of Hou de Sousa's winning Re-Ball! installation design What's better than being in an immersive LEGO-like art installation is being able to actually play with it, as seen in Hou de Sousa's "Raise/Raze" entry that won the Dupont Underground's Re-Ball! competition. Participants had to propose installation designs that Continue reading "Steven Holl, Hou de Sousa, and the Fairy Tales and eVolo Skyscraper Competition results are among this week’s winners"

2016 eVolo Skyscraper Competition winners revealed

Designers worldwide get to explore their own interpretations of what a skyscraper is in the annual eVolo Skyscraper Competition. The sky is indeed the limit for the competition, which gives participants complete freedom with their skyscraper designs. At the same time, entrants are challenged to re-examine the skyscraper's definition, purpose, and the potential for vertical living in the 21st century.



Here's a glimpse of the prize winners. 1st Place: "New York Horizon" by Yitan Sun and Jianshi Wu | United States 2nd place: "The Hive" by Hadeel Ayed Mohammad, Yifeng Zhao, and Chengda Zhu | United States 3rd place: "Data Tower" by Valeria Mercuri and Marco Merletti | Italy Head over to Bustler to find out more about the 2016 winners.

Sou Fujimoto to design immersive "Forest of Light" for Salone del Mobile 2016

'I envisage to make a forest of light. A forest which consists of countless light cones made from spotlights above. These lights pulsate and constantly undergo transience of state and flow.' “People meander through this forest, as if lured by the charm of the light. Light and people interact with one another, its existence defining the transition of the other.”

In another collaboration with top-notch designers, fashion label COS has teamed up with Sou Fujimoto to create a nature-inspired installation for Milan's Salone del Mobile 2016 next month. For COS' fifth year of taking part in the design fair, Fujimoto is creating a "Forest of Light" that will exhibit the brand's collection in what could be a mesmerizing combination of light and sound. "Forest of Light" draws inspiration from the experience of walking through a forest at twilight, which Fujimoto relates to his growing up in Hokkaido, where he
Continue reading "Sou Fujimoto to design immersive "Forest of Light" for Salone del Mobile 2016"

How one architect is working to fix Mexico City’s faulty water supply infrastructure

'Mexico City’s water system goes against its own functional essence. The city is dehydrating itself. We’re mixing our water with poisonous waste and then pumping it out through a complex network of pipes. Just like what happens when a human is dehydrated, Mexico City has diarrhea.' — Elias Cattan

"In a mega-metropolis with a deep history of corrupt leaders and state-sanctioned misinformation, [architect Elias Cattan of Taller 13] believes awareness is the first step. That’s why he’s part of a growing movement of environmental scientists, activists, designers and engineers determined to redesign Mexico City’s water supply management while educating its 9 million residents in the process." More related to public health issues on Archinect: EPA study finds no evidence that fracking has lead to polluted drinking water Should the children of Flint be resettled? Dispatch from Flint: How architects can help, on Archinect Sessions #54 One CEO's plan Continue reading "How one architect is working to fix Mexico City’s faulty water supply infrastructure"

Fairy Tales 2016 winners highlight real architectural issues through fictional storytelling

Fantastical fiction and harsh reality aren't so far apart in the winning narratives of the 2016 Fairy Tales Architecture Competition. Living in a time when the inevitable future is constantly on everyone's mind, this year's stories beautifully visualize and perhaps forewarn of what possibly awaits. Created by Blank Space, the international contest invites architects, artists, writers and the creatively inclined to pen their own architectural fairy tale narrative. Since Blank Space revealed their first set of winners in 2014, the competition's rapid growth can be worthy of its own story. The 2016 edition reeled in more than 1,500 entries from 67 countries — the largest pool of submissions in the competition's history by far. Plus, the level of creativity was as strong as ever, with poignant tales based on recent real-world incidents to thought-provoking critiques on architecture's current state — and future, of course.
Blank Space's "Fairy Tales: Continue reading "Fairy Tales 2016 winners highlight real architectural issues through fictional storytelling"

Seven U.S. cities competing to be the "smartest" in urban transit systems

The seven American cities that made the shortlist in the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Smart City Challenge are now deciding their strategies for winning the $40m prize fund...Transportation is the focus, so judges will be interested in self-driving and 'connected' cars, as well as 'smart streets' fitted with sensors. The aim will be to cut accidents, reduce pollution and increase commuter convenience.



The DOT shortlisted seven finalists instead of the originally planned five. They are:
  • Austin, Texas
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Portland, Oregon
  • San Francisco, California
More related to transportation technology on Archinect: U.S. says computers qualify as drivers in Google's autonomous vehicles; won't even have to go to the DMV Google's self-driving car hits bus and causes its first crash A first look at the Hyperloop's real tubes and imagined winged terminals "In LiDAR We Trust" – Poking the subconscious of autonomous vehicles with special guest Geoff Manaugh, on Archinect Sessions #43

SPARC, Grimshaw, BIG, Foster + Partners, and MJMA are among this week’s winners

At the start of every week, we highlight some of the most recent news in competition-winning projects, commissions, awards, shortlists, and events on the newly redesigned Bustler from the previous week that are worth checking out.  Here's recap #100 for the week of March 14-18, 2016. BIG, Foster + Partners, and Grimshaw to design 2020 World Expo theme pavilions Get a first glimpse of the three competition-winning designs for the centerpiece pavilions of the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. Each pavilion pertains to the 2020 Expo's overall theme. "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future". 2016 Curry Stone Design Prize awarded to SPARC, housing rights advocate for India's urban poor Non-profit group Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers won the prestigious Curry Stone Design Prize. Along with their partners National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF) and the all-women Mahila Milan, the three groups have dedicated the last 30 years protecting the interests of India's urban poor. US/Mexico b...

Get Lectured: AIANY New Practices New York 2016

Archinect's Architecture School Lecture Guide for Winter/Spring 2016 Archinect's Get Lectured is back in session. Get Lectured is an ongoing series where we feature a school's lecture series—and their snazzy posters—for the current term. Check back frequently to keep track of any upcoming lectures you don't want to miss. Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us your school's lecture series poster and details to [email protected]. The next poster features the AIANY New Practices New York Award lecture series, which starts this Wednesday. The 2016 winners will be in conversation with each other. See who's paired up with who right below. Mar 23
Studio Cadena & SO-IL Mar 30
Taller KEN & Michael Caton Apr 6
MODU & estudio Herreros Apr 20
Young Projects & ARO Apr 27
Schaum/Shieh & TBA May 4
stpmj & nARCHITECTS May 12
New Practices New York 2016 Exhibition Opening Lectures take place at 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Cosentino Showroom A&D Building. All events are free, but RSVP is required. Check out ...

$26M shortfall of Milan Expo U.S. Pavilion calls for change in funding process

Since the 1990s, the U.S. State Department has been barred from spending public funds on world expo pavilions. The result has been a series of disasters...Last year, the U.S. made a strong showing at the Milan Expo...But now comes a denouement that may cripple chances of there ever being a successful U.S. pavilion again: the architect, the exhibition designer, and the contractor have been paid only a fraction of what they are owed for work on the pavilion.

"According to sources who participated in a recent conference call between the [Friends of the USA Pavilion Milan 2015] group and the creditors [which includes Biber Architects and Thinc Design], there was discussion about whether federal departments other than State, such as the Department of Agriculture, could make up the shortfall. Another conference call is scheduled for March 24." Previous coverage about this project on Archinect: Hot Continue reading "$26M shortfall of Milan Expo U.S. Pavilion calls for change in funding process"

Despina Stratigakos on the emerging "third wave of feminism" in architecture

In 2000, women represented 13 percent of registered architects; today, that number stands at 19 percent. If this rate of progress holds, we’ll have to wait until 2093 before we reach a 50-50 gender split...Yet numbers alone won’t ensure retention if architecture’s gender-biased professional culture remains unchanged. Ten or 20 years from now, we may still be asking ourselves, 'Where are the women architects?'



Despina Stratigakos — whose Architect Barbie collaboration sparked heated debate a few years ago — reflects on architecture's glacial progress toward gender equity as well as the profession's emerging "third wave of feminism". More related to equity in architecture: Why International Women's Day matters (for architects) AIA's Diversity Survey shows some progress, but still skewed perceptions Latent Complexity: Denise Scott Brown and Katherine Darnstadt (Latent Design) on Archinect Sessions #39 Being an architect is sexy, according to modern society

How the Pritzker Prize came to be

As native Chicagoans, it’s not surprising that our family was keenly aware of architecture [...] While the architecture of Chicago made us cognizant of the art of architecture, our work with designing and building hotels made us aware of the impact architecture could have on human behavior. So in 1978, when we were approached with the idea of honoring living architects, we were responsive. — Thomas J. Pritzker



A brief history on the family behind "the architecture profession's highest honor", and how the prize was established. For more, check out Archinect's most recent coverage on the Pritzker Prize: Why is the Pritzker such a big deal? Aravena's Pritzker: A Critical Round-Up "Making A Pritzker Laureate" – Martha Thorne, executive director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, gives us an inside look at the prestigious award, on Archinect Sessions #48 Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, director of this year's Venice Biennale, named 2016 Pritzker Prize Laureate

Kazuyo Sejima envisions "camouflaged" design for Seibu’s new bullet train

Working with [Seibu Group's] design team, [Sejima] has proposed a concept for [their] 'Red Arrow' series that would be one with the environment, melding into the background as it travels through city and countryside. The plan represents a sharp deviation from train designs of the past, which have emphasized a bold, striking look through slick lines and bright colors. In contrast, Sejima has chosen keywords like 'friendly' and 'soft' to define her new vision for express trains in Japan.



More on Archinect: Watch SANAA's "River" project come to life in this time-lapse First glimpse: SANAA wins over Snøhetta for Budapest's new National Gallery + Ludwig Museum Cut away confusion from your NYC commute with these beautiful subway maps Will LA's new metro extension bring growth to the city's peripheries?

$6B expansion for Atlanta International Airport set to launch this year

Two giant, translucent canopies spanning several lanes of roadway and sidewalks outside the domestic terminal will be among the most visible aspects of a $6 billion expansion and renovation project at the world’s busiest airport during the next 20 years, officials announced last week. Among other goals for the coming year: improving wait times for passenger security screenings...'Americans will not tolerate a one-hour wait as normal.'



Previous airport-related news on Archinect: O’Hare airport announces $1.3B expansion deal A new LaGuardia is the "airport that New York deserves", says Gov. Cuomo Fancy $48M animal terminal to open in JFK Airport next year Beacons in the sky: photographer Carolyn Russo celebrates the architecture of airport towers

Jeanne Gang and La SHED are among this week’s winners

At the start of every week, we highlight some of the most recent news in competition-winning projects, commissions, awards, shortlists, and events on the newly redesigned Bustler from the previous week that are worth checking out. Here's recap #99 for the week of March 7-11, 2016. Jeanne Gang named 2016 Architect of the Year in Women in Architecture Awards
Image via Architectural Review. Known for creating bold and sustainably-minded designs like the Aqua Tower, Jeanne Gang won the jury's favor for her Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership project at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. Re-imagine Poveglia as a university campus island in YAC's latest competition Young Architects Competitions is accepting entries for their latest contest, "University Island", which invites architects worldwide to propose ideas on how they would transform the island of Poveglia into a university campus. James Corner is designing a field of ICEBERGS at the National Building Museum this summer James Corner Fiel...

Jeanne Gang, Dorte Mandrup, and La SHED are among this week’s winners

At the start of every week, we highlight some of the most recent news in competition-winning projects, commissions, awards, shortlists, and events on the newly redesigned Bustler from the previous week that are worth checking out.  Here's recap #99 for the week of March 7-11, 2016. Dorte Mandrup wins prestigious Träpriset prize for Råå Day Care Center Danish practice Dorte Mandrup Arkitekten won the Träpriset, one of Sweden's most prestigious architecture prizes. Awarded only every four years, the prize awards the best in wood design. Cecil Balmond announced as 2016 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medalist in Architecture Architect, artist, and writer Cecil Balmond won the Thomas Jefferson Medal for Architecture. Bestowed by the University of Virginia and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, individuals who receive the accolade are recognized for their dedication and achievements in areas that President Jefferson held in high regard. Jeanne Gang named 2016 Architect of the Year in Women in Archit...

Want to work in a giant basket? Ohio’s soon-vacated landmark faces uncertain future

[JRJR Networks] is eager to shed itself of the big basket, but that may not be easy. What non-basket-related company will want a giant basket to be the face of their company? Are there enough well-off eccentrics in or visiting Newark to convert it into market-rate apartments or a boutique hotel?...A deal to donate the building to the city no longer appears to be in the works, and foreclosure is a possibility.



A few throwbacks related to weird architecture in Archinect news: The politics behind China's ban on "weird" architecture Movie-themed resort in Macau to show off "figure-8" ferris wheel Southwark planners nix 'crude and literal' rocket-shaped flats 27 weird and compelling architectural evolutions of 2014

Architect behind Matrera Castle restoration argues criticism "is prejudiced"

A recently completed restoration project [of Spain's Matrera Castle] has provoked an incredulous reaction from some locals and a Spanish conservation group... However, Carlos Quevedo, the architect who oversaw the restoration of the castle...pointed out that the project had been painstaking, professional, and legal...'I do think that some basic, accurate information can help avoid some of the prejudices that spring from a simple image.'



Spain is having another cultural kerfuffle over the recent restoration of the ancient Matrera Castle in Cadiz. While locals and preservation groups are mocking and criticizing the makeover, architect Carlos Quevedo says that it was done to prevent further structural collapse.

More about historic preservation:

As Ho Chi Minh City develops rapidly, historic colonial architecture comes under threat

Has preservation become too conservative and elitist?

Another bittersweet look at Hotel Okura's legacy, as redesign is underway