Articles by Paula Cano

Staged stories on community and identity, ephemeral architecture showed that in 2022 it doesn’t have to be permanent to be powerful. A direct and popped-up public installation can shift from preparation to action, reclaiming and defining what makes a community unique. Highlighting installations to acknowledge linguistic diversity in NYC, a giant table to celebrate culinary in Barcelona, and a large-scale net in Dubai to represent the local culture, among others, these initiatives seek to understand ways in which local and regional expressions can help cities to be more equal and diverse.

Snøhetta, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), and the New York Public Library (NYPL) unveiled designs for a new 12,000-square-foot branch library in the Westchester Square neighborhood of The Bronx, NYC. Inspired by the surrounding greenery, the energy-efficient building will be wrapped in pastoral print fritted glass, defining the new structure as an important economic and educational node within the neighborhood. Construction on the new Library is anticipated to start during mid-to-late 2023.

New York’s Museum of Sex announces its expansion to Miami in spring 2023 with a 3000-square-meters museum designed by the international studio Snøhetta. The converted warehouse will feature three extensive exhibition galleries, retail space, and a bar to preserve, present, and celebrate the cultural significance of human sexuality in one of the most vibrant and diverse arts communities in the USA. The inaugural program will include work by Hajime Sorayama and Super Funland: Journey into the Erotic Carnival, the museum’s main immersive experience.

The Butrint Management Foundation (BMF) has revealed the four teams that will design the new visitor center for Butrint National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Albania’s Ionian coastline. Kengo Kuma & Associates, Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects, Philippe PROST / AAPP, and William Matthews Associates were selected to create concept designs for the 1,000m² visitor hub at the country’s most iconic cultural destination, home to artifacts and structures dating from the Iron Age up until the Middle Ages. The proposals will be judged in 2023, and the new visitor center is due to completion in 2025.

UNStudio and b720 Arquitectos, in collaboration with engineering firm Esteyco, were selected to deliver the integral remodeling for Madrid-Chamartín Clara Campoamor Station and its urban integration. Among the proposals submitted by the world’s leading architecture firms, the winning design was chosen for its integral program of efficiency, sustainability, and inclusivity. As “Europe’s largest urban regeneration project,” the railway hub will extend 2.3 million square meters to become an international benchmark in the Spanish Capital.

Koolhaas’ journalism work won him fame in architecture before he completed a single building. The switch from storyteller to architect was more a change in the script than a professional shift. He pointed out that “[architecture] is a form of scriptwriting that implicitly describes human and spatial relationships.” Restating the role of architecture in defining daily life beyond buildings and cities’ construction, architecture is also a written and spoken tool capable of explaining daily worldwide events, giving voices to unspoken projects, and actively shaping the future of the architect’s role. 

In collaboration with architecture and engineering consultancy Sweco and landscape architects Tredje Natur, Zaha Hadid Architects was selected to deliver the new Aarhus football stadium in Denmark. Dubbed the “Arena of the Forest,” the stadium will be embedded within the city’s Marselisborg forest, offering public and ticketed spaces all year round while revealing glimpses of the surrounding landscape. Scheduled for opening in 2026, the complex will cover 69,912 square meters, including the Aarhus arena and the renovation of the adjacent ‘Stadionhallerne’ building completed in 1918 by architect Axel Høgh-Hansen.

The new cultural destination Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts in Al-Ula desert, Saudi Arabia, unveiled its first permanent large-scale installations by some of the world’s most compelling contemporary artists. Agnes Denes, Ahmed Mater, James Turrell, Manal AlDowayan, and Michael Heizer will be the first five to be completed and unveiled by 2024, starting a program of commissions with more renowned artists to be announced.

The contemporary museum in Sydney, Powerhouse Ultimo, announced the winning architectural design to revamp its past galleries and bring innovative exhibitions and educational spaces. From more than 100 registrations across Australia, the selected proposal was designed by Australian team Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity, and Arup. The winning team will deliver a world-class visionary museum that will support the creative industries in Australia and reinforce Sydney’s reputation as a global cultural destination.

The ninth edition of the MPavilion opened with an orange canopy installation designed by Bangkok-based practice all(zone) in collaboration with AECOM and Schiavello Architects. From December 2022 to April 2023, visitors will experience a vibrant and joyful setting made of upcycling materials, featuring an architectural lighting program by Melbourne-based design practice Bluebottle.