African Architecture, Unreal Engine and more

Hello,

We hope you are enjoying your weekend! We would like to share with you some important updates from the past week.

Benin is set to participate in the Venice International Art Exhibition from April 20th to November 24th, 2024. This will be the country's first time participating in this international event.

Foster + Partners has released images of the ongoing construction of the China Merchants Bank HQ in Shenzhen. The building has now been topped out.

Kengo Kuma and Associates have recently revealed new renderings of the MIRAI Design District, which is their first mixed-use project in the United States.

Saudi Arabia has scaled down plans for "The Line," one of the world's most anticipated mega-projects. Originally, the project was expected to accommodate over 1.5 million residents, but according to Bloomberg's news, it will now host around 300,000 residents.

Computational Design: NEXT 16 is an online learning platform and conference created by some of the world's leading experts in computational design. The conference will take place this weekend.

Best regards,

Serra

Computational Design: NEXT 16

NEXT is a joint effort by leading experts in computational design to create an online learning platform and conference. Hosted by ParametricArchitecture, it will include workshops, discussions, demos, and speeches on April 20-21, 2024.

10 useful furniture design software for your personalized design solutions

The free-spirited nature of design is what makes it beautiful. Therefore, customization plays a huge role in shaping the very basics of architecture and interior design. It helps curate spaces that have character, meaning, and, most importantly, emotion attached to them.

Beyond Tradition: The rebirth of contemporary African Architecture

Africa comprises 54 recognized countries, contributing to its extremely diverse architectural styles. Each nation’s unique style is reflected in its buildings. With the continuous advancement of the world, contemporary African architecture has evolved, showcasing innovations such as sustainable materials and designs while still preserving its vernacular elements and traditional styles.

SketchUp launches new interior scanner feature that creates 3D models

SketchUp for iPad has launched a new interior scanner feature called Scan-to-Design. This feature captures and interprets scans of interior spaces or exterior building data and transforms them into clean, organized 3D geometry, creating an immediate starting point for conceptual design.

Deconstructing Deconstruction: The architectural philosophy of Peter Eisenman

The oldest teaching and practicing architect in the world, Peter Eisenman, is one of the most contentious figures in the field of architecture and is known for his architectural work and theoretical essays. Eisenman has continually challenged the classical understanding of form in architecture and is keenly interested in investigating form-meaning relationships.

Sou Fujimoto: What lies beneath complex structures?

At the beginning of time, architecture was designed based on human needs. However, with the continuous growth and evolution of the world, buildings began to be designed in consideration of human culture and behavior. This is why you see different architectural styles in various countries and regions.

Unreal Engine: Essential features and architectural impacts

Unreal Engine (UE) is a flexible and powerful real-time 3D creator engine all over the globe that provides photorealistic visuals and inspiring experiences. Blueprints and C++ are the primary development tools in UE, which is extremely portable and compatible with a wide range of desktop, mobile, console, and virtual reality platforms.

Applications of parametric design in urban planning

When discussing urban planning as a discipline, one must recognize the multifaceted and complex responsibilities it carries. There is no single ultimate goal within its objective but rather an array of ideas and strategies that should assist in shaping urban environments in a way that will meet the needs of the growing local populations while ensuring sustainability and resilience.

How can regenerative design improve ecosystems, communities, and cities?

Regenerative design is an approach that focuses on making social, economic, and environmental systems better. The goal of this strategy is to protect ecosystems and communities and make them stronger. Ecosystems’ natural cycles and processes are used as motivation for regenerative design.

The harmonious architecture of SANAA

How do we define the boundaries of simplicity within the realm of architecture? And when does simplicity transcend minimalism, evolving into an art form embodying a profound philosophy of space, light, and form? These questions find their way to the surface when analyzing such works as those of SANAA.