Architecture

December 13, 2020

Architects Renovate a Decaying Siheyuan To Thoughtfully Blend Tradition With Modern Design

Architectural restorations of historical projects are difficult to achieve. How do designers respect an original work while preparing it for modern use? Archstudio’s renovation of a Chinese siheyuan blends traditional and modern design practices in a project called Qishe. The name is a combination of two words: “qi,” which translates to seven in reference to the number of buildings in the complex; and “she” which translates to house.

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December 5, 2020

Revolutionary ‘CopenHill’ Offers Snow-Free Skiing on Top of a Power Plant

Sustainable architecture is a difficult term to define. Often, we measure how “green” a building is through metrics provided by third-party certification systems like LEED or the Living Building Challenge. The recently completed CopenHill project is a new brand of sustainable buildings—one that is environmentally friendly through its very existence.

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November 20, 2020

Japanese Village Hosts “Water Hose Festival” To Test Its Impressive Fire Extinguishing System

Twice a year, the picturesque and quiet village of Kayabuki no Sato puts on a popular water display. Though the event does attract tourists, its true purpose is to test the 62 fire extinguishers scattered across the historic site. Just before the houses (and the passersby) are doused with water, small huts designed in the traditional style of the village open up their roofs to reveal hidden mechanical sprinklers.

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October 27, 2020

Architects Reveal New Images of ‘The Whale’ Museum in Arctic Circle

Development of Dorte Mandrup’s The Whale is back on track following a historic discovery that left the future of the building’s site undecided. The Danish architecture firm first won the design competition for a whale observation attraction in the Arctic Circle in late 2019—besting entries from other impressive firms such as BIG and Snøhetta.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.