The Wall Street Journal (February 3, 2025): The New Orleans Superdome is set to host Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. The stadium’s latest $560M renovation–from the concession stands to the seating bowl–helped save it from demolition after Hurricane Katrina.
Chapters: 0:00 Evolving stadiums 0:52 Superdome history 1:32 The path to your seat and crowd control 3:33 New concession stands 4:54 The seating bowl 6:42 What’s next for stadium innovation?
NFL games have increasingly become more expensive with the addition of amenities like luxury field suites and club lounges, but all of these redesigns are done in order to increase revenue and efficiency. WSJ spoke with the architect behind the Superdome’s plan, who explains how stadium design is evolving to create more revenue streams.
CBS Mornings (December 9, 2024): Saturday was a special day in Paris as Notre Dame Cathedral held its first mass in more than five years after a fire in April 2019 destroyed much of the cathedral’s roof. Senior foreign correspondent Seth Doane has been following the renovation over the years.
Architectural Digest (September 19, 2024) – Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects joins AD in New York as he returns to Central Park to explore the thousands of years of history found there.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:28 Columbus Circle 01:55 Glen Span Arch 03:44 Cleopatra’s Needle 05:45 The Blockhouse 06:41 The Arsenal 08:23 McGown’s Pass 10:40 Strangers’ Gate
Although Central Park itself would not have existed 200 years ago, you can track the use of the land back 13,000 years. From ancient Native American trails to billion-year-old rocks, take an in-depth look at the thousands of years of history housed inside this iconic park.
Architectural Digest (August 9, 2024) – Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects returns to AD, this time breaking down four of the most common styles of college campus. Universities have been around for almost a thousand years and in that time have seen their designs evolve through the generations.
From the collegiate gothic halls of Yale to modern and brutalist buildings later added to the campuses of Harvard and UPenn, Wyetzner takes an in depth look at some of the most famous styles of college architecture to look out for this semester.
Dezeen (January 24, 2024) – French-Brazilian studio Triptyque has completed an 85-metre-high residential development in São Paulo that offers its occupants indoor-outdoor living.
Onze22 consists of two towers, with the largest containing 24 storeys. Balconies wrap the building on three sides, allowing apartments to extend outdoors.
Architectural Digest (January 1, 2024) – Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects joins AD in New York for an in-depth walking tour of the United Nations.
Founded in 1945, the UN now comprises 193 member states, all of whom assemble at their modernist headquarters on the bank of the East River in NYC. The birthplace of international diplomacy, the United Nations became the first major building in New York to represent International Style architecture.
Architectural Record (November 27, 2023) – From a mammoth Norman Foster monograph to a loving tribute to Aino and Alvar Aalto penned by their grandson, RECORD’s 2023 book picks include an assortment of notable titles perfect for holiday gifting—and keeping.
The Iconic British House by Dominic Bradbury. Foreword by Alain de Botton. Thames & Hudson, 320 pages, $65.
“This book should leave us inspired, and a little angry, in a fruitful way,” writes Alain de Botton in his foreword to this hefty, decade-hopping survey of modern domestic architecture in Britain. Kicking off with an Arts and Crafts treasure in Surrey designed by Edwin Lutyens as a rural retreat for “ladies of small means,” the book’s 50 featured domiciles—lushly photographed by Richard Powers—are pointedly diverse in style and context but unified by their creative flair, ingenuity, and ability to induce acute house envy. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Matt Hickman
Building Practice edited by Kyle Miller and Molly Hunker. Applied Research + Design Publishing, 400 pages, $35.
Molly Hunker and Kyle Miller assemble a veritable who’s who of up-and-coming architects, designers, educators, and fabricators in Building Practice. Short, thematic essays, followed by interviews with 32 contributors explore what it means to build a practice, as well as how to practice the skill of building. Far from a run-of-the-mill compilation of flashy projects, this reader on the profession’s next generation offers up valuable insight that many young practitioners would be wise to heed. Leopoldo Villardi
Aino + Alvar Aalto: A Life Together by Heikki Aalto-Alanen. Thames & Hudson, 352 pages, $150.
Even though Alvar Aalto remains one of the most studied subjects in architectural history, his grandson Heikki Aalto-Alanen brings readers something new and unexpected—a love story. This deeply personal account of Aino and Alvar’s life together, replete with sketches and photographs, is told through never-before-published letters that reveal Aino’s often overlooked role in the creative partnership. As Sigfried Giedion wrote in 1949, after her unexpected death: “Their true secret is perhaps that, as people, while they are the complete opposites, they are also equals.” LV
Designing the Forest and other Mass Timber Futures by Lindsey Wikstrom. Routledge, 246 pages, $35.
Mass timber is often seen as an ecologically responsible alternative to concrete and steel. But this is not a given, since building at scale with wood introduces a whole set of new challenges. This is why Lindsey Wikstrom’s book is so welcome. While advocating use of mass timber for its carbon-storing capabilities and potential to be nonextractive, she debunks misguided assumptions and probes ethical and environmental considerations. Designing the Forest provides a deep dive into the material’s complexities and its opportunities. Joann Gonchar, FAIA
Paris Moderne: 1914–1945 by Jean-Louis Cohen and Guillemette Morel Journel. Flammarion, 356 pages, $65.
When Jean-Louis Cohen unexpectedly died in August, Gwendolyn Wright wrote in record that the profession had lost “the most insightful, wide-ranging, lyrical, and prolific historian of modern architecture.” Published posthumously, Paris Moderne, 1914–1945 surveys French design culture, from the overlooked to the widely known. Bookended with photo-essays by Antonio Martinelli, this encyclopedic volume would feel at home in the library of any historian or Francophile. LV
The Advanced School of Collective Feeling: Inhabiting Modern Physical Culture 1926–38 by Nile Greenberg and Matthew Kennedy. Park Books, 176 pages, $40.
From the scantily clad figures on its cover to a ribbon bookmark that doubles as an architectural scale, The Advanced School of Collective Feeling is every bit as playful as it is a book about play. This jog through the history of physical culture vis-à-vis modern architecture features a series of drawings (beautifully rendered in metallic ink over black paper) and an impressive assortment of archival imagery. Taking the book over the finish line: a collection of somersaulting, weight-lifting, and jeté-ing silhouettes that are bound to elicit more than a few smiles. LV
Reuse in Construction: A Compendium of Circular Architecture edited by Eva Stricker, Guido Brandi, Andreas Sonderegger, Marc Angst, Barbara Buser, and Michel Massmünster. Park Books, 344 pages, $75.
Green-building advocates agree that the construction industry is in dire need of an alternative to its typical “take-make-waste” model. But, so far, circular processes are extremely difficult for most architects to implement. Reuse in Construction is intended to help address this problem with an in-depth documentation of K.188, a building-expansion project in Winterthur, Switzerland, that relied almost exclusively on reused components. In addition to this case study, the book discusses the long history of circularity in architecture, as well as a range of practical concerns, including legal, economic, and energy-related issues. JG
Reclaimed: New Homes from Old Materials by Penny Craswell. Thames & Hudson, 272 pages, $45.
The World Green Building Council estimates that the built environment is responsible for 40 percent of global carbon emissions—10 percent stemming directly from embodied carbon from new materials and construction. Reclaimed offers an alternative to the status quo, demonstrating how to reuse materials for contemporary residential design. Divided into four material categories—brick, timber, metal, and postconsumer waste (denim repurposed as insulation, or recycled-plastic countertops, for example)—this thoughtful guide catalogues 24 houses and apartments across the world. Matthew Marani
Hamptons Modern: Contemporary Living on the East End by David Sokol. The Monacelli Press, 224 pages, $65.
Intrepid New Yorker and record contributing editor David Sokol travels the East End of Long Island, exploring how the area’s roots in Modernism are shaping its contemporary residential architecture (apart from the manses for the rich and famous). Highlighting 18 houses, on both the South and North Forks, Sokol organizes this richly illustrated work into three sections: Stewarding the Past, Extending the Legacy, and Setting New Precedents. Infused with history, anecdotes, and interviews, this engaging ode to a design movement’s influence in time and place would be an asset to many libraries—and it’s a pleasure to read. Linda C. Lentz
John Ike: 9 Houses, 9 Stories by John Ike and Mitchell Owens. Vendome Press, 304 pages, $75.
A chartreuse cloth cover with blue and tangerine lettering make this eye-catching showcase of residential work difficult to miss on a bookstore shelf. Nine dwellings—deeply contemporary yet full of historical references—slowly unfold over 304 pages, accompanied by the personal stories behind their making. But, reflecting on the collaborative nature of practice, the storytellers are just as varied as the houses. Among them are clients and contractors, as well as former firm partners Tom Kligerman and Joel Barkley. “9 Houses, 9 Stories is intended as a salute to our work,” Ike writes in the introduction. “It also marks the official end to the 34-year run of Ike Kligerman Barkley.” Each of the three architects has now gone out on his own, and readers will need to patiently wait to see what’s next in store. LV
Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of Urban Change by Lynne B. Sagalyn. The MIT Press, 440 pages, $40.
Take a front-row seat to the detailed chronicle of the making, remaking, “ruin,” and revival of New York’s “symbolic soul.” From Times Square’s Gilded Age inception as a highbrow arts destination to its working-class takeover as a carnivalesque playground, then its decline into a destination for pornography and prostitution and the 20-year sanitization campaign that followed, Columbia University professor emerita Lynne Sagalyn doesn’t confine herself to the broad strokes of financial deals or political machinations. She emphasizes the street-level humanity that has persisted at the “crossroads of the world,” throughout the fluctuations in its identity. Pansy Schulman
Norman Foster: Complete Works 1965–Today by Norman Foster. Taschen, 1,064 pages, $350.
Accompanying the Norman Forster retrospective held at Paris’s Centre Pompidou earlier this year, this monograph is undoubtedly the heavyweight—literally, at 26 pounds—of architecture-book offerings in 2023. Neatly packaged in a 19″ by 15¼” by 5½” cardboard carton, this two-volume edition (one is titled “works” and the other “networks”) presents the Pritzker Prize–winning architect’s life, work, and personal interests in XXL format, with writings by Taschen regular Philip Jodidio and Foster himself. Not suitable for those who prefer to travel light! LV
The Faces of Contemporary Cities edited by Davide Ponzini. Rizzoli, 240 pages, $65.
The story of Permasteelisa began in Italy 50 years ago. That small window manufacturer grew to become the company behind the facades of some of the world’s most famous buildings, including Renzo Piano’s Shard in London and Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao. This book reveals how the work of these architectural giants is made possible in part by companies such as Permasteelisa, which draws on its constant research into technology and materials to offer solutions for constructing the most futuristic buildings. With texts by international urban planning scholars and data analysis and georeferencing methodologies developed at the Transnational Architecture and Urbanism Lab (TAU-Lab) of the Politecnico di Milano, the book shows how Permasteelisa’s know-how has allowed it to shape the faces of many contemporary cities such as New York, Paris, London, Berlin, Frankfurt, Milan, Hong Kong, and Sydney.
The Hotel Mys Khao Yai is located near the forest of Khao Yai National Park in Khaoyai, Thailand, designed on the concept of the ‘Elevated Ground Floor’. Hotel guests leisure through the rush landscape to reach their room. Every guest room is like a small forest cabin in itself. Therefore all rooms are suite rooms equipped with living area, bathroom ensuite, balcony and trees.
The design urges all guests to be exposed to nature to the fullest with a high standard of luxury living. The sky acrylic pool with a clear view of the mountain offers the glimpse of being part of nature. As a twist of an excitement, guests are swimming in the cantilevered pool structure as if they are swimming into the sky.
With only 24 keys, the hotel Mys is exclusively designed for private events with a central plaza that leads to the pool terrace as an altar. Suitable for a cozy party of family and friends or special event.
The Architectural Review (November 2023) – The November issue of The Architectural Review showcases the shortlisted architects of the 2023 AR Emerging awards, who are leading the way in careful adaptive reuse and ecological ways of building around the world. But emerging into an industry that is overly reliant on unpaid labour and race-to-the-bottom fee structures has always been difficult.
Since these conditions are rarely discussed, this issue is also dedicated to ‘beginnings’ and their paradoxes: ‘you are supposed to begin knowing something but also doing something completely new,’ writes Renee Gladman in the Keynote. Taking in napkin sketches, competitions, references and photographs, AR November 2023 serves a useful reminder that others came before, and that the beginning is behind us.
Harvard GSD – HARVARD DESIGN MAGAZINE S/S 22 (SUMMER 2023) – ISSUE 50: TODAY’S GLOBAL – How is design advancing the definition of globalization beyond the mere movement of capital to a more nuanced, projective, and equitable discourse and practice? Our world’s ugly histories and daunting challenges—environmental, political, social, ethical, and economic—have compelled new forms of cooperation, motivated by the vital optimism of those inheriting our shared planet.
Lewis Mumford in introducing his now-classic study The City in History wrote, “This book opens with a city that was, symbolically, a world: it closes with a world that has become, in many practical aspects, a city.”1 He saw among the chief functions of the city the conversion of energy into culture. Indeed, the city of old was the anchor of the surrounding culture and synonymous with it. However in the decades since he wrote, the energies of cities have been fueled by an increasingly diverse population with increasingly diverse cultures. Cities are the very places where we see the effects of global migration and face the questions of identity in a complex multicultural society. Today there are a multitude of cities that are, symbolically, the world with all its diversity. Not just New York and London, but Minneapolis and Leeds are today’s world-cities. And the globalization of people, communications, and transportation has created a world that is, in many ways, a city.
The architectural profession is in the midst of a long-overdue ethical reckoning. For years, it could ride the tidal wave of globalization to bigger and better commissions while still claiming that it was fighting the good fight. Nowadays, architects are more likely to be on the defensive. Our most celebrated architectural minds are routinely chastised in the media for placing personal vanity above the interests of the general public. And the fact that many of them have been far too willing to brush aside a client’s dubious ethics for the right commission has done little to dispel that perception.
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