Dezeen Magazine

550 Madison proposal by Snøhetta

This week, Snøhetta updated its controversial AT&T Building proposal

This week on Dezeen, Snøhetta revised its proposal for Philip Johnson's postmodern tower in New York, as Foster's 425 Park Avenue skyscraper reached a construction milestone.

Snøhetta has unveiled a more subtle approach for its overhaul of the AT&T Building in Midtown Manhattan, after a backlash against the initial scheme, which resulted in the building gaining landmark status.

The new design will "leave the bulk of the building alone", scrapping plans to insert large expanses of glass into the facade, and focusing on restoring and sprucing up the existing brickwork instead.

425 Park Avenue by Foster + Partners
Foster's 425 Park Avenue skyscraper tops out in New York

Elsewhere in the American city, Norman Foster celebrated a construction milestone as a beam was hoisted atop the 425 Park Avenue skyscraper.

Designed by his firm for New York's Park Avenue, it is the first office tower to occupy a full block in the area in 50 years. Foster has declared that it will "set new standards for workplace design".

Amsterdam council removes "I amsterdam" sign after it becomes selfie spot

Dutch authorities hit the headlines by removing of the "I amsterdam" letters from outside the Rijksmuseum. The controversial move is intended to reduce tourist numbers in the square, which is currently seen as one of Amsterdam's hottest selfie spots.

Meanwhile in the UK, the government was urged to consider the environmental cost of timber building restrictions, after it released details of its ban on combustible building materials last week, prompted by the Grenfell Tower fire.

Living Coral is Pantone's colour of the year for 2019
Living Coral is Pantone's colour of the year for 2019

World Building of the year was awarded  to WOHA for its green community for senior citizens in Singapore at the 2018 World Architecture Festival, before colour expert Pantone named Living Coral its colour of 2019.

The peachy orange shade references the nourishing impact of coral on sea life, as well as the "devastating" effect of today's society on the environment.

Portrait of Richard Rogers
Richard Rogers scoops 2019 AIA Gold Medal

British architect Richard Rogers was another award winner this week, receiving the 2019 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in recognition of his legacy to the field.

Meanwhile seven UK-based students scooped up this year's RIBA President's Medals, with the most prestigious of prizes taken by Sonia Magdziarz of the Bartlett School of Architecture.

MAD to build huge blue spiral staircase in old Fenix warehouse in Rotterdam

MAD has released visuals of its blue spiral viewing platform designed for a historic warehouse in Rotterdam, which is set to mark the "first public cultural building in Europe" to be designed by a Chinese architecture studio.

Meanwhile, Airbnb has announced details of its move into the architecture and construction industry, with plans to release a new housing prototype late next year.

Geoffrey Pascal's Grafeiphobia office furniture collection imitates being in bed
Grafeoiphobia is a furniture collection for desk-shy, bed-happy workers

Popular projects on Dezeen this week include a furniture collection for bed-happy workers, a prefabricated modular library, and a university building topped by a massive curving slab of concrete.