Highlights
"Enter the rise of the nouveau homesteader"
Gen Zs and millennials adopting the "homesteading" lifestyle trend are onto something, writes Michelle Ogundehin. More about "Enter the rise of the nouveau homesteader"
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Architecture
"Is Mercury Tower a saviour or symptom of Malta's urban fate?"
Zaha Hadid Architects' twisting Mercury Tower is a symbol of Malta's confused urban priorities and raises questions about how much influence individual buildings should have over a place, writes Ann Dingli. More about "Is Mercury Tower a saviour or symptom of Malta's urban fate?"
Product design
"The 'worst product ever' has a lot to admire"
A screenless smartphone alternative powered by artificial intelligence, the Humane AI Pin was savaged by critics but designers should not make the mistake of dismissing it entirely, writes Abb-d Taiyo. More about "The 'worst product ever' has a lot to admire"
Mid-century modern
"I love mid-century modern but it makes me sad"
Mid-century modern design may meet our needs even more now than when it first appeared, but that doesn't mean we should idolise the style, writes John Jervis. More about "I love mid-century modern but it makes me sad"
Mid-century modern
"There was a profound belief in the power of the polymath during the mid-century period"
We should bring back the holistic approach and interdisciplinary ethos of the mid-century modern designers, argues Dominic Bradbury as part of our mid-century modern design series. More about "There was a profound belief in the power of the polymath during the mid-century period"
Film
"Megalopolis is a reminder that the heroic conception of the architect is an intoxicating one"
Francis Ford Coppola's bizarre new epic movie about a visionary architect has been panned by critics. Will Wiles asks what it all says about the profession's role within contemporary popular culture. More about "Megalopolis is a reminder that the heroic conception of the architect is an intoxicating one"
RIBA
"It's time to think about retiring the role of RIBA president"
The role of RIBA president is a Victorian-era relic that has lost its relevance and should be scrapped, writes Catherine Slessor. More about "It's time to think about retiring the role of RIBA president"
Grenfell Tower fire
"We should all take the Grenfell Tower report as a mighty, much overdue wake-up call"
The findings of the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire should serve as a stark warning to architects to ensure they fully understand their contractual responsibilities, writes expert witness Paul Hyett. More about "We should all take the Grenfell Tower report as a mighty, much overdue wake-up call"
Architecture
"The distinction between theme parks and urban venues is rapidly dissolving"
As "immersive experiences" continue to proliferate, Shane Reiner-Roth considers the implications for our relationship with architecture and the built environment. More about "The distinction between theme parks and urban venues is rapidly dissolving"
Grenfell Tower fire
"The shadow of Grenfell Tower's burnt-out husk will follow the refurbishment architect forever"
As the long-awaited final report from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire is published, Nat Barker reflects on the role of the lead architect on the building's notorious refurbishment project. More about "The shadow of Grenfell Tower's burnt-out husk will follow the refurbishment architect forever"
Preservation
"Instead of the restrictive modernist concept of heritage, how about a postmodern one?"
An updated, postmodern value framework for architecture preservation is needed to protect buildings that are young or ubiquitous as well as those that are exceptional, writes Owen Hopkins. More about "Instead of the restrictive modernist concept of heritage, how about a postmodern one?"
Product design
"The role of smartphones in contemporary life feels increasingly stupid"
Smartphone design has been getting worse and worse while the industry itself has become an environmental and humanitarian nightmare, writes Phineas Harper. More about "The role of smartphones in contemporary life feels increasingly stupid"
Sustainable design
"Design as we know it is doomed, but that's a good thing for designers"
The inevitable transition from a take-make-waste society to a circular economy presents exciting and rewarding challenges for designers, writes Sarah Housley. More about "Design as we know it is doomed, but that's a good thing for designers"
Olympic Impact
"The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action"
The row over air conditioning in the athletes' village at the Paris 2024 Olympics demonstrates the scale of the challenge we face in gaining acceptance for sustainable building technologies, writes Smith Mordak as part of our Olympic Impact series. More about "The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action"
Olympic Impact
"Paris has had more than 100 years to prepare to host the Olympics"
Olympic Games should be planned decades in advance to give more cities in the Global South the chance of hosting and reaping the cultural and infrastructural benefits, writes Christian Benimana as part of our Olympic Impact series. More about "Paris has had more than 100 years to prepare to host the Olympics"
Las Vegas
"The Sphere is the final form of the 20th-century American city"
Few recent buildings have caused as much of a sensation as the MSG Sphere Las Vegas. Now that the initial hype has died down, Matt Shaw reflects on its significance. More about "The Sphere is the final form of the 20th-century American city"
Olympic Impact
"The fascinating element of these Olympics are their ephemeral nature as well as their lasting impact"
François Chatillon reflects on the architectural legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as part of our Olympic Impact series. More about "The fascinating element of these Olympics are their ephemeral nature as well as their lasting impact"
Housing
"Building 1.5 million homes is not the same as solving the housing crisis"
Keir Starmer's newly elected government has made big promises about increasing housing supply in England without properly explaining why it wants to do so, writes Peter Apps. More about "Building 1.5 million homes is not the same as solving the housing crisis"
Colour
"We can humanise our existing spaces simply by deploying the radical power of colour"
Making our buildings more colourful would be an easy and effective way to achieve the aims of Thomas Heatherwick's Humanise campaign, writes Laura Guido-Clark. More about "We can humanise our existing spaces simply by deploying the radical power of colour"
Design
"'Ideadiversity' may be at an all-time low"
As monocultures continue to spread sameness throughout the human and natural world, Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter set out ways that designers can ensure they maintain creative diversity. More about "'Ideadiversity' may be at an all-time low"