Year in Review: Did We Reach Peak-Biennial in 2019?
The proliferation of these events begs the question: Who is the targeted audience of a biennial, and whom does its staging benefit?
Ideas
Politics Has Failed Mothers. Can Design Help?
Designers, curators, and entrepreneurs are scrambling to make sense of motherhood in a culture that’s often hostile to it.
At the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Wondering "Can Architects Curate?"
Despite some smart research, this edition's glut of information and ignorance of context reflects architecture's crisis of curation, our critic writes.
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Revisiting the Meaning of “Native Architecture”
Chris Cornelius of studio:indigenous speaks with Metropolis about (de)colonization in the practice, education, and experience of architecture.
At the Thai-Burma Border, a Garbage Dump Transforms Into a Bustling Community Center
Estudio Cavernas trains Burmese migrants to sustainably construct their own community center at the heart of a municipal waste site.
In London, a Researcher Guides Biodesign into Uncharted—and Newly Relevant—Territory
With the launch of a new master's degree, Carole Collet is helping define and advance the rather amorphous discipline.
Bauhausmädels is a (Mostly) Wholesome Tribute to the Eclipsed Women of the Storied School
Filled to the brim with period photographs, the book depicts several dozen female Bauhäusler in various guises and often playful moods.
Upali Nanda Blends Science and Design to Connect Wellness to the Built Environment
Nanda, HKS's principal and director of research, has developed a system she calls point-of-decision design (PoDD); it seeks maximum healthy returns from the simplest solutions.
Planning For (In)Justice: Toni Griffin's Mission to Foster Equitable Cities
Griffin founded the consultancy Urban Planning for the American City, which she complements with her pedagogical work at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
On Chicago's South Side, a Bold Mixed-Use Healthcare Project Aims to Be a Community Anchor and Public Health Salve
The proposed design of the Focal Point Community Campus for the southwest side of Chicago puts health care at the center of a holistic approach to…
Revisiting America's Little-Known Experimental Suburbs
In a new book, CityLab editor Amanda Kolson Hurley wants architects and planners to take a fresh look at the suburbs.
The Lighting Research Center Is Making Exciting Connections Between Light, Color, and Well-Being
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) is doubling down on efforts to educate designers and manufacturers about the potential impact light has on human health.
Good Neighbors: How Architecture Schools Are Rethinking Their Relationship to Rust Belt Cities
A recent national gathering of architecture educators in Pittsburgh highlighted the myriad ways architecture schools can help their nearby underserved communities.
Despite Its Oft-Copied Look, the Sea Ranch Still Provides Rich Architectural and Social Lessons for Today
An exhibition at SFMOMA doesn’t dwell on the development’s prehistory and afterlife, but rather tries to recover some of its original sensibility.
GAME CHANGERS 2019: 6 Individuals, Practices, and Movements Changing Design
We are proud to present our Game Changers 2019, who are advancing architecture, design, urbanism with courage, compassion, and imagination.
GAME CHANGERS: The Hip Hop Designers Challenging the Architecture Establishment
Born in the ’90s from hip-hop culture, this critical architecture movement has been coalescing for decades though may be poised for a second wave.
From Housing to Activism, the Next Chicago Architecture Biennial Will Bring Global Issues to Chicago
Yesomi Umolu, the artistic director of the upcoming Chicago Architecture Biennial, discusses the themes and narratives to be explored at this year’s event.
MVRDV Ponders Cities of the Future in PoroCity: Opening Up Solidity
The book, released in November, advocates for porous forms that tackle the stifling effects of urban density, offering social, environmental, and economic value.
Hudson Yards Promised a High-Tech Neighborhood—It Was a Greater Challenge Than Expected
While Hudson Yards delivers on some advanced infrastructure, its initial promises of urban data-driven management have (so far) proved more aspirational than practical.
How NOMA Is Helping Architects of Color to Shape Our Future Cities
Metropolis speaks with Kimberly Dowdell, the Detroit-based president of NOMA, about her vision for expanding the influence of architects of color.
