The expansive building boasts unique architectural elements throughout the exterior and interior

Designed by French architecture firm Jean Nouvel the museum hosts eleven galleries centered around the preserved palace of the late sheikh abdullah bin jassim al thani. Included within the eleven galleries are music, poetry, architectural projects, expansively projected art films, and commissioned artwork. The historical palace is the primary exhibit of the entire gallery experience. Funding for the project was provided by his highness sheikh tamim bin hamad bin khalifa al thani.

Architecturally characterized by large seemingly random assortments of intersecting disks the museum takes on a unique sculptural aesthetic. Inspiration was drawn from the natural crystallization of surface level salt basin minerals known as the desert rose. Some disks are oriented vertically for structural support while others are horizontal and angled. Overlap provides for varied interior spaces and cantilevered exterior portions that provide natural shade throughout the space. This is one aspect that helped the NMoQ achieve a four star rating from the global sustainability assessment system and gold LEED certification, receiving both as the first museum to ever do so.

jean nouvel’s national museum of qatar opens to the public

Inspired by Japanese Cherry Blossoms

Designed by Tokujin Yoshioka as an aluminum extrusion with a rose gold finish to resemble the Cherry Blossom, the torch features five petals that fuse into the handle. The Aluminum used for its production was sourced from the waste of makeshift housing in response to the devastating tsunami and earthquake of 2011. This material decision plays a significant role in the meaning of the torch, which is to display peace and recovery.

I designed the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch in the wish for peace and healing of hearts in a recovering area

Tokujin Yoshioka

The individual petals each feature their own flame that then combine in the center of the torch to further symbolize unity and hope for peace amongst all people. Inclusivity is also considered for those who must carry the torch by emphasizing an ergonomic grip, being lightweight, and a front facing surface mark for the visually impaired.

Japanese cherry blossoms inform Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch design

The Sci-Fi dystopian visuals used scans of Iceland

Epic Games wanted to highlight the power of their Unreal Engine at GDC this year by developing a photorealistic video in partnership with Quixel. It’s hard to believe the footage is digitally generated, but that’s in partial thanks to 1,000 plus scans of Iceland that helped create the modeling assets for the team.

The stunning scenery paired with with the eerie atmosphere, future vehicle, and monolithic building create an impressive platform to display the capabilities of Unreal Engine 4.21.

https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/21/unreal-engine-short-film-photorealism-epic-games-quixel/

Europe’s first aquatic dining experience

Claimed to be the “world’s largest underwater restaurant,” the project titled Under was designed by Snøhetta off the rocky coast of Båly, Norway. The 34 meter long tubular concrete structure projects into the North Sea and features an 11×3 meter glass expanse for viewing marine wildlife.

For most of us, this is a totally new world experience. It’s not an aquarium, it’s the wildlife of the North Sea.

Rune Grasdal, lead architect

The concrete exterior is half a meter thick and slightly curved to accommodate for the power of Mother Nature. It is left in a rawly textured form to encourage the growth of a mussel reef that would help clean the water and draw more marine life.

The interior features a descending Oak staircase that connects three floors from the Foyer, to the bar, and the restaurant. The space feels comfortably open with interior materials transitioning from warm oak wall paneling and furniture to cool seabed colored fabric acoustic panels.

Snøhetta completes Europe’s first underwater restaurant in Norway

Displayed at the MaterialDistrict Rotterdam 2019

A table made from candy, a chocolate chair, a table of hardtack with legs of corned beef, a couch of beans and grains. These are without question not your ordinary furniture materials, however they serve to raise relevant reflections.

Produced by the Lanzavecchia + Wai design studio the intention was to address the question of how furniture relates to crisis. Their approach was to take the most basic form to provide function and have it serve as an armature for the main design, which is completely edible. The ability to consume an otherwise unnecessary possession in times of crisis is certainly an intriguing idea.

Edible furniture for times of crisis at MaterialDistrict Rotterdam 2019

3D printed add ons empower disabled or special needs

IKEA’s Israeli HQ developed the concept with Israel based Milbat and Israel Access, who specialize in projects for those with special needs or disabilities. “ThisAbles” consists of 13 different 3D printed add-on options that help make things like opening cabinets or getting up from a sofa easier for the 10th percentile of consumers with disabilities.

Currently these features must be printed separate of immediate purchase online or in store, but the project is a great push into an unfortunately underserved market.

https://www-lsnglobal-com.meredith.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/news/article/23803/ikea-designs-3d-printed-add-ons-to-make-its-furniture-more-accessible

The simple system fosters vegetables, fruits, and herbs

A kickstarter project and the brain child of Pierre Nibart, OGarden quickly met its funding request and is now a young blossoming company. He set out to design a way to have a full garden within the home that enables users to grow a multitude of plants year round. It provides fresh organic plants, less waste, and a connection for all users with the food they’ve grown.

OGarden uses a revolving wheel centered around LEDs and irrigation to perfectly grow up to 60 different plants stored in rows. The cabinet below houses up to 30 seedlings that are selected in preparation to be grown for harvest on the wheel. The water tank needs to be filled only once per week and the size of the harvest wheel insures the user will always have fresh produce.

https://mashable.com/video/ogarden-system/?utm_campaign=hp-videostrip&utm_medium=onsite&utm_source=internal#6ak3M.._NgqB

The largest undertaking since the World Trade Center’s rebuild

The west side of Manhattan is now home to Hudson Yards, the $25 billion project that includes a mall, housing, art centre, observation deck, office space, school, and a hotel. 16 buildings covering 28 acres are centered around a monumental sculpture titled The Vessel, which can support up to 600 visitors.

We needed to have a centerpiece, we needed to have an attraction, a destination — something where you would say, ‘I’ll meet you at

Jay Cross, president of Related Hudson Yards

The mall supports 100 plus stores and was part of the public opening last Friday along with the sculpture. Half of the project is currently completed with the second half expected in 2025. Opening later this year will be the 100 story observation deck, the tallest in the Western Hemisphere, and the 200,000 sq ft art centre.

https://www.wgsn.com/news/big-and-beautiful-new-york-readies-to-inaugurate-its-25bn-hudson-yards-mini-city-and-mall/

Inspired by Greta Thunberg’s #FridaysForFuture

Greta Thunberg started the first school strike for climate change outside the Swedish Parliament building only less than a year ago in August 2018. She has since inspired a global movement amongst like minded young individuals worried about their futures in the face of climate crisis.

Cities around the world are seeing hundreds to thousands of students skip school to protest and draw the attention of politicians for necessary immediate action on climate change. They don’t see the point in attending school while those in power continue to ignore or lack prioritization of addressing this generations most pressing issue.

Supporters of the movement extend beyond just the youth and into the scientific community. While many politicians and figureheads are still quick to condemn the strikes as the naivety of children, some are showing support and the numbers continue to grow.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2019/mar/15/climate-strikes-2019-live-latest-climate-change-global-warming

A family home designed for the clients retirement

This stunning home is nestled betwixt a valley and sprawling hillside in the Santa Lucia Preserve close to Carmel, California. Designed by Feldman Architecture it consists of three pavilions featuring butterfly roofs. Covering 2,900 sq ft the retreat is intended to provide ample space for visiting family members while simultaneously not occupying that much visual space of the surrounding landscape.

Inspiration for the roofs was drawn from butterflies that blanket the nearby meadows. The main pavilion houses the kitchen, living room, and dining room will the other two smaller volumes account for relaxation, sleep, and bathing.

The expansive use of glass paired with concrete helps the structure absorb and release heat throughout the course of a day while also opening the spaces to the stunning scenery.

https://www.gessato.com/butterfly-house/