Articles by Katherine Allen

Working life as an architect is notoriously difficult. Unreasonable demands from clients, be they about budget, deadlines, or design – not to mention uncompromising personal standards – make the job tough, particularly as architecture continues to be seen as a product and not a process. And while it’s no reason to accept low (or unequal) pay, troubling mental health standards, or any of the myriad issues the profession seems beset with, architects anywhere will tell you: you do it because you love it. With all the challenges, perhaps it’s no wonder to see architecture sometimes get personal – be it about joy, responsibility, or even intellectual property. Read on for this week’s review.

In Metropolis Magazine‘s latest – and last – installment in their annual design cities review, the focus is not on output or culture but on cities themselves as the point of inspiration. For the designers surveyed, these were the cities that made their hearts beat a little faster; the ones that remained in their minds and wormed their way into their into their work.

As August draws to a close and our holidays – be they from work or school – already start to feel like distant memories, perhaps it’s a good moment to reflect on our faith in what we do. Sometimes design affords us the ability to oversee massive and exciting change. Sometimes projects don’t work out, despite our best efforts. And sometimes, design isn’t as capable of making change as we believe it to be. This week’s stories touched on our faith in design in a range of ways, from the literal (such as the bright churches of Kerala) to the more abstract (how much good taste in fast food design actually equates to good tastes.) Read on for this week’s review. 

In a follow-up to their 10 Powerhouse Design Cities, Metropolis Magazine also reveals their choices for the “buzziest” design cities of 2018. Unlike the big-hitters of the Powerhouse category, these are a bit smaller – even scrappier – but punch far above their expected weight.

Thirty years after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, the traces of the regime seem increasingly few and far between. Among the still existing monuments, conditions are mixed: some remain pristine, others are worn away after years of exposure to the elements.

Australia loomed large in the news this week following the announcement for the continent’s tallest tower in Melbourne. The competition, which was won by a joint bid from UNStudio and Cox Architecture, boasted designs from some of the world’s best-known firms including MVRDV, OMA, MAD, and BIG.

For this year’s annual city listings, Metropolis Magazine took an unusual approach: they took the analysis to the streets, surveying nearly 100 design professionals across the globe to get their opinions. The result? A list that boasts not just the cities you’d expect (Milan, London, Berlin) but the under the radar powerhouses you might not have anticipated.

Peter Zumthor’s quiet, technically pristine, and beautifully detailed work has long been an inspiration for architects. His Kolumba Museum, located in Cologne, Germany, a city that was almost completely destroyed in World War II, houses the Roman Catholic Archdiocese’s collection of art which spans more than a thousand years.   Zumthor’s design delicately rises from the ruins of a late-Gothic church, respecting the site’s history and preserving its essence. 

Photographer Andres Gallardo, who has captured images of noted architectural works such as Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza and MAD Architects’ Harbin Opera House, has turned his lens on ZHA’s Galaxy Soho, located in Beijing. The shopping complex, which was completed in 2012 is one of famed architect Zaha Hadid’s late career works.

Architecture has always been multidisciplinary, demanding new expertise for each project and challenging designers to remain nimble. This seems more true now (and more embraced) than ever, with architects turning their eye towards technology, agriculture, data science – even to Mars.