edESTESdesign, Author at edESTESdesign

thomas phifer’s arched wagner pavilion signals flood-resiliency for lower manhattan

wagner park and pavilion opens in battery park city

Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park and Pavilion is a new waterfront landscape and civic structure in New York‘s Battery Park City designed by Thomas Phifer and Partnerswith AECOM.

Set along the southern edge of Lower Manhattan, the project reimagines a familiar public space as an elevated terrain shaped by coastal protection and long views across the harbor.

The work forms a central component of the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project, where flood defense is designed as civic infrastructure. The park rises nearly ten feet above its previous elevation in a calibrated shift that responds to projections for future storms and rising sea levels, all while preserving public access to the water’s edge.

images © Scott Frances

an ascending landscape as resilient infrastructure

Visitors and residents of New York’s Battery Park City approach the new Wagner Pavilion through gently sloping gardens dotted with trees and plantings. The gradual ascent creates a slow reveal of the vast waterfront, with footpaths oriented to maintain sightlines toward the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The elevated landscape conceals a continuous flood protection system beneath lawns and planting beds. A sheet pile floodwall is driven to bedrock below the central lawn, linking to exposed segments that connect with defenses to the north and south. The team at AECOM and the architects at Thomas Phifer and Partners embed this infrastructure within the park’s topography so that public space remains at once uninterrupted and protected from rising water levels.

the Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park reshapes the southern edge of Battery Park City

design informed by stormwater strategies

The organization of Wagner Park follows the legacy layout of lawns, gardens, and pavilion spaces, translated into resilient a new section of Battery Park City. The surface reads as a vast green plane, yet its grading guides stormwater toward planted areas and filtration zones with precision. This balance between openness and performance defines much of the park’s character.

Stormwater strategies are split across wet and dry sides of the flood line. On the water-facing side, rain moves through performative gardens and into an underground infiltration gallery before releasing gradually into the soil. Landward areas channel water to a reuse cistern for irrigation and maintenance. Materials reinforce this system, with high albedo pavers, pervious surfaces, and salvaged stone and wood contributing to durability and environmental performance.

flood protection infrastructure is embedded beneath lawns to preserve open waterfront access

Ecology at the Water’s Edge

Along the harbor, the park introduces a living shoreline that supports habitat and public education. Terraced edges, habitat shelves, and tide pools create varied conditions for native plantings and marine life, while engineered pile wraps and textured concrete expand surfaces for invertebrates. A marine habitat education zone near Pier A brings these systems into view, linking ecological processes with everyday experience.

Planting across the site emphasizes seasonal change and regional ecologies, from tidal estuary to upland woodland. Path widths are kept tight to increase green coverage, and tree canopies temper summer heat with shade and filtered light. The park has earned Gold certification under the Waterfront Alliance’s Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines, reflecting an integrated approach to resilience, ecology, and access.

the Wagner Pavilion marks the transition between city, park, and water

the sculpted pavilion by thomas phifer and partners

Approaching from within the park, the Wagner Pavilion appears as a low, sculpted form aligned with the terrain. Its deep red concrete carries a warmth that resonates with nearby historic masonry, including Castle Clinton and other harbor fortifications. A sequence of arched vaults defines the entry piazza, framing the passage from garden to open harbor.

Moving through the central vault, the landscape opens toward the water, with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island precisely framed. The pavilion acts as a threshold rather than a destination alone, marking the transition between city, park, and harbor. Access from the esplanade below is equally considered, with ramps and stairs offering multiple paths upward.

warm red concrete vaults frame views toward the Statue of Liberty

inside new york’s wagner pavilion

Inside, the Wagner Pavilion accommodates a restaurant and a classroom, extending the park’s public life into sheltered spaces. Outdoor seating spills into the piazza, encouraging overlap between interior activity and the surrounding gardens. Circulation continues upward via broad stairs and an elevator to an observation deck that offers panoramic views across New York Harbor, The Battery, and inland toward downtown Manhattan.

The roof edge is softened by planting that echoes nearby landscapes. Curved walls mirror the contours of the park, reinforcing a sense of continuity between building and landscape. Within the broader framework of Battery Park City, the pavilion reads as a carefully tuned civic room shaped by its resilient and enduring relationship with the waterfront.

Zaha Hadid, Adjaye, and others answer Dulles redesign open call

Daniel Jonas Roche

Requests for Information Responses (RFIs) by international architects and developers for a proposed revitalization of Washington Dulles International Airporthave landed. The submissions for the Washington, D.C. airport’s redesign follow a call from U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to redesign the main hall and control tower, designed by Eero Saarinen.

Preservationists have taken issue with the open call; members of Docomomo DCand the Art Deco Society of Washington, D.C. both submitted comments opposing the revitalization. The Airline Pilots Association, Int’l, a union, also submitted commentarywith recommendations that the project adhere to TSA and FAA regulations, as well as Department of Homeland Security guidelines.

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) and Bermello Ajamil & Partners, a New York office, were among the offices who submitted proposals to Make Dulles Great Again, as the initiative has been dubbed. AECOM, Grimshaw, Adjaye Associates, RCGA+DM Architects, and ZDS Architecture & Interiors have also answered the open call.

Two infrastructure groups Amtrak recently shortlistedto redesign Penn Station, Macquarie Capital and Fengate Capital, have also responded to the open call. Here are a few of the submissions.

Option A in the proposal by Zaha Hadid Architects would create a new terminal sandwiched between the Saarinen terminal and metro station. (Courtesy U.S. DOT)

Zaha Hadid Architects and Bermello Ajamil & Partners

The proposal to Make Airports Great Again by ZHA and Bermello Ajamil & Partners cozies up to the President’s ego, showing the building named Donald J. Trump Terminal. (Senator Bernie Sanders and other elected officials earlier this month proposed legislationthat would forbid sitting U.S. presidents from naming federal buildings after themselves, so this title may be out of the question.)

The deck ZHA and Bermello Ajamil & Partners submitted is also aesthetically similar to White House Executive Orders, namely the fonts and slide colors.

The Saarinen terminal would be repurposed as a shopping mall, as part of the joint proposal. ZHA and Bermello Ajamil & Partners presented three options for terminal relocation.

Option A entails a new headhouse immediately north of the Saarinen terminal. The Saarinen terminal would be visible from an elevated pedestrian walkway connected to the metro station, however other sight lines of the Saarinen terminal would be blocked.

Option B would deliver a new headhouse south of the Saarinen Terminal, and Option C would build a new midfield terminal.

The Zaha Hadid proposal would repurpose the Saarinen terminal as a shopping mall. (Courtesy U.S. DOT)

Patrik Schumacher of ZHA is simultaneously designing the Navi Mumbai International Airport for Narendra Modi’s far-right government in India. Schumacher presented ZHA’s design for the airport, as well as his own ideological predilections, last fall at Baylor University, as reported by AN.

The Adjaye Associates and RCGA+DM proposal

Adjaye Associates is partnering with RCGA+DM on its Dulles bid. This team did not submit renderings showing a proposal. Rather, Adjaye Associates touted past projects it designed in Washington, D.C. like Frances Gregory Library and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The design approach by Adjaye Associates and RCGA+DM would emphasize “clear and intuitive terminal organization, reinforcing logical passenger movement and reducing reliance on signage,” “flexible terminal and concourse planning,” and “architecture defined by openness, daylight, and structural clarity.”

The proposal by Grimshaw would relocate terminal functions from the Saarinen-designed hall to a new building closer to the metro station. (Courtesy U.S. DOT)

The Grimshaw proposal

Grimshaw has teamed upwith Ferrovial, a self-described global operator of sustainable infrastructure. Renderings by Grimshaw show tensegral columns supporting a curved roof.

The proposal by Grimshaw would deliver a new terminal hall adjacent to the Saarinen terminal. Like the ZHA proposal, this one by Grimshaw seeks to relocate the terminal north of the Saarinen terminal, creating shorter walks from the metro station. Grimshaw also proposed repurposing the Saarinen terminal as a “commercial and social destination.”

The new terminal would have a curved roof supported by tensegral columns. (Courtesy U.S. DOT)

In the Grimshaw proposal the Saarinen terminal would be repurposed as a commercial center. (Courtesy U.S. DOT)

Grimshaw also proposed a “new airport city development” surrounding Dulles. Ferrovial likewise touted its renovations at both London’s Heathrow Airport, Barajas Airport in Madrid, and at JFK International Airport in New York, among other completed projects.

The AECOM proposal

AECOM did not share renderings in its RFI, however it did emphasize its commitment to “developing a new terminal on a greenfield or brownfield site and implementing Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s long‑term master plan for the airfield.”

Architecturally, AECOM envisions maintaining the Saarinen-designed terminal “for revenue‑generating uses” instead of performing terminal functions.

A construction timeline for the project wasn’t issued, however U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy did say he wants the massive infrastructure project to move “at the speed of Trump.”

Brooks + Scarpa Designs a Tranquil Woodland Retreat for a Creative Couple

Record Houses 2024

By Vernon Mays

After living and working in greater Los Angeles for 25 years, Steve and Kim Chase were eager to move back East. Natives of Montreal, they wanted a quieter life on a rural site, but without the bone-chilling Canadian winters. Lured both by their positive impressions of the region and the proximity of friends, they chose North Carolina as their new home.

There, on a wooded 60-acre site in the rolling hills near Hillsborough, they’ve built a striking 2,570-square-foot house that feeds the energy of the intensely creative couple while satisfying their high expectations for visual order and uncompromising design—a house that’s seemingly so simple, yet so nuanced.

Set among the towering pines, the Steeplechase House is a place of reflection and tranquility. (The moniker is a play on words, a reflection of the couple’s name and the fact that Kim has a long-standing passion for all things equestrian.) Two elemental forms—steep-roofed gabled boxes, each measuring 25 by 55 feet in plan—rest quietly among the trees, reflecting the landscape in broad expanses of mirrored glass while inviting the natural environment inside.

“I thought it was the right thing for that site, and it allows the building to extend into the landscape,” says Lawrence Scarpa, principal at Brooks + Scarpa of Los Angeles, who previously designed an office for Steve’s company, Reactor Films, that was completed in 1998. “In the summer, it’s almost as though it’s cloaked, where you don’t even see the house because it’s so dark.”

Clad in black corrugated steel, the two main volumes pinch toward each other on the west-facing side, forming a triangular courtyard that’s enclosed on the back by a low-slung loggia with floor-to-ceiling glass. While renting a place to live during their search for a building site, the Chases had come across an old board-and-batten chapel in Hillsborough and were drawn to its scale and simplicity. “We thought we could do something maybe that simple, but perhaps two of them—like a little compound,” says Kim.

The two volumes are connected by a triangular courtyard (1 & 2). Photos © Mark Herboth, click to enlarge.

The structure’s reflective glass and black exterior give the building an ever-changing presence through the seasons, receding into the forest’s dappled light in the summer and playing hide-and-seek among the tree trunks in winter. It’s well suited to the artistic couple, both of whom worked as art directors and have extensive photography experience. “We don’t get any high-angled light in this house,” notes Steve, a Clio Award–winning film producer, “so, in the early evening, it’s only the prettiest light. And when you get up in the morning, you get light filtering through the trees. It’s pretty cool.”

The two main volumes define the public and private zones of the house, with the transitional loggia housing the kitchen and dining area. As one steps from the loggia into the living area, the space explodes upward to an apex of 31 feet. Framed by a delicate steel grid, the view extends through the trees into a meadow carved from the forest.

Cabinets and shelves are built of plywood with a natural finish, providing warmth to the interior but maintaining an outdoorsy, cabinlike feel. The plywood finishes are complemented by French white oak flooring, which brightens the space.

Plywood with a natural finish was used for cabinetry, while floors are French white oak (3 & 4). Photos © Mark Herboth

The private side of the house is dominated by the light-filled primary bedroom, with its generous plywood-encased wardrobe and open walk-in shower and tub. Tucked behind is a laundry room and guest bedroom, whose Murphy bed is usually folded away so the space can be used as an office. (Future plans include a guest house on the site.)

A distinguishing feature is the house’s two projecting skylights—one on each of the pavilions. Playfully referred to by the Chases as “findows” (or finlike windows), the two rooftop registers allow changing displays of light and shadow that emphasize the sculptural form of the interior. The effect is subtly enhanced by the complex geometry of the two pavilions, whose walls are not parallel, just as the slightly angled spring lines of the gabled roofs are not horizontal. “It added some complexity, but also I think some interest, because the spring line inside is actually sloping,” says Scarpa. “It’s almost imperceptible, but you know it’s there.”

The tall windows and high ceilings capture light that changes throughout the day (5 & 6). Photos © Mark Herboth

It’s all part of the visceral experience of living here, where shifts in weather drastically alter the personality of the house. One minute it can be bright and sunny, Kim says, and the next there’s a threatening black sky with the loblolly pines bending in the wind. Furthering this connection to nature, the couple also helped restore the site’s ecology, clearing eight acres and planting heritage grasses such as bluestem, switchgrass, and rattlesnake master.

A restored landscape creates a habitat for bees, birds, and other wildlife. Photo © Mark Herboth

Designing and building the house has been a labor of love for the Chases, who each applied a discriminating eye to help achieve its refined sense of craft. While they took a largely hands-off approach to the design process, their involvement in the construction is reflected in the finished product. Steve, for example, built a full-scale mock-up of the knife-edged concrete stair descending from the courtyard to help contractors envision how it should look. For her part, Kim refused to accept the county’s code requirement for unsightly floor outlets to be placed every 12 feet in the loggia. As an alternative, she designed elegant wooden floor grilles that conceal both the air ducts and electrical outlets and can be lifted out if power is needed.

“It was just important for us to get it right,” says Kim, acknowledging the luxury of living nearby and having the time to watch the house take shape day by day. The Steeplechase House is the singular outcome of that opportunity—the product of a creative collaboration between client and architect, with a minimum of artistic direction and an abundance of trust.

Angela Brooks of Brooks + Scarpa is a 2024 Women in Architecture Awards honoree. A celebration of this year’s winners will be held in New York City on October 1, following RECORD’s 2024 Innovation Conference. Registration information can be found here.

Click plan to enlarge

Back to Record Houses 2024

Credits

Architect:
Brooks + Scarpa — Lawrence Scarpa, lead designer, principal in charge; Angela Brooks, Micaela Danko, Jeffrey Huber, Iliya Muzychuk, Chinh Nguyen, Fui Srivikorn, Calder Scarpa, Yimin Wu, Arty Vartanyan, design team

Associate Architect:
Katherine Hogan Architects

Engineer:
Kaydos-Daniels Engineers (structural)

Consultant:
Plan(t) (landscape)

General Contractor:
Tonic Construction, Vincent Petrarca

Client:
Steve and Kim Chase

Size:
2,575 square feet

Cost:
$1 million

Completion Date:
April 2024

Construction of Zaha Hadid Architects’ Bishoftu International Airport Kicks Off in Ethiopia

January 19, 2026

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, Africa’s largest airport has begun construction. Bishoftu International Airport (BIA), located 25 miles south of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, will serve Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s biggest carrier (in terms of number of passengers, destinations served, fleet size, and revenue).

Image by X-Universe, courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

In hopes of becoming Africa’s global aviation hub, BIA is designed to efficiently transfer the projected 80 percent of passengers transitioning between destinations without leaving the airport. Facilities include an airside hotel with 350 guest rooms, a wide range of dining and entertainment options, and outdoor spaces for relaxation. Terminal piers will feature unique interior colors and materials that reflect different regions of Ethiopia. Inspired by the Great Rift Valley, which passes near Bishoftu, a single central spine will connect the terminal’s facilities and aircraft piers, keeping transfer distances to a minimum.

BIA plans to use locally produced and recycled materials, channel stormwater into new wetlands and bioswales for storage and reuse, and generate on-site energy through photovoltaic arrays.

“Bishoftu International Airport is a visionary project for Ethiopia and Africa as a whole. Airports bring people together and bridge national divides. ZHA is honored to be part of its development—connecting every region of the continent as Africa’s global gateway,” said Cristiano Ceccato de Sabata, director of aviation at Zaha Hadid Architects.

Phase one of the airport’s construction will serve 60 million passengers a year, with future phases planning to serve up to 110 million passengers annually. Once complete, BIA will have four runways and parking for 270 aircraft.

Image by X-Universe, courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

Image by X-Universe, courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

Located nearly 1,300 feet lower than Addis Ababa’s existing Bole Airport, BIA’s positioning and runway lengths will optimize the maximum take-off weight, allowing aircrafts to use less fuel to carry more passengers and cargo.

A high-speed rail line will connect the center of Addis Ababa and Bole Airport to BIA. The new airport and its integrated Airport City of mixed-use buildings will create new jobs for the surrounding population of 80,000 people.

Phase one of the project is slated for completion in 2030.

Images by X-Universe, courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

3XN-designed Sydney Fish Market opens to the public

Christina Yao19 January 2026Photo by Rasmus Hjortshoj

Sydney Fish Market, which claims to be the largest fish market in the southern hemisphere and features an undulating 20,000-square-metre roof canopy, has opened its doors in “an underutilised harbour area” in Sydney.

Designed by Danish architecture studio 3XN‘s GXN arm, in association with BVN Architecture and landscape architects Aspect Studios, the market aims to become a major new civic landmark in Sydney, Australia.

“The new Sydney Fish Market is transforming an underutilised harbour area into a vibrant public realm filled with programs that attract both locals and visitors,” said Audun Opdal, senior partner at 3XN.

“The fish market uniquely blends a fully functioning commercial operation with high-quality public space, delivering an authentic market experience rooted in the context of its prime waterfront location while enhancing the entire surrounding precinct.”

According to 3XN, one of the main goals for the market upgrade was to balance the operational needs of a working market with public accessibility for locals and visitors.

“We have turned an introverted industry inside out, putting the back-of-house operations on display and making the theatrics and intense choreography of seafood trading and movement part of the public experience,” said Fred Holt, partner and Australia director at 3XN.

“The recognisable SFM blue bins with fish on ice remain at the heart of it all, but now visitors can witness an authentic, behind-the-scenes performance of one of Sydney’s biggest attractions.”

Twenty-six lifts connect the four levels of the market, which include an underwater basement, a wholesale market on the ground floor and retail and office spaces on its upper levels.

The publicly accessible wholesale market has doubled in size from its previous site to 12,200 square metres and will be occupied by fishmongers, restaurants, cafes and speciality vendors.

Next to the wholesale market is an auction hall, separated from the market by glazed walls. Here, 160 buyers will bid for fresh seafood produce in daily auctions, and visitors will be able to watch the live action of the trade without disrupting it.

Full-size glazed facades connect the market interiors to the harbour view, while allowing passersby to peek inside.

The Sydney Fish Market will be accessed from amphitheatre-style steps leading from a new plaza with seating and views across the harbour.

The most identifiable feature of the building is its 200-metre-long undulating roof canopy. Comprised of 594 timber beams and 407 aluminium cassettes, it weighs 2,500 tonnes, floating above the market hall below.

The pyramidal shape of each cassette was arranged at an angle that maximises the flow of daylight into the building, while also providing shade.

The modular nature of the roof structure, in addition to its solar panel lining and passive ventilation, will help reduce the building’s energy consumption both during construction and operation.

The roof also supports two rainwater collection and filtration locations. Half of the rainwater collected by the roof will be reused, which, combined with a wastewater treatment plant, will cut the potable water consumption of the building in half, according to 3XN.

A series of integrated systems was developed to lower the environmental impact of the building, while also meeting its stringent humidity, hygiene and operational demands.

“The ambition was always to create a building that could carry both the weight of industry and the joy of public life,” said Catherine Skinner, principal of BVN.

“The project demanded a structure capable of managing salt water and air, humidity, cold-chain logistics and heavy machinery – all while welcoming millions of visitors a year. Achieving that balance of opposing pressures shaped every decision that was made,” she continued.

“This is a deeply technical building, but it never loses sight of its civic role.”

The Sydney Fish Market forms part of the urban renewal of Blackwattle Bay and the redevelopment of Sydney’s harbour foreshore, connecting a series of the city’s iconic harbour sites, including Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

3XN GXN’s design for the new Sydney Fish Market was selected from an international design competition hosted by the New South Wales government in 2017.

Copenhagen studio 3XN was established by Kim Herforth Nielsen in 1986. It founded GXN, a strategic consultancy for the built environment, in 2007.

Together with BVN, their renovated Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney was named Best Tall Building Worldwide by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in 2023.

It has recently completed a sports stadium in Munich’s Olympic Park featuring rib-like aluminium facade.

The photography is by Rasmus Hijortshoj, unless stated otherwise.

Project credits:

Gross square footage: 65,000m2 GFA
Total project cost: $836 million
Client: Infrastructure NSW
Owner: Placemaking NSW
Sustainability lead: GXN
Civil engineer (general): Mott MacDonald, AT&L
Civil (roof): Aecom, CSS
Electrical: Aecom, Stowe Australia
Hydraulic: CJ Arms, Harris Page & Associates
Mechanical: Aecom, Equilibrium/Climatec (Joint Venture)
Structural: Mott Macdonald, WSP
Transportation engineer (nSFM): PTC
Transportation engineer (site surrounds): Arup
Vertical transportation: Aecom
Façade: Apex, PRISM
Logistics: S2D

California College of Arts is closing

Daniel Jonas Roche

The California College of the Arts is closing. On January 13, CCA president David Howse said the 120-year-old San Francisco will conclude operations by the end of the 2026–27 academic year. “After nearly two years of working to resolve the college’s underlying financial challenges, we know this is the necessary step to take,” Howse noted.

CCA has entered an agreement with Vanderbilt University, which will “become the owner of the campus and will establish undergraduate and graduate programming, including art and design programs, at the campus.”

CCA’s student body numbers roughly 1,300 students, which offers Bachelor’s and Master’s of Architecture programs, and has a combined total of approximately 250 students. Keith Krumwiede is dean of the CCA’s architecture division.

News of CCA’s closure comes after the completion of a Surfacedesign in late 2024. The building is on CCA’s campus in San Francisco’s Design District, north of Potrero Hill and just west of Mission Bay.

As per the agreement with CCA, Vanderbilt University will own CCA’s campus, Howse shared. Currently, there is no information as to how it might use, improve, or sell the existing buildings.

Architecture at the California College of the Arts

In 2022, CCA announced the creation of the M. Arthur Gensler Jr. Center for Design Excellence, which was created to encourage diversity within the architecture industry. The center began with $4.7 million in funding from Gensler, Amazon, Z SUPPLY Foundation, and one anonymous benefactor. The center held its first symposium in 2023. There is no news currently about how this work might continue.

Beyond Krumwiede, CCA has a distinguished faculty of architecture educators, including Neeraj Bhatia, James Graham, Janette Kim, AN contributor Vivian Schwab, Craig Scott, Antje Steinmuller, and Emmett Zeifman, among others. Irene Cheng previously taught at CCA before joining Cooper Union as an associate professor. Bhatia, in a 2024 interview with Palmyra Geraki in AN, shared words about the uniqueness of teaching architecture within an art and design school:

“Being in a school of art and design in the Bay Area is like being in a school of activists, because artists on the whole are much more politically motivated and tend to clarify their politics through their work. Being in the vicinity of art practitioners daily reminds all of us that we don’t need to accept the systems we inherit—that we can push back. The generation that’s coming out of school is eager to think about how the discipline can have more agency. I’m really inspired by that energy and by the idea that the role of an architect is almost that of an activist, and an advocate simultaneously that of a designer.”

The U.S. architecture community is now reacting to the news online. David Gissen, who was a professor at CCA for 12 years, told AN: “CCA was an incubator, if not the incubator, for young architects and historians of architecture to develop their ideas. The concepts and projects we developed with our students have gone on to influence the pedagogy at numerous other institutions. Our work will live on in history, like so many other small design schools.”

Previously, AN held its Facades+ San Francisco conference at CCA.

AN Interior Top 50 architect and recent Best of Design Awards juror, Barbara Bestor of Bestor Architecture, shared her thoughts on LinkedIn: “Very sad to lose this wonderful school in our California design school firmament. I’ve always loved visiting and lecturing there – and as a SCI-Arc alum and board member, I have always felt kinship with its scrappy urban approach to design education. RIP CCA.”

Vanderbilt’s Expansion

Vanderbilt University was founded in Nashville in 1873. The Department of History of Art and Architecture offers an undergraduate Architecture and the Built Environment degree, in addition to a minor. Beginning in the 2027–28 academic year, Vanderbilt will establish undergraduate and graduate art and design programs and other forms of programming in San Francisco.

Today, Vanderbilt operates satellite locations in New York City and West Palm Beach, Florida. Approximately 1,000 Vanderbilt students will be at the school’s new San Francisco campus.

Vanderbilt also plans to operate a CCA Institute at Vanderbilt that will include, among other things, the Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts, which was established in 2013. It will also maintain CCA archival materials and serve as a vehicle for CCA alumni engagement. Through these activities, Vanderbilt will honor CCA’s longstanding creative mission and maintain a strong presence for art and design education in the Bay Area.

According to Vanderbilt officials, the “new campus also will educate artists, makers and designers whose work bridges creative expression and technological innovation, preparing graduates to translate ideas into cultural, civic and real-world impact.”

“Students will gain immersive learning experiences rooted in one of the world’s most dynamic urban environments,” Vanderbilt’s announcement continued. “Academic programming is in development and will undergo the appropriate accrediting bodies’ review and approval processes.”

CCA’s closure arrives not long after the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) was shuttered in 2022. The former SFAI campus today hosts the California Academy of Studio Arts, a new experimental arts center designed by Jensen Architects, Laplace, and Page & Turnbull.

snøhetta plans spiraling galleries with curved glass facades for beijing art museum

Developed in collaboration with Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, the project marks Snøhetta’s second major cultural commission in the Chinese capital after the Beijing Library. Set within the rapidly developing eastern district, the museum takes shape as a large-scale civic building positioned to support Beijing’s expanding cultural infrastructure while addressing the everyday rhythms of the surrounding neighborhood.

The program spans more than 110,000 square meters and accommodates fine art, contemporary practice, design, and forms of intangible cultural heritage. Alongside exhibition spaces, the building includes areas for research, storage, education, and public gathering. The ambition centers on a museum that operates as a civic interior capable of both hosting large audiences and supporting quieter forms of study.

A DESIGN DRIVEN BY THE CONCEPT OF ‘VISION’

Snøhetta, together with BIAD, frames its proposed Beijing Art Museum around the idea of ‘vision,’ understood as both the act of looking and the responsibility of stewardship. This concept guides spatial organization as collections are gathered inward while views are opened outward, This way, art is displayed in dialogue with the surrounding city.

The museum sits directly above an active metro line and incorporates a transit node at its base. From this infrastructural core, spaces expand outward in a radial composition. Curved, layered facades introduce a soft edge to the volume to mediate between interior galleries and exterior public space. The surface articulation encourages movement around the building and supports a continuous relationship between architecture and landscape.

A LARGE CIRCULAR ATRIUM

At the center of Snøhetta’s Beijing Art Museum, a large circular atrium organizes circulation and orientation. The space rises through multiple levels, drawing daylight deep into the plan and establishing visual connections across floors. Semi-open exhibition zones and social areas line the atrium, creating moments for pause and encounter alongside more controlled gallery environments.

Primary galleries, storage, and support spaces wrap the atrium in a gradual spiral, extending into outward-facing volumes that frame views across Tongzhou. These projecting forms allow visitors to alternate between focused engagement with artworks and broader awareness of the city beyond the walls. The experience emphasizes movement, orientation, and shared visibility across the building.

LANDSCAPING CONNECTS THE MUSEUM WITH THE CITY

The surrounding landscape continues the radial geometry of the architecture, shaping plazas, planted areas, and outdoor exhibition zones. Paths and open spaces support informal gathering and public use throughout the day. Architecture, interior, and landscape read as a continuous spatial field that extends the museum’s presence into the district.

Environmental strategies include rooftop photovoltaic panels and an integrated water management system aligned with sponge city principles. These measures support energy generation and seasonal water control while contributing to long-term resilience.

Construction began on December 31st, 2025, with completion planned for 2029.

project info:

name: Beijing Art Museum

architect: Snøhetta | @snohetta

location: Beijing, China

collaborator: BIAD

status: ongoing

area: 118,861 square meters

client: Beijing Fine Art Academy
construction management: Beijing Investment Group Co.,Ltd,
concept, schematic design: Snøhetta, BIAD
construction design: BIAD

Art Museum of The China Sculpture Institute / CVA Design

I. Project Overview: Geography and Culture – Nestled in Shenshan Park in the downtown area of Wuhu, Anhui Province, the Art Museum of the China Sculpture Institute is an urban renewal project renovated from a disused greenhouse. Its home, Wuhu Sculpture Park, stands as China’s first thematic art space that organically integrates sculpture culture with natural landscapes. Spanning an expansive 8.2 hectares, the park infuses sculptural art—known as “three-dimensional fine art”—into the poetic scenery of mountains and waters, forging a distinctive urban cultural landscape. Boasting picturesque views across all four seasons, the park creates an open and vibrant public art interface together with the sculptures, and has now emerged as one of the most popular urban sculpture parks among citizens nationwide.

II. Translation of Local Cultural Heritage – “Jiuzi” is the ancient name of Wuhu, signifying “Jiuzi bird perching by the water, brimming with vitality”. Drawing inspiration from the imagery of “Jiuzi bird alighting on the waterfront”, the art museum echoes the local natural and historical heritage. In accordance with the traditional Chinese five-element theory (Wuxing), the exhibition area is divided into five thematic sections corresponding to Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. More than a mere classification system for material forms, the five-element theory represents a cognitive framework centered on movement, transformation, and interconnection. The museum adopts the five states embodied by the elements—Metal (convergence), Wood (growth), Water (permeation), Fire (dissolution), and Earth (integration)—to construct a narrative structure where sculptures and space interact and resonate with each other.

III. Design Approach and Urban Integration – Breaking free from the closed exhibition model, the art museum has transformed into an open urban cultural hub. The design preserves the original architectural form and skillfully adopts the “borrowed scenery” technique of classical Chinese gardens, striving to blur the boundaries between architecture and nature. This approach allows the exhibition spaces inside and outside the venue—including indoor galleries, outdoor green spaces, and waterfront exhibition areas—to permeate one another, forming a harmonious and interconnected exhibition field.

The space is activated three-dimensionally both vertically and horizontally: natural light filtering through side windows creates soft illumination; elevated winding corridors offer unique bird’s-eye views of large-scale sculptures; and the water-adjacent exhibition halls together with circular pathways further extend the viewing circulation. Collectively, these elements evoke a visual poetry where artworks seem to float amidst light, shadow, and rippling water.

Art Museum of The China Sculpture Institute / CVA Design - Image 12 of 24

Art Museum of The China Sculpture Institute / CVA Design - Exterior Photography, Concrete

IV. Sustainable Construction and Cultural Empowerment – The art museum fully embodies the eco-friendly concept throughout its construction process. The main structure adopts a steel frame system, and the facade integrates extra-large concrete hanging panels with triple-glazed Low-E glass curtain walls, paired with a high-efficiency thermal insulation system to achieve low-energy consumption operation. The design also makes full use of natural elements: the shifting skylight and cloud shadows across time endow static sculptures with dynamic vitality; meanwhile, the mirrored flooring, through the interplay of virtual and real reflections, expands the physical dimensions of the space and enriches the viewers’ sensory experience. As a result, the building itself becomes a giant sculpture that interacts harmoniously with the surrounding mountains, water systems, vegetation, and light. Like a “time sculpting machine”, it continuously explores the infinite possibilities among nature, architecture, and art.

A Mini Sphere Coming to National Harbor?

The National Harbor may soon be home to the world’s second Sphere venue! Maryland and Prince George’s County officials have announced a plan with Sphere Entertainment Co. to build a new entertainment landmark.

What to expect from the proposed venue:

Iconic Look: A 6,000-seat “mini” Sphere featuring the famous “Exosphere” exterior LED screen.
Next-Gen Tech: An immersive interior with the world’s first 16K x 16K LED screen, 4D haptic seating, and advanced sound.
Huge Impact: Projected to bring $1 billion in annual economic value and thousands of new jobs to the region.
Next Steps: While the intent is clear, final agreements and government approvals are still pending.

What do you think of this addition to the National Harbor? 🎤🔥

Apple and Google Partner for AI: What You Need to Know

News: Apple and Google announced a multi-year partnership that will use Gemini to power both Apple’s foundational AI models and the long-awaited Siri upgrade expected later this year.

The details:

The two tech giants published a joint statement confirming the deal, with Apple stating Gemini “provides the most capable foundation” for its AI strategy.
Bloomberg first reported the potential deal in November, noting Apple is committing roughly $1B annually to license Google’s technology.
Apple confirmed to CNBC that its ChatGPT integration remains intact, with AI features continuing to run on-device and via Private Cloud Compute.
The announcement briefly pushed Google’s market cap above $4T for the first time, now trailing only Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple itself.

Why It Matters: After a year of speculation over Siri’s direction, Apple is officially outsourcing its AI struggles to a major competitor. This deal validates Google’s massive Gemini rise and creates an awkward dynamic with OpenAI, whose integration now looks like a secondary feature rather than a core partnership. The message is clear: when it comes to foundational AI infrastructure, Google has positioned itself as the default choice for even its fiercest competitors.