Urban Planning Archives | edESTESdesign

Mixed-Use Developments, Collaborative Design, and Government Innovation in Urban Architecture

The Rise of Mixed-Use Developments: Building Communities, Not Just Buildings

Today’s most vibrant urban spaces aren’t purely residential, commercial, or recreational—they’re purposefully designed as hybrid ecosystems where living, working, shopping, dining, and cultural engagement coexist within walkable districts.

Mixed-use development represents a fundamental shift in how cities are conceived. Rather than the segregated zoning patterns of mid-20th century urban planning, contemporary projects intentionally integrate diverse functions to create economically resilient, socially dynamic neighborhoods that serve residents 24/7.

Why Mixed-Use Works

Mixed-use development addresses several critical urban challenges simultaneously:

Economic vibrancy: Ground-floor retail supports permanent jobs and foot traffic that activates streets at all hours
Walkability: Proximity of housing to employment, services, and entertainment reduces car dependency
Housing affordability: Diverse property types within the same development—penthouses, studios, family units—can create economic diversity
Street safety: Continuous human activity creates natural surveillance and social cohesion
Sustainability: Efficient use of infrastructure, shared parking, and reduced transportation needs lower environmental impact

Contemporary Examples Reshaping Cities

The Vessel sculpture at Hudson Yards plaza with people walking and sitting nearby among tall skyscrapers — The Vessel sculpture at Hudson Yards surrounded by high-rise buildings and visitors

Hudson Yards, New York City combines 28 million square feet of office space, luxury residential towers, boutique hotels, cultural venues (including the Shed performance space), dining, and retail—all connected by elevated pedestrian walkways. The intentional mix creates a self-contained urban ecosystem while integrating with the broader West Side neighborhood.

Waterfront promenade with people walking and dining, illuminated skyscrapers at sunset — People enjoy an evening stroll and dining near the waterfront in a bustling city district

Canary Wharf, London transformed a derelict dockland into a mixed-use development blending finance headquarters, residential apartments, schools, cultural facilities, and extensive public space. The deliberate diversity has shifted London’s economic geography and become a model for post-industrial urban regeneration.

Singapore city skyline at dusk with Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay — The illuminated Singapore skyline reflects on Marina Bay during twilight.

Singapore’s Marina Bay demonstrates how mixed-use development can anchor entire urban districts. Residential towers, offices, museums, theaters, shopping malls, and parks are integrated within walking distance, creating a 24-hour neighborhood that serves multiple functions simultaneously.

Empowering Communities through Inclusive Design

The most successful mixed-use developments recognize that community needs extend beyond commerce. Affordable housing components, community centers, schools, libraries, and public gathering spaces aren’t afterthoughts—they’re fundamental to the development’s DNA.

Projects like Tysons, Virginia and The Arsenal Yards in Boston demonstrate that truly inclusive mixed-use development requires:

Economic integration: A percentage of units reserved for workforce and affordable housing
Cultural accessibility: Public plazas, parks, and facilities open to all, not just paying customers
Community ownership: Local businesses, not just national chains; support for minority-owned enterprises
Public participation: Meaningful community input during design, not token engagement after decisions are made

The Architecture of Collaboration: Architects, Planners, and Communities Co-Creating Places

City map with colorful illuminated lines indicating traffic flows and route connections

The romantic image of the solitary architect sketching a masterpiece is exactly that—romantic fiction. Today’s most transformative urban projects are born from intense, often contentious collaboration between architects, urban planners, engineers, civic leaders, and the communities those projects will serve.

Beyond Top-Down Design

Traditional urban design flowed downward: visionaries proposed, governments approved, and communities adapted. The best contemporary practice inverts this hierarchy. Community input doesn’t arrive after design is complete; it shapes the design from inception.

This collaborative model recognizes a fundamental truth: architects and planners don’t live in the places they design (at least not primarily). Communities do. Their lived experience, cultural values, mobility challenges, and aspirations are irreplaceable design intelligence.

The Collaboration Process

Meaningful collaboration involves distinct phases:

Discovery & Listening: Before sketching, teams conduct extensive community engagement—walking tours, pop-up studios, demographic analysis, and listening sessions that map both assets and pain points. Projects like The 606 in Chicago began with years of listening to residents about what the abandoned elevated rail corridor could become.

Co-Design: Rather than present a finished vision, architects facilitate design thinking workshops where community members participate in envision potential futures. This isn’t tokenism—it’s genuine problem-solving where expertise (professional and experiential) informs decision-making together.

Iteration: Design evolves through feedback loops. Proposals are shared, critiqued, refined, and reshared. Projects like the Huntington Park renovation in Cleveland involved dozens of iterations based on community input.

Stewardship: Collaboration doesn’t end at opening day. Successful projects establish ongoing community governance structures that guide implementation and evolution.

When Collaboration Creates Magic

The Rebuild Foundation’s 69 E69th Street, Chicago transformed a vacant lot through intensive community engagement. Rather than imposing a vision, architects worked with residents to create a flexible community gathering space that evolved with neighborhood needs.

Brick building housing Reach Community Center, market, and arts hub with people walking outdoors — People gather outside a vibrant community center with market and arts spaces

Bryant Park, New York City was radically reimagined through collaboration between landscape architects, business improvement district executives, and neighborhood residents. The result: one of the city’s most beloved public spaces, designed to serve diverse users from workers to tourists.

Bryant Park green lawn with people relaxing amid Midtown Manhattan skyscrapers — A vibrant view of Bryant Park surrounded by the skyscrapers of Midtown Manhattan.

The High Line Elevated Park, New York succeeded not because it was a brilliant architectural concept (though it was), but because community advocates like Friends of the High Line spent years listening to neighbors’ concerns and shaping the design to serve local needs while creating citywide value.

Elevated urban park pathway with people walking and sitting, surrounded by greenery and city buildings — People enjoying a sunny day walking and sitting on the elevated park pathway in the city

Why Collaboration Matters

Collaborative design produces better outcomes because:

Legitimacy: Communities support what they helped create
Context sensitivity: Local knowledge prevents costly missteps
Equity: Diverse voices prevent projects from serving only affluent users
Sustainability: Community-centered design has longer lifespans and deeper social value
Innovation: Cross-disciplinary thinking generates solutions no single expert would devise alone

The best urban designers today aren’t ego-driven visionaries—they’re orchestrators of expertise, facilitators of diverse perspectives, and stewards of democratic participation in shaping public space.

Government Initiatives: Policy and Investment Catalyzing Architectural Innovation

Great architecture rarely emerges from market forces alone. Government policy, zoning reform, and strategic investment are the scaffolding upon which innovative urban places are built.

Policy Frameworks Enabling Innovation

Form-Based Codes replace restrictive zoning that mandates separation of uses with regulations focused on the form buildings take and how they meet streets. This shift—prioritizing walkability and mixed-use integration—has enabled projects like Portland’s Pearl District and Miami’s Wynwood to thrive.

Inclusionary Zoning Policies require or incentivize developers to include affordable housing within market-rate projects. While imperfect, these policies address the housing affordability crisis that plagues American cities. Cities like San Francisco and New York have embedded affordability requirements into development approvals.

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Policy concentrates zoning density and investment around public transit. Rather than sprawling car-dependent development, TOD policy bundles housing, mixed-use development, and transportation infrastructure to create walkable communities. Arlington, Virginia’s Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor shows how deliberate TOD policy can transform communities.

Adaptive Reuse Incentives through tax credits and streamlined approval processes encourage historic preservation while generating new uses. The federal historic tax credit has catalyzed billions in private investment in adaptive reuse projects.

Government Investment in Public Space

Public space isn’t a market commodity—it’s infrastructure that markets reward but governments must fund.

Placemaking Initiatives like Bloomberg’s Placemaking Program transformed underutilized public spaces by funding temporary installations, events, and programming that demonstrated latent community potential. These investments often catalyzed private development and permanent improvements.

Public Art Integration funded through percent-for-art ordinances embeds cultural value into urban environments. Cities like Seattle have mandated that a percentage of development costs fund public art, resulting in vibrant civic experiences.

Parks and Greenway Investment like Atlanta’s BeltLine, funded through a combination of public bonds and public-private partnerships, catalyzed economic revitalization while improving public health, environmental quality, and equity of access to recreation.

International Models Worth Learning

Copenhagen’s Climate Adaptation Strategies demonstrate government-led innovation. Rather than treating flood management as purely engineering, the city created attractive climate adaptation landscapes—sunken parks and bioswales that manage stormwater while providing recreational amenities.

Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Restoration involved government-mandated removal of a freeway and restoration of a buried stream. What seemed economically illogical became a transformational public space that generates immense civic value and economic activity.

Barcelona’s Superblocks Initiative reorganizes traffic patterns to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over vehicles. The government restructured street hierarchies and speed limits to create car-free neighborhoods that increased social interaction and public health.

Singapore’s Housing Development Board demonstrates how government can solve housing affordability through direct provision. Rather than relying on market-rate development, Singapore builds public housing that serves diverse income levels while maintaining quality architecture and community spaces.

The Infrastructure Gap

Despite policy frameworks and demonstrated models, American cities face a critical funding gap. Infrastructure investment remains insufficient for the retrofitting, transit expansion, and public space improvement that cities need. Cities that innovate do so often despite budget constraints, not because of adequate public investment.

The federal infrastructure bills represent a partial correction to decades of underinvestment, but channeling those funds toward innovation—rather than merely maintaining aging systems—requires visionary governance and technical capacity.

What Works: Policy Lessons for Innovative Urban Development

Clear vision: Cities with coherent long-term visions (Vancouver’s EcoDensity Initiative, Portland’s sustainability goals) attract development aligned with community values
Expedited approval: Remove bureaucratic barriers for projects meeting sustainability and equity criteria
Mixed financing: Combine public investment, tax incentives, and private capital rather than relying on any single funding source
Equity as requirement: Make affordability, minority-owned business support, and community benefit non-negotiable components of public investment
Flexibility over prescription: Allow developers and designers freedom to innovate within policy frameworks, rather than mandating specific solutions
Regional coordination: Prevent sprawl and maximize infrastructure investment efficiency through coordinated policy across jurisdictions

The Convergence: When Communities, Professionals, and Governments Align

The transformational urban projects of our era aren’t accidents. They emerge when three forces align:

Community aspiration: Neighborhoods articulate what they need and deserve
Professional expertise: Architects, planners, and engineers synthesize that vision into buildable, beautiful, sustainable form
Government commitment: Policy, zoning, and investment create the conditions where ambitious projects become economically feasible

Projects like Toronto’s St. Lawrence neighborhood (community-driven mixed-use development with government support), Melbourne’s cultural precinct (government investment attracting architectural talent), and Portland’s comprehensive sustainability integration (clear policy enabling private innovation) demonstrate that this alignment is possible.

The trajectory of urban development is shifting away from isolated towers and sprawling suburbs toward denser, more mixed, more collaborative, and more accountable approaches to shaping cities. This shift isn’t driven by single visionaries or pure market forces—it’s driven by communities demanding better, governments investing in shared futures, and architects willing to listen, collaborate, and serve purposes larger than their own creative expression.

That’s where design visioneering becomes design action.

The Opportunity for edESTESdesign

Whether you’re developing mixed-use projects that serve entire neighborhoods, stewarding collaborative design processes that bring diverse perspectives into alignment, or working with government partners to translate policy into transformational built outcomes, the framework is the same: listen deeply, design inclusively, and measure success not by architectural applause but by the quality of lives lived in the spaces you create.

That’s architecture with purpose. That’s design that matters.

How the Ancient Greeks Designed Their Cities

by Maria Rybachuk

Despite wide diversity, city-states in Ancient Greece were united by a common design system that structured their architectural landscape.

Cities occupied a special place in ancient culture in Greece since they were relatively independent units not only economically but also militarily and politically.

Initially, settlements grew organically without a common design idea. However, later, ancient Greeks began to rebuild their towns and plan public areas according to certain universal rules.

The city layout usually had a rectangular structure. Streets and houses were arranged in such a way that their inhabitants could access water, have a lot of sunlight, and be surrounded by bountiful landscapes.

Inventor of urban design

Hippodamus, an ancient Greek architect and urban planner, is considered to be the founder of this system.

He introduced a new principle of city planning, which was characterized by geometric shapes and straight wide streets intersecting at right angles.

Commissioned by Pericles around the middle of the 5th century BC, Hippodamus developed a plan for Piraeus, the port of Athens. He is also credited as the one who designed Ancient Rhodes, which is now roughly under the entire modern city.

Thus, the settlements were built and designed according to certain beliefs and had much in common.

Ancient agora

thessaloniki ancient roman agora — Thessaloniki ancient roman Agora. Credit: Marco Verch / Flickr CC BY 2.0

The agora was the heart and center of the hectic life of any city in Ancient Greece. It was a large open space where people met, socialized, traded, discussed political issues, and gave lectures.

They were shaped as squares or rectangles and spacious enough to host plenty of shops and markets. Those squares were located close to the center and all main city roads led to them.

Temples in ancient cities

The 🏛Temple of Artemis, also known as the Temple of Diana, was a monumental ancient Greek temple located in the city of Ephesus, which is in present-day Turkey. It was dedicated to the goddess Artemis (known as Diana in Roman mythology), who was the Greek goddess of hunting,… pic.twitter.com/hDgBKRPp7m

— Wired Trends (@AncientLoreHub) August 8, 2023

Ancient Greek temples positioned around the Agora were dedicated to patron gods like Athena for Athens and Zeus for Olympia. These sanctuaries were designed with luxury in mind and decorated with frescoes and precious statues. A distinctive feature was the outer colonnade encircling the temple.

The towering sculptures of deities stood tall in the center for attention. Constructed from materials such as marble and bronze, these figures depicted gods standing or seated on lavish thrones.

Temples were part of sacred complexes, often featuring gardens and fountains. Entry was reserved for priests, while citizens participated in religious life through festive processions and offerings at altars outside.

Stoas

The Stoa of Attalos, Athens, Greece pic.twitter.com/YJ2Tq916h0
— Cihancan (@Cihancansezgin) December 9, 2022

A stoa, or covered walkway, lined the streets and provided shelter for pedestrians. These spaces encouraged people to gather, converse, and share news.

These structures looked like free-standing walkways with a long wall and a row of columns in front of it.

Frequently, they served to mark the agora’s borders, while the rear wall had special openings to shops where merchants sold their wares.

Theaters in Ancient Greek cities

Ancient Greek theater — Ancient Theater of Epidaurus. Credit: Carole Raddato / CC-BY-SA-2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Theaters, alongside agoras, held significance in ancient Greek urban landscapes. These open-air structures were predominantly semicircular, utilizing the natural slope of hills to create amphitheater-like arrangements.

The tiered steps were segmented into wedges by stairs extending from lower to upper seats. Low railings enclosed the edge seats, while the first row featured stone backs reserved for dignitaries, priests, and esteemed guests.

Typically, a theater featured a circular and level space called the orchestra, which was separated from the front row by a low barrier.

Initially covered with sand and later paved with stone slabs, theaters could typically accommodate crowds of ten to twenty thousand people.

Residential areas

The dwelling homes of the ancient Greeks were quite different from the richly decorated buildings of public significance. As for their own residences, they preferred simplicity and conciseness.

Here is how would be a house look like in Ancient Greece. You can see that the rooms are around an open-air courtyard that might have a well and a small altar, the andron (mens' room) and gynaeceum (women's room) since normally men and women ate and worked apart. pic.twitter.com/M9Wru7r1ym
— Cartier Bresson (@bresson_cartier) April 22, 2022

The houses of upper class families have been studied most extensively. As a rule, they were quite low and consisted of one or two floors. The premises faced the street with blank walls, and all life was concentrated in the courtyard. This open area was the main source of natural light, and the inhabitants used it for cooking, raising animals, and building religious shrines. There was also a place for heating in winter and a well with fresh water.

According to the general design plan, there were covered passages along the perimeter of the courtyard, which eventually turned into a colonnade. This type of Greek interior later became known as the peristyle.

The houses consisted of two or three rooms, the floors of which were adobe or stone. Wealthy people often chose more expensive marble tiles for flooring.

In ancient times, homes innovatively featured bathrooms supplied with water through pipes. The air in the room was at a comfortable temperature due to wind heating from the hearth of the next room. As for lighting, the owners of ancient Greek houses used resin torches.

Sectors for men and women

Within many households, a distinct feature emerged in the form of a designated men’s chamber, known as the andron. These rooms were typically elevated on platforms, representing the main and most decorative space in the house. The andron served as the epicenter of social activities, hosting guests and celebrations. A prevailing notion suggests these spaces were solely utilized by men.

In parallel, the women’s space, known as gynaeceum, found their place either on the second floors or secluded private sections towards the back parts of the building.

Defensive walls in city design

Defensive Walls Rhodes — Defensive walls were most often erected from stones and bricks. Credit: Jorge-Lascar / CC-BY-2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Massive walls around cities were a necessary and indispensable element of the urban structure to protect against raids from neighboring enemies.

Stones and bricks were the most commonly used materials for building defensive walls. Such structures also often included towers and gates for observation and repelling hostile attacks. Sometimes walls extended all the way to the city’s seaport so that new supplies could flow into the city during a siege.

The only ancient Greek city that did not have defensive walls was Sparta. The legendary legislator Lycurgus said that a well-fortified city is one surrounded by a wall of men rather than a wall of bricks. The ancient Spartans considered themselves invincible warriors, so they were proud of having no special urban constructions for protection.

shimmering facades wrap cavernous galleries of büro ole scheeren’s róng museum of art

shenzhen’s tech growth translates to design innovation

The Róng Museum of Art, designed by Büro Ole Scheeren, is taking shape in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District as a cultural institution embedded within a larger urban campus. With its organic surfaces and glimmering facade, the project signals a shift across the Chinese city where growth in technology is translating into the creation of landmark cultural spaces. Inside, the museum focuses on visual culture across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with works on view bridging art, architecture, design, and film.

visualizations courtesy Büro Ole Scheeren

büro ole scheeren clusters five organic buildings

The architects at Büro Ole Scheeren define Róng Museum of Art in Shenzhen by five sculptural volumes that rise from slender bases and expand as they ascend. These elevated pavilions hold the primary exhibition spaces, while their separation from the ground creates a shaded public plaza beneath. The effect is immediate on approach, with the building hovering above a continuous surface that remains open to the city.

This ground level operates as a naturally ventilated forum, protected from sun and rain yet fully accessible. A large skylight draws daylight down into the space, where people can pass through, gather, or pause without needing to enter the galleries above. The museum extends outward here, functioning as part of the public realm rather than a contained object.

five elevated volumes lift the galleries above a shaded public plaza

the facade of suspended glass tubes

The exterior is formed through horizontal layers that step back as Shenzhen’s Róng museum of Art rises, shaping each volume into a tapered form. Around this, a second skin of suspended glass tubes creates a textured envelope. These elements are parametrically designed to generate a surface that shifts in density and depth across the facade.

Light enters the building through this layered system as a filtered condition. The glass diffuses sunlight during the day, reducing heat gain while maintaining a soft interior brightness. At night, the facade emits a steady glow as individual tubes can be illuminated in sequence which gives the building a visible presence across the skyline.

The glass tubes serve multiple roles beyond enclosure. Their spacing allows for airflow, while their density provides shading, contributing to the building’s overall energy performance. The structure also collects rainwater across its upper surfaces and directs it toward retention areas at ground level for reuse.

the open ground level functions as a continuous civic space throughout the day

inside the upcoming róng museum of art

Movement through the Róng Museum of Art follows a gradual upward path. A stair traces the outer edge of the structure, leading visitors from the plaza to the galleries and eventually to a rooftop garden. The route stays close to the facade, offering shifting views of the surrounding district and the waterfront beyond.

Volumes combine into a flexible exhibition sequence. A double height space accommodates larger installations, while adjacent areas allow for varied scales of display. The organization supports different modes of viewing, from focused encounters to more open circulation.

a central skylight brings daylight into the covered plaza below

a parametric skin of suspended glass tubes creates a textured envelope

buro-ole-scheeren-rong-museum-art-shenzhen-china-designboom-08a

organic surfaces shape cavernous interiors illuminated by filtered light

connections to bridges and transit integrate the museum into the city network

9/9

project info:

name: Róng Museum of Art

architect: Büro Ole Scheeren | @buroolescheeren

location: Shenzhen, China

client: Tenova

completion: expected 2027

visualizations: © Büro Ole Scheeren, TMRW, Atchain, Frontop, Bezier

Is Africa’s skyscraper mini-boom a cause for alarm?

by Amy Frearson |

Africa is experiencing a mini-boom in skyscraper construction, with new towers rising in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and more. But are they symbols of progress or just vanity projects? Dezeen editor-at-large Amy Frearson investigates.

The Tour F in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, will soon become the continent’s tallest building, expected to reach its full 421-metre height later this year.

It will steal the title from the 394-metre Iconic Tower in Cairo, Egypt, which became Africa’s first completed supertall – a title given to buildings over 300 metres – when it opened in 2024.

High-rise building gathering pace

The situation is in stark contrast to a decade ago, when the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, was still the only African building to surpass the 200-metre mark.

This 201-metre tower was the continent’s tallest for 46 years, but it looks like it will be pushed out of the top 10 in the coming months.

A spate of recent completions includes the 250-metre Mohammed VI Tower in Salé, Morocco, finished in 2023, and the 209-metre Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, built in 2021. Many more are scheduled for this year.

The rate of development still pales in comparison to North America and Asia, but it appears to be gaining pace, which has triggered concerns.

Tour F under construction in Abidjan — The 421-metre Tour F in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, is set to become Africa’s tallest building. It is due to complete this year. Photo by Zaizone via Wikimedia Commons

Somalia-based architect Omar Degan, co-founder and curator of the inaugural Pan-African Biennale of Architecture, worries that most of these skyscrapers are being built with little regard for local building traditions and lifestyle habits.

“The rapid rise of skyscraper construction across African cities raises critical questions around identity, power, climate and urban futures, particularly as many cities navigate growth through imported models rather than locally rooted architectural logics,” he told Dezeen.

“I think it’s essential to unpack both the opportunities and the risks this brings,” he said. “And to ask whether verticality can meaningfully respond to African contexts rather than simply replicate global templates.”

Degan is not opposed to skyscrapers in African cities per se, but he wants to see models that reflect African cultural identity.

“I think there have been missed opportunities to see skyscrapers as a way of identifying a nation,” he said. “I would love to see a Moroccan skyscraper or a Nigerian skyscraper.”

But what’s fuelling this mini-boom, and can we expect it to continue?

According to Jason M Barr, professor of economics at Rutgers University-Newark, the data points to a link between African skyscraper construction and economic growth.

“Iconic buildings can benefit African cities, but the economics must work”

Statistics from the Council on Vertical Urbanism reveal that South Africa and Egypt, Africa’s two largest economies, account for around 75 per cent of all buildings of more than 30 storeys in the continent.

Egypt also has more of the tallest buildings under construction than the rest of Africa combined, in both Cairo and the nation’s new capital.

“Countries generally don’t build tall buildings unless all the ‘economics ducks’ are in a row, as they are expensive to build and operate,” explained Barr, author of the book Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers.

“If you look at the breakdown of usages for all 30-plus-storey buildings in Africa, most are offices, residential or mixed-use buildings, which are compatible with the economic need for tall buildings,” he told Dezeen.

The 394-metre Iconic Tower in Cairo, Egypt, became Africa’s first supertall when it completed in 2024. Photo by Mohamed Ouda via Wikimedia Commons

Barr argues that African cities can benefit from the power of tall buildings as “confidence boosters”. He said that few appear to be “white elephants” – built as status symbols rather than to meet a real need or demand.

“Iconic buildings can benefit African cities, but the underlying economics of these buildings must work – that is to say, the revenues paid by the occupants must cover the construction and operating costs,” he said.

“Given the history of economic and political troubles in Africa, we tend to associate Africa’s rising towers as emerging from that milieu,” he added. “But rather, its rising towers appear to reflect these countries’ desire to join the global community.”

Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo is more sceptical. She sees a clear divide between skyscrapers rising in Egypt and those going up in other African cities.

“A skyscraper is ultimately a symbol of progress,” she said. “I see countries in Africa beginning to think in that capacity, not because the economies are strong enough to achieve it, but because they want to present the narrative.”

“Is this what Africa needs? I don’t think so”

As Oshinowo points out, Africa accounts for just under three per cent of global GDP and doesn’t have the same issues of land availability as other territories, such as Europe or the Middle East.

It leads her to question whether developments like Eko Atlantic City, a huge new high-rise district being built in her home city of Lagos, are appropriate. She believes density could be achieved in buildings that are more African in their scale and approach.

“The world has a narrative of what we consider progress, and anything that deviates from that is just not seen as progressive,” she said.

“But there are many ways that we can solve these problems, so it doesn’t merit the justification of this symbol. And is this symbol what the continent needs? I don’t think so.”

Oshinowo cites Africa’s shortage of steel manufacturing as one reason why skyscrapers make less sense here.

It’s expensive to import, so local contractors don’t have the necessary construction expertise. Many of the skyscrapers now under construction are being built by Chinese companies.

Electricity is another problem; unlike North Africa, cities in West and Sub-Saharan Africa regularly experience power outages.

“The tall building requires certain infrastructure and amenities that we don’t have as standard,” Oshinowo said.

“When you bring in a typology that requires them, it’s a very different ballgame. What happens if you’re in the lift and the power goes out?”

But Belgian architect and construction consultant Hans Degraeuwe, who has been working in Africa for over 15 years and lives part-time in Lagos, argues that high-rise building may be a necessity as cities develop further.

The 209-metre Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters became the tallest building in Addis Ababa in 2021, but will soon be overtaken by the 327-metre Ethiopian Electric Power Headquarters. Photo by Fanuel Leul via Unsplash

“Unlike the urban sprawl that happened in America, Africa has to go vertical because it cannot simply afford to make the road infrastructure, power infrastructure or data infrastructure,” he told Dezeen.

Backed by a sovereign wealth fund, Degraeuwe is currently developing a model for customisable, modular high-rises, with plans to roll out different versions on 24 test sites across Africa pre-fabricated in Lagos.

He believes that prefabrication technologies could offer an answer to issues around not just skyscraper construction expertise but utility shortages – with the buildings themselves providing basic infrastructure for entire neighbourhoods.

“The skyscrapers we want are not just five-star hotels,” he said. “We want to have a hotel combined with a hostel, a medical clinic and a water-purification station.”

“I’m trying to create vertical communities that mix different functions, including affordable housing.”

Whether this low-rise continent manages to adapt models of vertical urbanism to fit its needs remains to be seen. Either way, the high-rise trend isn’t showing signs of slowing just yet.

The main photograph is by Youssef Abdelwahab via Unsplash.

nordic office of architecture delivers phase one of oslo’s new government quarter

Nordic Office of Architecture with Haptic Architects, Scenario, and I-d. Interiørarkitektur & Design completes the first phase of Norway’s New Government Quarter in Oslo, on the site of the July 22nd, 2011, terrorist attacks, reopening the political center of the country as a reconfigured civic landscape. The masterplanconsolidates nearly all Norwegian ministries into a compact campus for around 4,100 employees. Framed as a ‘design for democracy,’ the project brings government functions together while restoring pedestrian routes, public plazas, and daily urban life to an area long defined by trauma and security barriers.

The masterplan arranges five new and two restored buildings as a ring of ministries around interconnected public spaces, stitching the quarter back into Oslo’s historic center. Phase 1 includes the restored Høyblokken alongside the new A- and D-blocks, forming what the architects describe as a public ‘front line’ facing the city. The retained G-block and future phases complete a walkable campus that balances visibility and discretion. ‘The New Government Quarter is now part of Oslo’s everyday life rather than an isolated enclave,’ says Knut Hovland, Partner and Head of Design at Nordic Office of Architecture.

all images by Hufton + Crow

New Government Quarter phase one opens to the public

Previously, the former Y-block and surrounding road infrastructure had created a car-centric enclave. In its place, the Norway-, Denmark- and Iceland-based architectslink Hammersborg, the city center, and the fjord through reopened streets, refreshed plazas at Johan Nygaardsvolds plass and Einar Gerhardsens plass, and new pedestrian and cycling connections. A future public park, Regjeringsparken, designed with SLA and Bjørbekk & Lindheim, will introduce open lawns, native planting, and clear sightlines that maintain both accessibility and security.

At the center of Phase 1 stands the A-block and its 51-meter-high Pyramid Hall, a timber-lined atrium that functions as both lobby and symbolic heart. The space is animated by Outi Pieski’s AAhkA (Mother Earth), a vertically rising artwork that addresses Sámi history and indigenous futurism. Generous glazing, visible circulation, and open ground floors position the building as a permeable threshold between state and citizen. ‘From day one, the question was how to create a place that symbolizes Norwegian democracy and identity. We were asked to design a secure government district, but also a place where people feel welcome to walk, sit, protest and remember – a government quarter that belongs to the whole of Norway,’ reflects Gudmund Stokke, founding partner and head of design at Nordic Office of Architecture.

Bridges and shared social zones form what the team calls the Collaboration District, connecting ministries at the first-floor level and encouraging cross-departmental exchange. Internally, modular floor plates and flexible office layouts are designed to adapt to evolving political structures and digital work practices over decades.

the first phase of Norway’s New Government Quarter in Oslo is completed

embedding security in landscape and long-term sustainability

The architecture responds directly to the post-2011 dilemma of reconciling security with public trust. Protective measures are integrated into landscape design, building envelopes, and controlled vehicle access. Clear sightlines, active ground levels, cafés, and accessible gardens invite everyday use.

Material choices root the complex in Norwegian geology and craft traditions. Larvikite stone clads facades and public surfaces, selected for durability and long-term patina. Locally sourced timber from Nordmarka brings warmth to interiors, while boatbuilders Risør Båtbyggeri, in collaboration with Biko, contributed to the double-curved wooden surfaces and sculpted stair elements. The buildings are designed to meet BREEAM-NOR Excellent standards, incorporating seawater-based heating and cooling, low-carbon concrete, and detailed envelopes to reduce operational energy demand. Approximately 20 percent of the 15,800 furniture items in Phase 1 are reused from previous government buildings, aligning circularity with continuity.

reopening the political center of the country as a reconfigured civic landscape

art as memory and continuity

Curated and produced by KORO, the quarter hosts Norway’s largest public art program, comprising around 300 new and re-sited works. Artworks bearing visible traces of the 2011 attack have been conserved and relocated, forming a distributed memorial embedded in daily use.

The collection includes Pablo Picasso’s sandblasted concrete mural. The Fishermen, relocated from the former Y-block to the southwest facade of the A-block; Do Ho Suh’s Grass Roots Square, a field of approximately 50,000 small bronze figures supporting stone slabs at Einar Gerhardsen’s plass; and Jumana Manna’s 800-square-meter mosaic Sebastia at Johan Nygaardsvolds plass, composed of stone offcuts donated by municipalities across Norway, turning the plaza into a literal ‘city floor.’ The project also incorporates the public 22 July Centre, dedicated to the events of July 22nd, 2011, and anticipates the unveiling of the new National 22 July Memorial in summer 2026, marking 15 years since the attacks.

the masterplan consolidates nearly all Norwegian ministries into a compact campus for around 4,100 employees

a national commission

Commissioned by the Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Administration with Statsbygg as developer, the project was awarded in 2017 to the Team Urbis consortium led by Nordic Office of Architecture. Phase 1 was delivered on time and within the parliamentary budget frame of NOK 24.7 billion and is expected to be completed for more than NOK 2 billion under this ceiling.

‘The New Government Quarter is a once-in-a-generation commission that demonstrates how architecture, landscape, engineering and art can come together on one of the most sensitive sites in Norway,’ says Eskild Andersen, CEO and Partner at Nordic Office of Architecture. ‘It transforms a closed government district into an open civic heart for Oslo and the country, where everyday government and everyday life converge.’ With Phase 2 set to begin in 2026 and complete by 2030, the quarter remains a long-term national project.

framed as a ‘design for democracy’

the project brings government functions together

the space is animated by Outi Pieski’s AAhkA (Mother Earth)

Phase 1 includes the restored Høyblokken alongside the new A- and D-blocks

a public ‘front line’ facing the city

the masterplan arranges five new and two restored buildings as a ring of ministries

the architecture responds directly to the post-2011 dilemma of reconciling security with public trust

clear sightlines, active ground levels, cafés, and accessible gardens invite everyday use

1/5

historic terrazzo column and vertical timber paneling highlight material continuity across old and new

a sculpted timber staircase spirals through the atrium

a large-scale mural animates the collaboration district

the prime minister’s meeting room combines stone, timber ceilings, and curated norwegian design pieces

timber-lined informal meeting area in høyblokken

Washington Commanders share new stadium renderings by HKS

Daniel Jonas Roche |

The new renderings give a sense of what the fan experience will look like on the ground.

Visuals reveal the stadium’s perimeter shrouded in vegetation and a new spherocylindrical, capsule-shaped grass lawn for tailgating, concerts, etc. The lawn feeds into a plaza that fronts the main entry.

aerial view of Washington Commanders stadium — New renderings show the perimeter shrouded in vegetation. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

Updated renderings also show how the stadium will appear from three major access points: East Capitol Street Northeast, the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge, and East Capitol Street Southeast.

The stadium’s concave profile will maintain sight lines from East Capitol Street Southeast of the Capital Building and Washington Monument, according to the renderings.

Architecturally speaking, the new renderings also show subtle changes in the columns.

lawn in front of washington commanders stadium — A large grass lawn will host tailgates and concerts. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

road and view of stadium — View from East Capitol Street Southeast shows the roof of the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument towering up over the roof of the stadium. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

The last batch of renderings by HKS was issued in January; the tranche showed the stadium’s form and how it will axially respond to the U.S. Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, in alignment with the L’Enfant Plan.

Conceptual drawings by HKS were subsequently submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for consideration on February 5. NCPC chairman Will Scharf called the design by HKS “a really incredible stadium,” while others said there was room for improvement.

Paul Ingrassia, General Services Administration acting general counsel, noted he appreciated “the references to classical architecture,” by HKS but said the columns could be redesigned to “convey a sense of heft and gravity for when people enter.”

As per Ingrassia’s direction, this latest cache shows the profile intact, albeit with perhaps more Greco-Roman influence in the columns, which seem to be different in plan.

A tall, vertical void is located at the outset of the columns, per the new renderings, creating a sense of depth and shadows.

road and view of washington commanders stadium — View from Whitney Young Memorial Bridge (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

The roofed stadium will ultimately be able to host 70,000 people and serve as an anchor of a mixed-use development. HKS noted 30 percent of the 180-acre site will be open space.

Vertical construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2027, and full completion is scheduled for 2030.

The Washington Commanders noted the design process is ongoing; the franchise is still seeking input from stakeholders, city officials, and community members.

The jury is still out on whether or not the stadium will be named after President Trump.

Who is a woman who’s made an impact on your career?

by Edward Mitchell Estes

For me, the answer is my mother, Emellen Mitchell Estes. Long before I was designing urban spaces or serving as Mayor, she was the one who gave me the “zoning permits” to build imaginary cities in our backyard in Atlanta.

An educator at heart, Emellen was a graduate of two iconic HBCUs—Morris Brown College and Atlanta University, now known as Clark-Atlanta University. She served as a teacher and Principal in the Atlanta Public Schools during the segregated 50s, 60s, and 70s. Despite the challenges of the era, she and my father fostered my passion for art, architecture, and the performing arts.

A tribute to Emellen Mitchell Estes, a dedicated educator and mother, whose influence shaped a legacy in architecture and education.

She didn’t just teach me how to build; she taught me who I was. She shared our rich ancestral history and kept me grounded in faith at the historic Big Bethel AME Church on Auburn Avenue.

I am the architectural designer, urban planner, and graphic & web designer I am today because she believed in the blueprints of my imagination.

Hassell and SOM set the benchmark for Bradfield City’s foundational precinct

The Bradfield Development Authority has revealed the next major milestone in the creation of Australia’s first new city in more than a century, unveiling the master plan and concept design for Bradfield City’s First Land Release, known as Superlot 1.

by Clémence Carayol

Designed by Hassell and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with cultural design partners Djinjama and COLA Studio, the ambitious reference design establishes a new benchmark for sustainable, inclusive and future-focused urban development.

The precinct will serve as the physical and symbolic gateway to Bradfield City, setting the tone for its evolution as Western Sydney’s new urban heart.

“We set out to create a precinct where nature and urban life are intertwined, ensuring Bradfield City feels welcoming, sustainable and uniquely of its place,” says Kevin Lloyd, Principal, Hassell.

Bradfield City First Land Release - Hotel and Commercial.jpg

Delivered by the NSW Government alongside developer and investor Plenary, the First Land Release is envisioned as a vibrant, 24/7 mixed-use precinct that will catalyse investment, innovation and community life.

More than 1,400 new homes will be delivered, including 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing, alongside commercial, retail and community spaces.

The precinct is strategically positioned within minutes of the new Metro station and the expansive Central Park, reinforcing Bradfield City’s role as a highly connected metropolitan centre.

At the core of the master plan is an ambition to create a place where transport connectivity, urban density and deep respect for Country coexist.

This vision is expressed through the ‘Green Loop’, a 15-metre-wide landscape spine that weaves Moore Gully’s natural systems through the built environment. Shaped by extensive First Nations engagement and informed by Country through cultural design partner Djinjama, the landscape and architecture feel intrinsically connected to place from the outset.

Bradfield City First Land Release - Green Loop View.jpg

Anchoring the Green Loop is the Community Gathering Space, an intergenerational hub housed within a striking timber pavilion. Its woven canopy of interlocking timber reflects the Aboriginal principle of “Enoughness”, taking only what is needed, offering a sustainable prototype for learning, gathering and connection that exists in harmony with the loop’s water and biodiversity systems.

The precinct’s design prioritises permeability and movement. A fine-grained network of active streets and mid-block pathways promotes walkability, safety and vibrant street life. At ground level, public spaces, retail, lobbies and shared amenities activate street frontages, encouraging daily interaction and participation in community life.

As an economic and cultural anchor for the new city, the First Land Release will integrate a major education campus, a hotel and commercial office spaces, strategically clustered near the Metro to foster a thriving innovation hub.

A diverse housing mix — including student accommodation, affordable housing and market-rate apartments — ensures a truly intergenerational community from day one.

Bradfield City’s First Land Release represents a confident new model for city-making: one that celebrates Country, champions sustainability and innovation, and places community at its core, setting a powerful precedent for Sydney’s newest city.

“To design a new city is both a rare opportunity and a profound responsibility. Bradfield City is a chance to shape a vision with Country and community, embedding resilience, sustainability, and innovation into every layer of the city,” says Michael Powell, Senior Associate Principal, SOM.

Images: Bradfield City First Land Release / supplied

Metro Atlanta’s next autonomous vehicle project has broken ground

Free automated network near ATL airport called “one of the region’s most innovative transit projects”

Another autonomous vehicle test project is officially en route, this time on the southern fringes of ITP Atlanta.

ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts officials broke ground last week on a long-planned Automated Transit Network Demonstration Pilot program, marking what project leaders called a major milestone for “one of the region’s most innovative transit projects.”

The pilot project calls for a free, public, on-demand ATN network that will stretch for ½ mile along a dedicated guideway, linking the ATL SkyTrain at the Georgia International Convention Center to the Gateway Center Arena.

The project will use technology from Glydways, a California-based self-driving vehicle developer.

Example of a Glydways vehicle bound for the 1/2-mile route on the southside. Glydways/ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts

The possibility of autonomous shuttles, buses, or pods zipping around near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been explored for years. That push echoes alternative-transportation projects underway elsewhere in the metro, such as Cumberland’s forthcoming CAM Network and the Beltline-supported Beep project in Southwest Atlanta.

Near the airport, the goal of the ATN Demonstration Pilot is to showcase the capacity, scalability, and capabilities of such a system in real-world environments, according to project officials.

Gerald McDowell, AACIDs executive director, said in an announcement the pilot will provide “an innovative mobility solution for the future of transportation in our region.” Chris Riley, Glydways chief commercial officer, said the project “will demonstrate how our technology can be scaled and replicated in other communities, creating safe, cost-effective transit options across the country, and globally.”

The 1/2-mile pilot project is scheduled to open for public use in December.

Plans for the pilot Glydways route in relation to Georgia International Convention Center.Courtesy of ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts

Expansion beyond the initial route will hinge on a feasibility study led by MARTA that’s currently underway. Analysts will be closely monitoring the pilot project’s performance, scalability, and system capacity to determine if expansion to other south metro points of interest is feasible, per AACIDs leadership.

AACIDs, a self-taxing district of commercial property owners, comprises the Airport West CID and the Airport South CID and covers a 15.7-mile area across Fulton and Clayton Counties and several cities, including portions of Atlanta, East Point, Hapeville, South Fulton, College Park, and Forest Park.

A rendering illustrating Glydways functionality at the convention center stop on ITP Atlanta’s southside.Courtesy of ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts

A future alternative transit connection between the airport’s domestic and international terminals could also be in the works, AACIDs officials have said.

The logic goes that the service could help solve a primary complaint from international passengers—that connecting to MARTA from the international terminal is too difficult, or what Glydways officials have called a “missing link.”

Church Street, U Street + Reeves: A Look At The 14th Street Development Pipeline

by UrbanTurf Staff

Only a few large developments are still in the works along 14th Street, a corridor that defined DC’s development boom a decade ago.

Today, UrbanTurf takes a look at the projects planned, delayed or under construction along and adjacent to the 14th Street Corridor. If we missed a big one along this route, shoot us an email at editor(at)urbanturf.com.

Temperance Mews at U Street Metro

After securing all necessary approvals, Eastbanc and Jamestown listed the development site that sits at the Metro station at 13th and U Streets NW (map) for sale last year. The project, which was pitched back in 2022, never got started due to high construction costs.

The approved proposal included a 10-story building with 117-143 new residential units, retail, and 55-67 hotel rooms. There are also plans for 36 stacked duplex units along a “mews” greenspace in the public alley perpendicular to U Street.

Apartments, A Plaza + Dave Chapelle

There hasn’t been much movement of late on plans to redevelop DC’s Reeves Center at 14th and U Streets NW.

In 2023, MRP Realty, Capri Investment Group and CSG Urban Partners were chosen to redevelop the building into 108,000 square feet of new Class A office space for the NAACP and DC agencies, a 24,000 square foot plaza, 322 mixed-income apartments, and a 116-key hotel. The retail space will include a restaurant from Top Chef participant Carla Hall and a comedy club from Dave Chapelle.

A 17,000 public plaza would be named for Frederick Douglass, and the project will provide space for The Alvin Ailey School, the Viva School of Dance and the Washington Jazz Arts Institute. Michael Marshall Design is the project architect.

14 Church

A large new condo development is coming to a block in Logan Circle that helped start the development boom along 14th Street NW over 20 years ago.

Holladay Corporation is set to deliver 14 Church, a 65-unit project at 1455-1457 Church Street NW (map), at the end of 2026. The six-story building, designed by Eric Colbert and Associates, will incorporate the façades of the two existing structures on the site along with the adjacent empty lots. The development will deliver a mix of one- and two-bedroom condos and building amenities include a roof deck, a bike room and underground parking.