Author: Isha Chaudhary

The National Pavilion UAE has announced an open call for curators to lead the UAE’s exhibition at the 20th International Architecture Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia, taking place from May to November 2027. This open call challenges curators to uncover an untold story from the UAE’s architectural landscape, one that reflects both local depth and global resonance. Applicants are encouraged to explore innovative, critical narratives that draw from the built environment of the UAE and the broader MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) region. The deadline for submissions is 30 September 2025. Eligible applicants include UAE citizens,…

The Orb rises as a surreal and sculptural pavilion that redefines the role of form, structure, and materiality in public space. Designed by Marc Fornes, founder of the New York-based studio THEVERYMANY, The Orb is a living testament to computational design, radical experimentation, and the symbiotic relationship between art and engineering. Commissioned by Google as a permanent pavilion for their Charleston East Campus in Mountain View, California, this enigmatic structure is a manifesto in aluminum, an architectural node that catalyzes interaction, shade, and inspiration. The Orb – A New Frontier in Pavilion Architecture From the outset, The Orb sets itself…

Barcelona, Spain – Spanish architect Xavier Villanueva has completed a year-long renovation of Antoni Gaudí’s famed native masterpiece, Casa Batlló. The UNESCO World Heritage Site on Passeig de Gràcia has been revitalized, emphasizing Gaudí’s flowing geometry, complex mosaics, and trademark organic shapes. The restoration combines artistry, conservation science, and historical study to conserve the building’s delicate exterior while also enhancing our grasp of Gaudí’s material genius. Villanueva’s technique is authentic and reversible, which is consistent with international conservation standards. “When we discovered the original colors, we couldn’t believe it,” Villanueva added. “We wanted Gaudí to speak again, clearly and with…

As Expo 2025 Osaka edges closer to its grand opening, anticipation is mounting among governments, designers, artists, thinkers, and visual chroniclers. One such observer, American photographer William Mulvihill, has turned his lens toward the unfolding architectural marvels of the national pavilions, offering a contemplative and meticulously detailed photographic journey into a world that blends national identity, future vision, and radical design. His documentation gives rare insight into a multi-layered global dialogue, one being expressed through steel, glass, wood, and light. Capturing the Soul of a Global Stage Mulvihill’s photographic series is more than a visual update on construction progress; it’s…

The Polish Pavilion at the 2025 London Design Biennale invites viewers to reflect and feel what it means to be made to wait. “Titled Records of Waiting: On Time and Ornament,” the exhibition has earned the prestigious Theme Medal at Somerset House this June, recognized for its powerful interpretation of the biennale’s theme, “Surface Reflections.” Through intricate ornament and raw data, the pavilion turns the banal act of waiting into a profound design statement about modern inequality and timeless endurance. At the center of this immersive installation is a series of twelve hand-carved wooden panels, each crafted with surgical precision…

Under the restored iron-and-glass canopy of Paris’s Grand Palais, Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto has unfurled Nosso Barco Tambor Terra, a monumental, handwoven installation that merges material craft with spiritual architecture. This work occupies the space and reshapes how visitors move, breathe, and connect within it. Suspended from the ceiling of the Grand Palais’ North Nave, the structure appears as a cascading canopy of crochet, bark, fiber, earth, and spice. Its form is simultaneously organic and ordered like a living membrane, echoing the undulating rhythms of a natural landscape. Neto’s technique, rooted in traditional Brazilian weaving and shaped by months of…

In a historic moment for India’s infrastructure, the world’s highest single-arch railway bridge has officially opened in Jammu and Kashmir. Stretching across the Chenab River, the Chenab Rail Bridge is a stunning example of modern engineering and design. It’s a powerful symbol of connection, bringing the Kashmir Valley closer to the rest of the country by train for the very first time. India Builds Record-Setting Railway Bridge in the Himalayas Rising 359 metres above the river, higher than the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab Bridge now holds the world record for the tallest railway bridge. It’s part of the larger Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla…

The Naoshima New Museum of Art, perched near the Honmura district, officially opened on May 31, 2025, as part of the celebrated Benesse Art Site Naoshima. Slightly above ground on a gentle hilltop, the building includes two basement levels plus a ground floor; the three-story composition is Ando’s tenth contribution to Naoshima’s cultural landscape and the first to carry the island’s name. Its placement within the village’s residential district merges cultural monumentality with everyday life. While previous institutions on the island emphasized Western art, this museum is dedicated to contemporary works from across Asia. It represents a major pivot in…

In an era increasingly defined by material scarcity and ecological urgency, the construction industry faces a crucial turning point. Among the vast quantities of materials discarded each day, wood, particularly in the form of irregular off-cuts, stands as a striking example of untapped potential. These complex fragments, typically byproducts of traditional manufacturing and construction processes, are often overlooked, destined for landfills or downcycled into low-value products like mulch or particleboard. This linear consumption model is unsustainable and represents a significant loss of a valuable, renewable resource. “From Waste to Wonder” challenges this wasteful trajectory. Designed by architects Jianing Luo and…

In a legal move that could redefine the intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property, entertainment behemoths Disney and Universal have filed a joint lawsuit against Midjourney, the popular generative AI company known for its viral image-creation capabilities. The suit, filed in federal court, alleges widespread copyright infringement and marks the first major industry-backed legal challenge against an AI image platform by Hollywood studios. The lawsuit accuses Midjourney of misappropriating dozens of iconic characters, from Disney’s Yoda to Universal’s Minions, by enabling users to generate near-identical replicas through simple text prompts. Disney and Universal argue that Midjourney is profiting off…