Articles by María Francisca González

A UNESCO designated World Heritage site, Red Square is the historic center of not only Moscow but Russia’s cultural life. In the 1400’s, this city center was a poor, blighted area until Ivan the Great called on Italian architects to help him build the Kremlin, or fortress. This outdoor urban space is now home to St. Basil’s Cathedral, the State Historical Museum, the GUM Department Store and Vladimir Lenin’s mausoleum. St. Basil’s is one of the most recognizable buildings in Russia due to it’s unique domes, towers, cupolas, spires and arches. Some of the best Russian history and art lives behind the distinctive red brick walls of the State Historical Museum. The GUM Department Store makes Red Square a luxuriant shopping destination. In it’s lifetime, the Square has hosted innumerable speeches, parades, rock concerts and festivals.

Situated on the northern edge of central Paris, the new Tribunal de Paris will regroup various facilities currently dispersed around the capital, becoming the largest law courts complex in Europe. The building takes the form of a slim, transparent, 160m tower of stacked volumes of decreasing size, carefully laid out for efficiency and ease of use.

Situated on the northern edge of central Paris, the new Tribunal de Paris will regroup various facilities currently dispersed around the capital, becoming the largest law courts complex in Europe. The building takes the form of a slim, transparent, 160m tower of stacked volumes of decreasing size, carefully laid out for efficiency and ease of use.

The Visitor Center along Tantau Avenue, designed as an exclusive public gateway to Apple Park, it features an expansive roof terrace with stunning views of the main building that offers a unique glimpse into Apple Park.

The use of stone is gaining popularity more and more in architectural design. Though it is an ancient construction technique, these days the texture that stone offers to spaces is having an undeniable impact on the many architects incorporating the material into their projects. For this reason, this week we present a second installment of stunning images of stone architecture, including 15 amazing images of this construction system by renowned photographers such as Hannes Henz, César Bejar, and Erieta Attali.

New technological developments in construction have given architects great freedom when designing. Innovations in construction materials and their properties allow for the creation of increasingly original and surprising facades. The buildings constructed as a result can even inspire people to travel thousands of kilometers just to see these masterpieces. This week, we present 15 of most ground-breaking facades through photos by prominent photographers such as Paul Ott, Peter Bennetts and Laurian Ghinitoiu.

Centrally located steps from St. Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square and the Kremlin, Zaryadye Park sits on a historically charged site saturated by both Russia’s collective past and evolving aspirations. As a historic palimpsest, the 35-acre site has been populated by a Jewish enclave in the 1800’s, as well as the foundations of a cancelled Stalinist skyscraper, followed by the Hotel Rossiya—the largest hotel in Europe until its demolition in 2007. For five years, this central piece of Moscow real estate-encompassing a quarter of downtown Moscow— remained fenced as plans to extend its use as a commercial center by Norman Foster were underway.

Construction continues on the Main Hall of Taipei Pop Music Center. The scaffolds have been removed and main structure and substructure are complete. Decking of the envelope has begun, revealing the building’s faceted cladding.

More and more, the kitchen is gaining importance in house design, in many cases serving as the center around which the rest of the spaces unfold. For this reason, this week we present a selection of 15 images of kitchens, from different parts of the world, which allow us to appreciate the variety of configurations, materials, and shapes now used in this important space. Read on to see the images of photographers including BoysPlayNice, Peter Bennetts, and Juane Sepulveda. 

Moscow welcomed its first new park in 50 years with the opening Zaryadye Park in mid-October. Designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Citymakers and Hargreaves Associates, this new public space has been a big draw for Muscovites, with over a million people visiting in the first weeks since its inauguration.