Design Your Life

	'Starchitecture under Siege' 2009-11-09 12:48:24 Recent architecture news has been dominated by the story of the destruction of the much hyped, Rem Koolhaas-designed Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Tourist Center in Beijing, brought down by fireworks from a Chinese New Year celebration at the even more celebrated CCTV tower next door. The story got popular design blob CURBED thinking � if one "starchitect" project has met such a dramatic and...

	'The Leaning Tower Of�Abu Dhabi?' 2009-02-03 10:25:57 Fans of architectural wonders may soon be replacing Italy with the Arab World on their travel itineraries. Because the world's "most leaning tower" � or as the Guinness Book of World Records will refer to it, the building that is "most inclined in the world" � will soon join the skyline in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. And it's definitely designed to give...

	'New Digs for a Design Legend' 2009-02-03 10:30:34 Frank Gehry's amazing creations grace the great cities of the world, from New York to Prague to Bilbao, Spain. So what's the latest spot designated for a Gehry-designed masterpiece? Would you believe El Segundo, California? This unassuming coastal community located between the beaches of the South Bay and Los Angeles International Airport has been selected as the new home...

	'Dubai to Build the World�s Next Tallest Building' 2009-02-03 10:35:57 Remember the days when America was the biggest and best at everything? When the World Trade Center, the Sears Tower and the Empire State Building topped the Guinness World Record Book lists of "World's Tallest Building?" Well, a lot can change in a couple of decades. First, the citylines of Asia reached for the sky, and left the USA in the dust. Now, the place to go...

	'Frank Gehry Goes To School' 2009-02-03 11:00:39 From the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to the Guggenheim Museum in Barcelona, Frank Gehry's architectural works forever change the landscape of whatever space is lucky enough to host one. This fall, students at Princeton University joined this fortunate club, when the Lewis Library opened on campus. Created to house the university's astrophysics, biology, chemistry,...

	'New York�s Switch Building Lets Residents Have it Both Ways' 2009-02-03 11:07:29 If you've ever dreamed of living in an art gallery, a new, New York City building is offering the next best thing. Tucked among the former tenements of the Lower East Side, the Switch Building places four one-level, full-floor apartments and a duplex penthouse above the new, non-profit Switch Gallery � giving a few lucky art lovers the chance to live their dream. The...

	'Maybe We Should Call Them NYPD Green?' 2009-01-29 11:07:07 New York City Police are famous for everything from their love of donuts to showing their (fictitious) bare bottoms on television. Now, they're going to be the first eco police department thanks to their newest Station House. Located in the borough of Staten Island, the 121st Police Precinct Stationhouse will be a modern, linear structure designed to make the most of an...

	'Fifth Richest Man Builds Number one Most Expensive House' 2009-01-29 10:56:20 With the housing crisis in full swing, you may notice home prices in your area dropping. However, as they do, the most expensive house in the world is in the midst of being created, and is scheduled for completion early next year. The house, named Antilla, is a 550 foot skyscraper built to accommodate a single family of four. Of course, the head of this family happens to...

	'Richard Neutra�s personal residence in distress' 2009-01-29 10:51:21 His linear, glass houses embodied Hollywood cool in the swinging, mid 20th-century. Today, they command millions on the market, attracting celebrities and design aficionados alike. But despite his famous name and architecture street cred, the house Richard Neutra once called home is in danger of vanishing from the landscape. The VDL Research House -- named for Dutch...

	'Zaha Hadid presents; the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Vilnius' 2009-01-29 10:48:46 Great news in the world of design yesterday since diva of architecture, Zaha Hadid was announced to be the winner of the museum in Vilnius, Lithuania. The competition was funded by the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation and the Stage Hermitage Museum and is considered to be a great step towards the development of contemporary and media art in Vilnius, Lithuania. Another important role of the...

	'Architecture Giant Gives Back' 2009-01-07 16:53:44 As America prepares to inaugurate its first African-American president, a major architectural firm is upping the chances we�ll soon have our first African-American Frank Lloyd Wright. Gensler, the global architecture giant whose latest works include China�s tallest building, Herman Miller�s UK headquarters and various airports, hotels, skyscrapers and other monumental structures, will...

	'Dubai is Down, But China Keeps Climbing' 2008-12-29 11:33:25 It�s a tale of two cities, surviving both the best of times and, lately, the worst of times. For the past decade, the Middle Eastern city of Dubai has been architecture�s hottest of hot spots, boasting not only the tallest building on the planet (due to be completed soon), but an even taller building set to begin construction in the near future. It boasts more seven-star hotels...

	'Aussie Architect Takes 2008�s Top Honors' 2009-01-22 16:44:09 One of Australia�s most famous and beloved architects has been recognized (or as they say Down Under, recognised) for his achievements yet again. Having already been awarded the Pritzker Prize, known as the most prestigious prize in architecture, in 2002, Glenn Marcus Murcutt, is now the recipient of the 2009 AIA American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. The man behind...

	'The Latest on the 9-11 Memorial' 2009-01-29 12:04:59 In case you've been wondering about the progress of the September 11 Memorial, to be built at the site of the former World Trade Center, you're not alone. It's been years since an international design competition among the world's top architects led to a field of imaginative, inspiring designs that aimed to immortalize the towers and the enormous losses of that horrible day. ...

	'S.F.�s Mission District Goes Large' 2009-01-26 13:19:39 Proving Good Design is no longer just for the rich, the City by the Bay is bracing for a massive influx of affordable housing, located right in the middle of San Francisco's famous Mission District. Arquitectonica, an award-winning architectural firm based in Miami, is going cross-country to create Trinity Place, an enormous, six building, 1,900-unit residential complex that will be...