Washington D.C., United States
The Smithsonian Institution has hired renowned modernist architects The Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), to rethink the outdated D.C. campus. The company won an eight to twelve month, $2.4 million contract to draft the first phase of the Smithsonian campus master plan.
Headquarters of the Smithsonian - Image: Dennis Brack/Bloomberg News
Courtesy Washington Business Journal
Bamyan, Afghanistan
A group of well known designers including Frank Gehry, Michael Graves, and Zaha Hadid, have designed 10 hand-knotted wool rugs for the not-for-profit, Arzu Studio Hope’s 'Masters Collection'. The rugs, which were produced by female weavers in the poverty-stricken province of Bamyan, Afghanistan, will be sold in support of improving the lives of Afghan women weavers and their families.
"Puzz" - woolen rug designed by by Frank Gehry
Courtesy LA Times
California, United States
The expansive office park that houses one of the world's most famous companies is about to get even bigger and better. Partnering with Seattle-based firm NBBJ, Google has designed what will be their first campus to be built from scratch - a brand new, super-green structure on a site next to the Googleplex.
Plans for the new "Googleplex" headquarters - Image: NBBJ
Courtesy Vanity Fair
Lagos, Nigeria
The Lagos Makoko Floating School is due to be complete by NLE Architects by the end of the month with the floating houses being finished in September of this year and the Lagos Water Community project by the end of 2014. The project will herald a new era for coastal communities in Africa who experience the threat of floods as part of their daily existence.
Courtesy Backstage
Boston, United States
American toy designers Peter Dilworth and Max Bogue from US start-up firm WobbleWorks LLC, have come up with an innovative way of being able to participate in the 3D printing trend, creating the world's first 3D printing pen. Dubbed the 3Doodler, the device allows the user to hand-draw or 'doodle' a design in 3D using a single 3mm heated strip of ABS or PLA plastic.
Example of a 3Doodler creation - Image:Wobble Works LLC
Courtesy GMA News
