A new carbon neutral and nature-based neighbourhood designed by SLA and Biecher Architectes is to be built on the site of a former rail depot in Paris, France. The so-called “ecosystem neighbourhood” is designed to ensure that its constituent parts interact and work to benefit each other. For example, renewable energy generation will power amenities that will link up green spaces. The Ordener-Poissonniers development will cover 36,500sq m (392,900sq ft)

Odile Decq has led a protest today (25 May) at the Venice Architecture Biennale against discrimination faced by women in architecture, releasing a manifesto urging everyone involved in the industry to “make a vow to uphold fairness, transparency and collaboration.” Architects including Alison Brooks, Toshiko Mori, Jeanne Gang, Francine Houben, Louise Braverman and Manuelle Gautrand were among those in attendance as Decq led a flash mob of over 100 people

Pritzker laureate Alejandro Aravena has reflected on the impact of the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, which he curated, in the run up to the 2018 edition the renowned international exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday (26 May). Two years ago, Aravena’s Biennale, themed ‘Reporting from the Front’, considered major challenges facing the built environment – from natural disasters to financial constraints, pollution, crime, housing shortages and a scarcity

Alison Brooks, Alejandro Aravena, Wang Shu, Bjarke Ingels, Elizabeth Diller, Rafael Moneo, Peter Zumthor and David Chipperfield and are among the big names participating in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, it has been announced. Curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, founders of Grafton Architects, have revealed more details about their plans for the 16th iteration of the event, which will be open to the public from Saturday 26 May to

The creation of vibrant and meaningful public spaces will be the focus of the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara have revealed. Meeting the press last week in the Italian city, the duo announced that the 16th International Architecture Exhibition is to be themed ‘Freespace’ and will “celebrate architecture’s proven and enduring contribution to humanity.” Explaining the concept, they said in a statement: “We’re interested in

Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, co-founders of Irish studio Grafton Architects, have been appointed as curators of the 16th Venice International Architecture Exhibition in 2018. The duo – who have just claimed the inaugural RIBA International Prize for the UTEC University campus in Lima, Peru – will expand on the social themes explored by Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena at the 2016 Biennale, focusing on how architecture can be used as

The first ever London Design Biennale will open to the public on 7 September, with participants from 37 nations using the event to explore the concept of utopia. Brand new work by leading architects, designers, scientists, writers and artists will explore how good design can respond to challenges such as pollution, growing and aging populations and mass migration to create perfect societies. The exhibition will include large-scale kinetic sculptures, immersive

Much of CLAD’s coverage this week was unsurprisingly centred around the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale. The event is the biggest in the industry’s calendar, and CLAD was there to take a look at this year’s pavilions – exploring different challenges and solutions facing built environments around the world – and to meet some of the most influential architects working in leisure. Among the exhibits that caught our eye were Spain’s

The international jury of the 15th Venice architecture Biennale has awarded the Golden Lion award for Best National Participation to Spain, for its pavilion Unfinished. The Spanish exhibition was one of 65 national pavilions at this year’s Biennale. Each engaged with festival curator Alejandro Aravena’s chosen theme Reporting From the Front to show examples of problems facing the built environment in their countries and some suggested solutions to these challenges.

Alejandro Aravena has officially launched the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale by firing a broadside at decision makers and architects who put profit ahead of the public good when creating our built environments. “Banality and mediocrity in architecture are as damaging as not responding to basic needs,” said the Pritzker laureate at this morning’s (26 May) press conference for the festival, which he is curating. “Corporate architects [and developers] are the

Venetian glassmaking association Fondazione Berengo is to host a retrospective of the work of Zaha Hadid, following the architect's death in March at the age of 65. The exhibition will take place Venice’s neo-Gothic Palazzo Franchetti, close to the Grand Canal, during the city’s architecture Biennale from 28 May to 27 November. Hadid’s accomplishments, including recently-completed structures and projects currently under construction, will be represented in the 500sq m (5,400sq

Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha has been announced as the recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement prize at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Da Rocha – whose landmark leisure buildings in his homeland include the Serra Dourada football stadium in Goiania, and the Clube Atlético Paulistano gymnasium and Brazilian Sculpture Museum in Sao Paolo – was nominated for the award by the biennale's curator, Alejandro Aravena. In a

David Chipperfield Architects have been invited to participate in the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale with a contribution on their museum project in the ruined ancient city of Naqa in Sudan. The festival, curated by Alejandro Aravena, will be themed Reporting from the Front and will focus on the myriad of challenges facing architects around the world. Naqa contains the ruins of a former trading city that once belonged to the

Mexico’s University of Guadalajara has broken ground on its new MX$1bn (US$55.9m, €50.4m, £39.6m) Museo de Ciencias Ambientales (MCA), a national institution exploring the future sustainability of the region and its relationship with the metropolitan city of Guadalajara. Designed by Snøhetta, with interior design on six galleries by MET Studio, the 20,000sq m (215,000sq ft) museum will sit at the heart of a cultural district next to the main University

Hollywood star Jessica Biel and a consortium of stylists, writers, entrepreneurs and philanthropists have opened a family-friendly dining and creative space close to Los Angeles’ design district. The restaurant, called Au Fudge, is described by its developers as “an all-inclusive culinary, social and visual oasis for adults and children to equally enjoy as their home away from home.” The child-friendly design is intended to create “a unique wonderland”, complete with

The director of the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, Alejandro Aravena, has revealed that challenges facing the built environment will be the focus of this year’s festival. Aravena, who is the winner of this year's Pritzker Prize, has pledged to curate a show that demonstrates “there is not only a need, but also room for action” in improving the environments where people live, work, interact and relax. “There are several battles

Some of the biggest names in architecture and design have developed prefabricated pavilions for real estate developer Robbie Antonio as part of his Revolution Project. Over 30 creative individuals – including Ron Arad, Kengo Kuma and Daniel Libeskind – were invited to create cost-efficient living and leisure spaces using advanced design and fabrication technologies. Volu, a shell-shaped dining space created by Zaha Hadid Architecture studio, was the first to be