American architecture studios HOK and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism have released images of renewed plans to renovate Manhattan‘s historic Penn Station after years of delays.
The revitalisation of the transit hub, which the studios are working on for developer ASTM North America, includes a new entrance on Eighth Avenue and a renovation of existing structures.
HOK and PAU have released plans to renovate Penn Station in Manhattan
HOK and the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) have released their designs for the project, which would renovate existing structures without the destruction of or addition to the surrounding infrastructure.
“ASTM’s plan will solve the litany of issues that have long plagued Penn Station and is the full realization of [New York] Governor Hochul’s own vision,” said ASTM North America CEO Pat Foye.
The designs show a stone-clad Madison Square Garden and an additional glass entryway mid-block
Whereas past iterations of the long-stalled project saw the addition of towers and the removal of the Madison Square Garden arena, HOK and PAU have taken a more toned-down approach.
Penn Station is located directly underneath Madison Square Garden, and HOK and PAU’s plans see the facade of the arena wrapped in a stone facade that mirrors that of Moynihan Train Hall across the street.
Penn Station is located underneath Madison Square Garden
In order to solve the dark, labyrinthine exit routes of the current configuration, HOK and PAU have opted to install a glass box adjacent to Madison Square Garden that would serve as the exit for 70 per cent of passengers leaving the station.
The plan will see the number of stairways, elevators and escalators increasing from 91 to 120, with access to the 21 tracks at the station.
The glass addition will increase access and light to the concourse
“Our proposal envisions two main train halls – a soaring Eighth Avenue entrance and a light-filled mid-block hall – that together will restore the civic gravitas that has been absent since the 1963 demolition of McKim, Mead & White’s original edifice,” said PAU founder Vishaan Chakrabarti.
“Our new stone facade mirrors and reinterprets McKim’s masonry colonnade across Eighth Avenue at Moynihan Station, creating a great public outdoor room that brings the historical in conversation with the contemporary, all while prioritizing light and air, an improved public realm, a great mix of civic uses, and compatibility with planned rail and neighborhood growth.”
The station will have glass ceilings and skylights to bring light into the lower aspects of the hub, which is mostly underground.
Costs for the proposal are currently estimated to be around $6 billion (£4.7 billion) and, if approved, would take six years to execute.
It is the newest iteration of a decades-old plan to improve the site
The new plan follows decades of delays. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that New York State governor Kathy Hochul had dismissed long-time development partner Vornado Realty Trust from the project, nixing the plans for an office tower development in the process.
ASTM said it engaged in a “months-long process with local elected officials” to settle on a proposal and believes that the current one will build “upon the State’s existing plans for a new light-filled and airy midblock train hall between 31st and 33rd streets and improve subway passenger connectivity from Seventh Avenue”.
Political and environmental reviews have long stalled the process for the nation’s busiest rail transit hub, as a variety of interests including rail company Amtrak as well as city and state governments in New York and New Jersey have stakes in the future of the project.
ASTM has committed to contributing upfront capital to “jump start” the project and said that it would bear cost-overruns and take responsibility for the upkeep of the station to reduce “financial risk to taxpayers”.
Recently, SOM and landscape architecture studio James Corner Field Operations completed the Moynihan Connector, which connects the High Line elevated walkway to the Moynihan Train Hall.
Don’t we all want to be surrounded by tools that allow us to relax and revitalize mentally?
Aromatherapy is a concept widely adopted by the contemporary world which is why the Asian culture of incense sticks is gaining popularity in the West. It is highly valued by a broad cross-section of the traditional community. However, the younger section is still understanding and exploring its benefits. The tray and holder’s deliberately designed modern form and versatile nature make it a fantastic entry point for the younger generation as well.
This was built by the Songpa-gu in collaboration with the Seoul Design Foundation to portray the beauty of the Hanseong period of the Baekje Dynasty’s cultural legacy and the aroma of tradition. This beautiful tray and holder complements any sort of interior decor by preserving and exhibiting its roots through themes of coins, flowers, and tree branches that showcase Baekjeasty’s remarkable art and cultural features.
Incense sticks are associated with a serene and zen environment that promotes focus, concentration, and rejuvenation. The characteristics of minimalistic design contribute to this frame of mind. It motivates people to think, perceive, and behave positively. When these themes are combined with overlapping traits, the outcome is a full platter to attract younger consumers.
The rightly picked white finishes justify the zen and minimal aesthetic. Zen themes usually have neutral colors which are associated with nature and are pleasing to the eye. Not only does the minimal zen palette affect one’s mood, but it also affects one’s attention span allowing them to focus and work better if placed in workspaces. It gives a feeling of a clean, pure, and a fresh environment
Traditional Korean buildings have the most gorgeous roofs, with everything from bright beautiful paintings on the ceilings to graceful tiles, arching eaves, and intricate tile finishes. The traditional clay tiles used to construct these roofs are known as ‘giwa’. These roofs served as inspiration for the shape of this holder and tray. The tile ends are always embellished with a finely detailed motif, such as an animal, flower, or Chinese character just like the ones at the end of the tray.
These trays are excellent choices for creating a cozy and soothing ambiance at home after a long day at work or even in the office during breaks. This complements every type of interior design and can be used without fear of clashing. Because it mixes daily objects into one, such as a cardholder, pen holder, and, of course, our new favorite incense stick tray, it encourages minimalism in every location it is used! The modular design also allows room for creating a larger tray and use it to its maximum capacity, these can also be stacked for compact storing.
It was fantastic how the designs at the tile ends kept the authenticity. In contrast to a structure with a flat surface, the wavy design may restrict the types of objects it can hold while decreasing usability.
Cuartopiso and Barragán Arquitectos have completed an all-electric, twelve-unit apartment complex with wide balconies overlooking the street in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico.
Local agency Cuartopiso partnered with Barragán Arquitectos, a Mexico City-based studio founded by the nephew of Mexican architect Luis Barragán, to build Hacienda Santa Bárbara 107, which measures 978 square metres (10,527 square feet) and was completed in 2023.
Hacienda Santa Bárbara 107 contains 12 apartments
The complex is located on a vacant lot in the middle of the growing metropolitan area of Querétaro, and the design works to activate the property and its residents with easy pedestrian and bicycle access around the old part of the city.
“The building evokes a series of spaces that convey the experience of living in a place where natural materials, architecture and the neighborhood contribute to our happiness,” the team told Dezeen.
Planted balconies wrap the exterior
“Our project brought life to a once quiet street and utilized an urban void in a way that allows for more sustainable and connected lifestyles to occur,” the team said.
The building – which takes up about 65 per cent of the parcel – is placed at the centre of the lot and maximizes views, natural light and cross ventilation, as well as creating a direct relationship with the surrounding city through deep balconies on the top three levels of the four-storey design.
The architecture studios added planted terraces
The ground level is walled off from the street but each of the twelve apartments are corner units, which the studio said is “a simple and rare luxury that substantially improves the quality of the spaces and makes it possible to separate public and private life”.
The concrete floor slabs push past the perimeter of the enclosed space to create planted terraces, which bring rhythm, light, and aperture to the building.
“These exterior spaces work as an extension of the living room and at the same time include a green barrier that allows privacy to be kept,” the team said.
In terms of materials, the team utilized regional limestone finishes, terrazzo and marble floors, and wood, concrete and ironwork elements.
Each apartment is a corner unit
“We made an extra effort to source materials locally, from bricks to finishes, not only to reduce carbon footprint, but also because we believe that architecture dialogs to its context through materiality.”
“With these materials we respect the architecture of the area, we value nature and we recover artisan manufacturing.”
The exterior walls are constructed with a double layer of hollow clay bricks that mitigate the internal temperature.
The external spaces were designed as extensions of the internal living spaces
The all-electric design is fed by solar panels on the roof, which is divided into designated sections for an array for each apartment, as well as one for the elevator and common area lighting.
The roof also serves as a rain collection system that filters water into the subsoil at the basement level.
Materials were locally sourced
“Most importantly, the building’s greatest environmental feature is its location,” the team said, referencing the efforts to re-densify the city and reduce vehicular emissions in Querétaro.
Luis Barragán Rivera founded Barragán Arquitectos in 1991 after working in his uncle’s workshop. The studio works to prioritize the ideal “less is more,” in its design, which is evident in many of Luis Barragán’s works, such as his 1976 design of Casa Gilardi.
Project credits: Architects: Cuartopiso, Barragán Arquitectos Architects in charge: Juan Pablo González de Cossio, Luis Barragán Rivera Landscaping: matorral Communication: area colectiva
Footwear design is a complicated practice, requiring an exceptionally wide range of knowledge and expertise. From manufacturing processes to material science to human body dynamics, global fashion and cultural trends to retail merchandizing, a lot goes into that pair of sneakers on your feet. Keeping on top of this fast-moving knowledge base is a challenge, so a dedicated conference to learn from industry experts and veterans is a welcome event. That’s why the team at Advanced Design has created Glue, a two-day conference taking place in Portland, OR on July 20 & 21.
Hector Silva, Executive Director at Advanced Design, said “Footwear plays a crucial role in our everyday lives and reflects our culture, while also representing a complex and intricate industry that often remains behind the scenes. From fine details and material selection to engineering, business, and marketing, footwear involves multifaceted teams. We’re looking forward to delving deep into these aspects to shed light on what goes on behind the curtain of footwear design.”
The first day takes place at the Wacom Experience Center, while the following day will be at Autodesk’s Portland office. Tickets for the event are only $100 for both days, and include presentations, workshops, networking and after parties.
Designer Michael DiTullo, who has extensive industry experience and will be one of the presenters, has plenty of first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing those working in this space “Being a footwear designer taught me to better understand the larger context for my work and how to be a better collaborator. I’m so excited this conference is happening and that it is taking place in Portland, the footwear design capital of the United States and one of the most creative cities in the world. Off the top of my head, Nike, Under Armour, Cole Haan, Lululemon, Arcterix, Keen, Adidas, Columbia, Sorrel, all have design studios here. This truly is a nexus for new ideas in the industry.”
If you’re still not convinced, the presenters are a collection of industry veterans:
The future of the Scandinavian auto brand looks very bright
Andrew Maness
19 June 2023
For the majority of their history Volvo has primarily been known for two things: safety and simple design. Luxury was also part of the conversation, but a quiet and approachable kind of luxury. Volvos were sensible cars for sensible people, and even a great deal of success in European touring car racing thanks to performance tuner Polestar (before it was spun off as an EV brand) couldn’t change that perception. Then, in 2015 the second generation of the XC90 SUV arrived and for the first time since the P1800 of the 1960s, Volvo had a vehicle that was unequivocally attractive. The XC90 was an instant hit and in the years that followed, the rest of the Volvo family of vehicles received the same sleek Scandinavian styling.
Underneath the attractive exterior was the new Scalable Platform Architecture or “SPA” as Volvo dubbed it. SPA allowed Volvo to continue to prioritize safety while also taking a greater interest in efficiency by way of weight reduction and hybridization. With SPA underpinning their mid- and full-size car offerings, Volvo debuted their CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) platform with the XC40 compact SUV in 2017. Initially conceived for front-engine, front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles, the CMA platform has proven to be highly modular indeed as the 2024 XC40 and C40 are not only the first rear-wheel-drive Volvos in 25 years, but also offer the option of a single electric motor mounted at the rear of the vehicle.
Why offer a rear-wheel-drive vehicle after a quarter century of not doing so? Following our drive of both the 2024 XC40 and C40 Recharge, we found ourselves hearing a common theme from the Volvo engineers and designers who worked on the updated compact SUVs, and that theme was performance. However they made it clear they were not just saying performance in the sense of driving capability, but overall performance in the sense of the vehicle doing its job at the highest level on each and every outing.
There was no glaring issue to solve with the first runs of Volvo’s compact SUVs; they were well received at launch and have consistently sold well. However we were told that the teams behind them felt they could be even better, especially once the fully electric Recharge variants came to market. It’s a simple notion really, without an internal combustion engine that must be placed over the front axle, you’re free to experiment with placement of an electric motor, as well as which wheels its power drives.
Conversion to electric propulsion has allowed brands to reconsider vehicle dynamics, centers of gravity and weight distribution, which in turn allows them to reconsider the scourge that has been front-wheel drive. Think of the most yawn-inducing vehicles you’ve ever encountered, they all likely have one thing in common and that’s front-wheel drive. Does being able to toss the rear end of a compact crossover out when going around a corner automatically make it more interesting? Well it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Both the refreshed XC40 and C40 do ride noticeably smoother than the initial versions, but that’s down to changes to the damping and spring rates rather than the placement of Volvo’s new in-house electric motor over the rear axle. One effect of moving the motor to the rear certainly does have is improving traction, as we were told that the new vehicles are better in inclement weather than the previous internal combustion, front-wheel-drive models. Much to our surprise (and, honestly, our delight) we experienced atypical sunny spring weather while in Gothenburg and didn’t have a chance to test the dynamic traction control. Given the rigorous testing we know Volvo undertakes all over Scandinavia, we’ll take them at their word with regard to the benefits of the rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive setup.
As has been the case since Volvo launched the SPA platform (and effectively re-launched the brand under Geely ownership) improved efficiency is part of the overall performance equation. Replacing the 201-hp motors on the front and rear axle of the AWD Twin-Recharge models are a 255-horsepower version of the new rear motor and an equally new, albeit less powerful, 147-horsepower motor on the front axle. The front is only engaged as needed for traction purposes, which we were told is done to improve efficiency.
Translated to real world numbers that means up to 294 miles of range for the rear-drive XC40 and 297 for C40, thanks largely to a new 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack that can be charged at a maximum rate of 200 kWh. The twin-motor versions retain the outgoing models’ 78-kWh pack, but range still goes up by 31 miles to 254 for the XC40 and 257 for the C40.
Unfortunately, its fast charging rate still tops out at 150 kW. For customers looking for maximum efficiency when driving and when charging, that means the RWD models are the way to go. In fact, we’d say that for all but a select group of individuals who regularly encounter treacherous road conditions, the RWD models are a better choice. With Volvo going to a fully electric vehicle portfolio by 2030 and the debut of their in-house made electric motors, we’d expect that the 2024 XC40 and C40 are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Going electric opens up all sorts of packaging possibilities, which in turn gives vehicle designers much more space to get creative in.
We expect to see Volvo continue to evolve the excellent design language that debuted on the XC90 and started a new conversation about the Swedish brand, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary fours years from now. We’re especially confident in our expectations having been given the chance to get up close and personal with the forthcoming fully electric 2024 EX90 SUV while visiting Volvo’s HQ. The EX90 is an impressive evolution of everything that made the XC90 a runaway hit, but it debuts more than a few of its own defining elements that are sure to bring even more attention to Volvo when it arrives early next year. Having now sat behind the wheel of the flagship electric SUV that will be built at Volvo’s South Carolina plant we can say this much: as great as the present offerings are from Volvo, the future is looking very bright.
Inside the Striking “Letizia Battaglia Senza Fine” Exhibition at the Terme di Caracalla
Setting the work of the well-known Italian photojournalist in the context of historic Roman architecture
Paolo Ferrarini
20 June 2023
Italian photojournalist Letizia Battaglia, who passed away in 2022, is an integral, international figure in photography and beyond. Through her work as a photographer and activist for 50 years, Battaglia documented the lives of everyday people and illustrious personalities, through life and death; she ferociously chronicled Italy and, in particular, Sicily, her region of origin.
The striking new anthological exhibition Letizia Battaglia Senza Fine celebrates her in the spectacular context of Rome’s Terme di Caracalla (aka the Baths of Caracalla). For the occasion, the prestigious archaeological site—directed by Mirella Serlorenzi—has opened new areas and populated them with the black and white photos of Battaglia.
The curator, Paolo Falcone, selected 90 images from her archives and arranged them with power and intention. “On the occasion of the exhibition at the MAXXI Museum in 2016, the photos were suspended from above,” he tells COOL HUNTING on the occasion of the opening, “while now they float thanks to our choice to use glass panels.” In fact, the display of the photos is inspired by a 1968 project by Lina Bo Bardi for the Museo de Arte de São Paulo. Shortly before she died, Battaglia had the opportunity to admire that famous exhibit during a trip to Brazil and was fascinated.
The exhibition aligns perfectly with the distinct spaces of the Terme di Caracalla, where installations by contemporary artists, concerts by international pop singers and a summer opera season much loved by Romans are regularly performed.
As Falcone says, “This new project maintains the tradition of composing a unique work, athematic, timeless and devoid of hierarchies where iconic photographs, travel notes and daily life build an open narrative to know and discover the many aspects of Letizia Battaglia. A constellation of photographs where love and pain, sweetness and drama, passion and commitment tell moments in our history.”
Letizia Battaglia Senza Fine runs now through 5 November at the Terme di Caracalla.
Images courtesy of F. Caricchia for Terme di Caracalla
teddy<3 (aka Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Teddy Geiger) has released an electric, dreamlike new single “True Love,” the first from her forthcoming record, Teresa. “The music originated from some ambient amp noise I had recorded and tuned and layered, a fuzzy little form emerged out of that,” Geiger says of the track. “‘True Love’ is about living truth, being honest with yourself, and knowing when to walk away.”
Lanternflies, though pretty, have become an increasingly present and destructive force for crops in the eastern US and it’s anticipated that they will spread across the country. In response to the growing hazard and financial impact, a team of students in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University created TartanPest, an autonomous robot that moves through potentially infested areas on a microtractor base, uses computer vision to identify the insect’s egg masses and uses its robotic arm to remove the masses from the trees and objects they are attached to, preventing them from hatching. Read more about the invention at Carnegie Mellon University’s website.
TartanPest image courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University
Our inspiring conversation with the self-described “evil genius” inventor and content creator
Josh Rubin, Evan Orensten
21 June 2023
Behind more than 400 inventions over the last four years, serial creator Matty Benedetto—the founder of Unnecessary Inventions—is as prolific as he is entertaining and inspiring. A self-described “evil genius,” Benedetto works from a studio in Burlington, Vermont, solving problems, assembling unexpected creations and sharing content to millions of loyal fans on Instagram and TikTok. Benedetto makes for a thrilling guest on our latest episode of Design Tangents, where he provides insight on social media success, being authentic first and foremost and operating as a one-man company surrounded by nothing but ideas and his machines.
Benedetto’s entrepreneurialism began when he crochet ski hats—at age 13—for his friends. By the time he went to school for business and marketing, he already had his own company. Our paths first crossed in 2012, when we became obsessed with his cloth iPhone cables. “I am just jumping from one idea to the next at all times,” he tells COOL HUNTING. “Every few years I need to reinvent what I am doing.”
I see the final image of the invention in my head before I start making it. I work backward
After his first invention when viral on Reddit, Benedetto volleyed his online success into a series of (often silly) problem-solving pieces. “All of my inventions I create, I see the final image of the invention in my head before I start making it. I work backward,” he explains. These have ranged from the Burrito Bumper (which funnels spillage into a taco) to a Tic Tac organizer (which stifles the jangling sound inside a case), as well as Airsticks (AirPods paired with chopsticks) and Gator Grip “Croc” gloves (which led to a cease and desist letter). None of these have ever been for sale. That’s not the point. “With the internet these days, you have to do something that’s unexpected to be noticed,” he adds. “Everything’s been done a million different ways, a million different times.”
Benedetto often makes the astounding possible—and encourages others to do suspend disbelief and do the same. “A lot of people give themselves false roadbloacks to bringing something to life that they want to see. I think I ignore all that,” he says. With a new board game on the market (after a year and a half in development), Benedetto also has a product people can take home. Learn about it all at this episode of Design Tangents now.
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Design Tangents is presented by Genesis and produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette and Samantha Sager and to Amber Lin for creating our show art. Discover more design podcasts from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.
Vollebak and Bjarke Ingels’ Sustainable Island of the Future
This off-grid compound is proof-of-concept for how we can live with climate change
Josh Rubin
22 June 2023
London-based brand Vollebak conceives of future-forward clothing—like a graphene-based jacket, an invisibility cloak and shirts that can endure for 100 years—and now, they’ve designed an island. The ever-innovating brand teamed up with the prolific Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to design the plans for Vollebak Island, a roughly 11-acre compound off the coast of Nova Scotia that will be completely run by clean energy.
Carbon neutral and off-grid, the island will be an exploration of how to live in a world that can no longer deny climate change—and proof that this type of life is not only possible but can also be luxurious. When the plot of land and the design vision were presented together for auction earlier this month, through Sotheby’s, the reserve was not met. As such, the project is still available for purchase and in our opinion, needs to come to fruition as a proving ground, statement piece and reference point for how to live well in the future.
Ingels makes a natural partner for Vollebak given the architect’s acclaimed portfolio championing “hedonistic sustainability.” But even beyond that, BIG has already been asking how they can design a world that survives climate change. Vollebak Island is proof-of-concept for the architect’s answer to that question, which they dub the “Plan for the Planet.” The masterplan (already finalized before Vollebak approached them with this project) is a step-by-step guide to creating a carbon neutral Earth that is inhabited by 10 billion people, a population that we are expected to hit by 2058. BIG’s solution involves first converting all energy into clean, carbon-neutral energy by electrifying transport and buildings and creating synthetic e-fuels for anything that can’t be electrified. Then, renewable energy will become local and decentralized yet work on a global and interconnected scale.
When it comes to resources, the plan imagines drawing back from nature and fossil fuels, using land for clean energy, turning crop residue into biomethane and relying only on sustainable agricultural practices to create more livable land, which could then be divided up equally among the billions of people so that each group of four receives a homestead of around a hectare.
Vollebak Island is the first real test of Plan for the Planet. Run entirely on geothermal energy, offshore wind, solar power and ground source heat pumps, these can all be stored within the walls of the island’s buildings. Earth House, the main hub, is set to be a cluster of nine interconnected buildings akin to a small village. Part architecture and part land art, it rises from the ground organically (BIG intends to raise the topography of the land to keep the buildings partly hidden). It will be made from a range of ancient local materials as well as innovative new ones that represents another synergy with how Vollebak makes their clothing. Featuring a bathhouse made with 3D-printed concrete, a living room that uses thatch as its main material, a dry storage area utilizing the island’s abundance of seaweed and a sunken stargazing room and meditation space created using hempcrete (a bio-composite material made of hemp shives, lime and sand). The material is also used to create one of the building’s bedrooms and another is made with boulders.
The building will be carefully constructed to work in tandem with the land which bursts with a lush ecosystem. The roofs, in addition to carrying solar panels, feature shrubs and other flora, reducing storm runoff and easing the strain on water and waste management systems.
The other building on the island will be Wood House, a bunker-like annex that lies on the island’s eastern shores. It is proposed to be made with cross-laminated timber from trees on the island. “Laminated in different directions, it’s a relatively new technology,” says Ryohei Koike, lead architect of the project. “So, it can be as thick as possible and almost as robust as concrete.”
The proposal makes clear that food grown will be grown in the island’s greenhouse (made of brick-shaped glass that’s dyed emerald green) and will be bountiful enough to sustain those living there. Chanterelle mushrooms already grow there, and sea scallops, lobster, crab and sea kelp are abundant in its surrounding waters.
Perhaps as an effort to put new spiritual energy into the place or maybe just to continue researching the seasonal dynamics of this unique location, Vollebak is now taking applications for those looking to stay on the island before its buildings are built. Those residing on Vollebak Island will need to know how to live off-grid, without leaving a footprint behind. Rent will cost $1 per night.
Vollebak Island shows how we can exist reciprocally with the environment. While it may only be a small, isolated test, it offers a model that can be scaled and replicated for towns, villages and cities, emphatically denying that a fatalistic apocalypse is our only inevitability.
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