Architecture studio Foster + Partners has unveiled designs for a supertall skyscraper in Miami that is set to house the relocated headquarters of hedge fund company Citadel.

Designed at 54 storeys and 1,032 feet (314 metres), 1201 Brickell Bay Drive is a symmetrical supertall skyscraper designed by Foster + Partners in Miami’s Brickell neighbourhood.

Developed by Philadelphia-based Gattuso Development Partners, the skyscraper is part of an overall development that will include offices, hotels and retail. The skyscraper will abut the Miami South Channel while the future mixed-use developments will expand slightly inland at 1221 Brickell Avenue and 1250-1260 Brickell Bay Drive.

The Foster + Partners skyscraper will house approximately 34 floors of office space and 212 hotel rooms across its uppermost floors.

Renderings show a tapered tower with rounded corners that rise to meet a flat, rectangular cap blooming outwards from the top.

It is clad in all white with thin horizontal louvres running horizontally underneath each floor plate, which draw from Flordia’s vernacular architecture, according to the studio.

“The tower’s tapered form unifies its various functions, enhances structural efficiency, and creates an elegant marker on the Miami skyline,” said Foster + Partners head of studio Nigel Dancey.

“An environmentally responsive facade draws on Florida’s vernacular architecture, with a louvred shading system to create a comfortable internal environment, while maximising views out from this amazing location.”

Citadel is set to serve as “anchor tenants” for the project, as the company moved its headquarters to Miami from Chicago in 2022.

According to the company, the building’s “column-free” office space will encourage collaboration among employees.

The building is also set to contain conference spaces, a ballroom, a pool and fitness facilities, and a spa.

Renderings also show tiered planting beds lining the building’s base, with landscape architecture studio Field Operations set to design the project’s streetscape, which will include ground-level restaurants.

It will also connect to the waterfront via a public walking path.

According to Citadel, the project is expected to break ground in 2025.

“The development of this iconic, world-class tower at 1201 Brickell will redefine the Miami skyline and further solidify this dynamic and vibrant city as a global destination for talented professionals and their families, businesses, and culture,” said Citadel.

“We are excited by the opportunity to work with our partners, city and county officials, and neighbouring stakeholders as we revitalize the Brickell Baywalk for the benefit of Miamians and visitors alike.”

The skyscraper joins several others being built in the area by studios such as SOM, SHoP and Studio Sofield.

Recently Bodas Mian Anger completed a skyscraper for British car brand Aston Martin that has a “sail-like” shape.

Other car companies have stated they plan to build skyscrapers in the region, which follows a general rise in skyscrapers branded by fashion and car companies. In Miami, these include a Dolce & Gabbana supertall and a Bently-branded skyscraper.

The images are courtesy of Foster + Partners

The post Foster + Partners designs “elegant” Miami supertall skyscraper appeared first on Dezeen.

The latest edition of our Dezeen Debate newsletter features British engineer Tom Greenhill’s proposal to use yoghurt as a solution for combating heat waves. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now.

British engineer Tom Greenhill has proposed using yoghurt to coat windows as a low-cost and low-energy solution to keep UK homes cool during heatwaves.

Commenters were intrigued by the initiative, with one describing it as “crazy enough to work” and another calling it a “brilliant idea – simple and cost-effective.”

Other stories in this week’s newsletter that fired up the comments section included the D-Day museum in Normandy by French studio Atelier Projectiles, an educational hub in Norway by Snøhetta and an opinion piece by Phineas Harper on smartphone design.

Dezeen Debate

Dezeen Debate is sent every Tuesday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Debate or subscribe here.

You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Agenda is sent every Tuesday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours and Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design.

The post Dezeen Debate features yoghurt window coating “crazy enough to work” appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen School Shows: a biodiversity research centre in Doncaster, UK, that aims to educate schoolchildren is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at the University of Sheffield.

Also included is a converted gatehouse that preserves energy and a school focusing on combatting the climate emergency through architecture.

University of Sheffield

Institution: The University of Sheffield
School: Sheffield School of Architecture
Courses: Part 1, Part 2 and non-accredited architecture courses
Tutors: Mark Emms, John Sampson, Mark Parsons, Bryony Spottiswoode, Gareth Puttock, Guy Moulson, Luis Hernan, Felipe Lanuza, Matthew Bradshaw, Georgina Mitchell, Leo Care and Rosie Dodgson

School statement:

“The Sheffield School of Architecture is well known for its ethos of social conscience and climate literacy.

“In the past year, these strengths have been evident throughout students’ work, both as architects and as campaigners.

“Our students have produced some truly exceptional work, both as designers and as members of a wider community.

“Here we present a selection of exciting projects, designs and campaigns from our students.”

A Place to Call Home by Theo Buczynsky

“This is an urban social housing project in Sheffield for residents facing various forms of homelessness.

“Its core objectives are to foster a sense of home, belonging and worth by encouraging a community atmosphere where everyone feels valued and supported.

“By integrating a printing workshop and training spaces, the project provides practical opportunities, as well as offering additional accommodation for emotional support for more vulnerable residents.”

Student: Theo Buczynsky
Course: BA Architecture (Year 2)
Tutor: Mark Emms

Clyde Built by Mariya Nesheva

“Formerly Inverkip Power Station, Clyde Built: The School of Just Architecture challenges the concept of liveness and community involvement within architecture in the context of the global climate emergency and the need for collective responsibility.

“SJA’s mission is to provide the conditions for change.

“The school reintroduces craftspeople and designers within the frame of architectural education in the hopes of bridging the gap between communities and architects and allowing for an inclusive and democratic conversation around shared values.”

Student: Mariya Nesheva
Course: MArch Architecture
Tutor: John Sampson

C-Food by Esther Yeboah

“A seafood farming hub and restaurant on the coast in Tilbury, the landing point of the Empire Windrush.

“The project examines our relationship to degraded landscapes, waste and invasive species, celebrating the culture and food of the Caribbean and creating a new destination in this unique part of Essex.

“The scheme uses thatch made from reeds grown to bioremediate the landscape with low carbon concrete made of waste aggregate and fly ash to create floating pontoons.”

Student: Esther Yeboah
Course: MArch Architecture and Landscape Architecture
Tutor: Mark Parsons

The East Island Atelier by Barnaby Dulley

“The high street is transitioning post-pandemic with the shift to online shopping causing a reduction in pedestrian traffic, whilst the cost of living crisis and climate emergency are prompting thought into new ways of being, acting, producing and consuming in this environment.

“Located on Oxford Street, London, the newly renovated East Island Atelier is home to SUAC, the Social University of Arts & Crafts.

“The SUAC combines educational typologies with cultural production, acting as a conduit between the global tourist community and the alienated local community, with collaborative learning opportunities and spaces for the students to exhibit and sell their wares in an effort to reconnect the retail experience with the artisanal design and production heritage of Oxford Street.”

Student: Barnaby Dulley
Course: MArch Architecture (Collaborative Practice)
Tutor: Bryony Spottiswoode

The Worksop Priory Gatehouse by Gurrajsukh Talwar, Yibo Wei, Mengqin Zheng, Tanisha Mohan and Zechen Di

“The Worksop Priory Gatehouse is an imposing 14th-century medieval artefact at the heart of the town.

“It is a Grade I listed building and is currently included on the Heritage at Risk register – whilst not currently in use, the gatehouse historically serves the community in many guises – as a hospitable space for travellers, as a refuge during the English Civil War and as a school during the 20th century.

“Working with The Worksop Priory and Gatehouse Community Trust as the live clients, the project aims to answer three main questions: how a listed building be adapted for reuse to increase its thermal comfort whilst reducing its energy costs and the derogation of the building fabric to preserve it for the future; how can we inspire the local community to recognise and celebrate the unique heritage of the gatehouse and gather support for its restoration; how can the gatehouse be used, both in the long and short term?”

Students: Gurrajsukh Talwar, Yibo Wei, Mengqin Zheng, Tanisha Mohan and Zechen Di
Course: MSc Sustainable Architecture Studies
Tutors: Gareth Puttock and Guy Moulson

When Plants Reign Supreme by Bashaer Alsahafi, Jiayou Liu, Baihui You and Zhiyi Song

“The project is part of the studio ‘radical infrastructures’, which aims to interpret the notion of infrastructure as a site for speculating on architecture as a practice beyond the design of buildings, connecting with wider economic, political, ecological and social issues.

“When Plants Reign Supreme envisions the area of Attercliffe, in the post-industrial northeast of Sheffield, as an environment where human and non-human species mingle and create new environments of mutual flourishing.

“The project utilises the ruins of a failed project of industrial bonanza and utopia, to reimagine its role as the place for creating new geographies defined by the dispersal of plant species.

“An important aspect of the project is its critical engagement with the notion of ‘invasive species’, identifying the undercurrent of an increasingly anxious discourse around human migration.”

Student: Bashaer Alsahafi, Jiayou Liu, Baihui You and Zhiyi Song
Course: MA in Architectural Design
Tutor: Luis Hernan and Felipe Lanuza

Trespass by Jacob Pierce

“Tasked with the design of a small building within the Peak District, Trespass is a sculpture studio for artists in residence, as an ode to the sculptural geology of Owler Tor.

“A deep consideration of context informed my design: the bleak windswept environment of the site, the natural palette of rock and wood and the historical extraction of resources from the Peak District.

“The building’s structure is simple, with thick drystone walls oriented to block prevailing winds, which surround a central glulam timber beam that is used to hoist monumental rocks into position for carving.

“Windows scatter the walls like a gallery, funnelling the eye to curated views of the landscape, whilst a light charred timber roof provides protection from the wind and rain and shade from the summer sun, its shelter providing a level of thermal comfort and ventilation, subservient to the beauty and might of its environment which allows the sculptors to be inspired by their surroundings.”

Student: Jacob Pierce
Course: BA Architecture (Year 1)
Tutors: Matthew Bradshaw and Georgina Mitchell

The Box Centre – Institution for gaming, broadcasting, storytelling and exhibiting by Siha Salim

“Acting as an intermediary between the neighbouring regenerated industrial buildings and the award-winning Hepworth Gallery, the Box Centre integrates a historic watermill building, connecting the past, present and future of Wakefield.

“The Box Centre is the place where boredom sparks creativity and everyone has a voice and a story to share.

“Combining videography facilities and podcast recording rooms with public performance spaces and an exhibition for the ‘forgotten women of Wakefield’, this project sets a new cultural agenda for the city.”

Student: Siha Salim
Course: BA Architecture (final year)
Tutor: Leo Care

The Floating Classroom by Jade Springer

“The Floating Classroom is a biodiversity research centre, situated by the river Don canal in Doncaster.

“The building ‘floats’ on surrounding reedbeds and ponds that surround it, creating a new wetland environment providing staging posts for migratory birds, a sustainable urban drainage system and flood defence.

“This forms the project narrative, which aims to engage local school children in the observation of wetland birds and the discovery of biodiversity in these habitats.”

Student: Jade Springer
Course: BA Architecture (final year)
Tutor: Rosie Dodgson

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of Sheffield. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Ten architecture projects by students at the University of Sheffield appeared first on Dezeen.

The smartphone market is a very congested and crowded place, not just with multiple competing brands but with each brand putting out multiple models per generation on multiple tiers. You’d think these companies want to just put their best foot forward, but instead, they try to target different audiences and budgets. Of course, there will have to be certain compromises for devices that aim for a lower market tier, but the question is just how much can you sacrifice before all you’re left with is an unusable, unappealing slab of metal, glass, and plastic. That’s the question that the Vivo V40 has to face in light of its well-received Pro sibling, and we give it a good try to see just how well it can perform under certain constraints.

Designer: Vivo

Aesthetics

With so many smartphones now sporting more powerful and bigger cameras, it’s no surprise how many are scrambling to fit them in an elegant design and how some are failing to succeed. Given the two 50MP cameras on its back, it’s actually quite a pleasant surprise that Vivo managed to hit the nail on the head with its V40 series. There’s still a noticeable and technically thick bump on the rear, but it is presented in such an elegant way that you probably wouldn’t mind at all.

The key to this design is what Vivo dubbed the Gemini Ring, inspired by the constellation of the same name. It pairs two smaller circles in a bigger circle, playing on the “twin” theme. Technically speaking, the lower “ring” with the Aura Light is a bit taller and connects to the ring that houses the actual cameras, resulting in a shape that resembles a sleek keyhole. It’s an interesting visual element that grabs your attention but doesn’t scream at you.

The rest of the Vivo V40’s back is just as elegant as that camera design, with a variety of colors that add an artistic character to the phone. Our review unit, for example, is the Moonlight White which has a few patches of blue that resemble the surface of the moon at night. The back has a very glossy finish which, as you might have guessed, is a fingerprint magnet, though the color of the design at least makes those smudges harder to see.

The Vivo V40’s large screen curves to the side, giving it the illusion of a thin profile. We seem to live in an age of flat screens and flat edges, so this “classic” design might offer some relief to fans. It does come with some usability consequences, though, depending on how you hold it, and not everyone finds this aesthetic that appealing these days.

Ergonomics

At only 7.58mm thick and weighing only 190g (0.42 lbs), the Vivo V40 is incredibly thin and light, especially when you consider the extra-large battery it packs inside. It won’t strain your hand when holding the phone for a long time, but due to its size, you’re more likely to hold it with two hands unless you’re just idly scrolling away.

The curved edges of the screen are probably a bit more divisive. More than just a cosmetic design, it means that there will be parts of the screen at the edges that are not always visible, depending on the viewing angle, or might be accidentally triggered by parts of your palm or fingers. It doesn’t happen all the time, otherwise, this kind of design wouldn’t have lasted a year, but it might be something to consider when you notice “ghost” touches from time to time.

Performance

Underneath the sleek exterior of the Vivo V40 lies a rather sneaky secret. In many aspects, this is pretty much the Vivo V30 from early 2024, just with a few minor upgrades. It has the same Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor and the same basic memory and storage configuration. There are other similarities as well that we’ll get to later, but the bottom line is that, in terms of performance, you aren’t going to see a distinct generational upgrade.

That means that what was true for the Vivo V30 is true for the Vivo V40, which thankfully means you do get a solid mid-range performer. With enough RAM allocation, which is 12GB plus another 12GB taken from the 512GB storage of our review unit, you have plenty of silicon muscle to get apps moving smoothly and fluidly. You’ll have to turn down the settings for games, but you’ll still be able to enjoy the latest action-packed titles. That said, there is a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 at this point, so it’s rather disappointing that Vivo didn’t push for that extra punch.

The screen is almost the same, a 6.78-inch 2800×1260 120Hz AMOLED display that’s quite vibrant and crisp. This year’s model, however, upgrades the brightness by a considerable margin, which makes the phone even more usable outdoors. It supports HDR10+ but oddly leaves out Dolby Vision, something that might be of concern to video aficionados.

The biggest difference between the two generations is the 5,500mAh battery inside the Vivo V40, a whopping 500mAh increase from its predecessor. It does make the phone heavier and thicker than the V30, but not by much. The battery life gains pretty much make up for that anyway, with an uptime of almost 20 hours, depending on usage. It charges fast, too, at 80W, though not exactly record-breaking. The plot twist here is that Vivo doesn’t include a charger in the box, so you’ll have to find an 80W charger or higher on your own.

The cameras are where it’s all at, of course, and here the Vivo V40 doesn’t disappoint except in one aspect. Again, it’s the same combination of a 50MP f/1.9 main camera with OIS and a 50MP f/2.0 119-degree ultra-wide shooter. The front also gets a 50MP front-facing camera capable of shooting in 4K 30fps, which should probably make you a star in video meetings.

In practice, these ZEISS-tuned cameras deliver as promised, producing detailed and clear shots with natural colors and good exposure. That’s true both in broad daylight as well as low-light or nighttime shots, though the latter sometimes tend to get a little bit overexposed to the point of looking unnatural. Bokeh is pleasant and the separation of foreground and background is quite accurate. The Studio-quality Aura Light ring offers more flexibility with light temperature and intensity, creating more natural-looking lighting when needed. This stellar performance stops when you try to zoom in, though, even at just 2x. At that point, quality starts to degrade, which is to be expected from a camera system without a dedicated telephoto lens.

Sustainability

Vivo has been making big steps in improving its commitment to a greener future, and every little bit counts toward that goal. It might not be using recycled metals and plastics yet, but it might be slowly but surely getting on with the times. The Vivo V40, for example, doesn’t ship with a charger, helping decrease the potential e-waste from owning multiple chargers that do the same thing. Yes, you might have to buy a compatible charger if you still don’t have one, but that’s an investment that you will be able to use for other devices as well.

Perhaps the bigger step forward is taking this mid-range V series phone’s durability to the next level. From a measly IP54, the Vivo V40 now boasts an IP68 rating, putting it on the same level as more expensive flagship smartphones. What this means is that your phone won’t die on you so easily, prolonging its longevity and delaying its inevitable fate in the trash heap or recycling plant.

Value

To be painfully blunt, the Vivo V40 doesn’t exactly have a standout feature. Yes, the 50MP ZEISS cameras perform well, but other mid-range phones can match its output and even have a telephoto shooter in the gang. Its hardware isn’t exactly fresh or notable, but it does get the job done. The slim and sleek design is definitely eye-catching, but they always say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Instead, it’s actually the sum of its parts that give the Vivo V40 its value. It’s a solid performer with dependable cameras wrapped in a premium-looking design, delivering long battery life and durability on par with high-end rivals. And when you slap on the $430 price tag, you basically get a mobile partner that you can rely on, as long as you don’t make too many demands.

Verdict

It is getting harder to stand out in a very crowded smartphone market, and some vendors have started making gimmicks, adopting exaggerated designs, or adding over-the-top features just to differentiate themselves. Sometimes it works, but most of the time you end up with an outlandish design that costs more than it’s worth. In contrast, the Vivo V40 opts for a simple yet solid design, delivering a well-rounded experience with a camera system that you can be proud of and a large battery that won’t let you down.

The post Vivo V40 Review: Keeping Things Simple and Sweet first appeared on Yanko Design.

Here’s an interesting solution for car campers: This accessories collection by SeaSucker, which allows you to set up a portable kitchen using your vehicle as the structure.

Vacuum mounts, which you pump the vacuum into manually, adhere to your vehicle to support a worksurface, a sink, a garbage bag, a paper towel holder, a flashlight, cups, and even a pressurized water tank.

The company says their mounts will retain vacuum for 24 hours. When they start to lose pressure, you’ll know it; the piston-like cylinder that you use to pump in pressure has an orange marking on it at a specific depth. If the cylinder starts to protrude and you see orange, you’ll know you need to pump it up again.

The pressurized water tank, and the design of its operation, are particularly impressive:

If you’re wondering about the company’s name, they got their start making vacuum mounts for marine applications.