A group of Savannah College of Art and Design students completed a two-part installation that is designed to commemorate slaves who worked on the LeConte-Woodmanston Plantation. The installation includes a series of wooden structures mounted in the same rice fields that slaves once worked in as well as a 231 foot instalation along walkways that go through the plantation. The second part includes a chapel that can house up to 125 people for events. Join discussion...

Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset saw beauty and potential in an old water-pumping station in suburban Berlin. These two artists (formerly a couple, now just artistic partners), after having lived in Berlin for some years without investing in property, finally took the plunge and purchased the out-of-place space. They soon began renovations with the help of two young architects, Nils Wenk and Jan Wiese, and completed the project in about a year. Keeping most of the original architecture, the two artists saw the space as a spatial challenge, "somewhere we could apply the concepts we had been working with in our art." For example, four large vents in the upper floor once used for ventilation have been transformed into a fireplace, a table, a guest bed, and an embedded bathtub. Now the water-pumping station is both home and studio, and perhaps a work of art in itself. Join discussion...

This article talks about plans for the new art museum in Berkeley. The current museum is old and has suffered damage from earthquakes. The new building in planning is designed by Toyo Ito, a well known Japanese architect. It has a honeycomb pattern and is very sturdy to withstand earthquakes and still have thin elegant structures. The plan is to have curved corners for maximum gallery space. The design is very open and fluid, but some features may have to be altered due to the budget. With the economy at its current status, officials are trying to cut back on as much as possible, still keeping the architectural beauty. They are currently in a state of compromise and fine-tuning the design. Join discussion...

Lawrence Halprin has a very well developed and supportive belief about the arts in our society. At age 92 he has seen many of his works of art develop and redevelop, until what once was a thought out landscape becomes a field of dirt or a new building. The reason, he explains, is that his landscapes are so thought out that they take more understanding than simple architecture of a building. Anyone can note a beautifully created structure, but understanding why the artist chose to design a landscape takes much more thought and is often over thought. People are starting ways to preserve the landscapes, but with developing lands and industrial mindsets, sometimes it can't be done as it would be preferred. Because of this, photography is getting more precise at documenting these works of art that can have such a lasting impression. Landscape architecture definitely deserves more than this, but it is a step in the right direction Join discussion...

The Burj Tower in Dubai is now being recognized as the world's first superscraper because of its enormous size. Though its exact height will not be released until construction ends and it officially opens in June, people are estimating that it could be as tall as 800m. Other estimates suggest that it will about the height of two Empire State Buildings and that it will easily be taller than Taipei 101 (the world's current tallest building in Taiwan). The basic design of this man-made building is based on the tube system created by Fazlur Khan in the 1960's. The microdesign of the builiding is unlike any other, though. The architect of the Burj, William Baker, spent years studying minor details for his building that allowed him to make the tower so tall. When it is complete, the Burj Tower will be used as a hotel, as office space for businesses, and for other such things. Join discussion...

Zaha Hadid has just unveiled his newest work of architecture in Central Park, New York. The new work is located in the Chanel Pavilion in Central Park. This is the buildings final stop on a world wide tour. It is made of 55 fiberglass panels that can be assembled and disassembled. It is designed to look like a Chanel 2.55, a Chanel handbag. Join discussion...

La Maison Rouge, Fondation Antoine de Galbert, located in Paris, is currently showing work done by Gregor Schneider, a German artist. Titled "Sweet Smell," the show features his work that deals with space and emotion. Schneider is an architect who has experimented with space his whole life. La Maison Rouge is exhibiting his claustrophobic labyrinths from February 22 to May 18. Join discussion...

The School of Architects held a meeting, led by a lady called Garcia Juarez, this Wednesday. They formed part of the plan for the castle of San Sebastian. They intend to rehabilitate and give use to the castle. They are trying to speed up the process. The Consorcio continues the activities for the exhibition 'In Transition' on the anniversary of the Constitution of 1978. Join discussion...

A design show that brings the high-tech world and nature's own designs together, called "Design and the Elastic Mind", is opening this weekend at New York's Museum of Modern Art. The works exhibited bring modern design and organic forms closer than one expects, proving that hard science and aesthetics are not mutually exclusive. In one piece displayed, an artist employed 40,000 industrious bees and a temporary mold to craft a honeycomb vase. Other artists explored using the growth patterns of microscopic organisms to model human cities. Pictured here is one artist's plan to use the latest advances in nanotechnology to imprint human sperm with miniature messages. Reading this review makes me wish MoMA was a little closer; this show is for anyone interested in environmentally-friendly design, mind-blowing uses of technology, or speculation about our future cities. Check it out! Join discussion...

The Art Museum in Western Virginia in Roanoke is adding an new exhibition hall in the hopes of creating a Bilbao like museum. The architect for the museum is Randall Stout who worked under the guidance of Frank Gehry in the late 80's and 90's. This addition will feature permanant exhibitions of 19th and 20th century American art, and will also have space for temporary exhibitions. Join discussion...