The world’s largest standalone structure opens in Chengdu, China. Almost equal in size to the country of Monaco, this cavernous shopping mall will even include an artificial sun to give off light and heat 24 hours a day. Does this set up remind anyone of the ship Axiom from the movie WALL-E? You can also watch their 15-minute promotional video (if you don’t mind text-to-speech narration). (Dezeen)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
- A look at beautiful contemporary paving patterns in Europe. (The Dirt)
- In collaboration with Boyer-Percheron-Assus architects, West 8 wins an urban design competition to redesign the 35-hectare, former School of Infantry site in one of France’s most forward-looking cities, Montpellier. (West 8)
- ASLA announced results of their residential and hospitality design survey yesterday, confirming “anecdotal evidence that most landscape architects now select the furnishings for their projects, from contract to custom,” a finding that is consistent with the growing lucrative market for high quality outdoor furniture. (Market Watch)
- DC’s bocce boom spices up backyards. (Landscape Architecture Magazine)
- As part of LAF’s Case Study Investigations (CSI), a research team at the Boston Architectural College use various methods to assess the performance of built projects, from green roofs to plazas. (Landscape Architecture Foundation)
& RELATED
- Detroit still struggles as a whole, but its central business district is enjoying a renaissance thanks to a billionaire’s contributions and an influx of hipsters. (Architect Magazine)
- Is “white infill”–the “back-to-the-city” movement–our new “white flight?” (New Geography)
- California Supreme Court recently ruled that government GIS databases be made publicly accessible. Hurray open data! (LA Times)
- Speaking of open, publicly accessible data, Sarah Cordivano champions their use for crisis response in some well-chosen examples. (Azavea Atlas)
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