This week marked significant developments in architectural practice worldwide, highlighting the dynamic balance between preserving cultural heritage and embracing innovative design solutions. From Copenhagen's ambitious biennial exhibition to groundbreaking urban renewal projects spanning continents, the architectural community demonstrated its commitment to sustainability, resilience, and community-centered design approaches.
The Copenhagen Architecture Biennial, running until October 19 under the compelling theme "Slow Down," has transformed Denmark's capital into a vibrant platform for architectural dialogue and experimentation. The comprehensive program features more than 250 events, showcasing innovative installations including the Slow Pavilions, "Barn Again" by Tom Svilans and Thiss Studio, and "Inside Out, Upside Down" by Slaatto Morsbøl. The centerpiece transdisciplinary group exhibition explores how cultural narratives might evolve toward slower, more sustainable futures, challenging conventional approaches to urban development and architectural practice.
During the biennial's opening days, ArchDaily announced the winners of the fifth edition of the Next Practices Awards, recognizing 20 architectural practices whose groundbreaking work proposes new directions for the built environment. This year's selected practices represent remarkably diverse geographies, disciplines, and approaches, spanning from sensitive renovations and grassroots community initiatives to innovative preservation methodologies. Notable winners include 1110 Office for Architecture from Osaka, which explores material restraint and contextual integration through thoughtful renovation projects, and Ambulance for Monuments from Romania, which specializes in emergency interventions paired with comprehensive local training programs.
The awards also recognized the Deir ez-Zor Heritage Library from Syria, whose crucial work focuses on safeguarding architectural memory in post-conflict settings, and NAAW from Kazakhstan, which investigates the complex relationships between cultural memory and contemporary life in Central Asia. These diverse practices demonstrate the global nature of contemporary architectural innovation and the profession's growing commitment to addressing complex social, cultural, and environmental challenges.
Meanwhile, major infrastructure projects across Europe are reshaping urban landscapes for future generations. The Centre Pompidou in Paris is preparing for an ambitious five-year comprehensive renovation program. Originally designed in 1971 by renowned architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, this iconic museum and cultural center will undergo complete closure beginning this week. The extensive renovation project, led by Moreau Kusunoki in collaboration with Frida Escobedo Studio and AIA Life Designers, aims to remove hazardous asbestos materials, significantly improve fire safety systems, enhance accessibility features, and achieve major upgrades in energy performance standards.
Supported by France's Ministry of Culture, this landmark renovation project is scheduled for completion by 2030, ensuring the Centre Pompidou's continued role as a leading cultural institution. In Italy, preparations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are progressing rapidly, with fifteen sports venues across northern Italy concentrated in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo set to host the Games from February 6 to 22, 2026, followed by the Paralympic Games from March 6 to 15. These facilities span urban arenas and mountain resorts, reflecting an innovative mix of new construction, adaptive reuse strategies, and comprehensive upgrades to existing infrastructure.
In New York City, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has completed an extensive renovation and adaptive reuse project of the legendary Waldorf Astoria New York, transforming this landmarked Art Deco skyscraper into a sophisticated dual-function complex. The project combines a 375-key five-star luxury hotel with 372 premium residential units. First opened in 1931 and long celebrated as the "unofficial palace of New York," the building has been masterfully reimagined through detailed preservation, restoration, and modernization work.
SOM's comprehensive approach encompassed the meticulous restoration of 62,000 square feet of historic public interiors, including the magnificent lobbies, the iconic Peacock Alley, and the Grand Ballroom, now designated as the city's fourth-largest interior landmark. The project introduced new terraces, modernized amenities, and updated residences designed seamlessly within the building's original structural framework, marking one of the largest preservation and adaptive reuse efforts in New York City's history.
On the global stage, Gensler, in partnership with Emkanat, has unveiled the revolutionary "Baghdad Sustainable Forests" master plan, a massive 10-million-square-meter development designed to serve as a worldwide model for urban renewal and ecological restoration. Strategically positioned on the banks of the historic Tigris River at the former Al-Rasheed military site, this transformative project aims to convert neglected land into a thriving network of mixed-use villages, civic landmarks, and cultural destinations embedded within an extensive urban forest ecosystem.
With over one million trees planned to capture an impressive 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the innovative design integrates ecological repair with new economic and social infrastructure, including cutting-edge innovation hubs, lifestyle clusters, and welcoming public gateways. Developed under the patronage of the Iraqi government, this ambitious initiative supports the country's National Environmental Strategy while reimagining Baghdad as a resilient, sustainable, and vibrant capital prepared for future generations.
In the realm of extreme environment architecture, the Australian Antarctic Division has appointed Hugh Broughton Architects to provide specialized architectural design services for the Antarctic Infrastructure Renewal Program (AIRP), a comprehensive decade-long initiative to modernize Australia's Antarctic research stations. This project represents the most significant investment in polar infrastructure since the 1980s, underscoring Australia's unwavering commitment to scientific research and environmental stewardship in East Antarctica.
Working within the newly formed Program Alliance, comprising Bouygues Construction, Mott MacDonald, Stantec, and the Australian Antarctic Division, the practice will lead the complex design of the Davis Critical Infrastructure Works. This includes a new powerhouse, vehicle workshop, utility building, and upgraded site-wide systems. Scheduled to begin in 2026 and complete by 2032, the project adopts an innovative modular, aerodynamic "kit-of-parts" approach to ensure maximum resilience, sustainability, and operational efficiency in one of Earth's most extreme environments. These diverse projects collectively demonstrate architecture's evolving role in addressing contemporary challenges while preserving cultural heritage and promoting sustainable development practices worldwide.
