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Сontrasting with a network of city streets that are often shaded due to their narrow width, plazas bring light and air into the urban landscape. Today, designers and architects adapt the plaza typology to such spaces as the roofs of underground parking garages and urban sites that emerged from the demolition of urban renewal. The result is always the same: a multipurpose spatial volume that serves the community offering the citizens a space for social interaction, significantly enriching the cityscape.

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Although in a well-known children’s story a big bad wolf was quite quick to bring down a house made of straw, numerous studies and experiments show that straw buildings can be solid and resistant. This agricultural waste, a leftover remnant from grain production, can boast good thermal, acoustic, and even structural characteristics. Below, we have selected several eye-catching designs that use the characteristics of this renewable sustainable material to the full.

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The shift from print to digital demands a rethinking of the library both as an institution and a building typology. To sustain their relevance in the information age, modern libraries must not only provide the spatial programming of traditional library buildings, but also generate alternative spaces and uses to attract new audiences. The featured projects depart from the conventional idea of the library turning traditional spaces into modern cultural hubs.

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Architects have long been informed by shapes and forms found in nature. It looks as if pinecones, mushrooms and hop cones have been an inspiration to these roundels aiming to recreate complex organic structures for those who enjoy idiosyncrasies of living in circular spaces.

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Airline meal is an integral part of the in-flight experience, yet often neglected. Many airlines serve their meals with much the same setup and the whole system appears to be outdated remaining unchanged since 1970s. Product designers explore the in-flight dining experience, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of this important part of any air travel.

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During the baroque period, back in the 17-18 centuries, both men and women wore elaborate headdresses that contained an array of embellishments such as sculpted fruits, flowers, and birds to symbolize wealth and status. Having no practical sense, they were beautiful works of art rather utilitarian objects. Today, inspired by these whimsical pieces, hair artists create intricate headdresses and hairstyles that are both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time.

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International design competition organized by Korea Institute of Architects sought creative ideas to establish the new-generation public library in Incheon, South Korea, as an intellectual and cultural symbol of progressing towards the status of an international city for the citizens of Songdo business district. The participants were asked to present their sophisticated designs that would make the SONGDO International City Library a unique destination as well as a highly functional public facility.

Hundreds of architects from all over the world took part in the competition. The jury awarded the first prize to the Criss-Cross Library designed by Sun Architects & Engineers (Korea) and Pentatonic LLC (USA). We have collected several amazing projects that we think are also worth mentioning.

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We just can’t get enough of beautiful brickwork. This ages-old sustainable material that was once the embodiment of something solid and impenetrable now allows architects to create living spaces that feel bright and airy. The brick patterns give birth to one-of-a-kind aesthetics of raw textures, bright red hues and the ever-changing interplay of shadow and light.

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Electricity made mankind independent of the natural light. A flick of a switch – and the room is filled with bright uniform illumination. However, these days more often than not people turn to the beauty and tranquility of natural sunlight. A gentle warm morning glow is perfect for waking up, a bright daylight for focus, and the orange and red hues of a sunset is something we need to unwind, relax and go to sleep in the evenings. Inspired by Nature, product designers develop light sources that help support our circadian rhythm and mimic the transitions of the sun.

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What do you imagine when thinking about a Japanese garden?  Most likely, it is a zen retreat created to serve as a space of meditation and reflection. What began as a space designed for Japan’s ruling elite to find calm within the storm of their country’s strife, has transformed overtime into a philosophy highlighting natural landscape. Using materials that incorporate simplicity, artists and landscape designers create breathtaking installations that show the relationships between art and nature.

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