ParametricArchitecture

🕳️ Architecture ends where the sky begins.

Designed by Toyo Ito for Expo 2025 Osaka, the Shining Hat Expo Hall transforms the idea of a roof into a monumental “hole in the sky.” The sweeping circular form opens toward the heavens, while its shimmering golden underside reflects light deep into the space below.

Engineered with a lightweight long-span structure, the hall creates an uninterrupted interior where architecture, light, and atmosphere merge into a single experience. Rather than defining clear boundaries, the building blurs the distinction between enclosure and openness, making the sky an active part of the design.

The project also echoes the legacy of the iconic Tower of the Sun, which emerged through Kenzo Tange’s legendary Big Roof at Expo ’70. Inside, flowing white fabric softens the monumental space, creating a calm contrast to the radiant exterior.

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✨ A gallery shaped like a blooming flower.

Designed by Foster + Partners, Jia Art has officially opened in Shanghai as the cultural centerpiece of the larger Changfeng mixed-use development. Inspired by flowers found in the nearby park, the 5,000-square-meter gallery unfolds through four petal-like forms that rise from the ground and curve outward to create its sculptural roof. Natural light filters through a central skylight, while ribbed tubular glass and stainless-steel panels give the building a constantly changing appearance throughout the day.

More than an exhibition space, Jia Art is designed as a civic hub for art, education, events, and public gathering. Two interconnected volumes surround a dramatic double-height atrium, creating a softer and more human-scaled cultural destination within Shanghai’s fast-growing urban fabric.

🌿 Design a treehouse suite nestled in nature with Bjarke Ingels Group!

Yacademy’s course in Architecture for Hospitality, a project by Cesare Roversi, includes a design workshop tutored by Luca Braccini, Associate at BIG, aimed at reflecting on sustainable hospitality models.

👉🏻Would you like to work with the best architects in the world? Apply now for a scholarship at www.yacademy.it!

https://www.yacademy.it/educational-offer/architecture-for-hospitality-2026

🌕 NASA is no longer planning short visits to the Moon. It’s planning a permanent presence.

Under the Artemis Program, NASA has unveiled a phased roadmap for building a Moon Base near the lunar South Pole, complete with robotic explorers, lunar drones, mobility systems, power infrastructure, and eventually semi-permanent habitats for astronauts. The vision transforms the Moon from a destination into a place for long-term occupation and scientific discovery.

From autonomous rovers and "MoonFall" drones to future habitation modules and energy systems, the project introduces a new frontier for architecture, engineering, and off-world urbanism. If realized, it could become humanity’s first sustained settlement beyond Earth and a stepping stone toward Mars. 🚀🌖

🔗 Read more: https://parametric-architecture.com/nasa-moon-base-plan-artemis-program/