Getty’s Conserving Black Modernism grants have been dispersed to five new buildings.
The Getty Foundation has awarded new Conserving Black Modernism grants to five buildings in Los Angeles and beyond, supporting preservation efforts for modernist structures designed by Black architects. This year’s recipients include the Founder’s Church of Religious Science, designed by Paul R. Williams, and the First Church of Deliverance, redesigned by Walter T. Bailey. The initiative, run in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, aims to elevate the legacies of underrecognized Black designers and increase public awareness of their work. The funding supports architectural conservation, historical research, and community engagement tied to these significant sites.
The Discovery space shuttle will likely be relocated from Washington, D.C. to Houston.
A provision tucked into President Trump’s latest tax-and-spending bill orders the Smithsonian to transfer a space vehicle to NASA—likely the Discovery space shuttle, which has been housed at the Udvar-Hazy Center since 2012. The mandate, pushed by Texas senators and backed by $85 million in funding, aims to relocate the shuttle to Houston’s Johnson Space Center by early 2027. The Smithsonian asserts full ownership of Discovery and views the measure as political interference, not a legitimate handover. The clause comes amid broader attempts by the Trump administration to reshape the Smithsonian’s leadership, programming, and budget.
A carbon-capturing concrete bridge debuted at the European Cultural Center’s Venice exhibition.
At the European Cultural Center’s exhibition in Venice, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania debuted a 33-foot modular bridge made from carbon-capturing concrete. The structure, called DIAMANTI, employs a geometric system known as Polyhedral Graphic Statics to optimize internal force distribution, allowing it to use fewer materials without compromising strength. Its canopy incorporates diatomaceous earth, which enhances CO₂ absorption and reduces the need for concrete and steel. The team has also applied this approach to floor systems, proposing a 3D-printed slab that cuts emissions and construction waste.
Google is indexing users’ ChatGPT conversations, making them publicly accessible.
Google has indexed thousands of ChatGPT conversations that users shared via public links, making some of them searchable online and potentially exposing personal information. These chats include intimate disclosures on mental health, trauma, and family issues—details many users likely assumed were private or shared only with close contacts. OpenAI says users must opt in for chats to appear in search, but critics argue the platform doesn’t make the risks clear enough. The incident highlights growing concerns about digital literacy, consent, and the handling of sensitive data by A.I. companies.
CDMX’s Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo has been defaced in anti-gentrification protests.
A group of anti-gentrification protesters defaced Mexico City’s Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo, shattering glass panels, tagging the building, and setting fire to books outside. Demonstrators also vandalized Rufino Tamayo’s nearby sculpture and broke into the museum bookstore, though they did not enter the galleries or damage artworks. Organizers said the group splintered from a peaceful march after being cornered by police. The incident drew condemnation from prominent cultural figures, some of whom questioned whether the destruction served the movement’s goals or undermined its credibility.
Today’s attractive distractions:
A daycare center in China takes inspiration from summer camp adventures.
In the age of A.I., brands are pushing back with hand-hewn design.
A citywide exhibition in Santa Fe peels back its “layers of complexity.”
Changing notions of aspiration are rewriting the playbook for brand trips.
