“OMA NY: Search Term” with graphic design by Studio Lin…
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In Its First Monograph, OMA New York Looks Inward
Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), the global firm founded in Rotterdam by Rem Koolhaas in 1975, remains one of today’s most influential and successful practices of its kind. The New York branch, though younger, has evolved considerably from a small-scale American outpost to a powerhouse office with its own boundary-breaking attitudes and rapidly expanding portfolio of projects the world around. Over the course of its evolution, OMA New York has transformed our relationship with the city and how we approach art, fashion, food, and sustainability
For the New York office’s first monograph, OMA NY: Search Term (Rizzoli), the firm partners Shohei Shigematsu and Jason Long re-examine their most influential projects: residential skyscrapers in Miami and San Francisco, mixed-use developments in Tokyo and Houston, more intimate spaces such as the studio for artist Cai Guo-Qiang, and more. “We’re challenging ourselves with new queries while trying to come to terms with our steadfast convictions,” the partners wrote in the book’s introduction. “But, most importantly, through its sheer energy and attitude, we hope that this book will serve as a source of inspiration and a springboard for further explorations.”
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners unveils a green bourbon distillery for U.S. veterans.
Nestled in a 227-acre plot in Somerset, along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the London-based firm has shared plans for a multi-use village, named Horse Soldier Farms, that honors the fallen heroes of 9/11. Crafted for American liquor brand Horse Soldier Bourbon, which was founded by retired U.S. Special Forces servicemen in honor of those who rode on horseback in Afghanistan, the project will become a robust culture hub housing an equestrian center, exhibition spaces, and retail outlets. Thoughtful dedications include a model of America’s Response Monument and a water feature that mirrors its Twin Tower counterpart in New York.
Scientists discover a trove of historic artifacts along the controversial Maya railway.
Intended to stretch across the Yucatán Peninsula to Cancún, the 900-mile-long high-speed rail project has faced criticism from locals on the pretext of preserving Mayan history. Despite the National Institute of Anthropology and History (NIAH) of Mexico’s initial risk assessment, which unearthed a network of clay-and-stone architecture, burial sites, and 2,482 additional cultural artifacts, the rail line’s original route will likely remain mostly unaltered. The threat to Mayan artifacts led the Mexican government to grant $42 billion to the NIAH in order to research its findings, which may come under threat as the railway development continues.
Meet the artist who masterminds the architectural models in Wes Anderson films.
Although CGI is the bread and butter of Hollywood’s feature films, director Wes Anderson’s growing use of scaled architecture has earned him a hallmark design aesthetic, one that finds roots in a Berlin-based studio spearheaded by model maker Simon Weisse. The artist was enlisted by Anderson for his Oscar-winning 2014 picture The Grand Budapest Hotel, in which Weisse’s team handcrafted miniature models that have since ventured beyond the big screen and into global exhibitions, such as at the Musée Cinéma et Miniature in Lyon. His architectural models appear again in The French Dispatch, which hit theaters this past week.
Adobe Photoshop is developing a “prepare as NFT” option to prevent digital art theft.
The blockchain is notoriously complicated as buyers struggle to determine if an artwork is being sold by the original artist. Adobe’s novel system, dubbed Content Credentials, will enable NFT sellers to connect their Adobe ID with their crypto wallet on compatible online forums that station them as a legitimate source. The project is an extension of Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative and is slated for a beta launch at the end of the month.
A new biotech company aims to transform beauty by “brewing” its ingredients.
Arcaea, a Boston-based company within biotech innovator Ginkgo Bioworks, is aiming to revolutionize beauty with alternative production methods that shifts from energy-intensive chemistry to regenerative biology. In other words, the company plans to create ingredients using a process akin to brewing beer. Led by chief executive Jasmina Aganovic, the startup launched a $78 million funding round for research and development on farming man-made resources in alternative, more eco-friendly ways that deliver higher-quality products. So far, Arcaea has caught the eye of luxury investors such as Chanel and fragrance label Givaudan.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Scientists are growing miniature human brains to help treat fatal diseases.
A Georgia man spent $57,000 of his Covid relief on a single Pokémon card.
Kellogg’s is being sued for $5 million over the lack of strawberries in Pop-Tarts.
This Twitter thread compares Britney Spears to kettles. Need we say more?
