Latest news with #architects
CTV News
16 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Showcase your excellence!
Ottawa Watch The 42nd Housing Design Awards Gala is a few months away and now is the time to submit your work.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Down to Business: Stadiums have long been built for men, but that's starting to change
As the daughter of an architect, I have judged every space I walk into since I was old enough to reach a door knob. Combining that with my job as a sports writer, I love a well-designed stadium and take in every element. While I admire good taste and quality materials, what matters most to me in those arenas is how easily I can access my seat, how intuitive the layout is for my sightline, how cleverly they've set up concessions and merch and whether I can make it to the ladies' room and back without aging a decade. Advertisement Over the past few months, I've spoken with architects, design firms, industry insiders and fans to understand what it means to design stadiums with women in mind. Turns out the common thread — from turnstiles to bathrooms, from food courts to shower cubbies for athletes — is that those in charge are starting to think more intentionally about how to create spaces that cater to women, both on the field and off. In the NWSL, Kansas City Current's CPKC Stadium marks a major milestone as the first purpose-built venue for a women's team in the league and a bold bet that a women's club can deliver a return on investment. While the stadium wasn't designed to be different simply because it's for women, the intention was to build it to the same professional standards as any top-tier men's venue, and it still reflects a deep consideration for women who use it. From women-specific locker rooms to sensory spaces and breastfeeding facilities for the fans, the design adds a thoughtful layer of creativity, exploring how a stadium can function and feel when women are considered equally. 'We've been doing a lot of thinking, both from an athlete and a fan perspective,' said Fran Weld, the co-founder and CEO of Canopy Team, a consulting firm that helps sports venues design conscious spaces. 'One of the things that I think has been used as a proxy for designing for women is actually designing for kids and thinking about how children interact with space.' Weld is also an investor in the NWSL's Bay FC franchise, which currently plays at PayPal Park, built for the men's team, the San Jose Earthquakes, in Major League Soccer. The venue will also host the 2025 NWSL Championship in November. One of Canopy Team's notable projects is the renovation of the 63-year-old Dodger Stadium with women and families in mind. Advertisement While the stadium is not currently used for women's sports, Canopy put women front and center when designing common spaces. They added new seating in Centerfield Plaza, created more space for kids to run around and introduced family-friendly features across all levels. Play areas, sensory rooms, nursing and infant care accommodations were all added. Play zones were placed near food and beer gardens with big-screen TVs, so parents can keep an eye on the game while their kids stay entertained. The goal was simple: make it easier for families to enjoy the stadium together. They also added dedicated locker rooms in the clubhouse for women coaches and umpires, a long-overdue update. The move isn't just the right thing to do. It's also good for business. A 2024 survey by The Collective, Wasserman's women-focused advisory business, found that 72 percent of women globally identify as avid fans of one or more sports, and 25 percent said following their favorite sports is 'one of the most important things in their lives.' Canopy is also working on the first girls-only youth development and leadership training facility in Indiana alongside Marvella Sports. After dozens of interviews with girls, coaches, training staff, parents and professional athletes, the firm developed a space specifically designed for young female athletes. Eponymously named Marvella, as a tribute to Indiana Senator Birch Bayh's wife, who inspired the transformational equity in higher education and sports, which led to Title IX, the 300,000-square-foot indoor training and educational facility will be the first sports campus designed uniquely for women athletes. 'We've been working closely with coaches and training staff to design clubhouse spaces specifically for the female body,' says Weld. 'It's all in the details — small touches like built-in shelves in the shower for leg shaving, or handheld showerheads instead of fixed overhead ones, so players can avoid getting their hair wet — something especially important for Black women.' Canopy is not the only design firm thinking and creating inclusive sports venues. Advertisement 'We've been designing for elite athletes for a long time and we look at things from a different perspective,' Sherri Privitera, who sits on global architecture powerhouse Populous' regional board and leads the company's women's sports market and elite athlete training market, told The Athletic. The architecture firm just announced they are coming on board as a sponsor for the FIFA World Cup 26 events in Kansas City by designing key fan environments, including the Kansas City FIFA Fan Festival. Populous is involved with 11 of the 16 FIFA World Cup 26 stadiums, as well as Arrowhead Stadium, Children's Mercy Park and Kauffman Stadium, and Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Stadium (which will host games in the 2034 FIFA men's World Cup). Populous also worked with Australian rules football clubs Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans on their arenas. Stateside, the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's newest team, has partnered with the architectural firm to design two women-centered spaces: a locker room at Chase Center and a practice facility in Oakland. Privitera's team is also working with the Portland Thorns and Portland WNBA's joint training facility, the Denver NWSL franchise's new stadium and training facility, as well as the New York Liberty's new training facility. From smoothie stations designed to reduce inflammation and ease menstrual cramps, to private changing areas for athletes who value discretion, Populous designers are reimagining female-focused training facilities. They're also integrating lifestyle support spaces for athletes balancing work and family, along with beauty stations for hair and nails, because performance and personal care aren't mutually exclusive. On Tuesday, recently-crowned USL Super League champions Tampa Bay Sun FC announced a plan for their own 15,000-seat stadium across a 33-acre project in the city's waterfront area. If built, it would be the first in the Division I women's soccer league, which sits under the USL umbrella of men's and women's leagues. The area would also house USL headquarters; however, there isn't a timeline for the development plan. Meanwhile, in England, Women's Super League Football (WSL Football), which oversees the Women's Super League (WSL) and Women's Super League 2 (WSL2), commissioned the Manchester-based AFL Architects to create the world's first design guideline for women's stadiums. Following the success of the 2022 Euros in England, WSL Football is launching efforts to grow women's soccer fandom while also accommodating the athletes. 'Women's football stadiums represent a unique architectural typology, distinct from traditional football venues,' Rita Ochoa, senior associate at AFL Architects, told The Athletic. Over her career, Ochoa has led major stadium and arena projects around the world, including Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Fukuyama Stadium in Japan, Gtech Community Stadium for Brentford in London and KAEC Stadium in Saudi Arabia for the FIFA men's World Cup 2034. Advertisement 'They require innovative designs that address the specific needs of female players and cater to one of the most diverse fan communities in sports.' Ochoa's team is consulting a wide range of stakeholders, including fans, players, managers, staff, journalists, influencers, sports architects and sustainability experts for a new report. They've created a focus group with other sports architects, engineers, stadium managers and clubs to review their findings. The document, provisionally titled New Design Guidance for the Delivery of Elite Women's Football Stadiums in England, will be published in late 2025. 'For us in Europe, stadiums are like cathedrals, given football is almost a religion here,' Ochoa said. 'Having your own stadium is important for the community.' Similar to many teams in the U.S., there are currently no stadiums built for women's soccer in England, though some WSL teams are starting to move into men's teams' stadiums, like Arsenal, who will play all games at the Emirates next year, sharing it with the men's team, and Everton Women, who are taking over Goodison Park. Other situations where teams rent stadiums make it difficult to build a community. 'We architects design stadiums based on a document called the Green Guides,' Ochoa says. According to this guide, the space between each seat is based on a typical white British man's height. 'When you're designing for women and children, you're dealing with a wider range of heights, but stadium seats are typically built for men. If I'm a child or a woman, I might not be able to see the field. That means seats may need to be higher, and the overall stand design might have to change to ensure clear sightlines to the pitch.' Ochoa's research aims to answer a long list of questions about how to create stadiums for women's teams, from an accessibility perspective to what kind of bathrooms they need to have and what their food courts need to look like. Advertisement 'Most stadiums are built with men in mind, who mostly drink a beer and go back to their seats. We need to think about creating spaces where female fans feel comfortable, with seating areas which are also better for community building,' Ochoa says. They're also encouraging women's teams to design stadiums that feel more open and inviting— spaces that allow passersby to catch a glimpse of the action, in contrast to the traditional, colosseum-like structures that hide the pitch from public view. 'CPKC is a good example of that. Even if you're on the river or on the road, you can see part of the stands,' she adds. As the NWSL continues to expand, commissioner Jessica Berman has made it clear that infrastructure is a top priority. A handful of NWSL teams announced building training facilities, including the Thorns, Angel City FC and Denver, but aside from Kansas City Current, most are still playing in borrowed or retrofitted spaces — usually MLS stadiums — that weren't built with women in mind with cramped locker rooms, urinals and poor sightlines for smaller bodies. Most clubs create gameday setups with more curated activities, but it is a juggling act. 'I think the league's commitment to having venues where the women's team is not second-class citizens is one of the foundations of why we've seen the growth and success in the last few years,' Weld says. But from both a business and environmental standpoint, the solution might not be as simple as building a purpose-built stadium in every market. 'A mix of uses is always going to be the best business case,' Weld said. 'Maybe the men's teams should be thinking about this, too. I often think about leadership and the dynamics of power — if you're in a position of privilege, it's your responsibility to use that influence to make space for others who aren't always given a seat at the table.'
Forbes
04-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
From Concept To Construction: The Impact Of AI In Architecture
AI is helping reshape how buildings are designed, planned, and delivered which is making ... More architecture smarter, faster, and more adaptive. That building you just walked past—the one with the clean angles and light-filled interior? AI may have played a bigger role in the design than you think. It could've suggested the materials, simulated how sunlight would travel through the space, or optimized the layout for both beauty and energy efficiency. Today's architects aren't just automating simple tasks with AI. Rather, they're collaborating with AI. From the first sketch to the final walkthrough, AI is changing how we design, how we build, and how we think about the spaces around us. Generative design tools allow architects to input overall goals, various constraints, and material specs. Then, taking all these various inputs into account, AI generates a variety of viable design options, far faster than human architects could generate. Some designs are expected. Others are wildly original. That's the point. AI is helping architects by handling some of the repetitive drafting tasks such as layouts, elevations, and floor plans, allowing architects to regain time for creativity. The augmented intelligence workflow, one where the human is not replaced but enhanced with AI tools, allows for fewer errors, faster iterations, and more time spent on concept and vision. This isn't automation for automation's sake. It's about designing better buildings, faster, and with more insight than ever before. Additionally, material selection gets smarter too. AI is able to evaluate a variety of factors such as durability, cost, sustainability, and aesthetic fit. It even identifies overlooked alternatives that hit the same marks but for less money or less environmental impact. Design is only one side of the blueprint. A building that stuns from the outside but leaks when it rains, traps heat in summer, or creates cracking in the foundation? That's a liability. Looks matter of course, but function is non-negotiable. AI-enhanced structural analysis is able to run simulations on wind loads, seismic activity, and other real-world stressors before the foundation is even poured. Weak points? Flagged. Reinforcements? Suggested. Risk? Reduced. In addition to helping select the best location, AI is also being used to help with site planning. AI evaluates topography, zoning regulations, climate data, and environmental constraints to help identify the most feasible, the most strategic, and the most available locations for new builds. What once took weeks of manual review now happens in minutes, with greater precision and context. This results in buildings that aren't just innovative, but resilient and responsive to their environment from day one. Cost overruns are a chronic problem in architecture. AI is helping to change that. By analyzing historical pricing data, current market conditions, and material trends, AI tools are able to help deliver more accurate cost estimates from the earliest stages. And when scope shifts, as it unfortunately does for many construction projects, AI can adjust the forecast instantly, providing real-time feedback on how design changes will ripple through the budget. It's not just about controlling costs. It's about having a clearer financial roadmap before breaking ground. Designing and building with sustainability in mind is no longer a niche priority but quickly becoming an expectation. And, AI is helping architects embed sustainability into the design process from the start. AI tools are able to evaluate factors like natural light, insulation, airflow, and orientation to suggest modifications that reduce energy use without sacrificing design intent. AI tools are able to highlight material combinations that cut carbon impact. They can also spot opportunities for solar integration or passive cooling. Sustainability, once an afterthought, becomes a design parameter. One the AI doesn't forget. AI isn't just reshaping design—it's redefining delivery. Today's project management tools are getting smarter. AI enhanced tools analyze schedules, flag potential delays, and reallocate resources before problems slow things down. Timelines become more reliable. Teams stay aligned. Cost overruns are spotted early, rather than after the budget's blown. When AI is Integrated into BIM platforms—those digital command centers for planning and managing buildings—AI acts like another check. It scans models for issues that might go unnoticed such as a pipe cutting through a beam, ductwork clashing with wiring, or systems misaligned behind the walls. It catches mistakes before they become major problems. However, it's not just about avoiding problems. AI streamlines how teams work together. It recommends more efficient workflows. It ensures that every stakeholder sees the most current version of the plan. Updates become automatic and communication becomes clearer. The result? Fewer surprises, faster approvals, and projects that stay on track. From early design exploration to final project delivery, AI is working with architects in many ways such as accelerating workflows, reducing risk, and elevating what's possible. It's not replacing architects. It's making them more powerful, more efficient, and better equipped for what's next.
Globe and Mail
02-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The Real Value of Photorealistic Rendering vs. AI-Generated Images
The Difference Between Realistic Rendering and AI-Generated Images It is commonly stated that a picture is worth a thousand words. In design and real estate, a photorealistic depiction is far more important than showing only blueprints or 2D drawings. The goal of photorealistic rendering—whether it's Interior Rendering, Exterior Rendering, or even Aerial Rendering—is to accurately portray a design concept that will eventually be built. It is a visual representation of an unbuilt project, demonstrating how it would appear in real life. In contrast, AI-generated graphics frequently resemble visually appealing photographs with little relevance to the underlying design concept. Many AI businesses promote these visually appealing graphics, yet they fail to capture the architectural goal. Instead, they create pictures that, while enticing, are frequently unrelated to actual real estate ventures. This disparity highlights the gap between the concept of photorealistic rendering and the often-misleading results of AI-generated Value of Photorealistic Rendering in Design Projects A high-quality photorealistic depiction serves more than just aesthetic purposes. It conveys the designer's vision by precisely depicting the finishes, materials, and spatial relationships of a planned environment. For architects and real estate developers, this is critical since it provides a realistic glimpse of the finished result. Unlike AI-generated graphics, which may change design components arbitrarily, photorealistic renderings—including those produced by expert studios like RENDEREXPO —adhere to the desired concept, assuring consistency from design to execution. The true benefit of photorealistic rendering lies in the finish line or "last mile" of design. This last step of visual representation must accurately reflect the designer's concept, including the proposed environment's textures, colors, and lighting conditions. While AI might introduce unnecessary changes or embellishments, professional renderings prioritize accuracy and context, ensuring a reliable preview of the final product. Why AI Fails to Deliver Real-World Accuracy Despite the amazing graphics that AI may create, they sometimes fail to translate into practical applications in design and real estate. AI-generated visualizations sometimes lack the contextual foundation required for real-world application. Finishes, for example, may appear too polished or materials portrayed incorrectly, resulting in visually appealing but impractical architectural solutions. The difficulty with AI-generated photos is their lack of specificity. Designers and architects want professional-grade renderings—such as high-quality Interior Rendering or realistic Exterior Rendering —that carefully adhere to the planned materials and structural aspects. AI's proclivity to include visually appealing but unrelated characteristics might drastically distort the intended message, resulting in confusion rather than clarity. Photorealistic Rendering as a Tool for Real Estate Success Photorealistic renderings are effective marketing tools for real estate agents and clients alike. These illustrations build trust and confidence among stakeholders by correctly showing the project as it will appear once completed. AI-generated visuals, on the other hand, can deceive potential investors and clients, resulting in a loss of reputation. The cost of using AI for architectural renderings does not outweigh the benefits, especially when the purpose is to demonstrate realistic, buildable ideas. While AI may have a place in academic or conceptual work, such as efforts by architectural students investigating theoretical worlds, it falls short of the precision required for professional design visualization. Companies like RENDEREXPO specialize in delivering detail-rich renderings—be it for Aerial Rendering to showcase large-scale developments or nuanced Interior Rendering for luxury spaces—that truly reflect what will be built. The Future of AI in Design Visualization While AI technology is fast advancing, it is still a long way from achieving the subtle precision of traditional photorealistic rendering. Realistically, AI-generated photos may take several years to achieve the same degree of detail and contextual correctness. Until then, using AI purely for design visualization is impracticable. Professionals in architecture and design should continue to use photorealistic rendering as their primary visualization tool. As technology progresses, incorporating AI into this process may potentially improve speed and inventiveness, but for the time being, photorealistic rendering—delivered by specialized studios like RENDEREXPO—remains the gold standard for properly depicting unbuilt environments. Conclusion: Choosing the Right Visualization Approach The decision between photorealistic rendering vs AI-generated Images comes down to accuracy vs aesthetics. In architectural and real estate ventures, realism is most important. Until AI can perfectly reproduce the careful integration of materials, finishes, and spatial relationships, photorealistic rendering—whether through Interior Rendering, Exterior Rendering, or large-scale Aerial Rendering—will remain the favored way for experts. It's more than just making a visually appealing image; it's also about communicating a design that accurately reflects what will be created. Media Contact Company Name: RENDEREXPO Contact Person: Louai Alsaman Email: Send Email Phone: (202) 455-4032 Country: United States Website:
Times
27-05-2025
- Times
10 of the best villas in Italy with a pool
Whether you're dreaming of golden vineyard views from a Tuscan terrace, your own briny beach house on a far-flung Sicilian island, or a cool modernist monolith on the shores of Lake Como, the one thing most of us can probably agree on when it comes to a summertime villa is that it's better with a pool. We've picked some of the best, from a curvaceous cave house with a palm-fringed infinity pool on the sands of Panarea to an architect's crisp Le Corbusier-style getaway north of Siracusa that brings the water in — plus a noble villa in the north that not only comes with three swimming spots, but a driver to transport you between them. Enjoy. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue £££ | Sleeps 8 No slapdash modern builders here: the Romans made the pool at Zu Nillu, and it has been a fixture ever since, in this labyrinthine stone quarry in the Egadi Islands off Sicily's western flank. The theatrical tufa house descends from ground level into the void, furnished with tasteful antiques and surrounded by a vibrant Mediterranean garden. Roof spaces afford jaw-dropping views over the bay of Cala Rossa, with a barbecue for long, lazy lunches. There's an alfresco bathroom out among the carob trees, and a gate from the garden to a private path that takes you down to the sea. • Read our full guide to Sicily ££ | Sleeps 8 At the heart of a sprawling olive grove in Puglia, Tenuta Fonte reminds you that the deep roots of the south are as Greek as they are Roman. Yet the interiors of this neat white cube are all Italian in style, with mid-century classic furnishings and bold colours the backdrop to your stay. The saltwater pool is just one highlight in the secluded grounds: there's also an outdoor kitchen, pick-your-own vegetable garden and plenty of shady spaces to eat and lounge. The sandy beach at Torre Canne is ten minutes away by car. • Discover our full guide to Italy £££ | Sleeps 12 Nowhere in Italy is a rental more likely to break the bank than Capri, but if you're in the market for an off-season oasis with views out across the Tyrrhenian Sea from its smart little pool, Villa Platani is 'The One'. Glued dramatically onto the cliffside, this modernist 12-bedder is an exercise in restrained luxe — all white linen, bleached wood and basketweave within, bougainvillea, roses and jasmine on the terraces without. A private funicular connects you to La Piazzetta, Capri's main square, for the ritziest passeggiata you'll ever see, and a chef is available on request to add to the sense of occasion. • More of the best luxury villas in Italy ££ | Sleeps 20 Halfway between Florence and Siena, in the sleepy Val di Pesa, Villa Chiantisol offers the classic Tuscan dream: a vast honey-stone farmhouse at the end of a sloping drive, with lush green hills and low vineyard terraces as far as the eye can see. Interiors are a cool mix of traditional terracotta, oak and linen — the decorator got funky with the bedroom finishes — but it's the outside spaces that thrill. A knockout sunken pool and Jacuzzi promise lazy afternoons in the sun, while a series of smart loggias offer far-reaching views and some welcome afternoon shade. • Best vineyard hotels in Tuscany £££ | Sleeps 10 A brand-new lakefront build on Como's western shore, Villa Audace is a stunner. This modern five-bedroom masterpiece has all the design boxes ticked: wraparound windows, timber cladding, poured-concrete floors, stainless-steel kitchen and classic furnishings from the school of Poltrona Frau. From the waterside infinity pool you get views out to pretty Isola Comacina, while a hot tub and sauna offer alternative lounging possibilities. Extras include cookery lessons, yoga classes and spa treatments; you can order up a private chef; and a skippered boat is available to get you over to Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni on the nights you don't want to cook. • Best hotels in Lake Como ££ | Sleeps 10 Antika has an illustrious pedigree: this curvaceous seafront villa was designed and built by architect Paolo Tilche, who created the starry Hotel Raya on this smallest of the seven Aeolian Islands back in the 1950s. In addition to three white-cube guesthouses — Cactus, Wisteria and Bougainvillea — dotted about the volcanic gardens, Antika sleeps ten, with guests sharing a series of panoramic terraces and a meandering split-level living space. The decor is typically Aeolian: lofty cane ceilings, creamy plasterwork and weathered woods embrace built-in seats and recessed beds for an atmosphere of calm and cool. The palm-fringed infinity pool gives directly onto the sea. £££ | Sleeps 20 Less fly-and-flop, more stand-to-attention smart, Villa Sigurta, in the Veneto, boasts a liveried staff and three on-site pools — with a dedicated driver to transport you and your beach bag between them. This Palladian house — with three guest lodges — has hosted Napoleon III and our own King Charles in lavish splendour, yet the decor has a sense of fun, with trompe l'oeil frescoes and fantastical sculptures dotted about the place. Neighbouring Borghetto sul Mincio is a member of the Borghi piu Belli d'Italia — a club of Italy's most beautiful villages. It more than lives up to the billing. £ | Sleeps 4 Six miles south of the ancient Greek city of Siracusa, Villa Gadir could not look more modernist. It's hard to see where this Le Corbusier-style build ends and the saltwater pool begins, so skilfully do the two intertwine. The open-plan living and dining areas, and two bedrooms, all open onto the water, giving this bright white box a floating Tardis feel. The villa stands 50 metres from the sea, the Plemmirio marine reserve is a five-minute drive away and Sicily's baroque highlights of Ragusa, Noto and Modica are all within easy reach. ££ | Sleeps 6 Part of the Borgo Smeraldo resort, Villa Fichi d'India is one of seven new rentals, each with its own private pool, in the grounds of a boutique hotel between the Sardinian hotspots of Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo. Suite-based accommodation is split between two low stone houses supported by chestnut beams — in the style of the local stazzi farmsteads — with a shared kitchen and living space styled in shades of green and grey. Guests can access the spectacular three-tier hilltop pool attached to the hotel, with views of the turquoise waters and silver sands of the Costa Smeralda nearby. • Discover our full guide to Sardinia £££ | Sleeps 10 This delightfully chic retreat on the Monte Argentario coast — described as 'the new Amalfi' — is owned by the decorator to Italy's coolest crowd. Sandwiched between the workaday fishing town of Porto Santo Stefano on one side, and the absurdly glamorous Hotel Pellicano and Porto Ercole on the other, Cacciarella is a villa for those in the know. Interiors are mid-century chic, finishes of the highest quality, and the garden pool and gym provide ample workout — and relaxation — opportunities. • Lake Como v Lake Garda: which one should you visit?• Best villas on the Amalfi Coast
