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In Milan, Dropcity is transforming abandoned tunnels behind the Central Station into a dynamic space for collaboration among architects, designers, and researchers. Launched by architect Andrea Caputo, the project employs a mix of 3D printing and collaborative building techniques to create a “platform for ideas.” The reimagined tunnels will serve as a hub for exhibitions, live architectural projects, DJ sets, and talks, evolving throughout the year into a vital urban cultural center that leverages the city’s design legacy to inspire new ways of creative interaction.
This project comes in response to a local need for a creative space following damage caused by a major storm in 2023, with Caputo securing the initiative after proposing to use felled trees in the tunnel reconstruction. In partnership with experts from Germany’s Kiel University, the Georgian building collective SOCII, and Italian 3D-printing company WASP, Dropcity aims to foster a new era of design and architecture marked by pluralism and cooperation. “We’re living amidst a paradigm-shift era, where traditional structures (individual, excess) of designing, living, and believing are being exposed as obsolete,” Caputo says in a statement. “The need is set for a systemic transformation of design and architecture oriented by pluralism and cooperation, and we hope Dropcity will contribute to this movement.” Dropcity is scheduled to open in the fall.
The Tower, a newly topped-out skyscraper at Hudson’s Detroit designed by SHoP Architects, now stands as the city’s second-tallest building at 685 feet. Part of developer Bedrock’s broader initiative to revitalize downtown Detroit, the building features a distinct architectural style with a glass facade and terracotta fins, and will house both residences and a hotel. The project, which honors the legacy of the historic Hudson’s Department Store once located on the site, speaks to the city’s ongoing resilience and transformation post-bankruptcy.
Nike CEO John Donahoe recently attributed the company’s lag in innovation to the challenges of remote work, noting that disruptive creation is difficult to achieve via platforms like Zoom. In response, Nike has refocused efforts on rejuvenating its innovation pipeline, which Donahoe asserts is robust, promising regular new product releases and revitalized branding strategies.
The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) and the Paris-based art institution The Community are launching a new satellite fair, The Salon by NADA and The Community, set to coincide with the third edition of Paris+ par Art Basel from October 17–20. The event, hosted in Paris’s 10th arrondissement, will offer a diverse four-day program of art, music, fashion, and publishing, aimed at providing an intimate and unconventional cultural experience compared to larger fairs. This collaboration marks NADA’s first major event outside the United States and reflects the expanding art market in Paris, a key factor in selecting the location.
Kanye West relists his Tadao Ando–designed home in Malibu, but for $14 million less.
Kanye West has cut the price of his Tadao Ando–designed Malibu home to $39 million, a significant drop from its original $53 million listing and far below the $75 million it was valued at in 2020 before his purchase for $57.3 million in 2021. The price reduction follows a rushed “gut renovation” that stripped the 4,000-square-foot house of finishes and possibly essential features like electricity and appliances, which also led to a recent lawsuit.
Should book publishers rein it in and focus more on quality? One critic thinks so.
Stunning frescoes depicting Greek mythology scenes are unearthed at Pompeii.
Thomas Heatherwick’s latest stunt makes “boring alter egos” of U.K. landmarks.
Here’s how to watch the brilliant Lyrid Meteor Shower’s fiery streaks this month.
