Design titans honored at the annual Sir John Soane Gala
On October 22, a starry crowd including Tory Burch, Lord and Lady Sassoon, and other members of the glitterati flocked to the University Club of New York to attend the Honors Awards for the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation. The annual gala is held in celebration of both the museum and legacy of 19th-century English architect John Soane, who designed iconic British landmarks like the Bank of England. This year’s esteemed honorees were renowned architect Jeanne Gang of the AD100 Studio Gang and the celebrated design journalist Hamish Bowles. Throughout dinner and dancing, the two were recognized for their visionary eye and contributions to the field.
AD PRO Hears…
…New York designer Robert Stilin has launched an online shop. Mirroring the AD100 talent’s interiors—like his Red Hook abode—the collection of furniture, lighting, artwork, and accessories exudes elegance and warmth. Look out for beauties like a glazed ceramic table lamp that takes the form of an ancient amphora and vintage finds such as Pierre Chapo’s modular T22 table.
Porthole Ashtray by Gucci available on the Robert Stilin Shop. Glass, brass, steel, suede, and cotton, manufactured in Italy, circa 1970.
Courtesy of Robert Stilin Shop
…Vaughan, the British maker of furniture, decorative lighting, and accessories has tapped Nicholas Hodson-Taylor as creative director. Most recently design director for Guy Goodfellow, Hodson-Taylor previously worked at David Collins Studio and Nicky Haslam’s NH Design, so he’s bound to draw from his portfolio of swank interiors.
…The Créateurs Design Awards has named AD100 Hall of Famer Norman Foster as the recipient of the 2025 Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award. Foster, who founded the London-based architecture and design firm Foster + Partners in 1967, has been at the forefront of sustainable and urban design. This ethos has been magnified in projects like the revamped Reichstag in Berlin, London’s pedestrian-only Millennium Bridge, and Calgary skyscraper The Bow.
… The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art has announced the winners of the 2024 McKim, Mead & White Awards for Excellence in Classical and New Traditional Design. Recipients included AD100 honorees Robert A.M. Stern and Ferguson & Shamamian, as well as Directory members Hendricks Churchill and Janice Parker.
Openings
British design goes beyond clothes at Burberry’s NYC showroom
On October 16, the Burberry flagship reopened its doors on East 57th Street, which is its oldest location in America. To celebrate, creative director Daniel Lee invited esteemed guests including Cher and Tyra Banks for an evening soirée on the Upper East Side. Post-renovation, the three-story flagship is an ode to British design: Limestone flooring evokes historic English institutions, as does the wrought-iron balustrade on the spiral staircase, which, on the first floor, is crowned by horsehead-shaped finials. Replicas of Burberry’s gabardine and war-era trenches are on view in a circle of mannequins, which perch on an organic camouflage rug designed by British contemporary artist and frequent Burberry collaborator Tom Atton Moore. Guests can learn more about other historical styles from the brand via accompanying plaques displaying educational QR codes.
There are a lot of great soundbars out there, and we don’t have room to feature them all. Here are some others you might want to consider.
Samsung HW-Q800C for $598: If Samsung’s HW-Q990C everything bar is too rich for your blood, the two-piece HW-Q800C (WIRED Recommends, 8/10) could be a good compromise. This bar offers a similar sound signature as Samsung’s flagship bars many of the same features, packed into a smaller bar-and-subwoofer combo for a notable discount–especially since it’s now almost always on sale.
Sennheiser Ambeo Mini for $700: This pint-sized luxury bar is great for those with money to burn in very small spaces. Sennheiser’s built-in Ambeo virtualization technology brilliantly throws sound all around you for exhilarating TV and movies, and offers advanced features like support for Google Assistant and Alexa.
Sony HT-X8500 for $300: Sony’s HT-X8500 is getting harder to find, but it’s still one of our favorite options for those after a single bar with solid bass response and expansive sound, including decent Dolby Atmos virtualization. While it’s pricier than our top bar, it’s a great alternative for those after a bit more, and worth considering while it’s still available.
Roku Streambar for $130: If you’re after a soundbar that doubles as a great streaming device, WIRED senior editor Adrienne So swears by the Roku Streambar. After she spent years without one she was so impressed that she shouted it from the rooftops. Setup is easy, and because it includes Roku’s simple streaming interface you can stream movies and shows at up to 4K HDR from just about every streaming service. You can also add a Roku subwoofer or surround-sound speakers down the line. We encourage getting a sub.
Vizio Elevate M-Series for $500: If you want full-featured Dolby Atmos and you like a bit of flair, Vizio’s second Elevate bar is worth considering. Drivers pop out of the side and aim toward your ceiling when Atmos content is playing, giving it a nifty party trick to show your pals. Sound quality is solid too, and we like the compact design and easy setup. However, you will have to route some speaker cables for the rear surrounds.
The Yamaha SR-C30A for $276: This model SR-C30A soundbar looks very similar indeed to the SR-C20A, and that’s because they’re the same thing where dimensions, specification, and sound quality are all concerned. The difference is that the SR-C30A ships with a compact (335 x 160 x 364mm) wireless subwoofer for some authentic Hollywood-style rumble and punch. —Simon Lucas
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus for $1,200: Given the price and the physical dimensions of the soundbar—which doesn’t even include a subwoofer—the Ambeo Plus might look like a poor deal. But thanks to its 400 watts of power and its nine carefully developed and even more carefully positioned speaker drivers, this Sennheiser is capable of big, enveloping sound with a strong suggestion of the sonic height that Dolby Atmos soundtracks thrive on. By way of an encore, it turns out to be a hugely capable wireless speaker when you want to listen to some music, too. —Simon Lucas
The Polk React for $269: This soundbar works if you want to get surround sound eventually but don’t have the cash right now. The Alexa-enabled soundbar is fine on its own, with surround speakers and subwoofers available from Polk if you want to upgrade.
The Vizio Elevate P-Series for $700: This is an awesome-looking soundbar with side speakers that swivel skyward when you’re watching content with object-based audio. It’s a nice-sounding bar, and that gimmick is neat, but there are better options for under $1,000.
Exoskeletons have been helping paraplegic patients to walk for years, but the latest development from KAIST is a little different. The WalkON Suit F1 can amble over to a patient seated in a wheelchair, wrap itself around the legs and body, and get the user up and walking.
Professor Kyoung-Chul Kong from KAIST’s Department of Mechanical Engineering has been working on exoskeletons for around a decade, with the first WalkON Suit being revealed in 2016. By 2020, the research team had increased the walking speed to 3.2 km/h (1.98 mph) and entered the fourth-generation prototype into the Cybathlon in Switzerland.
This “cyborg Olympics” was launched in 2016 by ETH Zurich to drive advances in assistive technologies. The first event was held near Zurich and attracted teams from 25 nations, and saw 66 “pilots” compete for the spotlight. Four years later, pilots wearing KAIST’s WalkON Suit 4.0 placed first and third in the Exoskeleton Race event. The third Cybathlon took place this past weekend, with Professor Kong’s team fielding the latest development from the WalkON engineers.
WalkON Suit F1: The Next-Gen Exoskeleton That Walks Itself
Where other exoskeletons require helpers to raise paralyzed patients out of their wheelchairs before strapping them to the assistive devices, the WalkON Suit F1 can “walk on its own like a humanoid robot” and approach the patient. It features a front-docking system that means the paraplegic user can remain seated as the exoskeleton installs itself around the body and legs of the patient.
There’s a system in place “that actively controls the center of its weight against the pull of gravity” to prevent it toppling over as the user is assisted into a standing position. Overall balance has been tweaked to enable the use of both hands while upright, along with short bursts without needing a supporting cane. The powerful motors and control algorithms have been significantly improved compared to previous versions, and the setup even sports vision recognition for obstacle detection.
The WalkON Suit F1 exoskeleton can walk itself to a user seated in a wheelchair, install itself, help the user stand and then provide walking assist
KAIST
Paraplegic Seunghwan Kim – the engineering lab’s staff researcher – served as pilot for the 2024 Cybathlon’s exoskeleton competition. Though some teams made the trip to Switzerland to compete, Professor Kong’s team elected to live broadcast its attempt from special facilities of the company he set up in 2017 to commercialize wearable robots, Angel Robotics.
Teams were challenged with completing various missions within a tight time slot, including “moving by sidesteps between narrow chairs, moving boxes, walking freely unassisted by crutches, passing through a narrow door and closing it behind, and working on food preparation in the kitchen.”
WalkON Suit F1 exoskeleton athlete Seunghwan Kim celebrating completion of all challenges in the 2024 Cybathlon Exoskeleton Race
KAIST
It took Kim and the WalkON Suit F1 6 minutes and 41 seconds to complete all missions, and secure first place. Second place went to a Swiss team and third to Thai engineers, though neither of these managed to finish all tasks within the allotted 10 minutes.
“The various know-how and core technologies accumulated while preparing for this competition is to contribute to further development and propagation of wearable robots, provoking imagination to draw on the future of wearable robots and on how it may change our daily lives,” reads a KAIST press release detailing the win.
WalkON Suit F1: The Next-Gen Exoskeleton That Walks Itself
Should you cover turkey with foil while it cooks? Well, putting aluminum foil over turkey can help the cooking process as it roasts.
There are two ways to do it: Encase the turkey in the foil before roasting it in a hot oven or use the foil as a tent to control the level of browning.
Covering the whole turkey with foil is a popular cooking method because it steams the turkey in its own juices, per the University of Illinois Extension (UIE). If done correctly, the end result is a wonderfully moist bird with golden brown, non-crispy skin.
When deciding whether to cover your turkey with foil or not, consider that enclosing it makes it cook faster. The compromise here is that the turkey skin, while golden, won’t come out crispy.
If you’re looking for a crispier result, you should tent your turkey with aluminum foil. The tent method yields perfectly brown, crispy skin and a slow-roasted flavor, but it does takes more time.
Tip
Don’t stuff your turkey before cooking it, especially if it is enclosed in a small space, per the USDA. So, if you are fully enclosing your bird in foil, or you are grilling, microwaving or deep-frying it, don’t stuff your turkey.
The faster cooking times don’t allow the stuffing to heat quickly enough to kill foodborne bacteria in the stuffing. If you are tenting the turkey, you can stuff it, but it’s still safer to cook stuffing separately, per the UIE.
How to Cook a Turkey With Aluminum Foil
To cover or not to cover a turkey? If you have a limited amount of time to roast your bird, you can cover turkey in aluminum foil beforehand, which will shorten the cooking time. Just make sure you don’t seal the foil so it’s airtight, or moisture will be trapped inside and affect the end result.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the UIE.
Tear off a piece of 18-inch-wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil that is three times longer than the length of the turkey. Lay it over a large roasting pan, centered lengthwise.
Place the turkey on the aluminum foil breast-side up. Brush the turkey with melted butter or vegetable oil.
Bring the sides of the aluminum foil up along the sides of the turkey. Bring the ends of the foil up over the top of the turkey. Overlap the ends of the foil so they will stay in place, but don’t seal them so they are airtight.
Put the turkey in the oven. Roast the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads a minimum of 165 Fahrenheit, according to the UIE.
The cooking time for a turkey wrapped in foil will vary based on the weight of your bird. An 8- to 12-pound turkey will need 2.75 to 3 hours to cook through at 325 F, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Roasting at a higher temperature lowers this cooking time.
At What Temperature Should You Cook Your Turkey?
Your oven temperature should be set at no lower than 325 F, according to the USDA. A higher temperature will speed up the cooking time.
When it comes to foil-wrapped turkey, you can set your oven at a higher temperature — the UIE suggests 450 F.
A whole turkey is safe to eat when its internal temperature is a minimum of 165 F, which can be measured with a food thermometer.
Foil Tent Turkey Cooking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the turkey in the roasting pan breast-side up.
Brush the turkey with melted butter or olive oil.
Here’s how to tent with foil: Make a tent-shape with the foil by creasing a piece of foil in the center. Prop it up over the turkey. The ends will be in the roasting pan. Stand the center up 1 inch over the turkey breast to allow for air flow.
Put the turkey in the oven. Roast it until a thermometer inserted in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, per the UIE. Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes, per the USDA, to make it easier to carve.
Other Tips for Roasting Your Turkey With Foil
Foil-covered turkey won’t brown well if it’s covered for the entirety of its cooking time. You have some options to ensure the bird is cooked to perfection.
Begin cooking your bird without the aluminum foil for the first two-thirds of the time. This is when you will leave the turkey uncovered for browning. At the two-thirds point, lay a piece of foil loosely over the turkey to keep the breast from browning further while the thigh meat continues to heat to the desired temperature.
If your turkey is looking a little pale for your taste, remove or fold back the foil for the last 30 minutes of roasting. You can brush the skin with some vegetable oil to enhance the browning process, per the UIE.
No matter which method you’re using, don’t cover the turkey with foil after you remove it from the oven because this can continue to cook the bird, which will dry it out.
To season your turkey, place fresh herbs, onions, garlic or peppers in the cavity before roasting it.
In this extremely tight presidential race, the big surprise of the fall campaign has turned out to be the failure of two major newspapers to deliver expected endorsements of Kamala Harris and against Donald Trump. With voting well under way in many states, the Los Angeles Times’ owner and The Washington Post’s publisher made inexcusably late announcements that they had become suddenly disenchanted with the entire notion of endorsing presidential candidates.
Withholding support for Harris after everything that both newspapers have reported about Trump’s manifest unfitness for office looks to me like plain cowardice. Although I served on the Los Angeles Times’ editorial boardfor 18 years, I believe one can reasonably question the value of endorsements. Still, the timing here invites speculation that these papers are preparing for a possible Trump victory by signaling a willingness to accommodate the coming administration rather than resist it.
At each paper, the editorial board had readied a draft or outline of a Harris endorsement and was waiting (and waiting and waiting) for final approval. On Wednesday, the L.A. Times editorials editor, Mariel Garza, told her team, including me, that the owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, would not permit any endorsement to run. She then resigned in protest.
As thousands of angry Times readers canceled their subscriptions, Soon-Shiong publicly claimed on X to have asked the editorial board to write an analysis of “all the POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE policies by EACH candidate” during their respective White House tenures. But he said the board “chose to remain silent.”
Nonsense. We made no such choice. We were ready to endorse Harris, and Soon-Shiong’s post on X was the first time I or my fellow editorial writers had heard anything about a side-by-side analysis. Having been so casually thrown under the bus, I resigned Thursday. My colleague Karin Klein also announced that she would step down.
On Friday, the Post publisher and CEO, William Lewis, published a statement that his paper, too, would not endorse in the presidential race, now or ever again. A member of the Post editorial board resigned. Subscribers canceled.
Read: Don’t cancel The Washington Post. Cancel Amazon Prime.
Remember, this is the same news organization that, during the first Trump administration, adopted the slogan “Democracy dies in darkness.” It can also die in broad daylight. In this year’s race, a non-choice ignores Trump’s singular unfitness for office, demonstrated time and again through his dishonesty, his false claims to have won the 2020 election, his criminal convictions, his impeachable offenses, his race-baiting, his threats of retaliation against his opponents, and many other features that make him a danger to the nation.
Lewis and Soon-Shiong both explained that they wanted to let voters make their own decisions.
I hear some version of that irritating statement every four years, although it typically comes from readers who ask why editorial boards don’t just deliver the facts, the way news stories are supposed to, leaving judgment up to readers. Publishers and newspaper owners ought to know better.
Editorials express a newspaper’s institutional viewpoint, based on a clearly articulated set of values and expressed by logical (and sometimes emotional) arguments supported by evidence. In a process unique in journalism, they are shaped by daily back-and-forth discussions among editorial writers. The editorial board is separate from the newsroom, where reporters are supposed to keep their opinions to themselves.
Endorsements and other editorials are a lot like a lawyer’s closing argument to a jury after a long trial with numerous witnesses and exhibits. They remind readers of everything they’ve read, seen, and heard, and then they assemble it all in a persuasive presentation. They make a case. And then readers decide.
The Times editorial board went more than three decades without endorsing in presidential races, largely because readers and the newsroom were so outraged by the endorsement of Richard Nixon for reelection in 1972 that publishers were too cautious (or rather, too chicken) to again take a stand. But soon after I arrived at the Times, the editorial board promised to start endorsing for president again in the 2008 primary. We argued—in an editorial, of course—that if we purported to support transparency, voter engagement, and civic participation, then we had an obligation to make a decision and vigorously defend our choice.
In a pre-endorsement series of editorials, we invited readers to examine a set of foundational ideas such as “liberty” and “the pursuit of happiness,” and to question how those and other principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution applied to current challenges. Then we measured the primary candidates against those values, and made our case for the relatively unknown Barack Obama.
Some critics argue that editorials don’t change anyone’s vote, but that’s not the point. Even voters who already have made up their mind often look for a well-reasoned explanation of why their choice is the right one. And let’s not be so certain that a strong argument on an editorial page, even one from California or the District of Columbia, won’t affect the outcome of a close race that could be won or lost by just a few votes in one precinct in Pennsylvania.
Paul Farhi: Is American journalism headed toward an ‘extinction-level event’?
Soon-Shiong’s alternative, a non-choice pro-and-con matrix, wouldn’t be an editorial. It would be as if an attorney decided not to bother with a closing argument and said instead, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, here are some reasons you should rule for my client, and also a bunch of reasons to rule against him.” Nor does the proposed side-by-side analysis of Trump’s and Harris’s policies make much sense on its own terms. Trump as president was the top policy maker during his time in office. Harris, as vice president, has not been a policy maker at all, so the comparison would be inept. An editorial board would identify that flaw immediately. Soon-Shiong may have missed it, but I find myself wondering whether he wanted to direct the outcome of the endorsement.
In short-circuiting the Times editorial board, Soon-Shiong’s message has become only more incoherent. He said Thursday that his goal was to avoid political division. But his adult daughter, Nika Soon-Shiong, said in a series of X posts and in a Saturday New York Times story that the family met and collectively decided against endorsing Harris to protest the vice president’s support for Israel. Not true, Patrick Soon-Shiong told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday.
“Nika speaks in her own personal capacity regarding her opinion,” but not for the Times, he said.
Instead of a forthright, well-argued editorial, readers are left with an indecipherable message and journalistic failure. Someone ought to write about it. It might make a good editorial.
Architizer is thrilled to unveil the winners of one of this year’s most exciting architectural design contests!
Now in its seventh year, the Best of LaCantina design competition attracted outstanding submissions from leading architecture and design firms across the United States. This year’s winning projects showcase the extraordinary versatility of LaCantina’s door and window systems with more originality than ever, highlighting a multitude ways that their products can be harnessed to create seamless indoor-outdoor connections for clients. Located in diverse geographies across the country, these award-winning designs highlight the transformative impact that LaCantina Doors can have on spaces, whether in rural, suburban, or urban settings.
The winner of the coveted Best in Show prize is Colorado-based firm KA Designworks, which scooped the top accolade for Cortina 10, a stunning mountain residence with breathtaking views perfectly framed by LaCantina bifold doors. KA Designworks wins two tickets plus travel and accommodation to the 2025 AIA Conference in Boston, as well as a special editorial feature on Architizer, to be published in the coming weeks.
Without further ado, let’s explore the 2024 Best of LaCantina winners, each of which forms a compelling case study illustrating how — with the right windows and doors — architecture can be truly one with its environment.
Best in Show: Cortina 10 by KA Designworks, Mountain Village, Colorado Collaborators: Aceto Landscape Architects
Photo by Dallas and Harris Photography
Photo by Dallas and Harris Photography
Nestled in the breathtaking San Juan Mountains of Colorado, Cortina 10 is a ski-in/ski-out residence that harmonizes luxurious indoor living with the rugged beauty of its surroundings. The home’s open design invites guests to take in nearly 180-degree views of the landscape through vast glass elements that allow natural light to flood the interior. Key to this design are the folding doors by LaCantina, which open up the great room to an expansive deck equipped with seating, a fire-pit, outdoor kitchen and hot tub.
KA Designworks praised LaCantina for their ability to “open entire walls,” transforming decks into vibrant outdoor living spaces. These folding doors blur the line between indoors and outdoors, allowing residents to enjoy the beauty of the mountains without leaving the comfort of the home. “It’s not just about creating a space; it’s about crafting an experience that celebrates the interplay between architecture and nature,” the firm explained.
In addition to enhancing the home’s visual appeal, LaCantina’s folding doors excel in thermal performance, ensuring that the home remains energy efficient despite its large glass openings. “We were able to bask in those breathtaking views without compromising on energy efficiency or overall building performance,” says the firm, underscoring the perfect balance of style and function that LaCantina brings to this remarkable mountain residence.
Most Innovative & Best Compact Project: Portage Bay Float Home by Studio DIAA, Seattle, Washington
Photo by Kevin Scott
Photo by Kevin Scott
The Portage Bay Float Home, a 650-square-foot floating residence on Seattle’s Lake Union, exemplifies how thoughtful design can expand small spaces. This high-craft home uses LaCantina doors — including dual inswing kitchen doors, multislide doors for the living room and sliding pocket doors for the bedrooms — to create a fluid connection between the interior and the surrounding deck. These carefully chosen elements allow the home to gather and reflect light, fostering a sense of spaciousness and making the outdoor deck feel like an integral part of the living area.
Studio DIAA emphasized their design philosophy, saying: “We chose LaCantina doors as a key element of our design [because they] facilitate an uninterrupted connection between the indoors and outdoors.” They explained that LaCantina doors “played a pivotal role in redefining the spatial dynamics of the home,” by “allowing us to expand the living area beyond its physical confines” and creating a harmonious flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. This intentional design approach dissolved traditional boundaries, making the deck feel like an extension of the home’s total square footage.
Best Urban Residential Project: Modern Mediterranean by BBA Architects, Chicago, Illinois Collaborators: Bigane Construction, Dawn Reeves Interior Design
Photo by Mike Schwartz
The Modern Mediterranean home blends classic Mediterranean architecture with a modern twist, creating a bright and airy space that maximizes its double lot in the city. The design strategically places floor-to-ceiling windows and generous openings to bring in natural light while maintaining privacy. One of the key features is a custom LaCantina servery window which BBA Architects explains “functions as a pocketing window, opening completely to the covered terrace as the panels stack and tuck into the wall,” transforming the kitchen into a seamless indoor-outdoor space.
BBA Architects highlighted how the LaCantina doors seamlessly connect the interior to the exterior. This thoughtful design creates an ideal space for entertaining, with the firm noting that the bi-parting door “allows for a continuous entertaining space between the kitchen and back terrace,” blending style and function to enhance the overall experience of the home.
Best Suburban Residential Project: The Trailblazer by Citizen.Design, Renton, Washington
Photo by Andrew Storey
Photo by Andrew Storey
Situated on an 18-acre wooded site in Maple Valley, Washington, the Trailblazer is a contemporary home that smoothly blends with the natural landscape. The house is composed of four rotated gabled volumes, connected by light-filled breezeways that invite nature into the circulation spaces. At the heart of the design, a 20-foot-wide by 10-foot-tall LaCantina sliding door connects the main living room and the family room to an outdoor living area, offering expansive views of the nearby creek and creating a strong indoor-outdoor connection.
The architecture firm chose LaCantina for its contemporary look and praised the doors’ “thin stiles and rails and the flush stacking feature,” which were key factors in specifying the system. The doors helped overcome the challenge of creating a large opening, and the firm noted that they were able to “utilize a nearly flush sill between the interior concrete floors and the exterior concrete patio,” ensuring a subtle transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. The result is a home that flows naturally, with LaCantina doors enhancing both the aesthetics and functionality of the design.
Best Rural Residential: Little House/Big Shed by David Van Galen Architecture, Langley, Washington Contractor: Jade Craftsman Builders; Supplier: Island Sash and Door, Inc.
Photo by Lara Swimmer
Photo by Lara Swimmer
Set within a second-growth forest, Little House/Big Shed is a tranquil retreat designed to blend harmoniously with its natural surroundings. The home’s connection to the landscape is enhanced through thoughtful siting, large expanses of glass, and the use of LaCantina folding doors, which open the interior to the surrounding fir trees. These doors provide access to a spacious deck, creating a continuous relationship between internal and external living spaces.
The architects noted that the doors “played a significant role in the primary goal of the project: to insert the house as seamlessly as possible into the ecology of the site.” The expansive scale of the doors and their ease of use were key to achieving the design’s success, allowing the home to intimately connect with the forest while maintaining a sense of openness and light.
Best Commercial Project: Ponzi Vineyards – Laurelwood Event Space by Fogelstrom Design Build Co., Sherwood, Oregon
Photo by Cheryl Juetten and William James
Photo by Cheryl Juetten and William James
This carefully detailed addition to the Ponzi Vineyards Tasting Room was designed to create delicately subtle transitions between the interior event space and the private outdoor terraces overlooking the vineyards. Central to this design are the LaCantina bi-parting multislide doors, which span an impressive 10-foot by 20-foot opening from floor to ceiling. These large glass doors allow visitors to experience uninterrupted views of the vineyard while enjoying the event space indoors.
The architecture firm highlighted the doors’ “perfectly clean detailing” and how they “allow the space to gracefully flow to the outside terrace and to the surrounding landscape.” They noted that, when stacked, “it’s as though there are only two doors instead of four,” creating a sleek, unobstructed connection to the outdoors.
Best Renovation Project: Bel Air by Matic Design and Build, Santa Barbara, California
Photo by Eric Foote
Photo by Eric Foote
The redevelopment of this Bel Air residence nimbly merges indoor and outdoor living through the use of custom LaCantina folding doors. Spanning 14, 12, and 10 feet respectively, these floor-to-ceiling doors open up the home to expansive views of the surrounding landscape. By connecting the main living areas and bedrooms to outdoor terraces, the LaCantina doors create a natural flow between the interior and exterior spaces, offering a luxurious, open feel.
Matic Design and Build emphasized how the doors’ custom sizes and 84-inch height were crucial to achieving the desired effect, as they needed something beyond the standard 80 inches. The firm also noted how the doors integrate flawlessly into the wood interior frames, providing both aesthetic appeal and functional performance. The result is a home that feels effortlessly connected to its stunning outdoor surroundings.
Best Unbuilt/Planned Concept: Desert Pearl Residence by Flynn Architecture & Design, Phoenix, Arizona
Rendering by Flynn A&D/Matt Flynn
Rendering by Flynn A&D/Matt Flynn
The Desert Pearl Residence, set against desert mountains, was designed for an artist and astronomer, with LaCantina’s thermally-controlled folding and sliding doors central to the design. The living-kitchen space features six bays of three-panel folding doors that open fully to the mountains to the south and the shaded courtyard to the north, creating a seamless connection between the interior and the surrounding landscape.
The architecture firm explained that the thermally-broken aluminum frames were “key to making the main living space of the house a success,” providing essential protection from the Arizona heat. The open doors “allow free movement between mountains, water, food, and shade,” pulling the center of the home outdoors during cooler months. Matching aluminum frames throughout ensured a cohesive, streamlined look.
These projects demonstrate the versatility and impact of LaCantina’s products in creating beautiful, functional spaces that connect seamlessly with their surroundings. Each of the 2024 winners has used LaCantina doors and windows to redefine how their buildings engage with the outdoors, offering spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and inviting.
Explore more case studies and learn about the systems behind these winning designs at LaCantinaDoors.com.
Welcome to day 1 of TechCrunch Disrupt 2024! We’re beyond excited to have you here with us as we kick off this incredible event.
Get ready for three action-packed days of immersive tech experiences! Learn from industry leaders onstage and in hands-on sessions, network with fellow innovators, meet the startups shaping the future of technology, enjoy receptions, and so much more.
Want to attend but don’t have a ticket? There’s still time! Register here and be part of the action.
Without further delay, here’s a look at what’s in store for you today!
Stage sessions
We’ve got an incredible lineup of top industry leaders ready to take the stage. For times and more info, view the full agenda.
Disrupt Stage
Assaf Rappaport: From Zero-Day to Hero: Assaf Rappaport, Wiz
Startup Battlefield 200: Judge panel includes Morgan Beller, NFX; Alice Brooks, Khosla Ventures; Rohan Ganesh, Obvious Ventures; Galym Imanbayev, Lightspeed Venture Partners; Corinne Riley, Greylock; Christine Esserman, Accel; Eylul Kayin, Gradient Ventures; Lisa Morales-Hellebo, Refashiond Ventures; Jonathan Rosenbaum, Insight Partners; and Sharon Winter, Atomic.
Vinod Khosla Looks into the Past to See the Future of AI: Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures
Consumer, Culture, and Creators with Erin and Sara Foster: Erin Foster, Sara Foster, and Phil Schwarz, Oversubscribed Ventures
Builders Stage
Found Live with Kai Kloepfer from Biofire:Kai Kloepfer, Founder and CEO, Biofire
What You Need to Raise a Series A Today: Renata Quintini, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Renegade Partners; Corinne Riley, Partner, Greylock; and Elizabeth Yin, Co-Founder and General Partner, Hustle Fund
How AI and XR Will Revolutionize All of Your Devices: Qualcomm
How to Find, and Keep, Product-Market Fit: Spenser Skates, CEO and Co-Founder, Amplitude; April Underwood, Managing Director, Adverb; and Tamar Yehoshua, President, Product and Technology, Glean
Why AI Regulation Is Every Startup’s Business: Martin Casado, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz
How to Launch a New Product Against Entrenched Incumbents: Paul Lambert, Founder and CEO, Quilt; Gurinder Nagra, CEO, Furno Materials; and Brigid O’Brien, Managing Partner, RA Capital
Beyond the Hype: Building AI that Means Business: Iliana Quinonez, Director, Customer Engineering, North America Startups, Google, and Jia Li, Co-Founder, President and Chief AI Officer, LiveX AI
Family Offices Want Startup Exposure, but What Are They Looking For?: Eti Lazarian, Family Office Principle, Elle Family Office; and Bruce Lee, CEO and Founder, Keebeck Wealth Management
Space Stage powered by Aerospace
Startups in Dual Use: Even Rogers, CEO and Co-Founder, True Anomaly; Tim Solms, CEO Slingshot Aerospace; and Debra Emmons, Aerospace Corporation
Future of Space Operations Challenge: Judges include Justin Krauss, Dr. Debra Emmons, Cody Bronkar, and Tom Cwik
Peter Beck Takes the Space Industry by the Fins: Peter Beck, Founder and CEO, Rocket Lab
There and Back Again: Solving Orbital Delivery:Kelly Hennig, COO, Stoke Space; and Justin Fiaschetti, Inversion Space
Bridgit Mendler on Moving from Disney Star to Startup Founder: Bridgit Mendler, Founder and CEO, Northwood Space
Cislunar: The Next Frontier: A.C. Charania, Agency Chief Technologist, NASA; and Steve Isakowitz, President and CEO, Aerospace Corporation
Riding the Wave: The Future of Space Investing: Lewis Jones, VP, Seraphim Space; Jordan Noone, Co-Founder and General Partner, Embedded Ventures; and Katelin Holloway, Founding Partner, Seven Seven Six
Fintech Stage
Finding the Consensus of Crypto VC: Morgan Beller, General Partner, NFX; Will Nuelle, General Partner, Galaxy Ventures; and Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner, Dragonfly Capital
How These Neobanks Grew During Challenging Times: Colin Walsh, Founder and CEO of Varo Bank; and Jason Wilk, CEO, Dave
With Tiptop, Postmates Founder Bastian Lehmann Is Hungry for More: Bastian Lehmann, Tiptop
Future of Work: Lindsey Martin, Head of Engineering, Check; Marcelo Lebre, President and Co-Founder, Remote; and Josh Reeves, CEO, Gusto
BaaS in a Post-Synapse Meltdown World: Itai Damti, Co-Founder and CEO, Unit; Peter Hazlehurst, CEO and Co-Founder, Synctera; and Sheetal Parikh, General Counsel and CCO, Treasury Prime
Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition
Startup Battlefield 200
Get ready for the excitement of Startup Battlefield 200, featuring 20 hand-picked, remarkable startups in one of Disrupt’s highlight events. Experience the action as they pitch on the Disrupt Stage, vying for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup, judged by prominent venture capitalists.
First Session: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Second Session: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Interactive, deep-dive sessions
Engage in interactive sessions that fuel in-depth conversations about the key issues facing tech leaders today and how to tackle them head-on. Visit the complete agenda for times and more info on each session.
Roundtable Sessions
Join these 30-minute collaborative sessions, but make sure to pre-register on the event app. Expo+ Passes do not include access to these Roundtables.
Leverage Data Standards to Accelerate Your Startup: Qi Li, InterSystems; and Nicholai Mitchko, InterSystems
Tackle Every Challenge Head-on with Affiliate Marketing: Adam Weiss, Awin
How to Build & Run Your Board: Mike Seckler, Justworks
Consumer Social Network Effects with Vently: Gargi Kand, Vently; and Nicolas Meader, Lioncrest Ventures
Berkeley Connect: Experience the World’s #1 Startup Ecosystem: Harsha Gundala, Moonshine; Amy Jain, Swipefund; Jai Williams, OptiGenix; and Kate Sullivan, Uncracked
Shoppertainment 2024: The Future of Consumer and Commerce: Khanh Ngo, TikTok
Consumer AI Startups: Sara Deshpande, Maven Ventures
Winning at Startup PR Without Paying for an Agency, with ex-TechCrunch Editor Josh Constine: Josh Constine, SignalFire
Successfully Raising Your Seed or Series A in 2024: Brian Rothenberg and Medha Agarwal, defy.vc
Unlocking Human Intelligence via Events: Atul Todi, 10Times
Next-Gen Medicine: AI Simulation Generating New Data to Accelerate Drug Discovery: Marianna Bonanome, SandboxAQ
AI Outlook: Where VCs Are Placing Their Bets in AI Today — and Where We Go Next: Kevin Dunlap, Calibrate Ventures
Creating Inclusive Hiring Practices in Fast-Growing Companies: Lori Lizotte, WomenTech Network
Breakout Sessions
These 50-minute Q&A sessions with a panel of industry leaders are on a first-come, first-served basis. All ticket types are welcome.
The Future of High-Growth Tech: Beyond the Apple App Store: Sofia Dolfe, Index Ventures; James Ding, DraftWise; and Jordan Taylor, Vizcom
How AI Is Supercharging Tools for Knowledge Workers: Harpinder Singh, Innovation Endeavors; Tanguy Chau, Paxton AI; Luke McGartland, Sequence; and Dion Almaer, Augment Code
Generative AI: Beyond the Hype — Building Real-World Applications: Priyanka Vergadia, Microsoft
Beyond Snowflake and Databricks: Insights from the Frontlines of Data Transformation Disruption: Led by Colin Zima, Omni; Toby Mao, Tobiko Data; Jordan Tigani, MotherDuck; Daniel Svonava, Superlinked; and Tomasz Tunguz, Theory Ventures
Navigating the Funding Landscape for Women: Natalie Pan, Mariane Bekker, and Jeni Chang, Women Founders Bay; and Aury Cifuentes, How Women Invest
Powering Ahead: The Future of Energy & Infrastructure: Rachel Payne and Troy Helming, EarthGrid; and Nicholas Larson, Silicon Zombies
IPO or Bust? Tactical Approaches for Late-Stage Success: Jai Das, Sapphire Ventures; and Karthik Subramanian, Goldman Sachs
Expo Hall
The Expo Hall will host startups from all stages and regions worldwide. Engage with them and explore the groundbreaking innovations they’re thrilled to showcase. Opens at 8:00 a.m.
Pitch Showcase Stage
Make your way to the Expo Hall and watch as some of our exhibiting startups deliver their pitches.
In addition to casually mingling with fellow Disrupt attendees, elevate your networking experience using the Braindate app. You can create or explore topics on the app for deeper conversations. Meet in person at the Networking Lounge powered by Braindate on level 2 for 1:1 or small-group discussions anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Connect over coffee with other investors
Investor Pass holders are invited to savor their morning coffee with fellow investors at the Deal Flow Cafe, opening at 8:00 a.m.
Pre- and after-hour Side Events
Over 60 company-hosted Side Events will take place across San Francisco throughout the week, allowing you to keep the Disrupt excitement going. These are the ones taking place today. Visit the Side Events page for times and more details.
Unlock Your Investor Potential: How Tech Workers Can Become LPs Using Vested Stock Units:Hosted by Musa Capital
Making Money in the Energy Transition: Hosted by DNV Ventures
『MELT』150+ Founders x Investors Dynamic Network: Hosted by MELT
Semiconductors and AI for Climate Startup Cup — Finalists Announcement and Reception: Hosted by Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC)
Startup Grind Happy Hour with Microsoft for Startups, Justworks, Withum, Qapita & DuploCloud: Hosted by Startup Grind
Investor Talks by w.tech: Hosted by w.tech
Pitch&Drink with P2S.VC: Hosted by Pre-seed to success (AltaIR Capital, Yellow Rocks, Smart Partnership Capital, I2BF Global Ventures)
A Well Tech Terrace Party!: Hosted by Well Now! & Love Soul AI
Startup x VC Mixer with Simon Lancaster, Founder of Omni Ventures: Hosted by NEC X
Privacy and Social Media Happy Hour with Germ Network x Citizens: Hosted by Germ Network
It’s not too late to register for Disrupt
If you’re hesitating to register for Disrupt 2024 because you think it’s too late, worry not! There are plenty of immersive experiences waiting for you, and tickets will remain available until the final day. Register for yours here.
My younger brother and I are both in our 50s. He met his wife about 16 years ago, and they got married in 2014. This is her third marriage, my brother’s first. They have one child together, who’s 13, and his wife also has three other children, each from a different earlier relationship.
From the beginning, their relationship has been beset with problems. She accuses him of cheating on her, wanting to cheat on her, looking at other women, and lusting after other women on television, in restaurants, and when out walking the dogs. Things will be fine for a while and then the whole thing starts back up again. Over the course of this relationship, he has given up his hobbies and fallen out of contact with his longtime friends, and seems allowed to do things only with her and her family. I have watched as my brother has changed from a healthy and happy man to a shell of his former self.
Every time she gets upset, he has to jump through more hoops, make bigger gestures, and flagellate himself more until she relents and stops punishing him. He has come to my house twice in the past year and stayed, because she told him she wanted him to leave. I have continually emphasized to him the importance of seeking professional counseling but he says she refuses to consider it, because the problems all come down to him and his (alleged) wandering eye. My brother is a kind, gentle, considerate man, and this hurts him deeply.
I fear that my brother is the victim in an abusive marriage, and I don’t know how best to support him. I have told him repeatedly that he always has a home here and he can move in and stay for as long as he wants. I have also reassured him that his daughter wouldn’t be the only one in her friend group with parents who have decided to split up.
I care about him very much and want him to be healthy, safe, and happy. Our mom and I both worry that his wife will end up breaking him to the point that he would harm himself. How can I help him?
Dear Reader,
Your letter paints a troubling picture of your brother’s marriage, so I understand why you’re so concerned about his well-being. The situation you describe is indeed alarming, as it bears many hallmarks of emotional abuse: the constant accusations, the isolation from friends and family, the gradual erosion of your brother’s sense of self, and the cyclical nature of conflict and reconciliation, also known as “the cycle of abuse.”
In this cycle, things are calm for a time, but never for long. The tension builds and builds until there’s an explosion, followed by another period of calm, of promises, of temporary peace. Each time, the price of peace becomes higher. Your brother must make bigger gestures, offer greater sacrifices, diminish himself even further. This is painful to witness, especially when it involves someone you love.
Clearly you care deeply for your brother, and your desire to help him end this suffering comes from a loving and compassionate place. But I want to tell you something that might be hard to hear: You can’t save your brother from this relationship.
This doesn’t mean, however, that you’re powerless to help—far from it. But it does mean that you need to reframe how you think about your role. Once you accept that no matter how much you want to rescue him, your brother is the only one who can decide to change his situation, you’ll be able to support him much more effectively.
Read: The longest relationships of our lives
So what is your role? First, you need to understand his situation better so you can appreciate what he’s up against. Start by educating yourself about his experience so that you can understand why he engages in behaviors that seem baffling to you—such as his tolerance of his wife’s behavior and repeated begging for forgiveness for crimes he didn’t commit. You might feel that what he should do here is obvious: He’s in an unhealthy relationship and should get out. But bear in mind that abusive relationships frequently create a warped reality for the person being abused. Your brother has likely internalized many of his wife’s criticisms and may believe he truly is to blame for the problems in their marriage. This warped view makes leaving incredibly difficult for victims.
Think of it this way: Your brother and his wife are locked into a dance where the music of their relationship has become a monotonous dirge of accusation and defense. The steps go like this: His wife searches constantly for evidence of betrayal. Every glance becomes a crime; every interaction becomes a transgression. And your brother? He hears the music of confusion, self-doubt, shame. So he does his part of the dance: constantly attempting (and failing) to prove his innocence. Unfortunately for him, he’s trying to prove a negative—how do you show someone the absence of something? How do you demonstrate faithfulness to someone who has decided that you are unfaithful?
What makes this dance hard for you to watch is that the qualities you admire in your brother and that could make him a wonderful partner to a different person—his kindness, consideration, gentleness—have become the very things that his partner is using to manipulate him. The more he accommodates, the more his wife demands of him.
You say that this dynamic has been present since their relationship’s beginning, so instead of trying to convince your brother that his partner is mistreating him, you might get curious—and help him get curious—about what has drawn him to such a partnership in the first place. She seems to have come into this relationship with a history of relational instability—three children from three different relationships, prior to a fourth child with him. If she didn’t work through the issues that led to those relationships ending, she entered this current relationship with a suitcase full of previous betrayals (perceived or real), abandonment fears, and unhealthy communication patterns. But instead of unpacking this suitcase, she handed it to your brother and said, “You carry this. You are responsible for all of it.”
Read: Couples therapy, but for siblings
At the same time, your brother came into this relationship with his own suitcase. You say that he and his wife dated for six years before marrying, and even after having a child together they waited another three years to get married. I wonder if part of him had doubts about whether he wanted to be in this relationship, and another part of him preferred the certainty of misery to the misery of uncertainty. What in his own history led him to make that choice, to confuse controlling behavior with evidence of being needed, or to decide that the relationship he had—with all of its intense volatility—was “safer” to stay in than to leave so he could find something else?
Another way to support him is to encourage his curiosity. Your instinct might be to focus on his wife’s behavior, but a more helpful role is to provide a safe space for him to explore his own. Instead of saying “Your wife is abusive and you need to leave,” you can try “I’ve noticed that you seem unhappy this week. How are you feeling about things at home?” You can also gently challenge the narrative that he has internalized. When he blames himself for their problems, you might say something like “That doesn’t sound like the brother I know. The person I know is kind and loyal. I wonder if there’s another way to look at this situation?”
Whenever possible, you can float questions (not all at the same time) that help him reflect: “Do you ever feel lonely?” “Have you seen so-and-so lately?” “Do you miss doing (insert favorite activity)?” “What would be different if you weren’t worried about her reaction?” After another fight that ends with him at your house, rather than suggesting couples therapy, you might say, “Maybe you’d find it helpful to talk with a therapist on your own, even for just one session.” If he worries about his daughter, you might ask, again with gentle curiosity, “What do you imagine she’s learning about self-worth or loving relationships as she observes the two of you staying together?” He may not be able to answer these questions aloud, but you’d be helping him begin to consider an alternative narrative to the one he is carrying around. Just as important, you wouldn’t be trying to control him with what you want him to do and think, as his wife is—you’d be allowing him to go inside himself and access his own thoughts, feelings, and desires, which is a crucial step in a process that includes questioning, awareness, and finally, if he chooses, action.
As you open up this space for him, remember that just as your brother is overly focused on his wife’s unhappiness, you don’t want to be overly focused on his. Supporting someone in an abusive relationship can be emotionally exhausting and shouldn’t come at the expense of seeking support (such as therapy) for yourself. Your brother is fortunate to have such a caring sibling, but if you want to model healthy boundaries in a relationship, make sure you’re taking good care of yourself too.
Dear Therapist is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, mental-health professional, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. By submitting a letter, you are agreeing to let The Atlantic use it—in part or in full—and we may edit it for length and/or clarity.
Architecture holds power beyond the creation of buildings – it is a practice that shapes how people live, interact, and thrive within their communities. Architecture can also be a tool for social innovation. Through an understanding of human-centered processes, participatory design, and social sciences, practitioners can address societal challenges such as loneliness, inequality, and public health to equip spaces as vehicles for social equity and engagement. Architecture’s role in shaping the future of communities is a direct response to human needs and activated social change.
In A Human Approach to Architecture, a design manual by Oslo-based agency Comte Bureau, the history of architecture and design is explored through key moments highlighting the prospect of addressing human needs and aspirations. In ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, monumental buildings represented cultural identity and civic engagement. The Middle Ages saw a transition from fortified structures to Gothic architecture, nurturing community through open, spiritual spaces. The Renaissance introduced humanism and proportion, while Modernism in the 20th century sought efficiency and social progress but often faced criticism for its impersonal nature.
“Architectural history has been a continuous dialogue between human needs, societal aspirations, and the built environment”, shares Partner and Architect at Comte Bureau, Joana Sá Lima. Comte Bureau approaches spatial design through a design-thinking lens, enabling the team to drive innovation through the design of services, organizations, and physical environments. A Human Approach to Architecture was created to provide a practical, hands-on guide for architects and designers to embrace a more human-centered approach in their projects. It bridges traditional design methods with modern challenges, presenting actionable tools to create spaces that manage the needs of people and the environment.
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Rebuilding Social Connections
Comte Bureau’s SIT – Nardovegen 12-14 pilot project presents a study in human-centered design and its ability to address the issue of loneliness, particularly among university students. “Addressing loneliness requires more than just physical space—it requires environments that foster connection and interaction”, Sá Lima states.
Student housing designed to reduce loneliness. Image Courtesy of Comte Bureau
Recognizing loneliness as a critical challenge impacting both mental health and academic performance, the project was rooted in participatory design. By involving students directly in the design process, the design team could gather valuable insights into the daily lives and needs of the residents which resulted in empowering the students to contribute to the design of their social spaces. Co-creation assures that designs are responsive to the specific social dynamics of the community they serve.
The design interventions were guided by several hypotheses, rooted in social science and design thinking methodologies. The team believed that communal spaces could play a pivotal role in reducing isolation by sparking spontaneous social interactions. User journeys and behavior maps were used to dive into the idea, providing an understanding of how students navigate and interact with their living environment.
Student housing designed to reduce loneliness. Image Courtesy of Comte Bureau
The findings revealed that students preferred multifunctional spaces that blended everyday tasks, such as doing laundry, with opportunities for casual social encounters. By integrating diverse functions into shared areas, the design encouraged students to naturally congregate and interact, reducing the need for forced socialization and creating organic opportunities for connection.
Another key insight was the importance of flexibility and personalization in shared spaces. Through spatial simulations and workshops, students were invited to experiment with different layouts and configurations, using movable furniture and adaptable zones to create communal areas that could serve multiple purposes. These tools helped the design team understand how spaces that are both reconfigurable and user-defined build a greater sense of ownership among residents. When students felt that they could personalize their environment, they were more likely to use the shared spaces regularly, which in turn increased the frequency of social interactions.
Student housing designed to reduce loneliness. Image Courtesy of Comte Bureau
The project demonstrates how a combination of participatory design, flexible space planning, and social science-driven insights can lead to environments that promote well-being and community. The emphasis on involving residents in every step of the design process resulted in spaces that reduced isolation.
The process is circular rather than linear, building on prior knowledge and understanding so that each phase informs the next.
Human-Centered Design: Inclusivity, Empathy, and Participation
Inequality within the built environment often manifests as limited access to quality spaces for marginalized communities, reinforcing social divides and perpetuating cycles of poverty. Disparities in housing, public spaces, and infrastructure highlight the urgent need for a more inclusive approach to design. Human-centered design offers a pathway to challenge these imbalances, stressing empathy and a deep understanding of diverse user experiences. Engaging directly with marginalized groups allows architects to create environments that accommodate physical accessibility—like ramps and elevators— and respond to emotional and cultural needs.
Transforming underutilized urban areas into community assets is another powerful way architecture can address inequality. By repurposing abandoned lots and neglected buildings into community centers, parks, or affordable housing, architects can bridge the gap between privileged and marginalized populations. These revitalized spaces provide essential services and foster social cohesion, creating environments where individuals from various backgrounds can connect and share experiences.
At the heart of social innovation is participatory design, which emphasizes the importance of involving communities in the design process. Empowering marginalized groups to contribute their insights, boosts social equity, ensuring that vulnerable populations are considered in the design. Ultimately, participatory design strengthens social ties and cultivates a deeper sense of belonging, paving the way for inclusive environments.
A multi-disciplinary approach, through the integration of architecture, design, and social sciences, is a strong adversary to complex challenges and wicked problems faced by communities. Human-centered design ensures socially conscious architecture where people’s needs, well-being, and experiences are prioritized. Amidst technological innovation and global trends, human-centered solutions can enhance the quality of life and foster meaningful connections between people, their surroundings, and our planet.
Every year, design competitions unwittingly push the creative envelope, setting new benchmarks for architects and designers worldwide. These contests don’t just celebrate innovation—they fuel it, inspiring the next wave of boundary-breaking projects. Thanks to such platforms, we get to witness the extraordinary fusion of beauty, ingenuity, and craftsmanship that ripples through the creative industry.
The German Design Council has certainly joined the fray, recently revealing the winners of the prestigious ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture—and the results were nothing short of spectacular. This coveted competition honors the full spectrum of architectural and creative disciplines, from visionary spatial concepts and groundbreaking building projects to cutting-edge product design, remarkable brand communication, and inventive uses of materials.
This year saw 540 entries from 36 countries, with 55 projects rising above the rest to claim the coveted ‘Best of the Best’ title. Among the many standout winners, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio claimed “Architects of the Year” while Norm Architects took home the honor for “Interior Designers of the Year”. Meanwhile, the small German city Neuenburg am Rhein won the ‘Architects’ Client of the Year’ prize for the ‘Areal Kronenrain’. The award ceremony, held in early October at the BMW Welt in Munich, ran parallel to the EXPO REAL real estate trade fair. Yet, long after the applause faded, the impact of the winning designs continues to resonate.
‘It was impressive to see the immense potential of groundbreaking designs that provide answers to current questions in contemporary architectural discourse.’ – Lutz Dietzold, Managing Director of the German Design Council, describing the work of the award winners.
Special Prize Architects of the Year Award: Tatiana Bilbao Estudio
Founded in Mexico in 2004, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio has been reshaping architecture with a social conscience, delivering projects that address real-world challenges. From the eye-catching ‘Estoa‘ institute building for the University of Monterrey to the Botanical Gardens in Culiacan and the S’ea of Cortez Research Center’ in Mazatlán, Tatiana Bilbao and her team have consistently pushed the boundaries. Their modular, low-cost housing prototypes are quick to build, yet rich in innovation, standing out for their distinctive collage-style visualizations. Among their current projects, you can find Porte de Montreuil infill development in Paris and the Maria Friedenshort convent in Brandenburg, built on a former Stasi site.
Special Prize Interior Designers of the Year: Norm Architects
As you step into their interiors, Norm Architects unveils a passion for minimalist product design and carefully composed, holistic concepts. Founded in Copenhagen in 2008, their style embodies the Scandinavian spirit, blending natural materials with elegantly balanced furniture. Iconic projects like Äng wine restaurant in Halland and the Heatherhill Beach House in Vejby showcase their ability to craft sensually charged spaces. Beyond interiors, the team also designs furniture, lighting, and objects for international brands. ‘Norm Architects are known for their extraordinary sensitivity to location and their ability to create outstanding atmospheric spaces and spatial structures,’ praised the jury. Their use of materials such as wood, clay and natural stone creates an atmosphere of security and grounding.
Honorary award Architect’s Client of the Year: Neuenburg am Rhein
Nestled between Germany, Switzerland, and France, the small town of Neuenburg am Rhein has undergone a remarkable transformation, thanks to Berlin-based MONO Architekten. Their design seamlessly connects the town with the nearby Rhine and surrounding landscape. A standout feature is the 36-meter-high tower of red tamped concrete, a bold addition to this locale. It forms part of ‘Areal Kronenrain’, an ensemble that includes a multi-storey car park, plaza, viewing platform and bridge.
‘It takes courage. That is the only way to create contemporary landmarks with identity-forming value. This has been achieved with the Kronenrain site in Neuenburg am Rhein. Together with the architects, the city has realized an impressive gesture that is absolutely worthy of emulation,’ concluded the ICONIC AWARDS jury.
Sportzentrum Schulcampus Überlingen by wulf architekten was awarded with “Best of Best” at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture.HAIKOU GAOXINGLI INSUN CINEMA by One Plus Partnership Limited was awarded with “Best of Best” at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture.Almazara by Mollinedo Arquitectura was awarded with “Best of Best” at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture.Montblanc Haus, Hamburg by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos GmbH was awarded with “Best of Best” at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture.Life in Wood by Hisanori Ban bandesign, Ltd. was awarded with “Best of Best” at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture.Komera Leadership Center by BE_Design was awarded with “Best of Best” at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024: Innovative Architecture.
The ICONIC AWARDS not only recognize brilliance but also raise the bar for the entire industry, showcasing a dazzling array of innovation that leaves us eagerly anticipating next year’s creations.
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