This week’s review focuses on practical measures aimed at addressing common urban issues such as housing affordability, long-term sustainability, and the significance of cultural and material innovations in urban planning.
The selection includes regulations concerning housing markets in European cities, multi-family housing projects and mixed-income developments in New York, as well as major redevelopment and planning initiatives in London, Barcelona, Ulaanbaatar, and Drammen. It also examines studies and implemented projects in Chicago, Buenos Aires, Las Vegas, and Riyadh that are dedicated to cyclical construction, adaptive reuse, and new models of cultural and community infrastructure,” reports ArchDaily, a resource dedicated to architectural news.
These global projects demonstrate how architecture and urban planning can address pressing issues while paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future for cities across various cultural and geographical contexts.
This news roundup presents fresh approaches to tackling housing issues in different cities, including legislative measures and architectural solutions. In response to the need for affordable housing, some European cities are beginning to impose restrictions on short-term rentals, indicating a shift towards strategies aimed at protecting long-term housing stock.
In New York, new residential complexes showcase diverse yet complementary approaches, including the nearly completed skyscraper at 262 Fifth Avenue by Meganom and the Powerhouse Company's project for a multifunctional residential building that aims to integrate housing affordability and social equity into high-rise construction. Meanwhile, in London, the work on the Barbican Centre's renewal emphasizes the importance of long-term management and reinvestment in existing housing and cultural infrastructure to ensure comfortable living and sustainability.
As the year comes to a close, concepts of sustainable urban development and cultural infrastructure highlight how architectural planning and global dialogue can shape the cities of the future. The announcement of the program and speaker list for the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 in Barcelona underscores the role of architecture as a platform for international discourse on important urban and environmental issues.
At the territorial level, the winning project for the master plan of the Khunnu city in Mongolia represents a strategic, long-term urban planning solution aligned with national development goals up to 2050, focusing on sustainability and resilient growth.
The firm Bechu & Associés won the international competition to develop the master plan for the new satellite city of Khunnu, which will be located south of Ulaanbaatar. The project, to be presented in 2025, establishes a long-term urban planning concept for an area of 31,503 hectares near Chinggis Khaan International Airport, with phased development planned from 2025 to 2045.
Fresh images of the Arts Museum project in Las Vegas, designed by the Kéré Architecture and SOM consortium, show how cultural institutions can serve as long-term community hubs, while the completion of the House of Nassr sports complex by OODA in Saudi Arabia demonstrates how large-scale cultural and recreational infrastructure can contribute to shaping urban identity and enhancing public life.
The firm Snøhetta won the competition for the best development project for the Skamarken River waterfront in Drammen, Norway.
Snøhetta also won the competition for the design of the Skamarken area redevelopment in Drammen, on the site of the former railway line along the Drammenselva River, north of the restored Drammen station and the new city bridge.
The project takes into account the historical role of the river as a key element of Drammen, restoring ecological changes and creating new spaces for recreation, public events, and seasonal activities.
author: Antonia Piñeiro
translation: Tatar S.Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
