The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) is proud to announce the opening of the Prada Transformer pavilion, a pioneering temporary structure that will be picked up by cranes and rotated to accommodate a variety of cultural events. The pavilion was opened in Seoul today by the Minister of Culture of South Korea and the Mayor of Seoul in the presence of Miuccia Prada and OMA founder Rem Koolhaas.

Business environment remains unfavorable, but the bottom of the construction cycle could be forthcoming

After a series of historic lows, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) was up more than eight points in March. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the March ABI rating was 43.7, up from the 35.3 mark in February.  This was the first time since September 2008 that the index was above 40, but the score still indicates an overall decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry score was 56.6.

On Friday April 24th at 11 a.m. the new Church in Foligno, designed by Architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, is being inaugurated.

The project was won in 2001 after a national competition organized by the Conferenza Episcopale Italiana for the construction of new churches, the jury explains the  reasons for choosing this project;, perceiving it "...as a sign of innovation that meets the latest international research, becoming a symbol of rebirth for the city after the earthquake. "

Photographs by Moreno Maggi

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the 17 recipients of the 2009 Housing Awards.  The AIA’s Housing Awards Program, now in its ninth year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit and a valuable national resource.

The jury for the 2009 Housing Awards include: Jury chair, Kenneth H. Workman, AIA, RWA Architects, Inc.; Rainy Hamilton Jr., AIA, Hamilton Anderson Associates, Inc.; Jane Kolleeny, Architectural Record Magazine and GreenSource Magazine; and Jeff Oberdorfer, FAIA, First Community Housing.

The jury recognized projects in four award categories: One/Two Family Custom Housing, One/Two Family Production Housing, Special Housing, and Multifamily Housing

Construction has been completed on the new $16.8 million Centennial Hills Library in the northwest section of Las Vegas.

URS Corporation provided construction management services for the project as part of an ongoing contract with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (LVCCLD) for construction management for two new libraries and the modernization of 10 existing libraries.  URS services included project and construction management, cost estimating, schedule analysis, quality assurance review, value engineering, and construction reviews.  The architect for the project was JMA Architecture Studios.