Now Trending: Architecture in the Digital Media Age

The title of this blog post is the title of a panel discussion that was held in SOM's New York office in a couple months ago. While the inclusion of the term "trending" points to the a desire to have architecture function like cats, celebrities, and other viral topics, the proceedings, which can be watched below or here, strike a balance between skepticism and all-out-embrace of digital trends.


[Photo via SOM's Facebook page]

From SOM:

The internet has affected nearly every aspect of our lives. What impact has it had on architecture — and has that impact been negative or positive? In this panel discussion, hosted at SOM’s New York office on July 31st, 2014, three leaders from influential design publications* discuss the myriad ways architecture is presented online; whether the web has diminished genuine, critical dialogue about architecture; and how much thought and energy a firm should invest in its digital presence.

*With Cathleen McGuigan, editor in chief of Architectural Record; Marc Kushner, founder and CEO of Architizer; Alan Brake, executive editor at The Architect’s Newspaper; moderated by Jenna McKnight, digital editor at SOM.

KRob 2014

October 27, 2014 – 5pm CST, to be precise – is the deadline for this year's Ken Roberts Memorial Delineation Competition, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Students and professionals can enter in various categories, with eligibility requirements here and more details on the competition below.



From KRob:

Celebrating 40 years, the annual Ken Roberts Memorial Delineation Competition is the longest running architectural drawing competition in the world. Organized by the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects since 1974, the Ken Roberts Competition awards prizes to original works that best represent the artistic qualities of architecturally inspired drawings, produced by hand, digital CG or a combination of both.

Hosted by the AIA Dallas Chapter at their offices in Dallas and sponsored by Doghouse Computer Systems, the competition culminates in an award ceremony and event night with refreshments and conversation with the jury panel. This year the jury consists of Frank Ching, considered one of the greatest architectural illustrators of our time and author of multiple books that have become essential to young architects-in-training. Thomas Series owner of Laptop – Rendering, an incredible visualization firm who work with leading architects worldwide, and Cliff Welch, architect and owner of Welch Architects, a renowned contemporary architect in Dallas, Texas.

Having received 385 entries from over 25 countries in the last year, KRob’s visibility continues to grow, with its website receiving over 33,000 visitors each year.

Professionals and students from all over the world are encouraged to enter this exciting competition for an opportunity to win great prizes, gain recognition across the industry and open up new opportunities with the publication of their ‘Award Winning’ work!

More information can be found at www.krobarch.com

The above poster features Chris Cornelius's winner last year in the professional digital/mixed category. Below are some of my favorites from previous years.


[J. Arthur Liu, 2007 juror citation professional hand category]


[Matthew Sander, 2008 best in student hand category]


[Nathan Freise, 2009 best in show, best in professional/mixed category]


[Brad Silva, 2010 best in physical submission category]


[Dustin Wheat, 2011 best in physical submission category]


[Chris Cornelius, 2012 best in physical submission category]

Today's archidose #780

Here are some photos of the Druzhba Sanatorium (1985) in Kurpaty, Crimea, Ukraine, by Igor Vasilevsky with Nodar Kancheli, photographed by William Veerbeek.















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