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Gulf Coast: The Latest Architecture and News

Bahrain’s 2025 Venice Biennale Pavilion Addresses the Global Issue of Extreme Heat

The Kingdom of Bahrain's national pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia was awarded this year's Golden Lion for Best National Participation. Titled Heatwave, the exhibition was curated by architect Andrea Faraguna and located in the historic Artiglierie of the Arsenale. Through a site-specific installation, Heatwave reimagines the design of public space by exploring passive cooling strategies rooted in Bahrain's climatic realities and cultural context. The project's aim, to offer a speculative yet grounded architectural response to the environmental urgency shaping urban life today, was recognized by the Biennale's international jury, which praised its "viable proposals for extreme heat conditions."

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Insights from Saudi Arabia’s Architecture and Design Commission and the Designathon Initiative

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For centuries, the heart of the Arabian Peninsula was a land of vast deserts and settlements shaped by their environment. This relationship with the landscape, materiality, and knowledge of the place has not only endured but now translates into a landscape gaining recognition on the global creative scene. From projects that emerge with a profound sensitivity to context to global exhibitions and awards that drive its evolution, the region is consolidating its architectural language—rooted in its history while oriented toward new explorations. Far from halting, this momentum continues to chart the path for its development, establishing the region as a platform in contemporary architectural discourse.

Global Architects, Local Contexts: Navigating Identity in the Gulf’s Cultural Landmarks

In recent years, the Gulf region has emerged as a global center for cultural and architectural development, commissioning internationally acclaimed architects to design its most high-profile museums and institutions. These projects, ranging from Louvre Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel to Museum of Islamic Art in Doha by I. M. Pei, are often designed by foreign architects, yet they aim to embed themselves within their context through strategies that reference the region's landscape, climate, and architectural traditions. This raises a fundamental question: What defines local architecture in the 21st century?

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Eight Years Later, A Post-Katrina Report Card

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, design charettes involving the Gulf coast community led to many proposals, ranging from the large-scale (establishing Gulfport as a major harbor city) to the more personal (bike paths). Eight years after the fact, many of these projects are still in progress, or have yet to begin - but the outlook remains bright. The Sun-Herald's Michael Newsom explores the background behind these efforts, and explains the hurdles they’ve faced along the way. Read the full piece here.