“This weekly review focuses on specific steps to address common urban issues such as housing affordability, long-term sustainability, and the impact of cultural and material innovations on urban formation.
The review includes legislative initiatives related to housing markets in European cities, projects for multi-story buildings and residential development in New York, as well as major reconstruction and urban planning plans in London, Barcelona, Ulaanbaatar, and Drammen. It also discusses research and implemented projects in Chicago, Buenos Aires, Las Vegas, and Riyadh, which concern cyclical construction, adaptive reuse, and new models for cultural and public infrastructure,” reports ArchDaily, a resource dedicated to architectural news.
These global initiatives provide insight into how architectural and urban solutions help address pressing issues while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a sustainable and inclusive urban future in various cultural and geographical contexts.
This news compilation examines new approaches to solving housing challenges in diverse urban settings, ranging from legislative frameworks to architectural and institutional solutions. In the context of increasing housing affordability, some European cities are introducing restrictions on short-term rentals, indicating a shift in political strategies aimed at protecting long-term housing stock.
In New York, new residential towers represent contrasting yet complementary solutions, including the nearly completed skyscraper 262 Fifth Avenue by Meganom and the Powerhouse Company project for a mixed-use residential complex that aims to combine housing affordability and social equity. In London, the Barbican Centre renewal program 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, the focus on long-term urban sustainability concepts and the development of cultural infrastructure highlights how architecture, planning, and global dialogue can shape the cities of the future. The announcement of the program and list of speakers for the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 in Barcelona places architecture at the center of international discussions on pressing urban and environmental issues.
At the territorial level, the master plan for the city of Khunnu in Mongolia demonstrates a strategic approach to long-term urban development aligned with national development goals for 2050, emphasizing sustainability and resilient growth.
The firm Bechu & Associés won the international competition to create the master plan for the new satellite city of Khunnu, which will be located south of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The winning project, announced in 2025, shapes 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.
New visualizations of the Arts Museum project in Las Vegas, designed by Kéré Architecture and SOM, show how cultural institutions can become long-term community centers. The completion of the House of Nassr sports complex by OODA in Saudi Arabia illustrates how large-scale cultural and recreational infrastructure can contribute to the formation of urban identity and enhance public life.
The firm Snøhetta won the competition for the best development project for the Skamarakken waterfront in Drammen, Norway.
Snøhetta emerged victorious in the competition to design the redevelopment of the Skamarakken area in Drammen, which is located on the site of an abandoned railway line along the Drammenselva River, north of the restored train station and new city bridge.
The project highlights the historical role of the river as a key element of Drammen, restoring ecological transformations and creating new spaces for recreation, public gatherings, and seasonal events.
author: Antonia Piñeiro
translation: Tatar S.Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
