NEW ZEALAND'S DESIGN AWARDS

An imaginative yet respectful transformation of a post office into an art gallery, a spatially intriguing, energetic new school, and a simple, serene house that bridges culture and nature are three of the projects that have won National Awards in the New Zealand Institute of Architects’ annual celebration of the most successful of that country’s new buildings. Next week, ArchitectureWeek will look at these and the winner of the special 25 Year Award and the new Gold Medallist: one of New Zealand’s most influential firms.

HISTORIC HOTELS OF EGYPT

At a time when Europe's colonizing past is being subjected to intense international scrutiny, some of its built remnants continue to remind us of the culture — and culture clashes — that characterized that era. While the British themselves later shed the garments of the Victorian tradition and hurriedly embraced the modern age, the former colonies, either because of financial difficulties or from a kind of nostalgia, have preserved British traditions. Next week photojournalist Steven Allan will give us an inside story on several Victorian hotels in Egypt.

DIGGING BIG IN BOSTON

As inconceivable as it seems today, a wide swath of downtown Boston was mowed down like weeds in the mid-1950s to make way for an elevated highway. Intended to erase "blight," the highway only exacerbated it. To correct the colossal urban planning fiasco, billions are now being spent to submerge that highway in a multi-lane tunnel. The "Big Dig," as it's known locally, is one of the world's largest ever engineering feats. Next week Boston writer James McCown will explain the origin and future of this massive construction project.