BEIJING TERMINAL 3 BY FOSTER The Chinese have long been good at big gestures, and one of Beijing's latest — courtesy of London's Foster + Partners — is lifting spirits in the capital at a rate of thousands per day. — Published 2008.0723
	FIRST HONG KONG BIENNALE Construction frenzy may have taken hold of Shanghai and Beijing, not to mention China's hundreds of other towns and cities. But for the past ten years, Hong Kong has floated behind serenely, like a successful, rather conservative older cousin. Still, there are signs that the city is developing something that other Chinese cities lack: public discourse. Its first architecture biennale, running through March 15, 2008, headlines a growing public interest in the built environment. — Published 2008.0227
	PENTAGRAM ESSENZIALE It seems both fitting and fashionable to design a high-end lingerie store with minimalism in mind. Just as less is more in the world of underwear, luxury retail design has long subscribed to a similar philosophy. For Lorenzo Apicella and John Rushworth at Pentagram, the fabled London-based multidisciplinary design firm, this was the natural starting point for the creation of Essenziale, a signature, unisex lingerie and beachwear boutique in London's gentrified Mayfair district. — Published 2007.1017
	NEW ARCHITECTS OF CHINA As China's share of the global limelight grows brighter, it's little surprise that architecture has become one of the country's greatest public relations tools. Signature buildings thrust up all over the place, brash new developments blanket the countryside, and developers' appetites for innovation are hitting extremes. China has always been very much about "face," and with both the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the Shanghai 2010 World Expo on the way, that face is getting a lot of attention. — Published 2007.0919
	NORTHERN STAR Creating dramatic architecture can be challenging in an icy climate where people prioritize function over flamboyance and where the natural environment can satisfy their desire for beauty. The state of Alaska has breathtaking vistas of mountains, snow flats, and the dancing aurora borealis, but its urban landscapes have tended to remain resilient and simple. — Published 2007.0502
	BERLIN CENTRAL STATION The new Berlin Hauptbahnhof designed by von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) is Europe's largest and newest train station — a large "cathedral" of glass and steel. Linking major lines from all directions, the Berlin Central Station has been on the boards for 11 years, but with typical German efficiency, was completed within two weeks of the 2006 World Cup games. Yet one could say that the station had been in the planning stages for nearly a century. — Published 2006.1108
	BUILDING PAINTINGS As part of "Paris Calling," a season of contemporary French art exhibits around London, host venue Camden Arts Centre and Le Plateau/ Frac Ile-de-France have collaborated to present "Archipeinture: Painters Build Architecture," an entire exhibition curated around artists' views of architecture. — Published 2006.0830
	LONDON BIENNIAL Though known globally for the breadth of its historic architecture, London is striving for contemporary credentials. In the city's recent architecture biennale, part of the United Kingdom-wide celebration called "Architecture Week," organizers brought the changing city fabric to world attention. New quirky landmarks have been popping up all over London, their design exalted, their creators knighted. — Published 2006.0802
	PRESERVING COMMUNITIES The 2005 National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) Conference drew over 2000 people to Portland, Oregon in September for five days of discussion on the topic, "Sustain America — Vision, Economics and Preservation." Central themes included the effort to link community revitalization to historic preservation, issues of race and historic preservation, and sustainable design. — Published 2005.1116
	NEW BACK ALLEYS The urban alley was once a ubiquitous part of the American landscape. Now many of these alleyways have fallen into disrepair or — along with the milkmen who frequented them — disappeared altogether. Over the past few years, however, this unique streetscape has staged something of a comeback. — Published 2005.0720

Jo Baker