Pharrell brings architecture to the Louis Vuitton runway, Sphere Entertainment announces plans for a second U.S. venue, and Snøhetta is accused of anti-union retaliation. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Architecture firm Snøhetta under investigation
The Snøhetta-designed Čoarvemátta, a Sámi theater and school in Norway; photo by Lars Petter Pettersen
The National Labor Relations Board has filed a formal complaint against Snøhetta, scrutinizing the New York office for the illegal termination of eight employees amid efforts to unionize. The New York Times reports that the complaint, which was filed on January 16th, accuses Snøhetta leadership of engaging in “concerted activities” to discourage unionization efforts. These activities allegedly included interrogating employees about union preferences, which is unorthodox at best and unethical at worst. Seven of the eight terminated employees were listed in a 2023 email in which managers confirmed them as union supporters. Despite initial expectations of a promising outcome, the union lost its election in a vote of 35 to 29. While Snøhetta partner Elaine Molinar insists layoffs were based on business considerations alone and that union sympathies were not a factor, union lawyer William Haller tells The Times he has “never seen such glaring evidence of blatant antiunion animus.”
Pharrell Williams conceives the house of the future
Pharrell Williams; photo by Alice Gao
Multihyphenate maestro Pharrell Williams has expanded his design purview into architecture. Developed in collaboration with Tokyo-based vacation home design practice Not a Hotel, Williams introduced a “timeless future living concept” as the centerpiece of his A/W 2026 runway show in Paris for Louis Vuitton, Wallpaper reports. Dubbed Drophaus, the design comprises compressed glass walls reminiscent of a water droplet as well as Japanese-style terraces and a lawn. The concept also features furniture from Williams’ Homework furniture line, which celebrates objects with “10 percent imperfection” either in texture or form. No word yet on what the future may hold for the prototype, but this writer would love to rent it for a weekend.
2026 Serpentine Pavilion architects announced
A rendering of the Serpentine Pavilion 2026; courtesy of LANZA Atelier and Serpentine
Mexican studio LANZA Atelier, led by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo, has won the Serpentine Pavilion 2026 commission. ArchDaily reports that the winning proposal draws upon traditional English gardens and historical construction techniques, and comprises a brick construction to demonstrate material efficiency and lateral strength. Topped with a translucent roof, curved walls alternately reveal and enclose space, establishing moments of proximity, pause, and orientation in dialogue with the sinewy geometry inspired by nearby Serpentine Lake. The 25th edition of the annual competition will open to the public in London on June 6th.
Washington, DC to receive its very own Sphere
Sphere National Harbor; rendering courtesy of Sphere Entertainment
A second Sphere venue is poised to open in the U.S. at the National Harbor in Maryland. According to Dezeen, Sphere Entertainment has set its sights on a plot neighboring the MGM National Harbor & Casino that currently serves as a parking lot. The new location will feature its Las Vegas predecessor’s same technologies and external LED display, but only include about a third of its capacity with 6,000 seats. Both public and private funding will support the development, with nearly $200 million expected to come from state, local, and private incentives. In 2024, plans were announced for Sphere Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
Enter the 2026 HD/West Elm Student Product Design Competition
The Martin dining chair by Calvin Ma, the 2025 HD/West Elm Student Product Design Competition winner
It wouldn’t be Five on Friday without an awards announcement! Submissions are open for the eighth annual HD/West Elm Student Product Design Competition. This year, West Elm invites students to design a lounge chair intended for hospitality and commercial spaces that also reflects brand aesthetics and versatility. The design must be suitable for high-traffic environments and support a minimum of 300 pounds. An upholstered seat and back, mixed materials, and tight upholstery or attached cushions are required as well. If this sounds like fun to you, submit a design by March 6th.
