Paris unveils the world’s largest urban farm, Elon Musk’s infrastructure company debuts first station in Las Vegas tunnel system, and the Gold Key Awards—presented by HD’s sister brand, Boutique Design magazine—are now accepting submissions. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Buy Nothing groups on Facebook boom
Amid a pandemic, soaring inflation, and widespread joblessness and housing insecurity, mutual aid efforts have proliferated across U.S. communities in the last two years. Buy Nothing groups on Facebook have bloomed nationwide, uplifting communities and turning neighborhoods into networks of support. Moreover, the principles behind the movement have spurred some to go a step further and introduce food distribution services to their communities. A new story in Eater charts the early origins of the gift economy while also highlighting efforts in cities from Seattle to San Francisco that further demonstrate how cashless economics fosters support and hope.
Las Vegas tunnel network opens first station
Photo courtesy of Resorts World Las Vegas
Elon Musk’s infrastructure firm, the Boring Company, has opened a station in a tunnel network under development beneath Las Vegas. The first of nearly 55 forthcoming stations, the new stop underneath Resorts World Las Vegas serves as an extension of a three-tunnel system that launched below the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) last year, Dezeen reports. A fleet of Teslas will transport passengers across the tunnel network known as the Vegas Loop, which will link numerous Sin City attractions via 34 subterranean miles. Touted as capable of transporting thousands of passengers per hour, the Vegas Loop will reduce the 30-minute journey from the LVCC to the Strip in three minutes.
Adjaye Associates to redesign UK slavery museum
The International Slavery Museum forms part of the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool, England; photo by Mark Woods/Flickr
The International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum in Liverpool, UK will both receive a design courtesy of Adjaye Associates and exhibition design practice Ralph Appelbaum Associates. According to ArchPaper, the $69 million facelift will reposition the Grade I-listed building, the Hartley Pavilion, on the Royal Albert Dock to better reflect the site’s relationship to the transatlantic slave trade. It is estimated that nearly 1.5 million enslaved African people were transported to the Liverpool port. The extensive overhaul will link the Hartley Pavilion to the neighboring Martin Luther King Jr. Building, while an original 19th-century structure will be redeveloped at the heart of the museum complex. The project will increase gallery space and provide new exhibition areas as well.
World’s largest urban farm opens in Paris
Rendering courtesy of Valode & Pistre Architectes
The world’s largest urban rooftop farm has opened in Paris. Spread across more than 150,000 square feet, the farm launched by Paris mayor Ana Hidalgo is home to more than 30 different plant species grown using organic farming methods. A total of 135 plots measuring nearly 10 square feet each are available to rent. This farm is only one of many sustainable endeavors launched to set a new precedent for increased green and agricultural space in major cities. ArchDaily cites collaborative food communities and indoor planting concepts around the world that aim to more intimately connect people with the food they consume.
Call for entries! The 42nd Gold Key Awards
The Ryder in Charleston, South Carolina, designed by Cortney Bishop Design; a 2021 Gold Key Awards finalist in the Midscale Hotel category
Submissions are open for the 42nd Gold Key Awards, presented by Hospitality Design’s sister brand Boutique Design in conjunction with BDNY in November. The prestigious program will recognize outstanding design across the globe in 23 categories including best-in-class hotel spaces, restaurants, nightclubs, senior living, and more. The deadline to submit projects is August 1st, 2022. Please visit goldkeyawards.com for more information and to submit.
