Africa’s tallest towers spark debate over growth and identity, New Museum reopens bigger and more connected in New York, and health-focused design reframes how we live and build. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Manhattan’s New Museum returns
Photo by Jason O’Rear
After four years of renovations led by OMA and Cooper Robertson, the New Museum has reopened with a larger footprint on New York’s Lower East Side. An additional 10,450 square feet doubles gallery space across the museum’s second, third, and fourth floors, which are now linked to the neighboring SANAA building’s galleries. A pair of new passenger elevators and a new atrium staircase streamline visitor flow while also providing additional space for installations. Also spanning both buildings, the expanded lobby houses an augmented bookstore, full-service restaurant, and flexible space for public programming and special events. Visitors are also invited to take in Manhattan from terraces on the three uppermost floors and the enlarged seventh-floor Sky Room. See you guys there!
Michael Hsu launches nonprofit partnership
Sway Aspen, a restaurant project by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture; photo by Kylie Fitts
Houston-based firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is again offering $20,000 in pro bono services to one lucky nonprofit in Texas. According to The Houston Chronicle, Hsu has invited organizations within 50 miles of Houston, Austin, or Dallas-Fort Worth to apply for design and consultation services as part of the architect’s 2026 Design for All Partnership. Applications are due May 15th and a winner will be announced June 26th. Winners from previous iterations of the program include American YouthWorks and Central Texas Table of Grace.
What are African skyscrapers signaling?
Iconic Tower, completed in 2024 by Dar al-Handasah Shair & Partners, was Africa’s first supertall skyscraper; photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
Upon completion later this year, the 1,381-foot-tall Tour F tower—designed by Lebanese-Ivorian architect Pierre Fakhoury—in Abidjan will dethrone Africa’s current tallest building, Iconic Tower in Egypt. The continent’s first supertall, the 1,293-foot-tall Iconic Tower nabbed the title in 2024 from the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, which stood as Africa’s tallest building for nearly five decades. The recent swell of African supertalls reflects the continent’s ongoing economic and developmental boom, but what else do these evolving skylines convey? The Pan-African Biennale of Architecture posits that such towers may signal a lack of context or regard for local traditions or lifestyles—let alone vernaculars or electrical grid strength. Dezeen also reports that much of the continent’s latest development is spurred by Chinese developers and construction companies, further affirming the Biennale’s emphasis on new construction that is more reflective of African cultural identities. The surge in new mixed-use, residential, and office towers symbolize economic confidence for some, but also just status symbols to others.
Designing for longevity—inside and out
The Estate by sbe—a luxury hotel platform centered on preventative medicine and longevity from Sam Nazarian, Tony Robbins, and Marc Anthony—will open its first location at Los Angeles’ Century Plaza; rendering courtesy of the Estate by sbe
How can we live healthier lives beyond buzzy wellness products and practices? It turns out the surfaces we touch, the compounds we breathe, and the interior layouts that choreograph our lives have quite an impact. A new write-up in AD Pro explores the role the built environment can play in supporting our longevity. A series of aggregated stories investigates the best products, configurations, finishes, filtrations, and surfaces for our homes and workplaces. Healthier materials, thoughtful planning solutions, and science-led design decisions are obvious solutions for many of us in the design world, but wealthy globetrotters are examining longevity through an entirely different lens. A Condé Nast Traveler article from last year unpacks a medley of new luxury wellness practices pursued by today’s elite business travelers. From infrared saunas and breathwork to cryotherapy and other biohacking techniques, amenities offer more immediate gratification for some. I, for one, want healthier interiors, and a little cryotherapy on the side doesn’t sound bad to me…
Check out the HD Expo agenda!
Gray Davis and Will Meyer, Meyer Davis, speak at HD Expo 2025; photo by PWP Studio
HD Expo + Conference is less than six weeks away, and this year’s programming is looking more robust every day. Signature programs like HD University and the Women in Design Awards Breakfast kick off the first two days at Mandalay Bay, with Tuesday, May 5th touting exclusive show floor panels like “Wellness by Design: Seamless Technology Experiences from Hotel to Home,” “Beyond Aesthetics: Identity, Soul, and Revenue – The New Hospitality Equation,” “In the Principal’s Office: Words of Wisdom from Designers at the Helm.” Dr. Gautam Gulati of the Well Home will take part in two sessions on Wednesday, May 6th that focus on the intersection of health and hospitality. Additional sessions on Wednesday include “Beyond Buzzwords: Generational Shifts and the Future of Hospitality” and “Designing at the Edge: Global Lessons in Hospitality from Netflix’s Restaurants on the Edge.” Things wrap up on Thursday, May 7th with “Ageless Travel: Hospitality and Amenity Design for Longevity Enthusiasts and Active Mature Travelers” and “Hospitality as Ecosystems: Rethinking Space, Culture, and Connection.” Register now to join us in Las Vegas.
