The world’s best building is revealed, the restored bells of Notre Dame ring again in Paris, and off-season cruises are surging in the Mediterranean. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
A “modest” Australian school is named the world’s best building
Darlington Public School, located in Chippendale, a suburb of Sydney; photo by Brett Boardman
Darlington Public School in Sydney’s Chippendale suburb took top honors at the 17th World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore this month, besting over 220 shortlisted projects to win World Building of the Year honor. Designed by fjcstudio, the campus for the preschool, kindergarten, and primary school combines an angular brick structure topped with a sawtooth roof. Landscaped outdoor spaces include a basketball court and community garden, and open-air terraces wrapped in curved metal screens bring in daylight while maintaining privacy for students, reports CNN. The design celebrates local heritage, incorporating indigenous art and recreating Aboriginal murals from the original 1970s school. Noted fjcstudio associate Alessandro Rossi: “It’s very humbling given the modest scale of the building—it’s a little school project, so to have won against all the other big projects at WAF is a testament to the client and the community engagement that helped drive the design process. The real winners are the children who will spend time in the building—a place of enrichment for many years to come.”
The Notre Dame bells are ringing again
The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris; photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
After years of restoration following a devastating fire in 2019, the bells of Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral rang out once again from the Île de la Cité, marking a key milestone ahead of the historic landmark’s reopening, writes Smithsonian Magazine. Eight bells tolled last Friday in a successful test, signaling the near-completion of the revival. Three new bells were also added, including a symbolic one donated by the 2024 Paris Olympics Organizing Committee. The sound was “a signal of joy,” Guillaume Normand, the cathedral’s vice rector, told the Agence France-Presse, “we all felt an intense emotion.” With the spire, roof, and iconic bells now restored by a team of more than 2,000 people, the 850-year-old monument is slated to begin welcoming the public on December 8th.
Travelers lean into quiet-season cruising
A cruise ship sailing into the ancient city of Valleta in Malta; photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
Mediterranean cruises are surging for the winter season, with cruise lines seeing an increase in demand for off-season trips to iconic Mediterranean locales, according to The New York Times. Traditionally, the region’s cruise season winds down by November, but operators like MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean are extending their schedules to offer winter itineraries that favor larger cities and combine mild climates, smaller crowds, and lower prices. Ports from Barcelona to the Greek Isles are bustling with holiday markets, cultural festivals, and seasonal cuisine during this time, making the Mediterranean an appealing winter getaway for those willing to forgo beach temps.
Wonder to acquire food-delivery mainstay Grubhub
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
Wonder, the mobile restaurant delivery startup founded by Marc Lore, is set to acquire Grubhub in a $650 million deal that’s poised to reshape the food delivery landscape, Restaurant Business reports. By combining Wonder’s innovative “restaurant-on-wheels” approach with Grubhub’s extensive network, the company aims to streamline delivery services and enhance the quality of meals delivered to customers. With New York-based Wonder’s model, food is cooked in mobile kitchens near delivery locations, while Grubhub’s infrastructure will boost Wonder’s reach across the U.S. The acquisition is expected to close in early 2025.
Sneak peek: HD’s November issue, curated by Tara Bernerd
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Don’t miss our annual Guest Editor issue, curated by designer Tara Bernerd, when it comes out next week on Tuesday, November 19th. In it, Bernerd shines a spotlight on the creativity and culture of Milan, one of her favorite cities. In addition to sharing her favorite places around the Italian capital, Bernerd also profiles some of Milan’s finest, including Rocco Forte, Silvio Ursini, Marva Griffin, J.J. Martin, and more. Bernerd’s eponymous London studio Tara Bernerd & Partners was named HD’s 2023 Design Firm of the Year.
