The Design Dispatch offers essential, expert-written news from the design world, curated by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in the design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now.
Got something our readers need to see? Submit it here
The Museum of Sex will expand to Miami’s museum-rich Allapattah district.
“The Museum of Sex, New York’s racy institution exploring the fabric of human sexuality, will open a second location in Miami in the spring of 2023. The new outpost will reinforce the museum’s “mission to champion open discourse and ‘commitment’ because it is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It extends into the Allapattah district, which in recent years has attracted contemporary art spaces, in particular Superbluethe Miami Rubell Museum and El Espacio 23 by collector Jorge Pérez. Like its future neighbours, the Museum of Sex will repurpose a warehouse for its programming, and it has engaged the influential and internationally renowned architectural firm Snøhetta to lead the design. [H/T The Art Newspaper]
WeWork’s once-giant cash reserves have dwindled as demand for coworking plummets.
“WeWork is trying to turn a profit before its once formidable cash reserves run out. The Federal Reserve’s efforts to fight inflation have made that more difficult. Struggling with expensive long-term leases and more $3 billion in debt, WeWork had negative cash flow of around $4.3 billion between July 2020 and September this year, and was able to cover its losses in part through loans and equity investments from its largest backer, SoftBank Group, which to date has invested more than $10 billion in the company. WeWork has burned almost all of that. The company has $500 million in equity commitments. SoftBank’s undrawn debt and said it plans to end 2022 with $300 million in cash, and its debt contracts allow it to borrow an additional $500 million. [H/T Wall Street Journal]
In a new report, Airbnb notes that some hosts discriminate against black travelers.
“Home-sharing services like Airbnb and Vrbo present themselves as platforms for sharing, community and joy. Their advertisements show guests of various ethnic backgrounds gathering happily in sunny homes, seeming to feel at home or, better yet, on vacation. But some people of color, especially black guests, say that despite the policies and partnerships that home-sharing platforms have in place, they still face discrimination when booking or staying in vacation rentals. They are frustrated with what they say is a lack of understanding and accountability. In a report, Airbnb acknowledged the issues and provided the first public data on steps it has taken to reduce racial disparities, including removing some human factors from the booking process. [H/T The New York Times]
Studio All(zone) fashions a recycled orange structure for Melbourne’s MPavilion.
“The ninth edition of MPavilion opened with an orange skylight installation designed by Bangkok-based studio all(zone) in collaboration with AECOM and Schiavello Architects. From December to April, visitors will experience a vibrant and joyful setting made of materials, with an architectural lighting program by Melbourne-based design firm Bluebottle.The installation is part of the summer program of free events at Queen Victoria Garden.Since 2014, MPavilion has been a driving force for excellence in design in Australia, using architects such as MAP Studio Magnani Pelzel Architetti Associati (2021), Glenn Murcutt (2019) and Estudio Carme Pinós (2018). [H/T ArchDaily]
An unbuilt Frank Lloyd Wright building can be completed 130 years after it was designed.
“When Frank Lloyd Wright died in 1959, he not only left behind one of the greatest architectural legacies of any American designer, but also many unfinished projects. Designed in 1893, Wright designed the Monona Boathouse at just 26 years old. The young architect had just opened his practice in Chicago and was hired to design a structure along the shores of Lake Monona in his home state of Wisconsin. A group of progressive leaders led by John Olin, the “father of Madison’s park system,” wanted to replace a collection of illegal and unattractive boathouses that had sprung up over the years along the lake. Wright presented a design for a circular structure with a conical roof, which would have been built had it not been for an economic depression in 1894. Now, nearly 130 years later, this early Wright design may soon become a reality. [H/T Architectural Digest]
German police launch raids on climate activists for vandalizing museums.
“Police said they raided at least eleven residences across Germany on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the climate activism group Letzte Generation, or Last Generation. months to block airport runways and throw food at the frames of famous artworks.Authorities said they confiscated laptops and cell phones, accusing the group of being linked to a “criminal association “. For its part, the group says it will continue its efforts to draw attention to how climate breakdown will affect their generation and those who come after them. A spokesperson for the group said it will continue its civil disobedience efforts during Christmas and New Year’s Day despite police raids. [H/T Deutsche Welle]
Comments are closed.