Azure Magazine
AZURE is an award-winning magazine with a focus on contemporary architecture and design. Launched in 1985.
- “Like its counterparts in Toronto, Vancouver, London, Lisbon, Dubai and Dushanbe, Houston’s new Ismaili Center proudly conveys both cultural specificity and cosmopolitanism,” writes @novakovicto.bsky.social. www.azuremagazine.com/article/hous...
- Mystical lanterns, Pritzker-level seating, unforgettable quilts and furniture made from abandoned fishing equipment are all among our 2025 favourites. www.azuremagazine.com/article/top-...
- Legendary architect Frank Gehry has passed away at the age of 96. In tribute, we revisit a 2003 profile by Adele Freedman.
- North of Brooklyn strikes back with a two-storey location that references childhood movie nights and classic Italian furnishings.
- Pearson Lloyd co-founder Luke Pearson reflects on an emerging paradigm for material efficiency — and sufficiency.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineMy curatorial debut! Building Value(s) was staged at @azuremagazine.bsky.social's Human/Nature conference in late October. A meditation on demolition, preservation and the value of our buildings — whether expressed in carbon and collective memory.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineBrilliant representation by Giaimo of the embodied carbon wasted in the demolition of perfectly good buildings in Toronto to build bigger buildings. A thousand houses worth of carbon. @azuremagazine.bsky.social #human/nature
- “In the open dining hall and refectory, the simple wood cladding and carefully proportioned window openings create an energetic yet calming ambiance, while the tall, slanted ceiling fosters an almost cathedral-like setting.”
- Our new Climate Issue explores Toronto’s groundbreaking tall timber projects, Mexico’s revitalized public spaces, Thailand’s elephant architecture and much more. www.azuremagazine.com/article/out-...
- Reposted by Azure MagazineIn the woods north of Toronto, a barn for the 21st century. My @azuremagazine.bsky.social cover story on Koffler Scientific Reserve by Montgomery Sisam Architects. www.azuremagazine.com/article/koff...
- From a farming village in rural China, the late Turenscape founder charted an inspiring path to the summit of global design.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineAn @azuremagazine.bsky.social tribute to one of my heroes, Kongjian Yu, who I was lucky to spend a couple of hours with last year.
- A newly minted Toronto Urban Design Award winner, 1120 Ossington proves that a simple, boxy building can be beautiful — and deeply humane.
- Reposted by Azure Magazine"Although the homes are configured as compact micro-units, the lack of double-loaded interior corridors allows every suite to be a dual aspect unit — a rarity, unfortunately, for North American apartments — with natural light coming in from two sides."
- Reposted by Azure Magazine. @novakovicto.bsky.social rounds up the Aga Khan Awards: www.azuremagazine.com/article/the-...
- The 35-room retreat tempers its location in the centre of the city’s busy Entertainment District with spa-like luxuries like a Japanese Toto toilet. #Tiff50
- Designed by Los Angeles firm JFAK, the vibrant shelter and transitional housing project is big-hearted and full of hope.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineMy debut in @azuremagazine.bsky.social is a look at the new Biidaasige Park, the incredible product of an incredible nature reclamation/reinvention project led by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates at the mouth of the Don River in #Toronto. (Subscribers only) www.azuremagazine.com/article/biid...
- “Just outside the Bosnian town of Gradačac, the House for Five Women is immediately distinguished by the vividly textured patchwork of bold colours that adorns its second-storey facade,” writes @novakovicto.bsky.social.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineWe praise “culturally responsive” design, even when we know almost nothing about the cultures it’s responding to. Lately, I’ve started to think of architectural criticism as its own type of diaspora. In @azuremagazine.bsky.social, one of my more intimate pieces: www.azuremagazine.com/article/hous...
- A new mass-timber office building near Basel, Hortus delights in the details. Its completion sees Herzog & de Meuron making a bold new investment in green architecture.
- Reposted by Azure Magazine📚 #B2BReadingList 🏆 Language Barrier — @azuremagazine.bsky.social Sydney Shilling explores why architecture has become disconnected from public discourse—and how the profession can re-engage. 🗣 “A perfect example of modern trade writing.” 🔗 zurl.co/2vlxB #NMAB2B #Architecture
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- The temporary shelter for women fleeing domestic violence is thoughtfully integrated into its surroundings, facilitating its residents’ transition with dignity.
- Toronto-based designer Reza Nik creates a welcoming multi-purpose installation that gives the Art Gallery of Burlington a friendly public face.
- Reposted by Azure Magazinereally nice stuff 👌
- Toronto-based architect Tyler Sharp reflects on reinvigorating a century-old practice and honing a specialty in adaptive libraries that combine contextual sensitive with surprising flair.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineIn @azuremagazine.bsky.social, I talk to RDHA's Tyler Sharp about architectural adaptation and moving beyond the language of polite, contextually deferential Canadian modernism.
- The hospitality designs of Vancouver studio &Daughters are quickly becoming the stuff of legend.
- A business incubator, a community garden, a public restroom and an underpass park make the most of underutilized urban spaces.
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thanks to @novakovicto.bsky.social & @azuremagazine.bsky.social for a great conversation- In a conversation with @novakovicto.bsky.social, Yale professor and critic @hawthorne.bsky.social reflects on three decades of practice — and his high-profile stint as Los Angeles’ Chief Design Officer.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineExcellent interview with Christopher Hawthorne about his career, marked by historic shifts in culture and criticism
- In a conversation with @novakovicto.bsky.social, Yale professor and critic @hawthorne.bsky.social reflects on three decades of practice — and his high-profile stint as Los Angeles’ Chief Design Officer.
- In a conversation with @novakovicto.bsky.social, Yale professor and critic @hawthorne.bsky.social reflects on three decades of practice — and his high-profile stint as Los Angeles’ Chief Design Officer.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineInfo pics taken on assignment for upcoming story in @azuremagazine.bsky.social at new #Biidaasige Park in #Toronto Port Lands. The bronze disc is Trajet, first installation in what will be the Lassonde Art Trail. It memorializes 11,000-year-old footprints found in clay in Lake Ontario in 1908. 🎨 🐦
- Reposted by Azure MagazineIn @azuremagazine.bsky.social, I talk to @hawthorne.bsky.social about the "urbanist turn" in architectural criticism, a decaying media ecosystem, and design as a part of municipal bureaucracy. (I know this is a 2015-sounding post, but it's a 2015 kind of topic).
- On the banks of Portugal’s Tagus River, a cycling and pedestrian route encourages its users to take in their wetland surroundings.
- As Crosby Studios sees it, one Parisian’s trash is another Parisian’s sculptural statement piece.
- In China’s Zhejiang Province, TEAM_BLDG wraps a three-storey former residence in a luminous veil to introduce Z Museum.
- An independent clothing boutique is the latest addition to a thoughtfully adapted industrial complex — and an evolving local campus.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineA great in-depth article on what we can look forward to at the inaugural Pan-African Architecture Biennale in Nairobi next year!
- Reposted by Azure MagazineThe deeper you get into studying architecture, the more you realize the outsized impact of a few key rules on the shapes of our buildings and cities. Thanks to @stephenjacobsmith.com and @englishrail.bsky.social for the dive into Canadian elevator regulations. A must read for Canadian city builders!
- A quartet of gabled wood-clad bunkies designed by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects looks out over the Northumberland Strait.
- In Toronto’s Don Valley, the understated yet rigorous institutional complex thoughtfully integrates sustainable strategies into a welcoming milieu.
- The instantly iconic structure, designed by MAD Architects, is an architectural metaphor for the migrant experience.
- Reposted by Azure Magazine“The apparently frivolous work around play and joy is really critical right now, so that we can start coming together again.” Great profile of the public space innovators at Daily tous les jours in @azuremagazine.bsky.social www.azuremagazine.com/article/ever...
- Reposted by Azure MagazineHumbled and grateful for this article by @novakovicto.bsky.social of Make Good's small but mighty Little Blue House. 💙🩵 It might be a modest build in both scale and budget, but it's packed with all the values of our young practice. www.azuremagazine.com/article/a-li...
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- Reposted by Azure MagazineLovely project well deserving of this writeup by @novakovicto.bsky.social @azuremagazine.bsky.social. Having looked at a lot of bad floor plans for small spaces, it's incredible what this project does with a real kitchen and the constraints of an angular plane!
- Humbled and grateful for this article by @novakovicto.bsky.social of Make Good's small but mighty Little Blue House. 💙🩵 It might be a modest build in both scale and budget, but it's packed with all the values of our young practice. www.azuremagazine.com/article/a-li...
- Reposted by Azure MagazineWhy urban design standards shouldn't be based on the turning radius of a massive truck. A great piece by Mitchell May and @kellyalvarezdoran.bsky.social — a Toronto focus but applies to many cities across North America.
- During a year that is placing deserved emphasis on Canadian designers, we reflect on the country’s ever-evolving creative scene.
- Intimate, authentic experiences make the annual event a welcome counterpoint to — not a competitor of — the commercial engine of Milan.
- Munich-based CURA Arhitekten cleverly expand a mid-century structure with an attractive and efficient new mass-timber skin.
- Co-founders Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat reflect on 15 years of delightfully atypical design practice.
- Curator Omar Degan outlines an inclusive vision for the exhibition’s inaugural edition, taking place in Nairobi in 2026.
- In Williamsburg, two Montreal brands dream up a retail experience with a vibrant visual language.
- Our 2025 AZ Awards issue also features the best from Milan Design Week, new bathroom collections and curated selections of lighting and flooring options. #outnow #azawards25 #azuremagazine www.azuremagazine.com/article/out-...
- Lake|Flato’s Hotel Saint Augustine is an artful synthesis of elevated cultural architecture and Texas housing vernacular.
- The 2025 AZ Awards – the 15th annual edition of AZURE’s international competition – celebrates 26 winners and 60 finalists. #AZawards25
- The three winners of the AZ Awards: Emerging category are at the top of their game in architecture, interiors and industrial design. #AZawards25
- JSWD pairs a careful historic renovation with a striking yet contextual new library building.
- From a biodegradable vinyl and reimagined stripes to classic menswear-inspired patterns and boisterous florals, these textiles showcase high-quality character.
- Located in Williamsburg’s 25 Kent development, the workspace pairs a muted palette with a flexible layout that fosters collaboration.
- Marina Tabassum channels South Asian ceremonial tents and modernist aesthetics at London’s Serpentine Galleries.
- “There is something thrilling and egalitarian and democratic about the integration of the quotidian and the courts,” writes @novakovicto.bsky.social.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineI like the proposal at the end that the market space, when unused for a market, be a simple indoor public space offering places to sit and respite from the weather, whether heat, rain, or cold. #sitTO www.azuremagazine.com/article/toro...
- Reposted by Azure MagazineStefan Novakovic tries to find some light in Toronto's new civic building: "While the throng of pedestrians passing between the neighbouring market buildings invokes the notion of a civic square, Front Street remains choked by cars." www.azuremagazine.com/article/toro... @novakovicto.bsky.social
- We’ve rounded up the standout product launches, pop-ups and group shows we’re looking forward to at Denmark’s annual celebration of design.
- Reposted by Azure Magazine"While the throng of pedestrians passing... invokes the notion of a civic square, Front Street remains choked by cars." My @azuremagazine.bsky.social review of Toronto's new St. Lawrence Market, a public space on the frustrating verge of greatness. www.azuremagazine.com/article/toro...
- Aluminum takes centre stage in a pair of limited-edition products that explore the overlap between the two storied brands.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineA great extract from the "Messy Cities" book in @azuremagazine.bsky.social - chapter by Toronto's now chief planner, @jasonthorne.bsky.social www.azuremagazine.com/article/mess...
- Luke Pearson reflects on the challenges and opportunities of designing for a fluid, ever-evolving office culture.
- From architectural glass and acoustic solutions to seating, this year’s launches promise to bring both style and substance to the workspace.
- A rich interplay of colours, textures and handcrafted details defines Uchiko Miami, the latest eatery from chef Tyson Cole.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineAnd the Gold award for Best Feature Article: Trade goes to Sydney Shilling for "Language Barrier" in @azuremagazine.bsky.social! #NMAB2B25
- Reposted by Azure MagazineWhy the Corderie felt dated: it was rife with the same kind of mandatory solutionism that has gotten us nowhere for decades. “Ratti’s sprawling [Venice] biennale is awash in the optimism of design solutions. Even the path to population collapse is paved in innovation.” — @novakovicto.bsky.social
- Convivial islands and systems, advanced induction technology, and wall and backsplash tiles with enticing tactility enhance the hardest-working room in the house.
- Reposted by Azure Magazine"Building a better world and a more sustainable planet will take more than artificial intelligence and space lettuce" Review of the Biennale
- “Framed by the dystopian omni-crises of a burning planet and an imminently collapsing human population, the palpable sense of urgency is amplified by an unsettling, gloomy soundscape that adds to the sensory overload.” @novakovicto.bsky.social reviews “Intelligens” at the Venice Biennale.
- “Framed by the dystopian omni-crises of a burning planet and an imminently collapsing human population, the palpable sense of urgency is amplified by an unsettling, gloomy soundscape that adds to the sensory overload.” @novakovicto.bsky.social reviews “Intelligens” at the Venice Biennale.
- Reposted by Azure MagazineOn techno-optimism and the fraught (but necessary) politics of abundance. My review of the Venice biennale of architecture in @azuremagazine.bsky.social
- @henninglarsen.bsky.social’s new office is a welcoming and light-filled space that makes the most of its simple and sustainable parts.
- Across the city, designers teamed up for group shows that presented myriad interpretations of clocks, urns and teapots.
