[AD201501_02] UAE and The Gulf: Architecture and Urbanism Now

“In the 2000s, the architecture of the UAE and the Gulf attracted international attention and widespread awe. This was epitomised by the audacity and the conspicuous opulence of luxury developments in Dubai such as the Palm Islands, arti ficial islands reclaimed from the ocean shaped in the form of palm trees; the 7-star sail-shaped Burj Al Arab Hotel (1999) designed by Tom Wright of Atkins, the highest hotel in the world; and SOM’s Burj Khalifa (2010) in downtown Dubai, the tallest tower in the world. In the academic architecture community, the attention-grabbing impudence of these excesses was compounded by Dubai’s upstart status as a new city that had risen out of the desert within decades — it was widely referred to as ‘a phenomenon’. It became the popular focus of urban studies and student research trips...”

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MAS Context 24: Tokyo

“[T]his issue explores the value of embracing subjectivity and personal recordings of cities while exploring the biggest metropolitan area in the world. Guest edited by illustrator and editorial designer Luis Mendo, it builds upon his love for the city, the drawing event PauseDraw, and his continued exploration of the city through drawing. Through drawings by thirteen artists and words by another eight contributors, the issue ultimately reveals Tokyo’s built environment, its culture, its people, and some of the aspects that make it one of the most fascinating cities in the world.”

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MAS Context 23: Ordinary

"[T]his issue seeks to explore the value of commonness and the everyday environment. It focuses on those elements that go unnoticed or that we take for granted, from buildings and objects to experiences and traditions. We look at the ordinary elements of life that are worth rediscovering and celebrating, as well as look ahead to what will become ordinary in the future."

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