From Vancouver to Kyiv: Architecture Now Showcases Global Projects Shaping Sacred, Civic, and Cultural Spaces

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As cities and communities adapt to new cultural, environmental, and social realities, architecture is taking on an expanded role in shaping spaces of resilience, gathering, and imagination. This edition of Architecture Now highlights six recent projects that span continents and typologies, from the redevelopment of post-industrial landscapes to sacred architecture, cultural pavilions, and civic hubs. Whether through mass timber innovation in Vancouver and Jülich, adaptive reuse in Ostrava, a children's pavilion in London, a spiritual centre in India, or a parametric church in Kyiv, each project demonstrates how design can bridge heritage and innovation while fostering connection, care, and community.

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Keogh Residence / Venn Studio

Nestled in a quiet stretch of Manhattan Beach, California, this bright coastal home strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated contemporary aesthetics and relaxed indoor-outdoor living. This expansive three-story home and private ADU combine generous living space to host the owner's large multi-generational family, panoramic glazing to capture views, and a modern exterior massing.

The Lakshmi Mills / Studio Lotus

In an era marked by rapid urbanisation and greenfield development, India's cities are grappling with the challenge of vehicle-centric planning and a critical scarcity of genuine communal spaces. Against this backdrop, a cluster of defunct cotton mills has been given new life—and a new purpose. Formerly home to Lakshmi Mills, one of India's oldest yarn and fabric manufacturing companies, the iconic site at a major urban node is now the focal point of a massive redevelopment initiative. This project exemplifies the potential of adaptive reuse and placemaking, revitalising underutilised urban areas and fostering a deeper sense of connection between people and their cities.

Suzhou Wujiang Songling-Avenue Bus Terminal / Nikken Sekkei

Located 100km from Shanghai, Suzhou is both a first-class metropolis and an ancient city renowned for its flourishing garden culture. This project is situated in a newly developed suburban area approximately 30 minutes by subway from the city center that serves as a population hub.

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