Author: AU News Bureau

Generative AI-powered home visualization platform Palazzo is preparing to exit beta on Monday, Aug. 5 according to Furniture Today. The company says it has high hopes for a tool that aims to make inspiration in the interior design process easier and more accessible. At the centre of Palazzo is Vinci, a chatbot that converses with users about their design preferences and, based on images that they input into the application, provides suggested designs that can be tweaked and altered in real time through continued conversation between the user and the bot. Co-founder Raffi Holzer said that the initial impetus for…

Oslotre Architects, based in Oslo, has completed the Lumber Building 4, an “all-timber office building” featuring a curved wooden façade in Kristiansand, Norway. Spanning 3,106 square meters, it is the largest and first mass timber commercial building in southern Norway. Oslotre Architects reports that Lumber Building 4 is economically competitive compared to traditional steel and concrete structures. Constructed in record time with innovative solutions and a high level of prefabrication, the building reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 53% and aligns with environmental taxonomy standards. Entirely built from wood, the structure provides protective, insulating, and structural benefits. The six-story Lumber Building…

The faculty and students of Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) made a significant contribution in the architectural realm of India by successfully completing a prestigious project capturing flooring  patterns of British architect Edwin Lutyens, for the abode of the Viceroy, now the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The two-volume work, “Interpreting Geometries: The Flooring Patterns of the Rashtrapati Bhavan”, is the first repository of intricate flooring designs at the majestic building, and was presented to President Droupadi Murmu recently. The first volume examines 22 spaces and decodes 31 patterns across the ceremonial areas of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, a three-storied, H-shaped building; the second…

Krft has recently designed new Performance Arts Centre for Brighton College by blending the traditional and contemporary shapes and material. This innovative design perfectly synchronises with the rest of the college campus. The building rises up as a white chalk cliff from the green campus space. The façade, mixing contemporary light brickwork with darker traditional flint bridges the different characters of the surrounding campus. The building contains a fully equipped 400-seat theatre, incorporates studio spaces, social spaces, classrooms, and a multifunctional theatre hall on a very compact site. Krft has positioned the theatre hall upwards, floating above a multi-oriented social…

Senso, the Dutch luxury flooring brand renowned for its commitment to sustainability, has launched a creative design center in Culver City, Los Angeles. This new space serves as a collaborative hub for artists, architects, and designers to connect and bring their ideas to life. Aiming to become a vibrant destination for creativity, the center will encourage idea exchange and foster valuable partnerships within the creative community. Visitors will have the chance to explore Senso’s range of recyclable flooring solutions and engage in events that include showcases by top designers, insightful discussions, and collaborations with other innovative brands. Visitors to the…

In July 2024, the Mumbai real estate market experienced a notable surge, with property registrations increasing by over 19% to 12,160 from 10,221 in the same month the previous year, according to Knight Frank. June 2024 also showed strong performance, with 11,673 properties registered. Stamp duty collections saw a substantial rise of more than 27%, climbing to INR 1,055 crore in July 2024, up from INR 832 crore in July 2023. Collections for June 2024 were INR 1,014 crore, indicating ongoing robust activity in the market. Commenting on this, Prashant Sharma, President, NAREDCO Maharashtra, said, “The sustained growth in property…

Akzo Nobel India reported a 4.3% increase in its first-quarter profit, driven by heightened demand for its paint products in June ahead of the monsoon season. The company, known for its Dulux Paints, saw its consolidated net profit rise to 1.15 billion rupees ($13.74 million) for the quarter ending June 30, up from 1.1 billion rupees the previous year. While Indian paint manufacturers have benefited from growing real estate and automotive sales, competitive price cuts to attract customers have impacted their revenue. Akzo Nobel India noted double-digit volume growth in its business-to-business segment during the quarter but did not provide…

Twenty-one major parks in Hyderabad’s Central Zone (Khairatabad) are set to be revamped into theme-based parks. This upgrade will affect five GHMC circles: Jubilee Hills, Goshamahal, Mehdipatnam, Karwan, and Khairatabad. The improvements will include beautification, designated walking areas, tree planting, paver block pathways, and recreational features like yoga and meditation spaces. The proposed theme-based parks include eight in Khairatabad, eight in Jubilee Hills, three in Mehdipatnam, and one each in Karwan and Goshamahal circles. GHMC officials announced that a consultancy firm will be hired to create concept plans, designs, and themes for the parks. The firm will handle all architectural…