Good afternoon and welcome back to another daily news roundup. Here’s what you need to know as we head into the end of March:
Angelo Candalepas and Associates will design the new National Gallery of Victoria Contemporary in Melbourne
The largest art and design gallery in Australia now has an architect attached: the Sydney, Australia-headquartered Angelo Candalepas and Associates. The design, the winner of a national competition, will follow the shape of the triangular plot in Melbourne, with arched entryways and windows and a circular central atrium. Construction is slated to begin in 2023, with the new gallery scheduled to open in 2028.
H/t to Dezeen
Lake Powell reaches its lowest level ever
Lake Powell, a major reservoir that snakes between the Utah and Arizona borders and provides hydroelectric power for millions of Americans in the West via Glen Canyon Dam, is at its lowest level ever after decades of drought. The 186-mile-long lake is expected to rebound once snowpack melts this spring, but there’s a chance that the lake could also hit a “dead zone” in the coming years—the point where the water level is too low to pass through the dam, which would force everyone who relies on it for power to use fossil fuels instead.
H/t to Grist
A construction-themed amusement park opened in Texas
The first construction-themed amusement park in Texas opened on March 17 in Katy, giving children and adults the chance to drive construction vehicles, Caterpillars, and tractors around in the city of Katy. The founder of Dig World, realized in part with Texas A&M University, hopes to build 10 more such parks across America.
H/t to Global Construction Review
Previewing this June’s 60th Salone del Mobile.Milano
The 60th edition of global furniture and design fair, the Salone del Mobile.Milano, will kick off this year in Milan from June 7 through 12, with more than 2,000 exhibitors lined up. Italian architect Mario Cucinella has also been tapped to realize and curate Design With Nature, a circular economy- and reuse-themed pavilion that will wind throughout the display hall and simultaneously exhibit products while also serving as the backdrop for discussions and reflection.
The Notre Dame reconstruction reveals ancient tombs
The ongoing mad dash to restore Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics has uncovered a treasure trove of archaeological finds, including tombs and a lead sarcophagus potentially dating back to the 14th century. Aside from the immaculately preserved tombs, the brick remnants of a 19th-century brick heating pipe system, and pieces of a 13th-century rood screen were also found during the subterranean dig. Excavation is expected to conclude by March 25, after which the reconstruction of the spire can continue.
H/t to Hyperallergic
