• “We Would Be Happy to Contribute to the Development of the City”: Filippo Innocenti on the Possibility of Zaha Hadid Architects Working in Armenia

  For the entire day on Thursday, September 24, Yerevan became a meeting point for architects, developers and people accustomed to looking at the city from a slightly different perspective — both literally and conceptually. At the SHARE Armenia 2026 forum, one of the key speakers was Filippo Innocenti, director of the world-renowned British architecture firm Zaha Hadid Architects...

• Mark Zuckerberg Buys 19th-Century Irish Castle for Tens of Millions of Dollars

  Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have purchased a Gothic castle in Ireland...

• Populous Unveils Design for the World's Largest Football Stadium Ahead of the 2030 World Cup

  As Morocco gears up to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, the country has presented a monumental design for the Grand Stade Hassan II, Hypebeast reports...

• The Rebirth of a Masterpiece: Casa Batlló Unveils Gaudí’s Hidden Living Spaces

  The grand unveiling was preceded by three years of painstaking restoration work that closely resembled an archaeological excavation. Craftsmen and conservators meticulously peeled back numerous 20th-century layers to uncover and display the remarkably well-preserved 1906 architecture...

• A forgotten skyscraper for New York: Antoni Gaudí's project "comes to life" after 118 years

  More than a century after the great Antoni Gaudí conceived one of his most grand, yet never realized projects—a fantastic skyscraper in New York known as "Hotel Attraction"—the building has finally "appeared" in Manhattan. Belgian artist and photographer Thierry Leshanter has recreated the legendary tower using neural networks...

• World’s Longest Asymmetric Bridge, Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, Opens in Taiwan

  Taiwan has officially commissioned a unique infrastructure marvel—the Danjiang Bridge. As of today, it stands as the world’s longest single-tower, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Stretching 920 meters in length, the structure surpasses the height of Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper (828 m)....

• Secret Tour of the Sagrada Família: 5 Divine Mysteries and Hidden Treasures of the Great Cathedral

  With spires resembling sandcastles, lush flora frozen in stone, kaleidoscopic interiors, and hiding places hidden in plain sight, Barcelona’s world-famous Sagrada Família never ceases to amaze even its regular parishioners...

• "You Need a Psychiatrist": Architect Claps Back at Criticism over 'Sodomized' Gargoyle at Spain’s Oldest Hotel

  An architectural face-lift at one of Spain’s oldest and most famous late-Gothic hotels has spiraled into an international scandal and a breeding ground for savage jokes...

Renowned architect Riken Yamamoto, who won the Pritzker Prize in 2024—often called the “Nobel Prize of Architecture”—has sharply criticized Tokyo’s modern development, warning that the megacity is gradually turning into a “colony for the wealthy.” According to Bloomberg, Yamamoto said new projects are being built not for residents, but for the elite and investors.

Tokyo has always been a city of constant change: old buildings are torn down and replaced with newer, earthquake-resistant structures. Yet for a long time, the capital maintained a human scale—narrow streets, small shops, cafes, and relatively affordable housing even in prestigious neighborhoods. Now, however, the city is being transformed by glass-and-steel “sculptures” — luxury offices, high-end boutiques, and upscale condominiums.

“This looks like a colony for the rich, for the neoliberal elite,” Yamamoto said. “What is being built now is completely unsuitable for local residents.”

The Rise of Tower Mansions and Luxury Office Space

The number of “tower mansions”—high-rise residential complexes—has been growing rapidly as the city seeks to accommodate its population. In Greater Tokyo, there were 812 such buildings in 2024, and roughly a quarter of them were built in the last 10 years. Office real estate is also expanding: about 1.8 million square meters of new office space is expected to enter the market between 2024 and 2026.

Elite Enclaves and Mori Building Criticism

Yamamoto acknowledged that developers are necessary for the city, but he expressed concern that new projects are creating closed, wealthy enclaves. He singled out Mori Building’s large-scale complexes—Tokyo’s famous Roppongi Hills and Azabu Hills—which have become symbols of elite urban development, featuring luxury shops and meticulously manicured greenery.

He even named prominent architects Kengo Kuma and Tadao Ando, questioning whether they consider local communities when designing their projects.

His remarks stand out in Japan’s architectural culture, where public criticism of peers is rare. But the public has already shown signs of discontent: in 2024, plans to redevelop the Meiji Jingu Gaien area sparked protests over the cutting of ancient ginkgo trees, and the relocation of the historic Tsukiji market became a symbol of the “loss of the city’s soul.”

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram