Each summer, Serpentine invites internationally renowned architects to realize their first structure in England. Located in central London, the yearly pavilion has become an international site for architectural experimentation and has grown into a highly anticipated showcase for emerging talents.

LANZA Atelier, founded in 2015 by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo in Mexico, has been chosen for the 2026 Serpentine pavilion. Their design, inspired by England's "serpentine" or "crinkle crankle" walls, uses a curvilinear form for stability with fewer bricks. This concept celebrates the nearby Serpentine lake's gentle curves. Read more about a Serpentine, here.

Believe it or not, by the end of 2026, the tallest building on the African continent will not be in Egypt, Morocco or South Africa, it will be in the Ivory Coast!

Expected completion in 2026, the skyscraper Tour F will stand at an impressive 421 meters/ 1381 ft tall. With its 75 floors, it will be the tallest building on the entire African continent, beating Egypts “Iconic tower” with a whopping 28 meters. Resembling the shape of a crystal, at the same time inspired by traditional african masks, the tower is designed by local architect Pierre Fakhoury. It has been given a modern look with a double glass panel facade system that has been sculpted into facets inclining towards the ground and sky. Read more about the tower here and here.

For the first time in a decade, the American Institute of Architects will award its gold medal to a non-American architect. In 2026, Japanese architect Shigeru Ban will receive the honor. Known for using renewable materials like paper and timber, Ban creates sustainable designs and empowers students through hands-on projects. His paper tube designs are widely appreciated in disaster-stricken areas. Ban's dedication to humanitarian causes is matched by his commitment to architectural beauty with simple materials.

He once told The Guardian “The lifespan of a building has nothing to do with the materials. It depends on what people do with it. If a building is loved, then it becomes permanent. When it is not loved, even a concrete building can be temporary.” I think we all should get inspired by these words to put a little more care into our every day. Read more about Shigeru Bans work here, and more about the prize acknowledgement here.

I promised you a little bonus, and here it goes;

Below is the link to a list of 40 shorlisted works for the EU Prize for contemporary architecture 2026, meaning it’s a collected pool of inspirational projects that could inspire you in your work starting today!

Read the list here!

A serpentine wall, crinkle crankle wall, sinusodial wall, ribbon wall, a crinkum crankum; a dear child has many names. This is especially true for the Serpentine wall which has been used in construction since Ancient Egypt.

A serpentine wall is a wall constructed in a sinusodial pattern. The name is derived from how the wall follows the path of the serpent. It is commonly found in British landscape and garden settings, structurad as thin walls of half height to give extra protection against wind for fruit trees. Serpentine walls are designed with a wavy shape that allows them to be taller or in need of less reinforcement.

Its history goes way back to ancient Egypt. In 2020, archeologists discovered a 3000 year old city in Egypt that was named “The Rise of Aten” under the sand by the western bank of Luxor, dating back to between 1391 and 1353 BCE, and was introduced in England by dutch engineers in the mid 1600’s.

Using brick to create organic shapes, such as serpentine walls, has a spiritual and ritual value as well as structural and material benefits, and when it comes down to it - it is a symbol of humanitys urge to explore, test and try novel ideas bringing evolution forward. It is not something new, but it sure is timeless, and exciting and brings a lot to the table, but what about the drawbacks? Read about this, and more, in the full deep dive by clicking this link.