The Serpentine Gallery has chosen Mexico City-based LANZA Atelier for its annual commission. Instead of high-tech fabrication, they are leaning into masonry.

Their design reimagines the English "crinkle crankle" wall—a serpentine brick structure that creates stability through geometry rather than mass. It’s a bold move to bring raw brickwork to Kensington Gardens, celebrating the curve over the straight line. [Read more about the selection here.]

For decades, Africa's tallest buildings were the domain of Johannesburg or Cairo. By the end of 2026, that title shifts to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Tour F, designed by Pierre Fakhoury, is nearing completion at 421 meters (1,381 ft). Resembling a crystal facet inspired by traditional African masks, it beats Egypt’s "Iconic Tower" by 28 meters.

It’s a massive statement of economic intent from West Africa. [Read more about the tower here and here].

For the first time in a decade, the AIA has awarded its highest honor to a non-American. Shigeru Ban, the master of paper tubes and humanitarian relief, takes the 2026 Gold Medal.

His philosophy is a necessary reminder for us all: “The lifespan of a building has nothing to do with the materials... If a building is loved, then it becomes permanent. When it is not loved, even a concrete building can be temporary.”

[Read more about the award here.]

The EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture (Mies Award) just dropped its shortlist of 40 works. If you are looking for pure design inspiration, this is the pool to swim in. [See the shortlist here.]

It seems like basic math: The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Therefore, a straight wall should use the fewest bricks.

But architecture isn't just geometry; it's physics. To make a straight wall stand up against the wind, you need thickness. You need pilasters. You need buttresses. You need mass.

The Serpentine wall, a wavy wall often called a "Crinkle Crankle", breaks this rule. Despite the wall itself being longer than a straight one, it uses significantly fewer bricks.

How can a longer wall require less material?

In this week's Deep Dive, we explore the structural magic of the sine wave, tracing its roots from Ancient Egyptian cities buried under the sand to Thomas Jefferson’s gardens, and finally to the 2026 Serpentine Pavilion.

[Read the full Deep Dive: The Secret of the Serpentine Wall]