“The building was going back to nature. There were trees growing inside of it, the basement was full of water and the concrete was damaged.” This is how architect Nicko Elliott of Civilian describes the undeserved fate of the Book Depository, one of many art deco landmarks that have shaped the city of Detroit. For 35 years, the Albert Kahn building — which first served as a post office branch and mail warehouse, then as a storage facility for the Detroit public school system — sat empty, slated for demolition after falling into disrepair following a devastating fire. That was until Ford Motor Company purchased it as part of a larger civic and urban redevelopment plan.
A prefab rosewood and pressed stainless-steel reception…
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- #300
- Sept/Oct 2023
- In our 300th issue, we look at the rich history of social housing in Vienna, exciting new commercial developments in Detroit, and how Naples has put art and architecture at the centre of its subway expansion.
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- #299
- July/August 2023
- Throughout the pages of this AZ Awards issue, you will encounter marvels that boldly address both problems and possibilities.
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- #298
- May/June 2023
- The expectation that people will keep their heads down at their workstations from nine to five with the occasional jaunt to the water cooler or sojourn in a group meeting has gone the way of the cubicle. Offices, post-lockdown, need to be places that provide mental and spiritual sustenance. And those featured in this issue do exactly that.
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- #297
- Mar/Apr 2023
- In assembling the stories in this issue about circular design, one word kept coming up: value. By rethinking “value,” we’re also reclaiming our own values. If we want to strive for a healthier planet, one that is more ethical and sustainable, we have several examples to follow — and this issue is brimming with them.
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- #296
- Jan/Feb 2023
- In preparing this edition of Azure, the first of the year and the latest of our popular annual houses issues, we sought out to present a diversity of typologies.
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- #295
- Nov/Dec 2022
- When we think about home, we often think of its comforts — especially during the winter months. How can we craft interiors to maximize a sense of spiritual warmth? The stories in this issue present a myriad of approaches to sculpting space within a range of footprints.
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- #294
- Sept/Oct 2022
- From Toronto’s landmark Ace Hotel to an inviting — and remarkably sustainable — furniture factory in Oslo, the most important new cultural projects have multiple raisons d’être. In our Sept/Oct 2022 issue, we celebrate the common goal at their hearts: bringing people in and together.
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- #293
- July/August 2022
- The 12th annual AZ Awards recognize excellence in architecture, landscape, design, interiors, environmental leadership, social good and more.
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- #292
- May/June 2022
- In our latest issue, we talk to professionals in Canada and around the world who are grappling with how to upend entrenched assumptions about the need for blood, sweat and tears in service of architecture.
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- #291
- Mar/Apr 2022
- What does hospitality look like in 2022? Our March/April issue features hotel and restaurant projects that deliver new experiences for a new era.
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- #290
- Jan/Feb 2022
- Our Jan/Feb 2022 issue kicks off the new year with inspired – and inspiring – residential architecture from around the world.
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- #289
- Nov/Dec 2021
- Our Nov/Dec 2021 issue caps the year with inspiration for creating amazing residential interiors, with projects by Fala Atelier, REDO, Ben Allen Studio, Alain Carle Architecte, Productora and more.
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