BIG unveils rammed-earth villas in Japan, Kengo Kuma to design National Gallery wing, and US selects embassy architects

BIG, a Danish architecture firm, has finalized its inaugural project in Japan: three opulent rammed-earth villas called Not A Hotel Setouchi, located on Sagishima island. This development, commissioned by Not A Hotel, includes a restaurant pavilion and offers private beach access. Meanwhile, Kengo Kuma and Associates emerged victorious in a competition to design a new wing for London's National Gallery, marking its most significant renovation in two centuries. In the U.S., the State Department has chosen twelve architecture firms, including SHoP Architects and Ennead Architects, for diplomatic structures over the next five years. February saw the launch of Toronto's 19-kilometre Line 5 – Eglinton metro line, featuring 25 stations by various designers. Additionally, Pamela Anderson unveiled The Sentimentalist, a furniture line inspired by her grandmother's farm, while the East Wing of the White House is being renovated as part of Trump's modernization efforts.