Latest news with #MakeRoom
Engadget
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
How to watch the Wholesome Direct showcase on June 7 at 12PM ET
Wholesome Direct, an annual showcase of cute and cozy games, is coming back on Saturday, June 7 at 12PM ET. This is a live event that can be streamed via the official YouTube page or Twitch account . The organizers promise to show off "a vibrant lineup of artistic, uplifting, and emotionally resonant games from developers of all sizes from around the world." The YouTube stream link is already available, so feel free to bookmark this page and come back on June 7 just in time for the show. Last year's stream was a whole lot of fun. One of the cool things about Wholesome Direct is that the organizers typically make several games available for download immediately after the event, though we don't know which ones will get that sort of VIP treatment this year. We only know a few of the games that will be covered during the event. There's an adorable puzzle game called Is This Seat Taken? that tasks players with positioning cute little characters on a bus, in a waiting room or at a restaurant. This one's actually being released by the event's publishing arm, Wholesome Games Presents. Another title is called MakeRoom and reminds me of the indie hit Unpacking , but with a focus on designing the perfect room and sharing that creation with friends. The mobile game Usagi Shima is coming to Steam and is getting a prime spot at Wholesome Direct. This title has players transforming a barren island to make it hospitable to lovable bunnies. Minami Lane is already out for Switch , but is also coming to Steam and will be featured during the livestream. It's a town management sim that focuses on one street at a time. It's also extremely easy on the eyes. Last year's stream discussed over 30 titles. That leaves plenty of room for cozy surprises. Also, the showcase falls right in the middle of Summer Game Fest , which hosts a group of loosely-affiliated events that begin on June 6.
ABC News
06-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Reusing empty city buildings could help solve the housing and homelessness crisis
Wrapped around the entrance of a building in Melbourne's CBD is a glossy artwork depicting a dark sky with luminous stars. Perhaps it says here is a place where it will be possible to dream again — or at least get a good night's sleep. Beyond the starry foyer is a six-story council-owned building. Called Make Room, it has been transformed into 50 homes for people who were experiencing homelessness. Before it was renovated, the building was being used for storage by the City of Melbourne. A graveyard of parade floats and memorabilia from past Moomba Festivals sat gathering dust in otherwise empty rooms. In the middle of a housing crisis, when a sizeable amount of commercial real estate is sitting vacant, the Make Room project is billed as a blueprint for giving under-utilised buildings new life as residential spaces and lowering carbon emissions in the process. And at a time when some councils are James King, CEO of non-profit housing provider Unison Housing which operates Make Room, says he's unaware of any other projects where a local council has taken the lead on addressing housing shortages and homelessness in this way. "They put the property up and then they also underwrote the entire project," he says. Artist Matthew Harris designed the artwork at the entrance of Make Room. ( Supplied: City of Melbourne ) Addressing housing shortages The empty building Make Room took over is a relic of a bygone young city. These days it is dwarfed by the glassy skyscrapers that surround it. When it was built as an electricity supply building it helped power "the expansion of the city", according to heritage review documents. Now, it might help create the city of the future again. Almost a fifth of Melbourne's office spaces are empty, according to the Property Council of Australia – the highest CBD office vacancy in the country. While the national vacancy rate — for both CDB and non-CBD offices — was 14.7 per cent in January when the data was collated. From a sustainability perspective, repurposing and recycling — rather than demolishing an existing structure and building a new one — is desirable. Building a new structure uses more materials and creates more embodied carbon — the carbon emissions associated with the materials and construction process. But converting commercial buildings, particularly offices, into homes pose challenges. Photo shows The inside of an office, with square carpet tiles and two rows of chairs. The idea of turning offices underused in the wake of COVID into housing is a hot topic. But experts say such projects are few and far between in Australia for a reason, and creating affordable housing from office buildings is harder than it seems. Gavin Salt of iC2 Architects, which designed Make Room, says improving the building's accessibility and thermal performance while working within a heritage overlay was the most challenging aspect of the project. But Salt says the building had some characteristics ("great floor to floor heights and access to natural day light… [and] shape and building structure") which lent itself easily to conversion — something many office buildings don't have. The City of Melbourne has established guidelines to encourage building owners to repurpose under-utilised mid-tier office buildings — and improve their energy efficiency. Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece says such transformations are key to addressing "urban challenges such as a growing housing shortage'. It is also central to the council's aim of reaching 100 per cent renewable energy use by 2030 and zero net emissions by 2040. In 2023, then-Lord Major Sally Capp said commercial buildings accounted for 'almost 60 per cent of the city's carbon emissions'. 'Melbourne needs to retrofit about 80 properties each year to meet our climate goals. Currently, we average seven,' she said. Across the county, the commercial building sector is responsible for around Rough sleepers began moving into Make Room, which lies in Melbourne's CBD, earlier this year. ( ABC News: Rhiannon Stevens ) Housing First... sort of Make Room, which cost $24.9 million – $9.1 million paid by council and the rest by the state government and philanthropists – gives residents 12-month leases in small, self-contained studio apartments along with support-staff to help them build a life off the streets (this includes access to specialist health services such as mental health care, podiatry, physiotherapy, dietetics and dental care). The Victorian government has provided $5.2 million over two years for on-site support and tenancy management. It did not respond to specific ABC questions asking if it would continue to fund Make Room after the initial operational funding is exhausted. Make Room follows many of the principles of the Housing First policy developed in the US in the 1990s, which gives people experiencing homelessness immediate permanent housing, then provides wrap-around support services. The model doesn't place conditions, such as adherence to mental health or drug and alcohol treatment programs, as a prerequisite. Celine Kostense, Unison's Housing First Practice Lead, says if people "don't have to worry 'where am I going to sleep tonight?' what we see is that they can focus on different areas in their lives". Maybe this is re-connecting with family, addressing health or substance abuse issues, learning how to become a responsible tenant, striving for a job or education or contributing to their local community. Kostense, who is Dutch and has worked on Housing First programs in the Netherlands, says she'll never forget the first time she gave someone the keys to their own house in Amsterdam. "It wasn't just the house, it was her life… That made me feel like I can literally work together with someone to create a new life." Celine Kostense, pictured in Make Room's rooftop garden, is a proponent of Housing First policy. ( ABC News: Rhiannon Stevens ) According to a But King calls Make Room a "quasi" Housing First project because it doesn't provide permanent housing — possibly the most fundamental aspect of the model. "We're applying Housing First principles in the sense that it's trauma informed, it's immediate, there aren't conditions on [people] moving into the building and we address a range of other needs once they're housed, but that long-term permanent, secure housing I think is a really critical element [of Housing First]." There is a question mark hanging above residents' heads at Make Room: where will they go next? 'Not in the business of making people homeless' Make Room aims to transition residents into long-term accommodation within 12 months, but King says the time frame is flexible. "If that housing and support is not available come the 12 months, I'm not in the business of making people homeless again. So those residents will stay," he says. Part of Make Room's purpose, according to King, is breaking down stigma among housing providers who see former rough sleepers as "a challenging cohort to house". "We're hoping that their time at Make Room will give a lot of Community Housing providers confidence that … [residents] can sustain a tenancy, that they can abide by their lease agreement, and they can be meaningful contributors to that community," he says. One of the studio apartments at Make Room, which architect Gavin Salt says demonstrates the viability of converting commercial spaces to residential. Then there is the larger problem that up to this point no-one has been able to solve: there simply isn't enough housing available. There are now more than 55,000 people on the waitlist for social housing in Victoria alone. Even if social housing were available, many residents would need continued supportive accommodation after their time at Make Room, King says. The City of Melbourne's attempt to fund a pathway out of homelessness is a marked contrast to councils seeking to penalise rough sleepers. Recently, Moreton Bay Council "We're in the middle of a housing and homelessness crisis… we all need to play our part in creating and finding a solution," Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece says. Reece presides over a city which has an estimated shortfall of 6,000 affordable rentals. "If we do nothing this will almost quadruple to more than 23,000 by 2036," he says. Make Room demonstrates, according to Salt, "the viability of converting commercial spaces to residential" and he hopes it will inspire other projects. "We need to look at innovative ways of providing more housing quicker and more efficiently," he says. "There is a huge danger we won't meet our environmental commitments if we don't accelerate the case for the productive use of empty and underperforming buildings, his colleague Claire Bowles says. "Not only for the sake of sufficiency and embodied carbon but also for much needed housing and social infrastructure quicker and at a lower cost."
Los Angeles Times
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Our guide for what to see during Frieze Los Angeles
Ah, art week. When you think you'll have enough time to make it from the fair in Santa Monica to the exhibition opening in Mid-City, to the function in Lynwood, to the after-party in the Arts District and not collapse from traffic-induced exhaustion. Blame Frieze! It's the sun in the middle of L.A. art week's solar system. This year's exhibitors come from all over the world — Mexico City, Paris, São Paulo, Minnesota. Many also come from the home base. This year's L.A. contingent includes Stars Gallery; Make Room; Jeffrey Deitch; Anat Ebgi; Sebastian Gladstone; Matthew Brown; Commonwealth and Council; Ochi; Charlie James; David Kordansky; L.A. Louver; Regen Projects; Roberts Projects; Château Shatto and many more. Feb. 20-23. Santa Monica Airport. It's that time of year again: Where on a (hopefully) unseasonably warm winter day, we chill by the pool at the Hollywood Roosevelt, explore the dozens and dozens of galleries throughout the rooms and bless our good fortune that we live in the greatest city in the world: L.A., baby. In its seventh edition, Felix Art Fair this year includes local galleries such as Charlie James Gallery, Morán Morán, Murmurs, One Trick Pony and Tierra Del Sol, among international exhibitors like Luce, Pangée and Studioli. Feb. 19-23. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. 'To Star,' Mia Scarpa's solo show at John Doe, is the latest example of the artist's work as highly specific, highly personal and immediately connective. Scarpa creates the kind of world where you recognize a glimmer of yourself and want to live deep inside. She sees her pieces less as images and more as objects, chock full of references from her upbringing in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and her daily life and work in L.A. The exhibition will run through March 22. 107 E. 11th St., Los Angeles. 'American Gurl: home—land,' presented by MOCA culture:LAB and Womxn in Windows, showcases short films from artists Alima Lee, Cauleen Smith, Solange Knowles, Melvonna Ballenger, Shenny De Los Angeles & Amanda Morrell (iiritu) and Ella Ezeike, exploring diaspora, home and displacement. On view through May 24 through Womxn in Windows' residency at the MOCA culture:LAB. Some of the stills from the artists' films are also on view on billboards throughout the city, in collaboration with Save Art Space. 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Joey Barba and Javier Bandera of Paisaboys once again collaborate with artist Guadalupe Rosales of Veteranas and Rucas, this time for an art-week party at the iconic Lynwood nightclub, El Farallon. Sponsored by Nike, the event will feature an installation from Rosales and the artist rafa esparza. Feb. 20, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. 21 and up. RSVP here. 10700 S. Alameda St., Lynwood. @paisaboys @veteranas_and_rucas While the excitement of art week starts to buzz in, much of L.A. is still reeling from January's catastrophic wildfires. Support the L.A. Fire Department Foundation through its capsule collection designed and curated by End to End, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the LAFD's nonprofit. The collection features hoodies, tees, crewnecks and more that honor L.A. and the people who protect it, plus other LAFD collaborations to come from Born X Raised, Madhappy, Warren Lotas and more. Tschabalala Self's 'Dream Girl,' running through April 26 at Jeffrey Deitch L.A., takes a long look at 'the constructed self' and the 'construction of femininity.' Each painting and sculpture in the show creates a kind of looking glass into the mind of Self, a celebrated figurative artist based in Hudson, N.Y., who describes the work as 'existing within liminal spaces which speak to psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects of personhood.' 925 N. Orange Drive, Los Angeles. Helmut Lang, the Austrian fashion designer who defined an entire decade with his sumptuous minimalism, has been exhibiting his mystifying work as a sculptor since the mid-'90s, but this is his first institutional solo show in L.A. Curated by Neville Wakefield and held at the MAK Center for Art and Architecture at the Schindler House, 'What Remains Behind?' explores the tension between the past and the future. Running through May 4. 835 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood. Happening Feb. 20-23 in Atwater Village, the Other Art Fair remains a breath of fresh air during a saturated art week. The show features 140 exhibiting artists, including legend Judy Baca, who will be presenting a new mural in connection to her ongoing project 'The Great Wall of Los Angeles.' 2800 Casitas Ave., Atwater Village. Paul Flores' first solo show is about honoring the moments, signage, smells and sounds that make up his hometown of Los Angeles in his memory. Flores, an artist and graphic designer who has been making work on his own and in collaboration with other L.A. artists for years, has a style that is unmistakable, inspired by the visual language left behind in a rapidly changing place. 'Good Morning Los Angeles, How Are You?' unapologetically leans into the nostalgia of a city Flores loves, and the love is deeply felt. Running through March 29 at Control Gallery. 434 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. Curated by L.A. artist Devon DeJardin, 'Saddle Up: Artistic Journeys Through Cowboy Culture,' explores the lore of the Wild West through the artistic, personal and societal perspective of a group of young artists. 'Rooted in tradition yet vibrant and dynamic, the spirit of cowboy culture and the American West in 2025 feels distinctly renewed,' says DeJardin. Running through March 29 at albertz benda. 8260 Marmont Lane, Los Angeles. Jonathan Rafman creates a reflection of our society's relationship with technology and nostalgia in 'Proof of Concept,' his mesmeric new show at Sprüth Magers. Anchored by an installation that reconceives television in the era of artificial intelligence — featuring a stream of visual media —'Proof of Concept' is Rafman's latest foray into the place where the future, past and the digital world intersect. Running through April 12. 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. It's Alice Coltrane forever, in our hearts and at the Hammer Museum. Curated by Erin Christovale, 'Alice Coltrane: Monumental Eternal' dives deep into the spiritual and sonic worlds of the jazz icon and devotional leader that Coltrane was, and her lasting influence on art and music. The exhibition features ephemera from the depths of Coltrane's personal archive — including audio recordings, photographs, video and handwritten letters — paired with sculpture, installation, performance, video and more from a range artists including Adee Roberson, Nicole Miller, Martine Syms, Cauleen Smith and Star Feliz. Running through May 4. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. L.A. artist Kelly Akashi's show at Lisson was originally meant to feature all new work and open on Jan. 31. Devastatingly, in early January, Akashi's home and studio were lost to the fires — putting the exhibition on pause. Now, like the proverbial phoenix, Akashi's show will go on, recontextualized to meet the moment. Akashi's work is unlike anything else: a multidisciplinary practice that ranges between glassblowing, casting, candle-making and stone carving, plus her signature hand motif that is usually cast in bronze or crystal. The collection of works for this show, featuring a number of new pieces, mixes glass, earth, stone, lace and bronze elements, along with some bronze cast and borosilicate glass forms that Akashi recovered from the rubble of her studio.
