Architecture News Roundup: Policy Shifts, Biennale Records, and New Community Builds
Architecture is making waves across policy, events, and urban development right now. From federal loan changes hitting students to packed international exhibitions and fresh designs tackling housing shortages, here’s what’s grabbing attention in the field.
Trump’s Student Loan Overhaul Reclassifies Architecture Degrees
The Trump Administration’s recent push on student aid, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill, is shaking up how architecture students borrow money. According to Archinect, architecture won’t qualify as a professional degree under the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). That means grad students in architecture can only borrow up to $20,500 a year and $100,000 total, the same as other non-professional programs like nursing or engineering.
Law, medicine, and even theology get the higher $50,000 annual cap for professionals. Experts worry this could block access for students facing high tuition—architecture programs often run steep costs for materials and studios. Peter Lake from Stenson Law told Newsweek it might force schools to cut fees but could hurt hands-on training. Private loans won’t fill the gap easily, especially for those from tough economic spots. The change doesn’t touch state licensing for architects, but it could reshape who enters the field.
Venice Biennale 2025 Breaks Attendance Records
Over in Europe, the architecture world just wrapped a milestone. The 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, themed “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.” and curated by Carlo Ratti, drew 298,000 visitors plus 17,584 preview attendees, making it the most visited edition ever, per ArchDaily. It spanned the Giardini, Arsenale, and spots around Venice with 303 projects, 758 architects, 66 national pavilions, and 11 collateral events—even after a brief Central Pavilion closure for fixes.
Ratti called the real win the lasting ideas, like using collective smarts to fight climate change. The public program packed in workshops with everyone from scientists to chefs, turning the Biennale into a lab for new knowledge. ArchDaily’s coverage includes interviews and highlights that show how it pushed boundaries on smart, shared design.
Bronx Library Gets a Housing Boost
Closer to home, affordable housing and public spaces are merging in New York. The Architectural Newspaper reports Bernheimer Architecture and LEVENBETTS are teaming with the NYC Housing Preservation and Development, New York Public Library, Settlement Housing Fund, and Kalel Companies for a 17,500-square-foot library on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. On top: 113 affordable units, with at least 15% for formerly homeless families.
The brick tower features setbacks, detailed masonry, and big windows for light in the library. A third-floor domed reading room with an oculus and timber finishes sounds like a cozy spot—books circle the space under hanging lights. It’ll hit Passive House standards for energy efficiency, and they plan to save a historic sculpture from the old building. Similar projects, like the Inwood branch with 174 units, show libraries doubling as housing hubs. This one’s seeking permits now.
Chicago Biennial Spotlights Reuse and Equity
Meanwhile, Chicago’s sixth Architecture Biennial, “SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change,” is open through February and free to the public. The Chicago Tribune review praises its 100+ global projects at city spots, led by Florencia Rodriguez from UIC’s architecture school. It tackles sustainability, affordability, and justice—think a neon sign yelling “Beauty for All.”
Reuse is everywhere: a wooden tower from a Wisconsin granary now hosts events, avoiding landfill waste; reed benches from Lake Titicaca; even Lagos markets reimagined. Housing gets big play with real builds like a 38-story Buenos Aires tower adding 500 units, floating platforms for river communities in Ecuador, and global cohousing—from London artist flats to Shenzhen’s Hakka-inspired towers. Materials like bricks for playgrounds and glass scraps for pavilions will recycle post-event. Panels and inflatables add discourse, though some funding ties to defense firms sparked protests. It’s a push for practical, inclusive designs amid crises like homelessness affecting nearly 3 billion people worldwide, per the U.N.
These stories highlight architecture’s push against barriers—whether financial, environmental, or social. What’s your take on how policy and events shape the built world?