The hottest Architecture Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Beautiful Things

We're Gonna Get Those Bastards • 5 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. Beauty is a positive value that signals achievement and civilization across people, art, and built environments.
  2. Much of beauty is the result of effort and craft—grooming, fashion, music, and workmanship require real work, and trying is a virtue.
  3. Ugliness often comes from aggression, decay, or bad politics, and outer appearance commonly reflects inner character.

Why Cities?

The New Urban Order • 79 implied HN points • 31 May 23
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. The narrative around cities and urban living is evolving, with a renewed focus on improving quality of life and addressing why people choose to live in cities today.
  2. Major cities are facing challenges as online cultural offerings and retail experiences compete with the unique aspects of city living, emphasizing the need for cities to enhance their distinct urban forms and community connections.
  3. Investing in public transit, affordable housing, historic architecture, and community spaces are vital for cities to attract and retain residents, especially essential workers, and maintain a sense of place and connection in a rapidly changing world.

A Transient Time Capsule

Iterare • 78 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Architecture
  1. Visiting historical sites can provide a sense of perspective on the transient nature of life and legacy
  2. Embrace the present moment and cherish the memories created, as they are unique and fleeting
  3. Our actions may not leave a lasting impact beyond a few generations, so focus on making meaningful memories in the present

Infrastructure and Business Logic in Serverless: Exploring the Relationship

The Serverless Mindset • 78 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Finding the right balance between infrastructure and business logic in serverless architecture is crucial.
  2. Serverless offers a sweet spot between simplicity and control, allowing for understanding and informed decision-making by developers.
  3. The relationship between infrastructure and business logic in serverless architectures is complex, and finding the right balance is key to creating scalable and resilient systems.

The Serverless Citadel

The Serverless Mindset • 78 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Consider starting a project as a Serverless Monolith for easier setup
  2. Transitioning from a Serverless Monolith to microservices can be made easier with the "Serverless Citadel" concept
  3. Use the Serverless Citadel to gradually move towards a scalable architecture without the need for radical migrations
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Apple Boylston Street

Tabletops • 78 implied HN points • 02 May 23
💼 Business Architecture
  1. Apple's store designs appear effortless and are iconic in urban settings.
  2. The process of building an Apple store involves overcoming obstacles like public approval and construction delays.
  3. Apple Boylston Street is unique and was the largest store in the U.S. at the time, showcasing distinctive architectural features.

Mirage at Apple Park

Tabletops • 78 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture
  1. Mirage at Apple Park is a public sculpture made of cast-glass pillars from deserts worldwide, creating a stunning visual during the day and a gentle glow at night.
  2. Apple Battersea in London is Apple's 40th store in the UK and is located in a redevelopment area with offices and apartments.
  3. Apple Watch Pride Edition is celebrated in stores with new displays featuring colorful geometric shapes, and Apple Camp offers kids aged 8-12 a chance to design inventions on iPad.

#114 Sunshine design ☀️

Design Lobster • 239 implied HN points • 25 Jul 22
🪑 Design Architecture
  1. Anisotropic design describes virtual objects with appearances that change based on viewing angles, potentially revolutionizing user interfaces.
  2. In architecture, utilizing features like rotating roof-light covers can transform everyday actions like adjusting light into magical experiences.
  3. Great design, like well-placed sunlight on a building, has the power to enhance and reveal beauty in the environment, much like other forms of art.

Unpacking Okta's Tech Architecture | Monica Bajaj - VP Developer Experience & Mark T. Voelker - VP Architecture at Okta

platocommunity • 39 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Okta believes in leveling up both the tech stack and the people stack for successful architecture.
  2. The Architecture Charter at Okta involves setting clear guardrails and handholds to empower engineers to make informed decisions.
  3. Writing things down, utilizing frameworks like RFCs and Requests for Discussion, is crucial for communication and knowledge sharing in the organization.

Lobster long-read #2: Digital Mannerism

Design Lobster • 698 implied HN points • 15 Dec 20
🪑 Design Architecture
  1. Design in digital interfaces has evolved from skeuomorphism to flat design to neumorphism, combining elements of the real world with digital aesthetics.
  2. The history of architectural movements like Modernism and Post-modernism can provide insights into the evolution of digital design trends, such as Flat Design and the potential for a Digital Baroque.
  3. Current trends in neumorphism in interface design show a shift towards expressive and 3D elements within the constraints of digital screens, akin to the principles of architectural Mannerism.

Behold, Charles Holden

Londonist: Time Machine • 39 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture
  1. Charles Holden built a significant number of tube stations in London, deserving recognition.
  2. The article discusses a change in content focus in the newsletter to be more diverse and less predictable.
  3. Readers can access more content and a 7-day trial by subscribing to Londonist: Time Machine.

📩 Your invite to the live streams—Wed: Tailwind Thu: Refactoring

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 39 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. There are live streams on Wednesdays focusing on Tailwind and on Thursdays with Software Engineering Fundamentals Series.
  2. The streams cover fundamentals of architecture and design techniques, with plans to delve into XP disciplines in February.
  3. Upcoming events include live coding sessions on NextJS, React, and Tailwind, as well as discussions on the Economics of Refactoring.

TAO - Meta's Scalable architecture powering world's largest social graph

Engineering At Scale • 120 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Meta created TAO to handle the huge amount of data and user interactions on its platform. This system helps generate personalized content for over 2 billion users very quickly.
  2. TAO uses a layered architecture that includes caching and data storage to improve performance. This design helps distribute the load and maintain fast responses even when many users are active.
  3. TAO prioritizes high availability over strict data consistency. This means it can sometimes show slightly out-of-date information, but it still works well for users, especially during busy times.

VFYW: Repelling The Persians

The Weekly Dish • 38 implied HN points • 28 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. This week, many guess the location is Greece based on the vegetation and building styles seen in the photo.
  2. Some sleuths enjoyed learning about local history and attractions while making their guess, like the Statue of Liberty experience.
  3. People are engaged with the contest, sharing their thoughts and personal stories alongside their guesses, which adds a fun community aspect.

The Imitation Shame

Cosmographia • 119 implied HN points • 03 Dec 22
🏝 Travel Architecture
  1. The post discusses the contrast between different architectural styles in Budapest, showcasing a mix of Baroque, Communist Brutalism, Neo-Classical, and Neo-Gothic.
  2. The visuals shared in the post provide a glimpse of Budapest's rich architectural history and its evolution over time.
  3. The article is accessible to paid subscribers, indicating exclusive content and benefits for those who subscribe to the platform.

#52 Designers, what is "taste"?

Design Lobster • 599 implied HN points • 25 Jan 21
🪑 Design Architecture
  1. Taste in design involves forming opinions based on gut instincts that can be justified intellectually.
  2. The concept of taste in design is not about elitism but about embracing and learning from the wider world.
  3. Efficient and aesthetically appealing design, like the Crinkle crankle wall, can come from revisiting basic principles with creativity.

Starting off 2024: Invitations for Soft skills & OOP Encapsulation

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 39 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. The focus for 2024 is on developing human and soft skills alongside Software Engineering Fundamentals, starting with architecture and design techniques.
  2. The XP disciplines will be covered in February, building on the foundational knowledge of architecture and design.
  3. The importance of human skills alongside technical skills in technology will be discussed in an upcoming stream on Jan 3rd.

Google Cloud's Core Principles of System Design [System Design sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. A robust system design should be secure, reliable, scalable, and independent, allowing for iterative changes without disruption.
  2. Document everything to help visualize deployments, collaborate effectively, and guide future design decisions.
  3. Simplify system design, use fully managed services, decouple architecture, and strive for a stateless architecture to improve reliability and scalability.

5 Fresh Cities I'm Watching

The New Urban Order • 59 implied HN points • 14 Sep 23
🏝 Travel Architecture
  1. The author is following five fresh cities for their urban development and innovative approaches.
  2. These cities include a North American city repurposing vacant office buildings, an Eastern European city with a dynamic mayor focusing on city design, an Asian megacity with unique urban planning narratives, a city challenging London to become the U.K.'s cultural hub, and an African city undergoing transformation with pedestrianization and tech sector growth.
  3. The author's work revolves around exploring cities with forward-thinking mayors and unique urban development models.

Lesson Plan: Model Home

The Field Trip Newsletter • 58 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
🚌 Education Architecture
  1. The lesson plan focuses on teaching children about different housing styles around the world
  2. Children are encouraged to create a blueprint design of their own home and build a model home from another part of the world
  3. Additional ideas include hosting a mini film festival, studying global weather patterns, and building structures from around the world

Under your feet

Tabletops • 58 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🪑 Design Architecture
  1. New Apple Stores are using more sustainable terrazzo flooring
  2. Apple is incorporating bio-resin terrazzo, a sustainable alternative
  3. This choice reflects Apple's commitment to sustainable design

Prism Lights

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 239 implied HN points • 26 May 22
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. Prism lights were created after the Great Fire of 1889 in Seattle to bring light to underground spaces under sidewalks. They were designed to let natural light into these areas.
  2. There are thousands of prism lights in Seattle, especially in the Pioneer Square area, but many are damaged or replaced by hard materials. This shows how important it is to preserve these historical features.
  3. Prism lights can also be found in other cities like London and New York, dating back to the late 1800s. However, modern building owners often cover them up because it's cheaper than keeping them intact.

🔮 E05: The Future of Edge AI: "Brain-inspired" Neuromorphic Computing

Let Us Face the Future • 178 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Neuromorphic computing is inspired by the biological brain and integrates memory and processing, leading to more efficient computing systems.
  2. Neuromorphic chip designs are expected to win 20% of the edge AI hardware market by 2030.
  3. RRAM development is crucial for viable neuromorphic chip production, enabling cost-effective fabrication and addressing memory technology requirements.

5 Historic Quirks to Spot in... the Olympic Park

Londonist: Time Machine • 39 implied HN points • 24 Nov 23
🏝 Travel Architecture
  1. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has many unique and interesting architectural features like the pringle-shaped velodrome and the Orbit tower.
  2. The park also contains lesser-known historic quirks and hidden spots worth exploring.
  3. To learn more about the 5 historic quirks in the Olympic Park, consider subscribing to Londonist for a 7-day free trial.

At First You Don't Succeed

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 119 implied HN points • 17 Nov 22
💾 History Architecture
  1. Building projects can face lots of unexpected problems, like the Montlake Cut in Seattle, which had issues with the ground underneath.
  2. Sometimes things just don't work out on the first try, as seen when workers had to build new cofferdams multiple times before finally succeeding.
  3. Patience and safety are important, especially in big projects, as rushing can lead to dangerous situations for workers.

Authorization in microservice architecture, P0: Introduction

Hung's Notes • 3 HN points • 18 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Building a solid authorization system in microservices is tough since there aren’t clear guidelines. It's vital to share experiences for better solutions.
  2. Managing permissions can get complicated as a business grows. A better approach is needed to handle access control efficiently.
  3. Security is critical in public safety products, and proper access management helps maintain trust and legal compliance.

The Pavilion of Dreams

Kneeling Bus • 244 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. Architects focus more on urban cores than suburban areas in America.
  2. Suburban landscapes are mostly designed by real estate development, not architects.
  3. Urban housing shortages are intentional to increase real estate value, benefiting investors over accommodating everyone.

Problem: Break Down A Monolith Application Into Microservices

SkylineCodes • 19 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Decomposing a monolithic application into microservices pattern helps scale and deploy services independently which is crucial for agility and quick feature updates in a competitive market.
  2. Understanding the Scale Cube model and its dimensions (X-axis scaling, Y-axis scaling, Z-axis scaling) is essential for designing scalable and resilient software architectures.
  3. Decomposing by business capability and subdomain are effective strategies for breaking down microservices, ensuring cohesive and loosely coupled services aligned with business needs.

Back-end for Front-end Pattern in Ecommerce

Cristian’s Substack • 39 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Back-end for Front-end (BFF) pattern helps reduce front-end complexity by acting as an interface between front-end and microservices/APIs.
  2. BFF pattern separates front-end requirements from back-end concerns, making the application easier to maintain and more resilient to API changes.
  3. Implementing BFF pattern can improve error handling, maintainability, and performance in an ecommerce platform by allowing for better control over API consumption and reducing network steps.

5 Historical Quirks to Spot at... The Barbican

Londonist: Time Machine • 39 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
💾 History Architecture
  1. The Barbican in London has historical quirks like stained glass skyscrapers, a vertical graveyard, and a musical tree.
  2. The Barbican is a 1970s maze of concrete and cultural centers with secrets from its Blitzed past.
  3. The Londonist newsletter for paid subscribers highlights historical sights in well-known areas, offering insights and recommendations.

Highland Park Captured My Heart

Cornerstone • 39 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. Highland Park in Pittsburgh exemplifies a beautiful blend of closely spaced homes, walkability, and a large park.
  2. The neighborhood showcases the potential of human-scale urban planning with diverse housing types and economic integration.
  3. Highland Park's organic beauty and timeless charm highlight the possibility of creating similar communities if granted permission and freedom in development.

4 Things This Week

The New Urban Order • 19 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Architecture
  1. The Vision Pro mixed reality headset may lead to societal divisions and changes in the nature of reality, prompting a need for new terms to describe this shift.
  2. Oklahoma City's potential construction of the country's tallest skyscraper with a mixed-use concept could signal a new era of skyscraper design in the U.S.
  3. Exploration of 'pocket neighborhoods' as an emerging concept in urban planning and architecture.

Nurse Buildings

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 159 implied HN points • 19 May 22
🌞 Climate & Environment Architecture
  1. Nurse buildings, like the Colosseum, are structures where plants can thrive, thanks to their materials and existing cavities that hold seeds and moisture. This creates a unique environment for plant growth.
  2. The Colosseum has over 600 plant species recorded, showing how nature can reclaim man-made structures, even after efforts to remove them.
  3. Living walls in buildings can enhance urban spaces by providing natural beauty and habitat for plants, making cities greener and more inviting.

30 Jan 2024 – Windowless skyscrapers and random numbers

Outsider Art • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture
  1. Some skyscrapers lack windows and were constructed in the 1960s-1970s to house telecommunications equipment, like 33 Thomas Street in New York City.
  2. Windowless skyscrapers were designed to aid in temperature control and protect against external threats, including withstanding a nuclear blast.
  3. The Brutalist design of windowless skyscrapers like 33 Thomas Street replaced earlier Art Deco telecommunications hubs, ushering in an age of mass surveillance.

The case for an economic AGI AI Lab

Subsack • 4 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Architecture
  1. Markets are dynamic, adversarial environments that force AI to adapt under uncertainty, making them a stronger real‑world benchmark than static puzzles. They test whether knowledge survives contact with reality, not just pattern recognition.
  2. Building an AI that works in markets demands new capabilities — sample efficiency, continual learning without catastrophic forgetting, long‑term memory, deep multimodal world models, and game‑theoretic strategic reasoning. Those constraints push research beyond today’s scale‑and‑transformer centric approach.
  3. Economic AGI offers a clear monetisation path: outperforming markets, running prediction markets, or allocating capital can directly convert intelligence into revenue. That revenue can make labs financially sustainable and fund further AGI research.