When we think of the word "tropic," the image that typically comes to mind is an exotic space, characterized by perpetual warmth and humidity, with frequent and heavy rainfall nurturing lush vegetation. Throughout history, this tropical climate has been romanticized as a paradise and criticized for potentially fostering weakness due to its perceived clemency.
In a constant search to find new ways to reduce costs and construction times, modular architecture emerges as an opportunity to implement various methods, technologies, and techniques to design livable spaces using separate repetitive elements such as modules. As Tom Hardiman, executive director of the Modular Building Institute (MBI), maintains, "Modular" is not about a construction product but rather a construction process.
Modular homes are houses either partially or fully constructed in a factory. This process involves creating a series of three-dimensional 'modules' delivered to a site in a predetermined spatial pattern and assembled into a complete product. These homes have become popular solutions to housing crises as they can be produced 50% faster and emit half as much pollution.
Formally, transparency usually takes the shape of a window, a door, a curtain wall, or a skylight. These are commonly created through rectangular punched openings or in the form of glass curtain wall systems or translucent screens. The following projects play with traditional notions of transparency and window-making in playful and unconventional ways. They create visually striking facades and dynamic relationships between their exterior and interior. They filter light and frame views through their glazing and opening articulation to craft memorable architectural experiences.
What is symmetry in architecture? Why is it used to design spaces? What advantages and disadvantages does it present compared to other projection tools such as rotation, translation, and/or repetition? Contemporary architecture evolves day by day by implementing different strategies to create habitable spaces where people can carry out their daily activities, meet their needs, and more. Considering symmetry as a possible means of organization, distribution, and movement in the plane, architecture expresses and communicates largely through graphic means (floor plans, volumes, photographs, etc.) in a relationship that seeks coexistence, in most cases, of spaces, proportions, and scales in harmony.
In the perception of many, the favela embodies contradictory and opposed representations. For those outside its boundaries, the favela is frequently associated with crime, poverty, or illness. Yet, it is also regarded as the aesthetic embodiment of a nation, serving as the birthplace of culturally renowned elements worldwide, such as samba in the case of Brazil.
Rehabilitation involves repairing, renovating, altering, or reconstructing any building or structure. It addresses the need to significantly improve a building's failing features, primarily through strengthening or replacing elements to restore the structure's optimal performance. The impact of building rehabilitation on the physical environment is significant. It is a sustainable strategy for preserving the built environment and mitigating the construction industry's impact on climate change.
Many buildings often fall into disuse due to our cities' constant economic, social, and technological changes. The programmatic inconsistency of current times demands great versatility and adaptability from our infrastructures, increasingly leading projects to become uninhabited, and left to abandonment and decay.
When designing spaces with reduced dimensions, adopting an efficient configuration and distribution is crucial for the user experience and the smooth development of activities and tasks to be carried out. In the case of bars and restaurants, numerous architecture and interior design professionals strive daily to meet the needs of clients, employees, and employers, considering everything from necessary installations and technologies to services, atmospheres, and furniture suitable for the type of gastronomy to be consumed.
Spanning continents and cultures, architecture-focused events serve as platforms for the gathering of diverse groups of professionals to share innovations and embark on dialogues regarding some of the most pressing matters faced by our profession. Embodying the spirit of collaboration, highlighting local cultures and practices, and fostering open debates, this year’s list of events covers a diverse range of biennales, forums, city-wide celebrations, international fairs, and awards.
