The year 2021 has been a turbulent one –coronavirus rages on, and the design and construction industries have been forced to keep adapting two years into a global pandemic. As virtual methods of working and communicating continue to be tweaked and honed, a plethora of virtual events has meant that architectural discourse outside the western canon and Eurocentric gaze, in a small way, has been able to claim space front and center in the global architectural conversation.

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2021 was the year of a new reality, with humankind adapting to what is known as the second year of the pandemic. While some countries witnessed a return to alternative normality, opening up to the world through travel and events, others stayed in lockdown, expanding furthermore the inequality gaps. Nevertheless, this year also brought a lot of hope in all aspects, raising questions and building solutions for the near future.  With a major focus on climate urgency, biomedical research as well as notions of hybridity, 2021 has triggered new understandings of the environment that surrounds us and of our place in this world.

Highlighting contextual topics, bringing both a local and global perspective, while shedding light on overlooked historical narratives, ArchDaily's diverse team of editors has been front and center, reacting to everything that has been happening. Always seeking "to empower everyone who makes architecture happen to create a better quality of life", the editorial content, generated across all sites, in our 4 languages, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese, provided tools, inspiration, and knowledge to widen horizons and help our users build a better future.