Since pandemic-imposed restrictions have been lifted, Europe has experienced a surge in tourism, with millions of people visiting some of its most attractive destinations, such as Venice, Barcelona or Paris. The large number of visitors has proved to be a challenge for the cities, creating overcrowding and affecting the local population, urban development, and even the natural ecosystems surrounding the urban areas. In a bid to limit this influx, some of Europe’s most popular cities are taking various measures to address the overcrowding and the subsequent social and infrastructural issues. The measures include fines, entrance fees, and time-slot systems to impose some restrictions.
Paris: The Latest Architecture and News
European Cities Pass Regulations and Entrance Fees in Response to Tourist Overcrowding
How are Cities Adapting to Heatwaves in the Face of Climate Change
The climate crisis has made heatwaves more likely and more intense around the world. Record-breaking high temperatures are being reported across the world. According to international data, the first week of July 2023 was the hottest week on record, putting millions of people in danger. All throughout this summer, recurring heatwaves have been affecting large portions of Asia, Europe, and the United States, priming the land for fires in places like Greece, Spain, and Canada, triggering unhealthy air warnings, evacuations, and heat-related deaths. The increasingly threatening effects of the climate crisis are also felt in cities worldwide, as extreme heat proves to be a rapidly growing health risk to millions of urban dwellers.
Cities are on the front lines of this public health emergency. People living in urban areas are among the hardest hit when heatwaves happen, partly because of urban heat islands. This is a phenomenon that occurs when cities replace the natural land cover with dense concentrations of surfaces that absorb and retain heat, like pavements and buildings. Heat risk levels also vary by neighborhood, with less affluent and historically marginalized sectors being the most affected due to the density of the population, limited access to cooling systems, and the limited availability of green urban spaces.
Villette Apartment / miogui
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Architects: miogui
- Year: 2023
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Professionals: fc renovation
In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities
The architecture of Studio Muoto is one that encompasses endless definitions of what architecture should be, but most importantly, of what architecture can become. The scope of work of the Paris-based practice founded in 2003 by Gilles Delalex and Yves Moreau includes projects in the fields of architecture, exhibition design, urban planning, teaching, and research. All of this has led to an architecture of minimal structures that age gracefully, an architecture that evolves and adapts with time, and that is sustainable economically and environmentally.
What Is Eclectic Architecture?
Architectural styles have fallen out of favor throughout history. Generally, the peak of one movement means the decline of another. Over time, the situation may reverse, as in the case of postmodernism, which has divided opinions since its emergence, but experienced a revival in the first decades of the 2000s (or maybe not). Temporal distance contributes to the revision of certain styles' relevance and evaluation of their qualities - or problems.
Inner-City Schools Solving the Problems of Inner-City Architecture
I always consider myself fortunate to have grown up outside the city, where my ‘cross-country’ lessons, for example –national right of hardship for 11-16-year-olds– were through the actual countryside rather than the high street. For many children, however, modern school life is not so close to nature.
Already over-populated cities are continuing to expand, meaning more schools are suffering from the limitations presented by inner-city architecture including noise, air, and light pollution; a lack of space, especially green space; restrictive budgets and building regulations resistant to change.
With innovative and considered design solutions, however, these four inner-city schools show the rest of the class how to work through their architectural answers and provide quality, green spaces for all.
Paris Reimposes the Ban on Skyscrapers After Tour Triangle Controversy
The city of Paris has officially reinstated a rule that limits the height of new buildings in the French capital to 37 meters, or 12 storeys. Among the factors for the decision was the controversy surrounding the construction of the 180-meter-tall Tour Triangle, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, which began in 2021 after more than a decade of legal battles and backlash. The new urban planning regulation is introduced as part of Mayor Anne Hidalgo's Local Bioclimatic Urban Plan, which aims to reduce Paris' carbon emissions.
Vertbois Building / Moussafir Architectes + Inside Outside Architecture
- Area: 1134 m²
- Year: 2023
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Professionals: Malishev-Wilson
Super 18 Apartment / Hyper + Simon Henry
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Architects: Hyper, Simon Henry
- Area: 45 m²
- Year: 2022
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Manufacturers: JUNG, Scrigno, Silent Gliss
O6A LOT Housing / SAM architecture + Querkraft
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Architects: Querkraft, SAM architecture
- Area: 9554 m²
- Year: 2019
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Manufacturers: Jakob, Forbo Flooring Systems, CBS-CBT, Digitex, Lifteam, +1
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Professionals: Atelier Roberta, Karawitz
Maison de la Chine Dorms / Atelier FCJZ + Coldefy
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Architects: Atelier FCJZ, Coldefy
- Area: 8287 m²
- Year: 2023
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Professionals: AEDIS Ingénierie, S2T, Le Sommer Environnement, Base, Behal, +4
Exploring the Cultural and Political Implications of Brutalist Buildings in Modern Paris
Brutalist Paris by Nigel Green and Robin Wilson is a book that expands upon their previous collaborative effort, the Brutalist Paris Map (2017). The text's insightful critique and sharp photography provide a detailed examination of Brutalism's historical, political, and cultural significance, with a particular emphasis on its innovative communal design. Through a meticulous analysis of the public spaces of the selected buildings, including their orientation, materials, and facades, Green and Wilson revisit the movement's legacy and its contribution to the field of architecture.
Jeanne d’arc Nursery School / La Architectures + Atelier Desmichelle Architecture
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Architects: Atelier Desmichelle Architecture, La Architectures
- Area: 1753 m²
- Year: 2019
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Professionals: Gaujard Technologie, Mecobat, E² Ecallard (, CdB Acoustique
Student Residence in Paris / NZI Architectes
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Architects: NZI Architectes
- Area: 3600 m²
- Year: 2021
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Manufacturers: Sto, Kawneer, Sikkens
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Professionals: EVP, AGIRACOUSTIQUE, Moteec, Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France Habitat Social