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On October 5, Design House opened in Mexico City. As in previous years, the event showcases a series of installations integrating disciplines like design, architecture, and interior design. For nine years, across various venues, it has presented cutting-edge proposals from more than one hundred participating firms in collaboration with the showrooms of the Design Route, which provide the furniture and accessories that make up each space.

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For the eighth time, the MEXTRÓPOLI Architecture and City Festival held the Arquine No. 23 | MEXTRÓPOLI 2021 Pavilion competition, a platform where architecture, urbanism, and art meet to reflect on and celebrate Mexico City. The event also aims to engage citizens by occupying public spaces with architectural interventions that can be activated by visitors. Celebrating public space and offering a fresh perspective on everyday pathways is precisely why MEXTRÓPOLI showcases these ephemeral works of architecture.

If you have ever had the chance to visit Pomaire, southwest of Santiago, Chile, you will have encountered a small artisanal town that dedicates much of its focus to greda (clay). In this very place, Domingo Arancibia was commissioned to design none other than the upcoming Pottery School. A sneak peek: this clay material will be one of the project's primary reference points.

On the 35th anniversary of the reconstruction of the German Pavilion in Barcelona, the Fundació Mies van der Rohe presents the publication "La expresión del peso" ("The Expression of Weight") by Luis Martínez Santa-María, a book that explores his own work "I don’t want to change the world. I only want to express it" and gathers several examples showing how architecture and art have wonderful ways of poetically subverting the relentless reality of the weight bearing down on them.

The three boutique firms hiring this week are international design teams: Beijing-based Shengzhe Design, Shenzhen-based Studio 10, and CLOU architects, renowned in the commercial sector. Active across diverse fields with distinct styles, they are looking for talented architects to join their teams.

The “Faro Verde” Provincial Ideas Competition, organized by the College of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires / District 8 (CAPBA) and promoted by BAHMS S.A. (a member of the Faro Verde Group), sought proposals for a new mixed-use building featuring housing, offices, retail, and parking in the city of Tandil, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

The jury awarded first prize to architects María Cristina Carasatorre and Luis Federico Risso, alongside collaborating architects Emilio Beilinson, Enrique Nakano, and Ms. María Sol Villaverde, with structural engineering consultation by engineer Alejandro Nico. Explore the project below.

On August 30 of this year, a new speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour came into effect in Paris, France. Making streets safer, quieter, and less polluted are among the measure's goals. While it may seem too slow to many, the initiative has been paved gradually. The 30 km/h limit already applied to about 60% of Paris and now extends to cover almost the entire city. In addition, Paris has been implementing measures to restrict car use on certain streets for several years, while simultaneously expanding pedestrian-only zones.

Shaped by the pandemic, how can we address a challenge as complex as the proper functioning of supply markets and street vending? We all know that, in one way or another, we need to reinvent them.

More than 20 spaces and buildings of high architectural, cultural, and heritage value will open their doors, allowing the public to rediscover the architecture and urbanism of Buenos Aires. In its ninth edition, this in-person festival will take place on December 4 and 5, offering unique tours with innovative and accessible activities for all.

Organized by the Association of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires (CAPBA) and promoted by the Ministry of Territorial Development and Habitat, the Casa Propia – PROCREAR II Housing Project Competition was launched with the goal of implementing an action plan to facilitate access to permanent housing. This initiative aims to improve the affordability of housing solutions for all social sectors in response to current demand in Argentina.

Fundación Mi Parque in collaboration with Transelec, has developed a manual focusing on the technical and landscaping aspects of pruning urban trees near power transmission lines. This task is identified as an opportunity to move toward building an integrated and sustainable city image.

The Albeida Tourism Complex, designed by architects Alfonso Salgado Suárez and Francisco Liñares Túñez, and the new Spatial Planning Guidelines of the Basque Country are the winning projects of the latest edition of the 2020 Architecture and Urbanism Awards, presented by the Superior Council of Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE).

The renowned Fritz Höger Award for Brick Architecture announced the winners of its 2020 edition, which recognizes architectural practices from around the world for their outstanding achievements in brick construction. With nearly 600 projects submitted once again and a strong international response, the competition—now in its fifth edition—is one of Germany's most important architecture awards.

The CAPBA Award in Argentina represents an opportunity to showcase the achievements and innovations of architects across their various professional fields. Works located both inside and outside the province of Buenos Aires, completed within the last 10 years, were eligible to enter. Organized by the Association of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires, the jury for each category evaluated the submissions and awarded first, second, and third prizes, along with several honorable mentions.

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As part of a new strategy to offer an alternative vacation dynamic, and after 14 months of operating in Valle de Bravo, State of Mexico, the company Wander has partnered with Mexican architect Michel Rojkind, Amasa Estudio, and TUUX to create a cabin model designed to help guests disconnect and reconnect with nature.

The Global Challenge has launched a call for entries for architectural initiatives with a high social impact. Finalists will have the opportunity to win an award and connect with A - D partners to bring their community projects to life.

Submit your proposal by July 25 at https://architectureindevelopment.org/

The European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention, organized by the COAC (Architects' Association of Catalonia) and AADIPA (Association of Architects for the Defense and Intervention in Architectural Heritage), has announced the shortlisted works in Category A (Intervention in built heritage) and Category B (Outer Spaces).

The finalists and winners will be announced on June 17 during the 5th International Biennial of Architectural Heritage Intervention.

Videos

Cars remain one of the primary modes of transportation and a major contributor to the climate crisis, as the vast majority consume fossil fuels and generate emissions—particularly carbon dioxide, which intensifies the greenhouse effect and, consequently, global warming. As such, World Car-Free Day is celebrated internationally on September 22 to encourage people to spend a day without their cars and reflect on car dependency. To offer new perspectives on this issue, we highlight the work of Latvian architect Oto Ozols, who envisions cities designed for people rather than cars through videos that demonstrate how public space can be improved from this perspective. 

ITTI | High Tech Institute aims to pioneer BIM specialization, providing the knowledge to manage projects through its renowned "Learning By Doing" methodology. Its training programs equip BIM managers with the necessary resources to address complex issues from an innovative and revolutionary perspective.

The Urban Renovation and Development Company (ERU) has published the terms of reference to move forward with the contracting process for the construction of the new administrative building for the Los Mártires Local Mayor's Office, located in the Voto Nacional neighborhood in Bogotá.

Located in the former heart of “El Bronx”—an area with approximately 100,000 residents—the proposal seeks to attract companies, consortiums, or builders with extensive experience in new construction. The new administrative building will benefit around 300 public servants while providing high-quality service to citizens in new, modern facilities. Designed by MC Arquitectos, the project also includes a plaza at the rear and already has detailed designs and construction permits in place.

The 13th São Paulo International Architecture Biennale and the Vitruvius portal have launched Preâmbulo, an open call for articles, essays, drawings, and projects reflecting on the central theme of the 13th Biennale—Reconstruction—and its five thematic axes: democracy, bodies, memory, information, and ecology. Submissions are open until June 30.

Conceived by IABsp, the 13th edition of the Biennale, scheduled for 2022, uses the idea of Reconstruction to spark debates addressing the challenges arising from the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It considers reflections and proposals pointing toward innovative social practices and urban-architectural arrangements, as well as the possibilities that emerge in this new scenario.

The Colombian plains city of Villavicencio ended the year with promising news. The new metropolitan park planned for its urban landscape is based on a proposal by Estudio Territorios, the winning entry in a competition commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Villavicencio and organized by the Colombian Society of Architects to create a metropolitan-scale green space for the region.

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In 2020, the amount of time we spent inside our own homes increased significantly, and these changes undoubtedly impacted how we experience residential space. Reevaluating the quality of these places became essential, adding an extra layer of complexity to apartment design. Ensuring comfort in every room, expanding the sense of space in small areas, or making the home more versatile are some of the challenges imposed and solved in various ways.

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Luis Antonio Moreno Aguayo—architect and co-founder of Taller Matatipac in Tepic, Nayarit—presents his project: the Bípeda chair, which uses experimentation to simplify concepts to their elemental roots, employing critique as a tool to fuel creativity.