“The Place of Sharing” is already taking shape on site. On the third day of work, foundations are being prepared and steel structures installed to support the Casa de Brincar e Não Só – Not Only a Playhouse, which is being built through August 10 at the Guarda Housing Complex (CHG) in Perafita, Matosinhos, Portugal. The initiative is part of the Self-Construction Laboratory organized by Casa da Arquitectura – Portuguese Center for Architecture.

Once again, anyone passing by the bustling Araújo Porto Alegre Street, on the corner of Graça Aranha Avenue in downtown Rio de Janeiro, will be able to marvel at the grandeur of the Gustavo Capanema Palace and understand why it is a Modernist icon, both for Brazil and the world. More than 70 years after the building’s inauguration in 1946, all the innovative design of its facades—introduced by the masters of architecture and art of the 1930s—has been fully restored and will be unveiled by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) on September 20.

After analyzing 94 projects by undergraduate students from 20 architecture schools across 8 regions of Chile, the jury of the 2018 Arquitectura Caliente Competition has announced the winning projects of its latest edition in the categories of Degree Project (formerly CNPT) and Undergraduate Coursework (formerly CNPP).

Organized by the Chilean group Grupo Arquitectura Caliente and funded by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage, the competition has highlighted projects from all over the country across various typologies, ranging from urban planning to student housing, landscape architecture, and structural emergency initiatives.

Discover the winning projects below:

“Other nights, like so many others, you bring color to the city, constantly turning a corner into a work of art, but it is a true artist sharing their vision,” sings Skool 77 in Color en la ciudad. Indeed, the graffiti route has become a major tourist attraction, helping to address various social issues in vulnerable areas of different Colombian cities and municipalities.

This initiative not only offers the opportunity to appreciate beautiful murals and innovative urban renewal projects but also seeks to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among the children, youth, and adults who create this street art. Through color, they are restoring hope to their communities, leaving differences behind and demonstrating that everyone is equal.

The 2018 International Housing Finance Summit, organized by INFONAVIT, brought together experts from various disciplines to discuss the future of cities and the lessons learned to date. Held on May 2 and 3 at the Camino Real in Polanco, the event hosted prominent figures who discussed urban transformation processes to evaluate urban models that could guide us toward a comprehensive master plan.

The event featured Shohei Shigematsu, a partner at OMA, a firm whose global projects have established it as one of the world's leading architecture practices. OMA operates within the traditional boundaries of architecture and urbanism and works in parallel with AMO, a research and design studio that applies architectural thinking to other domains. The firm is led by nine partners—Rem Koolhaas, Ellen van Loon, Reinier de Graaf, Shohei Shigematsu, Iyad Alsaka, David Gianotten, Chris van Duijn, Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, and Jason Long—and has offices in Rotterdam, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Doha, Dubai, and Perth.

Having recently turned 90, Paulo Mendes da Rocha remains active in the practice of architecture, and his ideas are as sharp as ever.

In an interview with El País, conducted by journalist Tom C. Avedaño, the architect revisits some of his works, reflects on the purpose of architecture, and speaks about "the day everything made sense."

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The “LA DOCE” court is a collaborative project, part of a network and a proposal for change born from the need to develop quality public spaces in marginalized areas of various cities worldwide. Soccer is one of the most beloved, widely played, and perhaps most followed sports globally. It is a way to connect with ourselves and others.

Participating, observing, and coming together are activities that allow us to look beyond the obvious and everything surrounding the sport; soccer thus emerges as a social construct, a pastime that fosters connection through play, an event that does not distinguish between social classes and grants those who take part in the moment the opportunity to unite as a team, to be part of something larger than themselves. 

The Instituto Superior de Arquitectura y Diseño (ISAD) in Chihuahua, Mexico, has announced the appointment of Julio Gaeta as its new Director, effective November 1 of this year.

Julio Gaeta, founder and principal of the firm Gaeta-Springall Arquitectos, has received international recognition through awards in national and international competitions. Among his most recognized and award-winning projects are the Cuernavaca Railway Linear Park, the Memorial to the Victims of Violence, the New Cathedral of Celaya, the Central Park of Distrito Tec de Monterrey, the Siroco and Mistral Towers, the 4 LCC Houses, and the GS House-Studio.

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Spanish architect Juan de Dios de la Hoz and his work reconstructing the historical heritage of Lorca (Murcia, Spain) following the May 2011 earthquake have been awarded the Rafael Manzano International Prize for New Traditional Architecture, endowed with €50,000.

The jury, comprising prestigious national and international architects, praised his mastery of traditional and historical techniques shown in many of his historic heritage interventions, particularly on those monuments requiring extensive reconstruction work.

Destroyed in September of this year by a major fire, the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro is one of the country's most important cultural institutions and an international research reference. A precious part of its collection was unfortunately destroyed by the flames; however, despite this immeasurable loss, the public can now visit some of the galleries through a 360-degree virtual tour released today by Google.

Conéntrico is an International Architecture and Design Festival that proposes reflecting on the city of Logroño (Spain) by revitalizing underutilized public spaces. Its latest edition, Conéntrico 04, takes place between April 27 and May 1, 2018, in Logroño's Historic Center. The festival invites visitors to explore the city through installations, exhibitions, meetings, activities, and performances that connect venues, squares, streets, courtyards, and hidden spaces that typically go unnoticed in daily life. Blurarquitectura intervenes in the Santiago Parish with a bench and a tree, offering a new perspective on the space.

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Interested in working in social housing? Until July 13, the CAU/SP will accept proposals for the development and implementation of projects supporting Technical Assistance for Social Interest Housing (ATHIS) through partnerships with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

The Council has allocated a total of R$ 803,900 to be distributed across two public calls. This represents a unique opportunity to develop initiatives aimed at improving the housing and quality of life for populations with monthly incomes under three minimum wages.  

The National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) is taking a major step to strengthen the preservation of the country's tangible cultural heritage, relying on the participation of society as a whole. Opening a direct channel with the public, the Public Consultation on the Tangible Heritage Policy has been available on the institution's website since March 1. The document consolidates principles, premises, objectives, procedures, and concepts for preserving Brazil's tangible cultural heritage, which have been shaped and modified over the decades.

The results of the Saint-Gobain Architecture Award – Sustainable Habitat have just been announced. The award is one of the most prestigious in the Brazilian construction industry, having recognized over 150 projects for excellence in comfort, innovation, and sustainability. A total of 25 awards were presented across the "Professional" and "Student" categories, in addition to highlights in "Comfort," "Innovation," and "Sustainability." The Best Project award of this edition was presented by Saint-Gobain's global CEO, Pierre-André de Chalendar, and awarded to the Children's Villages project by Rosenbaum® and Aleph Zero. Dal Pian Arquitetos, Vigliecca e Associados, and Estúdio 41 Arquitetura were highlighted in Comfort, Innovation, and Sustainability, respectively.

"The Award is already a benchmark in the Brazilian architecture market, having highlighted hundreds of projects by students and professionals who, in line with Saint-Gobain's values, promote sustainability and respect for the environment," said Thierry Fournier, CEO of Saint-Gobain for Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. "Through this award, we encourage the market to increasingly prioritize the concepts of comfort and people's well-being in buildings," the executive concluded.

Discover the winning projects of the 5th Saint-Gobain Architecture Award – Sustainable Habitat below:

Encouraging and valuing those who work to preserve the country's cultural heritage is also one of the core missions of the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan). With this in mind, one of Iphan's main initiatives to recognize efforts to preserve Brazilian Cultural Heritage is the Rodrigo Melo Franco de Andrade Award, which is now open for applications. Established in 1987 to recognize actions to protect, preserve, and promote Brazilian Cultural Heritage, the award is now in its 31st edition and was named in honor of the institution's first director.

Spanish architect Ángela García de Paredes, of the firm Paredes Pedrosa Arquitectos, has been shortlisted for the Women in Architecture 2018 award. Also nominated are Sandra Barclay of Barclay & Crousse (Peru), Biba Dow of Dow Jones (UK), and Stephanie Macdonald of 6a Architects (UK).

Created in partnership with The Architectural Review and The Architects’ Journal, the award aims to recognize and reward the work and designs of women architects worldwide, promoting role models who inspire other professionals.

Below are the projects for which these four architects are nominated for this prestigious award:

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What are the exact dimensions of the Royal Palace of Madrid? How many rooms does it have? How many doors and windows? These questions stem from a need for definitive answers. This is exactly what Patrimonio Nacional—the Spanish state institution responsible for managing and preserving its historic buildings—set out to do: create an accurate 3D model of the palace to produce a unified digital record of the building's interior and exterior.

Using Leica Geosystems technology, an "almost millimeter-accurate" model of its interior spaces, facades, and roofs was created, mapping every corner of the building's two basements and six floors—totaling approximately 137,500 square meters of built area that required more than 2,500 scans.

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On May 18, the Superior Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain presented the Spanish Architecture Awards (PAE) and Spanish Urbanism Awards (PUE), which were decided in October 2017. Along with the Gold Medal, both awards are among the most prestigious honors in the Spanish architecture sector. Through these accolades, the CSCAE recognizes architectural and urban excellence, as well as the determination and perseverance of institutions in promoting high-quality work despite the severe economic crisis of recent years.

The awards ceremony, attended by more than 400 people, was held at the recently opened Wanda Metropolitano stadium. Designed by Seville-based Cruz y Ortiz Architects, the venue served as the home of architecture and Spanish architects for the evening.

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Three architecture projects are among the 104 winners of the 2019 competition of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Dirac) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chile.

Now in its ninth year, the call aims to promote the internationalization of Chilean artists and creators across a wide range of artistic disciplines. "Our mission is to strengthen and support Chile's foreign policy and our embassies and missions through high-quality artistic projects that foster the participation of our creators and artists," said Maritza Parada, Director of Cultural Affairs.

Founded in 1895 as an international art exhibition, the Venice Biennale is currently one of the most prestigious cultural events, aiming to promote contemporary art through events and exhibitions across various disciplines, including visual arts, cinema, dance, music, and theater. The International Art Exhibition and the International Architecture Exhibition alternate every two years. Since 1998, these exhibitions have been organized around three main pillars:

Around 90 countries participate in this exhibition with national pavilions displaying each nation's most outstanding works. The Biennale presents awards in the following categories:

Cube Design has won the international design competition for the Dalang Sports Center and Culture and Art Center, securing the first-place bid. The winning proposal focuses on the relationship between architecture and the city, exploring everyday user scenarios to create a public space integrated into community life. With a clear strategy and a clean, concise design language, the scheme successfully balances the building's various urban interfaces while organizing and distributing diverse public activity areas under high-density requirements. Spanning an area of 58,500 square meters, the project is set to become an influential civic hub and landmark in Shenzhen's Longhua District, representing a key cultural milestone for the area.

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A field is a mapping from one vector to another; some experts believe that momentum should exist within the field. The architectural field, however, represents the holistic concept of architecture. Architecture exists within the field, which serves as the map, result, and answer for the exchange, dialogue, and intertextuality between interior and exterior spaces. Burdened by material things and troubled by emotions, yet integrated with the physical world, it ultimately achieves its own depth.

On the afternoon of December 14, 2018, a forum titled ‘Creating the Field: Villa District · Art · Design’ was held with great enthusiasm at the Beijing Youan Mansion Sales Center. Co-hosted by Youan Mansion and Designwire, the event invited the project's lead designers to explore the “field” created by Youan Mansion. Starting from the villa-centric nature of the project and extending to the dimensions of art and lifestyle, the panel discussed the relationships between theory and design, philosophy and aesthetics.

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This week, the latest edition of Concéntrico, the Logroño Architecture and Design Festival in Spain, came to a close. For the second consecutive year, we have participated in this initiative, which invites residents and visitors to discover and rediscover spaces of interest in the city's historic center. Over five days, a series of temporary installations by creators from around the world became resting places for pilgrims, urban stages for enjoying a glass of wine, and adventure playgrounds for local children.