Architecture News

The Gustavo Capanema Palace, located in Rio de Janeiro and recognized as a benchmark for Brazilian architecture and arts, is scheduled to reopen to the public in 2024. On the 15th of this month, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) presented a new proposal for the building's use. From the ground floor to the rooftop terrace, the building will be transformed into a series of spaces dedicated to exhibitions on art and the formation of Brazilian society, while also hosting administrative operations for agencies linked to the Ministry of Culture.

Spanning a 12-hectare site, the Innovation Park (Parque de la Innovación) located in the Núñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires recently inaugurated its public areas, opening free access to a project that integrates businesses, universities, scientific institutions, housing, service areas, and gathering spaces. Aiming to develop an innovation ecosystem, the development is expected to house around 6,000 residents and accommodate approximately 18,000 students.

Four years after receiving the archive of Espírito Santo-born architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Portugal's Casa da Arquitectura is opening two exhibitions dedicated to the Brazilian winner of the Pritzker Prize (2006) and the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale (2016). The larger of the two, featuring 138 original drawings, dozens of photographs, and other documents, is dedicated to the architect's built work and seeks to expand the notion of geography that runs through Mendes da Rocha's production.

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The Association of Young Architects of Catalonia (AJAC) of the Architects' Association of Catalonia (COAC) has announced the 22 selected projects in the 13th edition of the AJAC Awards—a recognition for young architects under the age of 40.

The headquarters of the College of Dentists of the Province of Santa Fe is located in the city's macrocenter, a metropolitan urban area rich in cultural and heritage buildings. By incorporating concepts of innovation, sustainability, functionality, flexibility, and technical and economic feasibility, the project aimed to foster integration between the public sector and the association's administrative activities through a flexible design capable of adapting its functional layout.

The firms Effect Arquitetura, from Brazil, and Ben-Avid, from Argentina, have partnered to design a multi-sport and events arena with a capacity of approximately 3,000 spectators. The building was designed to serve as the main venue for the 2021 Central American Games in Santa Tecla, El Salvador.

Located on a plot of land approximately 260 meters long by 60 meters wide, the building is bordered by a creek, a main avenue connecting it to the rest of the city, and a small local street. The topography features three stepped levels, sloping down toward the rear of the site along the avenue.

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The XVI Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (BEAU) has presented the 50 finalist proposals from its ‘Works’ call. Organized by the MITMA through the Directorate-General for Urban Agenda and Architecture, in collaboration with CSCAE and Fundación Arquia, the upcoming event seeks to reflect on how architecture can transform the future under the theme ‘Me–dio Pla–zo’ (Medium Term).

Researchers from the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island have published a study showing that New York City is sinking under the weight of its countless, massive buildings. The skyscraper density of the Big Apple is increasing the risk of flooding in the city.

In addition to flooding and sea level rise driven by climate change, the risk for New Yorkers is growing because the city is sinking by an average of 1 to 2 millimeters per year, with some areas sinking at twice that rate.

The upcoming TAC! Urban Architecture Festival announced that the two winning projects of its ideas competition are "Mediterráneo" by Manuel Bouzas and "Lost Forest" by Julia Ruiz-Cabello Subiela and Santiago Del Águila.

With the goal of constructing a dynamic and participatory space, the Government of the Province of Neuquén aimed to create a new metropolitan facility, seeking to promote the creation, training, and dissemination of the province's cultural scene, while also establishing itself as a productive platform for the region, as well as nationally and internationally. Bares-Bares-Bares-Schnack: Estudio de Arquitectura, Poggi-Schmit Arquitectura, and Franklin Consultora worked together to envision a spatial, architectural, and landscape model through a contemporary building that represents the aesthetic and technological criteria of the spirit of an era.

Ecuadorian firm Uribe Schwarzkopf has unveiled plans for a mixed-use project set to redefine the skyline of Guayaquil. Located in the Puerto Santa Ana neighborhood, the new YOO GYE project aims to deliver residential and commercial spaces through a design shaped by the local environment. Its interiors are designed by YOO Inspired by Starck, under the creative direction of Philippe Starck himself.

In Brazil, over 80% of the population lives in urban areas, and walking is the primary mode of transportation in cities, accounting for 39% of daily trips, according to the ANTP (National Association of Public Transport). If we consider that public transit trips start and end on foot, walking is involved in about 67% of daily journeys. Since walking is already the reality for Brazilians, what is missing? Improving urban infrastructure to make cities more "walkable."

The nine winning projects of the second edition of the ARQUITECTURA Awards, organized by the Superior Council of Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE), have been announced. Showcasing fundamental values of architecture and urbanism—such as social responsibility, cultural preservation, and environmental sustainability—the awards received a total of 429 submissions. In the first stage, the Official Colleges of Architects and Regional Councils selected 177 proposals, which were narrowed down to just 21 finalists.

To help celebrate World Bicycle Day on June 3, ten cities worldwide received a major boost: they were selected to receive key support for building innovative cycling infrastructure and sustainable mobility options for their residents. The Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative is called BICI, short for the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure.

Fortaleza, Brazil, will receive a special prize of US$1 million. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Bogotá, Colombia; Lisbon, Portugal; Milan, Italy; Mombasa, Kenya; Pimpri-Chinchwad, India; Quelimane, Mozambique; Tirana, Albania; and Wellington, New Zealand, will each receive US$400,000 in funding.

The Municipality of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca commissioned the Catamarca Union of Architects to organize the National Preliminary Draft Ideas Competition for the Southern Environmental Park, aiming to gather innovative ideas to create the province's first carbon-neutral urban park.

The 35th Bienal de São Paulo – choreographies of the impossible, organized by the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo and curated by Diane Lima, Grada Kilomba, Hélio Menezes, and Manuel Borja-Villel, presents the complete list of participating artists and collectives. The exhibition design for this edition is by the São Paulo-based office Vão.

The announced list consolidates the extensive research carried out by the curators into urgent issues of the contemporary world, revealing a diversity of forms, movements, and interpretations under the theme "choreographies of the impossible." Featuring 120 confirmed names, the list embraces voices from the diasporas and indigenous peoples, fostering a broader local and international dialogue.

As part of the collateral events of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Creative Europe and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the winners of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Awards 2023 in the Young Talent category. Alongside a series of debates, the awards ceremony took place at Palazzo Michiel in Venice.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released a new edition of its Global Liveability Index, announcing the world's most liveable cities in 2023. Vienna has topped the ranking in four of the last five years, thanks to its stability, cultural richness, entertainment options, and reliable infrastructure. Copenhagen, Denmark, held onto second place, while Melbourne and Sydney took third and fourth, respectively. These cities were regular fixtures at the top of the list prior to the pandemic.

What is the situation in Latin America? Buenos Aires once again emerged as the top Latin American city to live in. Santiago, Chile, reclaimed the second-place spot it held before the social unrest, while Montevideo, Uruguay, ranked third. San Juan, Puerto Rico, followed closely with a very strong score. Conversely, Caracas in Venezuela, Aguascalientes in Mexico, and Guatemala City were among the lowest-rated in the region.