In the 1956 competition to design the city of Brasilia, Lucio Costa's proposal differed significantly from his competitors'. In contrast with the detailed plans and well-designed perspectives of the other competitors, the winning proposal presented the minimum required by the tender: a drawing of the pilot plan and a report. In the report, a few simple drawings supported the text, demonstrating the architect's ability to synthesize ideas in a few lines.
Having the ability to express an idea through drawing facilitates the design process for an architect or designer, whether it is to develop the concepts, or even to represent the building. A good sketch should be easy to understand, even for those without technical knowledge, and provides a visual representation of the important elements of a project, such as spaces, dimensions, circulation and relationships between elements. Although most architects now master three-dimensional tools and hand sketches are no longer indispensable, there are tools that combine several new functionalities with the good old act of drawing.
There are several constructive technologies to configure the structural system of a building. From the 1960s onwards, the adoption of techniques that enabled the interaction between different materials became increasingly common, diversifying the design language and seeking the main advantages each element has to face certain situations. Over the years, some mix concrete, wood, stones or steel.
For the past year, I have been in conversation with architects and designers who are involved in the creation of immersive environments. They see themselves as naturally responsible for leading the construction of these environments, and this should serve as a reminder that architects have the potential to take on this role.
Despite how obvious it might sound, the metaverse has mostly been designed by developers and graphic designers, Therefore, it should work as a wake-up call for architects to be involved since they have skills particularly apt for it.
Whether the metaverse can be utilized as a narrative to claim a changing role for architects remains to be seen, but 2023 could be the year.
In 2018, the Roman neighborhood of San Lorenzo hit the headlines when a young girl was found dead in a derelict building. The media focused on the area’s decline, ignoring its long political and cultural history. Known as a “red” territory, San Lorenzo was one of the few districts to resist Mussolini’s 1922 March on Rome. Built in the late 19th century to house a working-class population of artisans as well as rail and factory workers, there’s a gritty feel to the neighborhood, defined by remnants of its industrial past and buildings that still bear the scars of Allied bombing in World War II. This small, centrally located neighborhood is wedged between Termini, the main train station, Verano, the monumental cemetery opened in 1812, and the Città Universitaria La Sapienza (La Sapienza University).
https://www.archdaily.com/997358/romes-possible-city-and-the-gentrification-battle-in-san-lorenzoMarina Engel
Artificial lighting offers a range of strategies for interior design. Widely used in commercial projects and restaurants as an aesthetic device to attract customers and to create environments that stimulate the senses, it can transform rooms and create cozy and well-lit places in residential projects.
In the contemporary context, as has been said a multitude of times, we seem to be living in what is classified as a digital age. A worldwide pandemic has enhanced the popularity of digital avenues to communicate — such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and the multiplatform messaging app WhatsApp is reported to have over 2 billion active users. From an environmental standpoint, we see the migration of businesses to the “cloud” heralded as a sustainability win. In simplified terms and to pick out a specific example, companies can refrain from storing data on external hard drives, opting instead to store their data on online file hosting services.
Form and function. Terms that accompany several definitions that belong to architecture, but more is needed to summarize the practice in 2023. Nowadays, building involves understanding the cycles of materials and how each action can be linked to the extraction of natural resources and their damage to the environment. We live in an urgent need to review the way we produce built space. In this search for models that move away from linear systems and provide a constant process of transformation and redistribution of matter, strategies arising from the circular economy emerge as a possible path. Its application in architectural heritage – for maintenance or restoration – can incentive the necessary changes toward a more sustainable society.
No topic permeates more areas of society today than concerns about the global climate in the coming decades. How extreme will it become and above all how can we adapt as quickly as possible to better cope with and manage the situation? Because one thing is certain: The last hundred years could be characterised with the words 'too much' – in relation to emissions, resource consumption and imbalance in nature. Driven by the internationally declared motivation to limit climate change, the industry is reacting with determination and recognising the crisis as an opportunity.
HeartFelt® Linear. Image Courtesy of Hunter Douglas & Inteco
Every day, architects and designers tackle an ambitious task: crafting spaces that not only captivate the eye but that also nurture the health and well-being of those who inhabit them. A key part of this mission involves implementing design strategies that foster a pleasant indoor climate, as temperature, humidity and air quality all have a significant impact on users’ mood, productivity and overall health. Humans simply operate better if they are comfortable and content in their home or working environment. Although air-conditioning, ventilation and heating systems have conventionally served as popular solutions to regulate indoor climate, they often carry with them undesirable consequences –the presence of dust and bacteria, the need for regular maintenance and a cluttered, unappealing look. There is, however, an alternative solution.
Better for sight, better for eyes, better for health, and better for moods, natural light is understandably the majority’s favored method of illumination, but it’s an uncontrollable resource. It can be increased with larger windows, open-plan interiors, and reflective or light-hued surfaces, but ultimately, when those cold winter nights draw in, the majority of our time is spent fumbling around in the dark.
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Well-thought-out lighting concepts can entirely transform an interior environment. This home in Japan, for example, highlights its architectural features with hidden lighting, bringing them to life at night, while this small-scale showroom cinema also uses indirect lighting strips to graphically define its interior.
The International Placemaking Week, presented by Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is an inspiring and engaging event designed as a global gathering of placemakers from different sectors to discuss thoughts and share strategies in order to push forward the concept of placemaking in the host city and on an international level. Previous editions took place in Vancouver in 2016, Amsterdam in 2017, and Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2019.
PPS, the nonprofit organization behind Placemaking Week, helps people create and sustain public spaces that build strong communities. In 1999, they elaborated “How to turn a place around”, a book that defined the placemaking movement, creating a guideline of 11 principles to follow in order to create vibrant community spaces.
If anyone can be said to know about the wishes and dreams of brides-to-be, surely it's those behind the creation of that mythical matrimonial object, the wedding dress. For more than 30 years, one of Sweden’s most famous fashion designers, Lars Wallin, has created dresses for women about to live, what is for many, the ultimate romantic experience. And with his design for a recently finished bridal suite at Gothenburg's SAS Radisson, Wallin has demonstrated not only his haute couture finesse in realising dreams of glamour and romance, but also an ability to seamlessly transfer his creative talents from the boutique to the bedroom.
Part two of "Stories of Lisbon's Light" takes place in Cascais, a vibrant seaside resort an hour away from Lisbon, hidden on the westernmost tip of the European continent. Right on the Riviera Portuguesa, architect Bruno Novo gave his modern, minimalist touch to a holiday villa where natural light plays the leading part. Focusing on natural elements and minimal touches that open up the spaces inside and outside, the house is made with a family holiday in mind.
Subject to the forces of capital, migrating populations, and political circumstances, our planet’s cities are constantly evolving. This continuous evolution is evident in the built fabric of settlements, as architects and planners build upon layers of the built environment, with some having the strenuous task of having to integrate the historic urban areas of cities successfully with contemporary architectural interventions and systems.
The cities of this category are frequently in an internal conflict — oftentimes having to grapple with the sometimes contradictory aims of both sustaining local populations and welcoming outside investment and national development projects.
Over time, the kitchen has ceased to be considered only as a workspace and became a meeting and leisure area. For many, it is the heart of the home. Therefore, it is necessary to design an ambiance that can help when preparing dishes and also bring comfort during a gathering with friends and family.
In urban centers, houses rarely have a large backyard to create a leisure or living area, that's why we have gathered some examples that have managed to occupy these areas, improving the connection between interior and exterior and enhancing their users' comfort.
Baseball Dream Park / HAEAHN Architecture, Inc.. Image Courtesy of HAEAHN Architecture
Sport plays an important role in the life of every city, yet the buildings housing these activities pose a particular set of challenges to the architects. Scale and dimensions need to be adapted to allow for unrestricted movement, heights are adjusted to the force of an athlete’s throw, and lighting, surface, and finishes require careful consideration. The matter becomes even more complex if these activities become the center of large-scale events. The flow of people becomes an integral part of the design, as different types of users require separate circulation paths.
This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights the design of sports centers submitted by the ArchDaily community. From a tennis stadium in Italy, to a yoga pavilion on the cliffs of Portugal, this selection features projects centered around movement, practicing, following, and enjoying sports, be it tennis, baseball, yoga or football. The article presents projects from various counties, such as South Korea, Canada, Portugal, and Argentina.
Airbnb has long been a reliable way to find a homestay. Since its inception in 2008, the site has hosted more than 7 million homes around the world where travelers can stay in a room, or rent an entire house out for themselves. Recently, many cities have been cracking down on short-term stays, citing safety issues, false listings, and rising property prices which push people out of their homes when housing becomes used just for Airbnb rentals. What are cities doing about these issues? What is Airbnb doing to help remediate them? And will Airbnb be viable for much longer?
