Notre Dame Cathedral reopened on December 7th, 2024, welcoming visitors for the first time since the 2019 fire. The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral was a massive undertaking, led by chief architect Philippe Villeneuve, assisted by Rémi Fromont and Pascal Prunet. The project involved approximately 2,000 craftspeople, 250 companies, and about $900 million, demonstrating the immense scale and complexity of the work on a tight deadline. Despite the major milestone of opening before the end of the year, the restoration works are not yet complete, as they are scheduled to continue through 2026.
In today's world of architecture and design, it's no longer enough to present clients with blueprints or plans — they want to visualize the final product before construction begins. This is where 3D visualization studios come into play. By offering photo-realistic renderings, virtual tours, and interactive configurators, these studios make it easier for architects to communicate their ideas and leave a lasting impression on their clients. With the help of these cutting-edge tools, architects can create stunning presentations that truly deliver the "wow" effect at every stage of the project. Here's how DEGO render studio deliver with their unique solutions.
A look at most of the cities within Latin America reveals striking commonalities across countries, from Mexico down to Argentina: most cities have a well-defined area known as "El Centro" (The Center), anchored by a main plaza (Plaza Mayor), flanked by a church on one side and key buildings like the city hall on another. This is no coincidence, as it can be traced back to an urban planning system established during the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries. It gave standardized guidelines for city design across its viceroyalties. Unlike French and English colonies, Spanish settlements adhered to regulations that contributed to the emergence of a shared urban identity, with cities displaying similar spatial logic and architectural cohesion despite differing scales and contexts.
Videos
The Cage – Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
The results are in, and FritsJurgens are excited to announce the winners of the Best Pivot Door Contest 2024. This year brought forth an exceptional selection of pivot doors, each representing cutting-edge innovation, sophisticated design, and meticulous craftsmanship from across the globe.
FritsJurgens' esteemed jury, composed of last year's winners, conducted a thorough evaluation to determine the best entries in each of the three categories: Best Exterior Pivot Door, Best Interior Pivot Door, and Best Specialty Application.
From November 20 to 23, São Paulo hosted the IV International Seminar on Favela Urbanization, bringing together discussions that bridged theory and practice to address interventions in these territories. Centered on Brazil’s realities, the seminar shed light on the political challenges and the struggle to recognize the potential of peripheral spaces. It also highlighted a shared issue across Latin America: the need for adequate funding to support transformative actions and the legitimization of these territories. Within this framework, the article underscores the critical role of high-quality public facilities in favelas and peripheral neighborhoods. These spaces not only provide access to opportunities but also foster community bonds, serving as essential hubs for social organization and collective efforts toward building a more inclusive future.
Tree House. Image: Courtesy of Fletcher Crane Architects
The first light switch has come a long way since its invention in 1884 by John Henry Holmes in Newcastle, England. Holmes' ingenious 'quick-break technology' transformed the way electricity was managed, ensuring safer and more efficient lighting control. Since then, switches evolved in both form and function, embracing diverse designs—from toggles and rockers to the LED-illuminated models and sleek touch sensors. The function of the switch has also broadened, allowing us to operate more than just light at our fingertips, revolutionizing the convenience of shaping our interior environments.
The European Cultural Centre (ECC) has unveiled the forthcoming chapter of its acclaimed Time Space Existence exhibition. Marking its seventh edition, this celebrated biennial architecture will once again transform Venice into a global hub of architectural innovation. From 10 May to 23 November, 2025, the iconic venues of Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and Marinaressa Gardens will serve as vibrant stages for a kaleidoscope of ideas and visions redefining the built environment community.
Sheikh Zayed National Museum / Foster + Partners. Image Courtesy of Foster + Partners
As 2024 comes to an end, the architectural world looks ahead to 2025, a year set to unveil transformative projects across the globe. From cultural landmarks in Asia, such as Sou Fujimoto's "Grand Ring" for Expo 2025 Osaka and MAD Architects' Hainan Science Museum in China, to dynamic urban developments like OMA's Harajuku Quest in Tokyo and David Chipperfield's Elbtower in Hamburg, these projects reflect a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and preserving cultural heritage.
In North America, Studio Gang's Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles highlight architecture's role in fostering community connections. Meanwhile, Europe anticipates Shigeru Ban's hybrid residential tower in Antwerp and Kengo Kuma's Visitor Center at Albania's Butrint National Park, showcasing the intersection of contemporary design and local context. As these projects take shape, they offer a glimpse into architecture's power to redefine spaces and inspire communities.
From the Colosseum's vast arches to the Pantheon's perfect dome, Roman architecture fused engineering precision with expressive form. These buildings reshaped the urban life of antiquity but also left traces that continue to guide contemporary design. Yet much of the knowledge behind their construction has been lost or obscured over time, like the geometry, the proportions, and methods. Today, new technologies are helping to recover that hidden layer of architectural intelligence, offering fresh perspectives on how Romans built with such ingenuity.
As, one by one, the African nations gained their independence in the middle of the twentieth century, building programs were central to the process of nation-building. In several of those countries, this included the construction of the state's institutions such as their respective national assembly. These buildings not only facilitate the legislative process but also symbolize the new nation's governance, identity, and aspirations. The period of independence movements also coincided with the introduction of the Modern Movement across the continent, which was associated with progress and a break from the colonial past. Across Africa, some national assemblies were constructed early and were part of the nationalization process that preceded independence, while some were constructed long after.
In today's rapidly changing professional landscape, the office is no longer a static environment. As companies continue to embrace hybrid working models and flexible teams, the need for adaptable, people-centric workspaces has never been greater. In collaboration with Foster + Partners Industrial Design, UniFor has responded to this shift with the XYZ collection, a suite of modular, versatile furniture designed to meet the dynamic needs of contemporary workplaces.
The collection features three key products: the X Shelving System, the Y Table, and the Z Desk—each designed to support a range of working styles while maintaining a harmonious visual language.
India's global identity has developed alongside its aspirations for a unique architectural future. Over time, the country's architectural landscape has evolved from vernacular traditions to foreign influences, from post-colonial revivals to modern digital expressions. Computational design has played an influential role in shaping contemporary styles, empowering homegrown architectural firms to experiment with form and structure.
Bali might most commonly be associated with its beaches and leisure sector. Rightfully so, since the Indonesian province received more than 2.9 tourists this year alone. Along with the temporary visitors, Bali also houses some longer-term inhabitants and digital nomads, which contributed to its fast population increase. This has naturally affected its urban density and its need for additional accommodation and services, offering opportunities for some creative architecture and materials exploration.
This often appears through the many bamboo-built projects, with the island being the stage for some of the oldest and most intricate bamboo vernacular construction. This knowledge can be transmitted to willing architects and professionals from all around the globe who seek to understand how this versatile material can be applied in their own countries. Many renowned global and local practices, such as IBUKU, and Bamboo U, have championed this ecologically aware architecture through their projects, which are always focused on nature preservation and the revival/ optimization of traditional building techniques.
There are many advantages to incorporating interior courtyards in residential projects, both in urban contexts and in more natural surroundings. In both cases, they are a key element in improving the quality of the home's interior space in various ways. Whether in the form of a central cloister, side courtyards, or through perforated slabs and the addition of skylights, these spaces play a vital role in creating a harmonious living environment, offering benefits ranging from the regulation of interior temperature to enhancing social interactions and fostering a close connection with nature.
Bali, often called the "Island of the Gods," is known for its unique harmony between the microcosm of human life and the macrocosm of the natural environment. This delicate balance is deeply embedded in its traditional architecture, which reflects a synergy between cultural, religious, and environmental elements. Home to approximately four million people, Bali is Indonesia's only Hindu-majority province. While 1.7% of Indonesia's total population practices Hinduism, 87% of Bali's residents follow the faith. Over centuries, Balinese architecture has evolved through influences from the ancient Bali Aga culture, the Majapahit Kingdom, Dutch colonization, migration, and the rise of global tourism. Visitors are captivated not only by its temples and natural beauty but also by its evolving architectural styles, which strive to preserve the island's cultural essence.
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.
Situated along the River Mur in the Lend district, the Kunsthaus challenges traditional architectural norms with its organic, free-flowing design. Rejecting orthogonal geometry, the museum seamlessly merges art, architecture, and public interaction, redefining the concept of a cultural institution. Its impact extends beyond aesthetics, sparking urban revitalization in a once-overlooked neighborhood, and bringing cultural vibrancy and economic activity.
Residential architecture within natural settings presents a distinct departure from urban design. Unlike the densely populated, man-made environments of cities, the context shifts to a pre-existing, often subdued, natural landscape. This necessitates a more responsive and integrated approach, prioritizing harmony with the environment rather than dominance over it. Exploration of conceptual projects in this realm can help foster a deeper understanding of sustainable building practices, material selection appropriate to the ecological context, and the sensitive integration of human habitation into pre-existing ecosystems.
Each month, ArchDaily's editors select a collection of conceptual projects centered around a theme or program, submitted to ArchDaily. These projects are developed by small and large-scale architecture offices from around the world and submitted openly to the ArchDaily platform, thus forming a worldwide community of practitioners sharing their work, be it purely conceptual, a competition entry, or an early-stage design phase. Submissions are open to everybody. If you wish to contribute, send in your work by following the instructions here.
