For decades, the history of Brazilian architecture has crowned male figures as its primary representatives. In recent years, however, we have seen a growing body of work dedicated to identifying female figures in this field. “Where are the women in the history of architecture in Brazil?” was, and still is, one of the questions most frequently encountered by architectural and urban historians. Often, the answer points to Lina Bo Bardi and Carmen Portinho—fundamental references, to be sure, but we might still wonder: how many other figures built their careers in this field?
Ever since Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg renamed his company and announced a larger investment in the so-called “metaverse,” searches for the term have surged considerably. And while it is not a new concept, the technological topics surrounding the subject have exploded in recent years.
Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and the overall creation of a virtual economy help illustrate how the metaverse is cementing its place in our daily lives. Yet, the opportunities extend far beyond financial shifts: the metaverse is also proving to be an important space for engineers and architects alike.
weico is a high-profile, emerging design practice founded by a group of highly experienced architects. Its scope of work encompasses architectural design, interior design, urban planning, project programming, and engineering consultancy, with a particular focus on the cross-disciplinary integration of design with technology, industry, economics, and the humanities. Led by principal architect Sun Wei (former partner of HENN China), weico, within less than a year of its inception, has secured and undertaken projects including the T3 Headquarters, Hengli International Headquarters, Hongqi High-End Customization Center, and the Phase II consultancy for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). It has also been shortlisted for the CGN Scientific Research Base and the Bay Area University projects, garnering significant attention within the domestic industry.
Damage caused to buildings by Hurricane Irma in Nanny Cay, on the British Virgin Island of Tortola. The Caribbean island suffered widespread damage and destruction from the passage of Irma in 2017. Photo: Russell Watkins/DFID
The planet is already 1.1°C warmer due to human-induced climate change, and millions of people are already facing the very real consequences of rising temperatures, sea level rise, more severe storms, and increasingly unpredictable rainfall. Rapidly reducing emissions is essential to limit temperature rise and ensure a safer future for everyone. Equally critical are investments to protect communities from the increasingly severe impacts that will continue to worsen over time.
https://www.archdaily.com/1132020/what-is-loss-and-damage-from-climate-changePreety Bhandari, Nathaniel Warszawski, Deirdre Cogan e Rhys Gerholdt
To mark the tenth anniversary of ArchDaily Mexico, Rojkind Arquitectos + Think Parametric designed an installation for the celebration held at the LAGO/ALGO Cultural Center. Located in the Second Section of Chapultepec Forest, the 810-hectare urban park is divided into four zones and home to some of Mexico's most prominent tourist landmarks.
GLA Design was founded in 2010 and holds a Class-A qualification in architectural engineering approved by the Ministry of Construction. Over years of development, the firm has established a diverse team of professional designers. Upholding an unwavering commitment to "the ultimate pursuit of architectural quality," GLA emphasizes full-process involvement and control over its projects. Using high-quality, highly resolved design works as its benchmark, the firm rigorously controls every design detail.
Inspired by the waters of Brazilian rivers and mangroves, the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai invites visitors to an interactive experience immersed in an atmosphere of sounds, projections, temperatures, and textures that evoke Brazilian landscapes. Designed by architecture firms JPG.ARQ, MMBB Arquitetos, and Ben-Avid, and curated by Guilherme Wisnik and Alexandre Benoit, the project won the 2018 competition to represent the country at the event, which runs through March 2022.
The artistic work of the prominent Chilean architect Alberto Cruz (1917–2013), recipient of the National Architecture Prize in 1975, will be exhibited at the AA Gallery of the London-based Architectural Association. The exhibition will run from November 11 to December 10, 2022, and will showcase the graphic work of the architect and academic under the title “Observation, Act, and Form.”
Chilean valleys and their development around winemaking are a cultural heritage that currently lacks recognition, according to Pablo Lacoste, the historian leading the initiative to highlight the heritage dimension of Chile's vineyards and designate them as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Recife, Pernambuco. Image: Paulo Lopes/Prefeitura do Recife
An increasing number of people live in urban areas. UN-Habitat's World Cities Report 2022 reveals that this share rose from 25% in 1950 to over 50% in 2020, with projections indicating it will reach 58% over the next five decades. The survey also indicates that by 2070, the number of municipalities in low-income countries will increase by 76%, while in high- and lower-middle-income nations, this growth will hover around 20%. Furthermore, the study notes that this scenario highlights the urgent need for cities to be designed and managed so that future growth does not overwhelm existing infrastructure, open spaces, and services—which would lead to unsustainable sprawl.
https://www.archdaily.com/1132378/what-is-urban-density-and-what-are-its-advantages-and-disadvantagesSomos Cidade
Escola da Cidade, through the Geography, City, and Architecture course of its Graduate Program, hosted architect Camilo Restrepo as a guest speaker to discuss how academic interests continue to drive professional development. During the lecture, in addressing the relationship between territory and design, Restrepo pointed to the Cordillera not as a border but as a compelling condition for architecture in the Tropics, where spatial relationships are almost never horizontal or limited to the floor plan.
https://www.archdaily.com/1132283/camilo-restrepo-the-most-interesting-thing-about-the-architecture-of-the-tropics-is-the-section-not-the-planEscola da Cidade
Active design and speed reduction have been transforming cities that adopt this urban planning strategy into safer, higher-quality spaces for people to walk, cycle, practice outdoor sports, and enjoy themselves.
By designing infrastructure that encourages residents of all ages to lead healthier lives, changing how they move around and experience public spaces, active cities positively impact the physical and mental health of the population, increase the appeal of these places and their economic vitality, and reduce environmental and noise pollution.
https://www.archdaily.com/1132287/low-speed-zones-make-the-city-more-active-and-saferSomos Cidade
As another year comes to a close, the ArchDaily team gathers the highlights of architecture in a series of retrospectives reflecting on the content featured over the past twelve months. As part of this effort, our curation team turns its attention to one of the most popular categories among our readers, residential architecture, selecting the projects that represent the best of a vast global architectural production, as seen through the eyes of our audience.
On August 28, the Inaugural Assembly of the Performing Arts Venue Design Branch of the China Association of Performing Arts Equipment Technology and the First China Performing Arts Venue Design Summit Forum were held in Beijing. Co-organized by the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University Co., Ltd. (THAD), the newly established branch is dedicated to fostering the integration of the cultural tourism, performing arts, and architectural design industries. By driving scientific planning, optimizing theater technology, and expanding multifunctional capabilities, the branch aims to enhance the design, construction, and operational quality of performing arts venues across China, contributing to the industry's advancement.
The decentralization process currently underway in Chile represents one of the major social and structural transformations of the political system in a country historically characterized by a highly centralized culture. In May 2021, with the democratic election of Regional Governors, Chile took a major step toward this goal; true decentralization, after all, occurs when decision-making capacity is transferred to local territories, redistributing power from the central government to the regions.
To support a successful decentralization process and strengthen regional governments, the Territorial Human Well-Being Matrix (MBHT) was developed. Designed by the Center for Territorial Intelligence at the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez Design Lab (CIT.UAI.CL), the initiative is part of the “National Program for Strengthening Regional Capacities” carried out by the Undersecretariat of Regional and Administrative Development (Subdere).
This tool equips decision-making bodies with enhanced capabilities, allowing them to compare different areas, identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities to effectively implement solutions, and pinpoint the gaps and imbalances that need to be addressed.
https://www.archdaily.com/1132318/territorial-human-well-being-matrix-a-tool-to-improve-the-quality-of-lifeMarco Gatica M.
Videos
Even without speaking the same language, Zumthor and Cabral discovered they both like to begin a project with collaborative conversations. Courtesy of Gloria Cabral and Peter Zumthor/Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative
Gloria Cabral was born in the heart of São Paulo and grew up in Paraguay—where she studied at the Colégio Experimental Paraguai Brasil, designed by Affonso Eduardo Reidy. Since then, she has established herself as an architect whose practice transcends borders. With numerous international honors to her name and currently based in Guarda do Embaú, Santa Catarina, she has championed horizontal, collaborative processes that demonstrate the power of the collective in shaping the built environment.
It is well known that Australia's eucalyptus forests burn periodically. This is how the eucalyptus ensures its reproduction, as its woody fruits, known as gumnuts, feature an insulating layer that breaks open under the intense heat of a fire. Once opened, the seeds blanket the scorched soil, initiating the process of forest regeneration. Australian architect Glenn Murcutt has created a body of work deeply rooted in the country's landscape. He has designed houses engineered to withstand these frequent fires, incorporating elements that contain the flames and minimize damage. In short, these buildings are constructed from highly non-combustible materials and equipped with massive water reservoirs and a "soaking system" that allows the structure and its surroundings to survive a wildfire.
Founded in 2017, Studio 10 is an interdisciplinary design practice based in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. We are dedicated to providing highly customized, high-quality, boutique architectural, interior, product, and other creative design services. Our design and research span both the world's highest-density urban environments and low-density rural areas. As a multidisciplinary studio, we view architecture and space as the ultimate, omnipresent medium between people and their natural, social, and cultural environments. In our practice, architecture and space are not only shelters within the environment and media for perceiving our surroundings, but also catalysts and generators for rural and urban community revitalization and environmental improvement. Through constant reflection, we aim to leverage architecture and space to promote economic, cultural, and social progress, seeking an enduring balance and harmony between humanity and the environment.
To reconnect humanity with nature, we explore unorthodox treatments of form and materials in our designs, reflecting a desire to humanize architecture. By reintroducing pre-industrial and pre-digital craftsmanship into the design process, architecture and space become a hybrid of rationality and intuition. We also constantly explore recyclable, recycled, and repurposed natural and industrial materials, advocating for environmental awareness and sensitivity through their innovative and defamiliarized application.
“Libros Model” is presented in Barcelona's Plaza Reial, hosted by its curator, Ethel Baraona. Joined by Santiago Bogani, they speak with curious visitors who stop to ask about the wooden wall and table filled with architectural publications.
The installation features a selection of 90 books from various international publishers promoting and disseminating work and ideas within the architectural field—inviting reflection on the central theme of the Model. Barcelona Architectures Festival: Re-Grow.
As part of “Libros Model,” a network of bookstores and libraries across Barcelona will also present special collections reflecting on the five themes of this inaugural edition of the festival: Between-Classes, Between-Cultures, Between-Species, Between-Generations, and Between-Materials.
From 'A Bestiary of the Anthropocene' to 'Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra-Thin', the complete selection of books curated by Baraona is presented below.
Gira Esprit de linóleo multiplex en color marrón oscuro; interruptor pulsador Gira y base de enchufe SCHUKO en blanco brillante. Image Cortesía de GIRA
Turning a space's lights on or off is a routine part of daily life. This almost automatic action is made possible by a switch, a device designed to divert or interrupt the flow of electrical current. Given its essential role in everyday life, how can we combine a switch's functionality with aesthetic appeal?
Just as current design trends integrate exposed installations and services into interior design strategies, the new range of light switches combines functionality with an aesthetic diversity tailored to the personality of each space. Adapting to different styles relies on a combination of three factors: the choice of materials, colors, and formats. Below, we look at the available options using the GIRA catalog as a guide.
On October 19, the exhibition 'In Praise of Caves: Organic Architecture Projects from Mexico by Carlos Lazo, Mathias Goeritz, Juan O'Gorman, and Javier Senosiain' opened in New York, spanning multiple first-floor galleries at the Noguchi Museum. This space—conceived by the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, which was founded in 1985 by the category-defying artist Isamu Noguchi—brings together a selection of projects by these four artist-architects. The works explore the adaptation of natural structures to modern life, the practical and environmental benefits of subterranean living, and how humanity might reconnect with the essential joy of living in harmony with nature.
As part of the cultural agenda of LIGA, Espacio para arquitectura in Mexico City, the work of a Cuban architecture office is presented for the first time: Infraestudio. The studio, composed of Anadis González and Fernando Martirena, addresses various conflicts and challenges in their daily practice, including job precarity in a context where private architectural practice is illegal. Despite this obstacle, they have managed to develop a provocative body of built work, intertwining it with proposals linked to artistic practices.
Margarida Bonetti's abandoned mansion. In the background, the Louveira Building by João Batista Vilanova Artigas and Carlos Cascaldi is visible. Image: Courtesy. Image
On June 7, 2022, the podcast A Mulher da Casa Abandonada was released, telling the true story of a Brazilian aristocrat who fled trial in the United States in the 2000s. The show sparked widespread public fascination over the nearly two months during which the episodes were released. Among the elements that shape the narrative, the house and the neighborhood became key supporting characters in both the story and its reception, illustrating and laying bare how our society—and its territory—are shaped by structural racism.
“Domingos Libro” is presented by Carmelo of Enorme Studio, where he delves into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architectural magazines from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, which harbor the most fascinating backstories.
