Produce personalized presentation boards that distill complex concepts into simple visual representations with a few helpful tools and effects.

The Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, created in 2006 by architect and scholar Jana Revedin, annually recognizes five architects—or offices—from around the world whose practices are grounded in the principles of sustainable development, participatory design, and a community-oriented approach. This recognition aligns with the global urgency surrounding today's pressing issues—the ecological and climate crises, as well as social, cultural, and economic challenges. Acknowledging architecture's critical role in shaping the built environment, the award seeks to highlight the work of creators who address these challenges with innovative and creative solutions.

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Hotels are increasingly being designed as more than just places for accommodation. As expectations around travel shift, architects are approaching hospitality projects as opportunities to explore ideas of context, experience, and identity. Whether integrated into remote landscapes or inserted into dense urban environments, these proposals examine how architecture can shape the guest experience through spatial organization, material selection, and connection to place. The hotel becomes a framework not only for rest, but for interaction with the surroundings, with others, and with the design itself.

Each month, ArchDaily's editors curate a selection of unbuilt projects around a shared typology or theme. Submitted by firms of all scales from around the world, these proposals represent the diversity of approaches within our global architecture community. This month's selection focuses on hotels, ranging from the sculptural Pistachio Villas in Ubud to the modular Dubai Edition Hotel and the vineyard-rooted Terra Dionysia in Santorini. Together, they reflect a wide spectrum of architectural thinking around hospitality, from landscape integration and cultural references to questions of density and public space. Submissions are open to everyone.

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Buildner is pleased to announce the results of its third annual Architect's Chair Competition, which received excellent ideas from around the globe. Buildner has published two books on the topic, highlighting key ideas and outstanding projects from its past editions. With registration now open, we invite you to share your vision of the ideal chair by September 18th—submit your entry here.

Chair design exemplifies the interdisciplinary nature of architecture, showcasing architects' ability to adapt skills and sensibilities across scales and contexts, blurring the lines between architecture, design, and art. This versatility empowers architects to explore new ideas and challenge conventional notions of chair aesthetics, materials, and technology.

Heritage restoration has always been an intricate process that requires delicate balancing between preserving the integrity of historic materials while integrating contemporary techniques that can enhance accuracy, efficiency, and resilience. With the restoration process of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada's capital city, this intersection of tradition and technology is now on full display. The East Block, built in 1865, offers a compelling example of how digital tools can support the efforts of heritage restoration and contribute to a centuries-old craft such as stone carving.

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For decades, technological evolution was driven by the exponential growth in computer processing power—a trend famously predicted by Moore’s Law. From rudimentary mechanical devices to highly sophisticated microprocessors, this trajectory fueled the miniaturization and popularization of personal computers, laptops, and smartphones. Now, with the advent of quantum computing, a new leap is on the horizon. Unlike classical bits, which represent only one value at a time—either 0 or 1—qubits can simultaneously represent a combination of both states. This means that while a traditional computer tests one possibility at a time, a quantum computer can explore many at once, dramatically accelerating the resolution of complex problems. Molecular simulations, logistical optimizations, and advances in cryptography are just a few of the areas transformed by this new frontier.

In the construction industry—a sector historically resistant to abrupt changes—the evolution of materials also has its breakthrough moments. From carved stone to reinforced concrete, from raw timber to high-performance composites, each new material has expanded the structural, aesthetic, and functional boundaries of architecture. In recent years, however, researchers have been testing a new generation of materials that transcend the traditional idea of passivity. These are intelligent materials, capable of sensing, reacting to, and even interacting with their environment and users, challenging the very concept of inert matter.

The Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities blends hands-on experience with academic insights from the Norman Foster Foundation's global network of experts. Co-directed by Norman Foster, President of the Foundation, and Professor Kent Larson, Director of the City Science Group at MIT Media Lab, the programme places students at the forefront of urban innovation. Each year, students immerse themselves in three pilot cities, engaging directly with local planners and managers to address urgent urban challenges.

Following the success of this year's pilot cities in Africa, the 2026 edition of the programme expands its geographical horizons to span three continents: Asia, Europe and Latin America. The pilot cities will be announced in the upcoming months.

In recent weeks, cities around the world have introduced new policies, recovery efforts, and infrastructure projects that reflect growing pressure to adapt to climate realities. From Southern Europe to South America and the United States, these urban updates address both immediate challenges and long-term shifts in how the built environment is governed, designed, and inhabited. Some initiatives focus on regulation, tightening building codes in fire-prone areas or reforming aging safety systems, while others spotlight large-scale investments tied to global events such as COP30 and the Venice Architecture Biennale. This edition of Architecture Now gathers a selection of city-led actions and collaborative efforts that point toward a more resilient, responsive future for architecture and urban life.

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In the past, AI-generated images often resembled psychedelic experiences—filled with strange, sometimes unsettling colors and forms. But recent advancements in artificial intelligence have transformed that landscape. Today, we are surrounded by images whose origins are often unknown. From playful mashups to portraits turned into works of art, it's undeniable that Artificial Inteligence has become a lasting part in our visual landscape. As Yuval Noah Harari noted in a 2023 interview with The Economist, "AI has gained some remarkable abilities to manipulate and generate language — whether through words, sounds, or images. It has, in effect, hacked the operating system of our civilization."

Architecture, naturally, has not been immune to this. Prompt-based image generators have flooded the virtual environment with renderings that span from surreal to hyper-realistic: futuristic cities, organic skyscrapers, and utopian cabins perched on idyllic cliffs. Most of these are created with general-purpose tools that prioritize visual novelty over design logic. But not all platforms follow this path. Gendo, for instance, was built specifically for architects and designers — offering finer control over parameters like scale, material, and spatial intent. Its goal isn't just to generate images, but to support design thinking. Still, these more intentional tools remain exceptions in a broader sea of generic, decontextualized imagery.

Buildner, in partnership with Collective Action for Culture (C.A.C), the Municipality of Peja, and the Ministry of Culture of Kosovo, has released the results of the Peja Culture Pavilion competition – an international architecture competition inviting architects and designers to reimagine a historically significant site in the heart of Peja, Kosovo.

The competition sought innovative and respectful design proposals that would revitalize a neglected urban square centered around a 15th-century water fountain. Entrants were asked to integrate this cultural heritage element into a multifunctional pavilion that could serve as a space for performance, reflection, gathering, and celebration.

What is the meaning of architectural space if it is not used and enjoyed? This big picture question drills down to the essential purpose and sustainability of building architecture in the first place. It's a question that is perhaps most relevant today for offices that risk lying empty in an era of remote and hybrid work. An important challenge for design today is therefore to enhance the workplace environment to encourage attendance.