The team led by Cristóbal Tirado and Sebastián Hernández won first place in the public competition for the design of the First Fire Company Station of Coyhaique, located in the Aysén Region, Chile. Launched by the Aysén Directorate of Architecture of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) in conjunction with the Regional Government, the competition aimed to completely replace the town's First Fire Company Station. The design was required to incorporate high energy efficiency standards while enhancing the urban image of the city of Coyhaique.

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They can be categorized into various typologies, such as play yards, parks and gardens, play streets, and urban sculptures, among others. They began developing around the world in the late 19th century and peaked during 20th-century modernism. In Mexico, it was not until the second half of the last century that the design of children's street furniture became a vehicle for experimenting with the artistic and sculptural explorations of architects, urban planners, artists, and even the first industrial designers—a trend replicated throughout the country, resulting in projects that were anonymous yet highly experimental.

The contributions of Mayumi Watanabe de Souza Lima to Brazilian architectural production in the second half of the 20th century constitute a fertile and still under-explored territory in academic studies on the history of the built environment. Her practical and theoretical perspectives on popular participation and the industrialization of construction form the guiding thread of the research from which this essay emerges, focusing primarily on the 1980s and 1990s—the final period of a trajectory tragically cut short in 1994.

ARIZON Design was founded in Shanghai in 2008 by Junwei Shen. The firm specializes in providing master planning, design, and consulting services for boutique shopping centers, commercial complexes, and other architectural spaces. Its completed projects have won numerous international professional awards, positioning the firm as one of the most forward-thinking and specialized design agencies in the commercial retail sector. The name ARIZON is inspired by a passage from the I Ching (Book of Changes): “Great indeed is the generating power of Qian, to which all things owe their beginning,” symbolizing the use of boundless creativity to breathe endless life into architectural spaces. Championing an “ECO-FASHION” aesthetic and driven by the mission of “designing the future of business,” ARIZON strives to create greater commercial value for its clients. 

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Veracruz is a state located in eastern México, bordered by the states of Tamaulipas, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, Hidalgo, and San Luis Potosí, and facing the Gulf of Mexico. Covering an area of 71,820 km², it is the country's third most populous state.

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The Bicentennial Argentine Credit Program for Single-Family Housing, commonly known as PRO.CRE.AR, is a program created in 2012 by the national government of Argentina to support and incentivize the construction of new housing in the country through subsidized loans. Through this program, many families gained the opportunity to build their first home of their own, which in turn generated an increase in the demand for local design and construction. Consequently, these housing loans also opened doors for young firms and studios to produce and build local architecture, navigating the limitations imposed by the loan's financial framework and its constraints on floor area and timeline.

Founded in 2001, Lacime Designs has grown over nearly two decades to comprise a team of nearly 800 architects, accumulating extensive experience in large-scale projects both domestically and internationally. Operating under an integrated architecture and landscape design model, the firm focuses on planning and design across various sectors, including real estate, commercial, and cultural projects. Within this framework, Lacime Designs' Fourth Design Department places the highest value on the creative and innovative spirit of its designers.

While the construction industry was once among the most technologically lagging, today automation in architecture is undeniably here to stay. 

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As an invited contributor, Mexican architect Fernanda Canales presents the exhibition After the House as part of the cultural program of the 17th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Hashim Sarkis. The exhibition features four primary models showing housing projects designed as a reinterpretation of vecindades—multi-family urban housing with mixed residential units arranged around courtyards with shared amenities.

'Des-Armar: Heritage Rescue Through a System of Parts and Components' is Valentina Verdugo's thesis project, selected as the Grand Winner of the 2021 National Thesis Project Competition (CNPT), an event organized by Grupo Arquitectura Caliente to recognize and reward the best student projects in Chile.

This second year of the pandemic offered a tremendous opportunity to continue reflecting on and debating the most urgent issues in architecture. To this end, we wanted our readers to actively participate by contributing their experiences and knowledge. Throughout the year, we invited them each month to share their comments and insights on a wide range of topics—from the future of cities, automation, and multidisciplinary design, to green infrastructure, adaptive reuse, migration, equity, and well-being.

After reading and compiling all the submissions received—from construction professionals and students to architecture enthusiasts—it is now time to present the key perspectives. Thank you very much for sharing your opinions! 

Since ArchDaily launched its recruitment services, we have received job postings from design firms of all scales across the country, from Beijing and Hangzhou to Shenzhen. Active across diverse architectural fields, these practices bring distinct perspectives and are looking for talented designers to join their teams. Below, we feature eight outstanding offices and a selection of their work. Readers are highly encouraged to apply.

We all know that architecture is a complex field requiring input from multiple disciplines to come to fruition. While design lies at the heart of every project, without technical expertise, many would never have become the structures we know today.

Measures that reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems to the impacts of climate change are essential for sustainable development. In cities, the increase in climate risks driven by urbanization demands planning and investment from local governments to expand climate adaptation. This challenge transcends the geographical boundaries of urban areas and is directly linked to global prosperity—after all, cities are home to 55% of the world's population and 80% of global GDP.

This week, we feature two firms currently hiring: a London-founded international practice and a studio led by a female architect with a global educational background. Both are active across diverse architectural sectors, each bringing a unique design ethos and seeking talented professionals to join their teams.

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With a century of history, the Confitería del Molino, designed by architect Francisco Gianotti—who was born in Italy in 1881 and arrived in Argentina in 1909—is one of the heritage landmarks of Argentine architecture. After remaining closed for more than 20 years, in July 2018, the National Congress took possession of the property and began restoration efforts. In Argentina in particular, where neglect or disinterest has led to the loss of a vast number of heritage works, projects of this nature invite us to reflect on the role of architecture in building a city's collective memory.

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Archivo de Ideas Recibidas is an interdisciplinary research and dissemination project that aims to record and connect the ideas of individuals who contribute to the contemporary creative ecosystem through art, design, and architecture. It is built on conversations between the team and various creators, exploring themes related to memory, academia, cultural context, their primary influences, and working methodologies.

One of the greatest challenges of urban planning lies in managing city growth. Year after year, major cities see their populations increase, and it is estimated that by 2050, 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas. But how can we build sustainable, healthy, and equitable cities that foster urban diversity?

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As part of an initiative by the UHPH Platform, co-organized with Habitat for Humanity, the 2021 call for entries was launched for the "Inspiring Practices" competition, held within the framework of the 4th Latin American and Caribbean Housing and Habitat Forum: "Action for Housing and Settlements Facing COVID-19." This initiative seeks to improve urban spaces and equip them with infrastructure that promotes community development.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, architects Rafael-Beneytez-Duran and Peter Jay Zweig have designed a dynamic, inflated structure titled AIRSCAPES #1.

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To create, express architectural language, and be universally understood, scale models translate design ideas and projects into proportions that are more accessible and easier to comprehend.

This article focuses on scale models as acts of material thought, highlighting the practice of the model-making laboratory of Miguel Forero Barbosa. Explore their work below.

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Ciudad Juárez is an industrial city located on the northern border with the United States, directly across from El Paso, Texas. Over the years, Juárez's economy has been dominated by the ‘maquiladora’ industry, and it was once considered one of the most violent cities in the world due to a wave of crime that took hold from 2008 to 2012. In 2020, the National Workers' Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit) reported that there are 17,871 abandoned homes in Ciudad Juárez, leading the country's municipal rankings and contributing to a total of 650,000 abandoned houses nationwide.

The term ergonomics was first coined in 1857 by the Polish scholar Wojciech Jastrzębowski, deriving from the combination of the Greek words ergon (work) and nomos (laws or rules). Although initially associated with the physical comfort of workers, today the term applies to a wide range of activities, from sports to leisure. It represents a set of guidelines and procedures designed to ensure both physical and mental well-being during any given task.