Rendering has become the ultimate tool in the architect’s arsenal for communicating designs directly to clients. But with the seemingly infinite number of real-life material options that exist today, the textures built into rendering programs often fall short. In some cases, one may be able to find appropriate texture maps for their desired materials online, but when experimenting with new materials or unique colors the need for greater customization arises. In the past, perhaps you could attempt to manually create and edit your own texture maps, but this can be a long and arduous process.

While studying for his Masters in Architecture at DIA (Dessau International Architecture), Romanian photographer Laurian Ghinitoiu was inspired to capture Walter Gropius’ Dessau Bauhaus at different times of the day and throughout the four seasons. Taken from the same vantage point over the course of two years (September 2012-July 2014), Ghinitoiu’s photos show the school as snow covers its perfectly-manicured lawn and skateboarders and construction workers come and go.

“The building has been framed in direct relation with the dynamic process of daily life. Lights and shadows, changing during the day and during the year, underline the always-different elements of the silent, but potent building. It almost protrudes out of the scene, imposing its strict lines, its regular rhythm and the functionalism of its geometries. The surroundings play the most important role of the entire photo project: they create the atmosphere, establishing an intimate connection between the architecture and its context." - Francesca Lantieri 

View the full photo series after the break. 

Romanian photographer Laurian Ghinitoiu has shared his photos of the Expo Milan, along with his ranking of the top 5 pavilions. Read on to see his beautiful collection of images accompanied by his short remarks on the merits of the designs.

In honor of International Museum Day we’ve collected twenty compelling museum projects. In this round up you’ll find a truly global selection; from Wang Shu's Ningbo Historic Museum in China and Tod Williams + Billie Tsien's Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia to Monoblock's Contemporary Art Museum in Buenos Aires, see all of our editors’ favorites after the break!

It's common to find an architectural monograph (or three) on an architect's bookshelf. Within the pages of these large, heavy, often expensive tomes lie a formalised portfolio of a studio's professional output, interspersed by essays penned by influential writers, thinkers or practitioners. They are sources of both information and inspiration, bringing architecture from around the world into your personal field of vision.

Recent years have seen a vast number of these types of books published on architects and their practices, begging the question: Why a Monograph? Are they simply part and parcel of a studio's creative process, or necessary tools for communication with the wider world? Perhaps more interestingly, what role does the recording of work in this way have for architects in enabling them to take stock and move forward? It will seek to examine how the print monograph has become a staple tool for self-promotion, reflection, and criticism in a world which is leaning towards a gradual digitisation of the discourse.

In the midst of the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) 2015 National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, we had the chance to sit down with Elizabeth Chu Richter, CEO of Richter Architects and the AIA President for 2015 to discuss some of the important issues facing the architecture profession today.

Chilean architect Cristián Undurraga has shared a series of photos with us of Chile’s recently inaugurated pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015. Undurraga’s design for the pavilion was chosen from 21 projects submitted in a public competition held by the College of Architects and the Chilean Association of Architecture Offices (AOA) in 2013. Undurraga's pavilion follows a rich lineage of Chilean architecture created for World Expositions set by the historic iceberg created for the Seville Expo '92 and the gold medal winning Shanghai Expo pavilion from 2010.

The pavilion aims to position Chile as a “food power” (potencia alimentaria), emphasizing the quality of its food and the vast markets that Chilean exports reach. The journey through the pavilion is complemented by audiovisual devices, ending with the Table of Chile where the visitor can taste and buy Chilean food products.

The Milan Expo opened on May 1^st and will run until October 31, receiving an estimated 24 million people.

See images and visitor reactions of the Chilean pavilion after the break. 

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ArchDaily is in need of a select group of awesome, architecture-obsessed interns to join our team for Summer 2015 (June - August)! If you want to spend your days researching/writing about the best architecture around the globe – and find out what it takes to work for the world’s most visited architecture website – then read on after the break…

Videos

180 Creative Camp is back! The 5th edition of the event will take place from July 5-12 in the Portuguese city of Abrantes. One of the leading creative gatherings worldwide, 180 Creative Camp unites some of the world's most inspiring creators from different areas of artistic expression for a week of creative intersections. Developed by Canal180, the camp combines video, music, photography, design, architecture and urban art. For a second consecutive year, and in partnership with the Municipality of Abrantes, 180 Creative Camp is seeking proposals for an Urban Intervention Project to be displayed in Abrantes' historic center, as well as 15 “Stores Art Attack" project interventions. Proposals need to be submitted by May 31. Learn more after the break.

QS has released its annual World University Rankings for 2015, covering 36 individual subjects and sorting based on "academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact." The company, which claims to explore the top 800 universities in the world, began publishing academic rankings in 2011. Read on to see the list of top universities for architecture, and be sure to see the full, sortable list at QS's site.

At ArchDaily, we work hard to give you the best overview we can of architecture around the world, publishing inspiring work and intriguing points of view from all seven continents (yes, even Antarctica). But of course, there are also hundreds of thousands of much-loved buildings in city centers, on residential streets and in rural communities that we can't cover.

That's why we need you, the ArchDaily community, to show us what inspiring architecture means to you - whether that's where you live or a place you have traveled to see. From the skyscrapers of well-known metropolises to the cottages of quaint villages, send us your Instagram and Twitter photos of the architecture that motivates you every day.

It’s easy to participate! On Instagram and/or Twitter, submit photos or videos of the architecture you encounter on a daily basis using the hashtag #YourArchDaily and mentioning @archdaily.

Since the building's construction concluded in 2012, images of OMA's CCTV Headquarters have permeated the media. But inside views of this mutant skyscraper -- characterized by a soaring 72 meter cantilever -- have remained rare. Until now, that is. Images originally published by International Design and shared on WeChat by 广电独家 reveal the interior of OMA's CCTV Headquarters, including Emmy-winning set designer Jim Fenhagen's news studios.

Take a peek inside the meeting rooms, hallways and control centers of CTBUH's 2013 Best Tall Building Worldwide.

In just over a month, the AIA National Convention is coming to Atlanta to celebrate world class innovations in architecture, new materials and technology. If you haven’t booked your ticket already, here is a chance to attend one of the largest architecture events, free of charge!

reThink Wood is offering a full pre-paid pass to the AIA National Convention ($1,025 value) to one lucky ArchDaily reader. The winner will also be able to meet with architects on site that are passionate about innovative design with wood in mid-rise, and even high-rise structures.

To win, just answer the following question in the comments section before April 20 at 12:00PM EST: What is your favorite example of wood in architecture?

More on reThink Wood at the AIA National Convention after the break.

Let’s face it: architects are savvy, design-minded beings who usually approach their gadgets and gizmos with the same level of discretion and attention to detail that they approach their architecture. They settle for nothing less than pure, honest, functional products (and you can be sure that any of their devices or accessories look great, too). In the spirit of architects’ impeccable taste, ArchDaily has curated a list of exceptional products for you to add to your wishlist. 

Today, ArchDaily is celebrating its seventh birthday (check out our letter to our readers and our infographic "7 Years of ArchDaily"). Our seventh birthday is a chance to reflect on our story, and to thank the readers that have helped to shape our course over the years, but of course there is one more ingredient that has helped to make us the world's most visited architecture website: great projects from talented designers all over the world. In fact as of press time, we have published 15,942 projects in total, an astonishing number that demonstrates the sheer quantity of architects out there working for a better world.

Which of these thousands of projects have had the biggest impact on you, our readers? Join us after the break as we look back at seven buildings that rose above the fray to become the most-viewed project in each of our seven years.

Seven years ago today, ArchDaily was launched with one mission: to provide inspiration, knowledge and tools to the architects who are challenged with designing for the world's next 3 billion urban inhabitants. With two guiding principles in mind - that little-known architects should be able to rub shoulders with architecture greats, and that all of this should be free and accessible to everybody - we set about on a path that would eventually lead us to become the world's most visited architecture website, with over 350,000 daily readers.

From a staff of five in 2008, ArchDaily has grown to have sixty staff, working from nine countries on four different local versions: Plataforma Arquitectura, ArchDaily Brasil, ArchDaily México, and ArchDaily Colombia (with more coming soon!). Over seven short years, we've attended Pritzker Prize ceremonies and Venice Biennales, given lectures and presented awards, spoken to hundreds of architects all over the world - and of course, published thousands of projects and articles. This is our story.

Dear Readers,