Author: Antonia Piñeiro | ArchDaily

Coldefy Leads Winning Masterplan to Transform Budapest Brownfield into Rewilded Urban District

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

A team led by French architecture practice Coldefy, comprising CITYFÖRSTER, Sporaarchitects, TREIBHAUS.LAND, and Marko & Placemakers, has won the competition to design a masterplan for Rákosrendező in Budapest. The project is developed for the Budapest Capital Asset Management Centre, acting on behalf of the Municipality of Budapest. The design outlines a 15-year scheme to transform a brownfield site long regarded as the city's "rust belt," located on the eastern side of the Hungarian capital. The regeneration plan includes over 10,000 apartments, new transportation links, and commercial and civic spaces, forming a comprehensive urban redevelopment strategy aligned with 15-minute city principles.

UNS and Settanta7 Selected to Design Turin Metro Line 2 as a 32-Station Network

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

UNS's design proposal for Turin's new Metro Line 2, developed in collaboration with Settanta7, Mijksenaar, Frigorosso, 3BA, and WSP, has been selected by an international jury of experts chaired by Dominique Perrault. The proposal is based on the idea of "flow," a concept that has historically shaped the Italian city, from the Po and Dora rivers to the 18 kilometers of arcaded porticoes that structure how residents and visitors move. The project envisions Line 2 as a new "urban river," guided by three design principles to facilitate this flow: branding, transit experience, and scales of identity. With 32 stations planned in total, the initial design phase includes 10 stations, among them Mole Giardini, San Giovanni Bosco, and Carlo Alberto.

From Deconstructivism to Barrier-Breaking Achievements: Zaha Hadid’s Legacy 10 Years After Her Passing

Antonia Piñeiro — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Between June 23 and August 30, 1988, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York held an exhibition titled Deconstructivist Architecture, as part of a program "conceived to examine current developments in architecture." Curated by Philip Johnson and Mark Wigley, it focused on the contemporary work of seven international architects: Coop Himmelblau, Peter Eisenman, Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, Bernard Tschumi, and a young Zaha M. Hadid. At 37 years old, her work was presented to the world as an example of "the emergence of a new sensibility in architecture." The material on display was not a model or a blueprint, but a painting, The Peak, submitted for an architectural competition in Hong Kong in 1983. From this starting point, her contribution to architecture deepened along the same lines recognized at the time of her inclusion in the exhibition: the development of a distinctive, mathematical, and, in her own words, "fluid" architectural language, and her emergence as a leading female figure in a field historically dominated by men.

Fundació Mies van der Rohe Presents “Transnational Narratives,” a Documentary on Six South Asian Women Architects

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

"Gender equity remains an ongoing problem in architecture. Women architects are roughly one-third of the profession or less worldwide." This is the opening statement of the documentary Transnational Narratives: A Documentary Celebrating South Asian Women in Architecture, a result of the 4th Lilly Reich Grant for Equality in Architecture. The grant, an initiative by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe, promotes equal access to opportunities in architectural practice and supports the study and dissemination of contributions to architecture that have been unfairly rendered invisible. Within this context, the documentary, created by Dr. Igea Troiani, Dr. Mamuna Iqbal, artist and researcher Paula Roush, and filmmaker Rime Tsujino, brings visibility to the experiences of six architects of South Asian origin: Sumita Singha, Chitra Vishwanath, Sara Khan, Fauzia Qureshi, Sajida Vandal, and Neelum Naz, whose professional careers span India, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom.

Pop Star Architecture: BIG Designs Multi-Use Stadium for Shakira’s World Tour in Madrid, Spain

Antonia Piñeiro — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Kanye West turning a Tadao Ando Malibu beach house into a ruin, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi purchasing and re-selling the 1955 Richard Neutra-designed Brown-Sidney House, and fashion designer Marc Jacobs renovating a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house near New York City are just a few examples of pop stars' affair with historically significant architecture. Celebrities, like soccer players, form an elite group characterized by a high concentration of wealth and significant social status. They are not only buyers of high-end architecture as authored property and cultural capital, but also agents of its preservation and promotion. This year, we are seeing new examples of this agency at work from a more abstract yet also more popular perspective: from the stage design for Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance to a newly designed stadium for Shakira by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, architecture is used as a vehicle for promoting Latin American identity.

Peterson Rich Office Designs Permanent Galleries for Brooklyn Museum’s African Art Collection

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

New York's Brooklyn Museum has announced the extension of its neoclassical building, a New York City–designated landmark, to include new galleries dedicated to its historic African art collection. The project to renovate and create permanent galleries was designed by the Brooklyn-based architectural firm Peterson Rich Office (PRO), with prior experience in contemporary exhibition spaces, in consultation with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners on the museum's historic preservation. The project transforms previously underutilized spaces that served as on-site storage, marking a new milestone in a series of renovations of an institution with over 200 years of history. For the first time, the museum's Egyptian art galleries will connect to the new African galleries, uniting North Africa with the rest of the continent to offer visitors a cohesive vision of Africa's rich artistic legacy.

Disciplinary Reflections for a Planet in Transition and a New Airport Terminal in Casablanca: This Week’s Review

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

This week, architecture presents new visions of the future across a geographically diverse landscape, with landmark projects and renewal initiatives emerging in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Bahrain, Germany, Italy, Australia, Morocco, and Burundi. New platforms for discussing urban futures highlight decolonization and the climate crisis as central priorities for contemporary architectural practice. At the same time, contrasting perspectives on urban regeneration are reflected in both the demolition of recent landmark structures and the large-scale transformation of industrial sites. On another note, the Olympic Games continue to act as catalysts for architectural production, as seen in the proposal for a new sports center in Australia for Brisbane 2032. This momentum coincides with major international infrastructure developments in Africa, including a new airport terminal in Morocco, as well as projects that rethink spaces for research and public engagement, such as a new building for the German Language Forum.

The First Pan-African Biennale Establishes a Platform for a Decolonized, African-Led Architectural Future

Antonia Piñeiro — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

The Pan-African Biennale (PAB) is a platform for discussion and exchange on architecture, bringing together, for the first time, all countries in the African continent. To highlight African contributions to the field, it seeks to shift the narrative from one of fragility to one of resilience by raising awareness of the continent's traditions, design, culture, and collective memory. The inaugural one-week event is scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, launching on September 7, 2026. As the first architecture biennale of its kind on the continent and a highly anticipated event, the opening week will feature exhibitions, installations, keynote dialogues, and public events across the city and other satellite locations. Curated by Somali-Italian architect Omar Degan, the biennale aims to shift architectural discourse by expanding contributions from studios representing all 54 African nations, exhibiting work rooted in local contexts, materials, and cultural narratives.

OMA’s Metropolitan Village Advances Toward Completion in Taipei’s Xinyi District

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

OMA's Metropolitan Village, also known as Taipei Xinyi–Wenchang Residence, is a new high-rise residential tower located in Taipei's Xinyi Central Business District. The project, led by David Gianotten and Chiaju Lin, with HCCH & Associates Architects Planners & Engineers as local collaborator, provides 11,961 m² of residential floor area on a 736 m² site. The 95 m, 23-storey building follows the concept of a "vertical village," reflecting the increasingly fluid boundary between living and working identified by the architects in post-pandemic Taipei. Commissioned by Continental Development Corporation, the project broke ground in 2024 and is scheduled for completion in 2027. Recent images show construction progress, with the highest structural element now being installed.

Settanta7 Advances Bosco della Musica Urban Regeneration Project in Milan

Antonia Piñeiro — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

The architecture firm Settanta7 has begun the construction of Bosco della Musica, a new campus for the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan. The site is located in Rogoredo, a former industrial area in the southeastern part of the city, currently under scrutiny due to incidents of violence and public safety concerns. The area is therefore the focus of development initiatives by the Italian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, including the competition for this project, which was awarded to Settanta7 in 2022. The firm is responsible for the design and is overseeing the coordination of all disciplines as lead consultant for the construction of the entire project: a broader urban regeneration program that includes the redevelopment of the 17,400 sqm site and the adaptive reuse of the "Ex Chimici" industrial building, alongside the construction of four new buildings, three dedicated to educational activities and one intended for student housing.

Kéré Architecture Designs Healthcare Center in Burundi Using Regional Materials and Community-Based Construction

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Kéré Architecture has designed a new healthcare center in the Bubanza region of Burundi, about 40 kilometers north of the country's former capital, Bujumbura. Commissioned by the NGO Ineza Clinic, the project aims to improve access to healthcare for the region's rural population, complementing the services of the existing general hospital, with a focus on maternity and specialized surgical care. Francis Kéré's plan distributes the program across ten pavilions connected by a road that zigzags up the hillside toward a visitor center, forming a 3,000 m² complex. The project combines materials sourced from the surrounding region, traditional craftsmanship, and knowledge transfer, minimizing its carbon footprint, supporting the local economy, and strengthening local teams. Construction has already started, with the first phase scheduled for completion this year.

Concéntrico 2026 Features Smiljan Radić Installation and 26 Urban Interventions in Logroño, Spain

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Concéntrico, the Spanish laboratory for urban innovation exploring new ways of inhabiting public space through temporary urban installations, presented the program for its upcoming edition on March 17th, along with its main lines of work for the 2025–2026 season. The festival invites architects, designers, artists, and researchers from different geographies to propose interventions that activate squares, streets, riverbanks, and vacant spaces in the city. This year's edition includes the participation of Smiljan Radić, the recently awarded Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate, who will develop a light, foldable, and temporary structure built from industrial plastic fabrics following the concept of a "poor circus." Another 26 teams, including three practices selected through the festival's international open calls, will intervene in Logroño's public space from June 18 to 23, 2026, with projects ranging from climate-responsive structures to ephemeral public space activations.

Benoy’s City Walk Masterplan in Abuja Introduces Mixed-Use District with Africa’s Tallest Tower

Antonia Piñeiro — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Abuja was named the capital city of Nigeria on December 12, 1991. Located in the central Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it replaced the most populous coastal city of Lagos in a process of structural reform aimed at national integration and more balanced regional development. Like other capital relocations, Nigeria's capital was moved for strategic reasons to transform Abuja into the country's new administrative center, often referred to as "the center of unity." It was envisioned as a planned city based on a master plan developed by the United States-based consortium International Planning Associates (IPA). More than three decades later, a new master plan titled "City Walk" has been developed by MAG International Links Limited and designed by Benoy as a mixed-use district integrating hotels, offices, residential, retail, cultural, educational, and healthcare facilities, alongside a 450-meter tower and a 13,000-seat indoor arena across 250 hectares.

Housing Affordability Crisis: Architectural and Policy Responses from Spain, France, Australia, and the United States

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Today's housing crisis is a global phenomenon that can be broadly divided into two major problems: a shortage of residential buildings and barriers to accessing those that already exist. The deficit is real and concrete when it comes to what the UN calls "adequate housing for all." According to UN-Habitat, an estimated 96,000 new housing units would need to be built per day to meet population needs by 2030. Climate change and forced migration are broadening the gap. But 2.8 billion people worldwide, representing nearly 40% of the global population, lack access to stable shelter, secure land, and basic sanitation services not only because of underproduction, but also due to an economic barrier: an affordability crisis. As demand grows and prices rise, housing, now increasingly functioning as a form of social security, becomes a target for rental income and real estate speculation. As adequate housing is a human right, pressure on governments and private entities is increasing worldwide to limit speculation and ensure fair access to existing dwellings. Below, we present four examples of initiatives in Spain, Australia, France, and the United States that aim to urgently expand housing access while limiting speculation.

Lesley Lokko Receives African Cultural Icon Award for Her Contributions to Architectural Education and Discourse

Antonia Piñeiro — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Lesley Lokko OBE has been recognized with the African Cultural Icon Award, honoring "leaders in the creative arts who promote African culture and heritage on a global stage." The accolade is one of nine awards presented annually to publicly nominated and industry-recommended figures by a panel of judges from across Africa. Nominees are evaluated based on "impact, innovation, sustainability, and contribution to Africa's growth." Lokko is the Founder and Chair of the African Futures Institute (AFI), headquartered in Accra, Ghana, and Director of the Nomadic African Studio, an annual month-long itinerant teaching program working across the African continent. She has been acknowledged for her transformative contributions to architecture, education, and cultural discourse within and beyond Africa, consistently challenging conventional narratives around African identity, space, and creativity.

Modular Installation Reimagines Unfinished Structures at Limbo Museum in Accra, Ghana

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

The recently opened Limbo Museum in Accra, Ghana, inaugurated a two-part architectural installation by TAELON7 on March 12th, led by architect Juergen Benson-Strohmayer. The installation was commissioned by the museum in partnership with Art Omi, a not-for-profit arts center in New York's Hudson Valley. The project is the first commission of a collaboration between the two institutions and will be installed in both locations, Accra and New York. Titled Limbo Engawa, the modular, lightweight structure dialogues with the formerly abandoned Brutalist building housing the museum, transforming its skeletal concrete structure and its surrounding land into spaces for use, care, and encounter. The project reflects on the boundaries between unfinished urban architecture and the landscape, foregrounding the labor and stewardship often invisible in both urban and institutional contexts, and asserting that even incomplete or overlooked sites are vessels of civic possibility.

Endangered Heritage in Southwest Asia and Global Transport Infrastructure Projects: This Week’s Review

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

This week has been marked by the deliberate, rampant, and unjust destruction of war in Southeast Asia. As one of the most damaging manifestations of human abuse of power, we have witnessed the destruction of places that hold memories and sustain culture, as well as the loss and irreparable harm to the human lives that lend them their identity. With the expectation of offering brighter and more constructive scenarios in the future, we present, in contrast to this reality, a scenario of progress in the gender gap that characterizes architecture and its paths forward, a group of landmark projects of public and community interest moving forward from Türkiye to Mexico, and three major multimodal transport infrastructure projects improving the way we circulate and inhabit public space in Europe and the United States.

SOM Designs Landmark Mixed-Use Tower Complex for the New City of Alatau in Kazakhstan

Antonia Piñeiro — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

On March 5, 2026, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) revealed images of a new landmark project in Kazakhstan, in Central Asia. The project consists of two towers, the "Iconic Complex," and a master plan for the area, the "Gateway District." The complex is located in Alatau, a new city along the Almaty–Qonaev highway planned to become an international investment hub. A strategic project for the country, the city's master plan extends through 2050, with the first phase of major infrastructure projects scheduled for completion by 2030. Within this context, SOM's design is expected to serve as the city's economic and administrative nucleus, establishing the central business district of Alatau City and setting a benchmark for future investment projects in the area.