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How the Providencia Market in Chile Will Be Restored

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The winners of the ‘Mercado Municipal de Providencia’ competition have been announced. The call for proposals invited participants to develop architectural designs to restore the quality and identity of the original market building—located in Santiago, Chile—while reclaiming its public character. The original building, designated a “Historic Conservation Property” by the Providencia Communal Regulatory Plan, was designed by architects Carlos Cruz and Escipión Munizaga. Opened in 1947, it quickly became a vital supply center for the Providencia municipality.

Furniture Integrated into Architecture: 10 Examples in Houses and Homes in Peru

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To meet daily needs and ensure domestic routines function smoothly, the interior and exterior spaces of a home require certain fixtures and furniture—no matter how minimal or essential they may be. In many cases, selecting and designing the furniture that will complement the architectural project is relegated to a post-construction phase and, typically, left to the clients themselves.

However, for some architects, furniture design is considered an integral part of the project. Capitalizing on the plasticity and malleability of certain materials, they choose to integrate interior furniture directly with the architecture. In their designs, benches, shelves, and countertops merge with the spatial language, unfolding sculpturally to extend the surfaces of floors, walls, and partitions.

Argentine Residential Architecture: 15 Houses Organized Around Interior Courtyards

Courtyards are open-air areas located inside buildings, with their perimeters defined by walls or galleries. These outdoor yet contained spaces often play a crucial role in configuring and organizing the floor plan. In some cases, they function as a central lung, organizing the surrounding spaces along their perimeter. They can also be designed to organize circulation flows or as articulating elements, simultaneously connecting and separating different areas of the project.

Earthen Walls in Ecuador's Contemporary Houses

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Earth is a material that has been used for building since time immemorial. Its low environmental impact and the variety of techniques available for working with it have enabled its enduring relevance in architectural projects worldwide. Whether using rammed earth, wattle and daub, earthen wall systems, or adobe structures, various contemporary projects rework and reinterpret these traditional methods to shape their spaces.

Small-scale housing in Buenos Aires: space and light in the center of the block

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Although the urban fabric of Buenos Aires is characterized by a heterogeneous and constantly changing morphological condition, within the range of low-density housing, it is possible to detect certain recurring typologies that emerged from the interplay of successive historical variables—such as block subdivision strategies, urban regulations and their subsequent updates, or the building traditions of those who built the city. One of these identifiable typologies is the PH, whose name derives from *Propiedad Horizontal* (Horizontal Property), a regulation that allowed the development of individual homes within a single plot.

Photography series explores the Brutalism of collective housing in Europe

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Residential Building in Paderno Dugnano (1990, Milan, Italy). Image © Stefano Perego

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While there is a certain lack of theoretical definition regarding the limits and scope of the term "Brutalist," there are certain constants in its aesthetic parameters that allow us to establish a relatively concrete line of analysis. In this context, Brutalist buildings—a style of the Modern Movement that experienced its boom between the 1950s and 1970s—are characterized by their tectonic honesty, exposing the materials of construction along with their structural and building logic, geometric forms, and rough surfaces. Reinforced concrete emerges as the primary material of choice; both the textures left by rough timber formwork and the imperfections of the concrete itself are no longer concealed by plaster or paint, but are deliberately displayed to highlight the building processes.

Traditional solutions in contemporary projects: movable bamboo screens

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Tino House / Emac Arquitectura. Image © Milena Villalba

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Historically, bamboo has been used as a raw material in traditional low-income construction, serving as a substitute for other woods to build structures, cabinetry, and even furniture. Today, due to its numerous advantages regarding durability, strength, versatility, and low environmental impact, it has earned the moniker "vegetal steel," securing a privileged place in the construction industry. The current search for sustainable development materials has generated new construction fusions that bring contemporary materials and techniques into play with traditional elements, merging and highlighting the unique qualities of materials from each region.

Bamboo formwork in exposed concrete projects

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House for Trees / Vo Trong Nghia Architects. Image

Although concrete is one of the most widely used building materials in the world, thanks to its durability, versatility, and weather resistance, we must not forget that the concrete industry is one of the largest CO2 emitters in the construction sector. Consequently, over the past few years, many architects have begun to experiment with new possibilities to optimize its performance, leveraging its technical advantages while seeking to address some of its environmental drawbacks. As a result, some designers have begun exploring the possibility of replacing traditional wooden formwork with more sustainable materials like bamboo—a plant that grows abundantly across most of the world and offers high-quality textured finishes with a low environmental impact.

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Natural Ventilation: Traditional Cooling Strategies in Houses in Paraguay

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Located in the central region of South America, Paraguay features a wide variety of geographical conditions, with diverse landscapes and resources. Generally, the territory is characterized by **high humidity** and **mild temperatures** that prevail year-round, with hot, rainy summers and mild winters. Under these conditions, cooling indoor spaces is highly critical, making passive ventilation systems a key consideration during the early stages of design.

From Barns to Homes: Adaptive Reuse Projects in Europe's Rural Landscapes

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The barn, closely related in nature to silos and sheds, is an essential building typology in rural and agricultural landscapes. Featuring highly simple and functional design solutions, barns serve specifically as storage spaces for large volumes of livestock feed and are commonly characterized by high ceilings, generous spans, and relative spatial flexibility, protecting hay and grain from the sun, rain, moisture, and animals.

50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing: 15 Designs for Living in Space

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July 20, 2019, marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 departed Earth, touching down on the lunar surface four days later. This historic milestone continues to prompt reflection on how technological advancements are making life on other worlds increasingly viable.

Aided by the evolution of 3D printing and fully automated construction technologies, we have compiled 15 architectural projects that demonstrate how life on the Moon and other celestial bodies is no longer a distant fantasy.

Results of the international competition for thematic pavilions for Expo 2023 in Argentina

The results of the International Ideas Competition for Thematic Pavilions for Expo 2023 in Argentina have been announced. Organized by the Central Society of Architects (SCA) and the Association of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires (CAPBA), and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architecture Organizations (FADEA), the international competition invited participants to design two pavilions to serve as exhibition spaces for the Expo's themes.

Sequential Architecture: Comics as a Narrative Tool, by Santiago Miret

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Architecture, as a design discipline, relies heavily on visual communication. The advent of new technologies and the exploration of new digital graphic representation techniques reflect architects' growing interest in expressive fields. The need to convey a message and embody ideas, narrating the values and reflections that structure an architectural project, places graphic communication tools in a position of particular relevance.

If this intrinsic need to convey information exists within the architectural field, could comics, as a narrative medium, serve as a useful tool for design communication?

Bax studio, winner of the Dimnikcobau Business Park competition in Slovenia

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On September 12, the winners of the international urban planning and architectural design competition organized by the Slovenian company Dimnikcobau to design one of the largest business parks in Ljubljana, Slovenia, were announced. Of the eight firms invited to participate, the winning project selected was by BAX studio, a Barcelona-based firm led by Boris Bezan and Mónica Juvera.

Remodeling Chorizo Houses: How to Transform a Typical Home with Contemporary Design

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The casa chorizo is a residential typology historically used in Argentina, primarily in the city of Buenos Aires. It consists of a succession of similarly sized rooms connected along a longitudinal axis that open onto a gallery or courtyard, from which they receive light and ventilation. Typically built on plots between party walls, their service areas are grouped at the back. Today, numerous projects address the rehabilitation of this type of housing. These can be understood as research initiatives exploring how a city's characteristic construction matrix can be reviewed and updated to adapt to contemporary ways of living.

A Fire in Memory: Reflections on the Loss of Architectural Heritage in Argentina

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The recent tragedy that resulted in the partial destruction of the Notre-Dame Cathedral has prompted reflection on the value of our architectural heritage. Stirring events such as this bring highly relevant issues to the fore, inviting us to consider the role of architecture in shaping a city's collective memory.

Open House Buenos Aires 2019: Participate as a volunteer in the architecture and urbanism festival

On November 9 and 10, the seventh consecutive edition of Open House will take place in Buenos Aires. This international architecture and urbanism festival highlights works of significant architectural, cultural, and heritage value, opening them to the public to build a bridge between residents, professionals, enthusiasts, and their city. The project's first edition in Buenos Aires was held in 2013, making it the first Latin American city to host the event, which drew 300 volunteers and around 10,000 visitors. This seventh edition is expected to attract approximately 45,000 people.

Hello Wood Argentina 2020 launches open call for students

Hello Wood Argentina, the creative, professional, and social program focused on teaching how to "think with your hands" and learn through experience, has opened its open call for students. It invites university students and recent graduates of Architecture, Design, and Art programs—as well as anyone who simply wants to be part of Hello Wood—to join the festival's fourth edition, which will take place in March 2020 in the Municipality of Ceibas, Entre Ríos Province.