An architect's training requires a wide range of knowledge. Various disciplines, such as art, mathematics, history, and sociology, enrich their cultural background, providing the tools and knowledge necessary to make the world around us a better place. Books are an essential resource for this learning process, and thanks to the internet, there are no longer any excuses to stop expanding our knowledge base.

We have searched the web to curate a unique selection of architecture books in Spanish that you can read on your computer or download directly to a tablet. The list includes classics of Vitruvian architecture, drawing manuals, and universal accessibility design guides, along with references to the work of inspiring architects.

We hope you enjoy reading these books!

The 4th Call for Applications for the 2018 Research Grant has opened. This grant is aimed at architects who have graduated from a school of architecture in Spain and wish to develop a research project in New York City.

The Research Grant, organized by the Arquia Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, aims to promote the execution of an architecture research project by providing opportunities for its creation, development, and dissemination. It offers candidates the necessary conditions and resources to support their efforts and initiative.

Arquia/social, an initiative by Arquia Banca managed by the Arquia Foundation, is mindful of the economic impact of the crisis on families. Committed to fostering education and supporting architecture students and architects, the foundation has launched the Student Aid program. This second call for applications offers architecture students enrolled in public universities the opportunity to receive tuition assistance based on criteria of equality, merit, and aptitude. The program aims to provide the necessary means for students to begin or continue their architectural studies if they are currently facing financial difficulties in paying tuition or have special needs.

According to a recent study titled "Digital Transformation in Architecture," conducted by RIBA in partnership with Microsoft, 87% of architecture firms agree that digital technologies are transforming the way they work, and the majority have already embarked on their digital transformation journey. The study shows that architectural professionals have readily embraced digitization through systems like 3D computer-aided design, rapidly advancing toward Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The appearance and long-term maintenance of a work of architecture or interior design are heavily dictated by its materiality and the products used. If the selection of materials and products is not precise, the project can be compromised both aesthetically and functionally. 

This is why specification is essential to achieving the desired result, and the professionals responsible for this stage must have a broad knowledge of the materials and products available in their region. But is material specification done similarly across all architecture firms? Do the initial and final stages of the project receive the same attention? How close is the relationship between architects and materials, really?

Sunday, April 14, is the final day to visit the "Santiago, Ciudad Destino" exhibition at the GAM Cultural Center. The closing event will take place at 6:30 PM with the vote count for the Migrant Citizen Consultation, which was part of an intervention proposed by the design collective Gt2p. As part of the closing celebrations, an open Afro-dance class will also be held on Saturday at 3:00 PM.

Last March, we announced the winners of the 2020 Building of the Year award, which has celebrated the best of architecture built in Latin America and Spain since 2008. As is our tradition, we called upon our expert jury—our readers—to select their favorite buildings published throughout 2019.

In the coming weeks, we will announce the 2021 Building of the Year award. As a prelude to this new chapter, we have organized a series of virtual meetings with each of the 2020 Building of the Year winners to take an in-depth look at the three projects chosen by our readers. We will host the 2020 Building of the Year awards ceremony through a fully digital experience, made possible by the collaboration of our partners, Crest and Fundermax.

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For the eleventh consecutive year, ArchDaily celebrated the best of Latin American architecture, presenting the Building of the Year award to architects Barclay & Crousse (Peru), Felipe Assadi (Chile), and Natura Futura + Frontera Sur Arquitectura (Ecuador). This year, the ceremony took place at the Pablo Neruda Lookout on San Cristóbal Hill, bringing together the architectural community and ArchDaily's main partners.

How a work of architecture or interior design looks and ages over time is heavily determined by its materials and the products used. If the choice of materials and products is inaccurate, both the appearance and the performance of the project could be compromised.

This is why specification is essential to achieving the desired outcome at a project's completion, and the professional in charge of this stage must have an extensive knowledge of the materials and products available in their region. But is material specification the same across all architecture firms? Is this project phase given the same importance as the initial design phase? How close is the relationship between architects and materials really?

During the presentation of the Obra del Año Awards held earlier this month at the Mirador Pablo Neruda, ArchDaily CEO David Basulto shared a series of data with the audience, providing a quantitative and qualitative overview of Chilean architecture in 2019:

“Based on the data we have collected over nearly 12 years, at ArchDaily we have managed to build a highly representative profile of how architecture is designed and built in Chile. I hope this information is useful for creating more and better cities, and for understanding how the digitization of architecture has influenced how we inhabit our cities.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, which now affects more than 180 countries worldwide, has changed how we relate to everything. Our social and consumption practices are limited, and we have had to rely on digital tools to maintain distance while attempting to remain operational. In light of this new landscape, concepts like "home office" and "e-commerce" are becoming commonplace.

A few weeks ago, we reviewed how architects are adapting to remote work, seeking to maintain adequate production levels from home. It is easy to imagine that the initial stages of the design process can be carried out easily from home, but what happens in the later phases, when the architect must work on-site or select and specify the materials and products necessary for construction?

The Technological Development Center (CDT), BIM Forum Chile, and ArchDaily invite all architecture and construction industry professionals to the webinar "Why Validate My BIM Objects with the National Library Standard?" to be held on Tuesday, October 6, at 11:00 AM.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently affecting more than 180 countries worldwide, has fundamentally changed how we interact with everything. Our social and consumption habits are restricted, and we have had to rely on digital tools to maintain distance while attempting to remain operational. In light of this new landscape, concepts such as "home office" and "e-commerce" are becoming commonplace.

A few weeks ago, we examined how architects are adapting to remote work, striving to maintain consistent production from afar. It is easy to see how the initial stages of the design process can be carried out from home, but what happens during the later phases when architects must work on-site, or select and specify the materials and products required for construction?

The COVID-19 pandemic, which is now affecting more than 180 countries worldwide, has changed how we relate to everything. Our social and consumption practices are limited, and we have had to rely on digital tools to maintain distance while attempting to remain operational. In light of this new landscape, concepts like home office and e-commerce are becoming common.

A few weeks ago, we looked at how architects are adapting to remote work, seeking to maintain adequate production levels from home. It is not hard to imagine that the early stages of the design process can be easily carried out from home, but what happens in the later phases, when the architect must work on-site or select and specify the materials and products necessary for construction?

In late January, the forum “Chillán: Paisaje Moderno/Territorios en transformación” took place in Chillán. Jointly organized by the Spanish Cultural Center (CCESantiago), the Alfonso Lagos Extension Center of the University of Concepción (CECAL), and the Heritage Unit of the Municipality of Chillán (UPA), the event featured three days of conferences and workshops open to the community.

Ever since we announced the results of the competition for the "New Bío Bío Regional Theater," promoted by the Regional Government and the Architecture Area of the National Council of Culture and the Arts, we had been eagerly awaiting the completion of the winning proposal.

Late last year, Imagen de Chile launched the international campaign "Ask for Chile, A World of Services," aimed at positioning Chile as a competitive player in global services. As part of the campaign, several professionals from the fields of engineering, information technology, and the creative economies were selected to become "Brand Ambassadors." The selection was made through a consensus-based process involving trade associations and public institutions that evaluated leading Chilean experts in the highlighted sectors, with renowned Chilean architect Cazú Zegers among those selected.

Since 2008, the Obra del Año award has celebrated the best built architecture in Spanish-speaking countries, inviting readers to choose their favorite architectural projects.

Out of nearly one thousand projects built in Spain and Latin America and published on our site during 2017, last week we announced the 15 finalists that received the most votes.

Today, we are pleased to present the three projects that have won the #ODA18 Award. Hailing from Mexico and Chile, the three winners reflect the region's architectural diversity, while serving as outstanding examples of the public impact that high-caliber architecture should deliver.

Meet the three winners!