The call for academic papers for the upcoming 20th issue of rita_ magazine is now open. The call invites submissions in Spanish or Portuguese from faculty, graduate students, and professionals holding a master’s or doctoral degree.

The Santa Creu & Sant Pau Hospital Research Institute, designed by Pich Aguilera Arquitectes in conjunction with 2BMFG Arquitectos, stands in the Santa Creu & Sant Pau Hospital complex in Barcelona –one of the biggest Modernist Spanish architectural ensembles, declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

The Research Institute stands out for its striking ceramic envelope and its capacity to blend in with Sant Pau Hospital’s Modernist buildings, while also focusing on high energy savings and improved comfort inside the building. The ceramic slats were made to measure for the project by Faveker, a specialist in high-tech façade solutions.

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The Futuro House is a unique, futurist-style dwelling designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the late 1960s. The house was envisioned as a portable, prefabricated structure that could be easily transported to remote or difficult-to-reach locations.The house has a distinctive flying saucer shape, with a circular floor plan and a domed roof. The outer shell of the house is made of reinforced fiberglass, with a high-gloss finish that gives it a futuristic look. It sits on four legs, which elevate it slightly off the ground and provide stability on uneven terrain.

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The 5th International Seminar of the Academy of Portuguese-Language Schools of Architecture and Urbanism (AEAULP), titled "Distant Proximities," will take place on December 6, 7, and 8, 2023, in Brasília.

Titled “Paulo: Beyond the Drawing,” the exhibition at the Casa Gallery offers visitors a broader perspective on the Brazilian architect’s worldview and the reflections on the many themes that engaged them—themes that, ultimately, define their work.

Spanning seven decades of activity, the vast body of work by Paulo Mendes da Rocha is revealed in the exhibition "Geografias Construídas: Paulo Mendes da Rocha" with an unprecedented scope drawn from the immense archive donated to the Casa da Arquitectura. On display in the Nave Expositiva at the Casa da Arquitectura, the exhibition does more than follow the linear thread of his biography or focus on the typologies of his work: the exhibition's structure is centered on the expanding geographies of the buildings and projects designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha with his partners and colleagues between the 1960s and 2010.

A day dedicated to identifying challenges and opportunities, sharing methodologies, lines of action, and best practices, as well as fostering networks and synergies to safeguard contemporary architectural heritage.

Renovations are not only a popular way to update and modernize homes, offices, and other structures but also a critical component in reducing carbon emissions and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. The existing building stock is responsible for a significant portion of global carbon emissions, with energy inefficient buildings being a major contributor.

According to a report by the Financial Times, there is a large energy efficiency gap in the UK housing stock, with many buildings falling short of their potential energy performance levels. Unsurprisingly, old buildings in the UK are seen as one of the primary factors contributing to this energy efficiency gap.

Designing a new apartment or renovating an existing one is always a major challenge. To simplify what is typically a long and complex project, the VOXBOX software, developed by experts from the VOX brand, helps visualize the design of a future home quickly and efficiently. Unlike other interior design programs, VOXBOX does not require specialized knowledge in architecture or design, as it utilizes an intuitive and user-friendly interface.

Available to everyone on the web, this digital tool allows users to quickly design a bedroom, living room, apartment, or an entire house. In addition, users can visit VOX showrooms, where their team of interior designers offers guidance for designing specific spaces. As an architect, you can also meet with your clients at VOX showrooms to show them their future interiors in virtual reality and present material and furniture board samples.

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The Innovandi Open Challenge is a global programme which brings together tech start-ups and the world’s leading cement and concrete companies to help accelerate the next wave of innovations to achieve our net zero mission.

The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and its members understand the key role that innovation will play in unlocking a net zero future for concrete –the world’s most used material after water– which is essential to building the sustainable world of tomorrow.

The School of Architecture at Universidad Finis Terrae is hosting the synchronous lecture "Building Sustainability," presented by Italian architect Andrea Rossi, who will share his experience in integrating environmental simulation principles and tools into architecture, from the early design stages through to construction.

Every two years, starting in 1998, the Saint-Gobain International Gypsum Trophy has awarded the most recent developments for quality craftsmanship in drywall systems and plastering. This year, the 13th edition of the Gypsum Trophy took place in Athens on April 28th, 2023. From the Americas to Asia, from Europe to Africa, 73 projects from 27 countries competed in six categories to win one of the 15 prizes of the competition.

Participating contractors combine their know-how and creativity with Saint-Gobain plaster and dry lining systems to carry out high-performance projects. Whereas some are built on existing historical structures, others create something completely new. Similarly, some projects were completed with the help of over a thousand employees/teammates, while others by just a few.

See this year's winners below, as well as the details of the Awards.

Applications for INDESEM '23 are open! (check out the website)

Fields of Being: Architecture Traditions in Yunnan, China, is an exploration of the rich architectural heritage of China’s most culturally diverse province at the crossroads of China, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas. The exhibition features research by the Kunming University of Science and Technology, China Folk House Retreat, and other institutions regarding unique architecture forms and practices in the province. The exhibition also presents cases of contemporary architecture inspired by these traditions.

Combining expert voices and emerging visions, this book offers a diverse range of perspectives on the responsibility of architecture and urbanism within our current context of multidimensional crisis. It explores their complicity and forms of resistance, their possibilities and limitations, their tools and working methodologies, their relationship with other disciplines, their areas of intervention, and their capacity to create new imaginaries.

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A gathering to screen and discuss the documentary "Hacer mucho con poco" (Doing More with Less), directed by Katerina Kliwadenko and Mario Novas and co-produced with Al Borde. The film highlights local values—both material and human—and is characterized by the social, economic, and environmental awareness with which young architects approach their projects.

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Today, it is essential to integrate strategies that help limit the emissions generated by buildings over their lifespan into design and functionality concepts to mitigate climate change. Consequently, reducing embodied carbon in construction has become an urgent priority, and industry professionals are increasingly taking this into account to build with a smaller carbon footprint, alongside the principles of circularity, sustainable development, and energy efficiency. 

In her series Acessibilidade de norte a sul: todas as vozes do Brasil, Mariana Bunn Architecture and Accessibility will host a conversation with architect Juliana Gomeso this coming Sunday, May 7th.