The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) recently published a practical guide for sustainable buildings, public spaces, and construction sites in Brazil. Authored by Esperanza González-Mahecha, Livia Minoja, Lucas Rosse Caldas, and Clémentine Tribouillard, the publication aims to simplify access for public and private managers to practical information on how to incorporate sustainability elements into projects, whether buildings (such as housing or public facilities) or public spaces.

No longer a space of purely functional hygiene, the bathroom has taken on a prominent role in architectural design, becoming an essential element in both public and private programs.

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The call for entries for the Third Edition of the Oscar Niemeyer Award for Latin American Architecture, presented by the Network of Architecture Biennials of Latin America, has successfully concluded. A total of 101 works from 12 Latin American countries are participating, with Mexico represented by 30 high-quality and diverse projects—all clear examples of outstanding contemporary architectural production.

If we could travel back in time one hundred years and organize an ideas competition to visualize what Bogota would look like in 2020, the proposals would be far from the reality of the urban landscape experienced today in the Colombian capital. Back then, little was known about the events that would later shape history, such as the Bogotazo, which led to the rebuilding or remodeling of most of the buildings that served as architectural landmarks of previous centuries.

The uncertainty of a distant future is perpetual. Yet, this does not stop the imagination from creating utopian or dystopian scenarios of that urban dimension for 2120. This was the main goal of the rendering competition organized by the Student Collective of the Colombian Society of Architects (CESCA) of the Bogota and Cundinamarca chapter.

For the first time, the Colombian Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, organized by the Colombian Society of Architects (SCA), will be held virtually. In its 27th edition, over ten days, more than 60 lectures, 9 panels, and 4 forums will be available. Explore the full schedule of the main room below. Meanwhile, the parallel room will showcase the Biennial's finalist projects.

Currently, the volume of projects produced within universities in Mexico is immense, and we believe it is the perfect time to showcase some of their best work. Many undergraduate theses, also known as final graduation projects, address highly interesting and valuable topics for the country; unfortunately, the vast majority end up stored on library shelves or in a computer folder, missing the opportunity to drive real change in our cities and how we inhabit them.

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As part of an event held for the thirteenth consecutive year, a showroom opened in October featuring spaces designed by various architects and designers to showcase the new ColorLife TRENDS 2021 palettes by the Comex brand. Participants included Adrián Marfil, Alexia Ulibarri, Andrés Gutiérrez, Arlette Salas, Cristina Grappin, Jorge Ballina, Luis H. Muñoz, Mauricio De la Garza, Moisés Hernández, Penélope De la Madrid, and Rodrigo Noriega.

Art Week kicks off today in Mexico City, with more than 210 galleries opening their doors to host diverse programs showcasing the work of artists from 26 countries. Our featured lineup ranges from the recently opened exhibition "Habitat" by Lina Bo Bardi at Museo Jumex to the internationally renowned ZⓈONAMACO art fair, as well as the well-known exhibitions organized by guadalajara90210 that blend art and architecture.

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The Abierto Mexicano de Diseño is an international festival that annually gathers and celebrates the design community in Mexico in all its breadth within a single geographic point: the Historic Center of Mexico City. Its programming aims to connect the public with the creative initiatives of established designers, emerging studios, students, universities, cultural institutions, and other stakeholders. This year, the festival features the theme: “Design and Utopia: From Manifesto to Action.”

The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce has granted a utility patent for the invention "Multifunctional Self-Supporting Modular Roof System" to professors Camilo Ayala García and Christiaan Job Nieman Janssen, from the design department, and Diego Alejandro Velándia Rayo, from the architecture department, at the Faculty of Architecture and Design of the Universidad de los Andes.

COVID-19 cases in Brazil continue to rise, overwhelming the healthcare system with patients diagnosed with the virus. Understandably, hospital visits by people suffering from other illnesses have also decreased due to fear of contracting the coronavirus. To prevent health complications among those hesitant to visit hospitals, the architects at the Brazilian studio Democratic Architects have proposed the Immediate Health Bus (O-SI), a system focused on telemedicine.

Two buildings in Brasília's Plano Piloto have received the CAU/DF Seal – Architecture of Brasília 2020, and another six will receive it in the coming days. Launched in August of this year by the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal District, the seal aims to recognize the historical value of Brasília's non-monumental buildings and their designers, as well as to promote building maintenance and conservation best practices that have preserved the architectural language of the Modern Movement.

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Toward a New Normal with Less Urban Inequality is a petition addressed to the various levels of the Peruvian government –the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Provincial Municipalities, Ministries, District Municipalities, and Regional Governments—that aims to draw attention to and denounce the current situation facing the country's cities. Through this document, the signatories express their concern and call for priority and structural actions to improve the living conditions of all citizens in Peru.

Set against the backdrop of the current pandemic—and the tragic experience it has brought to countries worldwide—the Manifesto for the Reorganization of the City after COVID-19 expresses the deep concern of professionals regarding the future of cities in the post-pandemic period. The text, a critical document focused on the city of Barcelona—though applicable to most Western cities—was drafted by Massimo Paolini, an architectural theorist and member of the Political Ecology Network (POLLEN). It outlines the problems affecting urban centers and highlights alarming data, calling for urgent and drastic measures.

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Rojkind Arquitectos has proposed a "Mourning Claim" memorial for COVID-19 victims. Led by Michel Rojkind, Arturo Ortíz Struck, and Diego Díaz Lezama, the project is envisioned for Times Square in New York and the Zócalo in Mexico City. "We claim mourning for its own sake. At the very least, we can care for them, for these architectural symbols that bear witness to our lives and the lives of others," say the authors.

The winners of the "Sustainable Urban Housing" National Ideas and Master Plan Competition have been announced. Promoted by the Municipality of Mendoza (Argentina) and organized by the provincial Association of Architects (CAMZA), the call invited professionals from across the country to reflect on **ways of inhabiting the contemporary city** through the development of ideas for a Master Plan and a preliminary architectural design for housing units. The sites considered in the competition—an urban sector of more than 13,000 square meters—are remnants of railroad lands that, over time, have transformed into urban voids, remaining as vacant areas within the consolidated fabric of the city.

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The winners of the Ecoparque Las Piedras Public Competition (Uruguay) have been announced. Organized by the Government of Canelones and sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning, and Environment (MVOTMA) and the Society of Architects of Uruguay (SAU), the call invited participants to design proposals to transform a large sector of the city of Las Piedras into an urban park.

In its 6th edition, Open House Porto (OHP) welcomes the city of Maia, which joins Matosinhos, Porto, and Vila Nova de Gaia for the major annual architecture festival organized by Casa da Arquitectura – Portuguese Centre for Architecture. To inform and guide visitors, applications to recruit 400 volunteers are open until April 20.

For nearly two decades, Wienerberger AG has hosted the biennial international Brick Award, providing a stage for outstanding brick architecture and its designers. Architects from around the world showcase their innovative concepts using ceramic materials: 644 projects from 55 countries were submitted for this year's award. The winners of the Brick Award 20 impressed the jury with bold, creative architectural concepts for sustainable, forward-looking spaces.

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The results of the Ideas Competition for the construction of the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria (MUPAC) have been announced. The open call invited architecture professionals to develop design proposals for the new museum in Santander, Spain. With over 18,000 m2 of space and a complementary administrative building, it will become one of the most representative venues for Spanish archaeological history. Located in the city center alongside other landmark spaces such as the Palacio de Festivales, the Maritime Museum, the Centro Botín, and the Central Library, the building is set to become a signature civic facility and a major visitor attraction.

As part of the annual CEMEX Awards, the recipient of the Arq. Marcelo Zambrano Scholarship has been announced, reaffirming the commitment to the development of architecture in Mexico. CEMEX awards the Arq. Marcelo Zambrano Scholarship in honor of the exemplary professional dedication and leadership of Architect Marcelo Zambrano, aiming to support young Mexicans in pursuing postgraduate studies at prestigious international universities.

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Brazilian architecture firm Estúdio Leonardo Zanatta has received an honorable mention in the international competition "Cool Abu Dhabi," which challenged participants to design creative solutions to tackle climate change and mitigate the urban heat island effect in Abu Dhabi. Titled Abu Dhabi Skins - (Bio)Reactive Urbanscape, the proposal is the only selection from the Americas.

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After receiving 105 proposals from 32 different countries, the Rural Tourism Accommodation (RuTA) international ideas competition in Vietnam, organized by arquideas, has announced its winning projects.

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The winners of the “Parque de la Ciudad” Comodoro Rivadavia National Preliminary Project Competition have been announced. Organized by the College of Architects of Chubut and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architects' Entities, the competition invited participants to develop urban and architectural ideas to renew the public space of the city of Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut (Argentina), through the design of a new Urban Park and a Popular Music Training and Production Center.